Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Musical String Instruments - Which is the easiest to learn and where to buy it from with the best price ?

There are a wide variety of Musical String Instruments. And some have been in existence as old as medieval and renaissance times. Musical String instruments have a long standing heritage to their credit. Most of the Musical String Instruments that you see now have been there since earlier times without much evolution, but some have gone through many changes in it's physical structure as well as how they sound. One such instrument in Guitar(Guitarra in Spanish). No other musical instrument has gained so much of popularity as Guitar in modern times, especially amongst the youth. Guitar has been always seen as a symbol of style, youthfulness, and trend and has been the part of popular music since ages.



Why is Guitar the easiest string instrument to learn ?


First of all, Guitar is the most popular string instrument in the world. Although some say that Violin is the more popular, it has never been part of the pop culture. I am not saying Violin is of second grade, it is the most sweet sounding instrument and plays an integral part in Philharmonic Orchestra and Background scores for movies. But learning a violin is no cake walk. Unlike guitar violin doesn't have FRETS which makes it all the more difficult to play, and takes time to get a grip over it. That's where Guitar becomes the favorite choice of many.


These are some of the main reasons why people choose Guitar over other Stringed Musical Instruments

  • Easily available
  • Easy to learn even for kids
  • Guitar courses and tutors are easily available. Now Online courses have almost taken the place of private tutors.
What are the different types of Guitars ? Which is the best to learn ?



There are many different types of guitars namely 6 String Guitar, Classical Guitar, 12 String Guitar, 7 String Guitar, Hawaiian Guitar etc. But the most popular one in the world and the most preferred are 6 String guitar Acoustic and Electric Guitars. Ibanez, Fender and Gibson are the 3 popular biggies who manufacture these guitar whom people prefer the most. Although there are other companies as well like Peavey, Yamaha and Hofner but are not as popular as the former.

Now coming to the second question, which is the best one to learn ? I would say without a thought that 6 string Guitar is the best, easiest and popular. Though there are other types of Guitars, they have a lot limitations. So if you are stuck with which guitar to buy, I would strongly recommend you to buy a 6 String Guitar Acoustic or Electric. It has only advantages than disadvantages to it's credit. I am sure you will never regret your decision and will enjoy every moment with your guitar and try to spend at least 2-3 hours playing it without losing touch.



12 String Guitar or 6 String Guitar - Which is better ?
 


A 12 String Guitar will have obviously 12 strings and 6 Strings for 6 String Guitar. Just like 6 strings are E(lower) A D G B e (higher), the 12 String Guitar will have 2 strings for each note, so it will be  E E, A A, D D, G G, B B and e e.


If you are fascinated by the sound of 12 String Guitar then you should buy one and try it out for yourself. 12 String Guitar is best for playing rhythm, and it sounds deeper and resonating and is the best for strumming. But if you are looking to play individual notes then 12 string guitar is a bad choice. Because you cannot do bends, pull offs, hammer ons or techniques like that on a 12 string guitar. For that 6 string guitar is the best.





There are many limitations for a 12 String Guitar. Mainly the cost would be $100 to $200 more than a 6 String Guitar. You cannot play leads or other techniques on a 12 string guitar. And another disadvantage is the neck of a 12 String Guitar will bend after just a couple of years because of the immense tension of the 12 strings attached to it. The advantage of having 12 String guitar is that you can tune 6 strings in a lower octave and 6 in a higher octave, that gives a more deeper sound.


But if you are a beginner or a person who plays more individual notes or who wants to learn guitar then I would not recommend a 12 string guitar.


A 6 String Guitar is cheaper, durable and easier to play.

You can check out my website online guitar schools for tips on where to buy a Guitar or any other musical instrument, different online guitar courses and other useful information related to Guitar.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Hal Leonard Guitar Method and Other Guitar Courses Review

Are Hal Leonard Guitar Courses any good over the others ?

Hal Leonard Corporation has been in the music print publishing business since 1947. They are the world's largest sheet music publishers based in Milwaukee, WI. They have courses for almost all the musical instruments. Their course package is bundled with books and instructional DVDs and CDs. And they have designed their courses mainly for absolute beginners and Intermediate level guitarists. And the best part is that they are extremely affordable.


When you check out Hal Leonard, I can recommend you one more good and extremely affordable guitar course from Esteban(Spanish version of Steven) the Classical Guitar expert trained under the virtuoso Andres Segovia. It was he who gave him the name Esteban. His actual name is Steven Paul. His courses are also designed for those who haven't even touched a guitar before. But I would not recommend his course for intermediate level players and an absolute NO for advanced players.


You should also check out Jamorama Guitar. They are extremely good for beginners as well as Intermediate level players. Though they claim to have lessons for advanced level players, I feel that the higher level lessons are not upto the mark. But they are the best and cheapest for Beginners and Intermediate level players with 60 days money back guarantee.

If you are a person who believes in learning guitar slow and steady then Learn and Master Guitar would be perfect for you. They have different editions like Home School, Learn and Master, Spotlight, each catering different skill levels. They can give you a very strong foundation in Guitar suited for beginners and very good for small children to kick-start their musical careers. They also have courses for Piano, Drums and other hobbies and interests.


You can even consider Musician University for long duration courses on almost all of the popular musical instruments.


But my pick for the best online guitar course amongst all that you find online is JAMPLAY. It is the best right now and making ripples in the Guitar Community. They have over 25 expert tutors who will teach you varied genres and styles using interactive and real-time video lessons. Their Video quality is High Definition and is the best I have seen. Even on the cost front also, they have beaten all other courses off their socks. They have a 100% Risk Free 60 Days warranty also, so there is absolutely no harm in checking them out. There are thousands of satisfied customers for JamPlay


You can also check out Guitar Tricks and Guitar Superstars if you are looking out for a skill up-gradation. 

I have created an in-depth review of the best online guitar courses and other useful stuff in my website, that you might be interested in.

The Best Guitar Courses Offering High Quality Guitar Video Instruction are discussed here !

JamPlay 
If you are looking out for the best in all methods of guitar training and especially very high quality guitar video Instruction and affordability then you must definitely check out JamPlay. I can assure you that It is the best right now and making ripples in the Guitar Community in terms of their training and fees. They have more than 25 expert guitar tutors having expertise in varied genres and styles using interactive and real-time video lessons.Their courses come with a 100% Risk Free 60 Days warranty also, so I would strongly recommend you check them out first and i am sure you will never regret after joining them. There are thousands of satisfied customers for JamPlay. They have in-depth courses for all the skill levels.


Jamorama Guitar  
If you are an absolute beginner or an intermediate level guitarist, there cannot be a better place than Jamorama Guitar. But I would not recommend it for advanced level players, because the higher level lessons are not that vast. But they are the best and highly affordable guitar course for Beginners and Intermediate level players with a risk free 60 days money back guarantee.



Learn and Master Guitar 
If you are looking for a long duration course that progresses slow and steady then Learn and Master Guitar would be the best for you. They have different editions of courses namely Home School, Learn and Master, Spotlight, each catering different skill levels and having varied training methods. They will help you build a very strong foundation in Guitar suited for beginners and very good for young children to kick-start their Guitar careers. Though they are slightly highly priced, the courses are worth the money. But there is no harm in trying them out as they offer a risk free 60 days money back guarantee. They also have courses for Piano, Drums, Ballroom Dancing, Painting and other hobbies and interests. They have introduced a very good course for Blues Guitar lately. When you check out Learn and Master,  You can surely try out Musician University for long duration courses on almost all of the popular musical instruments in highly affordable prices.

Hal Leonard  
Hal Leonard Corporation has been in the music print publishing business since 1947. They are the world's largest sheet music publishers based in Milwaukee, WI. They have courses for almost all the musical instruments and courses best suited for beginners. Their course package is bundled with books and highly interactive and good quality instructional DVDs and CDs at an unbelievably affordable prices. They sell their products in over 65 countries and have over 7,500 stores in US and Canada. 

Esteban Guitar Method 
I can recommend you one more good and extremely affordable guitar course from the classical guitar pro Esteban who's actual name is Steven Paul, trained under the Spanish Guitar Pro Andres Segovia. It was Segovia who gave him the stage name Esteban(Spanish version of Steven). His guitar lessons are also designed for absolute beginners those who haven't even touched a guitar before. But I would not recommend his course for intermediate or advanced level players. 

Guitar Tricks and Guitar Superstars 
Please do check out Guitar Tricks and Guitar Superstars if you are looking out for some advanced skill up-gradation.

All these above guitar courses that I have discussed come with very good quality video instructions.

By the way, I have created an in-depth review of the best online guitar courses and other useful tips and info in my website. Please do check it out.

Easy to learn Guitar Songs for Beginners !

Hopefully you will be able to make out what I say and play in the videos. I have created two videos where I have demonstrated the opening chords(mostly the same chords come over and over again in both the songs) of 'Don't Cry' from Guns N' Roses and 'Holiday' from Scorpions. These two songs are quite easy to learn songs on guitar esp. for beginners.You can find them at the bottom of this article. I will be uploading more videos(of good sound and video quality) pretty soon.


#1 Dont Cry(GN'R) Chords


In this video I have played the opening chords of 'Don't Cry' by Gn'R, a very easy to learn song on guitar esp. for beginners. The 3 chords are A minor | D minor | G Major









#2 Holiday (Scorpions) Chords


The opening chords in the acoustic ballard 'Holiday' are D minor | A Major | A 7th. When the lyrics begin the chords are D minor | C Major | A Major | D minor. And for the lyrics "Exchange the cold days for the sun.....and fun" the chords are D minor | C Major | D minor | C Major | A Major | D Minor