It will be winter again before we know it! I am so happy, I cannot wait! What did you think, about what you just read? Do you feel the same way about winter time as I do? If you are like the average person, you probably thought this guy is wacko, or something.

It’s just that I have enjoyed every season since I was a young child, to me they each have great things, and nothing is worse in one season over the other.

I hear folks grumble in the summer about the heat and sweating, and in the winter I hear these same folks talking about the cold and over eating. It’s like anything really, some folks tend to stay pretty happy all year around, while others tend to be sad and depressed all year round, life is how you make it, and how you react to situations that happen, no matter how tragic they are.

Now, I better stop rambling here, because I am probably starting to sound like a therapist and I am getting off the topic of this article, which is fighting the winter blues by learning to play an instrument. Instruments come in all shapes and sizes,and some produce sounds or music that is calm and gentle, while others can be very loud and powerful, like the drums or bugle.

Your first step in deciding what instrument to learn depends on your living conditions, for instance if you live in an apartment and have neighbors in the same building, you better select something like an electronic keyboard or synthesizer to learn to play, because these can be learned while wearing headphones, so only you can hear them.

You don’t really have many more choices if you live in an apartment building, as what you may consider fun and enjoyment, others may not feel that way, and this could lead to neighbors turning into enemies, and cause you to get evicted.

If you own your own home and are free from neighbors for some distance, you can probably try your hand at learning any instrument that you want.

Some instruments are a lot easier then others to learn, for instance some of the ones that most people say are the easiest to learn playing are; Piano, Flute, Clarinet, Harmonica and the Guitar.

Some of the harder to learn instruments are; Harp, Saxophone, Violin and Trombone. But, then again like with most things, some people just seem more skilled at picking up and learning something new pretty easily.

The next time you find yourself with nothing to do in the cold, snowy months, why not use this time to practice learning to play an instrument, it’s a great way to help beat the winter blues.

There is a website that describes numerous activities and other methods to help eliminate the Winter Blues, this website is called: Winter Activities – and it may be found at this url: Winter-Activities.com

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

About the Author: Luzerna Solon, has worked in the field of depression and other aspects involving the Winter Blues for a number of years. She has counseled thousands over the years, and has helped them remove the winter blues from their life with simple activities.

Winter Activities

Winter-Activities.com

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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Help Beat the Winter Blues by Learning to Play an Instrument

Kulak’s Woodshed (KulaksWoodshed.com), is an LA music venue that is a center of the LA singer/songwriter scene, live streams performances worldwide via the worldwide web.

One of LA’s best kept secrets is now making it known throughout the US and the world that live performances of seasoned players and new artists can be viewed for free on the Kulak’s Woodshed website.

Kulak’s Woodshed was started by Paul Kulak who had a dream about having a music club that streamed video on the web in 1997, and he actually opened the Woodshed in 1999. It became so popular with musicians and artists that it became its own self fulfilling prophecy.

The only problem Paul had was keeping the Woodshed open financially, when it became so popular with musicians, which led to how it operates today; completely with audience donations and the dedication of volunteers as a labor of love.

“Our shows are constantly praised by high ranking entertainment industry people here in L.A. and around the world who believe that live webcasting is the next big thing and artists from beginners to Grammy winners perform here because they want to be a part of it.” says Kulak, adding “I’m very hopeful that the timing is right for this to resonate with online audiences.”

Kulak’s Woodshed is like a television studio with props and a set that feels like a living room where friends can play to friends and seats 49 people. It has 6 cameras and a professional sound system which have all been donated.

The intimacy translates well via live streaming to help the online viewers feel part of the experience; and viewers can even email performers and get a response during the shows.

On Monday nights, the Woodshed broadcasts its very popular “Open Mike” Night where 35-40 mostly regular performers play their music to a full capacity crowd and many online viewers.

Some of the notable Woodshed “Featured Artists” include Jackson Browne, Paula Cole, Peter Case, and Delaney Bramlett. Other “Featured Artists” at the Woodshed have included Jack Tempchin, Guitar Shorty and Deacon Jones.

Tempchin was songwriter for “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and “The Girl From Yesterday” recorded by the Eagles. Guitar Shorty played with Ray Charles, Willie Dixon, Guitar Slim Big Joe Turner, and Little Richard. Jones was band leader for John Lee Hooker for 18 years.

A full list of Woodshed artists can be viewed at KulaksWoodshed.com/artists.

Current “Featured Artists” range from well known artists like Wendy Waldman who performed on July 8th, to emerging artists like T. J. Doyle and Allan Frank performing at the Woodshed on August 20th.

The Woodshed broadcasts from 7:30pm to 10:00pm on Mondays for the Open Mike Night show, and Featured Artist performances are broadcast from 8:00pm to 10:00pm PST on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

Paul Kulak refers to the Woodshed as a “labor of love.” Now people anywhere in the world can be part of his “labor of love”!

Paul Kulak can be reached at paulkulak@earthlink.net.

Article Source: Amazines.com

And there are a lot of guitar players who just shrug off the learning of chord inversions just because they think that it is difficult to learn and that they will be able to become really successful guitar players without even learning these inversions.

What you might not know is that the chord inversions could be something that you really need to learn for you to be able to get the exact chord that would fit the song.

Chord inversions are chords made in the same bass chord. The lowest note of the chord is the tonic. When you execute the chord, you will maintain that lowest chord. Every time you execute a chord in the root or the tonic, this means the chord is an inversion.

In the case of a C chord for example, any chord executed with C as the bass is an inversion of the C chord.

Most of the time, chords are played with about three or four notes fingered on the guitar. This means that you might be fingering two or three notes on the bass position.

In a C chord for example, you need to finger C, E and G. On a Cmaj7, you have a C, E, G, B.

There are three types of chord inversions. They are respectively and aptly called first, second and third inversions. The first inversion calls for the 3rd of the chord on the bass note. This gives the term for it.

The first inversion of the chord requires the 3rd of the chord be the first note after the root. The second inversion, now, has the 5th of the chord on a bass position.

The terminology is derived from the idea of the 5th of the chord being the second tone after the tonic or the bass. And as you may have realized by now, the third inversion requires having its 7th as the bass. You get the drift, don’t you?

Let’s take for example a Cmaj7. The chord is played with a C, E, G and B. On the first inversion, you will be getting an E, G, B and C. Of course that would be too difficult to perform in the exact order.

So you would have to rearrange the notes in such a ways that your fingers will be able to accommodate the notes. This process is known as the drop-two voicing. The new arrangement will be E, B, C and G.

When you actually think about it, it’s not really that difficult. Here is a list of the steps you need to take in order to create the inversions:

1. Take note of all the notes used in the chord according to the root positions.

2. Take the first note and place it in the last position or at the back of the line of chords.

3. The second note follows suit, taking the last place.

4. Finger the new chord out on the fret board.

5. Repeat the steps this time using the notes from the first inversion.

It’s not too difficult after all, isn’t it?

About The Author: Harvey Mosley started developing his passion for music at age of 10. He learned to play guitar songs at age of 13 and pursued his love of music since then. He owns now a music studio and inspires many students to learn to play guitar songs. Visit BandJammer.com for more guitar song lessons.

Article Source: Chord Inversions

Whether it is singing, playing the guitar or piano, everyone has some measure of musical talent. Music is all about passion and creativity. Some people can pick up on an instrument or song quickly, while others have to practice everyday to obtain quality results.

If you have an excitement for music, you should explore your musical passion of choice to see what talent may be waiting to get out.

Guitar

If the guitar is your musical instrument of choice, begin by either purchasing or renting a guitar. Take some piano lessons online or from a local guitar teacher. There are many online sites that provide students with everything they need to learn to play the guitar. If you have never played guitar before, be patient. It will take a while before you can play your favorite song.

You will have to learn how to care for your guitar, how to tune it, learn how to play the notes…etc. You will have a number of exercises that will have to be practiced everyday. If you have talent and the dedication, it will not be long before you start seeing positive results. Make learning fun, so you don’t lose interest and toss the guitar aside.

Online guitar teaching sites will provide technique tips and teach you how to play the guitar quickly. Once you have mastered the guitar, you will have a variety of genres such as jazz, rock, classical…etc to pick from.

Voice

If you have dreamed of singing in front of a large audience and receiving thunderous applause, it may be time to put any insecurities and anxieties aside, and find out if you have singing talent. There are many online websites that offer singing lessons and tips to becoming a singer.

With the right vocal training, you may discover that you have singing talent. Singing is about more than remembering the lyrics. On must be able to covey a story in perfect rhythm, feeling the song, tempo, tone, pitch, and deliver it in stunning form to the audience.

Either online lessons or a local singing teacher will help you find out if you have singing talent. As with any other musical venture, practice makes perfect.

Piano

Knowing how to play the piano will give you a solid foundation to learn other instruments. It will also help to achieve a quality singing voice. You will need to learn basic piano techniques such as the notes on the piano, how to learn finger strength and autonomy, and how to read music. This requires instruction and practice.

The Internet has a host on online piano learning sites that will teach you everything that you need to know about learning to play the piano. They have a variety of exercises and musical genres to learn from. You will build confidence with every musical piece you learn. You will learn the correct techniques from the start so you will learn much faster.

Music is all about passion and dedication so you must love what you doing to bring out your hidden talent. It is important to always keep practicing. Overtime, you will discover you are making fewer mistakes. Whether you are learning online or from a local instructor, it is important to listen to others perform and have others listen to your performance.

Feedback will help you improve your musical skills. You should only continue to play as long as you are enjoying it. This comes about by quality learning and a positive outlook. Find your musical talent and enjoy its lifetime of rewards.

Oakville Music School offering music, voice, guitar and piano lessons Oakville, Mississauga and the GTA area. Visit our music store to find Grand Pianos Oakville, new and used pianos in Toronto.

Article Source: Music Articles – Free Article Directory – Write and Republish Articles

The harp that once through Tara’s halls the soul of music shed, now hangs as mute on Tara’s walls, as if that soul were fled. So sleeps the pride of former days, so glory’s thrill is o’er, and hearts that once beat high for praise, now feel that pulse no more.

To tell the history of the Irish harp is to tell the history of the Irish people. This ancient folk instrument with its beautiful, delicate sound is played today despite being ignored, derided and proscribed for centuries. Harpers, who in earlier days would have been hanged for their art, now flourish throughout the world, as do the Irish themselves

Legend tell us the first harp was owned by Dagda, a chief among the Tuatha De Danaan. At one time during a war with the Fomorians, the gods of cold and darkness, his harp was stolen but later recovered by Lugh and Ogma. When it was returned it had aquired two secret names and the ability to call forth summer and winter.

From then on, when Dagda played, he could produce a melody so poignant, it would make his audience weep, he could play an air so jubilant it would make everyone smile, or bring forth a sound so tranquil, it would lull all who listened to sleep. So thus did the harp became the dispenser of Sorrow, Gladness and Rest.

Harps are played throughout much of the world. From ancient artworks, epic tales and poetry, we learn of harps in Babylonia and Mesopotamia. We see them in the tomb of Pharaoh Ramses III , votive carvings from Iraq and sculptures of ancient Greece.

From Africa, which has more than 100 harp traditions, the instrument travelled north to Spain and soon spread throughout Europe. Strung with sinew, silk or wire, harps vary in size, structure and decoration according to the physical and technological environments of their origins.

African harps have been made from wood and gourd covered with cowhide, the Burmese sang auk has an arched soundbox similar to the Turkish ceng. While European harps feature a triangular frame, there is one feature that all harps share: the strings run vertical (rather than parallel) to the sound box.

Griffith of Wales employed harpists in his court at the end of the 11th century and the monk-historian Geraldus Cambrensis admired the great skill of the Irish harpers and remarked that some even considered the Scots to be better players.

For Irish and Scottish harpers commonly visited each other’s countries to study, to learn and exchange tunes and their music was admired throughout Europe. Another twelfth century archivist, John of Salisbury, wrote that

” … had it not been for the Irish harp, there would have been no music at all on the Crusades.”

These harps were quite different from the large pedal harps we see in modern symphony orchestras. They were much smaller, originally held on the harper’s lap, leaning against the left shoulder, had no pedals, and usually were carved in one piece from bog wood.

The Trinity College Harp and Queen Mary’s Harp are the oldest surviving Celtic harps and both date from the 15th or 16th centuries and illustrate the similarity between the Irish and Scottish harps. A distinguishing characteristic of these Gaelic harps was that they were wire-strung, rather than gut strung.

The word “harp” has its roots in the Anglo-Saxon, Old German and Old Norse words which mean “to pluck.” In Gaelic they were known first as cruit and later as clarsach or cláirseach.

The harp isn’t peculiar to Ireland but subsequently became its national emblem. (Nowadays you can even see it on the Guiness label)

Harpers were highly trained professionals who performed for the nobility and enjoyed political power – so much so that during the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I issued a proclamation to hang Irish harpists and destroy their instruments to prevent insurrection.

Sadly, while this oldest emblem of Ireland is still with us today, most of the ancient airs and melodies it once produced are long gone, but younger harpers are taking up the challenge to reawaken the pride of former days.

Susanna Duffy is a Civil Celebrant, grief counsellor and mythologist. She creates ceremonies and Rites of Passage for individual and civic functions, and specialises in Croning and other celebrations for women. Celebrant.Yarralink.com

It’s no secret that virtually everyone loves music in some form or other. After all, music is the universal language. In one way or another we all participate in it from our cradle song to our wedding song to our funeral song, with thousands of other stops along the way.

The country-western fan may not like jazz, but he or she sure loves the sound of pickin’ & grinnin.’

And that’s as it should be. If we all liked the same kind of music, there just wouldn’t be the variety that is available to us now. We can choose from musical styles ranging from heavy classical and opera to rock to children’s songs to Broadway musicals to gospel music to the blues.

Each has its place, and each seems on the surface to be drastically different than another form of music. The key word is “on the surface.” But beneath the surface of all music is a commonality that is organic to all forms and styles of music.

So what does all music have in common? What makes music tick?

At least 3 things – sometimes more, but never less:

1. Melody
2. Rhythm
3. Harmony

The melody is the part of a song or composition that you whistle or hum – in other words, the tune of the song. In one sense, it is the most visible of the 3 elements, because melody is what identifies a song. Without melody, it would be difficult to even conceive of a song or piece.

In musical notation, the melody is almost always written in the treble clef – also known as the treble staff. It consists of a horizontal line of notes that move up and down on the clef as the tune moves higher or lower.

Rhythm is the beat – the swing – the throb of the music. It happens in repeating patterns, depending upon the type of music. It is like a horizontal line of beats which occur at regular or semi-regular intervals.

A waltz, for example, basically consists of a heavy beat followed by two lighter beats. So we say that a waltz is in triple meter – one strong beat followed by two weak beats, then repeated.

A march, on the other hand, generally consists of a heavy beat followed by a light beat, then another heavy beat followed by another light beat. (I’m simplifying, of course – there are many varieties?) So a march is in duple meter – as you might expect since we have two feet and we march in left-right-left-right patterns.

All rhythms are some combination of triple meter and/or duple meter, and the possibilities are endless – from boogie to R&B to mambos and sambas and bossa novas and on and on.

Harmony, the 3rd aspect of music, is the musical background of a song – the chords, or intervals “behind” the melody. Without harmony, a song sounds empty – like a vocalist singing without an accompanist – or accapella.

Music doesn’t HAVE to have harmony to function, but in actual practice it almost always does, even if it is just the interplay of two melodies, as in counterpoint.

You could spend a lifetime learning all the nuances of music, but it its most basic form, it is these 3 elements combined together; melody, rhythm, and harmony that comprise music.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD’s, CD’s, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for both children & adults. His book & DVD course titled “How To Dress Up ‘Naked Music’ On The Piano!” is used by adults around the world.

1. Decide how you are going to learn and stick to it.

If you have a guitar learning book then use it and follow it exactly. If you are attending lessons then do exactly as you are taught. Once you have made your mind up HOW you are going to learn, then follow the procedures exactly.

2. Know and plan for what you are going to do each session.

You are going to have to devote a fair bit of your time to practice, so you don’t want to waste any of that learning time wondering what to do next. Write down your program for each session and work through it until you have completed it. It might be as simple as following Lesson 2 in the book, but decide beforehand and then do it all.

3. Warm up before you start.

Athletes warm up their muscles to prevent themselves tying up when the serious stuff begins. Guitarists should do the same, and the professionals always warm up before going on stage.

Grab a tennis ball and give it a few squeezes, or simply open and close your fist several times to get the blood flowing.

Play a few quick scales over the fret and you will warm up your muscles and get yourself ready to start playing.

4. Take a break from practicing.

If you think that you really need rest, then give your practice a break and don’t kill yourself by practicing to the point that you start hating guitar.

5. Whenever you get time do pick the guitar and play on your own tune.

There is nothing like self relaxation. If you are not enjoying while learning, then there is no point of learning that activity. And moreover always playing seriously by the book creates a hatred also for that activity.

Your ultimate point is to learn guitar and enjoy playing it. Be flexible and enjoy everything you do.

Check out more information on how to practice changing chords and you can also try learn guitar advanced lessons for more progress.

Have you ever been told that you were good at something but not good enough to make it a career or life ambition? Especially with music, if you’re passion is music you are hopelessly outnumbered right from the beginning.

“You better have a back-up job” or “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” are common refrains heard from well meaning adults who inadvertently had their dreams crushed out of them.

The world has more than enough computer programmers and engineers and these professions are well paying ones. What are we musicians to do? Well, for one thing we can forget about needing “talent” to make it.

What is talent anyway but a person’s ability to connect with his or her audience. You might think that talent means technical proficiency. You couldn’t be more wrong.

Here’s the good news. Connect with yourself and your art and you automatically become talented. This means you don’t have to wait years and years before you begin to share what comes out of you with others.

In fact, most so called “really talented people” last in the limelight for a few years or so and then burn out to non-remembrance. If you consider yourself hopelessly untalented you are focusing on the wrong problem.

The question isn’t “Do you know enough?” The real question is, “Are you confident enough to believe in your own abilities?” If you do, you will go far. If not, there’s not much hope.

Those who are able to let go and connect with the music inside of them are already truly talented.

About the author:Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years! Visit us now at quiescencemusic.com for a FREE piano lesson!

He has to start somewhere so he begins to examine how to construct a short story. He learns all about plot, character, and structure and now believes he is ready to begin writing.

As soon as he begins to write, he discovers something. He can’t move forward. He is blocked. What’s the problem? He knows how to construct a short story and should be able to forge ahead right?

The problem is he has not allowed his “voice” to unfold naturally. His internal critic is blocking the natural voice inside his head and the pen stops cold. What to do?

Our writer must learn to free write so words can flow freely and not be stopped by the editor voice. The same principles can be applied to us as musicians!

We may want to compose our own music and we may also know all about how to do it, but unless we are able to improvise freely and allow our own natural “voice” free reign, the music stops and we lose the ability to move forward.

This is why learning how to improvise is so important. It allows us to move forward!

This benefits us in two ways.

One, we begin to understand that the joy of music making itself is its own reward.

Second, we begin to trust our voice and feel confident in our ability to move forward without judging the “quality” of the music.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at for a FREE piano lesson!

The biggest obstacle is going to be you. You are your own worst enemy. Once you learn how to tame the negativity inside, you will be that much closer to becoming a good acoustic guitar player.

Frustration is normal during the learning process. Learning anything new is not meant to be easy. Resistance is what helps us grow. So the next time you are working on a scale, or chord progression, and you find yourself fumbling or messing up, don’t throw down the guitar with frustration, instead welcome the challenge and have patience in it.

Do you want to learn to play the guitar?

When it comes to individual or one on one guitar lessons, you may be wondering how often you need to schedule classes or sessions. The fact is that scheduling a class or session once a week you likely will be covering your bases in a decent fashion.

In this regard, you need to keep in mind that you will need to set aside time beyond your lesson each and every week to practice on your own. Practice may not make perfect but when it comes to acoustic guitar, practice is crucial.

Beyond individual lessons, you can also take group lessons to learn acoustic guitar. Depending on where you live, you likely will be able to access acoustic guitar lessons conducted by a community center or a junior or community college in your city or town.

Throughout the year these centers regularly offer a variety of lessons and courses, including guitar lessons. One of the advantages of lessons offered by these centers is the fact that they are usually very reasonably prices.

Moreover, as a general rule, these centers offer lessons for people of different skill levels, including novices as well as people who are more experienced guitar players.

Finally, there is now the option to take guitar lessons online. While some people have found online guitar lessons to be very beneficial and practical, online guitar lessons may not be for you.

You need to keep in mind that online learning is not for everyone. However, if you are self directed and if you have the discipline to stick to a course of lessons, you will thrive taking guitar lessons. The fact is that online guitar lessons can prove to be the most inexpensive way in which you can learn the guitar today.

Ready to get started? Then read our guitar learning tips and online acoustic guitar lesson review.