If you are a beginning guitar player, you may start out with a new and rather inexpensive model of guitar. That is how most start because they don’t have a lot of money, and they know there is a chance they won’t take the hobby too far. If they were to spend a lot on [...]
Last weekend my son came home for a visit from college. He asked if I would help him with a project for one of his classes. For one of his general education courses he needed to take a class in music appreciation. Each person in the class was to bring a collection of songs from [...]
Rolling Stone magazine is one of those trendy little magazines you just have to read if you care at all about what’s ‘in’ and what’s not in the wide world of music. Making it into the Rolling Stone magazine, even being briefly mentioned, is a sign that you’ve ‘made it’ in the music world as [...]
I have a lot of great memories of life before the age of ten. My mom was a single mother for a while, but she did a great job raising us and making us feel that all was well with the world. Some of my favorite memories were of when we would lie on the [...]
I just got my youngest son his first mandolin lesson the other day, and I have to say, that we’re both excited. I feel a little bit guilty, like I’ve been pushing him a little hard to play music, and for a while it seemed like it wouldn’t happen. You see, the whole family plays. [...]
Are you one of those people who has a dusty guitar case lying somewhere around the house? Chances are you have one and probably never learned how to play, or started taking beginner guitar lessons and that didn’t work out, or something else got in the way. Taking beginner guitar lessons in the traditional way [...]
I can still remember the first time I ever got Allman Brothers band tickets. I was 16 years old and just discovering classic rock.. It was quite a revelation to me, really. You see, I had grown up listening to what was on the radio. My parents had some old Jefferson airplane records, but they [...]
Even if you are a professional musician, Getting a good session together can be a lot more difficult than it should be. As a singer, I have had to learn firsthand how temperamental and difficult to work with musicians can be. They will flake out on paying gigs, come in late, get moody at the [...]
At the risk of sounding like a throwback to the last century, I still love listening to classic rock music of the ’60s and ’70s. Of course, I have carefully stored away my old vinyl records in favor of CDs and MP3s like everyone else today, but even though I rock out to my tunes [...]
As an avid Beatles fan, I love everything about them. I think that there were three main ingredients, which led to their amazing success: the quality of the songwriting, the strong vocals and the musical experimentation. Their development was fascinating to observe. Beatles songs began as catchy tunes with a few soulful ballads. It was [...]
When we—ahem—forty-somethings were kids, we participated in talent shows in school, had Fourth of July singing competitions, and even had slim opportunities to go to the small local broadcasting station to enter a small local talent search. I cannot find the historical (lol) data now, but I do remember entering by mail one of the [...]
If there is one place in the world that I thought I would never be, it was Nashville Tennessee. It wasn’t that I didn’t think it was a fun place, I just thought of it as most do. It is the capital of country style music, and I don’t listen to it very much. My [...]
Most who are not involved with the music business have no idea that there are different types of recording contracts out there, and how hard they really are to get. We have all seen the artists that get signed with a record company, tour the world, and rake in the dough. However, the majority do [...]
Playing the viola instrument in the orchestra, I have had to put up with my share put downs. Violas are definitely not the most glamorous member of the string family. First of all, they are far less resonant than the better known violins. This means that they always get used for harmony. For example, there [...]
Music is of course, a subjective thing and everyone has their likes and dislikes. However, there are certain songs that become classics and appear on countless polls over the years. These songs are in Top 100 Songs lists and feature some long standing artists. Many of the songs voted for are covered by lots of [...]
I have always thought that Johnny Cash posters are pretty cool. There are lots of popular music posters with more flare and pizazz than Johnny Cash posters, it is true. You will find no fancy graphics, no special effects – none of that window dressing. What you will find, though is the compelling visage of [...]
When you think of Britney you probably start humming one of her many number one songs or your mind wanders to all her marital woes that seem to be on the front of every supermarket tabloid lately. But there’s another side to Ms. Spears and it allows other women to share a part of her [...]
Technology has always dictated how music is presented, starting with the thick shellac records played on 78rpm gramophone players to the pristine CDs of today. As shellac evolved into vinyl records, some people would consider this to be the golden age. Fans of vinyl flock to record fares looking for rare items and imports. These [...]
When the Stones rolled into town, parents were warned to lock up their daughters. Back in 1962, when it all started, who could have guessed they would still be going strong? The wrinkles may have deepened but they are still one of the most exciting bands in the world. Their devoted following includes a lot [...]
Many times the things that we complain about most as a child are things that we enjoy or regret as adults. When I was a kid I was enrolled in violin lessons. My grandfather played the violin and my mother thought at least one of her children should follow in his footsteps. I had some [...]
If you have ever wanted to learn to play piano, now is the time to start. Many people mistakenly believe that, if they have not began to learn to play piano in their childhood, they will never succeed at it. This is based on truth, but it is not the whole truth. Although learning piano, [...]
Every time I go to my mandolin lesson. I learn something new. Not just something new about bluegrass music, although I do find myself learning about this as well. What I really learn at mandolin lesson is how to listen to music more deeply, and this is what, more than anything else, improves my music [...]
The internet has made it easier than ever to learn to drum. You can get a drum lesson online now, so that you can start today without ever even leaving your house. I have a friend who has been doing just that. He has subscribed to a site which, twice a week, gives him an [...]
There is plenty to do in the Colorado city of Denver. The annual calendar of Denver events has something to appeal to everyone. The rodeo has a long tradition in these parts and January’s National Western Stock Show and Rodeo has bull riding, animal auctions and a display with more than 15,000 livestock. February is [...]
Though they may not be common, many people love to get their hands on backstage passes. I never have really, except for my husbands’ bands, but I don’t really care too much any more. When I was a teenager though, I would have loved to get one to meet some of my favorite bands. It [...]
The world of hip hop and gangsta rap is a controversial one and the top rappers are in the news for their personal lives as much as their recording career. 50 Cent is amongst these controversial rappers, a man who grew up in a tough section of Queens, New York City and became a drug [...]
Kids love to listen to music, and if they want to learn how to play a harmonica, you’re in luck. There are a lot of benefits for kids to learn harmonica songs. Don’t fear that if your child learns how to play one that they’ll be limited on the different types of music that they [...]
Within the musical community, there is a debate about the value of music theory that will probably never ends. Is it important to study music theory scales, or is it much better to just dive into the music and experience it viscerally. The proponents of learning the theory regarded it as an essential part of [...]
Almost any band who is around for longer than ten years will eventually put out a greatest hits album. Most of the time these are good sellers, but most fans who already have all of the albums will not bother to buy. This is why many times the band putting out the greatest hits album [...]
Avril Lavigne is a Canadian singer and songwriter, known for her ‘goth’ and ‘punk’ disposition. To date she has released two albums, both of which have ranked high on charts around the world, and have yielded numerous very popular singles in the ‘pop’ genre of music.
My high school battle of the bands was one of the deciding moments of my life. Although I didn’t win it, it was the time I decided that I wanted to be a musician. Up until the battle of the bands, music was just something that I did for fun. It was a blast to [...]
Ever consider how music plays such a large part in our lives? I cannot think of a day when I did not hear music. Whether you have a collection of thousands of CDs or in my case albums or just turn on the radio during your morning commute to work, you are a connoisseur of [...]
I am known in my circle, as someone who likes a wide range of music. I enjoy rock, jazz, classical, and people like Rufus Wainwright and Jeff Buckley. I even like some punk, and I appreciate the song writing of Kurt Cobain. I have Metallica in my CD collection. Isn’t your Mum cool! my son’s [...]
The world of music went electric a long time ago but there will always be a place for acoustic guitars, especially in the hands of accomplished guitarists. Most musical genres are represented by the instrument, which has a long tradition and is popular in many cultures. Evolving from the lute, the guitar developed into the [...]
The singer songwriter boom of the 1970s owed a lot to James Taylor, an artist who has been recording and performing ever since and who has written songs that became classics. Most people can hum a James Taylor song and he has the respect of fellow musicians. His contribution was officially recognized when he was [...]
Everyone listens to rock music as a kid, but when you are grown up your relationship to it can change. When I was first listening to it, I wasn’t aware of the history of rock music. To me, rock ‘n roll was just something fun to put on when I was partying with friends, relaxing [...]
Do you want to learn to play piano, but the cost of private lessons is holding you back? Don’t let that get in the way! Now you can learn to play piano online in the comfort of your home on when you have time available. Everyone has a different learning style also, and children learn [...]
Back when I was a child, vinyl records were the vehicle used by diehard music lovers to listen to their favorite songs. Eight tracks were going out of style really quickly and the newest trend was the cassette tape. Even with the passing of the eight tracks and the emergence of the cassette tape, many [...]
I have been listening to the music of Johnny cash for a long time – ages before “Walk the Line” came out. You see, I was practically raised on Johnny Cash songs. My father was not a cowboy, so don’t you go and get that idea into your head. Maybe it would have been cool [...]
The guitar has been around in one form or another for centuries, and the principals behind how it works have been in use forever. The term “acoustic guitar” is a retronym, because all guitars were acoustic. It wasn’t until the invention of the electric guitar that a distinction became necessary. Acoustic refers to a hollow-bodied [...]
The best way to learn to play the harmonica is to just pick one up. I know, there are many programs offering to teach you how to learn to play the harmonica. They will offer you sheet music, and the instructions of various harmonica masters. These methods have their place, as a teacher can always [...]
I got my first drum kit when I was about 10 years old. Actually, it was more of a toy drum set. It was made out of plastic for the most part, and it was pretty flimsy, but I really liked it. I did not know anything about drum kits. All I knew that was [...]
Britney Spears is a famous American pop performer best known for her singing, songwriting and dancing. She is the only woman to have ever released four albums that debuted at number one on the charts. She has also starred in a number of reality television shows, has written two books, and has starred in a [...]
A lot of planning goes into organizing a dance party. You have to find the perfect venue, you have to get the perfect decor, you have to invite the right people and have it at the right time. If you don’t have the right dance music, however, the whole thing is a waste of time. [...]
Acoustic guitars have been the standard by which all other instruments are judge for decades now, and they seem to show no signs of diminishing in importance. Before the invention of modern amplification systems, the acoustic guitar was not universally the preferred instruments of songwriters. Acoustic guitars, after all, are relatively quiet when compared to [...]
It is strange to see an instrument as traditionally ridiculed as the accordion enjoying a resurgence among young people. These days, you can buy accordions and accordion sheet music in almost any music store. Meanwhile, bands like They Might Be Giants, and Tom Waits have had tremendous influence in popularizing the accordion among young, hip [...]
Curtis James Jackson, or more frequently known as 50 Cent, Fifty, or Fiddy, is one of the most prominent and successful rap musicians of the current decade. Though he has had a strong ‘underground’ following in New York for some time, he rose suddenly to widespread recognition with the release of his first major album, [...]