Common Mistakes Made When Playing the Djembe Drum

Hand drums have become extremely popular over the last few years, both for use on stage and in informal settings like drum circles. The djembe drum has proven itself to be incredibly versatile in both scenarios. A few common mistakes exist that players often make when playing this or any other type of hand drum.

The djembe drum is a very good choice for players looking for a single drum to cover many different sounds. Many different styles of djembe drums are available to appeal different player's preferences. Some drums have synthetic heads and others have natural-skin heads. Each type of head has its own challenge. Synthetic head can get tuned too tight, causing a lot of "ring" and overtones that you don't want. With a natural head, the tones tend to be more "organic" and the drum produces fewer overtones. If the head gets over-tensioned, it can be tricky to down-tune it. The easiest way to avoid this is to tune the synthetic head a bit at a time and checking the tone as you go.

Another misconception is that as the drummer you should play louder, or that the bigger drums should be played louder. This is a common problem, but it isn't very considerate. If you go to a drum circle with a few people playing djembe drums you will probably notice all of the players pounding away and the volume steadily increasing. Djembe drums are capable of being very loud, but the beauty of the djembe is that you don't have to be the loudest to be heard.

Another issue that goes hand-in-hand with this problem is that players have a tendency to speed up as they play louder. The best way to avoid these two issues is to simply use your ears. If you can't hear the players around you, then you are probably too loud. Some people find it very helpful to close their eyes for better focus; after all, the drum won't go anywhere.

The djembe is a great drum, and it is easy to play, even for a beginner. However, just because it is easy to play doesn't mean that the basics should be ignored. Many casual players have a good time just pounding away without knowing how to coax the variety of sounds that are possible out of the drum, while other players take the time to learn the basics of where the tones are located and how to bring them out of the djembe. Knowing how to create the three basic tones on the djembe drum will allow you to play it like a symphony.

Looking to purchase a West Africa drum? Visit the Djembe Drum Shop to view their extensive collection and to buy online - http://www.djembedrumshop.com/.

View the original article here

Playing Your First Live Show

Have you finally found a band that you are compatible with? Are you a solo artist that hears everything finally coming together? In either case if you've gotten the chance to play a live show or gig, chances are your first emotion was exhilaration, followed by anxiety about how you will perform. Let's get you back to that exhilarated feeling!

You're probably thinking, "I've got butterflies in my stomach. I'm a ball of nerves! What if I make a mistake? How can I play a live show?" Well, let's get the first question out of the way right now. The odds are really good that you will make a few mistakes in your first show. Most people do. The questions you need to ask yourself are one, will anyone notice? And two, if they do notice it, will anyone remember that mistake when we hit the big scene? As long as you stay focused on your goals, neither of these questions will be relevant. Remember to write down the reasons why you're doing this! Are you doing it to entertain friends? Do you have something to share with the world? If you do, you must train your mind to remember that the world wants to hear it.

One thing you can do to minimize your chances of making a mistake is to practice your part! Practice over, and over, and over again, until you feel that you can play it without thinking. This is more important than most guitarists understand. Guitar practice, as with any performance rehearsal, is necessary to make sure things will go smoothly once you are on the stage.

You can also train your mind to think positively by reciting certain positive phrases over and over again. Phrases like, "I can achieve anything I desire" or "I will get on the stage and feel good about myself. People want to hear me play" will always increase your confidence and help quell that butterfly feeling in your gut. This particular technique has positive effects on practice as well. Because you know you can achieve anything, you will do what it takes to get there. Practice will come naturally because you know that's the most important aspect of doing well on the stage.

Set aside a certain amount of time to practice each and every day until your show. This does not include time just spent practicing with the band. You need some time to practice alone as well. You should be able to hear the band in your mind playing along with you. Remember, that you are a superstar! Keep reciting those positive phrases and practicing. Pretty soon you're going to realize that you're no longer nervous about being onstage...well, maybe you'll be a little nervous, but not about making a mistake! You'll know you're going to get out there and kick some tail.

Again, train your mind so that you CAN do what it takes. You have the power to succeed. It all depends on you, and on how badly you want to be in the spotlight. Let the world hear what it has been missing! We'll all appreciate it, and we'll appreciate you for giving it all you've got! Remember, when, not if, but WHEN you put everything you have into your passion, it will pay you back 100 times what you've put into it. If performance is important to you, you will do this.

Now go break a leg!

View the original article here

Improving Your Guitar Playing

Tips and suggestions for guitarists who feel that their playing has remained at the same level for too long, and who want to improve their guitar playing. How to make rapid progress, make better use of your practice time, and achieve your playing ambitions.

The first thing to do is to assess where you want to go with your playing. Are there any guitarists you want to sound like? What are your guitar playing aims? Once you know the direction in which you should be heading, you'll find it easier to make progress towards your goals.

The three main areas that you should address are: technique, knowledge and practice. All three are linked: with a poor technique, your playing will not improve however much you learn. Conversely, if you do not learn anything new, your playing will stay at the same level even if your technique is perfect. Finally, if you don't practice, you'll be unable to perfect your technique and new knowledge will not sink in.

Here are some practical suggestions aimed at a guitarist who has the basics down but who feels that their playing has stopped improving:

1. Learn some new chords. If you already know several different major, minor and dominant seventh shapes, try learning (for example) some major seventh chords, some diminished chords or some minor sixth chords. Even if you don't play jazz, you could learn some 'jazzy' chords, such as ninths, elevenths and thirteenths, and / or some altered chords. Any of these will add new color to your rhythm playing and to your songwriting.

2. Learn how to play some of the chords you already know but in another position. This may inspire some new songs or present an easier way to play existing songs.

3. Learn some more scales, or learn some of the scales you already know in another position. Learn a scale that is less commonly used than pentatonics and blues scales - for example the harmonic minor and / or the diminished scale. Both could potentially add a different color to your lead playing.

4. Examine your picking technique. Learn about alternate, economy and sweep picking techniques if you do not already know about them and incorporate them in your playing. Think about your right hand position, and the way you hold your pick. Watch a guitarist who is good at what you want to do and experiment with emulating how they hold a pick and where they rest their picking hand.

5. Learn some fingerstyle pieces. (This tip is aimed at those guitarists who seldom play without a pick.) Find some beginner classical guitar pieces, or some fingerstyle folk or blues - lots of music is available with TAB if you don't read music. Having some solo guitar pieces under your belt is also handy for when you are put on the spot and asked to play something.

6. When practicing, play with a metronome. This is very useful for improving your technique and timing, whether you are a lead, rhythm or solo guitarist.

7. Buy a book! Getting free information off the web is great, but if you buy a respected guitar book, you have made an investment and will be more likely to read and utilize the information.

8. Aim to learn something new regularly - be it a chord, a song, or technique, etc. You don't have to master it - just become aware of it and as you get better at it incorporate it into your own playing.

9. Learn to practice (rather than play) the guitar for a set time each day. It is very easy to waste time going over things you already know.

10. Meet with new musicians. Nothing can beat getting out of the house and jamming with other musicians if you want to improve your playing. If you've been playing with the same people for a long time, seek out some new musicians to practice with.

11. Get guitar lessons. If you're serious about improving, you will get better faster if you are investing time and money on regular lessons.

12. Learn to play the songs / riffs / solos of your favorite players by transcribing them yourself. This will give you valuable insight into how they approach the guitar.

By examining all of the aspects of your guitar playing, identifying what you want to be able to do and making the best use of your practice time, you will find that the improvement comes naturally.

Tom Wright writes for GuitarScales.info, a free online reference site for all guitarists.
Visit Guitar Scales to learn new scales, chords and techniques.
Guitar Scales

View the original article here

The hold of violin Secrets: Tips for staying comfortable while holding and playing Your violins

Like learning anything else in life, you need to substitute first violin. They are Learning to play the violin, is one of the bases, you hold a violin. Hold it incorrectly gives the neck and headaches, shoulder and arm aches and fatigue. He also will glide across the bow. You should never fight with Your violin. Most importantly, to learn how to hold the violin properly and relax. Here's an action-

The most important thing is to make sure that Your violin is the correct size to fit, before you buy it. Violins are not one size fits all.
Keep straight to support copy correctly. It does not matter if you stand or sit on the practice, your back should be straight in order to support the instrument and the user. Over humping will cause fatigue and sore muscles.
Relax on the rest of the Chin left jawbone, not Your Chin. Luthier (violin experts) should have already installed the correct Chin rest for your face, so it feels natural. Don't worry about your jaw clamping down the facility. Applies normal weight Your skulls, plenty of pressure. Your neck should feel relaxed and not strained.
Now hold the violin perpendicular to the floor straight out in front and nestle in the arc between the thumb and forefinger of your hand.
Turn your hand slightly upwards so the fingers, four curl round fingerboard.
Your elbow bending naturally so provides the shape of a triangle with the violin.
Now Tilt fiddle down and forward only Touched rest comfortably on the upper part of the body.

One thing you learn when holding the violin is keeping the wrist down, not pushing upwards. As long as they are really safe as you hold a violin, will have a tendency to raise the wrist. In fact, to teach how to store the violin really means learning how to do not possess. This is especially true for left handed students. Violin comes in both left and right hand holding. This refers to whether you hold the bow on the left or right hand, violin.

Need cradle a violin, by allowing free movement. If you're insecure about dropping an instrument, will raise the wrist and would like to have in place. If you clasp it in this way, you'll receive a wrist aches aches, jaw and shoulder aches. It will also restrict the movement of the bow.

Instead of holding Your violin, the proper term should be a balance in return. Bend your elbow will naturally correct amount and crook hand will rock the neck, allowing the fingers, freedom of movement. Just remember that the violin is shaped the way you want it to be balanced correctly to the violinist. When you hold a violin by balancing it will be more relaxed and confident.

And what shoulder rests? Some instructors insist beginners who have not yet learn to accommodate the use of violin rest shoulder to protect their collarbone. This helps their thumbs locking, so not to touch the violin. However, many States last two decades the reputation they never learned the rest her arm or use one, even if the playback hours concert, since the full tonal sounds thwarts violin for up to one third. This is due to rest her arm vibration can be prematurely halt on the back of the violin under Your base, part of the jawbone. They contend that the remaining arm can damage violin, therefore devaluing. But violin student level are smaller values, anyway. Some argue that the instructors feel the training wheels on a bicycle. They serve until "the balance of the violin". There are many varieties of shoulder rests, some rigid, some soft.

Trust Your instructor will decide to get truly for you when it comes to learning how to hold the violin properly, whether to use rest her arm and determining the size of which is the best.

My name is brum Benjy Portnoy and ViolinLessonsNow.com is the website that set up to help people learn how to play violin. Collected and first up, which the violin in the third degree (many years ago), and it has helped My endless love for all kinds of Extreme music from.

In making this site, I'm hoping to make the engines and passion for music from all age groups. The aim of this site is to help anybody, male or female, young and old to learn more about this instrument is a seminal and start the path of becoming a permanent player with good habits. Get powerful tools and free tips for learning to play the violin, including the free 7-day mini course: http://www.violinlessonsnow.com/violin-techniques/

View the original article here