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How Do I Tune My Ukulele?

How To Properly Tune Your Ukulele

 

The open strings of the ukulele are as follows:

• G: the 4th string (most to the left on the fretboard)
• C: the 3rd string
• E: the 2nd string
• A: the 1st string

This is when you are have your ukulele in standard tuning, this is what you need to play most of the songs.

 Electronic Tuning

Using an electronic tuner is by far the easiest and most accurate way to tune your ukulele.  We sell them at Golden Music.  We have the Snark for Ukulele or a Chromatic Tuner.  Because the ukulele has a "C" string, you cannot tune it easily with a guitar tuner.  The guitar strings are E A You can find many of these tuners online and also in your local music shop. They aren’t that expensive and will make your life a lot easier. When buying one, make sure to buy one that is made to tune ukuleles or a chromatic tuner (tune different notes). Tuning your ukulele with an electronic tuner is pretty straight forward. You put the tuner on your lap of clip it on the headstock and pluck the strings. It will then show the note you are playing. Use the tuning pegs to get the desired note.

Standard Ukulele Tuning Method
This is also known as “relative” tuning, why? Well, because you will tune the four strings relative to each other. This is a perfect method if you are playing on your own and you want to have all your strings sound good together, but it isn’t that accurate. This will cause issues though if you are playing with other people. I will guide you through the steps.

1. You will use the first string (A) as a reference to tune the other three strings, this is why this method isn’t that accurate. You won’t notice it if you play alone though, but you will if you play along with songs or friends.

2. Place your finger just behind the fifth fret on the E string (second string). That’s an A note. Now when you pick the first string (A), it should sound the same. You can adjust the the second string with the tuning pegs on the headstock until they sound the same.

Can you tune a ukulele with a guitar tuner? There are a variety of guitar tuners on the market. Clip-on tuners are the most versatile tuners used for guitars that can also be used to tune a ukulele. This multi-instrument tuner is very useful for getting your ukulele tuning just right every time.

How to Tune the Ukulele with a Guitar Tuner
The issue with tuning the ukulele with the guitar tuner is just that there are several types of them. With some types you can easily do so while with others you cannot. Let’s compare tuners so you can see whether you can use the one you have and if not, you can consider getting a brand new one you can actually use with the ukulele.

Pedal Tuners

Pedal tuners are plugged in to the guitar. No microphones are necessary. These and all other types of tuners that require plugging in are not suitable for acoustic instruments such as the ukulele or the classical guitar for the obvious reason that the instruments have nowhere to plug in. This is unless you’re using an electric ukulele of course. If you have an electric or electric/acoustic ukulele you should be able to use a pedal tuner without a problem.

Non-chromatic Guitar Tuners

These tuners are not suitable to tune the ukulele either because they are designed specifically for the guitar. What they do is they try to recognize which guitar string you are playing and then tell you whether it is high or low. These tuners are designed specifically to identify the notes of the guitar’s open strings. I do not recommend these tuners to anyone and especially not to beginners.

Chromatic Tuners

These tuners, on the other hand, are capable of listening to all notes. They are designed to listen to whichever note you play and indicate which note you are closest to. By doing so it tells you whether your string is flat or sharp as compared to the desired pitch.

Clip on Chromatic Tuners

The best types of chromatic tuners for the ukulele are the ones that clip on to the head of your instrument. These are designed to attach to the ukulele like a clothes peg and feel the vibration of the note you are playing. Since these tuners work by assessing the sound vibrations, they don’t discern between instruments. And so you could use such a tuner for any type of guitar (classical, steel, bass, electric), ukulele, violin and so on.

This is the kind of tuner you should invest in. Here are some recommendations. You can see they are not that expensive and one will stay with you for many years. I’ve used one with my classical guitar for over a decade and I just changed the batteries a couple of times.

The Open Strings

Every sound you will ever make with a stringed instrument depends on the tuning of its open strings. The ukulele is no exception: every sound follows from the sound of the open strings so it is imperative that you get the tuning just right!

First of all, it is absolutely critical to understand the set up of your open strings. Take your time to read this section carefully as it is crucial to your understanding of your instrument!

Sit down with the ukulele and strum the open strings. Now, the string closest to your face (or your chin) is tuned to the note G. The one below it is a C, the one below that is an E and the thinnest one is tuned to the note A.

That should be easy enough. Now with this standard tuning, all four strings are within the same octave. In SPN (short for scientific pitch notation – a system that numbers all the possible octaves in music from 0 to 10), the octave in which the ukulele is tuned to is specifically known as the fourth octave. What is important to keep in mind is that, in SPN, a new octave begins on every new C note and so the note C4 is the lowest note in its octave.

Read that again because it is crucial: the note C4 is the lowest note in its octave!

It is important because it means that the ukulele’s lowest note is the C (what is known as the third string) and not the G (the one closest to your chin and known as the fourth string). This is a feature unique to the ukulele. In every other string instrument such as bass, guitar, violin and harp, the strings get progressively thinner and higher in pitch.
Here are the open strings of the ukulele in standard notation. Even if you do not read music, observe how it is the note C that is the lowest note but the second in line. The note G is actually the second highest.

As a beginner you might find this to be counterintuitive (and to some extent it is) but you will get used to it in no time at all. I wanted to go through that with you because it is an absolutely crucial aspect of knowing the ukulele.

Now that you know how the strings are set up, it will be time to tune them. Remember that to raise the pitch of a string, you must tighten the string and to tighten it, you must turn its tuning peg to the left. To lower the pitch of a string, you must loosen that string and to loosen it, you must turn its tuning peg to the right.

How to tune the ukulele with the keyboard

In reality, you can actually tune your ukulele with anything that produces a fixed pitch that you can compare to. In this sense, the keyboard also makes the perfect tuner (and there are many keyboard apps as well).

It is not a problem if you are not familiar with the keyboard. To orient yourself around the keys, just find the note known as the middle C. It is more or less the note C that lies in the middle of the keyboard. In SPN, that is note C4.

And as we’ve said the note C4 is the lowest sounding note of your ukulele (assuming standard tuning). The string tuned to G4 is the same sound as the fifth white key above C4; E4 is three white keys above C4 and A4 is six. Note that when counting distances between notes, the first note is always counted as number 1.

How to Use Online Ukulele Tuners
Now that we tackled the issue of guitar tuners, let me just tell you that a simple way of tuning the ukulele is online or by app. There are many good ones out there and they are quite easy to use. These tuners work in one of two basic ways: it listens to you or you listen to it. Or you can use an online ukulele tuner like this one: https://www.fender.com/online-ukulele-tuner.

In the first type, you play a note and the app listens through your microphone. It will then assess whether your string is pitched in tune. If not, it will indicate that it is either flat (meaning you need to tighten the string to raise the pitch) or it is sharp (meaning that you need to loosen the string to lower the pitch).

In the second type, the app plays for you the note and you must use your ears to make your string match the given sound. It is not too difficult to do this even for the first time. Listen to the desired pitch and just as before loosen the string to lower it or tighten it to raise it.

While these apps are helpful, the clip on chromatic tuners we mentioned are probably the best solution. They are portable and they don’t require access to the Internet or access to your microphone (and that comes in handy when you are in a noisy environment that interferes with it).

That is really all you need to know about tuning.

Conclusion

In summary, keep in mind that the tuning of the ukulele is G4 – C4 – E4 – A4 and remember that the lowest sounding string out of them is C4.

The best physical tuners are:

• Chromatic – meaning that they recognize every possible note;
• And Clip on – meaning that they attach to the head of the instrument like a clothes peg to detect the vibrations of the instrument.

You can also tune with a keyboard as long as you orient yourself around the keys using the middle C, which is also known as C4 in Scientific Pitch Notation (SPN).

And you can use the online apps as long you have access to a device, can rely on your microphone and on your own hearing.

 

What types of Ukuleles Are There?

The Sizes

ukulele sizes ukutabs

There are four main sizes in ukuleles. Soprano, concert, tenor and baritone.  The soprano is the most  common size and the smallest at 20" long.  It is the typical classic sound of ukuleles.  The next bigger is only 2 inches larger at 23", called the concert Uke.  It has more room between the frets and sounds the same pitches as the soprano, but with the bigger body, makers a richer, louder sound.  Gaining in popularity is the Tenor Ukulele, at 25" and sounds a bit like a classical guitar.  Most professionals play the Tenor size.  The largest is the baritone. It has the deepest tone, but is the least popular as it's not as portable as the others.  The tuning also differs from the other sizes, it has a more guitar-like tuning.

different ukulele woods

There are many woods used on ukuleles from: mahogany, mango, koa, rosewood, cedar, acacia… At Golden Music, we have three ukulele lines we carry, Lanikai, Kala, Mr. Mai plus Yamaha's GuitarUke...  simply hundreds of ukuleles for your to pick from!!

Can You Tune A Ukulele With A Guitar Tuner

First of all, you need to check if your Guitar Tuner is Chromatic, meaning it has all the notes, or does it have capacity for Ukulele?  The problem is that the Ukulele has a "C" string and the guitar doesn't.   Many tuners are setup for just guitar and only have the guitar strings.

Then there are some that hear the sounds easier:  there are Pedal Tuner, Clip On Tuners, and Audio Tuners.

Pedal Tuners - Pedal tuners are plugged in to the guitar. No microphones are necessary. These and all other types of tuners that require plugging in are not suitable for acoustic instruments such as the ukulele or the classical guitar for the obvious reason that the instruments have nowhere to plug in. This is unless you’re using an electric ukulele of course. If you have an electric or electric/acoustic ukulele you should be able to use a pedal tuner without a problem.

Non-chromatic Guitar Tuners - As we mentioned above:  These tuners are not suitable to tune the ukulele either because they are designed specifically for the guitar. What they do is they try to recognize which guitar string you are playing and then tell you whether it is high or low. These tuners are designed specifically to identify the notes of the guitar’s open strings. I do not recommend these tuners to anyone and especially not to beginners.

Chromatic Tuners - These tuners, on the other hand, are capable of listening to all notes. They are designed to listen to whichever note you play and indicate which note you are closest to. By doing so it tells you whether your string is flat or sharp as compared to the desired pitch.

Clip on Chromatic Tuners - The best types of chromatic tuners for the ukulele are the ones that clip on to the head of your instrument. These are designed to attach to the ukulele like a clothes peg and feel the vibration of the note you are playing. Since these tuners work by assessing the sound vibrations, they don’t discern between instruments. And so you could use such a tuner for any type of guitar (classical, steel, bass, electric), ukulele, violin and so on.

The Open Strings - Every sound you will ever make with a stringed instrument depends on the tuning of its open strings. The ukulele is no exception: every sound follows from the sound of the open strings so it is imperative that you get the tuning just right!

Sit down with the ukulele and strum the open strings. Now, the string closest to your face (or your chin) is tuned to the note G. The one below it is a C, the one below that is an E and the thinnest one is tuned to the note A.

It is important because it means that the ukulele’s lowest note is the C (what is known as the third string) and not the G (the one closest to your chin and known as the fourth string). This is a feature unique to the ukulele. In every other string instrument such as bass, guitar, violin and harp, the strings get progressively thinner and higher in pitch.t is important because it means that the ukulele’s lowest note is the C (what is known as the third string) and not the G (the one closest to your chin and known as the fourth string). This is a feature unique to the ukulele. In every other string instrument such as bass, guitar, violin and harp, the strings get progressively thinner and higher in pitch.
Here are the open strings of the ukulele in standard notation. Even if you do not read music, observe how it is the note C that is the lowest note but the second in line. The note G is actually the second highest.
Here are the open strings of the ukulele in standard notation. Even if you do not read music, observe how it is the note C that is the lowest note but the second in line. The note G is actually the second highest.

And as we’ve said the note C4 is the lowest sounding note of your ukulele (assuming standard tuning). The string tuned to G4 is the same sound as the fifth white key above C4; E4 is three white keys above C4 and A4 is six. Note that when counting distances between notes, the first note is always counted as number 1.

In summary, keep in mind that the tuning of the ukulele is G4 – C4 – E4 – A4 and remember that the lowest sounding string out of them is C4.


Golden Music Announces the Raimundo Guitar Series

In 1968, Manuel Raimundo started his own Spanish guitar workshop.  His instruments became known throughout Spain and by 1974 began offering his guitars internationally.  By 1980, Raimundo had grown to 20 craftsmen and was producing 8,000 instruments a year sold throughout Germany, France, Japan, Italy, Great Britain, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Austria.  His guitars came to the USA and Latin America in 1984.  His guitars have received many reward.  In 1998, Victor's son, Manuel joined the company and runs the day to day operations.

 

As of today, Raimundo Guitars has a staff of 29 craftsmen, many of whom have worked with Manuel for over 30 years. More than 12,000 instruments a year, of which 85% are exported all over the world, are produced and a US subsidiary has been established to distribute their guitars directly to the American market from a local facility.

         "We are very proud to say that all our guitars are and will continue to be

         made by hand, using traditional methods and following the traditional

         Spanish system inherited from a tradition that is lost in time and we

         are proud to continue to preserve.

         We like to think we’ve never done two identical instruments; each

         guitar is different from the previous one. This is our main feature:

         WE ARE ARTISANS."

 

Zen Masters, Famous Guitarists, and You

 

And now breathe in this thought as if for the first time . . . I am great . . . Just let that thought swim around in your head. I am a master. I am great. ~Kenny Werner

All you have to do to become a master guitar player is to kill yourself practicing, right? Wrong, at least according to a sizeable pantheon of Zen masters and guitar virtuosos.

Becoming a guitar master is not, as we often assume, reducible to the simple formula of blood, sweat, and tears. Sure, hard work is in order, but sometimes success comes at the end of other less tangible characteristics of the learning process.

Zen is a form of Buddhism that counsels, among other things, patience, following your gut, and effortlessness in reaching goals. Many guitarists have chosen the Zen path to enlightenment and on the way have discovered that Zen teachings have not only helped them to be happier and calmer, they’ve also assisted them in becoming better musicians.

The following are just a few of the foundation stones of painless guitar mastery.

1. Time

8-zen-teachings-to-master-the-art-of-guitar
Pat Metheny

There’s no rushing this: You need to give time to your playing. This means that you must play often and continuously.

To me, if jazz is anything, it’s a process, and maybe a verb, but it’s not a thing. ~Pat Metheny

In the same way that you learned your mother tongue, you just have to keep “talking guitar” until you’re fluent in it.

There are no true shortcuts, because the long way around is where the best learning happens.

2. Focus

Choose to play a few things well, as opposed to trying to learn how to do everything. Be aware of your limits and maximise your strengths; instead of getting hung up on something you think you should know how to do, spend time on the things that come naturally to you, because this is the music inside you trying to come out.

A chimpanzee could learn what I do physically, but it goes way beyond that. When you play, you play life. ~Jaco Pastorius

8-zen-teachings-to-master-the-art-of-guitar
Chet Atkins

Practice mindfulness. Don’t be obsessed with where you want to be as a guitarist, but rather give the best of yourself to this moment right now. Don’t be overwhelmed by the thought of how much time it will take to master the guitar—just put one foot in front of the other.

Learn to listen better, both to others and to your own guitar playing. The Uberchord app is a huge help with this, keeping you on track and easing you into improving your playing. You can start by just playing one chord mindfully and then working up to more.

A long apprenticeship is the most logical way to success. The only alternative is overnight stardom, but I can’t give you a formula for that. ~ Chet Atkins

Practice simplicity. The best music is music that uses the fewest elements needed to create an effect. Too many notes per second can really dilute the impact.

Don’t overthink. You should be involving all of yourself, heart. mind, and body, not just using your intellect

It has always been my greatest joy to explore and create my own unique thing. ~Earl Klugh

3. Determination

8-zen-teachings-to-master-the-art-of-guitar
Victor Wooten

Determination is making a decision and sticking with it. This opens you and keeps you open to anything and everything coming at you that might be of service to your guitar learning.

Never give up.

When you get discouraged, don’t voice negative thoughts.

Persist.

But don’t try too hard!

Stay on the path but walk for distance, not speed.

It’s all about sticking with the process.

There is only one reason that you ever fail at anything…and that is because you eventually change your mind. That’s it! . . . anything and everything you have ever decided to do, you have succeeded, or will succeed, at doing.
~Victor L. Wooten

4. Expression

8-zen-teachings-to-master-the-art-of-guitar
Joni Mitchel

Cultivate sensitivity— sensitivity to yourself, your fellow musicians, and your audience, but especially sensitivity to the music.

Now, express yourself.

Try to make the sound of the divine spark within you.

Be sincere and authentic, and play from your heart.

As Philip Toshio Sudo said, don’t play what you want to play— play what you were meant to play.

I thrive on change. That’s probably why my chord changes are weird, because chords depict emotions. They’ll be going along on one key and I’ll drop off a cliff, and suddenly they will go into a whole other key signature. That will drive some people crazy, but that’s how my life is.

~Joni Mitchell

5. Yin and Yang

8-zen-teachings-to-master-the-art-of-guitar
Wes Montgomery

Embrace duality. Sound and silence, highs and lows, loud and soft, teaching and being taught . . . Remember that opposites are essential parts of the whole.

This includes right notes and wrong notes. There really are no mistakes. If you think you’ve made a flub, turn into something beautiful.

I don’t know that many chords. I’d be loaded if I knew that many. But that’s not my aim. My aim is to move from one vein to the other without any trouble. The biggest thing to me is keeping a feeling, regardless what you play. ~Wes Montgomery

6. The Groove

8-zen-teachings-to-master-the-art-of-guitar
Joe Pass

This is bit hard to describe in words, even though every sincere guitarist has experienced it. It’s when you’re into the music so much that you grasp its essence. The more you’re attuned to the groove, the less things like notes, keys, and theory matter. Sure, you’re playing notes in keys according to the rules of music theory, but you’re playing them with your whole being, not just your head.

Don’t be a slave to expertise; rather embrace emptiness.

Always keep the spirit of a beginner.

Start with an empty cup again and again so that again and again you can be filled.

If you hit a wrong note, then make it right by what you play afterward. ~Joe Pass

7. Integrity

8-zen-teachings-to-master-the-art-of-guitar
Miles Davis & Robben Ford in Montreux in 1986

If you’re a sloppy thinker the six days of the week you aren’t working on your machine, what trap avoidance, what gimmicks, can make you all of a sudden sharp on the seventh? It all goes together . . . The real cycle you’re working in is a cycle called yourself. ~ Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Stand firm in yourself, in your own values and morals, no matter who’s trying to pull you in another direction. Transcend those animal impulses. Believe in yourself, believe in your music, and try to remain faithful to what you know to be true.

I don’t find a lot of people actually saying things through music any longer. They are not trying to say anything with their music, they just want to make money with it.

I think it’s important to actually say something real, something meaningful, rather than just write some trash and try to sell it. ~Robben Ford

8. Love

8-zen-teachings-to-master-the-art-of-guitar
John McLaughlin

Love your guitar. Choose it, guard it, care for it, and tune it well. When you pick it up to play, treat it as if it’s as precious as an angel’s harp. Play it with loving devotion. Use it to prepare yourself for the beautiful task of sound-making.

Love the people you play music with. Groove on their sounds and allow your guitar to respond with love.

Love your audience. Let their energy feed you and give them your energy in return. Make entertaining them an act of loving tenderness, even if you’re playing death metal.

By the end of the Sixties it was clear to me that to have an altered state of consciousness is very important . . . I didn’t want to have an altered state of consciousness by ingesting chemicals, or mushrooms, or stuff like that. This became part of my life by the end of the Sixties. ~ John McLaughlin

Love yourself. Keep yourself safe and well. Yes, tell yourself that you’re great, special, unique, and priceless, because it’s all true. But be humble.

8-zen-teachings-to-master-the-art-of-guitar
George Benson

Love your guitar, but don’t worship it. Love the music, but don’t make it your everything. Love your true self (not your selfish self) and watch your universe open up.

If you play music for the right reasons, the rest of the things will come. The right reason to play music is that you love it. ~George Benson

So get busy at becoming a master. Ditch the fear—your only obstacle is within.

So rise lightly from the earth
And try your wings
Try them now
While the darkness is invisible.
~Sun Ra

November 4, 2016 / Tagged: MUSIC INSPIRATION /

from UBERcHORDS.COM Author: 

References:

Werner, Kenny, Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within (Indiana: Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Inc., 1996)
Pirsig, Robert M., Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (Harper Collins, 2009 [orig 1974])
“John McLaughlin: Zen and the Art of Guitar Playing”, interview with Michael Longley for The Independent, 2004.*
Sudo, Philip Toshio, Zen Guitar (Simon & Schuster, 2013)
Wooten, Victor L., The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music (Berkley, 2008)

Zen and the Art of Classical Guitar

In a world that isn’t going to slow down, do something special for yourself and learn how to play classical guitar. Here is a perspective on this beautiful instrument.
Zen and the guitar
The classical guitar is an instrument that takes years to master. And this mastery never truly ends because it is something that will slowly grow over the full course of your lifetime. And this long-term approach is not a liability to the instrument it is an overpowering asset.

We live in a world of instant gratification where we get our food, our movies, our news, and practically everything else almost instantaneously. We are programmed to believe that faster is better and that the instant reward is the best reward. The classical guitar goes against all of this and penetrates straight to the heart of what being a human being is all about. It is all about the slow development of a person over the course of decades.

Much like the slow and gentle music that comes from the classical guitar so will you also be changed in a slow and gentle way. Over the years the classical guitar will be there as a companion to guide you through the changes in your life and the changes in your musical taste. This is because, much like a chameleon, it is an instrument of profound depth and variety of play. It can be comfortably played as a solo instrument, as the lead instrument in an ensemble, or as a back up instument. And it crosses all of the genres of music; easily expressing itself, and yourself, in rock, blues, classical, spanish, flamenco, pop, or any other genre you wish to explore.

There are also many less philosophical benefits such as that you will improve your eye to hand coordination, your ability to hear and appreciate music, and a new language (reading music). But don’t think of these things as goals or obstacles. They are benefits that will come to you over the course of time as you explore the possibilities of the classical guitar.

I recommend you don’t run out and buy a classical guitar right away. This goes counter to the message that I am trying to convey about this instrument. I suggest you just think about it for a few days or even a few weeks. Get a classical guitar CD from the library and give it a listen. After you have let the thought of what the guitar can do for you and how it can enrich your life then go out and get one. It will be something that will bring you enormous joy for the full course of your life.

stormcastle.com

Choosing a Brass Instrument

Choosing a Horn
The tone is affected by the material

What is the bell made of?

Because the timbre of a wind instrument is determined by the quality of the vibration of the air column that passes through it, the materials used to make a wind instrument will also have a slight effect on the timbre, in addition its shape and length.
Brass, which is an alloy consisting of copper and zinc, is more malleable (easy to work with), and corrosion resistant (resists rusting) than iron or other metals, and since it is also pleasing to the eye, it has long been the primary material used for making the bodies of brass instruments. This is what gives the brass instruments their characteristic tone.

The trumpet, trombone, horn, and other brass instruments have a range of timbre that is determined by the type of brass (determined by the relative amount of each component material) used for the bell.

Ratios of copper and zinc used in yellow brass and gold brass

Ratios of copper and zinc used in yellow brass and gold brass

  Amount of copper Timbre
Gold brass Proportionally high Generally has a broad, rich timbre
Yellow brass Proportionally low Generally has a bright, tight timbre

Sometimes a shiny white alloy consisting of copper, zinc, and nickel-called nickel silver-is used instead of brass. It is even more corrosion resistant than brass, and Kruspe horn bodies are made of this alloy. Yamaha uses a special nickel silver alloy that has a different constitution from that of common industrial nickel silver, and that has a deep, solid timbre.

Even on instruments with a gold-colored brass body, the slides, leadpipe, and other parts are sometimes made of nickel silver because of its wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant properties. This can be seen in the two-tone color of many horns.

The ratio of copper, nickel, and zinc in nickel silver

The ratio of copper, nickel, and zinc in nickel silver

The surface finish

Finished metal tubes are filed and sanded to make their surface smooth as glass, and then they are coated with a polish and buffed with a high-speed buffer to give them that beautiful metallic shine.
At last the stage, lacquer or plating is applied. The primary purpose for the lacquer or plating is to protect the metal from rust and dirt, but it also has a slight effect on the timbre of the instrument.
Lacquer seems to contribute to a solid, dark tone that projects well. Non-lacquered instruments are said to generally have a deep resonance.

Woodwinds - What Are They?

Woodwind instruments are a family of musical instruments within the more general category of wind instruments. Common examples include flute, clarinet, oboe, saxophone, and bassoon. There are two main types of woodwind instruments: flutes and reed instruments (otherwise called reed pipes).The Woodwind family does not include every instrument.   all wind instruments are woodwinds. The difference between woodwind instruments and brass instruments (the other type of wind instrument) is actually pretty simple. Woodwind instruments create variations in sound due to the instrument itself. Brass instruments change sound because of the vibrations of the musician’s lips.

The most basic woodwind instruments include reed instruments, such as the oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, and contrabassoon. There are a few non-reed instruments, too, including the flute, piccolo, and recorder. Lots of these instruments have multiple forms (such as soprano instead of alto), so there are a surprising amount of options for woodwind instruments. Bagpipes count, too, although you won’t often see those in a traditional orchestra setting. being used!

woodwind instruments

The changes in sound and tone are due to the length of the instrument. The air travels through the column of the instrument. A high frequency has a high pitch and a short column for the air, whereas the larger instruments with more column space create a lower frequency with a low pitch. Humans hear high frequencies with more sensitivity, which is why it’s easier to notice the high-pitched trill of the piccolo over the low thrum of the bassoon.  (Thanks to the folks at the University of New South Wales for explaining these concepts in a clear manner. For more details, check out their post related to the workings of woodwinds here.)

 

Put A Little Music In Your Heart

keep music in your life

What is it about music that touches our soul, evokes emotions from happiness to sadness, gets us toe-tapping and exhilarated? We asked three people who share their thoughts on why you should make music a part of your life no matter what your age. Here are their responses.

6 Awesome Benefits of Playing Music by Vincent Hill

How nice it is to listen to music. Any beat, any genre, can give you a great feeling and bring joy to your life. Other than the usual advantages that listening to music can provide, there are other benefits that you might not know. These rewards especially come when you actually play an instrument and create the music yourself.

Here are 6 reasons why you might consider learning to play an instrument, no matter what your age:

1. Helps in increasing concentration

You can improve the strength of your brain by playing different musical instruments. As you play any instrument, you will find yourself focusing and concentrating as you practice. As you learn different pieces, you will be fine tuning your ability to concentrate. This may help you with other activities in your life.

2. Generates a sense of achievement

As you play a musical instrument, the achievement that you feel after learning a piece of music is enormously satisfying.

3. Strengthens respiratory system

Wind instruments, like flute, trumpet etc., can help improve your respiratory system. The regular use of your lungs to play these instruments can help strengthen your respiratory system.

4. Sharpens your memory

As you play any musical instrument, your brain works hard memorizing notes, keeping to the beat and following the tempo. All of this helps you sharpen your memory.

Memorizing the notes to complete a music piece helps you sharpen your memory even more.

5. Enhances your social skills

Playing an instrument is a great way to become more social. You can play with others who play the same instrument or as part of a group. Or, you can play in front of an audience.
It’s said that people who play different music instruments, tend to be highly sociable. Playing in front of an audience, large or small, helps build your confidence and ability to communicate with others.

6. Promotes happiness around you

Listening to good music is relaxing and good food for the soul. When you play an instrument for others, you are sharing this happiness

If you have never played, or put an instrument aside a long time ago, why not try to play. Music can be your best escape to this very busy life.

Vincent Hill is a person who loves music and dance. He keeps himself updated about the recent music and dance trends and likes sharing his views through writing. He is currently working with Music Scanner.

Why it’s never too late to play music & WHY it’s important by Vincent James

Playing music as we get older definitely plays an important part in staying healthy. Whether we’re playing guitar, piano, accordion or almost any instrument, the mind and muscle coordination required helps keep our brains active which spills over into other areas of our life.

The old saying is “a body in motion tends to stay in motion” and I say that’s true for our minds as well. Learning (or continuing) to play an instrument in our mid-life helps keep our minds active and the focus we gain (not to mention the joy) will benefit us in our workplaces and in our family interactions.

There is also the therapeutic benefits of playing music at any age but especially as we age. As adults, we often have so many responsibilities we are handling at any given time. Playing music is a relatively inexpensive escape that takes us away from everyday life for a little while.

If you’re just starting out playing an instrument as an adult, it can seem like a challenge but if you stick with it your confidence and ability will grow. Before too long you’ll be amazed at what you can play.

My one guitar student didn’t pick up the guitar until he was 80 years young.

When I meet people in their 40s and 50s who tell me they always wish they had played an instrument, I whole heartedly encourage them to carve out a little time in their busy lives to start.

The upcoming “Teach Music America” Week, March 20 through 26, is a perfect opportunity for adults to reach out to local music schools and sign up for a complimentary intro lesson.

Even beyond that week, there are many music schools that will make this free offer or something similar so new students can start to get a glimpse of how they can pretty quickly be learning to play an instrument. Who knows, they may eventually start to hit the stage at open mics and coffeehouses where they’ll experience a brand new high that happens when playing music for an audience.

Vincent James is the founder of Keep Music Alive which is celebrating the 3rd Annual “Teach Music America Week” from Monday March 20th to Sunday March 26th, 2017 and has a participation of over 500 music schools around the United States.

The Importance of Music Therapy by Apryl Allen

Being a musician, I’ve always turned to music during difficult periods throughout my life. So, it was only natural for me, when I was unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer, to incorporate it within my healing process.

Being Native American, a Medicine Man recommended I name my cancer. He suggested I talk to it, sing to it and when it came time for surgery, tell it to leave my body and never return.

It was a fantastic visualization for me and I quickly incorporated it into my healing process. There were many unexpected and unanticipated benefits:

• Alleviated anxiety prior to and during difficult appointments, especially surgery
• Helped me sleep at night
• If I was frustrated, I’d listen to songs with lyrics that expressed my feelings. In doing so, it had a way of easing my fear of the unknown
• Sometimes I sang to the cancerous nodule as if it were a person or an illicit lover (Erased by Anne Lennox)
• Often, I’d turn to my Native Flute for comfort. Composing new materials reassured me I had a future
• The flutes tonal qualities transported me to a meditative place, in turn providing balance

Interesting fact: Prior to surgery I set time aside to say goodbye to the cancerous nodule—most importantly telling it to leave and never return. I sang, played the native flute, lit white sage, cedar and sweet grass. Afterwards, I sat quietly surrendering my mind to the stillness of life. I can only describe what I felt was similar to a muscle twitch. It happened four times at the exact location where the cancerous nodule was in my left breast.

Significant lifestyle changes that will help create an effective healing strategy

Other than music, I realized relying heavily upon my intuition during a period of the unknown is paramount to healing. I might add, after this experience I’m still learning. Most interesting, during this period, I visited the Hippocratic Oath which I found favors prevention to a cure. But how can we practice prevention when we don’t know the exact cause of cancer? That’s when the four elements came to mind.

Tapping into the elements—earth, wind, fire and water—are a vital part of health and the healing process.

• Earth: Deficiencies in Vitamin D is found to be a common factor of many diseases. Turns out its nothing for your doctor to run an annual test on your Vitamin D level during your annual exam (mine was extremely low at the time of my diagnosis).

Further, we’re all are focused on what vitamins we should be taking however, we’ve forgotten about minerals. Both play their role in prevention.

• Wind: Movement is a key factor in prevention and I’m not just speaking about exercise. Contemplate your lymphatic system which is often ignored. It’s imperative we incorporate a weekly lymphatic massage to keep this system working at its optimum capacity.

• Fire: In today’s world, we’re conditioned to ignore our feelings—especially anger. But I’m here to say it’s okay to have feelings. Allow yourself to go there; be open to them. I don’t consider myself an angry person, but suppressing this particular feeling can cause undue stress. Allow yourself to release it—EXPLODE!!! Allow your loved ones to do the same. This is where forgiveness comes into play, no one is perfect . . . allow yourself to feel.

• Water: Hydration is a fundamental component to both health and healing. Alkaline water is a good source for providing minerals too (see Earth above)

Apryl Allen is an award-winning musician, singer, songwriter, playwright, and a former Miss Arizona-USA. Allen is also a member of the Comanche Nation and is actively involved in efforts to preserve her tribe’s dying language and stories handed down. She is the author of A Tango with Cancer, published by Oray Publishing, 2016, paperback

 

FROM HEALTHYAGING.NET

 

 

Is Your Wooden Musical Instrument Prepared for the Upcoming Cold Weather?

Winter is definitely here, and temperatures have dropped all over the country. While cold weather brings all sorts of exciting things (hot chocolate, comforting food, and don’t forget about snow days!), one downside for all you musicians out there is the effect it can have on your wood instrument. Cold weather can have an impact on many different instruments, but instruments made of wood are the most susceptible (in the next paragraph you’ll find out why!). Luckily, there are several precautions you can take to keep your instrument in great shape throughout the chilly season.

How can a dip in temperature cause damage to your wood instrument?

Wood is a material that expands while in hot temperatures and high humidity and shrinks in cold temperatures and low humidity. Usually crafted out of several types of wood, this shrinking and swelling can occur in different parts of the instrument. A special “hide” glue holds wood instruments together, so that if the wood shrinks or swells too much rather than the body of the instrument breaking the glue merely shatters, minimizing more serious damage. Cold and dry conditions during winter can have a variety of consequences for your musical instrument. One of the most common is for your instrument to become out of tune more often.  Pegs on stringed instruments can also become loose when wood shrinks. These instances may be a nuisance, but both are easily remedied. Warping and cracking however are much more costly issues to fix, so it is important to learn proper seasonal care for your instrument to avoid damages.

How can I prevent these weather- related damages?

-When it is not being played, keep your instrument in its case to protect it. An in-case hygrometer can measure the humidity of your instrument to help you maintain an appropriate level (which is normally between 30-50%). You need to have a hygrometer if you use an in-case humidifier. An insulated case is also a good option.

-Make sure your instrument is stored at the right humidity levels. You may want to keep a humidifier in the area where your instrument is stored if the air is too dry (just be sure to not add too much humidity!). Do not store near drafty windows, doors, or in cold basements.

-Don’t leave your instrument in a cold vehicle overnight.

-When travelling with a wood instrument, keep it in the car with you rather than in the cold trunk.

-Store your instrument in a silk cover, which helps prevent moisture loss.

If your instrument has been exposed to freezing temperatures, carefully acclimate it to warmer temperatures. To avoid warping or cracking, do not try to heat it up quickly with a heater, warm air, or other source of heat. Pay extra attention to the condition of your instrument during fluctuating temperatures and especially during the winter weather months. If your instrument does become damaged, call us with your questions or bring it by Golden Music for an estimate and we’ll help you get back to playing in no time!

By Laura Whitlock-Nashville Band