What are the best songs for boys going through puberty, dealing with those inevitable voice breaks and cracks? Find out in this guest post by voice teacher Molly R...   The adolescent years are difficult no matter what. There is a lot of pressure to be accepted and seen as “cool” by your peers, and it seems as though these young people are always riding a roller coaster of emotions! As if it weren’t already hard enough to select vocal repertoire, boys around the ages of 12

Think you can teach yourself to play ukulele? Music teacher Willy M. shares three reasons why it's important to take lessons and learn about your uke with an expert... When it comes to learning a new instrument, there’s no better choice than the ukulele. Not only is it small and easy to carry around with you, but it also sounds great!  Plus, playing the ukulele is fun and relaxing, which means that even if you’re not a particularly talented musician, you can still make some beaut

  Ready to pick up a guitar and start learning to play? Great! Get ready to start your musical journey with this sound advice from guitar teacher Jerry W.... Learning an instrument takes more than desire alone. Many people excitedly begin learning guitar, but before long the guitar is packed away in the closet and forgotten. What can you do to make sure this doesn't happen to you? How can you stay motivated as you learn to play guitar? What is the fastest way to learn guitar? Setting

You know how important breath support is for great singing -- but are you regularly incorporating breathing exercises for singing into your warm-ups? Read on as voice teacher Shannen R. shares 15 yoga poses to try out, designed to help with various elements of your singing...  Get ready to free your vocal cords of strain, increase your breath capacity, and get the strength you need for powerful belts and the control for soft tones. Going beyond simple breathing exercises for singing, the

The most popular guitar technique is the art of strumming chords. Every style of guitar utilizes various strumming patterns which can determine the sound of a particular style. A genre that uses a lot of unique strums are country and bluegrass styles. In this article, we will discuss the basics of strumming an acoustic guitar, and I will provide you with 5 country strumming patterns beginners can start using right away! Holding a Pick To get started, I recommend learning how to use a pick.

When you're learning drums, it's important to get in the right mindset before a lesson or practice. These drum warm-up routines from San Diego, CA teacher Maegan W. will help you focus, and get your body ready to play...  The way you warm up effects the way you play. A good drum warm-up routine will keep you in shape and help you keep your skills up to speed. It will help you focus your mind, and prepare your body for an effective practice or a killer show. There are many different drum

When you’re in the market for a piano, the possibilities of piano brands can seem endless. Yamaha or Kawai? Digital or acoustic? If you want to end up with the perfect piano for your budget, skill level, and musical goals, this guide is a great place to start. Any one of these 10 popular pianos will offer you an excellent choice. Brand Electric Option Endorsed by Yamaha Yes Alicia Keys, Elton John, Chick Korea Steinway & Sons No Lang Lang, Mitsuko Uchida, Martha Arge

Want to learn how to compose a song, but not sure where to start? Here, Saint Augustine, FL teacher Heather L. shares her strategy for teaching the process and making it fun at the same time! Read on to learn more...   Teaching my voice and piano students how to compose a song is a huge part of my curriculum. It is multi-functional, in that it works to hone students' sightsinging, musicianship, creativity, and theory knowledge in practice. And with most students out of school for the

How can you ensure you're making the most of your time in your singing lessons? Record yourself singing, so you can listen back on it later! Consider this advice from Hayward, CA teacher Molly R...   Back when I first started voice lessons, my teacher always made sure before we got started that I brought my tape (this was the early '90s!) so that I could record the lesson. As both a student and a teacher, I certainly know the value in recording your voice lessons. When you record your

Gypsy jazz. Hip hop. Americana. Rock. Pop. Country. Opera. There are so many styles of music, and so many amazing songs to sing in every genre. So, which style of music should you devote your craft to? What kind of music were you born to sing? Are you a pop princess or a country songstress? Are you an opera baritone or rock star? Take this quiz and find out! So the next time you ask yourself "What song should I sing?", consider a staple from one of these genres. Choose a song that st