Muzikant

In this blog, we’re going to talk about playing the blues, show you which ingredients are needed to play typical blues-flavoured sounds on a piano or guitar, and take an in-depth look at blue notes, blues scales, blues-style chord progressions (including that well-known 12-bar blues), straight-versus-swing blues and various other important topics.

Ionic, dorian, phrygian, lydian, mixolydian, aeolian, and locrian: otherwise known as the church modes. These influential scales originated in the church music of the middle ages and are still used today in classical music, pop, jazz, rock, and even metal. So, if you want to try something new or take in a little musical history, it’s worth learning a few church modes. In this blog, you’ll get an idea of how these modal scales work, an impression of the kind of sound they can produce and learn to play them in any key.

A question we’re often asked is, ‘how do you connect a keyboard or digital piano to a mixer or keyboard amplifier?’ Maybe you’re preparing for your first ever live gig, maybe you’re figuring out how to make home-studio recordings, or your sonic instrument of choice needs more volume if it’s going to compete with your drummer in the rehearsal room. If you’re not familiar with them, the sheer number of different ways of connecting up your gear can be a little overwhelming. But luckily, it’s all pretty straightforward once you know how.

Say you’ve got a keyboard or digital piano and want to hook it up to a tablet or smartphone and see what it can do alongside the many sound-generating and tweaking apps out there. In this blog, we will find out if your keyboard or piano will be compatible, what kind of software you’ll need, and more!

Just as important as finding your perfect ukulele is finding the right set of ukulele strings to go along with it. Although all ukuleles come with strings already fitted, they may not necessarily be the best fit for your own personal playing style or preferences. It’s important to know what strings are available for you to consider. The subject of ukulele strings can become a never-ending rabbit hole, but guest blogger Matthew Quilliam shows that it doesn’t have to be so complicated.

If you’ve played on stages before, you’re probably well aware of the sonic nuisance that is feedback. In this blog, we explain how you can counter feedback and keep the ears of your audience members from bleeding.

Guitarists will already be aware of the unmistakable effect the humble valve can have on their sound. While there are at least 25 different kinds of valves found inside various different guitar amplifiers, there are four that you’re most likely to come across. Here, we cover each of them so you can get to know exactly what’s shaping your tone.

Accompanying a vocalist on the guitar is a skill that is sometimes overlooked by guitarists, especially when the attention is usually on playing the fastest shred licks possible or how many effects pedals one can fit on their pedalboard. One skill that’s very important as a performing guitarist, and is something that will lead to many more gigs, is the ability to make a vocalist feel comfortable and supported, especially in the context of an acoustic duo which will be much more stripped back than a full band setting, and be more exposing for all parties. In this article, guest blogger and professional guitarist Cameron Hayes tells you all about how to achieve the skill of accompanying a vocalist.

A long time ago, on a day that started just like any other, I was flipping through TV channels seeking some passable entertainment when I stumbled on footage of Woodstock ‘99. Metallica had just taken to the stage, and while my young mind had yet to be introduced to the world of heavy metal, I was immediately mesmerised by the energy and wall of sound this band was able to build. By the end of Kirk Hammett’s minute-long guitar intro to King Nothing, I was sold.

In this blog, guest-blogger Marc offers a step-by-step guide to swapping out the passive pickups of an electric guitar. Here, you’ll find out what tools you’ll need, why you would want to change the pickups in the first place, and discover that the whole process is actually much easier than you might think. In fact, anyone with the right tools and a little patience will be able to do this. So why not replace those knackered old pickups or treat your guitar to a sweet upgrade?

We wouldn’t be surprised if it’s one of the most frequently googled questions: “What are the differences between the various Sennheiser HD 25 headphones?” Sennheiser cleaned up the series a while ago, so it’s about time we put together a clear overview of the differences and similarities between the older and newer versions of this iconic range of headphones.

Most people never even think about vocal microphone hygiene, which is okay as long as you’re the only one using the mike. If not, it’s important that you clean your vocal microphone after use to prevent one singer from passing their germs on to the next. In this humble blog, I’ll explain how you can easily clean a microphone yourself.