Guitar / Ukulele

A classical guitar is a great instrument to learn. It is melodious and fun to play. To see why you should learn guitar lessons with this instrument,check out: http://guitarlessonssingapore.com/reasons-to-learn-classical-guitar/!

But handling a guitar is a huge responsibility and the entire care for the instrument will fall on your shoulders. But you don’t need to panic about this. While classical guitars can be fragile, a little care can go a long way in ensuring that they remain in good shape for a long time to come. While you should know how to deal with it when things go wrong, you also need to develop a regular routine for your guitar maintenance. Here’s how!

Lubricate

To keep your classical guitar in good shape, you need to ensure that it is lubricated properly. This will ensure that your guitar can be properly tuned. The strings can get stuck in the nut slots, which can also be prevented through lubrication. Just add a mix of graphite and Vaseline and your mixture is ready. Move one of the strings to the side and put a very small amount of this mixture in the nut slot. Do the same for all the other strings. Wipe away any residue. You don’t need to do this daily, but keep an eye out for it.

Polish

When you handle your classical guitar, it is the frets that get the most handling. You need to keep touching this space while you play. Over time, this can really build up into a nasty mix of finger grime, sweat, and dirt, which affects the color of the fret board. This ought to be done regularly since getting out all the dirt after an entire year of playing can be hard. Use some nice mineral oil to clean the board. This oil soaks into the wood and brings all the dirt out to the surface, from where you can just wipe it off easily. An added advantage is that it will prevent excessive moisture from entering the wood.

Clean

This is a no-brainer. If you use an instrument, you need to clean it regularly. With use, the classical guitar becomes dirty, especially in hard-to-reach places like between the frets and around the nut bolts. For this, just try some elbow grease and rub it gently on the surface. Use a soft cloth to wipe it clean. You can also try dirt solvents available in the market for just this purpose to deal with stubborn grime. You can also use steel wool for this purpose but if you choose this alternative, you need to be very careful to avoid scratching the smooth surface. Make your strokes small and quick and ensure you are rubbing in the direction of the wood grain.

Change strings

All guitars need to have their strings changed periodically. It is one of the things you do learn in your basic guitar lessons because it is just so essential to a classical guitarist. You know your string needs a change when it becomes difficult to tune, produces a dull sound, or feels uncomfortable when playing. The notes can sometimes go off and the string itself can become darker and less polished. If this happens, it is time for a change. As far as strings are concerned, ensure you keep a set of spare ones with you all the time.

For more information on this subject, please refer to: http://guitarlessonssingapore.com/.

Children often start out with their new classes on a positive note. They are enthusiastic and aim at learning as much as possible. But this positiveness and enthusiasm remain only till they find it fun to learn. If the lessons take a monotonous turn or they do not find it interesting, they eventually lack the motivation to learn and move ahead. For this, you need to find a teacher who believes in mixing fun with learning so that your child would always be ready to learn more. Take a look at some of the factors that you need to consider before you select a jazz guitar teacher for your child.

Fun learning

As already said, a teacher who knows to make the lesson fun and interesting would be able to get a lot of out his/her pupils than a teacher who prefers to stick to the standard method of teaching. It would also help as a remembering tool if special exercises are used to teach the children. This will also make the practice hours or the learning process seem like a fun task rather than a boring chore.

Experienced teacher

An experienced teacher will not only how to handle the students but also know how to get them to perform their best. They would be able to warn your child about not making the same mistakes which they had done in their past. This would be a great help to a beginner and they would find it easier to proceed with such helpful tips. If there are other students in the class, an experienced teacher would know how to handle students who have different learning speeds. They would be able to make sure everybody gets equal attention and makes progress.

Fees

Most teachers charge the standard rate. Get in touch with a few music academies and teachers to know the average fee in your neighborhood. Do not go for teachers who charge a lot as charging a lot does not mean that they give good jazz guitar lessons. Find out about how much experience the teacher has, his/her reputation as a teacher, and their method of teaching.

Personal Commitments

There might be a few guitarists who do musical concerts and shows. They would need to practice for the same and perform live. All this time could cut into your child’s classes. Make yourself clear and have a talk with the teacher before-hand that the classes should not get disrupted. In the case it does, compensatory classes should be provided at a time when the timings are mutually satisfactory.

Time and Distance

Classes that are too far away might lead to your child wasting a lot of time in travel. This can also bring about exhaustion leading to a lack of interest. If the timings are not suiting your child, then it is better to find other classes which offer lessons in your preferred hours as forcing the child against their comfort level is not a good idea.

A good teacher will be the reason you learn and achieve success or you get bored at quit. So, give importance to this decision and select a good teacher for your jazz guitar lessons. Take all the above factors into consideration. To know more on how to purchase a jazz guitar, check out http://guitarlessonssingapore.com/tips-purchasing-jazz-guitar/. For more on jazz guitars, you can refer to http://www.guitarlessonssingapore.com.

Fantastic guitar strumming.

When you have something as delicate and valuable as a classical guitar, you need to take good care of it. If you are just taking beginner classical guitar lessons, then one of the basic things you need to learn right from the beginning is how to take care of your guitar. It is good to form these good habits right from the beginning so there is no hardship involved later in keeping your instrument safe and working long. If you are interested in knowing more about the classical guitar as an instrument, you can read up at: http://guitarlessonssingapore.com/classical-guitar-lessons-getting-know-classical-guitar/.

One of the most important things to discuss when taking basic guitar lessons is how the climate affects your classical guitar. It is important for the guitar to be exposed to  a decent humidity level. Humidification is a significant factor in keeping your guitar in good condition. Without the proper humidity level, the guitar can really get damaged badly.

Dry weather can shrink your guitar. Once the wood shrinks, every part of the guitar feels the pressure. This ultimately leads to cracking, which destroys the guitar. On the other hand, there is also the fact that very high moisture content in the air can make the guitar sound bad since the tone would lack volume and projection. The wood in the guitar expands due to the moisture, which leads to bloating. Once again, this can put pressure on the guitar, damaging it.

So we see how important it is to keep the classical guitar within the acceptable humidity limits. This is around 40 – 55%. Anything higher or lower than this can damage the guitar, especially if it is kept under such conditions for a long period of time. There are ways to ensure that your guitar is kept in good humid condition to ensure its longevity.

• The first step is to ensure that you have a decent guitar case. Always store your guitar in its case to protect it from the elements. Whenever you are not actually playing your guitar, it should be in its case. It is very easy for musical instruments to get damaged if they are left standing by as a decoration as people are apt to do. So forget the décor and go with the case.
• Keep a humidifier in your guitar case. This will ensure that there is the desired level of moisture in the air, without resorting to major changes. The humidifier will keep the guitar at the optimum level of moisture.
• Another option is to keep a hygrometer in your guitar case. This helps in measuring the moisture content of the air, which in turn, helps you make decisions on how far to go with the humidifying.
• Keep an eye out for any change in the way your guitar sounds. Chances are that these may be caused by weather conditions. A simple storage period in its case will ensure that the guitar goes back to normal.

While humidifying, one thing you need to avoid is to actually humidify the guitar itself. Some people prefer to put a humidifying device or wet sponge inside the guitar, but this can lead to overexposure to moisture. The moisture needs to be evenly distributed, so the best way is to humidify the guitar case and ensure that the guitar is in its case most of the time.

With just a bit of effort, you can ensure that your guitar doesn’t get affected by extreme weather conditions.

To learn more about caring for your guitar, please refer to www.guitarlessonssingapore.com.

Bass guitarists are often in demand in bands and are sought after because fewer people opt for learning this instrument. It is a wonderful instrument that allows the player to play deep notes and be the power force in the band. The bass guitarist has a great job and the few new beginners who understand this are at a great advantage. But bass guitars don’t always come cheap. Here are a few tips to ensure that you know how to obtain a good quality bass guitar at a reasonable price.

It doesn’t need to be the best

One thing you really need to remember is that purchasing a beginner’s guitar means you can afford to skimp on quality. While you have to make sure that your guitar is of a certain decent quality, it doesn’t have to be top-notch with everything you require. A beginner taking bass guitar lessons will invariably never be able to get the full use of a high end bass guitar anyway. So the best idea is to ensure that you choose a quality that provides good service but at the same time, need not be excellent.

Buy used

One easy way to obtain a good bass guitar at a reasonable rate is to buy a used instrument. There are people willing to let go of their great instruments, usually because they have upgraded, at a nominal rate, if they are convinced you would take good care of their baby. There are also some great deals to be made on used instrument stores and websites. Many of these instruments are in good shape. But you have to be careful because there are some duds in the market as well. Play and get acquainted with the used instrument before you buy.

Try out unbranded guitars

You don’t always have to buy the best branded guitars. If you can afford to do so, great! But there is no need to worry if you can’t. There are some excellent unbranded bass guitars in the market. You have to keep in mind that there is no guarantee for these guitars. But if you hear from anyone that a specific shop sells good guitars that don’t fall under a renowned brand name, you can try it out. Always keep in mind that these are only a temporary measure, unless, of course, your unbranded version offers you excellent value.

Check out off-brand guitars

Another option when choosing cheap bass guitars is to opt for a model that is actually from a good brand but never became popular. These models eventually come down in price and are a good choice for any budding guitarist. Of course, there are reasons why these models didn’t attain popularity in the first place, but these might not always be connected to actual quality issues. So test out such guitars and make a purchase if you feel the instrument is good enough.

Choose faded or worn guitars

Faded or worn guitars are models that are brought out in order to bring down the cost of the guitar. These models often don’t have a perfect finish, but the quality is still pretty good. So basically, they might not always look great, but they will still sound great! Similarly, you can also bring down the price of the purchase of your bass guitar by choosing guitars with small imperfections such as minor scratches or dents.

Once you have purchased your guitar, you can check out this article for tips on maintaining it properly: http://guitarlessonssingapore.com/bass-guitar-maintenance/. For further information on basic bass guitar lessons, please refer to: www.guitarlessonssingapore.com.

Check out this nice guitar cover of Shawn Mendes’ “Treat You Better” on YouTube:

Buying an Electric Guitar – Part I

When you set out to learn something new, you need to ensure that you have all the materials required. The same goes for electric guitar. If you are planning to take electric guitar lessons, you need a reliable instrument to practice on. Without a decent instrument, you might not be able to pick up as fast as you might otherwise. There are two main things you require for this: a good teacher and a good instrument. For tips on selecting an electric guitar teacher, check out this article:http://guitarlessonssingapore.com/selecting-an-electric-guitar-teacher/. For more on selecting a good instrument, continue reading.

Learn about guitars

The first step before buying an electric guitar is to actually know what you are doing. You would not just go out and buy a pet without knowing the first thing about it. Well, a guitar is the same, and an electric guitar, more so! So it is a good idea to learn some things about the guitar. Understand the components that go into the making of a guitar. Learn about how each component functions and how they are useful to the player. Once you learn what goes where, you will know whether the guitar you are inspecting is exactly what you require or not. Without this basic understanding of the instrument, you might never be able to make the right choice.

So the first step before starting your basic electric guitar lessons is to learn about guitars. You can check out online tutorials or sites, or you might even ask your guitar teacher to help you with the basics. Once this is done, you are ready to go guitar shopping.

Decide on a body style

The body style of a guitar plays a huge role in its functioning. When it comes to comfort, the body style of the guitar is the most important factor for players. Without having a basic understanding of the different body styles and how each of them can impact your playing, you will be unable to make a good choice.

Solid body guitars: These are guitars that are made up of a single piece of wood. It is always the better choice because you don’t have to worry about whether the different wood parts are attached properly together. The fewer the parts, the better the construction. Solid body guitars weigh more and are sturdy. However, these guitars require amplifiers because of the lack of resonance chambers within the instrument.

Hollow body guitars: These guitars have a hollow interior and use different types of pick-ups than the solid body guitars.

Semi-hollow body guitars: These guitars are hybrid models. They usually are shaped with a cut-out design and have a small hollow portion in the body. These guitars have a bright tone very suitable for certain musical genres.

Electric – acoustic guitars: These are electric guitars shaped to look like acoustic guitars. The one advantage of these guitars is that they can be played without amplifiers.

By making the right choice here, you will be able to enhance your playing the way you want. Picking the correct body style for you will go a long way in making you a good guitar player.

We shall be continuing further with tips on what to keep in mind while purchasing an electric guitar. Meanwhile, if you are interested in more information about electric guitars, please refer to: www.guitarlessonssingapore.com.

Acoustic Guitar Lessons: Online Learning vs. Regular Classes

The guitar is an extremely popular instrument that is why more people are choosing to learn to play the guitar than any other instrument. Since it is so popular, there are many acoustic guitar classes held. You can choose to attend the type of class that you would be comfortable with and learn to play the guitar. There are many ways for you to do this.

Personal experienced guitarist teacher

If you are a beginner, hiring a personal guitarist is one of the best ways you can learn. There will not be any distractions since you will be the only student. The teacher would also be able to give you his undivided attention. You can move at your pace and learn more. There are many professional guitarists who give lessons to people wanting to learn. You can also approach a friend who has knowledge about guitars to help you out with tips.

Group guitar classes

Once you pass the beginners’ stage, it is always better that you join such classes. It will expose you to more musicians, you can learn from others’ mistakes, their style, and their knowledge. You would get a chance to evaluate yourself with respect to your peers who are in the same class as you. These classes are a better option than online learning as there would be a teacher present on hand to correct you immediately or answer any queries that you might have.

Online acoustic guitar lessons

The internet houses a large collection of documents on the subject of acoustic guitar including theory. There are thousands of videos showing every information possible from which you can mimic and learn. You can also visit websites which act as a virtual platform for you to practice. Along with all these necessary information on how to play, you will also find tips on how to maintain your guitar, how to practice, how to carry on your routine so that it benefits you in all ways and more.

Take a decision based on your level

If you are enrolling your child, or you are a beginner, then the ideal route for you would be to take personal classes or group classes according to your preference. If you are past the beginner stage, you can also learn with the help of the internet. Beginners can use the internet as a support tool for learning more but relying on it primarily might not get you the desired results. Beginners need someone to teach them basics such as the right way to hold a guitar, the correct body posture and so on.

Dedication is the key!

It doesn’t matter if you are taking personal classes, group classes, or online acoustic guitar lessons, dedication is still the key. Practice as much as possible. In most cases, people who are learning on their own tend to lose concentration over time. Be aware of this and make sure you are putting in your best efforts every day. There might be times when you might seem stuck and that you are not moving forward. It is what you need to consider before you are ready to take acoustic guitar lessons and move ahead. To know more on how to maintain your guitar, check out: http://guitarlessonssingapore.com/acoustic-guitar-lessons-caring-acoustic-guitar/. For more on acoustic guitars, you can refer to www.guitarlessonssingapore.com.

Ukulele Lessons: Home or Classes?

Ukulele is a stringed instrument. It is just as popular as guitar and there are thousands aspiring to learn the Uke. If you want to kick off with ukulele lessons, you have a lot of options in choosing how to go about it. There are various factors that play a role in choosing a class. Check out some of the factors listed below.

Budget

This is the first factor and one that needs to be considered by almost everyone. The fee should be within your budget. Group classes are generally less expensive than private classes. But the advantage you get in private classes is that you get the teacher’s full attention and there is nobody to disturb you. Some people are shy and are not comfortable asking questions in front of others. For them, private classes is the solution. But most people like group classes for they get an opportunity to meet new people and learn as a group.

Distance

Sometimes, you might not be able to find good ukulele classes in your neighborhood. You need to think whether you would be able to travel long distance for the classes. This can cause tiredness and stress eventually leading to a lack of interest. Make sure you have really thought well about taking up classes that are far away. If you are thinking of enrolling your child and the classes are too far away, think whether they would be able to manage the travel alone and if not, would you be able to act as the driver to them. Also, make sure that the child will not get too tired with the traveling as it can impact their learning.

If there are no suitable classes nearby, you can go for personal classes where the teacher would come to your place to teach. This can cost more, but sometimes, it is better than traveling long distance.

Infrastructure and space

If you are planning to take home lessons, think twice whether you have enough space to hold ukulele lessons. You also need to consider if you have sound proof rooms and if not, would it disturb the other members of your household. The advantage of music schools is that they have proper infrastructure with sound proof rooms, chairs and other necessary tools. You can practice here in comfort.

Practice and dedication

Practice is the key to performing like a pro. If you attend classes, you would be getting assignments and homework which would end up as practice for you even if do not get time or are unable to set specific practice hours. But if you are learning on your own, you need to formulate a plan for practicing and learning as there would be no one to keep an eye on you. You need to be self-motivated and disciplined in order to achieve excellence.

Take into consideration all these factors and more. Think twice before committing yourself to a class as changing music schools and teachers might lead to an inconsistent learning experience. Choose the best and most experienced teacher possible and practice as much as you can. You will definitely master the Uke! For more tips for a ukulele beginner, check out this link: http://guitarlessonssingapore.com/tips-ukulele-beginners-lessons/. For more on ukulele, you can refer to www.guitarlessonssingapore.com.