Lena Matiz https://lenamatiz.com/ Tue, 09 Apr 2024 08:26:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://lenamatiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/cropped-for-favicon-32x32.png Lena Matiz https://lenamatiz.com/ 32 32 Learn to deal with criticism https://lenamatiz.com/learn-to-deal-with-criticism/ https://lenamatiz.com/learn-to-deal-with-criticism/#respond Tue, 09 Apr 2024 08:26:46 +0000 https://lenamatiz.com/?p=1123 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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]]> https://lenamatiz.com/learn-to-deal-with-criticism/feed/ 0 Resources for learning to play music on your own https://lenamatiz.com/resources-for-learning-to-play-music-on-your-own/ https://lenamatiz.com/resources-for-learning-to-play-music-on-your-own/#respond Mon, 08 May 2023 13:58:41 +0000 https://lenamatiz.com/?p=878 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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]]> https://lenamatiz.com/resources-for-learning-to-play-music-on-your-own/feed/ 0 Can anyone learn to play music? https://lenamatiz.com/can-anyone-learn-to-play-music/ https://lenamatiz.com/can-anyone-learn-to-play-music/#respond Tue, 02 May 2023 18:16:00 +0000 https://lenamatiz.com/?p=229 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

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]]> https://lenamatiz.com/can-anyone-learn-to-play-music/feed/ 0 My gear – the cheap (but decent) instruments and accessories I use https://lenamatiz.com/my-gear-the-cheap-but-decent-instruments-i-use/ https://lenamatiz.com/my-gear-the-cheap-but-decent-instruments-i-use/#respond Tue, 25 Apr 2023 16:19:00 +0000 https://lenamatiz.com/?p=341 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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]]> https://lenamatiz.com/my-gear-the-cheap-but-decent-instruments-i-use/feed/ 0 How to choose a guitar (or other instrument) store https://lenamatiz.com/how-to-choose-a-guitar-or-other-instrument-store/ https://lenamatiz.com/how-to-choose-a-guitar-or-other-instrument-store/#respond Tue, 18 Apr 2023 10:47:29 +0000 https://lenamatiz.com/?p=736 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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]]> https://lenamatiz.com/how-to-choose-a-guitar-or-other-instrument-store/feed/ 0 How to add vocal expression to what you sing https://lenamatiz.com/vocal-expression/ https://lenamatiz.com/vocal-expression/#respond Wed, 12 Apr 2023 13:18:31 +0000 https://lenamatiz.com/?p=747 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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]]> https://lenamatiz.com/vocal-expression/feed/ 0 Should you take a songwriting course? (or: my disillusionment) https://lenamatiz.com/should-you-take-a-songwriting-course-or-my-disillusionment/ https://lenamatiz.com/should-you-take-a-songwriting-course-or-my-disillusionment/#respond Fri, 07 Apr 2023 12:23:58 +0000 https://lenamatiz.com/?p=743 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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]]> https://lenamatiz.com/should-you-take-a-songwriting-course-or-my-disillusionment/feed/ 0 A quick guide to shopping for musical instruments (or anything else) when you are overwhelmed by the options https://lenamatiz.com/a-quick-guide-to-shopping/ https://lenamatiz.com/a-quick-guide-to-shopping/#respond Fri, 31 Mar 2023 18:57:19 +0000 https://lenamatiz.com/?p=689 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

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]]> https://lenamatiz.com/a-quick-guide-to-shopping/feed/ 0 Running your own open mic – how to get started https://lenamatiz.com/running-your-own-open-mic-how-to-find-a-venue/ https://lenamatiz.com/running-your-own-open-mic-how-to-find-a-venue/#respond Fri, 24 Mar 2023 21:15:08 +0000 https://lenamatiz.com/?p=678 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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]]> https://lenamatiz.com/running-your-own-open-mic-how-to-find-a-venue/feed/ 0 How to transpose a musical piece – 5 methods https://lenamatiz.com/how-to-transpose-a-musical-piece-5-methods/ https://lenamatiz.com/how-to-transpose-a-musical-piece-5-methods/#respond Fri, 17 Mar 2023 08:38:15 +0000 https://lenamatiz.com/?p=667 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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