What sort of precautions should you take if you own a guitar? This lesson covers the basics of guitar care, from temperature to stands to moisturizing oils. Discover how humidity (or lack thereof) affects your guitar and what sort of products you can use to keep the wood from warping or cracking; you’ll also learn the importance of a stand and a sturdy case for avoiding preventable damage.
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Hold off on the Beethoven and Debussy for a second and play something a little more . . . contemporary. This piano lesson from Paul Corgan shows you how to play the insanely simple and fun-to-play “Bow Chicka Wow Wow,” by Mike Posner. You’ll learn the verse, chorus, and guitar riff and get some tips for putting your own spin on the chord progression.
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Why do you want to play guitar? Do you want to play casually at parties, write songs, or record in a studio? Maybe you want to do something entirely different — there are many paths for learning the guitar out there.This lesson urges you to take a seat and examine what you want to get out of the guitar and why. Determine your guitar playing goals and find a way to get there.
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Do you not feel cut out for playing the guitar? Feeling frustrated with your abilities as a musician? Don’t worry, that’s completely normal! This lesson reveals to you that learning how to play guitar isn’t about talent; it’s about dedication and practice. Talent doesn’t come naturally; your favorite musicians developed their coordination over years of practice. Persevere toward your goal of becoming a great guitarist.
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Once you have a general understanding of inversions, or slash chords, on guitar, it’s time to put them to good use in your chord progressions. Inversions can turn the leap from one bass note to another into a seamless transition. In this lesson by Your Guitar Sage, learn three common inversions with examples of chord progressions and put them to good use.
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Get ready to start your first project in Cubase 7! In this lesson, explore the Project Setup in detail to better understand technical settings like sample rate, bit depth, and Hermode Tuning (HMT). We'll even go into detail about common technical standards, so you can set up your Cubase project correctly. Once you have the best settings to fit your needs, you’ll be well on your way to recording, arranging, or editing your first project!
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Ever wondered why guitarists use capos? This lesson covers the pros: from shifting keys to form otherwise impossible chords to accommodating a singer’s range. You’ll also learn about the different brands and models, such as Shubb, Kyser, and G7th. Turn a G into an A, and transpose a song into E-flat major; using a capo opens up the door to a world of possibilities.
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If you lived through the year 2000, you probably remember Vanessa Carlton’s irresistibility catchy “A Thousand Miles.” Want to learn how to play it on piano? This lesson from Paul Corgan, designed for beginner to intermediate students, breaks down each major part of the song and details the notes for the left and right hand.
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Take some time to learn about intervals, or the relationships between notes in a scale; chords and embellishments will start to seem like second nature. This lesson by Your Guitar Sage recalls what you have learned about the whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half pattern to demonstrate the relationship between the eight notes of major and minor scales.
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One of the most important aspects of recording music is keeping time. Using the click track feature in Audacity will help you do just that! Modeled after a metronome, the click track option establishes a steady rhythm to guide you as you play and record. You can customize the beats per minute and beats per measure to give you the cadence you need. This audio editor also allows you to easily shift your recording and match-up your music!
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Want to recapture the glory of Jersey Boys at home on your piano? In this quick and easy lesson from Paul Corgan, learn how to play The Four Seasons’ classic hit, “December, 1963 (Oh What a Night).” With the knowledge of a few basic chords and simple inversions, you can master both main parts and play the whole song for your friends and family.
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Do you love the film, characters, and soundtrack of “Frozen”? Then try learning Idina Menzel’s version of “Let It Go” on guitar, taught by Smiley Mo! This intermediate guitar lesson covers all the chords you need to know to play this song through and through, from the intro to the last note. Practice the strumming patterns and perform your new song for friends and family!
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Dash through the snow this holiday season with a ukulele: they’re lightweight, inexpensive, and easier to play than other stringed instruments. In this lesson, Super Ukulele breaks down the chord progression, strumming pattern, and song structure for “Jingle Bells.” Follow along with the attached chord diagrams until you can play each chord in succession; then kick out the jams at your next caroling session.
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Scratching is the oldest hip hop DJ technique in the book, and for good reason: it’s the most direct way for DJs to add their own musical touch on top of other tracks. In this lesson, learn different scratching techniques, including old-school scratching like the chirp and the flare. Avoid unwanted noise and learn to incorporate the fader to create scratching effects that will move the crowd.
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The major scale means major business. Check out this lesson by Your Guitar Sage and investigate one of music’s most important structures. You’ll learn and memorize the form of a major scale in whole steps and half steps so that you can construct one from anywhere on a guitar. Once you know the pattern, you can move on to playing the major scale across multiple strings.
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Are you an experienced harmonica player looking to learn a new lick? This lesson will teach you how to mimic the sound of a train. You’ll learn when to bend notes and use a hand wah-wah to create the sounds of a freight train whistle. By manipulating the way you draw and blow air, you’ll be able to produce different pitches and play this classic bluegrass and folk music sound. You’ll also experiment with octaves and trilling as you work your way to mastering this wind instrument.
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Want to add to your piano repertoire of impossibly catchy songs? This lesson shows you how to play “Call Me Maybe,” by Carly Rae Jepsen. If you’ve already picked up some basic piano chords and know some rudimentary music theory, check it out: Paul Corgan breaks down the verse and chorus before putting everything together for you to play along.
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If you want to play guitar like Clapton, you have to build on the basics. Starting with an ordinary blues scale and adding several articulation techniques, such as bends, hammer-ons, and slides, Muse-Eek shows you how to create face-melting licks. By focusing especially on bends, this lesson serves as a great starting point for intermediate guitarists who have not yet broken into the world of soloing and lead guitar.
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Even more handy and widely used than guitar tabs are chord charts—simplified sheets of music that lay out the chord progressions, time, and key signature of a song. This lesson by Your Guitar Sage makes use of several recognizable examples, including The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” and Train’s “Hey Soul Sister,” to demonstrate how to learn songs quickly and easily by reading chord charts.
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