MLSD

I thought I’d briefly diverge a little from the usual entries I put in here and share some music quotes.

(more…)

One aspect of playing bass guitar that several people tend to overlook when learning how to play the instrument is the use of chords. This includes block chords, broken chords, arpeggios, Alberti bass, and any other applicable means of playing chords, even tone clusters (”cluster chords”).

Before one can effectively learn the chords they should learn all of the notes on the instrument. It would also be very helpful to learn several types of scales (in all 12 keys). It is generally through the process of learning scales that one actually memorizes the notes on the instrument (and on paper). However, without at least memorizing the notes, the process of learning chords could turn into a tedious and frustrating ordeal.

After learning the notes and basic scales, a more common approach to learning chords on (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 few slight changes in the blog and forums, or clarification more like…

This blog is open to the general public for reading. Only students will be able to add comments. Only I will be able to add main posts (a recent change). It seems like a more logical function for a blog like this. If you would like to add main posts (not just comments like in here), you are welcome to post new messages in the forums.

The forums are partially open to the general public, though only a generic forum is accessible to visitors and is set up for reading only. Accessing the music sections requires registering. Once you are a registered member you are welcome to read and post in the music categories.

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)

Quick update… Several files on the server (within mpec.net) were in need of moving around. They were previously scattered about in random directories within the site. They’ve recently been reorganized and are now located within directories more specific to music lessons.

Since the files have been moved, some of the links within this blog and the forums had to be updated. If you click on a link – within either this blog or the forums – and it is broken, please let me know and I’ll update it. Thank you!

(Don’t forget to register on the forums so you can access various topics on music and our music lessons!)

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.

Update on blog features:

Previously, there was not a section in the main page that allowed for easily viewing the most recent comments to posts. I just added one, you should see it off to the left. All of the user accounts were created with fake email addresses, so there currently is not a way to properly receive email notifications of updates, posts, or comments on here unless you log in and change your email address in the account settings. If you would like to change the email address to a working one and are unable to change it, please let me know and I’ll look into it.

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 images/PDFs focus on keeping a beat with the feet and a ride pattern while moving the snare drum notes around throughout the measure. The focus in these exercises is mostly on coordination as it entails changes in the snare, though also helps a little with general syncopation.

Note: you are supposed to repeat each measure a number of times, as a separate pattern. I didn’t put the repeat signs in between each bar, so just play one measure at a time (repeated). When you are comfortable with all of the patterns you can combine them and play straight through each bar.

The main difference between the 2 sets of exercises is the left foot.

In the first set, you can play the ride pattern on the hi-hat.
In the second set, you can play the ride pattern on the ride cymbal and the hi-hat with your foot.

I encourage playing the exercises with a straight-eighth feel and a swing feel.

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…)

Regarding a more detailed approach towards what should actually be covered each day on the practice routine, without further music lessons, individual research will be required. (more…)

For information that precedes this, refer to:

Making Progress on Drumset (Part 4)

Regarding a more detailed approach towards what should actually be covered each day on the practice routine, we will get to the details in our lessons, after which a routine will fall right into place. (more…)

One thing that will help in the motivation factor of practicing is seeing what the long-term outcome of these goals include. If you follow through with the above sample routine, then after 6 months:

(more…)

For information that precedes this, refer to:

Making Progress on Drumset (Part 3)

Food for thought:

(more…)

Practice Routine (2 Hour Increments per Night)

(If practice is less duration, adjust accordingly.)

(more…)

For information that precedes this, refer to:

Making Progress on Drumset (Part 2)

Sample of two-week goals:

(more…)

Practice

2 basic options:

(more…)

For information that precedes this, refer to:

Making Progress on Drumset (Part 1)

Sample of one-year goals:

(more…)

The Self-Improved Musician:

Practice Routine, Goals, & Motivation for Guitar, Bass, & Pitched Percussion

Here is a very basic outline of various tasks you can practice in order to become a better guitarist, bassist, percussionist, and over all musician. Included is a possible practice routine as it pertains to 6 month and 1 year goals – several details are omitted as they would require lessons.

(more…)

The Self-Improved Musician:

Practice Routine, Goals, & Motivation for Drumset

Establishing a list of goals, both short-term and long-term, will help in accomplishing what you would like to be able to play on the drums. If those goals are well-balanced and include a mix of material that isn’t too easy but isn’t too hard, then it will be easier to maintain motivation. It has to be interesting too. Some of it might not appear to be the most exciting, like slow-motion coordination on drums, but will help tremendously in developing the ability to play well. When practicing, if you get bored, you can always just start jamming, carefree of what sounds come out of your instrument – that’s always a great motivator. Now, on with a method of setting & establishing a practice routine, setting & achieving goals, and final thoughts on what can help motivate one to maintain focus and interest throughout this whole process.

(more…)

A while back I compiled a list of several basic guitar chords and arranged them in an order that would help in memorization.

You can download either the “.doc”, “.rtf”, or access the “.html” file in your web browser to view the chords.

Guitar Chord Library (Condensed) (Microsoft Word document)

Guitar Chord Library (Condensed) (RTF Rich Text Format)

Guitar Chord Library (Condensed) (HTML format)

UPDATE:

The layout of the chords in the variuos formats above might have some odd spacing with an occasional chord showing up on the next page (in the wrong group of chords). It might vary from computer to computer, I’m not sure. To play it safe, I went ahead and converted the file to a PDF, you can view it with Adobe Reader or similar programs.

If you are printing the chords out, you may want to print this version:

Guitar Chord Library (Condensed) (PDF format)

Another update…
Here’s the most recent revision of the file:

Essential Guitar Chords (July 27, 2008 revision)

The main difference in this and previous versions is page order. There is now a more logical arrangement of the chords within this packet, which will help in speeding up the memorization process.

There’s no longer a need to save or print any version prior to the July 27, 2008 file, so I’ll go ahead and write a new blog entry.

The following is a guide I wrote that provides an approach towards improving your abilities on the drumset. It includes a sample practice routine, sample goals (for 6 months and 1 year), and insight on self-motivation.

The file was originally written in OpenOffice, though I saved it in multiple formats:

Practice for Drumset (Microsoft Word document)

Practice for Drumset (RTF Rich Text Format)

Practice for Drumset (HTML format)

I will include the HTML format, split into smaller pieces, in future blog entries.

Here’s an exercise I wrote for bass guitar that incorporates a more musical approach to practicing the instrument. The pattern that occurs throughout is an ascending and then descending line through the major scale, with 2 measures of melodic gestures per scale degree that also outline the triad or basic chord that is based on the scale degree. It is intended to be played both with the normal technique and slap technique.

(more…)

I recently came across some excellent sources of info for drums and the material can really come in handy for almost any age/level on the instrument.

Drumset patterns & counting:
http://www.beatofdrum.com/lessons.php
(and optionally: http://www.beatofdrum.com/guest-lessons.php)

Online learning games for drums:
http://www.flashmusicgames.com/index_drums.html

I recently came across some excellent sources of info for guitar and the material can really come in handy for almost any age/level on the instrument.

Guitar chords, lots of them:
http://guitar.about.com/library/blchordlibrary.htm

Online guitar tuner:
http://www.hohohu.com/music/gtf.swf

Learning games:
http://www.flashmusicgames.com

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…)

If you’d like to add a post or comment but are having difficulty logging in let me know via email or in person.

If you just want to comment on a post click on “Comments (#)” and you’ll see the following somewhere on the next page:

“Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment”

The “logged in” link will take you to the log in screen. You should be able to log in with your first name (that I know you by) and with your name and 1st letter of last name as the pass. Example for John Doe:

Username: john
Password: johnd

You can also click on the “MLSD Blog Login” link in the “Links” section of this page.

If I have not already created an account for you on the MLSD Blog, you can create an account on the MPEC.NET Forums (click on the “register” link on the forums page) and leave a post in the forums asking for an account on the MLSD Blog. Or just click on the register link above.

I recently compiled about 100 pages of drumset material (for beginners) that I’ll be providing for drumset students. It includes the following sections:

• Getting Started
• Basic Rhythms
• Dynamics
• Rudiments
• Rock
• Jazz
• Latin
• Double Bass

I previously assembled a couple other beginner books covering fundamentals and essentials (The ABCs of Guitar and The ABCs of Drumset), geared specifically for use with my students throughout lessons, though this new Drumset Basics package should provide a more well-rounded approach to drumming.

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.