Acoustic Guitar Tuning Is Easy When You Know The Simple Methods And Choose The Best One For You

The guitar is one of the more convenient instruments to play because it is portable, but one of the problems is that you need to tune it before you play it, the guitar is an instrument that can go out of tune quite easily and make your playing sound horrible, so depending on where you are playing you can use different methods to tune your guitar. There are various ways of tuning your guitar, but the easiest way is digital tuning.

The simplest, free way of tuning your guitar provided you have Internet access, on the Internet there are various digital guitar tuners available that are very simple to use, all you do is click on the string that you want to tune and then tune the same string on your guitar to the note that is played on your computer speaker, then do the same for all the other strings. Simple as that.

There are various electronic guitar tuning devices on the market, they can be very expensive but are arguably the most convenient way of tuning your guitar because they are small and portable, (that's if the batteries aren't flat when you want to use it!) some of these devices also make the sound of the string that you choose and then you tune your guitar strings one by one to the relevant string sound played by the device.

Acoustic guitar tuning by hand is the only method of tuning your guitar if you don't have a special device, and this is where it is very difficult to explain the procedure and is normally frustrating to learn. Once you know how to tune your guitar manually it is very simple to remember, on the Internet you will find various tutorials that will teach you this guitar tuning method.

On the Internet you will find countless explanations of how to tune your guitar, most of them you need a degree in engineering to understand what they are talking about. The tuning methods above are the three most used methods and the digital tuning method is the easiest of them all if you have a computer and an Internet connection.

The manual method is also very easy but it does take a few tries before you are able to do it easily, the advantage of the manual tuning method is that you can do it where ever you want and need without the need for any tools, around the campfire is a good example.

About The Author

Jorge de Andrade is an author and his knowledge of the guitar is exemplary and a good reference.
For more information on this subject: acoustic guitar tuning or to do the FREE mini-course where you will get FREE guitar lessons and 8 FREE guitar tools go to http://www.funacousticguitarandelectricguitarlessons.com/

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How to Choose Light Vs Dark Violin Rosin - What Is Best for Beginner Violinists?

First of all, what is violin rosin?

Violin rosin is made from hardened tree sap, and is rubbed on the violin bow to give it the friction you need against the violin strings to make a good tone. Without it, no matter how hard you press down with your violin bow you will get almost no sound.

Light vs. Dark

Violin rosins come in many shades between light and dark.

Light Rosin produces a "smoother" sound. Dark Rosin produces a "bigger" sound.

Dark rosins are stickier (have more friction), so while they give you a really good grip, this can contribute to that scratchy sound beginner violinists are so famous for. Light rosins give you a lesser grip, meaning you can't dig in quite as well, which gives you the smoother sound.

I will tell you up front that most violinists use lighter colored rosins, but it is by no means set in stone which type you should use. Ultimately it's all about your personal playing style and preferences.

That is why I recommend trying out a lot of different rosins until you find your favorite (many are relatively cheap, under $10). Here are some of the top factors to consider when making that determination:

3 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Violin Rosin

Humidity - Humidity makes rosin stickier than usual. This means that violinists living in more humid climates (or during more humid parts of the year) may want to consider choosing a lighter rosin to offset the extra stickiness. Conversely, those living in drier climates may want to consider darker rosin.Dust Tolerance - Playing the violin with the bow causes rosin dust to collect on the body of the instrument. Lighter rosin usually produces more dust, while darker, stickier rosin can be more difficult to wipe away. If you have a dust sensitivity you may want to choose a darker rosin. There are also hypoallergenic rosins available to violinists with allergic reactions to rosin.Packaging - This may seem nit-picky, but packaging can play a part in the long term usability of your rosin. Some beginner violin rosin comes in a rectangular wooden block. This makes it easier for beginners to apply it to the bow. However, many players get irritated by this packaging because as it is used over time, the rosin breaks apart sooner than with other packaging, rendering it useless much more quickly. So: get rosin that comes in hard packaging (to protect it from bumps during travel), preferably in a round or square shape.

These guidelines have probably given you a pretty good idea of what type of rosin may work well for you. It is a good idea to use one type for a month or more, and then switch to see if you like a second type. Keep switching like this, comparing your current favorite to a new type, and eventually you can be pretty confident you've found your favorite violin rosin.

For more tips about how to choose the right beginner violin equipment and training, please visit http://www.beginnerviolintips.com/. Beginner Violin Tips is a site dedicated to helping anyone become a beginner violinist and advance as fast as possible.

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How To Choose The Right Pair Of Drum Sticks

Finding the right pair of drum sticks is important. Playing the wrong one's are irritating. Drum sticks come in many different sizes and thickness as well as brands and wood types. Even the tips can be different, they can come in nylon or wood. So there are many choices to choose from the confusing part comes in when you have to pick.

Experienced drummers usually have their favorite brand of sticks and that can be for many reasons. It can be because of weight, size, sound, durability and playability. Starting out, you need to get something that fits comfortably within the palm of your hand and of course your fingers.

There are many popular brands of drum sticks out there but I will only mention a few. Good drum stick makers are Vic Firth, Pro mark and Zildjian. Like I said, there are more but I will only mention these because I have played all of them. Vic Firth is a huge drummer icon in history. His name holds a high reputation and his sticks have great durability. Zildjian is also a huge name in drumming history and his sticks are known along his amazing cymbals. Pro Mark is also durable. Now that you know my top 3 stick brands here are ways to find out which ones you should get. I am going to go with Vic Firth for simplicity's sake, just see which category you fit into, to pick your drum sticks out.

If you are a girl drummer, Vic Firth 5A's should be a good starter size for you. They are not too thick and are not too thin either. They are not too heavy and they last a good amount of time. The wood is hickory. If you want your drum stick to have a clearer cymbal sound definition then just add an "N" to the end of the size I told you. In this case it would be Vic Firth 5AN. If you feel that this size is too big when you hold it, try out the size 7A or 7AN.

If you are a guy drummer, but one who doesn't play heavy metal or strong punk rock, the Vic Firth 5A's should be good for you to. If your hands are bigger or you need a bit of a bigger size then you can always up it to the size 5B. If you want a plastic tip then get the Vic Firth 5BN.

If you are a heavy hitter or are anticipating playing heavy metal, goth, death metal, or serious heavy cymbal hitting punk rock, then Vic Firth 5B's are good for you with hickory or oak as the wood. 5B's are more "Beefier" at the shoulder so they can take a bit more chipping and cymbal hitting. Of course these sticks are made of wood so they will eventually chip and break, but they should last their allotted time.

You can take these general rules and apply them to what ever brand you choose. The harder the drumming, the thicker the stick. The bigger your hand, the thicker the stick. For clearer cymbal definition, get a plastic tip and lastly, if your hands are really small and you feel that the 5A's are too big, try 7A. It's the next size down!

You can see the popular 5A drum sticks here at Http://www.start-drumming.com/5a-drum-sticks.html

Don't forget! You are the stick's tester when you pick it up and hold it in your hand. Twirl it a bit, air drum with it, see if you are comfortable with its size, weight and balance, then make your decision! It's not fun to be playing with a stick that isn't really your size. It can make drumming uncomfortable.

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