Musician

It seems like a fairly simple question: how can I connect my electric or acoustic guitar to a computer, like a PC, Mac or laptop, smartphone or tablet? It may or may not be a surprise to hear that our helpdesk get asked this question a lot, and quite right, since this kind of stuff is not always as straightforward as it seems. In this blog, we cover all the ways and means you can hook up your guitar and start playing and recording.

Sometimes, something happens that means you can’t play any shows for a little while. This not only makes the life of a musician or band a little bit boring, it also messes with that delicate relationship you’ve built with your devoted fans. To keep the love alive, you could easily live-stream a gig from the comfort of your living room or rehearsal space and you can even do it with great sound quality!

An appealing website, social media presence, a solid portfolio and press kits are, needless to say, no unnecessary luxury for up-and-coming bands and musicians. This includes great photographs and I don’t mean a band photoshoot but spectacular live action photos taken at your own gigs. Since most bands don’t have the budget to hire a professional, photographer Gerard Burgers is here to offer you a crash course on how to shoot impressive concert photos.

Singing while playing guitar or piano, or any other combination of vocals and an instrument for that matter, all comes down to high-level multitasking. While for some the thought alone can cause nightmares, anyone can learn to do it. Start by asking yourself two questions: 1) Can I sing? and 2) Can I play an instrument? If your answer to both questions is “yes”, then you can also do both at the same time. It’s a really just a matter of practice, practice and mostly, practicing both individually.

Sooner or later and for every guitarist, the time will come when the strings need changing. In the beginning, this can be an exciting job but get pretty awkward and fiddly. As such, I’ve put together a few tips that will hopefully make the process a little smoother and less painful. This blog is focussed on changing the strings of a classical or Spanish guitar. If you need to swap out the strings of your steel-string acoustic and need a few tips, then you might want to check out a different blog.

You’ve no doubt spent lot of time pouring over our advice on choosing the right ukulele and, now you’ve got one of these delightful little fellas in your hands, your chords aren’t quite sounding as they should. But, how do you know if your uke is in tune? And how can you tune up your ukulele with the help of a tuner? In this very blog, you will find the answers to these questions and more so you can get the very best out of your new pal.

Ok, so you want to play guitar but, having looked through all the many variations and flavours of guitar available, you still have no idea what an absolute beginner is going to need to really get started. As such, we’ve put together a little blog to help pick through the confusion and help you decide. We’ll lay out the differences between acoustic guitars and electric guitars so you can hopefully walk away, better informed and able to find the perfect study buddy.

The tiniest of adjustments in the set up of your guitar can have a massive effect. If you’re trying to learn a new lick or just want to play smooth rhythm transitions, things go a lot faster with a guitar that’s not working against you. If you have problems with string buzz, have to fight with the machine heads to get your guitar in tune, or, even though you’re perfectly tuned, playing a chord sounds like you’re abusing a cat, then it might be time to give your instrument a little care and attention. Of course, you could take it to a local guitar tech (luthier), or you could learn to make some adjustments and set up your guitar yourself. Setting up an electric guitar doesn’t have to be difficult but there are a few basic rules that need to be followed. With the expert help of this here blog […]

Guest blogger Teo Lazarov from Chordify looked at the most-played songs on their music education platform since 2013. Let the cherry picking from the all-time play-along favorites begin!

Reggae drumming. How do you do it? Reggae is a playing style that, in terms of difficulty, is often underestimated by a lot of drummers (and musicians). Playing tight, authentic reggae grooves can be a little harder than you’d think. For example, if a reggae track emerges during a jam session, it gets pretty clear, pretty quickly that a lot of the musicians involved have no idea what they need to play or even what their role is. In this blog, I try to lay out the essential reggae drum rhythms along with some tips to pull the tightest sound from your groove.

Is it difficult for beginners to pick up the cajon? The short answer is no! This percussion instrument doesn’t just look simple but it’s also really simple and intuitive to play, making the cajon accessible for beginners as well as experienced musicians. That said… if you want to learn to play the cajon, it’s worth knowing a few basic techniques. In this blog, you’ll hopefully learn two essential things: the most comfortable and healthy cajon playing posture and how to get the best sound.

Few instruments demand such intense use of your body as drum kits do. Sure, coordination is difficult when it comes to nearly all musical instruments, considering you usually need two hands and sometimes your mouth as well. Drummers, however, use both hands and both feet, and each limb needs to behave independently of the other. And don’t even get me started on singing drummers. Luckily, limb independence can be practised with a number of exercises that I’m about to show you.