Hot Music & Instruments Posts
How To: Mix 80s era music as a DJ
In this tutorial, we learn how to mix an 80s era music as a DJ. There are so many different styles of music from the 80s, start at modern day dance music to see how the beat sounds now from then. A lot of the dance music back in the 80s was off key because it was done by people and not a computer. You will first have to take several hours to construct the mix that you like. Chop and mix the different sounds together, then bring different songs in at different points. For old school, the sound...
How To: Play "She's Not There" by Santana on a bass guitar
"She's Not There" is a great song from The Zombies in the 1960s, a top-ten hit in the U.S., and it spawned a number of covers, including hit version from his 1977 album Moonflower. Not quite as famous as the original, peaking at #27, but good nonetheless. And that's the version you'll be learning in this bass how-to.
How To: Hold the bodhrán drum tipper
There are two recommended ways to hold the Bodhran Drum tipper for beginners. The first way is called the "curved wrist" technique. You put the stick in between the area of your index and thumb finger. Then you put the end of the stick in between your index and middle finger. You must make sure not to keep your fingers tight, they must be elongated and resting gently on the stick. When you drum, you keep your wrist curved and swing your hand up and down. The next method is the "straight wrist...
How To: Loudly whistle with four fingers
This is a clear, easy to follow instructional video on how to whistle loudly with your fingers! This is the two-finger method, which is easiest for beginners. First put your tongue to the back of your mouth, and slightly curl your lips inwards. Using both hands with two fingers, place the tips in your mouth on, resting slightly on your tongue. Make sure your fingers just have a tiny bit of space between them; and then blow! This should make an extremely loud whistle. To practice, you should e...
How to Use Logic Pro: Arrange Window
Get to know how to use Logic Pro's arrange page in this short tutorial. Use the arrange area to work with the audio of your song. Change the timeline by choosing a time and beat. Use the toolbar area to do some functions. Use the icons to easily open up media and list areas. Use the bin to store your audio. Use the browser to look for your audio songs. Use the event list editor to edit your MIDI information. Use the inspector to view the channel strips of your track. Use the editors in the bo...
How To: Play "Wind" by Naruto on piano
Written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto, "Naturo" is an ongoing Japanese manga series. The plot tells the story of a young ninja named Naruto Uzumaki, who constantly searches for recognition & aspires to become the ninja in his village that is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of all, also called a Hokage. The series is based on a one-shot comic by Kishimoto that was published in the August 1997 issue of Akamaru Jump and has since grown into a phenonmenon.
How To: Change strings on a guitar with a fixed bridge
In this three part tutorial, learn how to change your strings on a guitar with a fixed bridge. A strat guitar is used in this example, but this method can be applied to any guitar with a fixed bridge.
How To: Play "Hot N Cold" by Katy Perry on guitar
Learn how to play "Hot N Cold" by Katy Perry, an acoustic guitar tutorial. Follow along with this demonstration, tabs and lyrics here:
How To: Attach the earth cable to the back of a DJ mixer
Check out this instructional DJ video that demonstrates how to attach the earth cable for most vinyl turntables to the back of the DJ mixer. This video is dedicated to the new DJ who is just starting out and setting up new gear. The earth cable has to be fitted to your mixer. Watch this turntable tutorial video to learn how to attach the earth cable to the back of a DJ mixer to stop any nasty buzzing sounds. Practice and enjoy!
How To: Play more advanced fingerpicking rhythms on the banjo
This two part how to video is an informal banjo lesson showing ideas for syncopation and other rhythmic techniques you can use to make a tune your own. The tune "Julianne Johnson" is used as an example of more advanced fingerpicking. This video is aimed at intermediate players who are comfortable with drop-thumbing and plucks. Watch this two part tutorial and you can jazz up your banjo playing with different fingerpicking techniques.
How To: Play "Departure" from anime Rurouni Kenshin on piano
Learn how to play "Departure" from the anime series Rurouni Kenshin or Samurai X on the piano or keyboard. This piano lesson is split up into two parts. In the first part
How To: Use a pick on your acoustic guitar
Learn how to properly hold and use the pick while playing acoustic guitar, with a little help from Charles Sedlak. Simple and easy, but one of the most important things (bet you didn't know that).
How To: Play a B-flat blues on harmonica
Learn how to play B-flat blues beats on harmonica using the 4 hole added variant on the "blue third"
How To: Play 7' records on a turntable
Ever wonder how to play 7" vinyl records on a turntable? Guess what that round piece that came with your turntable is for.
How To: Clean vinyl records with glass cleaner
Brian Sredd gives tips and pointers on how to clean vinyl records.
How To: Play the violin in the E-flat (Eb) major scale
In this video series, watch as professional violinist Jason Salmon teaches you how to play scales on a violin in Eb (flat) major. Improve your music theory and violin playing technique with the help of these instructional videos.
How To: Play "We Are the Champions" by Queen on Piano
Piano cover and tutorial for "We Are The Champions" by Queen. It's not required to know how to read piano chords and piano sheet music in order to use this tutorial. Users can make tutorial slower or faster, practice one hand at a time, transpose a song to a different key, create a loop for difficult part of the tutorial to play it over and over again.
Wheels of Steel: A Virtual Turntable in Your Browser
Wheels of Steel is a virtual browser-based turntable emulator created by Scott Schiller, a Canadian developer who works on Flickr at Yahoo. This project will appeal to those who A) dig turntablism and B) are knowledgeable in web development. I know nothing of the latter, but from what I can tell, Wheels of Steel appears to be significant because unlike its predecessors, it employs CSS3 instead of flash. Since I'm not familiar with the topic, here's Scott on the history and technical details o...
How To: Play "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" on guitar
Learn to play "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" on guitar and entertain friends & family with your guitar skills this holiday season! Thomas Gilbert shows you how in this informative video, demonstrating the chords and strumming style to properly perform this timeless classic.
How To: Play "Jingle Bell Rock" on your guitar for Christmas
Of course, you already know how to play "Jingle Bells" on the guitar, but why not rock out a bit? Watch this tutorial to learn how to play "Jingle Bell Rock" on your guitar. Just follow along with guitarist Thomas Gilbert.
How To: Play "Last Christmas (I Gave You My Heart)" on the acoustic guitar
What better time to play syrupy love songs than Christmas? This season, master the holiday classic "Last Christmas (I Gave You My Heart)" and play it for your sweetheart on the guitar. You'll make your love's heart melt with these chords.
How To: Play "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" on the ukulele
Learn how to play "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" on the uke with this free video ukulele lesson from Ukulele Mike. Whether you play the ukulele or bass kazoo, there is no better way to improve your chops than by learning to play your favorite songs. Not only is it more fun and much easier than running drills or memorizing a chord book by wrote, it's obviously also a wonderful way to build your repertory of songs. For more information, and to get started playing this classic Christmas song on...
How To: Play 'I'm Yours' by Jason Mraz on Baritone Ukulele
Want to play "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz on baritone ukulele? Learn how with these video tabs, which present a complete breakdown of the song's component sections, chords, and strumming and picking patterns. For all of the details, and to get started playing "I'm Yours" on your own baritone uke, watch this free video ukulele lesson.
How To: Play "Girl from Ipanema (Garota de Ipanema)" by João Gilberto on the ukulele
Want to play "Girl from Ipanema" by João Gilberto on the ukulele? Learn how with this video tab from Glen Rose of Jazzy Ukulele, which presents a complete breakdown of the song's component sections, chords, and strumming & picking patterns. For all of the details, and to get started playing "Girl from Ipanema" on your own uke, a song made famous by Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto, watch this free ukulele jazz lessons.
How To: Create the Vangelis piano sound from Blade Runner on a MicroKorg
Vangelis was probably the best-known piano composer of the 1980's, showing everyone what the future of the instrument could be. If you love his work with the Yamaha CS 80 on the Blade Runner soundtrack (and who doesn't) watch this video to learn how to program a patch that emulates it on a MicroKorg.
How To: Set up a talkbox without a synth keyboard
Do you want to bust out your talkbox vocals really gorilla style? Hauling a synth keyboard and a talkbox around is a lot of baggage. Did you know, however, that you can set up a talkbox WITHOUT a synth keyboard? Watch this video to learn how to do it.
How To: Play "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen on piano or keyboard
Interested in playing Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" on a piano or other keyboard instrument? Let this free video music lesson be your guide. While this tutorial is best suited for intermediate or advanced piano players, players of all skill levels can play along. Watch this tutorial to get started playing "Don't Stop Me Now"!
How To: Play "Do You Believe in Magic" by the Lovin' Spoonful on ukulele
Want to play "Do You Believe in Magic" by John Sebastien of the Loving Spoonful on your ukulele? Learn how with this free video ukulele lesson from Ukulele Mike. Whether you play the ukulele or bass kazoo, there is no better way to improve your chops than by learning to play your favorite songs. Not only is it more fun and much easier than running drills or memorizing a chord book by wrote, it's obviously also a wonderful way to build your repertory of songs. For more information, and to get ...
How To: Play the song "Asterisk" from the Bleach OST on piano
Bleach, like many other popular anime series, features some really stirring piano compositions in very parts of it's story. In this video you'll learn how to play the melancholy but hopeful song "Asterisk" from the Bleach OST on piano. You may not be able to slay the spirits of the dead, but you can learn to play this.
How To: Circuit bend a Yamaha PortaSound PSS-80 keyboard with 10 modifications
If you just happen to own a Yamaha PortaSound PSS-80 keyboard (1989), why not try something a little out of the ordinary— like circuit bending? Circuit bending can help you create a new musical sound via your keyboard, and this video tutorial will show you 10 different ways to circuit bend.
How To: Play "What It's Like" by Everlast on acoustic guitar
In this tutorial, we learn how to play "What It's Like" by Everlast on acoustic guitar. First, take the D minor chord with the middle finger chord on the second finger. Play this and pick the D, G, and B. Make sure the pinkie is on the third fret of the high E for the first hit of the string. This will lead you through the intro of the song. Once you start the first verse, you will be using the same chords throughout the entire song. Start to sing in the lyrics with the song, then when you re...
How To: Use music dynamics (Forte, Fortissimo, Pianissimo)
This video presents a piano tutorial which explains music dynamics in playing music, which illustrate a change in the volume or intensity in your playing. The basic dynamics are forte (f), which means to play loudly, and piano (p), which means to play softly. Notations added to the left side of forte and piano signs such as mF and mP signify mezzo forte and mezzo piano, meaning that the part should be played relatively loud and relatively soft, respectively. FF and PP, fortissimo and pianissi...
How To: Rosin your erhu bow
You can easily rosin your erhu bow. To do this first take the cake of rosin and rub it back and forth on the one part of the bow until you get rosin powder on the hair of the bow. Now go the next part of the bow and do
How To: Play "Let My Love Open the Door" by Pete Townshend
In this tutorial, we learn how to play "Let My Love Open the Door" by Pete Townshend. The intro will start out with G, D, C, repeated until you start D, G, D. After this, you will start to add in the words to the song with G, D, C for the different words in the first sentence. These are the main chords in the song, making it pretty easy for a beginner to learn how to do. Practice learning how to do these few chords, then you will be able fit the lyrics in and get the right strum pattern in th...
How To: Make DIY broadband acoustic panels (or bass traps) with rockwool insulation
This short video tutorial will outline the process of making acoustic wall panels using a simple wooden frame and rockwool insulation. These DIY broadband acoustic panels, or bass traps for treating music studio rooms, performance rooms or home theater rooms, will save you tons of money.
Drumssette: A DIY Drum Machine
While digital samplers have their merits, they're predictable in a way that can cause them to sound stiff or sterile. The solution? A return to the analog, tape-based samplers of yesteryear, which, with their inherent mechanical noise and euphonic distortions, offer a more musical take on the sampling process.
How To: Play "Top of the World" by the Carpenters on ukulele
Want to play the Carpenters "Top of the World" on your ukulele? Learn how with this free video ukulele lesson from Ukulele Mike, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords. Whether you play the ukulele or bass kazoo, there is no better way to improve your chops than by learning to play your favorite songs. Not only is it more fun and much easier than running drills or memorizing a chord book by wrote, it's obviously also a wonderful way to build your repertory of songs. Fo...
How To: Memorize intermediate Italian sheet music terms
If you're serious about playing an instrument well, especially the piano, then you need to know your Italian music terms. Whether you need to play a note staccato or legato or don't recognize what all those tiny abbreviations on your sheet music mean, this tutorial will be a great help in teaching you all the terms you need to know.
How To: Play the South African vuvuzela for the 2010 World Cup
In this tutorial, Andew "Tank" Lanning takes to the streets of South Africa for a step by step on how to blow that vuvuzela. So, get up and participate in the tradition by blowing your own horn this year at the FIFA World Cup finals. You'll want to save up your energy, though! South Africans play this horn for the FULL 90 minute game! Phew!
How To: Play "The Entertainer" by Scott Joplin on piano
Want to know how to perform Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" on the piano? Learn how with this free video piano lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the popular ragtime song and its chords. While this tutorial is best suited for intermediate players, pianists of all skill levels can play along given a little time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "The Entertainer" on your own keyboard instrument, watch this how-to!