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1500 questions
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11 answers

Do out of tune singers hear that they're off?

Is it the song "in your head" that is out of tune or is it your vocalisation of that ideal song that is off, and if so why/how? I guess what I'm asking is how is it possible to sing consistently out of tune having to fight your brain "automatically"…
Emanuel Landeholm
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16
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5 answers

Music Theory: Frequencies related to playing a note on guitar

I am studying the physics related to playing guitar. I need to understand the relationship between the fundamental frequency of a guitar string and its harmonics. For e.g., the top string has the fundamental frequency (E2~82.4hz). When one plucks…
theoryPractitioner
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16
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8 answers

What is a 13th chord?

For example an F13. How do you find the 13th note?
Christine
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16
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7 answers

What kind of effect does practicing on difficult-to-play instruments have?

To clarify the title, I'm not asking if it helps your mandolin skills to play violin (or vice versa, whichever you feel is "more difficult"). Let's say you are a guitarist: Does it help or hurt to practice on a really difficult to play guitar? For…
Mog
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4 answers

How do you play this measure on piano? Are unwritten polyrhythms a thing?

This is the measure that's confusing me: The piece is in 4/4 time, so I count 4 1/2 beats in the treble clef and 5 beats in the bass clef. I'm not sure if I've just miscounted the beats in the treble and bass clef a million times or if there's…
Vivalande
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16
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3 answers

How do you convert a major song to a minor and vice versa?

On YouTube there are a load of videos where songs have had their keys switched from major to minor and vice versa. For example, YMCA which has been edited to a minor key: So how were these videos made? How do you change the key of a song?
Beta Decay
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16
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6 answers

How do you avoid mindless practicing

I finally realize the problem, why I play the same piece over and over again to the point I want to bang my head against the wall and still not improve or feel very empty and that you haven't progressed at all. it's that I'm not practicing…
Jeffrey Tang
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16
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7 answers

Playing with other people. What should I know to do?

I've been playing guitar for a little bit over three years now. Sometimes I practice every day, in busier times a bit less, but I've been doing it regularly and know some stuff beyond the beginner level. But until now I've done it alone. And I am…
Tobitobitobi
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16
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14 answers

Why is the piano such a commonly used instrument?

Instruments are commonly compared to the piano. What is the reason for this? Does a piano allow a broader set of music to be played than is possible with other instruments? Are there types of music that are easier to play on the piano than other…
Tamara Wijsman
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16
votes
8 answers

How to predict the loudness of an amp based on description

Related question: Is there an amp power formula? When I look at amps in a shop or online, I ask myself what the amp is suitable for: Can it be played quietly enough for home use without disturbing the neighbours/sleeping wife/etc.? Is it loud…
slim
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16
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11 answers

Effects of keeping a guitar in the car

I have a sales job, and am on the road most days. I often find myself with free time between appointments and would like to take advantage of that free time by practicing guitar. I have a 3/4 size acoustic that I think would be easy enough to play…
Jemjee
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16
votes
2 answers

Glissando that ends on a flat

I have a piece that is in two flats and has a glissando that starts on G and ends on a B quarter note two octaves higher. Am I supposed to glissando on the white keys through A and then hit and hold the B flat at the end?
Sam Trost
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16
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3 answers

Are there historical or musical reasons to why the concertmaster of an orchestra is a violinist?

So far, I have found and read a number of articles about the role and duties of an orchestra concertmaster, or first violinist. There is also this possibly related question which discusses the spatial arrangement of an orchestra, with the…
nabla
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16
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3 answers

How does the piano middle pedal work? Is there a standard symbol for it?

What are the mechanics behind the middle piano pedal? I have been using the middle pedal for a variety of music, it is wonderful, but I can't figure out how it works (I mean the mechanical process). A drawing or animation would be ideal. I know…
Victor
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16
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2 answers

Important to know which note you are playing?

When I'm learning a new piece of music (for piano), I tend to read the notes each time until I know the movement for my hands by memory. At that point I don't know what note I'm playing anymore only the location on the keyboard for my fingers. So…
Stormenet
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