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The mandolin is an instrument that has been with us for quite some time. Its original versions predated much of what we use as our instruments today. It has changed its design in various ways over the years, but how to tune a Mandolin has always been a bit of a problem. From Italy, Of […]

Anyone who has been trained has a distinct advantage, and that applies to singing as much as anything else. But what does it mean if a singer is classically trained? The Word “Classical” can Scare People Away There are a lot of people as soon as they hear the word “Classical,” will possibly think about

We all know what a scale is. They are a series of groups of notes that are arranged in either ascending or descending order. And every note that is in a scale is called a degree. The name of which is determined by how far it sits from the first pitch, or note. An important

Some say that songwriting is a superpower. I don’t think so. Others say that to write great music; you have to be able to read it. Don’t tell Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, or Jose Feliciano that. While others say to write and understand intricate music, you have to be able to write it down. Irving

If you’re looking for who starred in the Fox TV Sleepy Hollow, you’re in the wrong place. This isn’t Ichabod Crane and the village of Sleepy Hollow; this is about Sleepy Hallow rapper and singer from Brooklyn. Sleepy Hallow is best known for his tracks “Flows,” “Panic,” and “Deep End Freestyle,” where he shows off his innovative style within the drill

Musicians are privileged to live in an era where access to decent recording capability and platforms to share or promote music, is more abundant than ever before.  To make decent recordings in “the good ol’ days,” you needed access to specialized equipment, which was nowhere near user-friendly and never, ever cheap. Therefore, you needed to

Have you ever bought a musical instrument, got it home, and within a few days realized that you have made a mistake? Don’t worry; we’ve all been there. But, when buying an instrument like a cello, that experience can be even more excruciating. There are some tips for buying a cello that we should consider.

Some important communications need to exist between the composer and the musician. Firstly, the composer needs to tell whoever is playing the piece when to play and what to play. But just as importantly, he needs to tell the musician when not to play. That can often be just as important. The composer does this

When we write something down, we adopt a format. Phrases, sentences, paragraphs. It helps to give it an understandable form. The same applies when we speak. We speak in similar ways, using various methods like rests or changes in tone to give what we are saying a format. The same can be applied to music.

For each major scale, there are seven “Modes.” Each mode is a different variation on the scale and has its own peculiarities in how it represents the scale. Some are noticeably positive and happy-sounding, others sad and more negative. There are three major and four minor modes. So, let’s take a look at one of

The first answer that some people might give is that woodwinds are made of wood, the brass instruments from brass. There is some truth in that, of course. But the difference between Brass and Woodwind instruments is not quite as clear-cut as that. Materials and Technique What they are made from and how they are

The Clarinet is a complex piece of musical machinery. One look at it will tell you; you just don’t blow it and get a sound. There is much more to it than that. And while all the different parts play an important part in the sound, one part can make a huge difference. You need

The mention of the words “music scales” can promote different emotions in different people. To some, they are just a chore, something you have to learn. While some seem to get terrified, even if you just mention the words. They can seem a bit daunting at times. Others just accept they are necessary and get

The cello isn’t an instrument that is difficult to play to some degree, but some are a little easier at the beginning, a piano or a guitar, for example. You can get a recognizable tune from them the first time you pick them up. It might not sound brilliant, but it is a tune, and

Not all music is an exact science. Not every bar contains basic and strict notation and beats. Sometimes we will want to subdivide the beat. Put notes into divisions outside of what is allowed by the stated time signature. The name we give to this process of dividing the notes into irregular beats is a

If you want to create any sort of sound from your stringed instrument, you need to know how to Rosin your bow. The question some are tempted to ask is, “Why?” The answer to that is to try and play without it. When was it first used? There is a simple answer to that as

Transposing music is at times for convenience, but in other situations, it is a necessity. Therefore you need to know how to transpose music. However, there is one situation when the need for transposition skills is more than a necessity. Without them, you cannot play what is written in front of you. I will go over that

We all agree that being able to define the pitch of a note is important for composers as well as musicians. If you can’t write it down, then no one can read it. If you can’t read it, then you can’t play it. It is as simple as that. If the music cannot be written

Alone, bored, and yet feeling like you have something you need to express? This is the situation for so many musicians these days. Whether at home waiting for the next concert, unemployed, or just too lazy to cart your gear to your buddy’s house, you might be in the same boat. So what’s the solution?

Gaining an appreciation of the speed, or tempo of a piece of music is very important. There will be times when there will be no conductor, metronome, or click track to help you. Music can be slow, or it can be fast. To understand at what speed music should be played, we need to understand the

If I mention the word ‘scales’ to some students of music, they will recoil in fear. That’s understandable, considering the variety of scales that there are. However, I’ve decided to give you a guide to the chromatic scale, not one of the most commonly used but is incredibly useful to understand. But before that… Why

What would you say if we asked you to name the best jazz album of all time? How about your top 3? It probably sounds like an impossible task for any serious jazz fan. After all, when we talk about jazz, we’re really talking about a 100-year movement. Starting from the roots in New Orleans

The Mandolin has a long history. It is an instrument that has been popular for many years. But if you want to learn to play the mandolin, there aren’t as many options as there would be for the guitar. Learning how to play the Mandolin for beginners has its problems. But that shouldn’t put you off

Living in a condo, an apartment, or even a townhouse can have its pros and cons. These homes can be convenient and low maintenance. You also save on heating and cooling bills by sharing walls, and that’s a big deal these days. But sharing walls can also cause problems related to privacy… You can often

The world has changed. When I show things to my nieces and nephews on my laptop, they always try to touch the screen. I don’t think they even know what a trackpad is. Touch screens are now everywhere, and it now seems almost counter-intuitive to press buttons and turn knobs. All things that we used

Anyone that plays any stringed instrument will know that it is vital that it is kept in tune. This applies particularly to those just beginning with the instrument. Therefore, how to tune your cello is a fundamental part of the early learning curve. Important for Your Development Being in tune or having the correct pitch,

If you’ve just started learning to play piano or trying to learn how to read sheet music and feel like you aren’t progressing at the pace, you’d like. Then look no further! As a guitar player, I did not learn sheet music the first few years of playing. But I realized the importance of theory

Spotify is the most widely used music streaming service in the world. Since it was launched in 2008, it’s built an active monthly user base of 345 million people worldwide, of which 155 million pay a monthly subscription fee to upgrade to a premium account. In this article, we’re going to take a look at both services to see

“Welcome to another episode of the Business Knowledge Podcast. I’m your host, Joe King, and with me, in the studio, today is Melissa Albright. I’m delighted to finally have her here to talk to us about the future of podcasting as a tool for growth. Welcome to Business Knowledge, Melissa!” If this sort of script

Most people know that the majority of woodwind instruments like the clarinet, flute, and saxophone use a reed which generates the sound. If you have been looking around to buy a woodwind instrument, you may have come across another option – The Double Reed Instrument. But, what are Double Reed Instruments? You may not be

Dynamics have always been an important part of performing music. You will hear them in every kind of musical genre. But, what are dynamics in music? In some pieces of music that you listen to, you will notice variations in the loudness. Some parts are louder, other parts quieter. This is what is known as

Most songwriters these days will sit down and write their music. Depending on the type of song, they might add some harmony lines or, if they are adventurous, some countermelodies. However, like most things, there is a technical side to this process that goes way further. It is called Species Counterpoint. And if you want

There are two considerations when thinking about harmony, and it is a very detailed topic to try and explain. In fact, trying to define what is harmony in music can easily become over-complicated. One consideration is often given more importance in these explanations than the other. The theoretical structure is discussed, taught, and emphasized. Important,

Some are bound to ask the question, “What is bebop?” Musically minded individuals might follow that by discussing its structure and asking about the Types Of Bebop Scales. Its name doesn’t do it justice, in my opinion. Doesn’t have a serious edge to it. It was probably derived from those jazz “scat” singers who improvised