Hot Music & Instruments How-Tos
How To: Play the 2Pac song "California Love" on keyboard and talkbox
"California Love" by 2Pac, Dr. Dre, and Roger Troutman is one of the best rap songs ever and brought Roger Troutman's incredible use of the talkbox to mainstream audiences. If you have a talkbox and a keyboard, check out this video to learn how to play this hip-hop classic on the best instruments to do so.
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: Play Guy's "Let's Chill" on piano
In this video, we learn how to play Guy's "Let's Chill" on piano. This is a smooth song written in F minor. The first chord is a D flat major 7, then F, A flat C, A flat, then C. Continue on to play a suspended chord, then an F flat, E flat, F flat, then regular F flat minor. Continue to play through this until you have the introduction finished. Once this is done, continue on through the rest of the song with the same chords throughout the song. In time, the song will come together and the e...
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: Loudly whistle with one hand
How to loudly whistle with one hand
How To: Do a loud fingerless whistle
How to do a loud fingerless whistle
How To: Play Fur Elise on the piano, step by step
Fur Elise by Beethoven is one of piano's most recognizable tunes. In this two part series, listen and learn how to play this beloved classical piece on your own. With a little practice, you should be impressing your listeners in no time.
How To: Play "Elephant Gun" by Beirut on the accordion
This video is a great tutorial on how to play "Elephant Gun" by Beirut's Zach Condon. This song, from the Lon Gisland EP, is a great song for beginner accordion players.
How To: Play "Nantes" by Beirut on the accordion
This fantastic tutorial demonstrates how to play the brooding "Nantes" by Beirut's Zach Condon. As this user mentions, Beethoven would be proud!
How To: Play a B flat chord on the ukulele
This video tutorial will get you started playing B flat barre chords on the ukulele. In it, you'll find a number of tips and techniques for fretting the B flat chord and be advised of common pitfalls. For more information, and to get started playing B flat chords on your own uke at home, watch this helpful video guide.
How To: Play Billy Joel's "Vienna" on piano
Playing along with your favorite songs is an enjoyable, and highly effective, way of developing your playing technique. In this one-two piano tutorial, you'll learn how to play "Vienna" by Billy Joel. 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 "Vienna" on your own piano or keyboard, press play!
How To: Set up a shoulder rest on a violin
Learn how you can set up your shoulder rest for a violin with this tutorial. A shoulder rest makes playing the violin a lot more comfortable. With the tips in this how to video you will be able to set up your shoulder rest and play the violin with comfort and ease.
How To: Play sharps and flats on pan-flute
Watch this winds tutorial video to learn how to play sharps and flats on the pan-flute by tilting your jaw. This instructional video is good for beginners and will have you playing chromatic scales with sharps and flats on the pan-flute in no time.
How To: Turn a guitar into a ukulele (with a capo)
This is a short video describing where to place a capo on a standard tuned guitar to make it playable in the same positions and notes as a ukulele.
How To: Play "Why" by Ayaka [Guitar Tabs]
This is a guitar cover of Ayaka's "Why" song by Yazan Markabi. Tabs below the video. Video: .
How To: Build your own Xylophone
The xylophone is one of the most universal musical instruments, with variations existing in cultures throughout the globe. Build your own xylophone by following the instructions shown in this helpful video. You can make a xylophone out of found or recycled materials like wood or glass.
How To: Get jazzy with your ukulele in this intro jazz lesson
In this clear how-to video, ukulele master Glen Rose introduces the viewer to a series a jazz chords and then shows how to put them altogether to play a jazzy little number. Get strumming people, your uke awaits new music.
How To: Play "Bad" by U2 on the electric guitar (with and without delay)
Want to be good—even great—at playing "Bad" by U2? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete (and we mean complete) breakdown of the song and its constituent parts. 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 "Bad" on your own guitar, just take a look!
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 "Autumn Leaves" by Joseph Kosma & Jacques Prévert on the ukulele
Want to play "Autumn Leaves" by Joseph Kosma 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 this great French jazz song (originally titled "Les feuilles mortes") on your own uke, watch this free video ukulele lesson.
How To: Play "Sally's Song" from The Nightmare Before Christmas on piano
The entire Danny-Elfman-composed soundtrack to The Nightmare Before Christmas is hauntingly beautiful, and "Sally's Song" is no exception (much like her character). In this video you'll learn how to play a solo piano cover of the song, with all the notes conveniently overlaying the fingers in the video. How convenient!
How To: Play "Oh My Love" by John Lennon on the piano
In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to play John Lennon's "Oh My Love" on piano or other keyboard instrument. 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 "Oh My Love"!
How To: Play "Nights in White Satin" by the Moody Blues on the ukulele
Want to play "Nights in White Satin" by the Moody Blues on the 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 playing "Nights i...
How To: Get a similar solo tone like in "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin on Guitar
Jimmy Page had a very specific twangy, high pitched, whiny tone that he used in the recording of "Whole Lotta Love" and a couple of other very recognizable songs during their solo and interlude sections. If you've ever wondered how to get a similar tone check out this video on some amp settings and different pick up positions to get you a similar tone.
How To: Play "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne on an acoustic guitar
Want to play an unplugged version of Ozzy's "Crazy Train"? 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 Ozzy Osbourne song on your own guitar, watch this video tutorial.
How To: Play "American Honey" by Lady Antebellum on the guitar with Dave Haywood
Lady Antebellum's guitar player Dave Haywood somehow finds time while on the road to show you how to play the guitar part for "American Honey". He will show you how he tunes down the guitar to an open C# tuning (take DADGAB and tune it down another half step) and then breaks down the entire song from intro to the end.
How To: Do rolling vibrato on the erhu
In this video, we learn how to do rolling vibrato on the erhu. Vibrato is a series of deliberate and controlled finger and hand movements. It is not convulsing or vibrating your hand to create the desired effect. First, you will need to learn finger movement. You will want to roll down and roll up as one nod once you are comfortable. Start with 1 nod per beat, then progress to doing 3 nods per beat as you become more familiar with the instrument. Next, you will need to learn bowing by setting...
How To: Play "Whole Wide World" by Wreckless Eric on guitar
In this tutorial, we learn how to play "Whole Wide World" by Wreckless Eric on guitar. There are only two chords in this song: E and A. This is a great song for beginners, so just make sure you know finger placement before you begin. Learn the lyrics to the song and listen to it so you have an idea of how the melody goes. After this, play the intro to the song then start with the different verses. Add in the lyrics as you are playing the chords, going back and forth between the two. After thi...
How To: Play the Tetris theme song on the accordion
In this video, we learn how to play the Tetris theme song on the accordion. D major 7 is the first chord, going to A, B flat, C, B flat, A, G, B flat, D, C, B flat, A, B flat, C, D, B flat, G, and G. Play these separately, then practice doing all of these chords in order one after the other to do the first part of the song. Now, walk up to the C chord and then press, B flat, F, D, B flat, D, C, B flat, A, B flat, A, C, D, and D. Continue to play these chords until you reach the end of the son...
How To: Play the "Mele Kalikamaka" Christmas song on ukulele
Want to play "Mele Kalikamaka" (or "Pooka Shells") Hawaiian Christmas carol on your ukulele? 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 tropical X-mas carol on your own ukulele, take a look!
How To: Play Pati's "Island Girls" on the ukulele
Why play a ukulele? Well, other than the fact that it looks like a baby version of a guitar and therefore really damn cute, it creates a light, pleasant sound that resonates well with playing light melodies on the sand at the beach.
How To: Do a high pitched scream
Cory teaches us how to do a high pitched scream in this video tutorial. This is the same as a low scream, just higher in pitch. The first this to do is to let out a lot of air when you are using a high pitched scream. This is the opposite of what you would do for a low pitch yell. The next thing to do is to position your tongue in your mouth. The tongue should be up to the front of your mouth touching your bottom teeth. The last thing to remember is to use a different spot in your throat, fin...
How To: Play the guitar solo from 3 Doors Down's "Kryptonite"
Learn how to play the solo from 3 Doors Down's "Cryptonite" with this free guitar lesson. This video guide presents a complete, step-by-step breakdown of the solo. For more information, and to get started playing this 3 Doors Down solo on your own electric guitar, take a look!
How To: Play Caesars' "Jerk It Out" on the piano
Want to know how to perform Caesars' "Jerk It Out" on the piano? Work it out with this free video piano lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the 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 "Jerk It Out" on your own keyboard instrument, watch this how-to!
How To: Play "Baby" by Justin Bieber on piano
Interested in playing Justin Bieber's "Baby" on your piano or keyboard? See how it's done with this free video piano lesson. While this tutorial is best suited for intermediate players, pianists of all skill levels can play along given a little time and sticktoitiveness. For more information, and to get started playing "Baby" on your own keyboard instrument, watch this how-to!
How To: Play "Amazing Grace" on slide guitar in the key of E
Want to know how to play the "Amazing Grace" hymn on slide guitar? Learn how with this free video guitar lesson. While this tutorial is best suited for intermediate players, rock guitarists of all skill levels can play along given a little sticktoitiveness. For more information, and to get started playing "Amazing Grace" on your own guitar, watch this how-to!
How To: Play Neil Young's "Old Man" on acoustic guitar
Want to know how to play "Old Man" by Neil Young on the guitar? Learn how with this free video guitar lesson. While this tutorial is best suited for intermediate players, rock guitarists of all skill levels can play along given a little sticktoitiveness. For more information, and to get started playing this seventies folk ballad on your own guitar, watch this how-to!
How To: Play "My Beloved Monster" from Shrek on guitar
One of the best songs from the Shrek movies is called "My Beloved Monster". This tune is lovely and is actually pretty easy to learn to play yourself.
How To: Convert FLAC to ALAC using iTunes and Fluke
One of the many significant problems with Apple's ubiquitous iTunes music player and iPod MP3 players is their lack of native support for FLAC, the highest-quality type of condensed digital music file. This video features step-by-step instruction for converting your FLAC files into ALAC files, which have similar quality and can be played on on your iPod.
How To: Play the phrygian mode on the piano
Nate Bosch with Piano Lessons demonstrates how to play the phrygian mode on a piano. The phyrgian mode is the third mode of the major scale. Take the C major scale. The phyrgian mode will start on the third note of that scale, which is E, and contain the same notes as the C major scale. From those notes, a seventh chord can be built. Play the E, G, B and D notes to make the E minor seven chord. That mode built out of the C major scale creates E minor seven chord or the three chord. Other keys...