How Does Piano Lesson Software Rate Against Personal Instruction?

By Michael Mickey Charles

Engaging the services of a private music instructor is usually the first step you accomplish when you want to learn how to play an instrument. However, thanks to the internet and computers, there are technological options available in your quest to learn an instrument. With a large number of people wanting to learn how to play an instrument, like the piano, they may not always have the resources " contacts or money " to hire someone.

These programs are readily available on many sites online and are an economical choice when compared to the hourly fee of an actual in-house instructor but cost is not the only beneficial aspect of using piano lesson software.

With this software, you do not have to follow anyone else's schedule when it comes to learning how to play piano. Everyone has their own way of learning and having to struggle with someone else's teaching schedule can be tough. With piano lesson software, you can learn at your own pace. You do not have to try and meet someone else's expectations, only yours. In addition, with the software, you can easily go back to a lesson you feel that requires more practice; with a private instructor, you likely don't have that luxury.

Piano Lesson software allows its users to revisit and refresh their memories of prior lessons as many times as needed, without the guilt of wasted cash or feelings of discouragement. When piano is taught by a hired teacher or instructor it is required that the next lesson covers new material and that the student has shown enough commitment between the sessions to be able to move on. It is common knowledge these days that everyone learns at their own pace, making piano lesson software an easier way for most beginners to achieve successes.

One of the best benefits of piano lesson software, besides being able to learn at your own pace, is that other people in your household can also join you in learning how to play. Because the software can be used at any time, friends or family can utilize it according to their schedule. They do not have to be tied down to the scheduling of a private instructor offering lessons. Can you imagine friends or family learning the piano with you? Using the piano lesson software, each of you can learn at your own rate as well as be able to compare abilities and what you all learned. What a great built-in support system!

Now, the one thing that can be lacking when a beginner chooses piano lesson software over a face to face session is that they are not able to learn from the experience and passion that may be possessed by their instructor. Nothing can push a new student to achieve like witnessing someone else's creative genius, and a relationship with someone who is just as committed to a music instrument as they are can prove to be priceless. - 18762

About the Author:

Michael 'Mickey' Charles been teaching music in the public school system for many years before offering private lessons. His years of practice in teaching piano gives him unparalleled insight into what piano teaching software works and what doesn't. Don't buy anything before you read what Mickey thinks of the top piano lesson software at his website: http://www.piano-lesson-software.com/

Guitar Instructional DVD: Don't Get Stuck While You're Paying For Lessons

By Chris Ghiaciuc

Like you probably have done, I have read a ton of interviews with great players and articles written by many of these same players. I often found it frustrating whenever the subject of learning to play guitar came up or when advice was offered on improving one's playing. With a small number of exceptions, very little time and space was offered on this.

Surround yourself with better players (or at least with those on your same level.) When you started out playing guitar, everyone was better than you, but now you have grown and there are less people better than you than before. The better you get, the harder it will be to find others who are superior to you to hang around or jam with.

But no matter how good you get, there will always be something you can learn from someone else. Seek out those people, get to know them, jam with them, discuss music and guitar with them. Be willing to give as much (or more) as you want to take. If you are fortunate enough to be above the level of other guitarists in your area, seek out great bassists, pianists, violinists, drummers, etc. You can learn from them as well. (Even if you are not better than your guitar player friends, seek out musicians that play other instruments as well anyway).

The only time one needs to learn lots of different styles of music is because your goals REQUIRE it. If you truly love a lot of styles and want to learn them all, then go ahead and do that. If you want to be a studio musician or a jobber, then you will need that versatility. Its very hard to be REALLY good at many styles.

Ultimately you should work backwards. State your ultimate goals (on paper) then make a bunch of short and medium range goals. Think of reaching your goals as a relay race, NOT as a marathon. Each short term and medium term goal is the end of one segment of your plan and the beginning of the next segment (just like a relay race.) There are many benefits of looking at things this way as you will discover for yourself in your own way.

I notice the finger responsible for playing that note is the third finger. It is not getting to the note because it is going up in the air in reaction to the second finger being used right before it in that particular scale passage. In other words, it is tensing in reaction to the movement of it's neighboring finger, and I have not been paying attention to it. I realize this is a bad habit that pervades my playing, a third finger that tenses up in reaction to the use of the second finger.

What I didn't know was that even though I was learning to keep up with these chord changes, I had so much muscle tension in my arms and other parts of my body, that I was locking in tensions that didn't have to be there, and would come back to haunt me a few years later as I attempted the classical repertoire, where you don't really get away with things like that. As the years went by, and especially in teaching others, I realized that it doesn't have to be that way for anybody! There is a way of going about it that doesn't create or allow this situation.

For instance, practice chord changes. Perhaps switching from an F barre chord to a D open is driving you crazy. Spend ten minutes going over and over the change. - 18762

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Acoustic Guitar Lessons DVD: Determine What and Where To Practice

By Dexter Hodge

In this essay, I am going to apply a number of the Principles of Correct Practice to a technical area that is of major concern to players. For beginners, it poses one of the most challenging difficulties, and an incomplete appreciation of it's difficulties dogs many an advanced player (sometimes without them being aware of it).

If you are like most players, you are desiring to become a better guitar player. Through my own learning experience and through teaching well over 1,000 students, I have learned a lot on this subject. Students often ask why they are not not at the level that they desire to be and what can be done about it. I have asked myself this same question many times in the past. A long time passed before I began to understand the answers.

After coming to an awareness of the existence of a "bad habit", develop an understanding of how it got there. What weren't you doing that allowed that situation to develop. Of course, it always reduces down to something you weren't aware of that you should have been paying attention to, been more intense about during your practice.

As weeks and months go by, your old "bad habit" will begin to weaken, it will change. It will be replaced by the new finger action you are training into the fingers. The important point to realize is that the new habit will take over, if you are doing the proper proportion of correct practice on the bad habit.

The sculptor visualizes what he/she wants to create. The act of carving away at the raw material is a form of "destructive creation". In the beginning there is only a block of marble, stone or wood. The sculptor must remove all the material that is not needed so that only the finished sculpture remains!

Segovia (the classical guitar master) wasn't well rounded - he didn't waste his time to master jazz or bluegrass for example. Yngwie Malmsteen didn't study intense jazz guitar. Most great jazz guitarists don't study classical guitar or heavy metal guitar.

Measure your progress. Document your practice time. Keep a record of how much you practice each day. For technique things, use a metronome to see how fast you are able to play a particular scale, exercise, lick, arpeggio, etc. cleanly. Write down the result, practice it all week and see if you can play it one or two beats per minute faster by next week (or next month).

Music just happens to be your medium and guitar just happens to be your instrument, but YOU are the artist. From this day forward when someone asks you what you do or who you are, don't reply by saying you are a guitarist or musician. - 18762

About the Author:

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Love Story is Taylor Swift's Tribute To Young Love

By Stevie Clark

Age was not a deterrent for Taylor Swift. As a neophyte in the music scene, she was able to earn the praise and respect of her peers in the business. Not to mention the admiration of hordes of fans. This young superstar was able to win Album of the Year from the Academy of Country Music Awards.

When she entered the music scene, she already showed great potential. Taylor Swift was a talented young artist who writes her own songs and plays her guitar well. She is a certified country music artist. She proved this point once again when she made Love Story, the first single from her second album, a hit.

Love Story is from the Fearless album. It talks about a young forbidden love. In it, the girl (obviously Taylor since she tells her story through her songs) is struggling to be with her Romeo which her daddy doesn't approve of. She sings about going somewhere they can be alone; where she will be the princess and he, the prince.

She narrates how she met Romeo at a dance, where he made his way through a crowd just to say hello to her. Since Daddy doesn't want her to be with Romeo, she sneaks out to the garden to rendezvous with her love and begs him not to go away.

Because people were telling her what to feel, Juliet struggles with the external pressure and her deep feelings for Romeo. She remains true to her love and is hopeful that one day they will be together. However, just like most romances are destined to be, she starts to lose faith because she got tired of waiting for Romeo.

Using the characters of the classic Shakespearian play Romeo and Juliet was a wise move for the singer/songwriter. This made the song more appealing to the audience because they will be able to understand the song better. Who doesn't know the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet? Alluding the characters of this classic added more appeal to the story of the song. It adds to the aesthetic value of the song.

In this case, it doesn't really matter if you understand and relate to the song well. What matters is that you take the song as a whole. The sing is great; that is an undeniable fact. Good writing combined with great melody and interpretation.

Love Story is one great song. It was written and interpreted very well. Good writing combined with great music and excellent interpretation. Nothing else needs to be said. Taylor Swift creates a love anthem with this one. - 18762

About the Author:

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Quick Guide to ipod Accessories for your iPod Nano 8GB

By Henry Logan

There are many ways to accessorize your iPod Nano 8GB. The market for iPod accessories has realized incredible growth over the past few years. This may be one of the reasons the iPod Nano 8GB has been able to dominate the digital MP3 player market.

Users will need to use a headphone or external speakers because the speakers inside the iPod Nano 8GB doesnt play audio files. The internal speaker was specifically designed for warning tones or beeps only. Some users like to add external speakers so they can listen to their iPod Nano 8GB without headphones.

External speakers for the iPod Nano 8GB work great at barbecues and picnics. With the FM tuner, users have the option of listening to the radio rather than listening to their stored music. This is one of the better iPod accessories for people who enjoy listening to live radio.

The first of the iPod accessories that you should consider purchasing are those designed to protect your digital device from scratches and dirt. You have a wide variety of choice when it comes to the skin or case you choose for your iPod as many retailers have entered the market. When shopping for iPod accessories, dont forget the iPod armband, which will allow you to listen to your music while you workout, run, or jog.

One of the smallest of the iPod accessories, the armband is also one of the most convenient and innovative. Now you dont have to leave your tunes behind when you go to the gym or for a run. No matter what position your workout puts you in, you can rest assured your iPod is safely tucked away in the armband.

You can also use these iPod accessories when you are just out for a walk or riding your bike. Although the iPod comes with an earphone, there are many other varieties of headphones and earphones sold by third party retailers. Depending on the color of your iPod Nano 8GB, you may be able to purchase headphones to match your digital player.

BMW was the first automobile company that introduced an iPod interface, that was built into the steering wheel. They introduce this interface in 2005 and the interface was built alongside the control and radio head buttons at the steering wheel.

The iPod Nano 8GB unit is attached securely in the glove compartment using a cable harness. This will allow the unit to stay secured even if the car speeds up or is traveling on bumby roads and rough terrain. The driver is able to create and shuffle playlist using the the iPod steering wheel control and the playlist is displayed on the LCD of the cars radio head. - 18762

About the Author:

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