How To Clean Your Guitar Without Ruining It

Learn Keyboard Keys Fast - Without Reading Music

Anyone can learn keyboard keys fast, without reading music, by knowing a few simple musical structures and practicing just a few minutes each day (NOT hours and hours, unless you want to!).

The word "key" can refer to the physical key on the piano or keyboard, or the key of the song you're playing, but we will address the physical keys in this article.

There's no secret shortcut to learning the keys and note names quickly, but you can speed up the process by keeping in mind just a few simple ideas.

First, the entire piano keyboard is simply a pattern of 12 distinct notes, repeated over and over up and down the keyboard: C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, and B. C#, D#, F#, G# and A# are the same as Db, Eb, Gb, Ab, and Bb, respectively.

Second, as you probably noticed or already knew, the notes are lined up in a repeating pattern using part of the alphabet from A to G: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Most books and piano teachers start off on the white keys, in the key of C major, and the C major scale is C D E F G A B, which seems a bit confusing for some new students. After all, why not put A where C is and start the alphabet at the beginning? The answer is... that's the way it's always been and it's not going to change now!

Third, a note can be made sharp simply by moving it one half step up the keyboard (to the right), to the very next key on the keyboard or piano. That could be a white key or a black key, as long as it's the very next key.

Finally, a note is made flat by moving it one half step down the keyboard (to the left), again to the very next key on the keyboard or piano.

Learning the keyboard or piano keys is now a matter of simple repetition and testing. Call out any letter of the alphabet from A to G, possibly saying "sharp" or "flat" after it, and see how quickly you can get to that note on the piano or keyboard - anywhere on the keyboard is fine, since the key patterns repeat. You can also have a friend help you with this.

Some people also like to make flash cards with a single note name on each card - for example, C#, F, Bb, etc.

Don't try to learn them all at once, in one sitting, or you may get frustrated. In fact, if you reach the point in any practice session where you're getting angry or upset, that means it's time for a break.

The magical part about practicing is that little breaks help you - in fact, they're required if you really want to retain the information. So, practice your keyboard or piano keys (notes) a few minutes today, then maybe later in the day or tomorrow, and in just a few days, you'll be able to play them with lightning speed.

How to Play Guitar Without Hurting Your Fingers

Successfully playing guitar is within the grasp of most students, yet many beginners give up way too quickly. The most common things people will blame their lack skills on is that they have no time to play or that playing hurts their fingers. With the fingers, the problem is that they just don't practice enough and the time, well you only honestly need 20 minutes every couple of days. With a private instructor you would need a lot more time but with online guitar courses you skip to the lesson plan you were following and just continue from where you left off.

Learning how to play guitar chords is one of the most important things for beginners to grasp. Not only are chords important tools for increasing your finger strength and dexterity, they can also provide a foundation for learning, and playing songs. You have to learn the most common guitar chords, as a guitar player chords are your bread and butter. They form the basis of almost every song and are the building blocks for most of the things that you will learn on the guitar.

If you don't already know, a chord is a combination of at least two notes that are played simultaneously, creating a fuller, richer sound than can be achieved by playing each note individually. While most chords involve at least two notes played concurrently, some may use even more. Online guitar courses can easily show you how to play chords and then they will teach you some songs that only use those chords, so you can start playing songs immediately.

Before trying anything else you must learn some basic chords first. You can learn strumming patterns with no knowledge of any chords and even with your guitar out of tune. There are many sites offering free tips and lessons for a novice, but it can be rather difficult sifting all the way through pages of content to find direct answers to a number of of the most basic questions beginners have. Online guitar lessons do cost money but a fraction of what person instruction cost and there is less pressure on you and a lot more time...no driving anywhere.

I researched many of the frequently asked questions that beginners have, such as should I use a pick or my fingers? what is that clamp thing? are all guitars the same size?... So I shaped this list of quick tips to make life a bit easier for you. I do hope this helps.

Learn how to play the guitar with both your fingers and your pick. Practice using both. This will make you a more versatile player.Learn how to use a capo. A capo is a clamp that you can apply to different frets of your guitar to change the pitch. You will absolutely need to become familiar with this wonderful tool. If you do not already own one, head out to your local music store and buy one today.Make sure you choose the right guitar for your size. Guitars come in different sizes from classic to jumbo. It is very imperative that you find a guitar size that you are comfortable playing.Learn how to change your strings and change them often. If you do not know how to change your guitar strings yet, search for articles and videos online that can teach you how. This is very significant.Wash your hands previous to your playing and clean your strings after you play. Dirt and oils from your fingers and hands can wear down your strings.Build up those calluses. Many students that quit complain of pain in their fingertips when first starting out. This is normal and will go away after you have been practicing for a little while and start to form calluses. The more often you play, the faster you will get those calluses.This article has been viewed 0 time(s).
Article Submitted On: March 22, 2011