Hot Music & Instruments Posts
How To: Pan your drums in Ableton
In this video, we learn how to pan your drums in Ableton. First, load an impulse and lay out your drum pattern. Play it back to see how it sounds. Then, pay attention to panning the individual elements of your drum track. When you click on the bottom, you will be able to see where the panning is. Pan in a way so the sounds on the track play off of each other. They should be panned opposite of each other so when you play it back you will be able to hear how the track plays much more smoothly. ...
How To: Play "Champagne Supernova" by Oasis on guitar
In this tutorial, we learn how to play "Champagne Supernova" by Oasis on guitar. Start out with the chords E, A, D, G, B, and e. After this, you will have learned how to play the intro to the song. Once finished, you will play Asus2x0220, then Asus 2/g-302200. As you continue to play the different verses of the song, start singing the lyrics that go along with them. It's easiest if you break the song up into different parts so you can master each of them before you bring at all together. Afte...
How To: Build a classical acoustic guitar from scratch
If you've always wanted to build your own Classical Acoustic guitar, this video series can get you started! You will watch he starts with some simple blocks of wood and an idea and crafts a great classical guitar! He will also show you his mistakes along the way and his own fixes, so that way if you make the same mistake, you will have an answer right there!
How To: Play "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by The Beatles
In this video, we learn how to play "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by The Beatles. Start out with the intro in E minor, then A minor, and G. Continue to play this and make sure your fingers are on the correct frets. As you continue to play the rest, play all the different verses on the song. There will be different chords throughout the entire song, just make sure to follow the music as you are playing along. Start to sing in the lyrics while you are playing the different verses, then end the...
How To: Improvise and play over Giant Steps on the guitar
Giant Steps is quite popular for being an incredibly difficult song to play seeing as it's a string of II, V, I chord changes in three different keys, among other changes that are inherent in the song. Thanks for making our lives more difficult Coltrane! If you're having trouble making your way around the neck and improvising this video can help! He talks about similar tonalities out of each chord change and scale connection between different keys. Just be careful because the audio goes out o...
How To: Play the song "Black Keys" by the Jonas Brother on piano
The Jonas Brother may not be the kings of pop anymore since Nick Jonas emergence as a solo artist. Their songs still resonate with their millions of adoring fans though. If you play a little piano and count yourself among those fans, give this video a try. It will show you how to play a cover of their hit song "Black Keys" on piano.
How To: Play the NeverShoutNever song "Can't Stand It" on acoustic guitar
NeverShoutNever has really carved out a niche for himself as the post-pop-punk-solo-acoustic-guitarist-singer of his day, and he is certainly talented for one so young. His songs are pretty easy to learn, and are a great place to start on the guitar. This video will teach you how to play his hit song "Can't Stand It" on acoustic guitar, the way it was meant to be played.
How To: Play "BigCityDreams", "DareDistance" and "She'sGotStyle" by NeverShoutNever
NeverShoutNever are a pretty cool band, but their songs are ridiculously easy to play on guitar, piano, or shamisen. So easy, in fact, that this video will teach you how to play three entire songs on piano which all use the same chords. They are "BigCityDreams", "DareDistance", and "ShesGotStyle".
How To: Play the song "Trouble" by NeverShoutNever on acoustic guitar
NeverShoutNever have become verifiable indie-pop darlings, and their songs are pretty easy to learn and fun to play on acoustic guitar. Why not give it a spin? This video will show you how to play the hit song "Trouble" by showing you all of the chords while the song plays in the background.
How To: Play the song "Big City Dreams" by NeverShoutNever on acoustic guitar
NeverShoutNever have managed to carve out a niche in the post-pop-punk landscape, and their songs are super fun to play on acoustic guitar. This video will show you all of the chords to the song while it plays, allowing you to play your very own awesome cover of it.
How To: Play "Soul Meets Body" by Death Cab for Cutie on acoustic guitar
Want to perform an unplugged version of Death Cab for Cutie's "Soul Meets Body"? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and it chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Soul Meets Body" on your own acoustic guitar, just take a look!
How To: Play "Decode" by Paramore on acoustic guitar
Want to perform an unplugged version of Paramore's "Decode"? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and it chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Paramore" on your own acoustic guitar, just take a look!
How To: Play "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson on acoustic guitar
Want to perform an unplugged version of "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson of American Idol fame? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and it chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Breakaway" (sometimes written "Break Away") on your own a...
How To: Play "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas on acoustic guitar
Want to perform an unplugged version of "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas? I've got a feeling you're going to like this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and it chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "I Gotta Feeling" on your own acoustic guitar, just ...
How To: Play "California Gurls" by Katy Perry on acoustic guitar
Want to perform an unplugged version of "California Gurls" by Katy Perry? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and it chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "California Gurls" on your own acoustic guitar, just take a look!
How To: Play "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus on acoustic guitar
Want to perform an unplugged version of "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and it chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing this song from the Hannah Montanna movie on your own acoustic guitar, just take a l...
News: This Baby Faced Kid is a 7-Year-Old Rapper Named P-Nut
You can never start 'em too young. Chinese kids are raised on the violin or piano. Brazilian kids play soccer from birth. And then there's P-Nut. He's only 7-years-old and he's been working at becoming a household name in the Memphis hop hop scene since the young age of 4.
How To: Play "Ticket to Ride" by the Beatles on the electric guitar
Do you wish to resonate PURE AWESOMENESS whenever you pick up a guitar? Then check out this guitar tutorial. You'll learn how to play one of the Beatles' most popular songs then and now: "Ticket to Ride."
How To: Tune a guitar for guitar playing beginners
This video is seriously as basic as it gets. Take a gander to learn how to tune a guitar quickly and with ease. While you can use a piano or a guitar tuner to tune your guitar, this method, which involves only your guitar strings, is much faster and you can do it on the go.
How To: Construct triad chords and 7th chords on the piano
This piano lesson is both a music theory approach to playing and an actual working piano lesson, which offers you a great chance to apply what you've just learned. Follow along with the video to learn how to understand and construct triad chords and, later, 7th chords.
How To: Play open and closed chords on the piano
Open chords are pretty simple to understand. They're basically notes in a chord that you don't play or finger.
How To: Play Nelly's "Ride With Me" on the ukulele
Nelly's funky "Ride With Me" isn't the most likely song you'd think to play on a ukulele, but it actually sounds pretty cool and upbeat when you utilize this cute little instrument.
How To: Play "Waterfalls" by TLC on the ukulele
Back in the day, TLC was the original girl power pop group. Sure, there were the Spice Girls, too, but for the Spice Girls girl power was more about hiking up your skirt and letting your bra show through than anything else.
How To: Play dominant and dim 7th chords on the piano
No matter how great you are at playing the piano, and even if you're a natural who can strum out Rachmaninoff perfectly simply by listening to it once, music theory should still be a vital part of your music learning process. Whether you're a beginning piano player or an advanced professional looking to polish up your music theory skills, you should check out this music theory tutorial.
How To: Play the Beatles solo "Something" on the electric guitar
There's really no way we can quantify or put into words the awesomeness that was the Beatles. All we can say is that Paul McCartney and John Lennon were pure magic together. And the songs they assembled during the course of the band were nothing short of glorious.
How To: Form and learn about suspended chords on the piano
A suspended chord is a chord in which the third has been omitted to be replaced by a perfect fourth or a major second. Because there is no minor or major third in the chord, the result is a suspended, or open, sound. This means a previous chord is carried over to the next chord.
How To: Play "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson on the ukulele
If you're an advanced ukulele player who's played what seems like every song out there, then get ready for a challenge like none your dexterous fingers have ever faced.
How To: Play "Your Mother Should Know" by the Beatles on the piano
"Your Mother Should Know" isn't one of the Beatles' most famous songs - it certainly hasn't garnered a sort of cult following like "Hey Jude" or "Yellow Submarine" - but it happens to be a song that's super piano friendly.
How To: Play "Break Your Heart" by Taio Cruz and Ludacris on the piano
"Break Your Heart" by Taio Cruz and Ludacris may not be the most romantic song in the world - it's about a player warning a girl about dating him because he's only going to, you guessed it, break her heart - but it certainly sounds like one of the best songs we've heard in a while.
How To: Play "The Monster Mash" for Halloween on the ukulele
It's nigh impossible to go through any Halloween party without listening to the classic Halloween tune "The Monster Mash" at least once. Verbally painting a proverbial spooky scene with a mad scientist and his monstrous creations, the song is creepy and kooky all at once, making it the perfect anthem for a day of treating and trickery.
How To: Play diatonic circle chord progressions on the piano with "I Will Survive"
Unless you're a music theory buff or taking AP Music Theory in school (forced or otherwise), then the only word in "diatonic circle chord progressions" that makes sense to you is "circle." But the fancy schmancy term is just an elaborate way of saying you're playing chord progressions based on the circle of fifths.
How To: Play "Break Even" by The Script on the ukulele
Indie band The Script went from fledging, unknown band to Billboard 100 and massive concert sellouts after releasing their first big hit, "Break Even." A bittersweet message paired with strong guitar riffs and vocal stylization, "Break Even" captured the hearts of teenage girls everywhere.
How To: Play "Still Around" on the piano by 3OH!3
Punky pop twosome 3OH!3 are eccentric to say the least. With songs that wax poetic in memorable and tasteful lines like "Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips," it's impossible to ignore this pop group these days.
How To: Play rock and blues solo guitar riffs
When you're in a band it's important to sound in tune with the rest of your band and to compliment your bandmates rather than stand out too much. And while for the most part that's true, if you're the lead guitarist then there will frequently be times where you'll be spotlighted to play a jammin' guitar riff.
How To: Play "Flying Purple People Eater" on the ukelele
If there's a more fun song to play than "Flying Purple People Eater," then we havne't met it. Produced God knows how many years ago and now a classic Halloween party tune, "Flying Purple People Eater" combines kitsche with humor in a most delightful way.
How To: Play "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones on the electric guitar
Are the Rolling Stones the longest-running rock band of all time? Probably so. Formed in 1962 (around the time the Beatles were super famous), the Rolling Stones and its four bandmates - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Charlie Watts - are still a pop culture force to be reckoned with.
How To: Play the song "Santeria" by Sublime on the ukelele
We love songs played on the ukelele because the instrument always makes the tunes sound lighter, brighter, and makes us feel like we're lounging around a beach in Maui with a margarita in hand. If you're a ukelele player looking for a fun new song to try, check out this ukelele tutorial for playing "Santeria" by Sublime.
How To: Play "Killing Me Softly With His Words" by the Fugees and Roberta Flack
At one point or another you'be probably been in a relationship that resembles that which Roberta Flack sings about in "Killing Me Softly With His Words." The girl is madly in love with the guy but he's kind of, well, a douchebag who hurts her repeatedly. But she still hangs on.
How To: Play secondary dominant chords on the piano
To understand secondary dominant chords on the piano, it's vital to know what dominant chords are. Generally in a song they're the first note played and the last note played, as well as comprise the most tense point. Secondary chords are dominant chords that match up with other scale degrees in a scale.
How To: Play the main bassline to "Disco Inferno" by the Trammps
There's no better way to hone your bass wielding skills while shaking that fine backside of yours than grooving along to the superhit "Disco Inferno" by the Trammps. After being included on the soundtrack to John Travolta's "Saturday Night Fever," the song was catapaulted to the top of the charts and many of us still recognize the tune today.