Top 10 Guitar Styles To Learn Online
12/6/2020
 Top 10 guitar styles to learn online with Los Angeles music teachers
Several cultures have managed to influence the way the guitar is played in times gone by. Today, there are various ways of playing the guitar. Learners need to understand the various playing styles available so as to be able to choose a suitable guitar style. It is highly recommended to avoid monotonous tendencies by learning various styles of play. Undoubtedly, you stand to gain more impressive recognitions among friends and colleagues when you learn to play in varying guitar styles. Interestingly, the guitar space is so diversified to the extent that players can colorfully create their own styles by simply learning more musical scales and techniques. Here are some of the top styles to learn on guitar to help you improve your own playing skill. Rock The electric guitar is mainly used to create the rock music style it features a typical 4/4 beat that is influenced by country, rhythm, and blues, and blues music. Rhythm Learners will need to understand how to support a vocalist with the right beat when playing the rhythm guitar. Percussive Of all top styles to learn on guitar, the percussive could be the most challenging as it requires lots of practice to master. Aside from playing on the strings, players will need to learn how to produce percussive sounds by hitting the body of the guitar with their nails, finger edge or palm. Lead Virtually any type of guitar can be used to play a solo and practice several other techniques for lead improvisations. Jazz Typically characterized by improvisations and polyrhythms, swing and blue notes, this is an independent art form of music that can be purely instrumental. When playing on a jazz guitar, it important for learners to understand its complicated chord structures. Folk Anyone can pick up a folk guitar to play in a piece of folk music as it doesn’t require any form of professionalism. All you need to do is to flow along with the story that is sung about common people. Flamenco Flamenco features a vigorous Spanish style of play that involves fast and dynamic movements. Playing the flamenco guitar can provide the groove to the dancer by establishing percussive hits through a distinct picking pattern. Slide Learning to play the slide guitar will also require you to learn how to change pitch with the slide instrument. Bluegrass Originating from the southern United States, this unique style of country music features a happy spirited, fast tempo that is supported with a resonating guitar on the bass line. Blues Often performed over a repetitive harmonic pattern, blues is a melancholic style of music that features a simple chord progression presented in a slow sad manner. During musical performances, the guitarist often serves as the main point of focus.
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 Playing The Clarinet
The clarinet is as versatile as it is fun. It is a great woodwind instrument to learn to play but the process can be confusing to those who are new to this instrument. If you're out of breath while playing or unsure on how to properly clean your instrument, our list of advice is designed to assist beginners. For more personalized, speak with your music instructor at Los Angeles music teachers online. What Equipment Is Needed? There are a few essential pieces of equipment for every clarinetist: Reeds [https://goo.gl/Haibfr] Ligatures [https://goo.gl/TVAqx2] Mouthpieces [https://goo.gl/Bmaq17] Did the clarinet come with a stock mouthpiece? If so, it is time to upgrade a better mouthpiece that provides the desired sound. All stock ligatures should be eliminated as well. Cloth ligatures offer more control than metal ones, so most educators recommend that their students transition into the usage of metal ligatures to open up their sound. The reed's strength should be determined by the mouthpiece. A “3” is usually the most common but it is not right for everyone. Be sure to speak with your music educator to find out about the strength that is right for you. How Is Embouchure Improved? This process doesn’t happen overnight. It’s an often overlooked performance aspect that involves the proper coordination between your upper lip, lower lip, chin and teeth. To begin, drop the jaw so that it is relaxed and not forced open. From there, move the jaw from side to side slightly, so that it can loosen up. Once full relaxation is achieved, roll your bottom lip ever so slightly over your lower teeth and firm up the mouths's corners. They should be brought forward and in, much like a smile. Place the index finger against the space between your top teeth and use the upper lip to press downward onto your finger. (The chin should automatically point downward once this step is taken.) Remove the finger, do not move a muscle, insert 1/4th of your mouthpiece and keep the upper teeth resting on top. Perfect embouchure has been achieved! What About Reeds? Finding the right clarinet reeds [https://goo.gl/Z3PmC8] and maintaining them in the proper manner is crucial to your success. Choose the correct reeds for your mouthpiece and the level of pressure used. Do not moisten reeds with saliva, as these acids are highly detrimental to cane. When a new box of reeds is opened, do not test them all at the same time. The lip desensitizes and reed impressions are inaccurate. The break in process should be steady and slow. It does not take place in one day, they are played for a few minutes each day. When it comes to cleaning and maintenance, rinse your reeds in water after playing and use a soft cloth to dry them before they are stored on glass. Reed adjustment requires trial and error, so be sure to speak with your clarinet instructor for further advice. Any Practicing Advice? Most new clarinet players are misguided as far as practicing is concerned. The amount of time spent practicing is not as important as how that time is spent. An hour of efficient practicing is more effective than three hours of distracted practice. Practice time should consist of warm-ups, enjoyable sheet music and technique practice. Keeping up the technical side of things can be tough. Always practice technique, no matter what. Each practice should begin with a warm up, you can switch between sheet music and technique as necessary. For more practice tips, check out How to Make Your Practice Time Count. [https://goo.gl/gqD6ko] What If I Have a Bad Day? Bad clarinet days are a very real thing. Practice can be frustrating at times. The trick is to remain calm. Don't force yourself to complete technique exercises or run through scales. At times like these, it is important to simply play through some of your favorite tunes. Spending time playing what you want to play lets you get into the flow of playing more rapidly. Becoming frustrated? There's nothing wrong with skipping your practice session for that day. Remember: this process is a challenge. There are going to be good days and there will be bad ones. Don't be discouraged. In the long run it pays to be determined. If you have any questions, want to sign up for lessons online, or want to subscribe to our newsletter, feel free to contact us with any of the links below  Why online music lessons?
For most of us, there are just not enough hours in the day, especially for busy families, business professionals, or students involved in multiple activities or dealing with the virus going on today. Families are often forced to choose between one activity or another because each additional activity requires additional preparation time (packing up gear and arriving early), travel time, and lesson time …for both the parent and the student. We also realize that there are a number of families that live in areas with harsh climates and excessive traffic. If you live in the south or in highly populated areas, it means not having to fight the hot traffic while trying to get to your lesson. And for those of us who live in the north, it means not having to decide between missing a class that you already paid for, or driving your family on icy roads through a dangerous snowstorm. To accommodate students/families in these situations we’ve opened up online lessons. The online lesson format is very similar to a private lesson Clear and Accurate Sounding Lessons With a background in audio and video production, we understand the importance of clear and accurate audio and video. We have invested heavily in high-quality microphones, audio capture devices, lighting, and video cameras. Much of which is actually used during our private online lessons. It’s important to us that you are able to hear clear vocals and accurate instrumentals, without the room distortion or background noise that you get on a built-in laptop mic or with most of the entry-level microphones. We also have a fast upload speed, so you’ll be able to view our time together in high-definition. Lesson Recording Did you know that the average student forgets 30-70% of what they learned within just a few hours of their lesson? On top of that, each day that passes by without practice, the student will lose another 50% of what’s left. Needless to say, the last thing a parent or student wants is to be paying for lessons (plus drive time and gas), only to spend most of their lesson time relearning old content from the previous week. A free option available to all of our online students is to have their lesson recorded. This allows students to review EVERYTHING they learned in the previous lesson, not just the parts they can remember; and they can do it at a time when they are most receptive to learning. It also creates a new level of transparency between the parent and teacher, allowing parents to review all of the content that their children are learning. This combination truly creates an opportunity for full lesson-retention, and puts students in a position where they are able to progress at a much faster rate compared to traditional music lessons. So if you're interested in learning about our online lessons, please contact us at www.losangelesmusicteachers.com or click on one of the links below Online Piano Lessons for all Ages
12/3/2020
 For true music lovers, the piano is the mother of all instruments. The piano gives such rich sounds with each key that is pressed, to not just the person playing, but also all who listen to it. The piano is the best instrument all around due to many reasons. For one, it is the only instrument that can play all 88 notes on the musical scale. The notes played can be higher and lower than other instruments. The piano is basically the base foundation for all other musical instruments.
 How Warmups Can Keep Your Hands From Hurting On Guitar
A lot of guitar learners are curious about how to prevent their hands from hurting while playing on the guitar. Truth be told, the simplest and easiest way to achieve this feat is by warming up. As with most exercises, it is always important for people to warm up first before engaging in any strenuous activity which can go a long way in helping to prevent them from hurting themselves. Warm-ups are essential for both novice and professional guitarists. Before doing anything on the guitar it is highly recommendable for players to perform a series of warmup exercises such as rehearsing, playing a gig or doing some recordings. Just so you know, many muscles, tendons, and bones are responsible for finger movements. This is why it is essential for guitarists to perform some warmup exercises before they even start flailing them around recklessly. This post is designed to enable you understand how warmups can keep your hands from hurting on guitar. Here are some important things you need to know about these preparatory exercises. They help to prevent injuries Ultimately, warming up can be every efficient in helping to improve your playing skills and technique. However, it is also important to note that these little exercises can go a long way in helping to prevent injuries from occurring. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and tendonitis are some common problems that can occur as a result of not warming up before play. Just so you know, that are many guitarists that have been forced to retire from playing the guitar due to problems of this sort. This is why warming up before playing is important as it goes a very long way to help to prevent body injuries. Parting shot Warming up should be regarded more like a precautionary exercise than an optional thing. There is no better way to avoid those nightmare experiences associated with hurting hands than this. Now that you know how warmups can keep your hands from hurting on guitar, it is imperative to ensure that you make these activities a norm. Don’t just grab your guitar and let rip without taking the time to do some warming up exercises. Medically speaking, it is advisable to observe some finger stretching routines before setting out to play the guitar. There is no need to cut your guitar playing dreams short due to your inability to perform proper warm up routines before playing which has finally messed up your hands. In fact, doing so doesn’t even make any sense. The main aim of engaging in warmup routines is to awaken all the necessary ligaments, tendons, and muscles needed for playing the guitar. This can go a long way in preparing the hand and even the mind for the vigorous playing demands you are about to engage in. If you feel you need more help with some warm up techniques, you can call or message us with the links below. We have teachers ready to help you with your warmups with lessons online on zoom.
  The best way to read guitar tabs is to understand what they are & how to understand them. As you can see from the two pictures to the right, the first one is far easier to understand than the second one. Start simple then move to more complicated. Guitar tabs are a simplified form of sheet music. It’s a type of sheet music for guitar. As where standard notation (regular type of sheet music) is more general and can be for any instrument. Tutorial Guitar Tab Lesson With tabs you use numbers to represent the frets you play. Unlike standard notation where you use symbols to recognize notes. A lot of people frown on guitar tabs because they don’t show you as much as standard notation. They’re a lot more simplified for easier learning & might require you to listen to a piece of music to understand what you’re reading. But is still a great training tools. Once you understand how they work when you reading them (say in a song) you’ll begin to gain insight on how things in music are put together. And that’s when the fun starts. Once you do a whole new world will open up to you and you’ll be able to understand things most guitar players won’t. But you must start slow and take your time. It won’t come over night, but if you work at it daily, you will see some nice positive results. If you feel that guitar tabs are too complicated. There is a free website to teach you how to read music. It is a hands on website that teaches you Music theory. Click here to check out the Music Theory Teaching site. Los Angeles Music Teachers Call:818-902-1233 Or Email: rick@losangelesmusicteachers.com   When Is The Best Time To Start Violin Lessons For Your Kids
As parents, we work and strive to provide our children with many opportunities possible to make them succeed in life. Some of these opportunities can come from music. Over the last couple of years, scientific evidence has pointed to the numerous ways in music lessons can help boost brain development in kids. In fact, research has shown that music is among the most effective ways to help children in building motor skills, cognitive growth and enhanced learning comprehension. However, with this in mind, many parents still wonder when the right time is for their children to begin lessons. With all the information available, parents can be equipped to know the best time to start violin lessons because this is a critical period. Being too early or too late can spell disaster. Early Immersion Starting from around birth to about the age of two, parents can introduce basic music concepts kids will love. Singing along to some baby songs while clapping, and making gentle movements like swaying can help create cognitive connections to the sound being played. As the child grows older, you can increase your child’s exposure to more formal aspects of music. As your child progresses with age, and becomes more aware you should still continue training at home, and get them to enroll for early age music lessons at school and at the local community center where they can meet other kids. The whole idea is to get them focused on recognizing different tunes, rhythms, melodies and different musical instruments. Recordings and flashcards will just fine. When it comes to the best time to start violin lessons for your kids, one of the common mistakes parents make is starting instrument training very early. If you introduce your child to violin training before they are ready, it could pressure them into rebellion and resentment. In fact, although pleasurable activities can bolster cognitive growth, research has shown forcing young kids to learn instruments can affect them negatively and hinder brain development. Best Time to Start Violin for Kids The best time to see whether your child is interested in violin training is around the age of five, preschool age. Violins come in different colors and sizes, so finding the right size and color shouldn’t be an issue. Just make sure you find one that suits their height and arm length. It’s also a good idea to have your child choose the violin they want, this will certainly help keep them involved in something they love and of their own choosing. While private classes are good, there are several online programs that are specifically designed to teach violin for beginners. These can be a more productive option as they are intuitive, interactive and come with games to make the whole learning process fun. Determining the Perfect Age to Start Violin Lessons online Note that when it comes to violin training, there’s no one size for all. It’s a personal decision, and one that involves patience. Understanding your child’s interests will certainly help.  9 Questions to know before taking Drum Lessons at Los Angeles Music Teachers
Do I have to own a drum set to take drum lessons? No. Many students start learning on a rubber practice pad and a pair of sticks. We recommend starting children at the age of five or six on keyboard/piano for a year or two and adults can start at any age. Then they have a huge head-start when they transition to Drum at the age of seven and it usually goes very smoothly for them. Do I have to bring sticks to my first lesson? No. Your teacher will have a pair you can borrow for the first lesson. Your teacher will suggest a pair of sticks that are the correct size for you based on music style, experience, etc. Then you can pick up a pair at a music store and bring them to future lessons. Should I learn on an acoustic or electric drum kit? If you are a beginner it doesn't really matter. There are some advantages to each. The cost is similar between electric and acoustic drums. You can wear headphones with electric drums and you can put rubber pads (silencers) on acoustic drums to bring the volume down. Please speak with your drum teacher about which drum set is right for you, your lifestyle and budget. You can always call our school office and someone will be happy to help you as with the brands and models as well. What age is best to start learning to play drums? Adults can start anytime! Students as young as five can learn to play but it is usually best if they wait until the age of seven to take drum lessons. Many people call us and say "my child plays pots and pans all the time and he is four years old. We want to get him into drum lessons." There is a big difference in having fun pounding away on pots, pans or even your desk if you are an adult and having your teacher give you certain patterns and songs to work on over and over until they are correct. Children under six and under generally don't have the attention span to take drum lessons. Instead, start them on keyboard until the age of seven and then switch them to drums if you really want to give them the best chance at success. Of course there are exceptions so please call us if you think your child is ready for drum lessons! Do I have to bring my drum set to each lesson? No. We have drum kits at our school for you to use at your lessons. However, you should bring your sticks (after the first lesson) and any books or other materials your teacher has you working on from week to week. Do you teach snare drum and other percussion instruments? Yes. Please call us for details as there are many different percussion instruments out there and various teachers at our many schools teach specific percussion instruments. Do I have to know how to read music to play drums? No. Your teacher will introduce you to drum music as you learn to play. Drum music notation is different than music notation for other instruments and is much easier to learn! Are their performance opportunities for drummers at Los Angeles Music Teachers? No. We are currently in an expansion in the school so we are just taking on private lessons, so we do not have any school concerts/performances, but any parent that would like to hear the students progress and want their child to have a performance to practice and prepare for, we can definitely set that up for you for we would like our students to grow and have something to work towards. We can set the drummers to perform a solo. What kind of drums do you recommend for a beginner? I would recommend contacting your teacher, there are many brands and models for basic and electric drum sets. Our teacher will give you the best advice on instruments you can purchase that will be excellent for you to start with. Check out the Los Angeles Music Teachers page to learn more about drum lessons! Contact us or call us at 818-902-1233 or email: rick@losangelesmusicteachers.com How Do You Tune A Violin?
11/28/2020
 How Do You Tune A Violin?
Tuning your violin with precision is not necessarily an easy task, especially for beginners. This is however essential to play, alone, in rehearsal, or within an orchestra to be in harmony with the other instruments, or simply to take advantage of the unique sound aesthetic offered by these instruments. Although it seems difficult to tune a violin, it is a task that is acquired over the course of learning with practice. Here are some tips and suggestions for tuning your violin or viola. Chromatic tuners The chromatic tuner is usually equipped with a clip that allows it to be firmly attached to the violin neck so that they can correctly pick up the vibrations of the instrument. It works thanks to a battery which allows feeding the screen where appears the frequency of the rope to be regulated. It is, therefore, possible with this type of tool, to tune its instrument very precisely in relation to the frequency of the desired note (we will detail the frequencies of each note a little further). The tuning fork The tuning fork is a small metal tool with two U-shaped branches. By striking it, it emits a vibration that can be amplified if it is placed on a sound box (on the violin table for example). It gives a virtually pure note, usually a La whose frequency is 440 Hz, used as a reference to tune its instrument. Unlike the chromatic tuner that does not require much effort, the tuning fork requires a minimum of training and a good ear. This is the method most used by violinists. Smartphone applications Many smartphones applications to tune guitar, violin or viola are available for download, some paid and some free. They work on the same principle as a conventional electronic tuner thanks to the microphone of the phone. They are very practical because we usually always have a smartphone in the pocket or in our bag. However, an electronic tuner like those mentioned above will still be more accurate and efficient than an application for smartphones. The tuning notes of a violin The Names of, the Violin Strings On the violin, there are four strings. Starting with the thickest string, they are called G, D, A, and E. An easy way to remember this is to use the mnemonic device below: • G = Good; D = Dogs; A = Always; E = Eat. Good dogs always eat! Finally, a tip that will be especially useful for you not to break your strings: turn the ankles gently and never stretch the strings more than a tone above the desired note. Otherwise, your set of strings may not hold you for a long time and you may also damage your instrument by putting too much strain on it. In this regard, it is best to change the strings one after the other to avoid too large differences on the handle.  The First 10 Things Beginner Guitar Players Should Learn
Are you thinking of learning how to play the guitar? When learning something new, you must start from the beginning. The guitar is a wonderful instrument to play as it can help you improve your memory and concentration. When it comes to learning how to play guitar, you might need an expert help. Many beginners give up learning to play guitar after some time because it is frustrating. Learning a new skill is never easy, you will have to work hard to master it. However, with our help, you can learn how to play the guitar without any hassle. In this article, we have listed the things that every guitar player must learn. Have a look! Know Everything About the Guitar The first thing you must learn is the guitar anatomy. It is crucial for you to know what the components are and what they do. There is no need to hurry, you should take your time to get familiar with everything, from head to bridge. There are different types of guitar; you must understand how every part works. This is to make learning how to play guitar easy. If you don’t know which string is the A string, it will be challenging to learn how to play guitar. So, to successfully learn how to play guitar, you must get to know every part of the guitar. Holding the Guitar Correctly In order to play the guitar easily, you must hold it properly. Though many people think there is no rocket science, it can be difficult for someone who has never held a guitar before. To be able to produce the best quality sound, you must hold it correctly. Your left hand must be on the neck of the guitar while the other hand must be over the sound hole. In case you are left-handed, there are two solutions. You can flip the guitar without restringing or you can reverse the strings. This means you will have to position your right hand on the neck. You can try playing guitar in both ways and choose the one that you are comfortable with. Tuning the Guitar Tuning the guitar is a crucial step in ensuring the best sound quality. If you don’t know how to tune the guitar, you will have a challenging time learning how to play it. Your guitar can fall out of tune because of regular playing, environment, and temperature. Playing a tuned-out guitar will produce an off-key sound. Since the strings do not fall out of tune at the same rate, you must know which string to tune. So, it is crucial to know how to tune your guitar. It is suggested to get a tuner; you can even use online guitar tuners. If you don’t have a tuner or a phone, you can use the 5th fret technique. Restring the Guitar The strings of your guitar will lose their shine when you play it regularly. It means that you need to change the strings. Knowing how to replace the strings is a great skill for a guitarist. So, how do you when to restring your guitar. You will know when the strings will be discolored, or the sound will be off or flat. By restringing your guitar, you can make sure the sound produced is of excellent quality. Not all the strings are made equal, you can ask the professional at the local shop to help you choose the right string for you. Holding a Pick If you are wondering what a pick is, then you are the right place. A pick is a small plastic that is used for strumming the strings. Though you will not be using it every time you play the guitar, learning how to hold a pick is a vital skill. You must hold the pick in between the tip of your thumb and first finger. Once you get to know how to play, you can figure out your own style. There are several types of picks available on the market, from thick to thin. In the beginning, it is advised to start with a thinner pick. Since it is made of plastic and is small, it is recommended to get many picks. It will not cost you a lot as they are inexpensive. Reading Chords and Tabs Many people think reading tabs and chords is difficult. This is a misconception; it is very simple. When learning how to play the guitar, it is recommended to start with simple songs. To make it easy to play chords, you can start with songs such as Bad Moon Rising. Moreover, it is better to start learning with a cover. This will help you get familiar with reading the chords and help in practicing transitioning between chords. Playing Open Chords In open chords, not all the strings are pressed down. One of the first skills the guitarist will learn is playing open chords. You must start with a basic open chord such as G and strum the string to ensure you hear a clear chord. After you have successfully learned a single open chord, you can move on to the second open chord. This will help you practice transitioning between the chords. It is suggested to keep on creating the library of chords until you can transition between key chords without any trouble. Playing in Rhythm After learning a chord, many beginners, call over their friends to impress them with their newly learned guitar skills. It is then, they understand they don’t know how to play in rhythm. This is something every guitarist goes through. It is crucial to practice strumming the chords in rhythm. For this, you must use a metronome to strum in rhythm. Once you master strumming one chord in rhythm, you can try with two chords. Playing Power Chords Power chords are used in rock music; it is two note chords. Power chords are dyads consisting of fifth notes and root. They are not minor or major because they don’t have the third. When playing power chords, you will only need two or three fingers on the frets. They are easy and fun to play. Since many songs are composed on power chords, there are many songs for you to cover. Playing Guitar Songs You can choose a song that is your favorite and learn to play it on guitar. This is an exciting and thrilling for new guitarists as it will be the first song they learn. Therefore, you need to be patient when learning new skills. You can’t learn to play guitar overnight, you have to practice regularly to master the guitar skill. Los Angeles Music Teachers - Call us at 818-902-1233 or email: rick@losangelesmusicteachers.com |
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