Learn to deal with criticism
When you play music in public, especially music you wrote (but not only), it’s like pouring your heart into a coffee mug and handing it out to people. People will not always love what you serve, and you will feel
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Resources for learning to play music on your own
When I was growing up, the only ways to learn to play music were to either take a private tutor or to join a music school, mainly a conservatory. These days you can still learn at a conservatory or with
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Can anyone learn to play music?
There are tons of myths about talent, tone-deafness, musicality, and learning – you probably heard them before. “I can’t sing, I’m tone-deaf.” “Musicality is something you either have or you don’t.” “He was musical since he was born, but his
My gear – the cheap (but decent) instruments and accessories I use
Life-long musicians will likely find this post embarrassing. But I started playing music at a later stage in life, and after a childhood history of not persevering with hobbies, I wasn’t going to spend a lot of money on gear.
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How to choose a guitar (or other instrument) store
The condescending guitar store salesperson typically ignores you until you ask to try a guitar. Then he reluctantly hands you the desired guitar. When you ask for a tuner he looks at you dismissively, takes the guitar and tunes it
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How to add vocal expression to what you sing
If you’ve taken more than a few singing lessons, you’re probably familiar with the concept of vocal expression. When you perform a piece, there are a few ways in which you can project emotions: it can be in the lyrics,
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Should you take a songwriting course? (or: my disillusionment)
At some point early in my musical journey, I met a guy who took part in a songwriting course he highly recommended. I got curious and went to see their end-of-course concert, which inspired me to sign up for the
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A quick guide to shopping for musical instruments (or anything else) when you are overwhelmed by the options
Did you ever try to research buying a new musical instrument or accessory, then got lost in the variety of options? Something supposedly simple like buying a distortion pedal, a headphones amplifier, or even a guitar cable, can generate hours
Running your own open mic – how to get started
Performing in an open mic is one of the best things you can do for yourself, both professionally and personally, as I discuss extensively in my book Unleash Your Inner Rock Star. Going to open mics will help you expand
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How to transpose a musical piece – 5 methods
To transpose is to take a musical piece and change its pitch, up or down (=higher or lower). It means that the notes move, but the relationships between them stay the same, thus keeping the same melody. The two most
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