Hammond Music

Cigar Box Guitar - Goin to Brownsville

I’ve been playing, or should I say learning, the guitar for over thirty years but I’ve only recently discovered the fun that can be had with a simple cigar box guitar.

If you are new to cigar box guitars I should explain what they are. The clue is in the name, a cigar box guitar is a guitar made from a wooden cigar box. They tend to be home made instruments that use a cigar box as the resonator in the same way that an acoustic guitar uses its guitar body to amplify the sound from the strings.

Back in the 19th century cigar smoking was far more popular than it is today. They began to package cigars in wooden boxes from around the middle of the 19th century and people soon found a use for these boxes in various home made instruments.

Turning a cigar box into a guitar like instrument is relatively easy to achieve with a length of wood for the neck and a few tuning pegs. The simplest of cigar box guitars might have only one string, but they are commonly made with three strings and no frets. A bottleneck slide, knife or even a piece of animal bone can be used to fret the steel strings.

Cigar box based musical instruments are a traditional form of folk instrument that could easily be made using items that would otherwise have been thrown away. In recent years there has been increased interest in these simple instruments with people sharing their building expertise, tips and advice on the internet. And its not essential that you use a cigar box to make home made musical instruments. Many builders of cigar box guitars use other boxes for the resonator including biscuit tins oil drums and childrens lunch boxes.

If you are struggling with your fancy six string why not get yourself a three string cigar box guitar and join the revolution.

So, you want to learn to play the guitar? Well done, a world of fun lies waiting before you.

Now, one of the most important things to decide before you begin is what kind of guitar should you get? Well, it all depends on the type of music you want to play. Do you prefer rock, country, funk, metal, etc.? The list goes on and on and usually there’s a guitar to suit each particular style.

So for example, should hard rock or metal be your favourite type of music, then buying an electric guitar by such companies as Ibanez, Washburn or Jackson would be ideal. Or, if you like softer rock, a better choice would be a Gibson, Yamaha or Fender guitar.

The best thing to do after having done a little online research is to pay a visit to a guitar store and get a hands on feel of some. This is because your final decision should be based on the look and feel of a guitar, not just the company it’s made by.

The majority of guitar playing professionals opt to stick with one make or model of guitar. Players like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton primarily played Fender Stratocasters throughout their careers. Jimmy Page played a Gibson Les Paul as does Slash from Guns n Roses. A good tip is to look at what type of guitar your favourite guitar players use and look for similar ones whilst at the store.

Another piece of advice is to look out for and ask the store employees about the ‘action’ of any guitars that interest you. This term refers to the space between the strings and the neck. Basically, the higher the action, the harder you have to press down on the string, and the harder the guitar will be to play.

A fair percentage of guitars are made with an action that is too high for the those just learning to play the guitar to get to grips with. Should you get one like this, it’s quite possible that playing will hurt your fingers so much that you’ll feel like giving up after a couple of weeks. Don’t worry though, let the sales assistant know that you’re aware of this issue and they’ll show you guitars with actions that are well matched to your playing ability.

If you’re looking to learn more check out Guitar Lessons LA or Guitar Lessons Seattle.

It has become one of the most popular and most played instruments in the world for spontaneous music and formal compositions.  It is a dream for a lot of people to learn how to play the violin. Learning to play the violin is an incredibly gratifying and very fulfilling euphonic pastime which is straightforward to learn once you have  the devotion and the passion which are needed to conquer all the intricacies of playing this one-of-a-kind musical instrument.

If you believe that you have the talent and the determination to learn the discipline, as well as the time to practice religiously, then you have no reason not to go on and pursue your dream. There are a lot of avenues on how you can learn to play the violin by yourself.  You can concentrate on what style you feel is perfect for you.  The internet can provide you with different techniques and procedures on how to play violin.  Likewise, watching videos of renowned violinists will be a great help. Although you may find it difficult in the beginning, and a bit awkward, after some practice you should be able to make headway and create some beautiful music with your violin.

Before you can begin your actual lesson you need to have a violin.  You have two options to consider.  If you truly feel that the violin is the ideal instrument and you really intend to excel with this type of instrument, it would be wise to invest and buy yourself a violin. Keep in mind that there are things to consider when purchasing a violin. Take someone with you who can also play, as well as listen. Be sure the instrument is properly set up and examine the wood that the violin is made of.  Italian violins are known to be among the best in the world because violin making remains less commercialized there. You should also consider the price you are willing to pay. The price may not represent the quality, especially in the case of a used violin. Finally, play a variety of violins and make your evaluation in a stress free, no pressure setting.  However, if you are not absolutely certain that the violin is the ideal instrument for you to learn, then borrowing or renting one is your best option.

In order to pursue your passion, you will need to invest in a bow and a digital tuner. Before you get started with your lessons and training, it is your primary concern as a beginner to study and develop the proper posture while playing the violin.  Be aware of the proper sitting position and the way you hold your violin. For this purpose, you can refer to instructional manuals or use online resources and videos to familiarize yourself with proper posture and correct positioning of your instrument. However, developing good posture is not enough, it should be maintained every time you sit and play the violin. Exert extra effort to constantly check and compare your posture with visual aids.

Once you have the posture set, then start plucking the strings with your fingers, so you will know just how they should sound. As the sound of the strings becomes ingrained in your mind, you will want to add the sound of the bow as it resonates against each string. Through these simple exercises, you will immediately begin to feel the music within you want to come out. It is now time to get serious about your lessons!

    Remember you are learning your lessons all by yourself. Therefore, self discipline will play a vital role in your success. You should set your training and skill development schedule and follow it religiously. Daily practice is a must and there is no substitute for regular practice if you really intend to excel in playing your violin.  Eventually you will enjoy listening to your own music and then share the gift of music to others.

Guitarists adopt different ways of tuning. The results of the simplest ways of tuning are slightly different to each other. Beginners should follow the way of tuning that is comfortable to him. Experts adopt the right method of tuning following the pitch of the tune it sounds.

The strings are tuned in a standard way. The strings and frets are numbered serially from the lowest to the highest string. The first string is similar to the highest pitch and the last string to the lowest pitch. E-A-D-G-B-E is the standard tuning. So the sixth string corresponds to the Lower E, fifth string-A, fourth string-D, third string-G, second-B and first-High E.

Pitch pipes can set the pitch for all strings by matching them with each other.

Pitch pipes are cheap and beginners can easily use it. Electronic tuner is expensive

but it can bring exact tuning. It is better than pitch pipes. Electronic keyboard or well tuned piano can also be used to tune your guitar as they sound loud and clear. Tuning forks come in variety of types depending on the individual strings. It is cheap and easy to carry. Harmonics is the difficult method of tuning guitar but it brings a clearer and touchy sound.

The simplest way of tuning manually is called Basic Tuning. At first you hold the fifth fret of the sixth string and pluck both the fifth and sixth string at the same time. The tunes of the two strings should sound similar. If the tunes sound different then adjust the tuning peg for the fifth string. Then you play open to make it tuned with the fifth fretted sixth string. Repeat the same process with the third and fourth string. Pluck the fourth fret of the third string to adjust the tune of the second string. For final string tuning, play the fifth fret of the second string. Ibanez acoustic electric guitars  are the guitars provided to beginners, the best ones to start tuning preparation on.

You have to tune your guitar regularly to prevent your guitar from going out of tune.

Trying to figure out how to play violin for beginners and on your own can be extremely difficult and frustrating. It can be an uphill struggle for anyone but your musical education on the instrument need not end before it has begun. You can turn things around and make them fun with disciplined commitment and dedicated learning. Hundreds of thousands of musicians worldwide have sworn on the same commitment. They all ended up pursuing successful professional careers in music. This can apply just as easily to anyone interested in learning the violin but wishing to do it on his own. It is not always necessary to have a personal violin teacher when trying to master the instrument, as long as one has the patience, understanding and determination to succeed by being self taught.

If you intend to be self taught on the violin, one important question needs to be asked of you. How serious are you about doing it? Is your passion for the instrument strong or just something that is on the spur of the moment? A natural love for music is also necessary. It helps to increase tenfold the enjoyment of pursuing your musical education. Dealing with any obstacles will be less difficult if your passion and love for what you do is strong as it pushes you on.

While it is admirable to be self taught, do not exempt the fact that some form of sharing and learning from others would be necessary during your journey. Look for other violin players and learn from each other. Learning from others' experience could speed up your own progress. Inculcate their experiences in your own lessons and progression might result quicker. Do not neglect other resources such as picking up a learn violin dvd to gather more insight from other professionals.

Students with teachers often have an extra push or motivation from the latter. If you decide to teach yourself how to play the violin, then self discipline is something you must cultivate and master in order to fulfill your dreams. You must not shirk your responsibilities with regards to violin practice and more effort might be required compared to one who has a personal coach. You also need to examine your progress regularly so that areas of improvement can be determined and worked on.

Many self taught musicians neglect classical musical theory. Not only is it difficult to do so on your own, but it takes many hours of work to understand and memorize them. But it helps to make you a better violinist. It is also really necessary to know musical theory in order to become a better violin player as there is no alternative theory system for the instrument. There are many violin lessons online that can provide help in this area and you should turn to them for extra knowledge.

At the end of the day, whether you are enrolled in a music school or choose the self taught path, becoming proficient in the violin requires all your attention to detail, dedication, passion and commitment. There will be no limits to your progress as a violinist if you remain persistent and continue to grow your strengths. The journey will be long but fruitful till the end.