Ways to use one's instrument or voice precisely to produce a desired musical effect.
7
votes
5answers
102 views
Why is the guitar traditionally held by a strap, and not in the lap?
Ya know, like the late Jeff Healy used to play. Are there technical reasons for holding the guitar in front of you, and reaching up and around to fret the strings?
Has anyone any experience with ...
7
votes
5answers
519 views
What is the proper way to play A-Flat scales on piano?
Consider four cases:
A-flat major
A-flat (natural) minor
A-flat melodic minor
A-flat harmonic minor
I start them with the third finger on the A-flat key (both hands), but I have no idea how a ...
7
votes
6answers
997 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
6answers
662 views
How to hold a bass guitar while playing
During some research I've found out that some guitarists use different position of bass-guitar during play:
Play while sitting:
Play while standing, high position:
Play while standing, medium ...
7
votes
3answers
851 views
What are some good slap guitar resources?
I'm fascinated by the technique of most of the guys on CandyRat records, specifically Andy Mckee. Are there any resources out there on slap guitar technique? How can I too become as epic as him at ...
7
votes
7answers
2k views
How can I improve my playing of faster finger runs?
I am just preparing for my grade 8 piano exam. I'm struggling with quick runs in the 3rd movement of Beethoven's Sonate Pathetique. It really doesn't sound right. When I play I can't do it smothly and ...
7
votes
3answers
131 views
When doing strict alternate picking, is it OK to play a downstroke twice in order to start a new phrase on a downstroke?
There are a lot of advocates of absolutely strict alternate picking, like Chris Thile. I've been practicing that for a couple of weeks now, and I'm at the point where I can play just about anything ...
7
votes
3answers
368 views
What sweeping (for bass guitar) techniques are out there?
I've recently started looking at the sweep technique on guitar.
How would one go about replicating that on bass?
Please keep in mind that I do not use a plectrum, and wouldn't want to sacrifice ...
7
votes
2answers
990 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
1answer
305 views
What is the technical term for Bass 'growl' or 'roar'?
I've been looking everywhere for the past 2 days for the terms of these two awesome electric bass 'techniques' and couldn't find 'em.
I want to know their technical or common names..
When you ...
7
votes
4answers
442 views
Do we hit all 6 strings for upstrokes?
I saw a video in youtube where they told us to play only the bottom 3 strings while upstroking and all 6 strings while downstroking. The reason given was that the upstrokes will sound slightly higher ...
7
votes
1answer
201 views
How can I learn circular breathing?
I play clarinet and am interested in learning to circular breathe.
How is circular breathing done?
Once I learn to do it, is it something that I would want to use throughout my playing or only for ...
7
votes
4answers
163 views
Recommended arm and hand position for neck side
I was wondering if there are some really clear sites, videos or texts explaining the best practices regarding the way to hold your guitar, both to be efficient and to avoid straining your fingers/arm.
...
6
votes
5answers
88 views
What are some of the things that influence a players “Tone”?
Listen to Larry Carlton, Jeff Beck,Steve Morse, Grant Green, Freddie/BB/ King, Hound Dog Taylor, Luther Allison, Dave Gregory ect.. - love'm or hate'm they all have very distinctive tones, Why? It's ...
6
votes
5answers
536 views
Is learning an instrument online a bad idea?
I took ballet and with ballet you gain something called muscle memory and if you learn incorrectly, it's almost impossible to ever be a great dancer (because of muscle memory.) Because of this, you ...
6
votes
3answers
609 views
What is the best way to become super-accurate on the piano?
For an example of what I mean, look at Volodos or Marc-Andre Hamelin -- both well-known for their incredibly crisp and accurate technique.
The answer is NOT to play more. There are some pieces I'm ...
6
votes
7answers
479 views
The “right” way to use my pinky.
Ever since I've been playing, I've always fretted a B chord like this:
Using my pinky to cover the D, G, & B string. However, while it works, it's never felt quite right. I've tried to use three ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
Rhythm guitar techniques for a great Blues/Blues Rock player
Firstly, let me say that I've been playing guitar for a couple of years now. I know a few scales (Major, Minor, Blues, Harmonic Minor) and the basic chords with it's different shapes. I've also ...
6
votes
5answers
129 views
Bending a Harmonic
At about 2:11 of this video, Kotaro Oshio plays three harmonics - the fifth, fourth, and third fret. On the third-fret harmonic, he does, uh... something to make the pitch bend.
How is this ...
6
votes
3answers
457 views
How can I 'clean' up my bass fretting?
I find if I'm playing faster riffs - say Hysteria by Muse - I sometimes find that I hear a clunking, metallic sound as I fret. That is, the string hitting the fret. So if I fret at the 7th and then ...
6
votes
3answers
399 views
What is the technique Adrian Belew utilizes through-out : “Elephant Talk” by King Crimson?
Adrian Belew has some incredible sounds coming out of his Strat - one of them is the quasi-Elephant sound on Elephant Talk - King Crimson - "Discipline". I've watched him do it live but apart from ...
6
votes
3answers
3k views
Causes of sharp pain in a fretting finger after playing guitar or bass?
I have been playing guitar and bass for about 20 years now and I have noticed that sometimes, particularly in the last five years, I will do something with my fretting hand that causes a sharp pain in ...
6
votes
4answers
367 views
Is this an acceptable fingering of a G Chord?
I'm trying out the CAGED method, and whenever I use the G Form, either my pinky can't keep enough pressure on the High E string, or my ring finger lies so flat that it mutes the A string.
By curling ...
6
votes
2answers
98 views
Tips for using complex time signatures in a “catchy” pop song?
I'm looking to write some music in the vein of a band I discovered recently called Icarus The Owl, who use some pretty wacky time signatures (anything from 21/16 into weirder territories) but always ...
6
votes
4answers
252 views
Do competent violinists avoid open strings?
I just picked up a violin for the first time in what must be 25 years. All that time ago, I had lessons and playing in school orchestras - but moved on to other instruments.
As a beginner I would use ...
6
votes
3answers
548 views
How to start bass-guitar plucking?
I am looking for an online beginner tutorial to bass plucking (fingered) technique, something like the image bellow.
Important: I am not looking to learn how to play the notes etc., I would say I ...
6
votes
2answers
111 views
Improving my descending tapping technique
I find that it's very easy for me to get a clean phrase when tapping in an ascending pattern like the following:
$1 7h9h12
Reversing that pattern, however, becomes hard for me:
$1 12p9p7
I ...
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
2answers
246 views
What is tremolo picking?
Are you just picking the same note a bunch of times or are you picking a lot in general and kind of hammering on to hit the notes? What does it have to do with an actual tremolo (whammy bar)?
6
votes
3answers
1k views
What is a ghost note ?
What is a ghost note and how is it different than holding the previous note ?
6
votes
4answers
1k views
Should I retrain myself to be a right handed drummer?
I'm in a slightly strange situation. I have been playing the piano ever since I was a kid, and have in recent years taken an interest in drumming. Not having consistent access to a real drum kit, I ...
6
votes
5answers
3k views
How to bend and release without flicking the other strings?
I'm trying to bend up then back down on the G string (so it plays both notes, I'm not muting the bend back down to G) but I always catch my fingernail on the D string. So when I let the bend back ...
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
5answers
123 views
Getting consistent tone from bar chords
Perhaps it's just that I have small hands (e.g. index finger is barely longer than the 12th fret), but I seem to have issues with barring; no matter what I do it seems there is a string that's right ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
Mark Knopfler picking finger patterns — Sultans of Swing intro
I know Mark Knopfler plays fingerstyle, but What combination of finger/thumb picking patterns does he use when playing lead?
Here is an example from the Sultans of Swing intro (from here):
...
6
votes
2answers
250 views
What is the earliest known use or indication of “col legno”
col legno or col legno battuto meaning : strike (the string) with the wood (of the bow) is commonly found in 20th century chamber music. But I have heard it might have been used earlier (at least 18th ...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
How to correctly position your larynx when singing?
I'm a beginner singer who wants to get it correctly. I've seen quite a lot of videos explaining how keeping the larynx neutral while singing is crucial, but not a lot of the techniques they teach ...
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
384 views
How to improve/train pinky dexterity for guitar playing (after long absence)
I played guitar from 12 to 23, but haven't really played for the last 5 years and would like to start again.
However, when I used to play I rarely used the pinky finger because I have big hands (not ...
6
votes
1answer
238 views
How to do a finger roll on a doumbek
So, I've just started playing the doumbek. I've started trying to pick up finger rolls, but they don't have the same ring or intensity as my tek or ka strokes. While this is probably to be expected ...
5
votes
6answers
243 views
What's the right way to hold a pick?
It there any difference between holding a pick in a fist like this
and with your fingers sticking out like this:
I've found that most online guitar lessons teach it the first way, but I've ...
5
votes
5answers
409 views
How do I get pinch harmonics during solos?
Could someone tell me how to get the pinch harmonics sound during solos? Specifically on the "Wanted Dead or Alive" solo by Bon Jovi?
Is it an amp setting? Is it something I do with my left or right ...
5
votes
6answers
472 views
Up-down strumming when playing fingerstyle
I'm trying to learn never dying Nothing Else matters by Metallica and got to the part where I need to strum C, A and D chords:
If I had a pick in my hands, it would go like nothing - ...
5
votes
5answers
349 views
Is it possible to mute some of my strings?
I'm working on a part of a song where I need to strum the top two strings (B & E) together and very fast. I'm wondering if there is some sort of a damping capo that I can put over the other four ...
5
votes
3answers
388 views
How can I make my palm mutes sound more metal?
Whenever I palm mute some notes, it always sounds really soft and weak -- almost like a "blump" kind of sound. I've been wanting to get the metal and shorter palm mutes (like this). Even if I use more ...
5
votes
2answers
99 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
4answers
162 views
Is it possible to strum (with a pick) separated strings?
There is a song I am trying to learn and the problem is that the guitarist plays the first and fourth strings together. I know this is easily possible if you are finger picking, but I am not really a ...
5
votes
3answers
207 views
What's the correct technique for strumming a guitar?
By correct I mean from a biomechanical perspective to minimize the risk of injury. I have seen some advice saying that strumming should be controlled by the big muscles such as the shoulder. My ...
5
votes
3answers
124 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
5answers
1k views
What are the pros and cons of Traditional Grip vs. Matched Grip for snare and drumset?
So far I've just been learning matched grip for my snare and drumset playing, but I see of lot of people using traditional grip as well. I'm curious, what are some of the pros and cons of matched vs. ...
