There is one thing that unites all singers, regardless of age, ability, genre, or professional status: the feeling of impending doom that descends as auditions approach.  Even if your ambitions are fairly modest, and don’t extend far beyond finding a fun choir to join, there's a good chance you will have to at learn how to prepare for a singing audition at some point. However, you can do a great deal to improve your chances simply by preparing yourself adequately. Think of a “successful”

Do you love singing rock? Here, voice teacher Molly R. shares her recommendations for four singers to check out for rock singing... and four more you can learn from! When you think about impeccable vocal technique, it’s not often that a rocker comes to mind, is it? Usually we’re praising the beautiful tone quality, high notes, and volume of an opera singer, or perhaps a jazz or musical theatre vocalist. Rock singers are usually known for their larger-than-life personalities and sta

Sitting down at a piano and playing a few notes is a pretty easy task. However, the ways in which we control the muscles in our hands, arms, and shoulders play a very important role in our ability to play the piano well. If you want to master this instrument, you need to set yourself up for success.  Before you can start playing the likes of Mozart and Beethoven on the piano, you should start with building a strong foundation. One way to do so is by incorporating hand exercises for piano

If you want your drums to sound their best, you have to tune them. Proper drum tuning and good drum heads can make even an inexpensive kit sound better. In this video, Edmond, OK drum instructor Tracy D. walks you through the basic techniques to tune your drums... You're here because you want to learn how to tune your drums to perfection, and that's exactly what I'm going to show you. This article and video provide step-by-step instructions to help you tune your drums and achieve the

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

Looking to get a new sound out of your ukulele? Music teacher Willy M. shares four of the top fingerpicking pattern ukulele players should know that will take your uke sound to the next level… As a student, you might be looking for ways to improve your musical skills. Or, maybe you've just been curious about the ukulele and want to know how to play it. It’s pretty amazing what the human hand can do when you think about it. Because of our opposable thumbs, we’ve been able to go a

If you're anything like me, you're always trying to find ways to sharpen your skills as a musician and as a bandmate. Even though you try your best, there are still days when nothing seems to go right.  So I wondered, what would the absolute worst band practice really look like? Guitar teacher Jessica D. shares her nightmare vision of a rehearsal gone terribly, horribly wrong... Step 1: Nothing's worse than not knowing if your bandmate will show up for practice, so why not have a

As you learn how to play piano notes, chords, scales, and songs, at some point you'll come across the term "staccato." What exactly does it mean, and how do you play it? Read on as New Paltz, NY teacher Cheryl E. shares her helpful tips...    Mastering staccato on the piano can be extremely beneficial, not only for performance of staccato passages but also for using it as a tool to help you memorize legato segments, improve your dexterity and finger strength, and smooth out your pe

Chances are you’ve heard that there are several benefits of listening to classical music. But is there any actual truth behind this statement? According to numerous studies, there absolutely is. There are a ton of brainy benefits one derives from deciding to play classical music. From pain management to improved sleep quality, listening to classical music has both mental and physical benefits. In fact, simply listening to classical music as background noise can have a significant imp

Stars, they're just like us! Just like you, these famous figures learned chords and simple songs on the ukulele, spent hours practicing, and fell in love with this Hawaiian instrument. Check out these videos of 10 celebrities who you probably didn't know played the ukulele. 1. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson For such a big guy, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson looks right at home holding a tiny ukulele. 2. Ryan Gosling Please hold your swoons until the end of the Gos' ukulele performance. 3.