Simple Music Secrets

Today I was playing with several down loadable guitar chord “calculators” for lack of a better term.  I am old school and usually opt for a book full of chords or scales but I must admit that these on screen tools are very useful. It takes a little while to learn how it all works, but soon you will see how to choose a chord or a scales, save it , print it and so forth.

http://www.virtual-fretboard.com/

The virtual fretboard has the best graphics and include options to color the fretboard and is user friendly. You can save the image as well as a jpg and this comes in handy.

http://www.guitarcalculator.com/main.html

The guitar calculator is very easy to work, although it appears very small to my eyes and I woudl like to be able to view it in a larger size. You can print the chords you save instantly but you cannot save the image which I do not like.

All in all though they are both very useful.

Tune your guitar

The guitar takes ideas from both hands to make a full sound. You will increase your flexibility and skill as you learn both right hand and left handed techniques.These are the terms and skills you should know and work on right away.
Skills for the Right Hand

Flat picking is playing the guitar with a plectrum or pick, usually plastic. Flat picking is essential to a well rounded guitar player.

Finger picking is usually described as playing the guitar with only your fingers, not with a pick. When you use all of your fingers, you can play difficult parts at the same time.

Read more guitar techniques here

Why, you say would anyone need to have an old instrument as opposed to a new one? Time will only improve the sound of a well made guitar. As a guitar ages, so does the sound; mellow  is the word for a vintage guitar as the wood changes over time.
What does it mean to have a vintage guitar.

There are other factors that matter when you are thinking about a vintage guitar. A guitar  is more valuable if it is not available, perhaps made in a limited run. The Martin guitar company produced various models of an individual design in short runs.

The Les Paul Gold Top guitar had a particularly cherished finish and golden color which also aged well. With the Fender Stratocaster the quality was more highly desired during an earlier time of the companys history. Famous guitarists lend their name and endorse special guitars known as signature guitars. The guitar is not vintage necessarily but it is more desirable and will be vintage someday. If a guitar was owned by someone famous, that of course makes it more valuable and increases its value.If the guitar was played at a big concert like Woodstock, that would make it more prized as well. A guitar that has a great sound will be valued regardless of the age of the guitar.
Guitar amplifiers are also considered to be vintage in some cases. Vox, Marshall and Fender amplifiers have particularly pleasing sound reproduction capabilities. The tube circuitry is largely responsible for the sound of these amps.

Many vintage guitars today are valued as works of art and are treated as such. To own a vintage guitar is to own a piece of modern music history.Knowing that so and so played the guitar really adds to its reputation  and enjoyment. Modern rock and roll came into being with these instruments.

Some guitars have been restored to play perhaps even better than they did originally.

I wanted to speak to all the guitar players out there who have always wanted to learn say, Carlos Santana or Chuck Berry or many other great guitar solos exactly as they were played.

There are a few tools on the market that help with this and one is called “Guitar Leads”. You can read about it on the site here:

Guitar Leads Review

When I was a teenager and wanted to play the exact Clapton or Hendrix lead riff I would spend hours with a record and struggle to play it over and over. There was no capability to slow it down unless you could afford a reel to reel tape player. If you could slow the record down it was to 16 1/2 r p ms and now it sounded like Darth Vader underwater.

Now you can slow it down and still hear it in pitch.

You are looking to find an instrument for yourself, or perhaps your child. You want to pick the right one, but it is so overwhelming! Woodwinds, piano, brass, strings, and percussion, and that’s just the groupings. How can you decide which instrument is right for you?

Do some Research

Here are few suggestions that will help you to narrow down the search. First, do some research into what the different instruments sound like. You do not want to be stuck playing, or listing to someone play, an instrument you cannot stand the sound of. Check out some orchestra CDs from your local library, or go online to find sound clips of different instruments. A music teacher may be able to demonstrate the sound of some instruments for you. Sergei Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” is a great piece that showcases several instrumental solos.

Try Some Out

Once you have found a few sounds that please you, see if you can try some out. If you know someone who plays an instrument, ask them if you can try it. They may not want to let you put your mouth on their mouthpiece, but you can at least hold the instrument and feel how it feels in your hand. Also, if you are looking for an instrument for your child, their school orchestra teacher will most likely have some student models they can try. Some music stores may be willing to let you try an instrument. Keep in mind that you will not play a symphony on the first try, but you do want to have an instrument that feels somewhat comfortable in your hands.

When looking at an instrument, there are some physical capabilities you need to consider. For example, if you have tiny hands, you may have trouble reaching some chords necessary to play the piano. The trombone requires relatively long arms, and a child that is younger than fifth grade is probably too small for it. Kids with braces will have a difficult time beginning a brass instrument, as the pressure on their teeth will be painful. Think about the size of the arms, hand, and mouth of the person you are choosing and instrument for, and try not to force them into something that is too big or small for their build.

Match with personality

Next, think about the new musician’s personality. A quiet, shy young person is most likely not going to be comfortable with a loud brass instrument. Likewise, the tough football player would be mortified playing the flute. Piano students need to be capable of working on their own, while band students need to enjoy working in groups. Think about your home environment too. Is there a place where the student can practice? If space is at a premium, choose a smaller instrument. If there are close neighbors, think of quieter instruments.

Think about your budget.

The fact is, some instruments take more financial dedication than others. For instance, strings have to be upgraded as the student grows, whereas a brass instrument usually comes in one size. Also, keep in mind the repairs the instrument will need, whether it be tunings for a piano, strings for a violin, or reeds for a clarinet. These considerations may help you decide between one or two once you have narrowed it down.

The bottom line is, choose an instrument you can see yourself or your child enjoying. Practicing an instrument is hard work, and in order for it to pay off, you need to enjoy it. By taking time to choose your first musical instrument, you will ensure that you have made a choice you can stick with until the final curtain call.