Hot Music & Instruments Posts
How To: Build a guitar, from start to finish
Have you ever been curious about how a guitar goes from a couple slabs of wood, to a beautiful hand crafted instrument? In this two-part video series, learn how these precious instruments are made from start to finish. In two parts, witness the adding of kerfing, inlaying the tail wedge, the installation of the binding, and construction of the back, the soundboard, the fretboard, and the bridge.
How To: Change guitar strings on a Floyd Rose bridge
In this four part video tutorial, instructions on how to change the strings on a guitar with a Floyd Rose bridge are given. You will need the replacement strings, tuner, clippers, an allen wrench, string cleaner, guitar honey, & guitar polish.
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 "Love Drunk" by Boys Like Girls on guitar
Big fan of Boys Like Girls? Learn how to play "Love Drunk" by Boys Like Girls in this four-part video tutorial. Tabs can be found here.
How To: Use a Tascam Ministudio Porta 02 4-track recorder
If you tracked down a Tascam Porta02 4-track recorder on eBay, you'll be happy to know there is a four-part series of videos floating around the web showing you exactly how to use it. Learn how to home record with a little help from a little friend.
How To: Warm up your voice properly before singing
Not sure how to properly warm up your voice before belting a tune? Learn the right way to warm up your voice so you can surprise friends without setting off the neighborhood dogs.
How To: Sell your music on iTunes
With the growing popularity of digital downloads, it's important for aspiring musicians to have some sort of download available of their music. If you're an unsigned musician, selling your music on iTunes might seem daunting, but it's actually very easy! Learn how to do it in this video.
How To: Make your singing voice sound deeper
Looking to impress the ladies with your singer voice? Most of us could only sound like Barry White by gargling cockleburs. But you can pull off a throaty, soulful resonance with the right kind of practice.
News: Old Jeep Cherokee Makes Techno Music
We've seen the talented Diego Stocco's music from a tree and experibass. YouTube's Julian Smith now brings us something equally unusual. The combined sounds of an old Jeep Cherokee (slamming doors, pushing door locks, revving the engine, setting off the door alarm, etc) make a techno song.
How To: Play Jack Johnson's "Banana Pancakes" on guitar
Attention Jack Johnson fans! Do you just love that song, "Banana Pancakes"? Well, in this three-part tutorial, learn all there is to know about playing "Banana Pancakes" on electric guitar. After you have it down, headline a concert for your little sister's stuffed animals!
News: Merry Christmas From Japanese Beatbox Boy
A Merry Christmas beatbox medley, courtesy of 19-year old Daichi, YouTube's favorite Japanese beatboxer. Daichi also makes some fabulous looking HowTo's, but unfortunately they're in Japanese only.
How To: Write a song with structure
It's OK to break the rules of songwriting, but know the structure of a song first so that you can break the rules intelligently. Learn how to write a song in this free music video. Structure is important in every aspect in life, so why not your song?
News: Lady Gaga Goes Uke
Here we are again. This time, however, it's not Britney Spears that's being uke-d, but the delightfully infamous Lady Gaga. The wicked (we-can't-help-but-look-watch-listen) Lady Gaga.
News: Fierce and Unbridled (Vocal) Thunderstorm
Perpetuum Jazzile: a Slovenian choir that performs both jazz and popular music.
News: Guinness World Record Holder Trumps Deliverance-Style Dueling Banjos
"Dueling Banjos" - we've all heard it, we've all seen it - that famous scene from Deliverance where a young inbred banjo player outplays the guitar with incredible speed and accuracy.
News: Japanese Guitar Prodigy Performs With Ozzy Osbourne
Yuto Miyazawa kicks ass at electric guitar. Seriously, this kid is out of this world. What other nine-year-old is invited to perform Crazy Train, on stage, with Rock-n-Roll God Ozzy Osbourne?
News: DIY Musical Maven Cannot Stop Creating Instruments
Musical instruments are lots of fun but boy, they sure ain't cheap. Dennis Havlena (the internet's true DIY instrument king) demonstrates some dedicated yankee ingenuity with his homemade alternatives (aka poor man's instruments). Dennis has created hundreds of hybrid, folksy instruments including bagpipes, banjos, psalteries, didgeridoos, hang drums, and dulcimers.
News: Sole Keyboard Conducts Orchestral Sculpture
According to Wikipedia, "Sympathetic Resonance is a harmonic phenomenon wherein a formerly passive string or vibratory body responds to external vibrations to which it has a harmonic likeness."
EXPERIBASS: Violin+Viola+Cello+Double Bass
Diego Stocco is back (previously, the incredible Music From a Tree). This time Stocco has created the experibass:
How To: Play a harmonica
Learn to play the harmonica and jam with your friends. Step 1: Hold the harmonica properly
News: World Renown Beatbox-Flute Subway Busker
Beatboxing flutist, Greg Pattillo, burst onto the YouTube scene circa 2007, racking up over 20 million views for his performance videos. Patillo has garnered world recognition for his skills, as well as attention from the New York Times:
News: Play Chopsticks on the Subway Stairs
Swedish advertising company, Rolighetsteorin, recently created musical stairs reminiscent of Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia's beloved FAO Schwartz piano scene in Big. The campaign is for Volkswagen, though I'm fuzzy on the connection between the two.
News: The Tree as Stradivarius
According to Wikipedia, to be called "the Stradivari" of any field is to be deemed the finest there is...
News: OMG Beatbox World Champion is a...White Canadian Girl(!)
Well, the online beatbox world champion. Still, pretty incredible, considering the title winner is a cute 17-year-old girl hailing from Canada.
News: Ukulele Cover of Britney Spears "Toxic" Takes YouTube by Storm
Ok, so you clicked through and there's no Britney Spears. I would have used an image of the mysterious Molly Lewis, aka, sweetafton23, but you can barely see her face in her ukulele cover of Britneys Spears' pop classic, "Toxic".
News: 13-Year-Old Guitarist Wows Guitar Pros... and Yoko Ono
South Korea's child prodigy, Sungha Jung, uploads approximately one video a week to his YouTube channel, racking up millions of views and over 120,000 subscribers. Jung is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist, and his skill level is well beyond his years. The guitar appears to be practically the same size as Jung, even though it is custom made to fit his body size.
How To: How To Clean Piano Keys
In just a few simple steps, you'll have your piano keys sparkling like new. You Will Need
How To: Make a finger pop sound with your mouth
Make making music with your own anatomy easy with the fancy finger pop shown in this how-to video. You may remember this famous finger popping sound from such movies as "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." In any case, the finger pop sound is a fun party trick or a way to annoy people-it's your call. Check out this quick video lesson, and you'll soon be finger popping like a pro.
How To: Whistle with your fingers
Taxi drivers passing you by? The finger whistle may seem difficult, but with a little practice, and the pointers in this video tutorial, anyone can master it. Watch, practice, and you'll learn how to wolf whistle with the best of 'em.
How To: Play the essential blues turnaround on electric guitar
If you are going to play the blues guitar you better have this turnaround lick in your bag of tricks. If not, it's time to go into the woodshed!
News: Play Zelda's theme on an invisible musical instrument
Take the best RPG of all time. Combine with the only instrument with invisible strings. And you have pure elf-worthy magic!
How To: Make basic beatbox sounds
Try beat boxing to make percussion sounds using only your mouth. Follow this Howcast guide to learn how to make basic beatbox sounds.
How To: Become a professional club DJ
You already know the mechanics of DJing, but you want to be an international celebrity -- or at least drink for free while showing off your music collection. Here's how to spin your hobby into a career. Watch this video to learn how to become a professional club DJ.
How To: Learn to whistle
You'll never have to hum along to your favorite tune again. With a little practice, you'll be whistling in no time! Watch this video to learn how to learn to whistle.
How To: Play beginner chords on the electric guitar
Want to learn guitar? Some people feel helpless, or feel that it is too hard, but this is not the case. Utopian Thrash Metal Guitarist started out with one tablature book and a cheap electric guitar -- he self taught himself in almost no time.
How To: Read guitar tabs
Want to learn guitar? Some people feel helpless, or feel that it is too hard, but this is not the case. Utopian Thrash Metal Guitarist started out with one tablature book and a cheap electric guitar -- he self taught himself in almost no time.
How To: Play a piano medleys from Pirates of the Caribbean
Want to be like Johnny Depp in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, or would you rather be like Hans Zimmer or Klaus Badelt? Check out this video tutorial to learn how to play a piano medleys from Pirates of the Caribbean. If you're a piano player or keyboardist, and a film lover, and an aspiring composer, then this video from freakazone might intrigue you.
How To: Calibrate and play the Gakken Premium Theremin
MAKE and Collin Cunningham brings the do-it-yourself mindset to all the technology in your life. Make Magazine celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any technology to your own will.
How To: Play chords on acoustic and electric guitars
Checkout this helpful interactive tutorial for learning acoustic or electric guitar. See how to learn chords for acoustic and electric guitars. The Guitar Chords section allows you to choose between electric or acoustic guitar, find any number of chords and hear them played on the virtual guitar.
How To: Replace a turntable needle
Whether you’re a professional DJ or simply a vinyl enthusiast, knowing how to install a fresh needle will help protect your music.