Music Factory

When people make resolutions or set goals for themselves, a common thread is that they would like to learn how to play a musical instrument. And for many people, there is a strong desire to learn how to play the guitar. Guitar is a great starter instrument because once you learn some of the basics, you can already sound halfway decent. Of course, learning the finer points and the complicated picking patterns can take you years to master, but it really only takes a few weeks to master some of those basic chords.

This is why so many people choose to teach themselves how to play the acoustic guitar. If you want to learn how to play this instrument, just pick yourself up a guitar, a tuner, and a few how-to beginner books. These will offer the basics of reading music along with a chord list. Once you feel you have a handle on these very basic elements, hop onto YouTube for step by step tutorials on how to play all your favorite songs.

Among the brass wind instruments, the saxophone is noted to be the coolest of them all. For an aspiring sax player, a student saxophone can be as cool as any saxophone musicians like Kenny G. and Dave Koz would play. If your child expresses a desire to learn this instrument, make sure to find a good music school where he can learn from an experienced teacher.

When buying a student saxophone, look for one in the Eb Alto scale. This musical instrument is comfortable to play for a new learner. It has a beautifully finished lacquer body and a high F# key. It comes in a canvas covered case that will protect it during travel to and from your home and your child’s music school.

Learn to play a musical instrument that is well-known in the jazz arena. Chuck Mangione, a distinguished jazz musician is one of the first artists who made the flugelhorn popular. Many thought that his famous hit “Feel so good” was played using the trumpet.  The two brass instruments, trumpet and flugelhorn, are faintly similar in sound and look, discriminate musicians and music enthusiasts can distinguish each of these instrument’s distinct and unique style and sound.

The flugelhorn features a free blowing .459-inch bore. It has a third valve slide trigger for easy intonation and adjustment. It also features nickel plated pistons and a 6-inch rose brass bell that produces a warm and rich cool sound.

The first piccolos used had no keys, as today’s do, and the instrument is sometimes confused with the fife.  The piccolo is used in conjunction with marching drums in traditional formation.

The piccolo was originally made out of wood and was featured in many prominent composers’ works. One of the earliest pieces to use the piccolo was Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, only playing during the final (IV) movement. Today, the piccolo can be found made from a range of materials, from plastic (or resin), to silver, to wood. Finely made piccolos often come with a similar variety of options as the flute, such as the split-E mechanism.