Learning a skill by repeatedly rehearsing it.
7
votes
5answers
509 views
We got together with another guitarist. What can we play together?
Recently I met a great guy who also plays guitar. We became friends and decided to get together once in a while to jam. When the time came, we realized that we do not know what to do musically at our ...
7
votes
4answers
339 views
Singing notes while playing scales
I've heard, that singing or humming notes while playing scales or arpeggios is good for you. Is that so? In what way? If I am not a singer, why should I be singing the notes?
7
votes
7answers
209 views
Are there any books or videos out there that teach you SLOWLY and do not focus on learning TABS?
Are there any books or videos courses that just teach you how to practice acoustic guitar and its not complicated either? I know that there are lots of video course, books, youtube videos out there ...
7
votes
5answers
5k views
is there any free tab viewer for GuitarPro files?
I just want to view not edit tabs and I think paying 60 bucks to listen/edit is too much.
7
votes
5answers
855 views
Fingering for octaves on the piano
Another question about playing octaves (as in Schubert's Erlkonig, Chopin's A-flat Polonaise, etc.):
I practice Hanon exercises, and Hanon recommends using the first and fifth finger on white keys ...
7
votes
6answers
974 views
When singing, how to avoid being distracted by vocal harmony or other vocal lines?
I'm not a professional singer but I love singing. I find it very difficult to focus on my own vocal line when I hear other vocal lines. For example,
When I was in the college choir, I sang bass, and ...
7
votes
3answers
342 views
What are “nodules” and how do you avoid them?
I've heard from singers (I'm primarily a guitarist) that it can be dangerous to try to make your voice deeper because you might develop "nodules". Is it true? What are they? How can you avoid them?
7
votes
5answers
2k views
How do I develop a good vibrato?
A crucial element for phrasing is vibrato, but while you can notate a great number of things, you can't really notate vibrato. I know it's important. I know B.B. King's butterfly vibrato is a big ...
7
votes
2answers
401 views
Will taking a long break from singing affect our vocal range (for the average singer)?
I want to know if we do not sing at all, or minimal for, say, 12 months, will our vocal range remain the same or will it actually be reduced?
I'm aware that since different people have different ...
7
votes
2answers
952 views
What are the best techniques to play overtones in the saxophone?
I play Alto Saxophone, and I've been wondering this for quite a while now.
I've not played one single overtone yet, so what are your suggestions?
7
votes
4answers
471 views
How do you prevent injuries from bad posture while playing classical guitar?
I'm tagging this as specific to classical guitar since that's what I am familiar with. The correct posture is very important which playing classical, including the footstool, the position of your ...
6
votes
5answers
408 views
What are the Five Most Important Things to Learn?
I'm reading "Practice Perfect" and the author recommends using the 80/20 approach in planning one's practice. For example, if 20% of "techniques" yield 80% of the results, what would be the 20% of ...
6
votes
3answers
230 views
What is the best way to work on my fret hand finger independence?
As a beginner, I find my fingers going everywhere but the places I want them! This is especially true when I'm attempting scales/licks that use my 4th finger a lot or requires quick interchanging ...
6
votes
3answers
272 views
What to do? Programming, bass playing and RSI
I am a full time programmer, part time bass player and have recently started suffering from serious repetitive stress injury in my left wrist.
I've adjusted the ergonomics at my work place (and use ...
6
votes
2answers
251 views
How do I improve the rate at which I learn arpeggios?
I'm referring specifically to this sort of structure, where the notes cascade upwards or downwards but most often up and then back down. Many of the pieces I play (on piano) involve this rather ...
6
votes
3answers
85 views
Learning drum parts by components (each hand and each foot) versus by timeslices
I would like to take drum lessons but unfortunately my schedule doesn't permit it. I know there are many resources online but I'm not sure how long it'd take me to find an answer to my specific ...
6
votes
4answers
633 views
How can I learn to sing and play an instrument (like Piano) at the same time?
I find this a very difficult thing to do, and also not easy to put as much energy into singing, while playing piano.
I have started off by just trying the chords on the piano, though it is still ...
6
votes
3answers
411 views
Do music students find practice journals useful?
I use a calendar to keep track of my daily music practice, similar to the Seinfeld productivity method (http://lifehacker.com/281626/jerry-seinfelds-productivity-secret). This has been extremely ...
6
votes
5answers
1k views
Logical way to learn movable scales on guitar?
After learning the CAGED 'open string' scales, what scales to do next? In what order or what way? When I learn a new scale, it seems to have the effect of displacing my ability to play other scales ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
Rhythm/Drum exercises without drums
I am a 24 year old computer engineering student who just have started playing drums. I spend on avarage 1 hour on bus to school and 40-60 min on exercise like running, biking, etc every day. My point ...
6
votes
5answers
1k views
What is the foundational book of Czerny finger exercises for piano?
I've recently started teaching myself piano (via Bartok's Mikrokosmos) and feel it would be helpful to supplement the pieces with some standard exercises. Everyone I speak with suggests Czerny, but ...
6
votes
1answer
300 views
On being a musician and doing weightlifting
I've had no shortage of music and health professionals tell me how strength training (hypertrophy) is bad for anything that warrants muscle relaxation (singing and drumming being two that I do). And I ...
5
votes
5answers
203 views
How to keep practicing to compose music when you're too picky to listen to yourself playing
I'm a pianist, and I also compose songs in DAWs. My main spare time occupation is to improvise on the piano, and I've been doing it for several years now.
Even before I learned any instruments (when ...
5
votes
5answers
2k views
Is singing a matter of talent or practice?
This is something I have always wondered.
Is singing a matter of talent, that is, only people born with the 'proper instrument' can sing properly, or is it a matter of practice?
I know that practice ...
5
votes
2answers
473 views
Learning 4/5 trills on the piano?
This has got to be one of the hardest technical things to teach your hands. I'm looking for advice from someone who's already surmounted this particular obstacle.
To be clear, I'm talking about ...
5
votes
4answers
222 views
Can't feel meter when playing
I can't feel the meter when playing along very well, sometimes not at all.
Note I can feel the "pulse" just fine. I have no problem tapping my foot to the beat in time but I can't feel where the one ...
5
votes
2answers
98 views
Links and tips for Learning and using scales
Tips and links on learning and using different types of scales will be helpful.
If possible List of scales with songs in which they are used and (artists/types of bands) who uses certain scales to a ...
5
votes
3answers
120 views
Downshifting in high positions on violin
I'm having trouble going down to fifth position from a higher position. I often land a little offkey (usually flat by a quarter-step unless I overcompensate), I think because that's where the base of ...
5
votes
2answers
82 views
How to practice endurance to be able to play boogie woogie pieces?
I'm practicing boogie woogie pieces like Pete Johnson's Dive Bomber. After some time my hands are getting stiff and tired while practicing. Especially the left hand. I can mitigate this by limiting ...
5
votes
3answers
78 views
Permuations or scales for building up speed
I'm currently trying to build up some speed and accuracy in my technique, and I was told a while back that a great way to do this was to play fingering permutations to a metrenome. Has anyone had any ...
5
votes
4answers
194 views
Is visualization a useful method of practice?
Sometimes when I am not at practice, I will visualize playing scales or a particular piece on my instrument.
I know that visualization is often used by athletes, but is it often used among ...
5
votes
1answer
147 views
Non-fixed-frequency instruments playing by themselves versus with fixed-frequency instruments
[I don't know a better term than "non-fixed frequency instruments" but I mean things like string instruments, voice, trombone as opposed to things like a piano which has a fixed (typically 12-et) ...
5
votes
1answer
74 views
Learning standard notation without succombing to simply remembering songs?
I'm in a tricky position. I've been playing guitar for around ten years and am fairly good at improvising and tinkering around on a piano, too. I understand sheet music, I can decipher it, but I can't ...
5
votes
1answer
225 views
Does one play a song better after “sleeping on it”?
Whenever I'm learning something new on the piano, I'll usually
learn the basic notes and rhythm of a section of the song (several measures, maybe a full page depending on the complexity / tempo, ...
5
votes
2answers
158 views
Bach's Bourree BWV 996 timing issue
I'm currently learning Bach's Bourree, although I'm into second part of it, I have troubles getting the timing correct. Usually it follows a 3 bar flow (except few places, where it really speeds up), ...
5
votes
2answers
454 views
How can I develop a high register on a brass instrument without creating tension?
Lately I've been reading about how trombonists (or any other brass instrumentalists) tend to develop tention in their neck or torso when playing in the higher register. In working to decrease ...
4
votes
4answers
296 views
Backing Tracks for Practicing
Looking for Backing Tracks for Practicing on Guitar, I listen to Heavy Metal and Progressive Metal genre.
4
votes
2answers
305 views
Causes of piano finger strain and ways to relieve it
After I practice for a few hours on the piano, I feel a strain in my hands (I don't know if strain is the right word, It doesn't hurt or anything. It actually feels good because I feel like I have ...
4
votes
2answers
81 views
Bars 32-37 in Moonlight sonata first movement
I am having trouble playing and memorizing the broken chords sequence:
Should I try and practice on each triplet individually? because when I try to think on it as a broken chord I often can not ...
4
votes
3answers
175 views
Do the hands' sizes affect piano learning/performance?
I don't really know anything about pianos, but since I just got a digital one I guess I should give it a go.
The first thing I noticed is that it is difficult for me to press multiple keys that are a ...
4
votes
2answers
808 views
Do weighted keys on a keyboard lead to more expressive playing?
I use an acoustic piano to learn/play classical music. I use a midi keyboard to record/produce own music. My piano has weighted keys while my midi keyboard has a very light touch. I find that I am ...
4
votes
3answers
155 views
Drum set made from towels/pillows
I'm a drummer who lives in an apartment. I have an electric set, but it is too noisy and I am receiving complaints. I'm sure this has to do with the pads and the kick pedal. I'd still like to practice ...
4
votes
3answers
113 views
Finding bandmates in a new city
I'm a young drummer that moved to Los Angeles. How do I find bandmates?
I've tried posting and replying to ads on Craigslist and am going in circles. Most, not all, have been flaky or are into a very ...
4
votes
1answer
112 views
How to keep from tensing up when I click the metronome faster?
I've been trying to build up speed with my tremolo exercises, and the demon I keep fighting is a sort of negative feedback loop fed by worrying about deviations from the tempo, increasing attention on ...
4
votes
3answers
272 views
What is a good warm-up for the trumpet/cornet?
I've been playing the cornet for about a year now. I have found that I can play for about five minutes and then I can't play anymore. When I come back five minutes later, I can play just fine and I ...
4
votes
1answer
211 views
Can vocal range extrema be reached by a lot of practice?
Wikipedia lists the world records and extremes of the vocal range,
can extrema be reached by a lot of practice or were they born with that?
4
votes
6answers
196 views
How to build up to playing an F chord? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How can I best learn to play barre chords?
I recently just got back into trying to learn to play guitar. I'm going through and learning all of the major chords in the ...
4
votes
1answer
218 views
Are there exercises similar to the 'Buddha rope' for endurance on bass guitar?
The "Buddha rope" technique described by Bill 'The Buddha' Dickens in his training DVD basically entails putting a rope between strings and then using the increased tension for building muscles in ...
4
votes
2answers
633 views
Are tools to help improve finger dexterity, strength and speed really useful?
I don't have access to a piano every day of the week, but want to keep my flexibility. Searching on the Internet, I found many kinds of contraptions and devices that claim that they help keep and ...
3
votes
7answers
441 views
I am bored with a metronome, should I get a drum machine?
I'm a big fun of using a metronome while practicing, but after a while it just gets boring to hear all this solid ticking. When you play scales and stuff like that, it's ok, but when you are playing a ...
