Music is an illusive and hard to define phenomenon. It is more than just a bunch of sounds strung together, it is a magic that draws out our emotions and creates a feeling in our hearts. The interesting thing is that one person?s music, is another person?s compilation of random noises. The truth is no type of music is better than another type.
Let?s say you are a high-brow lover of classical music (OK, that may be a stretch, but play along ? you might learn something). You?re really into your Bach and Chopin, but you may not appreciate heavy metal or hip hop. To you they may be empty random sounds devoid of meaning. To you the beauty of classical music seems obvious ? not like that other stuff.
However, the young urban kid feels the same way about their hip hop. To them hip hop is real and relevant. The lyrics are not just words, they convey a meaning that speaks to their fears, plights, and dreams. The music touches them in a personal way ? a way that little else in their daily life can.
The fact is that music is an emotional experience that reflects the type of person that we are. What draws us to a certain genre or musical style is in essence the desire for understanding and acceptance. Each of us is a hand in search the glove that will make us feel the emotional support that we need inside.
For one person they may need to feel normal and understood. They will likely search out music that fills this void. They will appreciate lyrics that are a reflection of their lives and choices. For another, they may seek out music that makes them feel inspired. Some are drawn to love songs, while others to the blues.
Each of us needs to feel connected in life, and that is more important today than in any time in the past. Our society moves so fast, and the stability of family and community of yesteryear may not be present in our lives today. Each of us is searching for that musical soul mate that will make us feel completed.
Music is personal. The type of music we appreciate does not depend on the music itself, but how the music fits us as individuals. No one type of music is better than another. Each is a unique personal experience that will touch some people in a way that makes them feel whole. All types of music are valid. You may or may not appreciate a style ? in fact, you may be bored by it or even offended. But you can not dismiss any type of music. Each represents a voice which must be heard in our society.
Since no type of music is better than another, that ultimately means that no song is better than another, and thus no musician or singer is better than another. Each artist has something to bring to the table, an individual perspective that is different than everyone else?s. Sure we all have our preferences, and a particular singer may have better projection or be able to hit a note better. But those are technical elements. Music is an emotional response to a variety of acoustic elements. It?s not about how a song sounds, it?s about how you hear it, it?s about how it fits you.
Don?t be narrow in your appreciation of music. Search far and wide for songs that speak to you. Listen to the lyrics, feel the rhythm, let the music envelope you. Music can create understanding across cultural barriers. Stretch beyond your comfort zone. Listen to artists and styles that may seem foreign to you. You may just find a glove that fits your hand better than you ever imagined.
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by Scott Richards
You can learn to play melodies on your guitar even if you do not know sheet music notation. We will instead use easy to learn guitar tab or guitar tablature. Let's learn Yankee Doodle!
Yankee Doodle 'Yankee Doodle' is a well-known American song, today sung patriotically. Originally it was a satirical song.
The first verse and refrain goes like this:
Yankee Doodle went to town
A-Riding on a pony
He stuck a feather in his hat
And called it macaroni
Yankee Doodle, keep it up
Yankee Doodle dandy
Mind the music and the step
And with the girls be handy
What is guitar tab?
We will use guitar tablature so you will not need to read sheet music notation. You will only use the four thinnest strings on the guitar. The string with the highest pitch is called the first string or E-string.
Tablature is a form of musical notation, often with numbers and letters, which tells the player where to place their fingers on the guitar fretboard rather than which pitches to play.
I will use my own type of guitar tab notation today to make sure that the guitar tab is correctly displayed on article sites. On my site you will find many popular melodies with the more common guitar tab staff notation.
The six strings on your guitar is numbered from the one with the highest pitch. This string is called the first string.
Look at this guitar tab notation:
11 12 03
As you can see the numbers are organized in pairs.
The first number in the pair tells you what fret to press down and the second number what string to play.
11 means that you press down the first fret on the first string. 12 that you press down the first fret on the second string. 03 that you play the third open string which means that you pluck the string without pressing down a fret.
Let's start with the first part of the melody with guitar tab:
Yankee Doodle went to town
12 12 32 01 12 01 32
12 tells you to play the first fret on the second string. 01 means that you play the open first string.
This type of guitar tab doesn't indicate the length of the notes. If you sing the lyrics you will better feel how to play the notes.
The names of the four notes you have played are C C D E C E D
How do you play guitar tablature with your left hand?
If you want to use your left hand in a professional way I suggest that you play the guitar tab notes on the first fret with your first finger, the notes on the second fret with your middle finger and the notes on the third fret with your ring finger.
Let's proceed with the next words:
A-Riding on a pony
03 12 12 32 01 12 02
The names of the seven notes are G C C D E C B
How do you play guitar tab with your right hand?
Well, there are many ways to pluck or play the strings with your right hand. The easiest way is to use your right hand thumb. I suggest that you use your right hand thumb and concentrate on your left hand fingerings.
Here is the next lyrics and guitar tablature:
He stuck a feather in his hat
03 12 12 32 01 11 01 32
The names of the tablature notes are G C C D E F E D
And called it macaroni
12 02 03 23 02 12 12
The names of the guitar tab notes: C B G A B C C
Learn to play guitar tablature part 2
Here comes the lyrics and the guitar tab for the refrain:
Yankee Doodle, keep it up
23 02 23 03 23 02 12
Guitar tablature notes: A B A G A B C
Yankee Doodle dandy
03 23 03 34 24 03
Guitar tab notes: G A G F E G
Mind the music and the step
23 02 23 03 23 02 12
Guitar tablature notes: A B A G A B C
And with the girls be handy
23 03 12 02 32 12 12
Guitar tab notes: A G C B D C C
Where can you find more guitar tab?
Now when you understand guitar tablature notation you can find many songs written this way on the internet. Search for guitar tab or guitar tablature. A complete guitar tab staff has six lines representing the six strings.
by Peter Edvinsson
Chords. They're amazing. There's no doubt about it. Especially when it comes to piano playing and the Open Position Chord. Here we can use both hands to create music with. The chord is broken up into its main elements and its voicing is spread out which gives it a nice open sound. The sound that's perfect for the New Age style.
To use the OPC requires little more than fingering the chord itself because once the chord is played, music comes out. All that's required now is to be able to experiment with the sounds and textures. It's absolutely critical that the thinking mind stop and feeling be allowed to come to the front.
This is possible by adopting an attitude of abeyance. Not being concerned with what's coming out of you.
For example in Lesson 20: 'Reflections in Water,'
I use the OPC to create a gentle mood. How? By first allowing myself to get in right-brain mode, then letting my fingers do the walking! I know what the chords are, I know that I'll be using the OPC. I then let it all go and let my feeling lead me to where it wants to go and this always leads to
the ideal music.
Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!
by Edward Weiss
