Hot Music & Instruments Posts
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 the Naruto Shippuuden blue bird song on the piano
In this piano tutorial, you'll learn how to play the Naruto Shippuuden Blue Bird song on the piano. 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 the Naruto Shippuuden Blue Bird song!
How To: Play "Welcome to the Black Parade" on the piano
Watch this piano tutorial video to learn how to play "Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance on the piano. Instructions include the scales and key signatures and chord breakdowns. Beginners and intermediate pianists will be able to learn how to play My Chemical Romance's "Welcome to the Black Parade" by watching this helpful how-to video.
How To: Play "Robot Rock" by Daft Punk on piano
Learn how to play "Robot Rock" by Daft Punk on the piano or keyboard. This is a very simple Daft Punk song to play. This lesson breaks up the right and left hand to make it even easier to play. Watch this how to video and you'll be playing "Robot Rock" in no time.
How To: Beatbox a gunshot sound effect
Beatboxinging, hip-hop, and firearms have always had a close relationship, and many of the best hip-hop songs feature gunshot sounds at some point in the track. If you want to add gunshots to your beatbox, watch this video to learn how to make awesome gunshot sounds with your mouth.
How To: Change strings on the erhu
In this video, we learn how to change the strings on the erhu. First, loosen and remove the inner string. After this, take and unwind the new inner string. Then, take the end with the loop and put it through the Qianjing. Then, loop it in the screw at the bottom of the erhu. Then fold the tip of the other end of the string and put it through the hole in the first peg. Then, loop the string one and push the tip into the hole. Now turn the peg clockwise to tighten it. Repeat this for all the st...
How To: Bow the erhu
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to bow the Erhu. When playing this instrument, keep the shoulders and both arms relaxed. The elbow moves the arm, the arm moves the wrist, the wrist moves the fingers and the fingers move the bow. There is a slight twitch of the wrist on attack of each stroke. The only pressure point is where you hold the bow. Practice bowing the whole length of the bow. Practice with various speeds. This video will benefit those viewers who are interested in playing ...
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.
How To: Write a love song on the piano
In this tutorial, we learn how to write a love song on the piano with Nate Bosch. Keys to writing a love song include making tenderness with a light sound and following through. The e-flat key makes a beautiful sound that is perfect for a long song. You can use the lighter twinkling sounds at the end to make a light sound that is also romantic. Go to an open octave to add a very light sound that will compliment your notes perfectly as well. Make sure you use sounds that will compliment vocal ...
How To: Play the drum fill from "In the Air Tonight" on drums
Learn how to play the famous drum fill from Phil Collin's "In the Air Tonight" with this free drum lesson. This video guide presents a complete, step-by-step breakdown of fill. For more information, and to get started playing this popular Collins fill on your own drums, watch this tutorial.
How To: Play "Mount Wroclai" by Beirut on the accordion
Interested in playing Beirut's "Mount Wroclai" on your accordion? See how it's done with this free video accordion lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the accordion, accordionists of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Mount Wroclai" on your own squeezebox, take a look!
How To: Play a G blues pattern on the ukulele
There's no getting around it: if you want to get good at playing the ukulele or any other instrument, you'll need to practice. Fortunately, the Internet is awash in free, high-quality uke lessons, like this one from YouTube's preeminent tropical tutor, Ukulele Mike. This particular tutorial provides a detailed, step-by-step overview of how to play a simple G blues shuffle pattern.
How To: Play drums on a keyboard MIDI controller
Jason Johnson with Revolution Audio shows us some easy steps to creating a basic midi drumbeat using your keyboard. To start, the kick drum is located at C1, this is in a different location depending on the number of keys your keyboard has. The other drums which are included are left and right snares, the tones, high hat closed, open high hat, and the pedal high hat. There are also the cymbals which include the crash, often used at the end of measures and the ride which is employed often in j...
How To: Play "Summertime" in D minor on guitar
Although mainly demonstrational, this video shows you how to play a song "Summertime" in D minor on guitar. This video is intended for advanced players who learn easily by watching or listening. Read the useful tips posted below to aid your guitar learning:
How To: Play the Hawaiian vamp chord progression
The ukulele is a beautiful and unique stringed instrument that is perfect for the traveling musician because it is so portable and relatively inexpensive. The ukelele is a version of a small guitar that originated in Hawaii. In this tutorial you will learn how to play the traditional Hawaiian vamp chord progression on the ukulele. Once you get a hang of this technique you will be able to play some easy songs on the uke.
How To: Play "Lean On Me" on the piano
Learn how to play 'Lean On Me' by Bill Withers on the piano. This is a fun song for beginners.
How To: Play a baritone horn
In this series of music education videos, our brass horn expert and music lesson professional introduces you to the baritone. He gives you a brief overview of its history as well as an introduction to the components which comprise this horn.
How To: Hum While Beatboxing
Humming while beatboxing is one of the most important techniques to pick up if you're planning to cover popular songs. It's also a key element for singing and beatboxing, but that's for another tutorial. Here, I'll teach you how to hum while beatboxing by explaining exactly how it works.
How To: Tune your acoustic guitar using a U.S. phone
If you have a natural ear for music and have perfect pitch, then tuning any sort of instrument, including the guitar, is probably not a problem for you. But for the rest of us, a piano or a pitch finder is necessary to make sure our guitars are in tune.
How To: Play "Wild Thing" by the Troggs on an acoustic guitar
Want to play an unplugged version of the Troggs' "Wild Thing"? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords in tab notation. 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 Troggs song on your own guitar, watch this video tutorial.
How To: Play "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on the ukulele
Want to play "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" 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. For mor...
How To: Play "Nothin on You" by B.o.B ft Bruno Mars on piano
B.o.B has blown up all over the place, and it seems like you can't make a hit rap song without having Bruno Mars sing on it. Naturally, when the two got together, a hit was born. This video will teach you how to play the intro to their hit single "Nothin' on You" on piano or keyboard quickly and easily.
How To: Fix a wobbly platter problem on a turntable
Learn how to open up your turntable platter in order to fix a wobble on your table, getting those records to play smooth. While DJing might appear simple to the untrained eye, truly mastering the turntables requires as much time and dedication as mastering any other instrument. Fortunately, the internet is awash in free video DJing lessons like this one, which make the learning process easier than it's ever been. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.
How To: Play Beirut's "Elephant Gun" on ukulele
This video tutorial demonstrates the ukulele strum to Beirut's "Elephant Gun." The strumming pattern is as follows: Up, Up, Down, Down, Up, Up, Down, Up, Down. When you strum, use your finger as opposed to your thumbnail and pluck just the C and G strings (or in this case C# and G#). And that's it. For a complete video walkthrough, watch this helpful ukulele lesson.
How To: Play simple Delta blues-style riffs in the key of E
Popularized by artists like Son House and Skip James, Delta blues is not only one of the oldest forms of blues music, it is among the most stylistically distinct and technically rewarding to play. In this video guitar lesson from YouTube user deltabluestips, you'll learn how to play a number of simple Delta blues-style riffs and runs, all in the key of E. While this lesson is geared more toward intermediate and advanced guitarists, this means beginning players merely have all the more to lear...
How To: Play a Spanish piece on the ukulele
The ukulele is a beautiful and unique stringed instrument that is perfect for the traveling musician because it is so portable and relatively inexpensive. The ukelele is a version of a small guitar that originated in Hawaii. In this tutorial you will learn how to play Spanish piece on the ukulele. Once you get a hang of this beginner song you can impress your friends with this easy Spanish song on your uke.
How To: Play "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney on piano
Playing along with your favorite songs is an enjoyable, and highly effective, way of developing your playing technique. In this piano tutorial, you'll learn how to play "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney. While the lesson is geared toward players of an intermediate skill level, all players can follow along given adequate time and motivation. To get started playing "Maybe I'm Amazed" on your own piano or keyboard, press play!
How To: Set up a turntable for scratching
Before scratching on a given turntable, you'll need to set it up properly to ensure that you will not damage either your records or your hardware. This basic DJ tutorial demonstrates one method (among many) for adjusting up a turntable for scratching.
How To: Play "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It" by Ice Cube on piano
Watch this piano tutorial to learn how to play "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It" by Ice Cube on the piano. Instruction features chord breakdowns and individual melody note names. Beginners will have no trouble learning how to play Ice Cube's "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It" on piano after watching this helpful how-to video.
How To: Make a theremin
In this Make Magazine podcast Bre Pettis makes a theremin from a kit by Harrison Instruments. A theremin is a super cool musical instrument invented in Russia in 1918.
How To: Consolidate tracks in Pro Tools
Make the mixing process easier and free up some space in your tracking window by combining different tracks and onto one track using Pro Tools.
How To: Buy the right speakers and amp for your DJ setup
What size speakers and amp are the right ones for your DJ setup? Learn how to choose the right setup for home, house party or on the road and whether you're a bedroom or mobile DJ.
How To: Fix scratchy potentiometer or volume knobs
This guitar lesson teaches how to prevent scratchy tone knobs or volume knobs
News: 4 Famous Songs Played Perfectly on Glass Bottles
Take one down, pass it around, 99 bottles on which to play classical music? As someone who has studied music extensively, I've seen many interpretations of famous pieces of music played on glass bottles, but hearing these four interpretations of famous pieces (not all classical) completely blew my mind.
How To: Finger chords when playing the ukulele
In this ukulele lesson from Ukulele Mike Lynch, we learn how to finger chords without inadvertently muting strings. With the uke, as with any other instrument, if you want to improve, you'll need to practice. Fortunately, the Internet is awash with free, high-quality ukulele lessons like this one. For more information, and to get started playing ringier chords on your own uke, watch this video tutorial.
How To: Use automation in Studio One
In this video, we learn how to use automation in Studio One. Controlling is a system you use to control the devices that control the software. Control link has a window on the song interface in the upper left hand corner. You can quickly move parameters as you edit the automation. Make sure you change it if it's for an instrument or an audio track. Add an automation track to the window, by clicking the "A" button that will give you sounds for the same instrument. This will avoid automation en...
How To: Play "Money" by Pink Floyd on an acoustic guitar
Want to play an unplugged version of Pink Floyd's "Money"? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and its chords in tab notation. 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 Pink Floyd song on your own guitar, watch this video tutorial.
How To: Play "The Unicorn Song" by the Irish Rovers on ukulele
Want to play "The Unicorn Song" by the Irish Rovers? 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. For more info...
How To: Play the Super Mario Bros "Starman" theme on ukelele
Want to play the "Starman" theme from Nintendo's Super Mario Bros? See how it's done with this free video ukulele 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 ukulele, 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 classic video game instrumental on your own ukulele, take a look!
How To: Play "Me and Bobby McGee" on the ukulele
Want to play Kris Kristofferson & Fred Foster's "Me and Bobby McGee" 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 started pla...