Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange
Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange

Most Popular

more tags
1500 questions
14
votes
3 answers

What is the benefit of soaking double reeds in water?

My bassoon teacher advises me to soak my reed in water before playing. Apparently water has properties that my saliva alone doesn't. Why would this be useful? Also I have seen Oboe players doing this, but not Clarinettists, Saxophonists (or anyone…
8128
  • 1,577
  • 3
  • 15
  • 21
14
votes
4 answers

What does the "+" symbol mean in a keyboard piece when attached to a note?

In a Daquin pipe organ piece, "Noël «Suisse»" from his "Livre de Noëls", I see this notation in the Right Hand system: This is notated this way in the Oxford Book of Christmas Organ Music. How should I play the chord that has a "+" sign under it?
Richard
  • 1,808
  • 1
  • 11
  • 24
14
votes
9 answers

Is Emajor the dominant chord in the key of A minor?

I read somewhere that Emajor is the dominant (V) chord in A minor. Is this correct? If so, why is it not Eminor, since the A minor scale has no sharps or flats in it?
tarun
  • 2,239
  • 6
  • 22
  • 38
14
votes
5 answers

Are accidentals in the key signature and measure additive?

If I have a flat for a note in the key signature, and then in a bar the same note with an flat symbol, does that mean the note is "double flatted"? For example in the key of D Minor with hash one flat (B♭): This means that all B's are actually…
Luke
  • 405
  • 1
  • 4
  • 8
14
votes
10 answers

What type of strings to use for easier bending in fast solos?

I'm getting better at playing that legendary Enter Sandman solo by Kirk Hammett, and I'm getting the speed part almost covered. What I'm struggling with is hitting the target note when bending that last high D note all the way up to E. My fingers…
Eran Medan
  • 273
  • 1
  • 3
  • 7
14
votes
5 answers

What is "Phrasing" in the context of playing a Solo?

What is meant when a listener says"His phrasing was spot on"- specifically when talking about solo's but sometimes when referring to a pianist "comping". What does it mean when referring to a guitarists solo/accompaniment?
JustnBeaver
14
votes
4 answers

When is it a remix, and when is it a cover?

This question might not be fit for this stack, but I didn't find any other. My apologies to music students out there :) When is a song a remix, and when is it a cover? Lets take Corona - The Rhythm of the Night as an example. The cover by Bastille…
Christian Wattengård
  • 251
  • 1
  • 2
  • 5
14
votes
4 answers

Confused about diminished chords

I came across several guitar chords which seem to be 'diminished' chords: X° X°7 Xø Xø7 I read some articles which might provide useful informating, including the Dutch Wiki article Chord (music), and several others. According to the caption Chord…
MC Emperor
  • 335
  • 1
  • 4
  • 11
14
votes
4 answers

Counting while Playing

The most important aspect of maintaining your rhythm is counting. And I can usually understand and/or count the rhythm when I take a look at the score. However, the problem begins when I start playing. If I focus too much on counting and rhythm may…
Sazid Ahmad
  • 1,377
  • 2
  • 10
  • 22
14
votes
13 answers

Is it possible to learn theory without sight reading?

I'm learning music theory by myself with online books and video lessons. I don't have much trouble understanding the basics of theory, such as intervals, basic scales and modes, but I have a huge issue with sight reading. I know that sight reading…
TonySniper
  • 519
  • 2
  • 5
  • 10
14
votes
14 answers

Can someone learn practicing piano with a MIDI keyboard?

I would like to learn playing piano. I am self-learning music theory, which I understand, but I don't practice at all. Pianos being too expensive, can I get the same experience with a MIDI keyboard? I mean as if I were practicing on a true piano.
Link
  • 141
  • 1
  • 1
  • 3
14
votes
4 answers

Pinky And Ring Finger Independence And Dexterity

I recently discovered that my ring finger and pinky seem to have the least amount of independence with respect to the rest of my fingers when fretting the guitar, and exceptionally so. I experience this issue with pinky and ring finger independence…
Kermit the Hermit
  • 641
  • 1
  • 7
  • 16
14
votes
6 answers

I need help understanding the concept of chord inversions.

This article from wikipedia, states: In the first inversion of a C major triad the bass is E—the 3rd of the triad—with the 5th and the root stacked above it (the root now shifted an octave higher), forming the intervals of a 3rd and a 6th…
André Pena
14
votes
4 answers

What features should I look for in my first bass guitar?

I am looking to buy my first bass. What are the various aspects to look out for? I see the neck length as one. An other is the number of knobs it has. The minimum I usually see is 2. One for the volume and one for something else. Other basses have 3…
Vass
  • 597
  • 1
  • 6
  • 13
14
votes
5 answers

Why are guitar strings numbered this way and not the other way around?

Considering that pitch goes up from low E to high E through all 6 strings, why is the high E called the 1st and low E the 6th string? I find it a bit confusing... just curious if there are any historical reasons. EDIT just a couple of reasons why I…
krookedking
  • 241
  • 2
  • 4
1 2 3
…
99 100