Free Piano Lessons Online On Piano Chords & Chord Progressions: June 2005

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Musical downloads -- free & low cost promotion for musicians!

Musical downloads -- free & low cost promotion for musicians!: "Music Downloads: Free & Low Cost Ways For Musicians To Get Their Music Known All Over The World

Music downloads are highly compressed audio files transferred onto a personal computer from an Internet website or P2P (peer to peer) program. It's a trend reaching nearly epidemic proportions; music downloads are everywhere. Websites all over the Internet offer music downloads of particularly rare or hard-to-find songs, and computer-savvy music fans have been known to spend hours searching through the mountains of downloadable material. They also function as a godsend for new or underground musicians; who needs a record label when strategically placed music downloads alone can garner you a dedicated following? Even cell-phone companies have grabbed themselves a piece of the pie by offering music downloads that serve as ring tones. The sound quality is often superior, the P2P programs easy to use -- music downloads are one of those rare pop-culture phenomena embraced by nearly everyone.
But despite (or perhaps because of) their overwhelming popularity, music downloads have stirred quite the controversy. Many P2P programs allowing users to transfer music directly between computers offer music downloads for free, much to the chagrin of several recording artists and labels. Fearful of losing money to music fans downloading the songs instead of buying the full record, bands and labels have set out to stop the users from obtaining their music from free programs. A virtual witch-hunt for frequent downloaders and the threat of lawsuits led many P2P programs to begin charging for their services, though several sneak under the wire by making that payment optional.
The ethical implications involved in free music downloads are complicated. Some vehemently rail against the practice,"

Music Downloads

Music Downloads: Free & Low Cost Ways For Musicians To Get Their Music Known All Over The World

Music downloads are highly compressed audio files transferred onto a personal computer from an Internet website or P2P (peer to peer) program. It's a trend reaching nearly epidemic proportions; music downloads are everywhere. Websites all over the Internet offer music downloads of particularly rare or hard-to-find songs, and computer-savvy music fans have been known to spend hours searching through the mountains of downloadable material. They also function as a godsend for new or underground musicians; who needs a record label when strategically placed music downloads alone can garner you a dedicated following? Even cell-phone companies have grabbed themselves a piece of the pie by offering music downloads that serve as ring tones. The sound quality is often superior, the P2P programs easy to use -- music downloads are one of those rare pop-culture phenomena embraced by nearly everyone.

But despite (or perhaps because of) their overwhelming popularity, music downloads have stirred quite the controversy. Many P2P programs allowing users to transfer music directly between computers offer music downloads for free, much to the chagrin of several recording artists and labels. Fearful of losing money to music fans downloading the songs instead of buying the full record, bands and labels have set out to stop the users from obtaining their music from free programs. A virtual witch-hunt for frequent downloaders and the threat of lawsuits led many P2P programs to begin charging for their services, though several sneak under the wire by making that payment optional.

The ethical implications involved in free music downloads are complicated. Some vehemently rail against the practice, claiming that to download free music is to disrespect the artist that created it. Even bands unconcerned with the financial aspect hate free music downloads simply because they allow their records to be leaked, or made available before the official release date. But others see no problem with free music downloads, some even completely embrace them. In fact, many cite the exorbitant costs of records as justification alone for free music downloads. Music downloads and the users that either embrace or condemn them are a hotly contested topic; it's an argument not likely to end anytime soon.

For the musician, however, music downloads are an absolute breakthrough technology, allowing, for the first time in history, for a musician to develop a following without ever leaving his or her house! Marketing possibilities are unlimited for the musicians who avail themselves of this wonderful new technology.

(With Mollie Wells, E-Lance - 6-05)

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. His courses have been written up in hundreds of newspapers and magazines. His book-CD-DVD course titled "How To Play Chord Piano" (http://www.chordpiano.com) has sold over 100,000 copies around the world. He holds an advanced degree from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He has also logged time as an assistant music therapist, piano tuner, and working piano player. He is the author of the popular free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" with over 55,000 current subscribers. Those interested may obtain a free subscription by going to http://www.playpiano.com/

Piano lessons using piano chords at www.playpiano.com

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

How to use "family events" to spread the word...

How toHow To Get An Avalanche Of Free Publicity For Your Home Business!

How to use "family events" to spread the word...

There are many ways you can get tons of free publicity in the form of write-ups in magazines, newspapers, and even radio and TV. And sometimes you can turn family events into human-interest stories that editors like and will publish in their magazine and newspapers
One way is to compose a printed news release on your product or service, but include a story involving your family into the release. Write the release like a news article in a newspaper. Tell who, what, when, why, and how interested people can benefit from your product. Avoid hard selling copy --- just give the facts, and if you can weave in an interesting story in the process, all the better.

For example, I am a musician with a line of products in the music educational field. Years ago I created a giant musical staff out of plastic and turned it into a game that kids could play on the floor. In the news release about it, I told how my own kids used it, and included some dialog between them:

“That’s a whole note!” exclaimed my daughter Kendra.

“Is not! It’s got a stem, and whole notes don’t have stems” my son Kurt corrected her.

“Is too!”

“Is not!”

“Is too!"

“Is not!”

“Oh…what’s a stem, Kurt?”

“It’s the line coming down from the note head, stupid.”

“I am not stupid!”

“Are too!”

“Am not!”

Finally Mom intervened before an all-out war broke out.

But henceforth and evermore both of my kids knew the difference between a whole note and a half note.

For some reason, editors found that little story amusing, and wrote up the story pretty much as I sent it in. They also included information on how interested parents could get a “Giant Staff Game” for their own kids, and as a result we got orders from all over the states and some foreign countries from both parents and schools. It was written up in House Beautiful, Better Homes & Gardens, plus many music magazines and teachers’ journals.

This was not just a one-time fluke, either -- over the years we received news write-ups galore in everything from the Wall Street Journal to Popular Mechanics -- all related to our product, but written in a way to make editors smile and then decide to publish the release in their publications.

Can you do the same? Think about the funny little incidents in your family life, and then think of ways you can work that into a news release about your product or service.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. His courses have been written up in hundreds of newspapers and magazines. His book-CD-DVD course titled "How To Play Chord Piano" (http://www.chordpiano.com) has sold over 100,000 copies around the world. He holds an advanced degree from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He has also logged time as an assistant music therapist and piano tuner, as well as a working pianist. He is the author of the popular free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" with over 55,000 current subscribers. Those interested may obtain a free subscription by going to http://www.playpiano.com/

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Music instruction in chords & piano lessons

use "family events" to spread the word...

How to use "family events" to spread the word...

How To Get An Avalanche Of Free Publicity For Your Home Business!

How to use "family events" to spread the word...

There are many ways you can get tons of free publicity in the form of write-ups in magazines, newspapers, and even radio and TV. And sometimes you can turn family events into human-interest stories that editors like and will publish in their magazine and newspapers
One way is to compose a printed news release on your product or service, but include a story involving your family into the release. Write the release like a news article in a newspaper. Tell who, what, when, why, and how interested people can benefit from your product. Avoid hard selling copy --- just give the facts, and if you can weave in an interesting story in the process, all the better.

For example, I am a musician with a line of products in the music educational field. Years ago I created a giant musical staff out of plastic and turned it into a game that kids could play on the floor. In the news release about it, I told how my own kids used it, and included some dialog between them:

“That’s a whole note!” exclaimed my daughter Kendra.

“Is not! It’s got a stem, and whole notes don’t have stems” my son Kurt corrected her.

“Is too!”

“Is not!”

“Is too!"

“Is not!”

“Oh…what’s a stem, Kurt?”

“It’s the line coming down from the note head, stupid.”

“I am not stupid!”

“Are too!”

“Am not!”

Finally Mom intervened before an all-out war broke out.

But henceforth and evermore both of my kids knew the difference between a whole note and a half note.

For some reason, editors found that little story amusing, and wrote up the story pretty much as I sent it in. They also included information on how interested parents could get a “Giant Staff Game” for their own kids, and as a result we got orders from all over the states and some foreign countries from both parents and schools. It was written up in House Beautiful, Better Homes & Gardens, plus many music magazines and teachers’ journals.

This was not just a one-time fluke, either -- over the years we received news write-ups galore in everything from the Wall Street Journal to Popular Mechanics -- all related to our product, but written in a way to make editors smile and then decide to publish the release in their publications.

Can you do the same? Think about the funny little incidents in your family life, and then think of ways you can work that into a news release about your product or service.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. His courses have been written up in hundreds of newspapers and magazines. His book-CD-DVD course titled "How To Play Chord Piano" (http://www.chordpiano.com) has sold over 100,000 copies around the world. He holds an advanced degree from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He has also logged time as an assistant music therapist and piano tuner, as well as a working pianist. He is the author of the popular free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" with over 55,000 current subscribers. Those interested may obtain a free subscription by going to http://www.playpiano.com/

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Music instruction in chords & piano lessons

Piano playing is easier than you think when you understand musical form

By Duane Shinn

Form is the key that unlocks the musical map of a song or a musical compostition. Like a house has rooms, so a song has rooms or sections.
Chord progressions come in sections, like one room in a house. You can put several different rooms together to make a big house, or you can live in a one room house. Just like people. In most 3rd world countries people live in one room houses -- which means, of course, that much of the world lives in one-room houses.

Those of us who live in the West generally live in multi-room houses.

But there are also musical houses -- we call them songs -- that are built out of several different rooms -- several different chord progressions. Some of them, like mansions and castles, go on and on and get quite involved.

But most songs are like many modest houses -- they have 2 or 3 rooms, sometimes 4 -- built using 2 or 3 or 4 different chord progressions.

Each "room" in a musical house is called a theme, or a "motif". The first theme is always called "A". The next theme is called "B", the next theme is called "C", and so on. Most songs only have 2 or 3 themes, but these themes often repeat.

For example, let's say we have a chord progression that goes like this:

C Am7 Dm7 G7

...and then it repeats those same 4 chords...

and then we have another chord progression that goes like this: Gm7 C7 F Fm7 Bb7 Eb G7

...and then the first chord progression is used again as the song ends.

This song would have a musical form of A, A, B, A -- main theme, repeat of main theme, contrasting theme, main theme.

If a song went like this:

Theme contrast theme

…it would be known as ABA musical form

If a song went like this:

Theme, theme, contrast, theme

….then the song would be in AABA musical form

The "B" section of a song is sometimes called the "bridge", or the "release", or the "chorus". These terms usually mean the same thing -- depending upon the form used.

Can you guess what this might be called?

Theme - contrast - theme - contrast - theme - contrast - theme - contrast

Right you are! A B A B form.

This is also known as "verse-chorus" form.

Most popular songs fall into one of these forms:

A B A

A A B A

A B A C A

A B A B

Why should you care?

Because if you know songs are constructed this way, you can look at songs with smart eyes -- you know what to look for, and once you determine the form, you have a "mental map" of the song -- you're not just wandering from chord to chord anymore.

In addition, most songs are proportional. That is -- 4 bars of section A, then 4 bars of section B, then another 4 bars of section A, and so on. You will find TONS and TONS of popular songs that are 32 bars long in A A B A form -- 8 bars of theme A, 8 bars of theme A repeated, then a bridge of 8 bars, finishing with 8 bars of theme A.

Does that give you an advantage knowing that?

It gives you a HUGE advantage because you know what to look for, and you know that if you learn theme A you have automatically learned 75% of the song! All that remains is to learn the 8 bars of the bridge, and you've got it!

And that's why you need to learn about form.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. His courses have been written up in hundreds of newspapers and magazines. His book-CD-DVD course titled "How To Play Chord Piano" (http://www.chordpiano.com) has sold over 100,000 copies around the world. He holds an advanced degree from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He has also logged time as an assistant music therapist, piano tuner, and working piano player. He is the author of the popular free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" with over 55,000 current subscribers. Those interested may obtain a free subscription by going to http://www.playpiano.com/

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Music instruction & piano lessons

Form -- the key that unlocks music

Form -- the key that unlocks music

Piano playing is easier than you think when you understand musical form

By Duane Shinn

Form is the key that unlocks the musical map of a song or a musical compostition. Like a house has rooms, so a song has rooms or sections.
Chord progressions come in sections, like one room in a house. You can put several different rooms together to make a big house, or you can live in a one room house. Just like people. In most 3rd world countries people live in one room houses -- which means, of course, that much of the world lives in one-room houses.

Those of us who live in the West generally live in multi-room houses.

But there are also musical houses -- we call them songs -- that are built out of several different rooms -- several different chord progressions. Some of them, like mansions and castles, go on and on and get quite involved.

But most songs are like many modest houses -- they have 2 or 3 rooms, sometimes 4 -- built using 2 or 3 or 4 different chord progressions.

Each "room" in a musical house is called a theme, or a "motif". The first theme is always called "A". The next theme is called "B", the next theme is called "C", and so on. Most songs only have 2 or 3 themes, but these themes often repeat.

For example, let's say we have a chord progression that goes like this:

C Am7 Dm7 G7

...and then it repeats those same 4 chords...

and then we have another chord progression that goes like this: Gm7 C7 F Fm7 Bb7 Eb G7

...and then the first chord progression is used again as the song ends.

This song would have a musical form of A, A, B, A -- main theme, repeat of main theme, contrasting theme, main theme.

If a song went like this:

Theme contrast theme

…it would be known as ABA musical form

If a song went like this:

Theme, theme, contrast, theme

….then the song would be in AABA musical form

The "B" section of a song is sometimes called the "bridge", or the "release", or the "chorus". These terms usually mean the same thing -- depending upon the form used.

Can you guess what this might be called?

Theme - contrast - theme - contrast - theme - contrast - theme - contrast

Right you are! A B A B form.

This is also known as "verse-chorus" form.

Most popular songs fall into one of these forms:

A B A

A A B A

A B A C A

A B A B

Why should you care?

Because if you know songs are constructed this way, you can look at songs with smart eyes -- you know what to look for, and once you determine the form, you have a "mental map" of the song -- you're not just wandering from chord to chord anymore.

In addition, most songs are proportional. That is -- 4 bars of section A, then 4 bars of section B, then another 4 bars of section A, and so on. You will find TONS and TONS of popular songs that are 32 bars long in A A B A form -- 8 bars of theme A, 8 bars of theme A repeated, then a bridge of 8 bars, finishing with 8 bars of theme A.

Does that give you an advantage knowing that?

It gives you a HUGE advantage because you know what to look for, and you know that if you learn theme A you have automatically learned 75% of the song! All that remains is to learn the 8 bars of the bridge, and you've got it!

And that's why you need to learn about form.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. His courses have been written up in hundreds of newspapers and magazines. His book-CD-DVD course titled "How To Play Chord Piano" (http://www.chordpiano.com) has sold over 100,000 copies around the world. He holds an advanced degree from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He has also logged time as an assistant music therapist, piano tuner, and working piano player. He is the author of the popular free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" with over 55,000 current subscribers. Those interested may obtain a free subscription by going to http://www.playpiano.com/

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Music instruction & piano lessons

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Musical instrument review - discount, clearance, scratch & dent

Index of /articles

Index of /articles Name Last modified Size Description Parent Directory 20-Jun-2005 16:10 - 1-violins.html 20-Jun-2005 16:09 18k 10-cornets.html 20-Jun-2005 16:09 21k 11-cymbols.html 20-Jun-2005 16:09 22k 13-digital-pianos.html 20-Jun-2005 16:09 19k 14-drum-sets.html 20-Jun-2005 16:09 22k 15-electric-guitar.html 20-Jun-2005 16:09 24k 16-accordion.html 20-Jun-2005 16:09 9k 17-alto-horn.html 20-Jun-2005 16:09 17k 18-dulcimers.html 20-Jun-2005 16:09 10k 19-autoharp.html 20-Jun-2005 16:09 17..

Vibraphones & xylophones

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: vibraphones & xylopones Vibraphones & xylophones Viberaphones & xylophones When you were a kid, do you remember playing a xylophone in school? I did. I was never very good at it, but I did manage to learn the scale pretty well, simply because it was always right there in front of you on the xylophone, so in order to make some kin..

CONCERTINA- A PERFECT INSTRUMENT FOR MUSIC CONCERTS

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: concertinas CONCERTINA- A PERFECT INSTRUMENT FOR MUSIC CONCERTS The concertina The concertina came into existence around mid-eighteenth century, as a diatonic instrument, square in shape with each side having five buttons. Introduced by Uhlig, concertina was able to play at least 20 tunes in the beginning, and later on the number of tun..

Selecting a clarinet you will love...

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: clarinets Selecting a clarinet you will love... Types of Clarinets Mainly, there are two types of clarinets used by the students i.e. plastic and wood. Plastic clarinets are less expensive as compared to wooden clarinets. Every type of clarinet has its own advantages and disadvantages. The starting range of plastic clarinets is $200 and i..

Buying a drum for a child

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: drums for kids Buying a drum for a child Childrenâ��s Drums - Getting the Right Sized Drum If your child is a music enthusiast and wishes to practice his hands on real instruments, a childrenâ��s drum is the most cost effective solution for you. They are not costly; hence, you do not have to worry about the drum when your childâ��s temptatio..

How to shop for an harmonica

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: harmonic How to shop for an harmonica Spread harmony with your harmonica Harmonica, as the name itself contains the word harmony, thus, is really a very beautiful tool or musical instrument to spread harmony and peace every where. Playing harmonica is not very tough, but it is not very easy, you should take harmonica playing classes. Another..

Bass trombones

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: bass trombone How to select a bass trombone The Bass Trombone is one of the popular musical instruments that are widely used in concert, jazz bands and orchestra. It is a famous brass instrument which has a wider a..

How to shop for a mandolin

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: mandolin How to shop for a mandolin Mandolins Playing mandolin is really a great thing, as mandolin is a very musical, soft music instrument. It is really ear-soothing if played correctly from a well constructed and tuned mandolin. Types of Mandolins Numerous varieties of mandolin are available in the market, popular ones being A-style..

How to shop for a harp

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: harp How to shop for a harp The harp -- a little taste of Heaven? The harp is really a wonderful musical instrument through which you can play numerous beautiful and soft pieces of music, which not only soothes your year, but many of your listeners as well. Once you learn playing harp properly, you can play different types of music anytim..

How to shop for a euphonium

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: euphonium How to shop for a euphonium Euphonium Greek meaning of the word euphonium is beautiful sound . This musical instrument was developed in 18th century by a conical low brass instrument named as Serpents. The cost of euphonium depends on its quality. Professional-quality euphoniums are quite costly. If handled..

How to shop for a flugelhorn

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: flugelhorn How to shop for a flugelhorn The mellow sound of the flugelhorn The flugelhorn is a special instrument and a famous instrument of brass band family. The perfection of flugelhorn is judged simply by blowing into it that is to say that if you blow into cornet or a trumpet continuously and excessively, you will realize that the to..

What to look for when you shop for a Electronic Keyboard

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: electronic keyboards Electronic Keyboards - how to buy the best for the money... ELECTRONIC KEYBOARDS- A MUSICAL ROAD TO DRIVE UPON An electronic keyboard is not a particular music instrument; it can be a mouth organ, synthesizer, sampler or a digital piano, all together. In this article you will see different information about electronic ke..

How to select a viola

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: viola How to select a viola PLAY VIOLA IN A VIOLA STYLE Earlier, viola was practiced upon the violins by simply replacing the violin strings with the viola strings. But it was later realized that this was not the correct method, and viola admirers started practicing it on separate instrument. If you are planning to buy a viola, then it i..

Cellos -- how to buy a cello

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: buying a cello Buying a cello with a great tone The cello Playing cello is one thing that is liked by both amateurs and professionals. Children also love to play this instrument with deep natural and mesmerizing sound. Ten to fifteen of cellos in an orchestra make a special emphasis on bass of the o..

How to shop for a glockenspiel

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: glockenspiels How to shop for a glockenspiel GLOCKENSPIELS: A PERFECT PEEL OF MELODIC MUSIC Among the several drumming instruments, glockenspiel can be considered as the best, as a player can play variety of notes/ tones with this single instrument than with any other drum etc. Glockenspiel is a drumming instrument; it has number o..

KAZOO- A REAL FUNKY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: kazoo How to shop for an kazoo KAZOO- A REAL FUNKY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT If you really love crazy noises, and really want to make some very wild noises, then kazoo is best for you. Kazoo is one of the simplest musical instruments, and is liked and loved by people of all age groups. Best thing about kazoo is that you need to learn it fr..

How to shop for an melodica

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: melodicas How to shop for an melodica MELODICA - PLAY FOR BEAUTIFUL MELODIES Melodica is an easy to play musical instrument. It is available in various sizes. Some are so compact that you can easily carry them in your pocket. Melodica was introduced somewhere in mid-19th century. With the passage of time, little variations were done to thi..

What to look for when you shop for a metronome

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: metronomes What to look for when you shop for a metronome METRONOME- A TOOL FOR EVERY MUSIC PLAYER Metronome is popular among music artists, whether he is a guitarist, pianist, or a drummer. It is an essential tool for all music learners and also for professionals as it helps in deciding the performance of the player. Today, digital metro..

What to look for in a musical saw

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: musical saw What to look for in a musical saw MUSICAL SAW- A PERFECT SAW TO CUT DOWN ALL YOUR WORRIES As the name suggests, musical saw is a simple saw, but it produces a sweet melodious song with great sound and volume. It has a metal blade and a handle made of wood. As far as the historical background of the musical saw is concerned, m..

Monday, June 20, 2005

How to select a oboe

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: oboe How to select a oboe OBOES - A BRILLIANT MUSIC INSTRUMENT Oboes is a music instrument, consisting of a cone shaped bore, and a mouthpiece with double reed. It is also known as hautboy. Types of Oboes Oboes are either made of wood or plastic. Both are popular among music players as both have benefits as w..

How to select a recorder

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: recorders How to select a recorder RECORDER- AN ESSENTIAL DEVICE for practicing music Recorder is an essential device, which is used to copy music on the CD in a very simple and easy way. CD player with recorder is costlier than the simpler ones. With the help of a recorder, you can easily copy complete disc or some selecte..

How to select a panflute

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: panflutes How to select a panflute PANFLUTES Panflute is a wonderful music instrument, but is not a flute. In this article you will see some essential information about panflutes. Types of Panflutes There are different types of panflutes. You can divide all of them under two sections - straight panflutes and curved..

How to select a ukulele

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: ukulele How to select a ukulele HOW TO BUY UKULELES Ukuleles are attractive hand-made instruments that make beautiful sound, and are good to play. Modern ukuleles are available in four sizes: Soprano or Standard, Concert, Tenor and Baritone that are tuned like the thin 4 strings of a standard guitar. There are some basic di..

How to select a tuba

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: tubas How to select a tuba TUNE on to TUBAS Tuba can simply be explained as a music instrument that produces sweet and melodious tunes. It has a cone shaped bore, with a big mouthpiece (shape of a cup), flashing bells, and 2 to 6 valves. Though tuba is quite big in size, the sound and music produced by it is very soft and s..

How to select a piccolo

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: piccolo How to select a piccolo Piccolos- Pick It and Blow Piccolos are accepted as an essential instrument in most of the marching bands, because of its peculiar and special sound and music. This music instrument is also played in orchestras, jazzes etc. Piccolos are made from different types of materials. It can be made o..

How to select a trombone

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: slide trombones How to select a trombone Slide into a new 'bone! A trombone is a musical instrument made of brass, with a long cylindrical tube, with a bell like mouth, and a movable U-shaped slide to generate various pitches. Because of this, it is important for trombone players to develop a good ear, as even the slightes..

How to select a tenor horn

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: tenor horns How to select a tenor horn TENOR HORNS There can be any reason for buying a tenor horn. Tenor horn is a musical instrument of brass family, and is very similar to the flugelhorns. It is good to have a tenor horn whether as a replacement for the French horn in a small local music band, or for a brass band. In thi..

How to select a tambourine

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: tambourines How to select a tambourine TAMBOURINE - PLAY IT WITH STYLE Tambourine is a beating instrument (musical) with small drumheads, and the ringing plates or jingles attached at the border. This musical instrument is played by shaking and flapping with hand. Parts of Tambourine Drum head:-A perfect tambourine..

How to select a steel guitar

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: steel guitar How to select a steel guitar STEEL GUITAR - GUITAR THAT REALLY STEALS THE SHOW Steel guitar is a music instrument often used in country and western music. If played correctly after proper practices, it will surely put a great impact on the listeners as well as on the player. In this article you are going to read..

How to select a sousaphone

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: sousaphones How to select a sousaphone SOUSAPHONES - A MUSIC INSTRUMENT YOU CAN WALK WITH Sousaphone is a music instrument, like tuba, with a sparkling bell. It was named after John Phillip Sousa, the composer of hundreds of marches -- many of which use the sousaphone as the big bass voice. This instrument is designed in suc..

How to select a great synthesizer

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: synthesizers How to select a great synthesizer SYNTHESIZER Synthesizer is an electronic music instrument. With its keyboard, you can produce different types of sounds and music. There are different types of synthesizers with distinct features and sound quality. Many have built-in rhtyhm sections -- like a drum kit. In this..

How to select a whistle

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: whistles How to select a whistle WHISTLES- THE SOUND OF A WHISTLE IS ALWAYS PLEASING Whistles are one of the sweet and mellower sounds producing music instruments. In fact, it is the first musical instrument that can be gifted to a child. It is a best instrument to express yourself through music. In this article, you will fi..

How to select a zither

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: zithers How to shop for a zither SELECTING ZITHERS Zither is a string strummed instrument which is traditionally known as Concert zither, Alpine zither, Austrian zither, or just Zither. Their non-traditional form, which is now much more common and familiar to the people is based on..

How to select a bugle

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: bugle How to select a bugle What To Look For In A Bugle The bugle, in the olden days, was not only a musical instrument but was also a very effective and essential means of communication before the advent of other means such as phones, pagers etc. Bugles were extensively used by the military in their attacks as well as for announcin..

How to select an upright bass guitar

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: upright bass guitar How to select an upright bass guitar What To Look For In Bass Uprights Have you asked people what type of bass uprights to buy, and got an answer like, The one that makes you play and sound amazing! Nothing can be more frustrating, I suspect. So here are some things to look out for when buying a bass rig. Ins..

How to select a bass guitar

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: bass guitar How to select a bass guitar What To Look For In Bass Guitars It is not easy to portray guitar concepts like â��feelâ�� and â��playabilityâ�� in writing and so we concentrate on those aspects of choosing a bass guitar that can be explained in print. Body Type: Most electric bass guitars have solid-body electrics, but if..

What to look for in a baritone horn

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: baritone horn Baritone Horn -- how to pick the best What To Look For In A Baritone Horn Baritone horns are usually played by serious music lovers. The professional-quality baritone horns are expensive but with the proper care, can last you for many years. As a result, it becomes necessary to choose the right instrument from the numerous fine..

How to select a banjo

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: banjo How to select a banjo What To Look For In A Banjo Looking for the perfect banjo can be a very trying experience as there are so many on the market to choose from. No one banjo, irrespective of how expensive it is, can be called perfect for everyone as people have different music preferences, different playing techniques, and a..

How to select a bagpipe

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: bagpipe How to select a bagpipe What To Look For In A Bagpipe If you are a beginner at playing bagpipes, then the ideal thing for you would be to start with a Practice Chanter. This is a narrow, mouth-blown instrument which looks like a recorder and is made of either wood or plastic. You should practice on this instrument for about..

What To Look For In An Autoharp

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: autoharp How to shop for an autoharp What To Look For In An Autoharp An autoharp is a reasonably large investment, and it is also different enough that you don't have the regular avenues of going to your local music store and finding out much about what it is. So here are some tips to help you look for an autoharp. The first and most obv..

How to select an accordion

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: accordion How to select an accordion What To Look For In An Accordion There are many different styles of accordions with different key-note systems. To know which type of accordion to buy, it is necessary to have knowledge about the various types and how they work. Here is a list of the main common types of accordions and their..

How to select a guitar

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: guitars How to select an electric guitar that sizzles... PLAY AN ELECTRIC GUITAR AND SEE AN ELECTRIFYING RESULT ON YOUR LISTENERS Playing an electric guitar is really fun when you play a perfect electric guitar in a perfect style. There are many things to know about an electric guitar. This not only will help you in purchasing..

How to select a drum set

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: drum sets How to select a drum set A Brief History of drums Drums are as old as humankind. Its structure consists of a hollow metal body over which stretched membrane is fitted. Drums produce sound when membrane is strike by the rounded wooden sticks. Different tuning keys or pegs are also used to tighten or loosen the membrane to ge..

Buying a digital piano

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: digital pianos Digital pianos -- now almost perfect... Buying a digital piano Digital pianos are the musical instruments which every one can enjoy and play with ease. Unlike the old acoustic models, digital models do not need tuning and can be easily transported to different places by two persons. They also cost less than the acoustic pian..

Cornets -- cousin of the trumpet family

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: cornets Cornets -- cousin of the trumpet family History of The Cornet The cornet was developed in late 1500â��s by an instrument known as post horn. With the addition of valves to post horn, a new instrument was made with the name of cornet. In late 1900â��s, it was replaced by the trumpet. Cornet was very much used in jazz..

Bargain page -- instruments, sheet music, piano lessons...

Piano Lessons Online Nav Bar Piano Lessons Home 1-Piano chords & play piano by ear 2-Learn piano music - jazz, boogie, blues 3-Gospel music & Christian piano music 4-Ear training sight reading sheet music 5-Rhythm & harmony piano song books 6-Piano playing pro secrets piano tabs 7-Piano notes, piano keys, music theory 8-Piano songs - Christmas Carols 9-Pi..

Violins -- the heart of the orchestra

News of GREAT DEALS in musical instruments of all kinds - from GUITARS to DRUMS to PIANOS to KEYBOARDS to SAXES to TRUMPETS to... home :: violins Violins: the heart of an orchestra Violins The violin is a very old musical instrument; there have been famous violin players in the earlier eras. It is really surprising that this very small instrument when played with good intention and correct way, not only relax you as the player, but listeners too feel t..

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Musical Instrument Review

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Warning!: Don't buy any musical instrument until you check out the instruments on this site!
You want 2 things:

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That's exactly what this site is about.

We review and recommend all kinds of musical instruments from pianos to guitars to drums to flutes to saxes to trumpets. We even cover some of the more exotic instruments such as glockenspiels, harps, marimbas, euphoniums, pan flutes, musical saws, recorders, and zithers.

For those who are new to music and musical instruments, we also include 100 or so helpful articles about instruments, how they are played

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Musical Instruments In The News

Musicians' Brains Differ from Those of Non-musicians (Medical News Today)
Music can change your life, and it also can change your brain. Musicians spend long hours practicing with their instruments, and this practice gives them skills that the rest of us lack.

Guild orchestrates musical instrument collection (Herald & Review)
DECATUR - Music, said Jules Combarieu, is the art of thinking with sounds. For some Decatur children, the cost of a musical instrument is out of reach, and their potential talent and joy in music would be untapped but for The Symphony Guild.

The thrill of the hunt, the mastery of music: Local superintendent fills his plate with myriad interests (Muscatine Journal)
Every Monday, the Muscatine Journal will feature a local newsmaker who responds to questions provided by one of our reporters.

Turkish Music Hits German Cinemas (Deutsche Welle)
In his new film "Crossing the Bridge – The Sound of Istanbul," Turkish-German director Fatih Akin embarks on a musical search for traditions. The result is a glowing homage to Istanbul's music scene.

www.delawareonline.com ¦ The News Journal ¦ Home music studios, pro results (Delaware Online)
By day Josh Phoenix, 25, hawks cell phones for a living. At night, he returns to his apartment and transforms himself into the second coming of Quincy Jones.

Inf Deptt organises Sufiyana music prog (Greater Kashmir)
Srinagar, June 18: A scintillating Sufiyana music programme organized by the Department of Information and Public Relations at SKICC last evening spellbound the audience.

Oojami makes a musical sandwich (Boston Herald)
If anyone can market a feverish mix of Turkish music and electronica, it's Miles Copeland. ''He's brave and takes risks,'' said Necmi Cavli, founder and leader of Oojami, whose current United States debut...

Columbus Alive (Columbus Alive)
WANTED: MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS! Will Pay Cash For Old Fender, Gibson, Martin Guitars. Any Condition, Buy/Sell/Trade! Free Appraisals, Honest-Reliable. Largest studio in Midwest.Register now for new beginner classes starting Wed. June 22 @ 7 pm. Visitors welcome Mon/Thr. 6pm-10pm or Sat. 10:30am -12:30pm.

Ambassadors of music Festival highlights classical music (Bangkok Post)
During the month of June, classical music enthusiasts in Bangkok had the opportunity to enjoy a three-day chamber music festival as part of the French cultural festival, La Fete. The performers were a group of 12 young French musicians, called Couleurs, representing the best of French talent.

Strike up the former band (Hickory Daily Record)
Newton-Conover High alumni dust off instruments for sesquicentennial show. NEWTON -- Billy Price never really gave up playing the tenor saxophone. The 1974 Newton-Conover High School graduate was part of a jazz combo in the 1980s.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Killer Piano Playing Secrets of a Chord Addict!

Killer Piano Playing Secrets of a Chord Addict!: "Killer Piano Playing Secrets of a Chord Addict!
By Duane Shinn
Article Word Count: 726 [View Summary] Comments (0)

I wish you could have seen me play the piano when I was just learning. I was the nearest thing to �hopeless� that you could imagine. I was into baseball, not music � and my heroes were Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Ted Williams. (And by the way, I still have a picture of those 3 guys on my wall.) My dream was to hit baseballs like them, not to play the piano.
But an opportunity to play with a combo presented itself to me when I was a freshman in high school. Seems the piano player of the group had graduated the previous year, and nobody else played piano well enough to play in the school jazz combo. I didn�t know zilch about playing in a group, and I didn�t know chords. But I was excited to have the opportunity to play with older guys, and so I took the job.
The lead sax player told me I really should know chords in order to play in the group, so I searched through a music magazine until I found an ad for a chord chart. It cost two bucks, as I recall, so I sent off for it. When I received it in the mail I slipped it behind the keys on my parents old upright piano, and promptly learned to play my first chord � Dm7. I LOVED the sound of it, and was hooked for life on chords. The 2nd chord I learned was Cmaj7, then Em7, then Ebm7 � and before that first night was over I had learned to play �Frankie & Johnnie� � the tune in my right hand, and those fabulous 7th chords in my left hand!
I loved it � LOVED IT � LOVED IT! And it even sounded good enough to impress some of my friends the next day. I suppose that simple chord chart that cost me two bucks has been worth several million over the course of my"

Killer Piano Playing Secrets of a Chord Addict!

Killer Piano Playing Secrets of a Chord Addict!

Killer Piano Playing Secrets of a Chord Addict!
By Duane Shinn

Article Word Count: 726 [View Summary] Comments (0)

I wish you could have seen me play the piano when I was just learning. I was the nearest thing to “hopeless” that you could imagine. I was into baseball, not music – and my heroes were Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Ted Williams. (And by the way, I still have a picture of those 3 guys on my wall.) My dream was to hit baseballs like them, not to play the piano.

But an opportunity to play with a combo presented itself to me when I was a freshman in high school. Seems the piano player of the group had graduated the previous year, and nobody else played piano well enough to play in the school jazz combo. I didn’t know zilch about playing in a group, and I didn’t know chords. But I was excited to have the opportunity to play with older guys, and so I took the job.

The lead sax player told me I really should know chords in order to play in the group, so I searched through a music magazine until I found an ad for a chord chart. It cost two bucks, as I recall, so I sent off for it. When I received it in the mail I slipped it behind the keys on my parents old upright piano, and promptly learned to play my first chord – Dm7. I LOVED the sound of it, and was hooked for life on chords. The 2nd chord I learned was Cmaj7, then Em7, then Ebm7 – and before that first night was over I had learned to play “Frankie & Johnnie” – the tune in my right hand, and those fabulous 7th chords in my left hand!

I loved it – LOVED IT – LOVED IT! And it even sounded good enough to impress some of my friends the next day. I suppose that simple chord chart that cost me two bucks has been worth several million over the course of my lifetime. And much more than that, has been worth quadrillions in pleasure and satisfaction and relaxation and……

Even though I came in the back door as far as piano playing was concerned, I learned fast because of what I knew about chords, so college was a snap, and so was my post-graduate Masters Degree at Southern Oregon University. After high school I studied with several of the finest private teachers on the West Coast, including a year with THE finest teacher – his name was Dave – and his studio was on Cauhenga Blvd. in Hollywood. As I would come for my piano lesson, I would often pass a big name recording artist coming to their lesson – and anyone who was anyone in Hollywood in those days took lessons from Dave.

Dave taught me 2 fundamental principles about piano playing:

1. The piano is NOT played with the hands – it is played with the brain. The hands are just tools. 2. If you master chord relationships, you can master music.

I’ve got little fat hands with short fingers. Hardly the ideal hands for piano playing.

I’ve also got a lousy sense of rhythm.

But you know what? Because of those two principles Dave taught me, I can play “above” my fat hands and my weak rhythm.

Above?

Yes.

Above.

Once a person “gets into the flow” of understanding chord relationships and then letting the brain knowledge flow into the hands, that person plays “above” his ability.

And the great thing about it is this: It’s not some secret formula hidden in the archives of some dusty music conservatory in Prague. Instead it’s an open book – there are courses galore on the internet you can take for peanuts compared to a traditional music conservatory. The internet age has provided a way for the average person to become an above-average musician!

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music and piano books and products such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. He holds advanced degrees from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He can be reached at http://www.pianolessonsbyvideo.com. He is the author of the popular free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" with over 55,000 current subscribers.

Those interested may obtain a free two-year subscription by going to http://www.playpiano.com/

Saturday, June 11, 2005

Keyboard Workshop's Music Links - Didgeridoo

Duane Shinn's --The Biggest Little Piano Studio In The World ... since 1965! -- Directory of Piano & Music Sites! (Destined to soon be the world's largest!) Search this site powered by FreeFind Select a Theme Accompanists Antique Pianos Appraisals Associations Classical Piano Internet Directories Jazz Piano Keyboards Learn to Teach Piano Left-handed Organs OTHER MUSIC LINKS Pianist Injuries Pianists Piano Accessories Piano Buying Piano Care Piano Chords Piano Competition..