Want to jam?
Let us know on the message board, here’s a direct link to this particular discussion topic:
http://mpec.net/smf/index.php?topic=134.0
If you don’t have a log-in you’ll need to create one.
Jam sessions are open to anybody and everybody. You are welcome to play any instrument of your choice. Previous jams have consisted of a variety of instruments. We’ll go with either 3 or 4 people per jam session. If several people are interested we’ll arrange multiple sessions.
Feel free to call or email if you have any questions, would like to know what the jam sessions might include, or if there is any music that you’d like to jam to.
Jamming is tons of fun! If you’d like to participate let us know on the forums link mentioned above.
Prior to this past Fall, we had jam sessions – same location as lessons – about once a month on Sunday afternoons. We will resume jam sessions this summer if enough students share an interest.
One jam session will consist of 3 to 4 people. It can include any combination of guitar, bass, drum set, percussion, and pretty much anything else if you know how to play any other instruments. Jams are completely optional, they are not a part of lessons, and they are for any students who would like to have fun simply… jamming.
If we schedule these jams, they can occur once a month – at least for the time being, unless students are interested in more frequent jams – and each jam session can last anywhere up to 2 hours. If several students are interested, we can set up multiple jams in one day, each having 3 to 4 people.
Jams can consist of pretty much any music of your choice. Our jams most commonly include basic patterns and progressions, such as the 12-bar blues or a simple 4-chord progression (any style), which are fairly easy to jam to.
We can consider this as a potential day/time: (more…)
I generally post Music Q&A in the MLSD Forums, though recently received a series of questions pertaining to music composition that address similar topics that some students have asked about in music lessons. Although the questioner is addressing “classical” type music, the general ideas of composing music or song writing still apply.
The following questions were asked on another website where I volunteer advice on various categories of music.
Question: (more…)
The fundamental characteristics of reggae music are pretty simple. Even the most complex compositions or arrangements that include a reggae style will, generally, continue to place emphasis on those pure and simple defining elements.
This entry will focus mostly on reggae as it involves the drumset, though these ideas can also relate to other instruments. There is a direct, often times alternating, relationship between the patterns played within the drums and other instruments (including guitar and bass, among others). If you’re interested in knowing more about reggae specifically for guitar, bass, or percussion, please let me know.
Reggae consists of (more…)
A few books have been added to the list on the “books” page of this site, including some on bass, on guitar, and some general books that can be applied to any instrument.
You can obtain the necessary information for accessing and logging into the books page in the “Download Music Books” entry.
If you’d like to listen to some music recordings, you will find some here:
http://mpec.net/musiclessons/audio/
If there are any recordings you’d like added let me know. If you have any audio that you’d like added to the list, I’d be glad to upload it. I will put MP3, OGG, or similar compressed audio formats on the page to help save space and provide for faster downloads.
The page requires a username/password.
You can obtain the log-in information after joining the forums and accessing the MLSD section.
There are presently only a few downloadable links in the “audio” page. We’ll see about adding more later, hopefully more styles and genres of music.
Practicing music is an important part of playing an instrument that is often neglected. Here are some paraphrased ideas that I found online on practicing that might come in handy.
The concept of “practice” is not always the same as “playing”. “Practice” can consist of thinking through things in a more methodical way. “Playing” can consist of a kind of thinking that is perhaps somewhat detached from certain thought processes that would occur in practice. Playing the music can include overlooking any of that “nagging self-awareness” that may or may not consume your practice. What you include in your practice, be it very basic or advanced, should eventually mastered. When practicing (rehearsing) with others, you are incorporating more of the concept of “playing”, where you might make mistakes but you keep going regardless. You take note of those mistakes and work on them later in individual “practice”, and the process cycles onto itself, which also helps you improve your ability to listen for certain things within the music.
In practice, you maintain an awareness of the finer details, notes, rhythms, timing, and other elements that help prepare you for playing with others. After practicing, you present those elements with others who are doing the same, all within a playing environment that is non-intimidating and therefore constructive. Jam sessions are great outlets for this.
Practice consists of (more…)
A while back I came across a website that covers some basic music theory. I’ll include the link here to the original source and to alternate versions in case the original page isn’t online.
musictheory.net (by Ricci Adams)
musictheory.net (on mpec.net)
If you are unable to view the animated music examples, try this:
musictheory.net (previous version)
If you’d like to take a look at some other music books, you will find some here:
http://mpec.net/musiclessons/books/
The page requires a username/password.
You can obtain the log-in information after joining the forums and accessing the MLSD section.
There are presently only a few downloadable links in the “books” page. We’ll see about adding more later, hopefully for more instruments.
And… we’re done transferring old entries over from the old blog to this one.
Below are some images/PDFs of the basic rhythms that we learn early on in music.
The last page can serve as a type of “cheat sheet” for reference in deciphering the counting of the various rhythms throughout the first couple pages. (We can fill in the blanks in the cheat sheet with the actual counting in lessons.)
Here they are… (more…)
The following is an exercise that goes through the C Major scale then all of the intervals that are contained within that scale.
The treble clef version can be played on guitar or any other treble clef instrument.
The bass clef version can be played on bass guitar or any other bass clef instrument.
Here they are… (more…)
The discussion in this post – from the previous MLSD Blog – included some music examples, though I’m omitting them here for the time being. As time allows, I’ll add them back in.
Here’s the discussion… (I’ve modified it to incorporate multiple instruments) (more…)
I’m almost finished with transferring old entries over from the old blog to this one. Just a few more after this and we’ll be back on track.
Below is a basic informal article, emphasis on basic, on the music of India. This has nothing (directly) to do with lessons with anyone but I thought I’d put it in here in case anybody was interested in Indian music.
The title has the prefix “At a Glance” for the simplicity of the content. If you’re interested knowing greater detailed information on the subject, please let me know and I’ll refer you to some helpful resources.
Here’s the article… (more…)
I came across some a few articles online that talk about how people benefit from learning music. If you are curious about what some research shows, the sources the articles came from are pretty reliable (scholarly). I’ve included the articles in other posts in here.
If you would only guess what some benefits might be, you’d more than likely be right. I wanted to take some wild guesses before reading the articles and see how close I was:
1. Increased intelligence in general.
2. Improved understanding along a spacial capacity.
3. Improved abstract thinking.
4. Improved concrete thinking.
5. Balanced “left-brained” & “right-brained” thinking.
6. Develop creative skills that can apply to any subject.
7. Develop logical skills, which definitely goes hand-in-hand with math/similar.
8. Better academically.
9. Improved self-esteem.
10. Improved discipline.
11. Develop new ways to study (any subject in general).
12. Develop communication & cognitive skills.
13. Comprehension in reading normal literature improved.
14. My #1 guess is really: by playing music one allows the neurotransmitters in their brain to trigger a release of endorphins, which then serve as a natural high or form of serotonin reuptake inhibitor, thus leaving one feeling happy with… life!
(Below is an article from a music organization I’ve been a long-standing member of. It’s a long read but it’s worth the read. The information provided in this article is fact-based and the result of lots of research from several people.)
Source: MENC, The National Association for Music Education,
“Benefits of Music Education” Brochure, Spring 2002
(more…)
(The article below was found on the “about.com” website. If you’re bored or curious give it a read. I found a few other articles on benefits of learning & playing music but ruled some of them out due to what I believed to be unreliable sources. This particular one isn’t the strongest source but it’s a good read. The article from the MENC music organization (I’ll post the MENC article later) is full of tons of facts and research on how we benefit from music.)
Source:
From Espie Estrella, Music Education division of About.com website.
(more…)
More “out with the old” and “in with the new”. The mpec.net forums are once again online, now new and improved. Once registered you’ll be given access to additional forums and categories. One of the main sections is the “Q & A”, which has several music-related posts.
http://mpec.net/smf/
After going to the main forums page, click on the “Register” link at the top right of the screen to gain access to the main forums.
