The moodswinger is a guitar-like instrument which was created by Yuri Landman. In actuality, it is not a guitar per se, but more like a zither, because it has no frets. This 3rd bridge guitar has 12 strings and is electrically powered. The moodswinger was originally made by Yuri Landman for drummer Aaron Hemphill. Quite an unusual guitar, isn't it?

The Great Stalacpipe Organ

The Great Stalacpipe organ was considered by many as one of the largest crafted musical instruments in the world. It is located inside the Lurray Caverns, in the Shanandoah Valley. Leland Sprinkle, the inventor of this unique instrument, discovered that stalactites inside the Lurray caverns produce melodic sounds. He then constructed a keyboard console and wired a mallet to each stalactite within a 3.5 acre cavern space! The sounds gathered from the stalactites are then regulated by this stalacpipe organ and can be played using traditional organ/piano keys. This became considered as the oldest natural litophone in the world.

The Zadar Sea Organ

The Sea Organ is a splendid example of impeccable architecture and sound engineering. Located on the shores of Zadar, Croatia, this is the first musical instrument naturally played by the waves of the sea. This unique instrument, made by architect Nikola Basic in 2005, looks like normal but elegant steps along the seashore. Underneath it, however, are 35 musically tuned tubes. Depending on the size, strength, and velocity of the waves that toss on the seashore, musical chords are played and the sound comes out from whistle openings on the sidewalk. Call it a main instrument in nature's orchestra.

The Aeolian Wind Harp

The Aeolian harp is a musical instrument played by the wind. It originated in Ancient Greece, but was popularly used as home decorations during the Renaissance and Romantic Era. It is designed to play music without human hands. The wind causes the Aeolian harp to vibrate and produce random harmonic sounds and notes (sometimes chords). This is another instrument in nature's orchestra!

The Atlantic City Convention Hall Organ

The Guiness Book of World Records consider the Atlantic City Organ as the loudest musical instrument ever created. It is also the world's largest pipe organ. This instrument has 7 manuals (controls found in most traditional organs), 1,255 speaking stops, 455 ranks and 33,112 pipes! One of the natural speakers built inside this instrument can be six times louder than the world's loudest train whistle! The Atlantic City Convention Hall Organ weighs approximately 150 tons (which explains why it's stuck in that location possibly forever).

Aquaggaswack

Besides being hard to spell, this instrument was also uniquely built. It falls under the category of gong and cymbal instruments. Mallets, sticks and brushes form the Aquaggaswack. It is made of pot lids stuck together by galvanized plumbing pipe. It was created by Curtis Settino in 1996 as an experimental musical instrument.

Sandata Ng Lolo Ni Tatay

If we translate this from the Filipino language, this means "Weapon Of My Father's Grandfather". This instrument originated from the Philippines and was created by Lirio Salvador. It looks like a cello and can be played exactly like one, except that the sound is different. The sound is amplified by a magnetic pickup coming from mixing bowls. The 'Sandata ng Lolo Ni Tatay" is a very interesting instrument to watch being played. The name is funny too.

First off before writing a melody try and think of lyrics first. It works very well. For some people this doesn't work but trust me it will help a lot and it works for almost everyone that tries it. Don't even get a melody try and write the lyrics. Sometimes we simultaneously sing our lyrics with a melody but try your hardest not too do this. First write the lyrics.

There are three3 main structures to a song the first one is the ABAB which A-Verse and B-Chorus. It is a very common structure in the music on the radio. The next one is the ABABC which is just a C-Bridge the bridge is usually after the second chorus. The last one is the ABC which is verse, pre-chorus, chorus

Having trouble thinking of songs to write about then just remember this. A very easy way is to tell a story in past tense such as your first girlfriend or what happen to you as a kid and stuff like that. Another one is to write a story about what's happening to you RIGHT now in the present. Like how you are mad at someone or something or what's happening on the news. Another way is to write about what might happen in the future like what would happen if you broke up with your girlfriend etc. There isn't anything that works better than the other. You can even mix these different things like tell a story in past tense then go to the present then the future etc. Mix it up.

A good song always grabs its listener. The songs that make it big are usually about Pain, Confusion, Desire, Drama, Excitement, Anger, Sorrow, Regret, and Happiness. It is very common for a songwriter to start a song in the past and then end in the present like how someone had a great time then they broke up with their girlfriend/boyfriend and now they are in despair.

Lyrics are usually able to rhyme more often than not a song will rhyme and when you are stuck on something rhyming with another word just go to a rhyming dictionary. Don't worry amateurs aren't the only ones that use this, even professionals use this like sting for example he uses one so if he can I'm sure a beginner could. Plus if a song rhymes it is much more memorable than if it doesn't.

If you can't think of anything to write about just take a break go outside and get a breath of fresh air. It is very good for your mind and sometimes you can get ideas from just what you see outside. I know i have done that and it helps a lot but it is different from person to person. Some people have to stay in their room for hours until they think of one but it is great to take a break and usually the ideas start coming as you relax. Or even when you aren't trying to write a song that's how many famous people get their songs.

A good song is a song that has an introduction for 10-15 seconds or so. If it's after that most people will get bored and turn the radio station. For the chorus you would probably want to start that in the first 50 seconds probably 40-50 seconds. These are just the songs that make it on the radio im not saying it is bad to write a 10 minute song but if you want it to be played on the radio it shouldn't be longer than 4minutes and 30 seconds.

If you happen to be stuck just trying to figure out where to get the perfect chord progression but you don't want to copy someone else's well that's your problem. Most of the tunes are have been made by someone, sometime, someplace, so your tune will never be:"original". Most melodies are re-used so instead of trying for hours and hours to figure one out just take a tune that you know and change it up a bit. Most of the famous singers do this too I actually can't even think of an artist who hasn't. If you like a certain type of music then listen to lots of that type of music and then hear what sounds good and what doesn't and use that.

The next step to learning guitar is to learn some basic, common chords. Five of the most common chords are E, A, D, G, and C. E is my favorite of the five, and it is played by placing your middle finger on the 5th string 2nd fret, your ring finger on the 4th string 2nd fret, and your index finger on the 3rd string 1st fret, now just strum all of the strings. The next one, A, is played by placing your index finger on the 4th string 2nd fret, your middle finger on the 3rd string 2nd fret, your ring finger on the 2nd string 2nd fret, and strum every string but the 6th string.

To play the D chord put your index finger on the 3rd string 2nd fret, your ring finger on the 2nd string 3rd fret, your middle finger on the 1st string on the 2nd fret, and strum only strings 1 through 4. To play the G chord, place your middle finger on the 6th string 3rd fret, place your index finger on the 5th string 2nd fret, your ring finger on the 1st string 3rd fret, and strum all the strings. Finally you play the C chord by placing your ring finger on the 5th string 3rd fret, your middle finger on the 4th string 2nd fret, and your index finger on the 2nd string 1st fret, then just strum all the strings.

With these basic chords you can learn songs (like Stepping Stone) or you can write your own!

EtudiX Tutor 1.2.1

EtudiX Tutor is piano software released by AcustiX Company to teach the beginner who has problems learning musical scores in a traditional way. People who do not have a full knowledge of notes, bars, and measures can now learn to play piano on the provided keyboard with ease. It is extremely marvelous to use this software as you can sing along with the tempo and the main melody of the piece. Even though EtudiX Tutor does not show you the tempo or accents of each piece, you are guided visually to where you should place your fingers correctly on the keyboard. To learn more piano lessons using this software, you should download midi files that you can find them easily via Internet. I assure you that you will be satisfied to use this software as I have used it for a couple of weeks and I found it is a very useful program to help me to learn piano.

Once it is downloaded, run the setup.exe file, and follow the instructions to begin using it.

Click MusicalKeys 3.21

Click Musical Keys is good piano software that is available to download for free. It is a midi format musical keyboard program developed by Bapuli Online Company. This program can produce 128 different instrument sounds. It looks like a real piano. You do not have to know the classical theory of music like notes, bars and musical scores to play around with it. You just need to make use of the computer keyboard and mouse to play it.

Once it is downloaded, run the setup.exe file, and follow the instructions to begin using it.

Follow Me 1.1

Follow Me is musical software developed by One Man Band. This software shows no notes on the screen but it will guide you on how to put your fingers on a recorder (melody), guitar (chords) or on a keyboard (melody and chords), so that you press on the correct notes. The unique feature of this software is that you can select a metronome or drums to keep your tempo. For those who wish to use the keyboard, they should choose the metronome option and turn off the drums so that the song can be heard easily. This is essential in helping to keep the rhythm of the melody. This program is particularly useful for those who want to seriously learn how to play aninstrument as it provides you step-to-step guidance. However, I found it is not suitable for advance level musicians who wish to learn the instrument more thoroughly.

Once it is downloaded, run the setup.exe file, and follow the instructions to begin using it.

iDreamPiano

iDreamPiano is a virtual piano program which is approximately 0.7 MB. You feel like you're playing a real piano when you press your fingers on the PC keyboard or Notebook keyboard. This software comes with an excellent sound on any soundcard (including On-board-soundcard), and very low latency on any soundcard (including on-board-soundcard). This software supports recording, transpose, octave-shift and playback. It also comes with a helpful document and some demo songs.

Once it is downloaded, run the setup.exe file, and follow the instructions to begin using it.

Blue Suede Shoes written by Elvis Presley, arranged and performed by Carl Perkins.

• AA
  Well it's one for the money, two for the show
• A
  Three to get ready now go cat go
• DA
  But don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
• E7
  AWell you can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoesYou can knock me down, step on my face
• A
  Slander my name all over the place
• A
  Do anything that you wanna do
• A7
  But uh uh honey lay off of them shoes
• DA
  And don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
• E7 A
  You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
• A
  Well you can burn my house, steal my car
• A
  Drink my liquor from an old fruit jar
• A
  Do anything that you wanna do
• A7
  But uh uh honey lay off of my shoes
• DA
  And don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
• E7 A
  You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
• A
  Well it's one for the money, two for the show
• A
  Three to get ready now go go go
• DA
  But don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
• E7 A
  Well you can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes, Well it's blue, blue, blue suede shoes
• A
  Blue, blue, blue suede shoes, yeah
• D
  Blue, blue, blue suede shoes baby
• A
  Blue, blue, blue suede shoes
• E7 A
  Well you can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes.

This is how this simple piece should sound:

The drainpipe pants and leg movements are optional.

Music theory is exactly how it sounds like. It’s the theory behind music. How it works and what is the point of it. We will look at a piano to discuss theory because it is the most simple.

The piano is set up with white keys and black keys. A white to a black key is considered a half step and a white to a white key is a whole step. The only exception is from B to C and E to F. These are 2 sets white keys that are always together. This is because B sharp is C flat. They are the same thing. A black key is always a sharp and a flat. It isn’t either/or because one note’s sharp is another’s flat. For example A sharp is the same as B flat. To get to a sharp you go up one half step or to the next key. To get to a sharp you go back one half step, or to the next key.

Notes are Everything in Music. Without a Note there is no Sound. Our Notes go From A - G

The notes ranging from A - G with sharps. A, A sharp, B, C, C sharp, D, D sharp, E, F, F sharp, G, G sharp.

The notes ranging from A - G with flats. A, B flat, B, C, D flat, D, E flat, E, F, G flat, G, A flat.

Scales:

Scales are the single most important part of theory. You need to know how to make a scale and how to play them on the instrument you own. A major scale is 8 notes and the first and last note are always the same. The formula for a scale is whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. We will take the C major scale for example. The C scale is this:

C D E F G A B C

Take a look at the scale. Do you see the pattern?

• C to D is a whole step.
• D to E is a whole step.
• E to F is a half step.
• F to G is a whole step.
• G to A is a whole step.
• A to B is a whole step.
• B to C is a half step.

C is the only major scale to have no sharps or flats in it. This pattern can be down with any note. At the very end of this article I will have all the major scales for you. The next type of scale I will explain is a minor scale. To make a minor scale all you have to do is flat the third. This is very simple. For C the E would be E flat and that’s it. There are many other scales you need to learn. These include Dorian, pentatonic, and many others. There just isn’t enough time for me to go through and explain every single one. One other thing you must know is an octave. An octave is from one note down the scale to the same note. So in the C scale that would be going from C to C. In the A scale it’s A to A.

Chords:

Chords are the next step in theory. Chords are more than one note played together. To make a chord you play the first, third, and fifth note of the scale. For a C chord that would mean C, E, and G. At the end I will put all the major chords with their scales. There are many different chords. Major chords, minor chords, 7th chords, 6th chords, and many other different notes. It some are very complicated and others are very simple. For example to make a 7th chord you add the 7th note of the scale. A minor chord has a flatted 3rd. Things such as 6/9th chords and minor 7th flat 5 are much more complicated. One thing that is very useful about chords and scales is that with this knowledge you can more easily figure out the chords in a song. Songs generally have the 1st , 4th, and 5th chord in it. So if you figure out that the song has a C chord in it, then you can try to play an F and a G chord to see if the song is in the key of C. So this is why theory is important. It helps you find the key of songs. You can also use this knowledge to help improvise. You can play the C scale during a part of the song that’s in the key of C. With all these little bits of knowledge about theory you can improve your playing skills, your improvising skills, and you will be able to figure songs out quicker and easier.

Scales and Chords:

C

• Scale - C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
• Chord - C, E, G

C sharp/D flat

• Scale - C sharp, D sharp, F, F sharp, G sharp, A sharp, C, sharp
• Chord - C sharp, F, G sharp

D

• Scale - D, E, F sharp, G, A, B, C sharp, D
• Chord - D, F sharp, A

D sharp/ E flat

• Scale - D sharp, F, G, G sharp, A sharp, C, D, D sharp
• Chord - D sharp, G, A sharp

E

• Scale - E, F sharp, G sharp, A, B, C sharp, D sharp, E
• Chord - E, G sharp, B

F

• Scale - F, G, A, A sharp, C, D, E, F
• Chord - F, A, C

F sharp/G flat

• Scale - F sharp, G sharp, A sharp, B, C sharp, D sharp, F, F sharp
• Chord - F sharp, A sharp, C sharp

G

• Scale - G, A, B, C, D, E, F sharp, G
• Chord - G, B, D

G sharp/A flat

• Scale - G sharp, A sharp, C, C sharp, D sharp, F, G, G sharp
• Chord - G sharp, C, D sharp

A

• Scale - A, B, C sharp, D, E, F sharp, G sharp, A
• Chord - A, C sharp, E

A sharp/B flat

• Scale - A sharp, C, D, D sharp, F, G, A, A sharp
• Chord - A sharp, D, F

B

• Scale - B, C sharp, D sharp, E, F sharp, G sharp, A sharp, B
• Chord - B, D sharp, F sharp

A blank tab will look like this:

e|----------------------------------------------------------|

B|----------------------------------------------------------|

G|----------------------------------------------------------|

D|----------------------------------------------------------|

A|----------------------------------------------------------|

E|----------------------------------------------------------|

You will notice first the letters on the left side. This tells what tuning is used; in this case its standard E. The lower pitch strings are on the bottom, higher on the top. Other tunings are also used. Drop D is when the low e string is lowered in pitch a whole step and the rest stay the same, and is probably the second most used tuning.

Next a tab will have numbers on it anywhere from 0, which is a open string, to 24 (only some guitars have 24 frets, if yours doesn't and you find a rare tab that says 24 you can play it on the next string down if u find that same note). For example:

e|---------------5------------------------------------

B|------------4---------------------------------------

G|---------3------------------------------------------

D|------2---------------------------------------------

A|---1------------------------------------------------

E|-0--------------------------------------------------

This selection means on the low e string you will play the open note pressing down no frets. On the A string you will play the first fret, known as a B flat. Next on the D string also known as the 4th string you will play the 2nd fret known as E. That is an octave of the first note played. The other notes will be the same way.

Chords can be played many different ways. In tabs they are read when notes are stacked vertically, right on top of one another. For example:

e|-------------------------------------------------|

B|-------------------------------------------------|

G|--55555555---------------------------------------|

D|--55555555--55555555--22222222--33333333---------|

A|--33333333--55555555--22222222--33333333---------|

E|------------33333333--00000000--11111111---------|

This would be a commonly seen chord progression from a “power chord” or a 5th. This chord is made by, on the A string or the 5th string, holding down the 3rd fret; then on the D string/4th and on the G/3rd string, holding down the 5th fret. This is a simple chord that can be moved around that uses 3 fingers. This first chord shown was C, moved to a G, to an E, to a F. Chords can be shown many other ways as long as the notes are stacked vertically.

Timing can be found by listening to the song then looking at the tab and relating the 2 usually. However close the notes are together also is some clue to how they will be played.

Once you look at tabs more less thinking will be required and you will also be familiar with some of the symbols used. Some of the common ones are as follows.

x = damp note

~ = vibrato

Pm..** = palm mute

12b14 = 12th fret bent to sound like the 14th (this could be used any where)

14rb12= release the bend to the 12th again also can be used anywhere on the fret board

12h13 = hammer the 13th fret while holding the 12th (can also be used anywhere)

13p12 = pull off the 13th while holding the 12th (still used anywhere)

/= slide (for example 2/4|||||||can also be used with chords)

Now armed with this knowledge you are ready to read tabs and maybe even write your own. You can find tablature websites anywhere on the web. To find a good site search “guitar tabs” in the Google search bar. Tabs are usually rated by stars, 5 being the best. There are also tabs for drums, and bass. Have fun and keep practicing. Also do not hesitate to buy the music.

Chords are placed between two vertical lines like this: | |

This is called a bar. Each bar has 4 counts. If there are 2 chords in 1 bar then each has a duration of 2 counts. Bars without a chord mean that the previous chord is repeated.

2 or more guitar chords played in succession we call a guitar chord progression. Here are some popular guitar chord progressions:

Basic 12-bar blues chords

|E7

|A7

|E7

|

|

|A7

|

|E7

|

|

|B7

|A7

|E7

|B7

|

House of the Rising Sun (The Animals/trad.)

note: this song is in 6/8 what means that every bar lasts 6 counts.

|Am

|C

|D

|F

|

|Am

|C

|E

|

|

|Am

|C

|D

|F

|

|Am

|E

|Am

|

|

Drive On (Johny Cash)

|E

|

|A

|B7

|

|B7

|

|E

|B7 E

|

Papa Loves Mama (Brooks Garth)

|E

|

|A

|

|

|B7

|

|C

|B7

|

Hotel California (The eagles)

|Am

|

|E

|

|

|G

|

|D

|

|

|F

|

|C

|

|

|Dm

|

|E

|

|

chorus:

|F

|

|C

|

|

|Dm

|

|Am

|

|

|F

|

|C

|

|

|Dm

|

|E

|

|

Suzie Q (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

|E

|

|

|

|

|A

|C7 B7

|E

|

|

Once you know how to play these basic guitar song chords I suggest you take a step further and dive into frustration and disappear (just kidding) trying to learn how to play bar chords.