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	<title>MusicianHome.com &#187; Practice</title>
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	<link>http://musicianhome.com</link>
	<description>For learning musicians.</description>
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		<title>Creating a Piano Practice Room that Inspires!</title>
		<link>http://musicianhome.com/practice/creating-a-piano-practice-room-that-inspires</link>
		<comments>http://musicianhome.com/practice/creating-a-piano-practice-room-that-inspires#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:27:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Practice]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://musicianhome.com/?p=1086</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Perhaps you&#8217;re lucky enough to have a whole room dedicated to playing piano. Or maybe your piano shares a wall in your living or dining room. Or maybe you don&#8217;t yet have a piano and your practice space is just the corner of your bedroom, where your keyboard sits.
Whatever you&#8217;ve got, you can use your [...]

<BR>
<b>Other Related posts:</b><ol><li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/piano/piano-techniques-the-pros-and-cons-of-technical-exercises' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Piano Techniques &#8211; The Pros and Cons of Technical Exercises'>Piano Techniques &#8211; The Pros and Cons of Technical Exercises</a></li>
<li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/piano/learning-scales-on-the-piano-a-simple-but-effective-process-to-learn-fingering-and-independence' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Learning Scales on the Piano &#8211; A Simple But Effective Process to Learn Fingering and Independence'>Learning Scales on the Piano &#8211; A Simple But Effective Process to Learn Fingering and Independence</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>Perhaps you&#8217;re lucky enough to have a whole room dedicated to playing piano. Or maybe your piano shares a wall in your living or dining room. Or maybe you don&#8217;t yet have a piano and your practice space is just the corner of your bedroom, where your keyboard sits.</p>
<p>Whatever you&#8217;ve got, you can use your piano practice room to add inspiration and motivation to your practicing. Really!</p>
<p>Think about it a moment: wouldn&#8217;t it be great to walk by your piano or keyboard, and be so uplifted by what you see that you just can&#8217;t wait to sit down and play?</p>
<p><b><i>Step one</i> &#8212; clean!</b></p>
<p>Any decorator or feng shui expert will tell you the wonders of a good cleaning! Your room will feel lighter, more open, and more inviting instantly.</p>
<p>I know it&#8217;s not glamorous. But cleaning truly is the first step toward an amazing practice space.</p>
<p>Vacuum, dust, and get rid of cobwebs. Sort and organize music, books, and CDs. Get yourself a pencil holder (and some good pencils) and a basket for your metronome, sticky notes, and whatever else you like to keep around your piano.</p>
<p><b><i>Step two</i> &#8212; consider your style.</b></p>
<p>Now your room is sparkling. What next?</p>
<p>Think about your style. What kind of room (or corner!) would inspire your practice? What would motivate and energize you?</p>
<p>Maybe you love jazz. A bold wall color, a couple of posters of jazz greats, and an old, cheap instrument from a pawn shop mounted on the wall. Instant character!</p>
<p>Crave a retreat? Soft green walls, plenty of plants, and maybe a water fountain on a small table. Instant spa!</p>
<p>Perhaps modern and contemporary fits you. White walls, a few modern piano prints in simple black frames, no clutter, and a rug with a geometric pattern.</p>
<p>The possibilities are really endless &#8212; it&#8217;s all about what you love.</p>
<p><b><i>Step three</i> &#8212; get creative!</b></p>
<p>You don&#8217;t need a lot of money to create your dream piano practice room!</p>
<p>A gallon of paint and a Saturday afternoon can transform your space. Paint the room or just a wall! If you&#8217;re artistic, you could create a mural.</p>
<p>Scour thrift shops and garage sales for frames, old music, and album covers to put. You&#8217;ll also find fabric to make bench cushions, a decorative runner for the top of the piano, or a keyboard cover.</p>
<p>Head to an art supply store and pick up a blank canvas. Paint it or make a collage. A small bookshelf can hold music and supplies. Cork tiles can give you an instant bulletin board for pictures and motivational quotes!</p>
<p><b>You&#8217;re on your way!</b></p>
<p>An inspiring piano practice room is a joy to be in. And being happy makes for great practicing!</p>
<p>Kimberly Luker is a studio owner, piano and flute teacher, and webmaster of <a target="_new" href="http://www.you-can-play-piano.com">You Can Play Piano!</a> &#8211; a friendly, informative site full of resources to get you playing piano and loving it. She believes that everyone is deeply and naturally musical &#8212; including you!</p>
<p>For more creative piano practice room ideas, visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.you-can-play-piano.com/piano-practice-room.html">Your Piano Practice Room</a> at You Can Play Piano! And while you&#8217;re there, sign up for our free newsletter, <i>PianoForte!</i></p>
<p><a href="http://www.linkconnector.com/traffic_affiliate.php?lc=020960025364003812" ><img src="http://www.linkconnector.com/traffic_record.php?lc=020960025364003812"  border="0" alt="Music and Dance Gifts for Everyone!"/></a></p>


<BR><p><b>Other Related posts:</b></p><ol><li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/piano/piano-techniques-the-pros-and-cons-of-technical-exercises' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Piano Techniques &#8211; The Pros and Cons of Technical Exercises'>Piano Techniques &#8211; The Pros and Cons of Technical Exercises</a></li>
<li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/piano/learning-scales-on-the-piano-a-simple-but-effective-process-to-learn-fingering-and-independence' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Learning Scales on the Piano &#8211; A Simple But Effective Process to Learn Fingering and Independence'>Learning Scales on the Piano &#8211; A Simple But Effective Process to Learn Fingering and Independence</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How to Practice Music Properly and Reach Your Goals As a Musician</title>
		<link>http://musicianhome.com/practice/how-to-practice-music-properly-and-reach-your-goals-as-a-musician</link>
		<comments>http://musicianhome.com/practice/how-to-practice-music-properly-and-reach-your-goals-as-a-musician#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:41:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Practice]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://musicianhome.com/?p=1019</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Steven Njavro
As a music teacher I have seen and helped a lot of students.  Unfortunately I could not always help a student and consequently they would fail to reach their goals and sometimes quit.  I found that the most common reason was what I called &#8220;musical depression&#8221;. Their musical depression is something [...]

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<li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/music-theory/the-best-uses-of-your-music-practice-time' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: The Best Uses of Your Music Practice Time'>The Best Uses of Your Music Practice Time</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>By <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Steven_Njavro">Steven Njavro</a></p>
<p>As a music teacher I have seen and helped a lot of students.  Unfortunately I could not always help a student and consequently they would fail to reach their goals and sometimes quit.  I found that the most common reason was what I called &#8220;musical depression&#8221;. Their musical depression is something that I think many (if not all) musicians go through at least once in their musical path.  Personally I have gone through it as a beginner and then again in my 3rd semester at Berklee College of Music.  </p>
<p>I call this musical depression because I was fine as an everyday person.  I didn&#8217;t get depressed until I picked up my instrument and started to practice.  The main symptoms I have noticed including stage fright, creative blocks, low confidence and arrogance.  There are many other symptoms but these seem to be the most common that I have noticed. Personally, I had put to much pressure on myself.  My expectations weighed more than my goals and I lost sight of my future.  I saw limitations and temporary failure instead of effort and playful excitement.  </p>
<p>As a teacher I have noticed similar issues with many of my older students (by older I mean college age and up).  The ideas of success have grown so large that the small goals involved in learning are not good enough.  I have found that as a teacher, my students learned faster and where happier with their results when I took the time to teach them goal management and &#8220;perspective training&#8221;.  </p>
<p>Understanding the differences between goals and expectations was a largely overlooked idea.  Most of us lump them together into one pressure filled idea.  That is why I believe that practicing music properly starts with understanding goal setting and training yourself to have the proper perspective on what you are doing and where you are in the process of learning music.</p>
<p>How do we do this?</p>
<p>First thing is to understand that another persons success is not your bench mark.  We are all different and each of us has a different learning curve.  What they are good at you might struggle with, but sooner or later they will be struggling with something that you have mastered.</p>
<p>Second is that failure is temporary.  Your mistakes today will be a learning experience tomorrow.  Make sure that you understand what you have done and what you want to do in the future. </p>
<p>Set small goals that you know you can achieve and reward yourself when you reach them.  Keep in mind that these small goals are the steps you need to take to reach your over all expectations.</p>
<p>Surround yourself with people that are better than you are.  It makes learning a lot more fun and you get to understand where you are going.  Your path is illuminated by the friends you choose to surround yourself with.</p>
<p>Understand that there is no one way to learn music.  Your music is found when you look back at all you learned and see where you have been and hope to be in the future.</p>
<p>I am alumni of Berklee College of Music, a songwriter and music teacher who aspires to helping musicians of all levels and ages attain their learning goals. For more music tips go to <a href="http://www.bebop-2-pop.com">http://www.bebop-2-pop.com</a> and read my blog. For a better understanding of my perfect practice system and my 9 secrets to better music see my free video at <a href="http://www.bebop-2-pop.com">http://www.bebop2pop.com</a> and opt in for the musicians quote of the day.</p>
<p>Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/</p>
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</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Practicing the Electric Bass Guitar</title>
		<link>http://musicianhome.com/guitar/practicing-the-electric-bass-guitar</link>
		<comments>http://musicianhome.com/guitar/practicing-the-electric-bass-guitar#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:26:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Guitar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Practice]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://musicianhome.com/?p=874</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There are four primary notes on an electric bass guitar strings. The fattest one is the E note, the second one is the A note, the third one is the G note and the last one is the D note. With these notes come other notes as well. These notes are usually found within the [...]

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<li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/guitar/playing-your-bass-guitar-by-slapping' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Playing Your Bass Guitar by Slapping'>Playing Your Bass Guitar by Slapping</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>There are four primary notes on an electric bass guitar strings. The fattest one is the E note, the second one is the A note, the third one is the G note and the last one is the D note. With these notes come other notes as well. These notes are usually found within the range of the first fret and the first two strings. Along the E note are G, A and B notes. They are more or less one fret apart (apart from G which is two frets lower than E) and along the A note string are C, D and E notes. Usually note patterns and tablatures are founded along these basic notes.</p>
<p>You need to remember all these things because playing the electric bass guitar calls for shifting notes along the progression of the song and that means the notes also progress with it. You would need to know the positions of these notes for you to better shift from one note to another as often as the song calls for it. There are different exercises to help master finger placement for the bass guitar, one good exercise is to press the notes as you call them out in random succession. </p>
<p>You don&#8217;t necessarily have to strum it, you just have to put your finger on the note without looking at the electric bass guitar itself. A good suggestion is that you do it while facing a mirror so you could see where you are at or if you are on the wrong note. </p>
<p>Now let’s start playing the bass. Place your right thumb on the E string this is the fattest string on your electric bass guitar just between where the pickup is and the right after the neck of the bass guitar, there are some bass guitars that have thumb rests. If this is the case with your bass guitar, you need to use your index finger for strumming (or slapping). </p>
<p>Then, pick up your index finger and place it on the G string one string on top of the D string, the furthest string away from you in the similar stuff that you had it on the D string and move it back to the D string, plucking the G string in the progression. (TIP: Do not try to compel the G string to come back to the D string, there ought to be minute in the way of heaviness that you&#8217;re putting on the G string). </p>
<p>After plucking the G string, let your index finger rest on the D string once more, and your middle finger in the same procedure. Go over this sample increasing speed, but make sure you do not slack accurateness with each pluck. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/o398nmvsmu9CHIBHDF9BAGJBJHJ" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.awltovhc.com/9377fz2rxvGJOPIOKMGIHNQIQOQ" alt="Sheet Music Selections" border="0"/></a></p>


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<li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/guitar/playing-your-bass-guitar-by-slapping' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Playing Your Bass Guitar by Slapping'>Playing Your Bass Guitar by Slapping</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Piano Techniques &#8211; The Pros and Cons of Technical Exercises</title>
		<link>http://musicianhome.com/piano/piano-techniques-the-pros-and-cons-of-technical-exercises</link>
		<comments>http://musicianhome.com/piano/piano-techniques-the-pros-and-cons-of-technical-exercises#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:01:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lessons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Musical Performance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Piano]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Practice]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://musicianhome.com/?p=851</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By David Braybrooke
INTRODUCTION -
Having studied pianoforte technique for a period of 15 years as well as sitting numerous examinations and working as a private music teacher, I can categorically state that technical exercises are an essential part of a good pianist&#8217;s everyday practice session. They keep one&#8217;s fingers nimble and tend to promote a smooth, [...]

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<li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/piano/play-piano-songs-today-three-methods' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Play Piano Songs Today &#8211; Three Methods'>Play Piano Songs Today &#8211; Three Methods</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>By <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=David_Braybrooke">David Braybrooke</a></p>
<p><strong>INTRODUCTION</strong> -</p>
<p>Having studied pianoforte technique for a period of 15 years as well as sitting numerous examinations and working as a private music teacher, I can categorically state that technical exercises are an essential part of a good pianist&#8217;s everyday practice session. They keep one&#8217;s fingers nimble and tend to promote a smooth, even tone when playing.</p>
<p>However, when I started working as a professional musician playing the keyboard, I did notice a certain wooden quality to some of my performances of jazz standards and popular Broadway tunes. As I had been classically trained in Pianoforte techniques I found it difficult at times to free up my skills sufficiently in order to tackle free-form compositions.</p>
<p>Looking from a broad musical perspective the pros and cons of technical exercises are:</p>
<p><strong>PROS</strong> -</p>
<p>. Keyboard fluidity of tone is maintained. Technique books such as &#8220;Czerny&#8217;s School of velocity&#8221; provide 100&#8217;s of solid technical exercises that promote smooth execution when performing scales and melodic runs.</p>
<p>. Good technique is promoted in many areas through the practicing of specific exercises. Skills learned are transferable when one is performing complex musical works as many of the greatest composers such as Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Bach, Chopin, Debussy, Rachmaninoff and others wrote complex works that were built up through advanced technical-based passages; no matter if one is playing a sonata, piano concerto, rhapsody or something relatively simple such as a waltz or nocturne, good technique is an essential in order to convincingly perform many works.</p>
<p>. Having good piano technique is a bit like physical fitness for an athlete. It allows a musician to perform at a consistently high level and reduces the risk of tiredness or repetitive strain injury (R.S.I.) if one is playing for long periods.</p>
<p>. Good technique allows one a greater versatility when playing.</p>
<p><strong>CONS</strong> -</p>
<p>. An established technique can at times promote a conservative and orthodox state-of-mind in some performers; when one attempts to play jazz compositions or in more modern style such as that found in atonal and impressionist compositions, one sometimes has a tendency to be a bit stiff in execution. Depending on the style or school of music attempted, appropriate technique may have to be tailored and necessary adjustments made.</p>
<p>. Some technically proficient pianists tend to lack originality when playing; they may be pitch perfect and smooth yet substandard in musical ingenuity and artistic flair.</p>
<p>. As technical exercises are inclined to be a bit on the dry side and quite boring to master they are often seen as being the least enjoyable part of learning to play the piano.</p>
<p><strong>CONCLUSION</strong> -</p>
<p>As with most disciplines it is important that one establishes a solid foundation in any skill that is learned and it is hard to deny that good piano technique will give an individual a solid practical grounding when improving one&#8217;s overall musicality; nothing will improve the standard of overall performance like a solid technique.</p>
<p>To read more articles, on a variety of topics, by the same author, please visit: <a href="http://fatherspirit-mydailybread.blogspot.com">http://fatherspirit-mydailybread.blogspot.com</a>  (My Daily Bread &#8211; &#8216;Telling&#8217;, not &#8217;selling&#8217;!)</p>
<p><a href="http://www.hearandplay.com/410704"><img src="http://www.hearandplay.com/banner2.gif" border="0" width="468" height="60"/></p>
<p></a></p>


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		<title>How to Play the Electric Bass Guitar</title>
		<link>http://musicianhome.com/guitar/how-to-play-the-electric-bass-guitar</link>
		<comments>http://musicianhome.com/guitar/how-to-play-the-electric-bass-guitar#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:02:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Guitar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Instruments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lessons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Practice]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Once you have learned the basics of how to play the electric bass guitar, the next thing that can be learned is playing the different notes of the instrument. 
To begin, pluck the 4th string without using your fretting hand. This is known as &#8220;open&#8221; playing. The resulting note is E. Plucking the strings below [...]

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<li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/guitar/plucking-your-bass-guitar' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Plucking Your Bass Guitar'>Plucking Your Bass Guitar</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>Once you have learned the basics of how to play the electric bass guitar, the next thing that can be learned is playing the different notes of the instrument. </p>
<p>To begin, pluck the 4th string without using your fretting hand. This is known as &#8220;open&#8221; playing. The resulting note is E. Plucking the strings below would produce the sounds of A, D, and G. Each sound produced is higher than the previous one. </p>
<p>From the 4th string, position the index finger of your fretting hand on the initial fret, which is found between the nut and first fret. Hold it down firmly on the initial fret, use the index finger on your plucking hand and pluck the 4th string. The resulting sound is a half-step higher than plucking the 4th string alone. </p>
<p>Move your fingers up to the second fret and pluck the 4th string again. You will produce a sound that has a higher octave than the previous one. For the remaining strings, begin by playing open then on the initial fret, and so on. </p>
<p>If the sound being produced is muffled, out of key, or simply bad, check your fretting finger and see if you are holding it firmly down the note or positioned directly in the middle of the fret. </p>
<p>Remember that your fingers should be directly positioned in the middle of the frets as this will create a &#8220;truer&#8221; sound. As much as possible, avoid over sliding your fingers too close to either fret. </p>
<p>Bear in mind that individual notes have specific values associated with them. As you go up to a higher fret, the values of the notes change as well. These values are used by musicians to determine where in the neck they will play to produce a specific note. </p>
<p>As you move higher on the fretboard, the value of each note increases by half a step for individual frets. This way, you will easily find your wanted note. Simply move up and down the guitar neck until you find the note you are looking for. </p>
<p>The basic difference between a classic guitar and the electric bass guitar is the latter does not involve any chords. However, there are some bass guitarists who use chords when playing. With an electric bass guitar, every note is important. You can focus on playing the notes or opt to be a counter melody for the lead guitar. </p>
<p>Learning how to play notes is one of the important steps of understanding how to play the electric bass guitar. </p>
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<BR><p><b>Other Related posts:</b></p><ol><li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/guitar/practicing-the-electric-bass-guitar' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Practicing the Electric Bass Guitar'>Practicing the Electric Bass Guitar</a></li>
<li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/guitar/plucking-your-bass-guitar' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Plucking Your Bass Guitar'>Plucking Your Bass Guitar</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Chord Progression: An Overview</title>
		<link>http://musicianhome.com/music-theory/chord-progression-an-overview</link>
		<comments>http://musicianhome.com/music-theory/chord-progression-an-overview#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:51:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Music General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music Theory]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[A chord progression is basically a group of chords that you use to create music. It is usually utilized with the intention of moving towards a definite goal in order to establish a basic tonality. Tonality is a form of musical system that&#8217;s centered on a tonic (or based around a root note of a [...]

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<b>Other Related posts:</b><ol><li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/music-theory/the-difference-between-melody-and-harmony' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: The Difference between Melody and Harmony'>The Difference between Melody and Harmony</a></li>
<li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/music-theory/music-chords-how-to-become-a-chord-detective-and-see-into-the-music' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Music Chords: How To Become a &#8220;Chord Detective&#8221; And See Into The Music!'>Music Chords: How To Become a &#8220;Chord Detective&#8221; And See Into The Music!</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>A chord progression is basically a group of chords that you use to create music. It is usually utilized with the intention of moving towards a definite goal in order to establish a basic tonality. Tonality is a form of musical system that&#8217;s centered on a tonic (or based around a root note of a Major scale). If you want to learn more about chord progressions, then this article will function as a basic overview.</p>
<p><strong>A Technical Definition</strong></p>
<p>As suggested in the introduction above, the basic definition of a chord progression is that it is a series of chords that&#8217;s founded on one Major Root note. However, to be more precise, chords which are organized to form a song is what&#8217;s called a progression and it basically follows a Major or Minor scale. For example: in the key of C, its Major scale is C-D-E-F-G-A-B and numbered in the classical tradition of 1-2-3-4-5-6-7.</p>
<p><strong>The Numbering Method</strong></p>
<p>Traditionalists basically use roman numerals instead of the one mentioned above (i.e., I-II-III-IV-V-VI-VII). However, this article will use a more modern approach. The first note (1) would be the C, which is also the root note. Following this, 2-3-4-5 would be D-E-F-G. In this numbering method, when a piece is asked to fill in a fifth chord in the key of C (or C Major Scale), that means that you have to provide the G chord. All chord progressions follow this basic number method as a guide on which chords you should pick when choosing a musical piece that&#8217;s centered on a Major scale tonality.</p>
<p><strong>Rules &#038; Patterns</strong></p>
<p>In the chord progression of a Major scale, the numbering method is usually followed by some rules that you need to remember every time when creating a musical piece. A C Major scale of 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 is actually patterned as Major (1), Minor (2), Minor (3), Major (4), Major (5), Minor (6), and Minor (7). So that would mean that a C Major scale&#8217;s chord progression would be C Major, D Minor, E Minor, F Major, G Major, A Minor, and B Minor. Think of it in this way: 1M (capital letter M means Major), 2m (small letter m means Minor), 3m, 4M, 5M, 6m, and 7m. To better remember if the spacing of each number/note is either a whole step (in guitar, that means two frets higher) or a half step upwards (one fret higher in guitar terms), always put in mind that the numbers 1-2-3-5-6 are whole steps, while 4 and 7 are half steps (semitones).</p>
<p><strong>About Transposition</strong></p>
<p>In transposing a Major scale&#8217;s chord progression, it&#8217;s important to note that the same pattern applies to the numbering method. If a key is transposed from C to D, then you should consider D as the Major Root note (a whole step upwards). The 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 pattern is then translated as D-E-F#-G-A-B-C in this transposition. To be precise with the correct minor and major rules, the pattern would then be DM, Em, F#m, GM, AM, Bm, and C#m. In transposition, chord progressions can still follow the basic number method so long as you&#8217;re aware of how many whole/half steps you&#8217;re going to make to achieve the correct transposition.</p>
<p><strong>Basic Progressions</strong></p>
<p>Classical music is sometimes filled with many chord progressions. With modern music, it&#8217;s actually a lot simpler. You can basically get away with only 2 or 3 chords when creating a song. Some songs even incorporate a mere 1 chord. However, the most common chord progression nowadays is only about 3 chords. Using the numbering method, the pattern would look like 1M-4M-5M. Nowhere is this pattern more prominent than in today&#8217;s blues and rock music. The idea that only 2 or 3 chords could be used on a song seemed ridiculous before. But as with everything that concerns music, it&#8217;s all about enjoyment.</p>
<p><strong>Evolution</strong></p>
<p>People nowadays certainly lean more towards rhythmic patterns than complicated chord progressions. However, that doesn&#8217;t mean that 5 chords on a song are no longer applicable. It just means that music is an evolutionary process that has no specific destination. Who knows? Maybe in the future, people will lean more towards a legato trend than actual rhythmic/dynamic patterns or chord progressions. Nobody is entirely sure, but one thing&#8217;s for certain, things will work out fine and chord progressions will always be there.</p>
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		<title>How to Improve Your Singing Voice</title>
		<link>http://musicianhome.com/practice/how-to-improve-your-singing-voice</link>
		<comments>http://musicianhome.com/practice/how-to-improve-your-singing-voice#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:42:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lessons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Musical Performance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Practice]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[By Guest Blogger Skyler Jett
If you are a singer, or an aspiring singer then you probably have a decent voice already. However you need to constantly improve, and practice your technique in order to stay on top of things. After all the songs aren&#8217;t going to sing themselves, as far as how to improve your [...]

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<li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/singing/taking-care-of-your-singing-voice-2' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Taking Care of Your Singing Voice'>Taking Care of Your Singing Voice</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>By Guest Blogger <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Skyler_Jett">Skyler Jett</a></p>
<p>If you are a singer, or an aspiring singer then you probably have a decent voice already. However you need to constantly improve, and practice your technique in order to stay on top of things. After all the songs aren&#8217;t going to sing themselves, as far as how to improve your singing voice there are many methods. Just keep in mind it&#8217;s not something that will happen quickly.</p>
<p>First of let&#8217;s take a look at what you did to develop your voice in the first place. You probably sang along with songs on the radio, or songs you had on CD. You constantly practices, then practiced more, and finally practiced even more. When everyone else said you were doing too much and going overboard you just kept practicing. This has lead you to where you are now. The method for improving yourself is the same, practice.</p>
<p>If you want to improve your singing voice then start with the basics. Do the basic vocal exercises you practiced when first starting out, and then move onto the more advanced exercises. After that start singing along with songs again. Try the simple ones first like when you first started out, and then move on to the more complex songs.</p>
<p>Try to match the singers pitch, and hold the words as long as they can. Many people forget to do these basic steps when trying to improve. They think because they got this far they do not have to go over the basics anymore. This is a very deadly mistake in any industry, but especially singing. Regardless of what you do for a living, if it&#8217;s a specialized trade you need to keep practicing.</p>
<p>Going back to the basics is just one way to improve your singing voice. Other ways may be to take more advanced lessons from instructors, although this will be costly. Another thing you can try besides singing along is vocalization exercises. Try tones and pitches you aren&#8217;t use to singing and improve yourself in these areas. You never know when it may come in handy.</p>
<p>Of course no matter what you do if you don&#8217;t have the breath to back up your singing there&#8217;s really no point. In this regard you should do exercises to improve your lung capacity, and endurance. Running, jogging, and any kind of exercise that improves your lung capacity will serve this purpose. It&#8217;s important to consider what forms the foundation of the skill you are trying to improve. In creasing the base attribute of the skill will improve the skill itself.</p>
<p>In closing learning how to improve your singing voice isn&#8217;t hard, in fact it&#8217;s quite easy; just do what you did when you started out. Always rehearse the basics so you have a constant handle on them. After that trying things you haven&#8217;t done before, you may discover you have a talent for singing notes you never thought you could hit. Never be afraid to do this, after all one does not learn, and grow if one does not do something they have never done before. Don&#8217;t forget to take care of yourself as well, keep those lungs healthy, and improve their capacity, otherwise your singing won&#8217;t last very long.</p>
<p>Skyler Jett is a prolific singer, songwriter and producer. He has worked with many top musicians, such as Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion and Aretha Franklin. Skyler started singing in church and fell in love with jazz and R&#038;B at an early age. Find more tips on how to improve your singing voice at <a href="http://howtosing.org">http://howtosing.org</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.singingsuccess.com/cmd.php?af=322101" target="_blank"><img src="http://musicianhome.com/images/ss_hayley_williams_300x250.gif" alt="Singing Success" border="0" width="300" height="250"/></a></p>


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		<title>Singing Tips and Techniques &#8211; How to Sing High Notes</title>
		<link>http://musicianhome.com/practice/singing-tips-and-techniques-how-to-sing-high-notes</link>
		<comments>http://musicianhome.com/practice/singing-tips-and-techniques-how-to-sing-high-notes#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:10:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Music General]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[By Guest Blogger Skyler Jett
Ever wonder how some people manage to hit those really high notes. What most people don&#8217;t realize is that your voice is your musical instrument like a violin. And like a musical instrument there techniques in learning to produce certain sounds such as those high notes. Following are some techniques in [...]

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<li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/music-theory/are-voice-registers-and-singing-related' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Are Voice Registers And Singing Related?'>Are Voice Registers And Singing Related?</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>By Guest Blogger <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Skyler_Jett">Skyler Jett</a></p>
<p>Ever wonder how some people manage to hit those really high notes. What most people don&#8217;t realize is that your voice is your musical instrument like a violin. And like a musical instrument there techniques in learning to produce certain sounds such as those high notes. Following are some techniques in training your voice and tips on how to sing high notes.</p>
<p><strong>Articulate:</strong> Use your lips, tip of tongue and teeth to be more specific in creating your words. This will help you sing better and easily. To improve on your articulation use this little technique; quickly say this tongue twister at least five times.&#8221; Lips, teeth, tips of the tongue.&#8221; Making sure that the lips, tip of the tongue and teeth are exaggerated in movement.</p>
<p><strong>Feathers:</strong> To learn how to sing your full range, you may experience cracking in your voice. To solve this problem is to lighten up on the trouble notes let the notes float. The reason that the notes crack is the membranes and muscles do not have the &#8220;memory&#8221; required to do the transition you need. Sing through the breaks, do not stop otherwise a habit of doing so will develop.</p>
<p><strong>Increase the air speed:</strong> Increase the air speed for the high notes, decrease air speed on the lower. The reason is this, different frequency has certain air speed to produce the best tone. Let your ears tell you that the balance is achieved. The tone should be clear pure and clear.</p>
<p><strong>Tense jaws:</strong> Stretch the jaws and face before singing to make sure the jaws and face are relaxed. That is because if they are tense they will prevent you hitting those high notes. One way to tell if you are breathing correctly is that your chest isn&#8217;t moving, your belly is. Never strain or hurt your voice. It helps to drink water to keep the vocal cords hydrated.</p>
<p><strong>Use your diaphragm:</strong> If you breath by using your belly muscles then you are only half of your resources. Cutting into the power that the back muscles can provide. To properly breath, fill the abdomen, feel the expansion all around including the back. Then &#8220;compress the air&#8221; which will support the vocal release. This caused by lifting the diaphragm up from the center of the body. One way to tell if you are breathing correctly is that your chest isn&#8217;t moving, your belly is.</p>
<p><strong>Vowel modification:</strong> every one has particular vowels that work best for them when they sing &#8220;above the staff.&#8221; When you learn the vowels that work for you then you can practice modifying the vowels as you go up the scale.</p>
<p>A good way to sing high notes is to start with singing as low as possible. This allows your vocal cords to stretch so that when you go to sing the higher notes you can increase the range you can sing. Caution though don&#8217;t strain your voice when you are singing below your normal range because you voice will crack preventing you from hitting the higher notes.</p>
<p>An easy test to see if you are singing the high notes properly is to put a finger on the voice box in other words your larynx then you sing up the scale to tell whether if your voice box moves higher up the neck. This is the wrong way. Another way is to hold your tongue and sing, this to tell if your tongue gets in the way. If your throat hurts the best way to help that is to drink peppermint tea with lemon juice and honey.</p>
<p>Skyler Jett is a prolific singer, songwriter and producer. He has worked with many top musicians, such as Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion and Aretha Franklin. Skyler started singing in church and fell in love with jazz and R&#038;B at an early age. Find more tips on   how to sing high notes at <a href="http://howtosing.org">http://howtosing.org</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.singingsuccess.com/cmd.php?af=322101" target="_blank"><img src="http://musicianhome.com/images/ss_ad2_300x250.gif" alt="Singing Success" border="0" width="300" height="250"/></a></p>


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		<title>Sharpen Your Singing Skills with Regular Practice</title>
		<link>http://musicianhome.com/practice/sharpen-your-singing-skills-with-regular-practice</link>
		<comments>http://musicianhome.com/practice/sharpen-your-singing-skills-with-regular-practice#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:53:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Music General]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Practice makes perfect, as the saying goes and the skill of singing is no exception to this rule.  Firstly, you should practice for at least thirty minutes each day.  Once you have disciplined yourself to do this, there are certain guidelines you can follow during your practice sessions. 
- Find a music teacher [...]

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<li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/practice/singing-tips-and-techniques-how-to-sing-high-notes' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Singing Tips and Techniques &#8211; How to Sing High Notes'>Singing Tips and Techniques &#8211; How to Sing High Notes</a></li>
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>Practice makes perfect, as the saying goes and the skill of singing is no exception to this rule.  Firstly, you should practice for at least thirty minutes each day.  Once you have disciplined yourself to do this, there are certain guidelines you can follow during your practice sessions. </p>
<p>- Find a music teacher who will teach you in the style you choose. Ask as many questions as you feel necessary and meet with your teacher to get a feel for whether he or she will be the right music tutor for you.  Your tutor will help you with your goal setting and guide you in how to achieve those goals.</p>
<p>- Make sure you warm up properly before starting you practice session.  </p>
<p>- Make a recording of your voice singing a certain song with the vocal exercises which you want to learn during your practice session.</p>
<p>- Choose your song and sing it as properly and beautifully as you can when making your recording and you will be able to use this as a reference to check your improvement by.</p>
<p>- Throughout your practice session concentrate fully on one difficulty.  This way you will work through each part of singing, improving steadily instead of trying to solve all your frustrations at one time.</p>
<p>- When you feel like you need a break, take half an hour out.  Sometimes the repetition can result in you feeling a bit like a robot and you will not accomplish anything when you feel this way – it will only lead to more mistakes.  </p>
<p>- Makes notes throughout your practice.  That is, notes of your progress and your mistakes. </p>
<p>- Cold drinks are not recommended after your practice.</p>
<p>There are some other important factors which affect your singing skills and one of them is smoking. This will swell and irritate your vocal chords.  Your career relies on your voice, so make sure to take the best care of it.  Alcohol is also not good for your vocal chords. If trying to put some volume behind your voice involves straining, then it is best to use a microphone adjusted to meet your particular needs. </p>
<p>The fine-tuning and conditioning of your voice, as well as your actions, definitely affects your singing.  When you perform your singing, at the same time practice your body actions because singing isn’t just about what comes out of your mouth.  Positive body language is essential when connecting with your audience.  </p>
<p>If you practice regularly your singing will improve no end.  Try to integrate your singing practice into your daily routine because little and often is far more effective than once a week practicing for a longer period of time. Remember, above all to have fun and enjoy yourself singing skills. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.singingsuccess.com/cmd.php?af=322101" target="_blank"><img src="http://musicianhome.com/images/ss_ad1_300x250.gif" alt="Singing Success" border="0" width="300" height="250"/></a></p>


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<li><a href='http://musicianhome.com/practice/singing-tips-and-techniques-how-to-sing-high-notes' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Singing Tips and Techniques &#8211; How to Sing High Notes'>Singing Tips and Techniques &#8211; How to Sing High Notes</a></li>
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		<title>Learning Scales on the Piano &#8211; A Simple But Effective Process to Learn Fingering and Independence</title>
		<link>http://musicianhome.com/piano/learning-scales-on-the-piano-a-simple-but-effective-process-to-learn-fingering-and-independence</link>
		<comments>http://musicianhome.com/piano/learning-scales-on-the-piano-a-simple-but-effective-process-to-learn-fingering-and-independence#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:07:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lessons]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[By Guest Blogger Brad Chidester
If you are new to playing scales on the piano or keyboard it can be a challenging effort. It is not uncommon to put up a staff of little black notes and have you read and play them. 
I challenge this thinking with the idea that learning the theory and applying [...]

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>By Guest Blogger <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brad_Chidester">Brad Chidester</a></p>
<p>If you are new to playing scales on the piano or keyboard it can be a challenging effort. It is not uncommon to put up a staff of little black notes and have you read and play them. </p>
<p>I challenge this thinking with the idea that learning the theory and applying it to the keyboard is a quicker way to learn the scales and fingering than reading them from a music score.</p>
<p>First let&#8217;s talk about the effort.<br />
<strong><br />
Focused effort</strong></p>
<p>One of the critical aspects is understanding what it takes to get through an accomplishment such as learning the scales. This process is:</p>
<p>1. Knowing your goal</p>
<p>2. Defining targets to achieve to get to that goal</p>
<p>3. Keeping your goal in sight</p>
<p>4. Providing a direct path to that goal</p>
<p>5. Working on it until you get to that goal</p>
<p>In essence you have a clear vision of where you&#8217;re going and a direct path to get there. All you have to do is to apply focused attention and energy on a consistent basis and you will achieve these goals quickly and easily.</p>
<p>With that said we can apply it to scale practice</p>
<p><strong>Practice technique</strong></p>
<p>When practicing scales the best way to do this is not to read the little black dots (i.e. notes on the staff. The problem with that is that you are being trained to read notes and your focus is on the note and not on acquiring the ability to play the scale. Internalizing the scale has far more value than being able to read a series of notes one after the other.</p>
<p>The technique I prefer to learn scales is:</p>
<p>Learn the Scale notes</p>
<p>Learn the fingering</p>
<p>Learn how it looks on the staff in simple   terms</p>
<p>Focus on playing it and seeing it on the   keyboard in your head.</p>
<p>Build up to playing it through simple steps</p>
<p>Translate that into memory so that you can   sit and play any scale at any time through a building practice technique.</p>
<p>Getting a bit more detailed. An effective way to learn to play the scales on the keyboard.</p>
<p>Learn the scale notes:</p>
<p>Reinforce the math formula of the scale ( For a major Scale: W-W-H-W-W-W-H) </p>
<p>Work for 1, 2, then 4 octaves for the following items 3 to 5</p>
<p>Learn the fingering for the right hand</p>
<p>Learn the fingering for the left hand</p>
<p>Put both hands together</p>
<p>Play the scale by grouping in fours &#8211; play as   16th notes accent each beat.</p>
<p>Add Contrarian scale practice to develop hand independence</p>
<p>Add speed in increments</p>
<p>By grouping in fours and accenting on each beat you create a wave effect of loud soft and building to loud at each beat. Also you are forced to play a different note in the scale on the accent giving you additional flexibility in playing.</p>
<p>If you haven&#8217;t experienced contrarian scale practice it is the ability to play scales going in opposite directions.</p>
<p>So what are you focusing on?</p>
<p>Just one thing at a time.</p>
<p>Lets say you quickly learn the process of creating of fingering a scale for the right and left hands. Then focus only on combining the two hands for 1 octave. If that is sounding good and feeling right you move to the next step and play for two octaves. Finally working your way to the contrarian motion practice and then increasing speed over time.</p>
<p>The final key will be to ask yourself is this easy and smooth? If yes move to the next step if not, it is OK, you can work on it some more.</p>
<p>Put this process into practice at each step and your progress will be steady and enjoyable.</p>
<p>Find additional ideas on teaching or learning scales at the <a href="http://www.MusicLearningWorkshop.com/scale-fingering.html">MusicLearningWorkshop &#8211; Scale Fingering</a> and explore further the concept of making sure you are on the right track to success with music.</p>
<p>Brad Chidester writes and develops ideas and resources at the <a href="http://MusicLearningWorkshop.com">MusicLearningWorkshop.com</a> where you will discover other resources for accelerating your skill set such as the <a href="http://www.MusicLearningWorkshop.com/getting-it-down-cold-workbooks.html">Getting It Down Cold Workbook</a> series.</p>
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