guitar

A First Guitar – Electric or Acoustic?

by David McCormick January 2, 2011

A frequent question from parents is whether to start children on electric guitars or acoustic guitars. Most kids interested in playing rock will obviously want an electric guitar, but there is a widespread idea that it is somehow better for them to start with a “regular” guitar. I have no idea where this idea started. […]

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Learning to play by ear

by Lia Zito June 5, 2009

Playing by ear is just another skill that has to be developed. I was terrible at it when I got out of high school (after 10 years of private violin lessons, Suzuki even!) and tried to play at the local jam. The first tune or two I learned from CDs were tortuous. The next few […]

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So you’re left-handed…

by Lia Zito May 29, 2009

If you’re left-handed, should you learn to play an instrument left-handed? Well, no. And I’m a lefty. Being a violin teacher, I come across this idea pretty regularly, since the left & right hands do very different things on the violin (unlike, say, piano). Guitar players also will ask the left-handed question. It’s not quite […]

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Why won’t my instrument stay in tune?

by Lia Zito May 22, 2009

Instruments aren’t built to stay in tune perfectly, and they shouldn’t. Here’s why: all materials change size with changing temperature, and wood is also quite sensitive to changes in humidity. To survive in Alaska, instruments must be able to respond to the changing weather, and this necessarily changes their tuning. Ask any carpenter: wood moves. […]

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