Posts Tagged ‘playing the piano’

Playing Fast Guitar – Learn Important Tips To Amp Up Your Playing Speed

If you’ve been playing the guitar for awhile and can’t seem to get anymore speed on your licks, don’t worry because this happens to almost every guitarist. Some guitarists just have more time than others to hash out these skills while you’re left there wishing you could play faster.

As much as it might seem very difficult playing fast guitar, you can do it too by practicing hard and smart. Here are some very important tips to get your fingers moving faster the next time you’re scaling the guitar neck.

1. Strengthen your forearms. A lot of the muscles that power your guitar-playing comes from your fingers, but the rest comes from your forearms. Do a few exercises or start lifting to really get those muscles shaped for faster riffs.

2. Do other finger-intensive exercises. Playing fast guitar might be in your mind when the instrument is in your hand, but there are plenty of other things that can improve your finger movement throughout the day. Take up some other skills that involve intensive finger movement like typing or playing the piano in order to keep your fingers working hard.

3. Practice online typing tests. Sure you can test your speed on the guitar with a metronome, but have you ever thought about taking it to the internet? Hype up your typing skills and start using typing tests to measure the speed of your fingers because god knows how often we’re all on the computer these days!

4. Try to keep from cracking your knuckles. Cracking your knuckles can lead to medical problems in your hands and wrists once you get into your twilight years. Try to stop it if you want your hands to stay flexible and healthy for optimum playing speed.

5. Practice electric parts on the acoustic guitar. Maybe you have a couple riffs that you’re playing somewhat fast on the guitar. Transfer them over to the acoustic and try your hand. Your muscles will learn to adapt to the harsher conditions of the acoustic while the speed of playing on the electric guitar will slowly begin to increase.

6. Set reasonable speed goals. You can’t expect to reach goals that sound absolutely crazy and that’s most of the reason guitarists give up on themselves. Set goals that are challenging, but possible to ensure you stay on track with your skills.

It’s a hard business to start playing faster guitar riffs, but it can be accomplished by dedicating yourself to every practice and being consistent with your strategies. Put these 6 tips to the test and see if you can start increasing your guitar speed.

(ArticlesBase ID #1239741)

Kyle Hoffman is an experienced guitarist that has been playing and performing in hardcore and rock bands for years. If you want to know about the best fast electric guitar courses on the internet, check out his popular guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune!

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/playing-fast-guitar-learn-important-tips-to-amp-up-your-playing-speed-1239741.html

Beginning Piano Lessons

Many people love nothing more than to listen to a well composed piece on the piano. Usually, these same people would like to be able to play these pieces, as well.

There is nothing worse than having the passion and ambition to learn something, but not knowing where to begin. This happens often when someone wants to learn how to play the piano. There are also those who have gone through several lessons, but gave up because they got bored, or just couldn’t get it. The good news is that with the right guidance, anyone is capable of learning to play piano.

First, you need to know that there are two ways to play the piano; by note reading or by chords. Ideally, you would learn both, but to enjoy playing the piano for fun, you only need to learn the style that you prefer. If you want to play music that has already been written, you will need to know how to play by note. If you want to be able to write your own music, you will need to know piano chords.

Again, learning both is usually the best option, if you have the patience. Plus, you can always learn the chords first to get a feel for the sounds that they produce, and move on to note reading at a later time.

Once you have made your decision, it is time to find instruction. The most traditional method is to hire a private teacher. You will have to ensure that your instructor is reliable and qualified, and you should find out whether their lessons are chord based or note based. Most often, you will take your lessons in a studio or music store. Occasionally, you will find a teacher that will come to your home, but this is usually more costly. If you choose private instruction, you should choose a comfortable option where you won’t feel pressured.

If your motivation for taking beginner piano lessons is simply for fun, or if you are on a tight budget, the large expense of private instruction will not be your best choice. There are several good books, CDs and DVDs that can be used to learn from, as well.

The final option that you have is piano lesson software. This can be either on or offline, and it combines the thorough lessons of an instructor with the reduced cost of other home-based learning systems. With computer piano courses, you can choose to learn at your own pace, and your own convenience. Computer lessons are usually designed to be accelerated courses, meaning that you will save time, as well as money. This is an excellent option, as long as you can stay motivated to work on your own.

The most important thing to remember when learning any instrument is to have fun. The learning process should be exciting. Don’t get discouraged if you make mistakes, everyone does. Mistakes are part of the learning process, and you must learn from them. Stay positive. If you keep trying and still can’t get it, you may not be using the right learning method. Feel free to explore new avenues, or even mix them.

Lauren Paltrow of LearnPiano-Reviews.com, specializes in helping aspiring pianists get the info that they need to make the right choices. Lauren leads her team of piano experts in constantly reviewing new courses and products in the market to make sure you get the best value products that work for you. Check out actual user reviews of the best piano courses and products at LearnPiano-Reviews.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/beginning-piano-lessons-1179770.html

Finding The Best Way To Learn Piano

Piano lesson software should be easy to use, easy to understand, and have excellent instructors who are ready to answer lots of questions. The good news is, that’s often how they are designed.

Introduction To Piano Instruction Software

Piano teaching software is the result of a partnership between technology experts and piano instructors and performers. The dynamic presentations that they have produced give students the chance to learn quickly with a hands-on approach.

The piano is an instrument that is close to people’s hearts. Playing the piano is fun, and learning to play should be also. For this reason, most software piano lessons are designed to eliminate repetitive and tedious exercises, replacing them with dynamic lessons to improve information retention. This keeps the student interested and motivated to continue on, while allowing them to learn at their own pace.

The best piano software can bring a student from beginner to expert very quickly. Often, students will take coordinated lessons under the supervision of a qualified instructor, by way of the computer, and receive immediate feedback. The lesson can then be re-done, if needed, and the student can move on. The student can review any portion of the lesson that they need help with, any time they want.

When you combine this kind of flexibility with the affordability of the software, you can see where the value lies. Why pay $100 per hour for a private instructor when, for a fraction of the cost, you can purchase software that will allow you, your family, and your friends to learn to play the piano?

Computer piano lessons give beginners the guidance that they need. It allows them to get the basics out of the way early on by learning about music theory, music reading, and chord differentiation at the beginning. Most programs include a monitoring system, which tracks a student’s progress as they work with the instructor. This feature allows the student to get real feedback, telling them where their problem area lies, and allowing them to repeat certain sections to work on it.

There are programs with different students in mind, including children. Children’s piano training software is often effective not only to teach the child to play the piano, but to help with school work, as well. Many schools, in fact, have started using these programs regularly. Since these programs must hold the child’s attention, they usually feature animated characters, bright colors, and children’s music.

When you choose a program to learn to play piano online, you should make sure that the software is compatible with your computer. The software packages are easy to install, and are usually downloadable. Many are accompanied by a money-back guarantee, as well.

Piano learning software can quickly help you learn a skill that can bring enjoyment to anyone around you. Start learning the easy way today.

Lauren Paltrow of LearnPiano-Reviews.com, specializes in helping aspiring pianists get the info that they need to make the right choices. Lauren leads her team of piano experts in constantly reviewing new courses and products in the market to make sure you get the best value products that work for you. Check out actual user reviews of the best piano courses and products at LearnPiano-Reviews.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/finding-the-best-way-to-learn-piano-1155855.html