You don’t know? Perhaps this hint will help: it was played by the famous bandleader, the King of Swing.

Got it?

If you are thinking of the clarinet, you are correct. Like its cousins the flute, oboe, saxophone, and recorder, the clarinet belongs to the woodwind family. It is the only single-reed instrument in the symphony orchestra.

Source of inspiration

Invented by a German instrument maker named Johann Christoph Denner at the end of the 17th century, the clarinet’s distinct sound – which is more similar to the organ than to other woodwinds – had inspired quite a few great composers. For instance, Vivaldi and Hendel were the first to compose music for the clarinet. Mozart and Beethoven wrote chamber pieces for this instrument, as did later composers like Schumann and Brahms. In the 20th century, Igor Stravinsky composed Three Pieces for Clarinet Solo. And, of course, this list wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t mention one of the most popular symphonic clarinet solos in George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, which starts with a low note ascending to a high one.

Getting to know more about you…

Now that you know the basics, here are some more fun facts about the clarinet:

• Its body is most commonly made out of hard wood, usually African Blackwood, also called Grenadilla. Materials used for the mouthpiece are hard rubber (ebonite), plastic, glass, crystal, or sometimes metal.
• The clarinet’s characteristic sound is produced by the vibration of the reed and pressing down the keys.
• Quite a few famous people play (or played) this instrument. Among them: Jimmy Kimmel, Julia Roberts, Steven Spielberg, Woody Allen, and Alan Greenspan.
• There is an annual Clarinet Festival http://adec-clarinete.com/index.php/en/, as well as the Clarinet Journal published by the International Clarinet Association http://clarinet.org.

And let’s not forget one more important piece of information: if you, your child, or another member of your family would like to learn to play the clarinet, contact us for in-home music lessons.

The post It is All Set: Play the Clarinet! appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

But – as you will see in a minute – in the expert hands of rock, swing, funk, jazz, blues, and country musicians, this instrument’s pitch may be an octave lower than a regular guitar, but it certainly sounds nothing like a scream!

Once upon a time…

The history of the bass guitar can be traced back to the beginnings of electronics and amplification in the 1930s. That’s when a Settle inventor Paul Tutmarc created the modern version of the electric bass. The first models were big and fretless, but later smaller fretted basses that could be played horizontally were produced. It became easier for bass players to transport and handle their instruments, but Tutmarc’s models never quite caught on. Electric bass experienced a revival of sorts in the 1950s. That’s when famed manufacturer Leo Fender brought his pioneering model, Fender Precision Bass, to the market. It remains, to this day, among the top selling and most imitated bass guitars.

Slick moves

As we mentioned before, electric bass is very popular among many musicians. Paul McCartney played it beautifully , as did The Who’s John Entwistle , Rolling Stones’ Ron Wood , Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones , and many other talented bassists, too numerous to mention here. But if you thought that the electric bass is the exclusive domain of male guitarists, think again. There are, in fact, quite a few female musicians who excel at playing this instrument. They may not be household names, but they are clearly gifted. Among them: D’Arcy Wretzky, one of the original members of the Smashing Pumpkins , Gail Ann Dorsey , who accompanied the late David Bowie, Meshell Ndegeocello , and many others. If you want to learn to play this cool instrument, you can follow Paul McCartney’s tutorial . But, let’s be real, the chance that Sir Paul himself will come to your house to teach you the correct bass guitar playing technique is slim to none. On the other hand, our teachers do offer excellent in-home music lessons – so pick us!

The post Electric Bass: An Instrument You Can Pick At appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

 Think trumpet and your mind will likely conjure up images of the great Louis Armstrong playing this instrument with such skill, mastery, and passion. There were and still are many accomplished trumpeters – Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis among them – but for many people Armstrong will forever remain the most famous of them all. As he himself said, “My whole life, my whole soul, my whole spirit is to blow that trumpet.”

By the time Armstrong and his contemporaries like Freddie Keppard started to play the trumpet at the beginning of the 20th century, the instrument had been – in different forms – around for a long time.

Of mice and (great) men

Long before the trumpet joined the brass family of instruments, which also includes the tuba, the trombone, the cornet and the euphonium, it was just a primitive device used by ancient civilizations like the Greeks and the Egyptians (in fact, pictures of the trumpet were found in King Tut’s tomb). In those days, trumpets were made from animal horns or shells, a far cry from the brass and copper used today. They also didn’t have valves or keys. However, their primary purpose was to signal or announce various events rather than play music, so the primitive construction was in line with the needs. Trumpets were also used as “war” tools – not exactly in the same way as actual weapons, but, rather, to send signals on battlefields. This was, needless to say, a dangerous job, because the enemy would target the trumpeter to prevent him from signaling to his army. And, though we hesitate to mention this in the same breath as the great Louis Armstrong, this instrument was also used to herald the arrival of the Mighty Mouse: “So let the trumpet players play, For Mighty Mouse is here today!” Just saying!

Bring on the music!

It wasn’t until the 18th century that the trumpet became a bona-fide musical instrument when a famous composer of that era, Joseph Haydn , wrote the Trumpet Concerto in E flat major/ In the following century, due to improvements in its build and sound, such as addition of the valves enabling the trumpet to play the chromatic scale evenly, the trumpet had become an orchestral instrument. However, the trumpet’s heyday, especially in the United States, happened with the advent of jazz. In the early decades of the 20th century, jazz ensembles used the trumpet as the lead instrument because it was the loudest of the lot! Today, there are several varieties of trumpets for different musical scales. The most common of them is the B-flat trumpet; other types include the F, D, E, G and the smaller C trumpet .

Blow your own trumpet!

“He seems determined to make a trumpet sound like a tin whistle,” a Welsh politician, Aneurin Bevan, once observed. We don’t know who Bevan was referring to, but we are guessing that the player in question either didn’t take lessons or didn’t practice enough. If you like a high-energy, vibrant and powerful sound that can play all types of music – classical, rock, pop, soul, and, of course, jazz – then a trumpet is for you. Are you ready to start learning but don’t know where? Hey Joe Guitar Is synonymous with top-of-the-line music lessons: one of our teachers will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale residence or work place, and teach you or a family member to play the trumpet – or any other instrument for that matter. Private music lessons are the best way to ensure your trumpet sounds…like a trumpet, and not like a tin whistle!

The post With the Trumpet, It’s Always a Wonderful World appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

“What do a saxophone and a baseball have in common? 
People cheer when you hit them with a bat!” As jokes go, this may not be the best one ever, but we thought we’d start off with a bit of levity. We would like to make it clear, however, that we at Hey Joe Guitar do not approve of the saxophone being used in the same way as a baseball bat. Needless to say, if you use this instrument for purposes other than music, you will never hit a home run!

What’s age got to do with it?

No, Tina Turner doesn’t, to our knowledge, play the sax. But speaking of age, the saxophone is – relatively speaking – a new kid on the block. While the guitar, recorder, drums, piano and many other musical instruments trace their origins to the Middle Ages, or even pre-history, the saxophone was invented only in the mid-19th century. However, in more than 160 years since this late bloomer emitted its first baby sound, it has conquered all styles of music and won the hearts (and ears) of musicians and music fans around the world. Saxophones come in a variety of sizes and types, from the highest pitch to the lowest: the soprano, alto, tenor, and the baritone. They also have different sizes and shapes, adapted to the age and the skill level of the player.

What’s in the name?

When it comes to the saxophone, the derivative of the instrument’s name is simple and straightforward: it bears the name of its inventor, Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax. Like so many other inventions, the saxophone was borne out of sheer necessity – at least the necessity to Sax’s sensitive ears. He noted that orchestras of his time were missing a sound that would be as crisp as the bass section and as soft as the woodwinds. So he went on to fill that void by constructing, in 1846, the world’s first saxophone. The new instrument made its official debut in Paris, in Chant Sacre , which French composer Hector Berlioz wrote especially for the saxophone. Berlioz conducted the performance, while Adolphe Sax played. The saxophone first came to America in 1853, when French saxophonist Henri Wuille gave a series of concerts here. But it was only at the dawn of the 20th century, with the advent of new musical styles, that the saxophone grew in popularity.

Jazzing it up

The sax was only a few decades old when rag, blues, jazz and rock started to emerge on the music scene. The instrument proved to be a perfect match for all these genres. John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Lester Young, Sonny Rollins, and Kenny G are just a few of hundreds of talented saxophonists and jazz legends of the past and present. Interestingly enough, Lester Young’s nickname was “Prez,” long before a real “Prez” showed off his talents with a sax: Bill Clinton played his favorite instrument throughout his two terms in the Oval Office, saying he had kept up the craft because his day job as the commander-in-chief didn’t offer him enough security!

Sax in the city

The great Charlie Parker once said: “Don’t play the saxophone. Let it play you.” Here’s our recommendation: unless you are as gifted and accomplished as Parker was (and most people clearly aren’t in his league), then you do have to take lessons and learn to play the sax before you allow it to “play” you. Contact us and one of our excellent teachers will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office and give you sax lessons – as we do for many other instruments, big and small. You may not end up with better baseball skills, but your (musical) pitch will be much improved!

The post Ah, the Never-Ending Joy of Sax! appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

First things first: if you like soft and mellow music, drums are definitely not for you – though a violin, flute, cello, as well as other strings and woodwinds, will fit the bill.

But if you prefer the strong rhythmic “pa rum pum pum pum” sounds, drums are a terrific choice. You might have to buy earplugs for your family and placate the neighbors, but at least you’ll be mastering the very cool art of drumming, and you really can’t…beat that!

Powerful and bold

To an untrained person, music emitted by this instrument – that has nothing in common with the drum that lives in your ear – may sound like a lot of haphazard noise. We can assure you that it is neither haphazard nor merely a “noise.” As percussion instruments, drums can be loud, but that’s because there is nothing meek or subdued about them. Just as people who are energetic and exuberant are usually louder than their more timid counterparts, the drums too can be noisier than many other instruments in a band or an orchestra. This fact was very well expressed in a poem by Walt Whitman: “Through the windows – through doors – burst like a ruthless force.” And then: “So fierce you whirr and pound, you drums!” So perhaps you should think of the drum as an instrument with an attitude, one that likes to come across loud and clear! Another misconception you may have heard is that playing drums doesn’t require much training – just pick up the drumsticks (not to be confused with chicken legs), and start hitting. That is not true – it takes a lot of skill (not to mention strength and hand coordination) to get just the right sound out of this instrument. As Tony Williams , regarded as one of the most influential jazz drummers of the 1960s described it: “Playing fast around the drums is one thing. But to play music, to play with people for others to listen to, that’s something else. That’s a whole other world.”

From tree trunks to (not a heavy) metal

The forefather of the modern drum set was likely a small cylindrical instrument used as far back as 3000 BC. Throughout history, different variations of the drum played – no pun intended – a pivotal role in religious and social rituals and ceremonies. These early drums were often made from hollow tree trunks with animal skins stretched over them, a far cry from the modern percussion instruments most commonly made from steel, aluminum, brass, or bronze. Interestingly enough, sounds of drums and trumpets set the mood (mostly that of impending gloom) in many of Shakespeare’s plays. In the late 19th century, after the bass drum pedal was invented, drum kits, which usually included a bass drum, side and tenor drums, tom toms, as well as various cymbals, allowed a drummer to play several instruments at once. These sets of various toned drums were also used in marching, parade, and military bands – a tradition that lives on to this day. And of course, drums are an integral part of jazz, rock, and heavy metal bands, including various branches of these genres.

The beat will go on!

Here’s something you should know: drums not only create music, but are also good for your health and fitness: half an hour of vigorous playing can burn up to 270 calories! So would you like to march to the beat of your own drum? Our teachers will be happy to…drum the music into you! What we mean to say is that we will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office and give you (or your child) great lessons. In no time at all, you will be singing this tune by a British indie band, Florence and the Machine:

“There’s a drumming noise inside my head. Louder than sirens Louder than bells Sweeter than heaven.”

The post Beat it, and Drum Up Some Great Music! appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

First things first: the upright bass is NOT a vertical violin or a cello. And – need we even say it – it is NOT a fish that somehow manages to stand up on its tail!

In fact, there is absolutely nothing “fishy” about this instrument, even if it has many aliases: the double bass, string bass, bass fiddle, contrabass, bass viol, or stand-up bass. By whatever name you choose to call it, the upright bass (pronounced “base”) lends its “voice” to many kinds of music genres and has the distinction of being the largest and the lowest-sounding instrument in an orchestra’s string section, adding deepness and richness to the beautiful cacophony of sounds. Although the upright bass is mostly a “background” instrument, it certainly plays well with others!

A giant among strings

If you’ve never seen an upright bass, you might be surprised that it stands six feet tall. Not quite tall enough for the NBA, but certainly taller than a lot of people (and instruments). As a matter of fact, when Elvis Presley was just starting out and playing gigs in various towns, his bassist used to attach this instrument to the roof of their car – not something we would recommend! By the way, you don’t have to play the double bass standing up – just because it is upright doesn’t mean you have to be. Some bassists sit on stools – whatever works best. We are not sure who invented the upright bass or when; some historical accounts claim it was a violin maker Gasparo di Salo in 1580, while others attribute it to another Italian, double bass virtuoso and composer, Domenico Dragonetti, at the end of the 18th century. One fact that is not in dispute is that early versions of this instrument typically had five or six strings; later on, three-stringed basses were in use. (Today, four strings are the norm). One of the most prominent bassists of the 19th century was Italian composer and conductor Giovanni Bottesini. Apparently, his big double bass became a laughing stock of other musicians, but Bottesini found a way to put an end to the mockery. As he wrote in 1877: “When their derision became too much to bear, I dispatched one of them with my bow and boggled the others with my technical proficiency.” Maybe he should have just told them that his instrument was larger than theirs, and could beat up all the other strings! Usually, however, all the strings get along well in an orchestra, making a truly beautiful music together.

A versatile instrument

More than 200 concertos have been written for the upright bass, and it was also featured in many passages – Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Igor Stravinsky’s ballet Pulcinella , and Benjamin Britten’s opera A Midsummer Night’s Dream, among others. However, the upright bass is versatile enough to be used in various genres of music, besides the classical one. They fit in well in chamber ensembles, rock and roll and jazz bands, as well as rhythm and blues. Jimmy Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Cat Stevens and Sting are among the musicians who played the bass at one time or another. As jazz musician and double bassist Charlie Haden noted, “No matter what kind of music you’re playing, the bass enhances the sound and makes it more beautiful and full.”

Stand up to the challenge!

Do you want to learn to play an upright bass but are unsure whether you are tall enough? When it comes to this instrument, the size does matter, but don’t worry- there are four sizes to choose from: 1/4 size – It measures 37.4 inches and is recommended for children. 1/2 size – 40.2 inches tall, and suitable for older children or adults who don’t exceed five feet four inches in height. 3/4 size – It measures 43.7 inches and is most commonly used by musicians. 4/4 size – At 45.7 inches it is the largest but very few musicians can play it (who knows, you may be the exception!) Whether you choose an upright bass or any other instrument, one of our excellent teachers will be happy to come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office and give you lessons. And if you are concerned that you will be laughed out of the music community, follow Giovanni Bottesini’s example: dazzle them with your technical proficiency!

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There are not many musical instruments out there whose names are as difficult to pronounce as “ukulele.” So before you start learning to play it, practice to say: “U-K-U-L-E-L-E.” Although the name might be somewhat of a tongue twister (perhaps because it comes from the Hawaiian language), ukulele is easy to play, tune, and handle.

But the simplicity of this small stringed instrument doesn’t mean that it has not been appreciated by professional musicians and performers: The Beatles’ Paul McCartney and George Harrison were ukulele aficionados, as well as Arthur Godfrey, Eric Clapton, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam – who recorded an album called “Ukulele Songs” , Tiny Tim and (not surprisingly), Don Ho, among many others. However, you don’t have to tiptoe through the tulips or dance hula to get the most out of your ukulele.

Aloha, Hawaii!

As we said, ukulele came to the mainland from Hawaii, where its predecessor, a small guitar-like instrument known as “braguinha” or “cavaquinho” made its first appearance in 1879, brought over by Portuguese sailors. It was soon modified to resemble the modern-day ukulele, reaching popularity in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. As a matter of fact, because of its portability, it was often used at the height of Jazz Age, when ukulele chord tablature started to be included into the sheet music for that era’s most popular songs. Given the instrument’s origin, it is perhaps not a coincidence that the most prominent ukulele musicians of the 20th century hailed from Hawaii: Ernest Ka’ai, the first Hawaiian-born virtuoso ukulele player; Bill Tapia, the innovator of “ ukulele jazz ” Jake Shimabukuro, “Hendrix of ukulele;” and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, known for his beautiful ukulele rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Identity crisis?

Okay, so we may be a bit dramatic here, so let us explain: quite often, non-musicians mistake the ukulele for a miniature (or a child’s) version of a guitar. The two instruments do look alike, but they are not the same. What distinguishes one from the other? Ukulele has less range than a guitar. It is not played with a pick. It emits a totally different sound – higher and sharper. It is cheaper than a guitar in all sizes – starter, midrange, and professional. It is easier to learn for a novice musician because the ukulele has four strings (to the guitar’s six) and, therefore, has fewer notes to remember. Ukulele has only nylon strings, whereas the guitar sometimes comes with steel ones. Hey, we are not dissuading you from learning to play the mighty guitar (that would be like shooting ourselves in the foot), but we just want to point out that a ukulele has lots of merits and charm of its own.

Start strumming!

Need another compelling reason to pick up a ukulele? Warren Buffet plays one! No, we can’t guarantee that mastering the ukulele will put you on the Forbes list of world’s richest people, but look at the bright side: you don’t have to be a billionaire (or a millionaire, for that matter), to start playing. In fact, the ukulele is quite affordable – several models are priced for less than $200. Are you ready to start learning? No problem, we will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office and give you lessons (as we do for many other instruments). By the way, going back to the instrument’s quirky name: in Hawaiian, “ukulele” means “a jumping flea,” reportedly because the fast-moving fingers on the strings reminded Hawaiians of the leaping insect. (Don’t ask us why!) Whether you associate the ukulele with the jumping fleas or beautiful music it makes, contact us so we can get started. And that’s one message that is not lost in translation!

The post With the Ukulele, You Can Bring the Sounds of Hawaii Right Into Your Home appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

As musical instruments go, the accordion is a happy little fella. It may not have the elegance of the violin, the sophistication of the piano, or the smooth sound of the saxophone, but it is – no pun intended – an upbeat and cheerful instrument that makes people want to get up and dance.

Even though the accordion has been widely used in all kinds of music, it is most commonly associated with the lively “oom pah pah” rhythms –polkas , waltzes , and other buoyant sounds.

A barrel of fun

It is perhaps fitting that an instrument that conjures up images of Oktoberfest, lederhosen and beer steins, originated in German-speaking countries. Though the earliest designs for this woodwind / free reed instrument were credited to the ancient Chinese, the accordion as we know it today was first invented in 1822 by a German instrument maker Christian Friedrich Ludwig Buschmann; seven years later, an Austrian organ and piano manufacturer, Cyrill Demain, patented an updated version. German immigrants who settled in Texas introduced this instrument to America in the mid-19th century. While these migrant farm workers used to play polkas and waltzes, Mexican laborers who heard it, played this instrument to accompany their lively folk dances. In fact, one of the most prominent Mexican-born accordion players of the first half of the 20th century, Narciso Martinez , was considered to be the “father” of a tejano style of accordion music known as “conjunto” – played in a group. With time, as the accordion music became more popular across America, it found its place in the Big Band orchestras, Latin and Cajun music, rock and roll, blues, and folk – as a matter of fact, it is fair to say that this instrument fit well into a variety of genres.

A-one, a-two

When you hear words like “champagne music,” “polka,” and “wholesome fun, “chances are (especially if you are over 40) that you think about Lawrence Welk and his long-running TV show (as we said, you really do have to be the other side of 40 to remember this, or else be a TV nostalgia buff.) Son of, appropriately enough, German immigrants, Welk learned to play the accordion as a young boy, a skill he showcased frequently on his long-running show, often accompanied by his accordionist, Myron Floren Welk used to tell a story about how, as a youngster growing up in a poor North Dakota family, he convinced his father to buy him a mail-order accordion for what was back then $400, equivalent to about $4,600 today. To repay this sum, he promised his father to work on the family farm until he turned 21, a promise that he had lived up to. It is clear that Welk was dedicated to learning the accordion. Are you?

We’ll leave it …in your hands!

Okay, so you may not live on a farm in North Dakota (neither do we), or even wish to make a career out of playing polkas, but you probably agree with us that the accordion is a friendly, likeable, and versatile instrument. Why is that? Because you can learn not only to play music on it, but also melody, accompaniment, and rhythm – all from one instrument! Ready to start? Our music lessons are at your service. Just contact us and one of our accordion teachers will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office and teach you. You will soon find out that playing this instrument is, in Lawrence Welk’s memorable words, “wunnerful, wunnerful.”

The post Go Ahead, Give the Accordion a Good Squeeze! appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

Last month we posted a blog about how some vintage instruments have increased in value over the past decades. Now, we’d like to talk about the musical instruments that are currently considered to be the most expensive in the world and, who knows, maybe even in the entire universe!

Not surprisingly perhaps, in the first place is “The Hammer” violin by who else but Antonio Stradivari. It is so named because it was once owned by a 19th century Swedish collector named Christian Hammer. In 2006, this gem was sold at an auction to an anonymous bidder for over $3.5 million, the highest price ever paid for a Strad. Let’s look at some other highly-priced instruments, all of which just happen to be strings.

Rare and beautiful

It may not be quite as pricey as the Hammer Strad, but Eric Clapton’s Fender Stratocaster guitar is not exactly a bargain either. The instrument he named “Blackie,” which was built in the 1950s and was previously used by legendary musicians like Buddy Holly, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Jimi Hendrix, is valued at $959,500. “Blackie” is the most costly guitar but not the only expensive one. In 1930, the renowned guitar maker C.F. Martin and Company manufactured 15 pieces of the OM-45 Deluxe model. One of them was owned by the “singing cowboy” Roy Rogers, who eventually sold the instrument in 2009 for the price that exceeded all estimates – a whooping $554,500! Only slightly cheaper was the price of the rare viola manufactured by the renowned 16th century instrument maker Gasparo Bertolotti da Salo. One of his violas (he only made 60 during his lifetime) recently sold for $542,000. Let’s move on to the violoncello created by the 18th century Italian luthier Gennaro Gagliano: in 2009, this instrument was sold at an auction for $362,500. And then there is the violin made in 1701 by another well-known Italian instrument maker, Carlo Giuseppe Testore. It recently sold for $218,500. These are just some examples of very valuable and expensive musical instruments. There are several more.

We won’t string you along!

Needless to say, the vast majority of musicians and music students have probably never seen such rare and expensive instruments. But the good news is that you don’t have to own a Stradivari, Bertolotti, Gagliano, or Testore in order to appreciate your instrument and become proficient in music. Whether you play one of the above-mentioned strings, or any other instrument, one of our teachers will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office to give you lessons.

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License.

The post With Manhattan Music Lessons, All Instruments are Valuable appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

Do you ever wonder why there haven’t been, until the 20th century, any great female cellists? Or why we don’t know of any women in history who became famous for playing the double bass? Why was there such a gender inequality? Because straddling the legs around instruments like the cello and double bass had once been considered not only unfeminine but also immoral.

The same guardians of morality also proclaimed other instruments to be unsuitable for women: the horn, recorder, flute, bassoon, oboe, and trumpet were off-limits since they would look indecent in the mouth of a woman. And the taboos didn’t stop with the instruments. Certain playing positions were also seen as immoral for decent ladies. For instance, distorting the face in order to play a wind instrument was a definite “no-no.” Isn’t it incredible that such crazy rules dominated the world of music in days gone by?

“Feminine” instrument

Fortunately, one instrument has long been judged suitable for females: the pianoforte and its descendant, the piano. Nothing about the body position or style of playing was found objectionable, which may be the reason why women composers who went down in history, such as Marianne Martinez (1744 – 1812), Fanny Mendelsshon (1805-1847) and Clara Schumann (1819 – 1896), were pianists. In fact, during the 1800s, mastering the piano was de rigueur for well-born women. As this recent, very interesting article points out, “Piano instruments were considered the feminine musical instrument ‘par excellence’ in the 19th century, to the extent that it became a norm in this period for all women belonging to the bourgeoisie and upper classes to have a decent command of the instrument.” The article goes on to quote a mid-19th century Norwegian author who said, “No cultured house should be without a pianoforte… No Lady, who wish to be a Lady, can admit to not being able to play the pianoforte, and no Gentleman can allow its disregard.” Maybe that’s why such genteel 19th century women as Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen, and the Bronte sisters all played this instrument.

Oh, how times have changed…

Fortunately, gender bias, especially when it comes to musical instruments, is a thing of the past. These days, boys AND girls, men AND women, can choose to play any instrument at all. The only guidelines that apply are the students’ own interests, not outdated social or cultural conventions. Whether you (or your child) are male or female, just contact us and we’ll send one of our truly amazing teachers to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office to give you lessons. We believe in letting bygones be bygones!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons Licence.

The post At Manhattan Music School, We are Unbiased About Instruments appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

ion] A few years ago, researchers from the University of South Brittany found that women are attracted to men who carry guitars (leave it to the French to come up with a study like that!) You can read whatever you wish into these findings, but to us they indicate that playing an instrument – in this case, the guitar – is an appealing trait.

This made us think of all the musicians – too many to mention here – who not only excel at guitar playing, but also are emotionally attached to their instruments. It’s no surprise, really, given the important role the guitar plays in their lives – it is an outlet for their creativity, ideas imagination, and feelings. In fact, some musicians are so intertwined with their guitars that they give them names, simply because their relationship with their instruments is so close and personal.

He loved Lucy

In 1968, Eric Clapton gifted George Harrison with a red Gibson Les Paul guitar the Beatle named “Lucy.” He played the instrument for five years, including in the promotional video for the song “Revolution.” But in 1973, Lucy suffered a terrible tragedy: stolen from Harrison’s home, it was held hostage by a Mexican musician. After lengthy negotiations, the Beatle traded his Les Paul sunburst and a Fender Precision Bass for Lucy’s safe return. He kept her close until his death in 2001. Lucy is not to be confused with “Lucille,” the name B.B. King gave to his guitars. Throughout his long career that spanned more than half a century, the blues singer owned many Lucilles. And though it was not a one-of-a-kind instrument like Harrison’s Lucy, each guitar was, nevertheless, King’s faithful companion. Here are some other famous musicians and their beloved guitars: Eric Clapton’s “Blackie” and “Brownie ” Willie Nelson’s “Trigger ” Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “First Wife ” David Gilmour’s “Black Strat ” And many others.

Pulling on (heart) strings!

We are happy to have had this opportunity to showcase famous guitars, especially since April is the International Guitar Month. Of course, most of us don’t own iconic guitars, but that shouldn’t keep anyone from learning to play this string instrument. We have many excellent guitar teachers at our school and we can send one to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office for a lesson. And even though your guitar is just a “regular” instrument, you can “baptize” it! Whether you name it Emma or Ralph, or give it any other moniker, you two can be BFFs!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons Licence.

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Have you ever wondered why some musical instruments emit clear sounds, while others play off-key? Lack of tuning may be one reason, and careless handling of the instrument and not taking proper care of it, another. However, one reason that may not have crossed your mind is…varnish. As this very interesting article relates, a Swiss study has shown that (at least for violins), varnish’s chemical composition, thickness, and degree of penetration into the wood affects the acoustics of the instrument.

This made us think of the role materials used in the production of instruments play (no pun intended) on how that instrument sounds.

Sound quality

Do premium materials produce a premium sound? To answer this question, scientists and instrument makers continually test both traditional and new materials. The only consensus seems to be that the effect of the instrument’s material on acoustics varies from instrument to instrument. They have found that while the quality of material has an effect on sound generation in some instruments in others it doesn’t, at least to the same extent. For instance, the material (and not just the varnish) used to build the violin is very important, because its body produces the sound. In the clarinet, on the hand, it is less important because the sound is generated by the inside air column and material plays lesser – if any – role. The same seems to be true of other woodwinds as well.

Pure and simple

For obvious reasons, professional musicians like to have instruments built from the best possible materials. But what about “regular” people? We are guessing most can’t afford the very finest instruments, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from learning to play. In fact, what’s important for most students of music is that their instruments – whether brass, strings, woodwinds, or percussions – “feel” and sound right. But beautiful sound doesn’t just happen: as stated above, you must care for and protect your instruments, especially in very hot and cold temperatures. Neglect can damage even the most expensive materials! Whether your instruments are made from the “noble” or just “ordinary” materials, our teachers will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office all the same and teach you to play.

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If you own a musical instrument, chances are it is a “regular” one that you purchased or received as a gift. And it is also more than likely that the instrument is only a few years old, or even newer. Of course, you might be one of the lucky people who own an old and valuable instrument. If that’s the case, it may be worth big bucks.

Maybe you have an old instrument in your attic or storage that you once played and never thought of again, or one that you bought at a bargain price at a yard sale but forgot all about it? Well, you’d better have a second look at it because some vintage instruments are worth thousands of dollars.

A cash cow in your attic

The good news is that these instruments can be quite “ordinary,” that is, they don’t have to be made by famous manufacturers. This guide lists some of the instruments that a lot of musicians and collectors are looking for: If you own a Stradivarius violin, you can probably quit your job and live in the lap of luxury. But Strads are not the only strings that are valuable. Early- to mid-19th-century Italian violins, which could still be purchased in the 1950s for a few thousand dollars, are now worth 10 times as much. Let’s move on to other instruments. Do you happen to own a pre-1945 Martin and Gibson acoustic guitar? If so, you are in luck – between 1920s and early 1940s, these companies took advantage of advances in engineering and construction to build excellent guitars, before shifting to different manufacturing methods to meet the increasing demand for this instrument. As it so often happens, quantity prevailed over quality, and the prewar models remain in demand. Speaking of guitars, some accessories are also worth a good deal of money, such as amps containing glass vacuum tubes. Many of today’s musicians prefer the warm, rich sound of an old tube amp over the newer ones. Last, but not least, if you own Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos from the 1960s and 1970s, you have a great collectible on (or under) your hands. These instruments have physical hammers like acoustic pianos and electrical pickups like electric guitars, which fell out of fashion in the 1980s in favor of electronic synthesizers. All this goes to prove that old instruments don’t die out; they just are more in demand!

A good value

Of course, you don’t have to own one of the above-mentioned relics in order to play music. Whatever functional instrument you have, one of our teachers will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office to give you lessons. But you may want to hold on to your instrument and treat it well because one day it could be worth its weight in gold!

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Far too many people think of music as serious and solemn. In many cases it is, but music can also be light-hearted and even humorous. The same can be said for musical instruments. True – anything that is capable of emitting such beautiful sounds deserves our utmost respect and reverence. But that doesn’t mean that these instruments cannot be used in creative and funky – albeit slightly unconventional -ways.

What do we mean? Read on and find out!

Be amused!

Let’s start with the piano. The “normal” way to play this instrument is by sitting down and hitting the keys with the fingers. But that doesn’t mean that nothing else will do. Take a look at how these two individuals manage to make beautiful music without the use of their hands. Should you jump on your piano keyboard and play with your feet? Probably not, but it’s fun to watch others do it! Now, if you think strings are only for mellow music, you are in for surprise! Both the violin and the cello can emit some “quarrelsome” sounds when put them into the right (or wrong?) hands. But not all strings want to do battle; most just want to play nicely together, as this ukulele orchestra demonstrates. And in case you are wondering whether it is possible to have a fun experience with instruments like the accordion or the harmonica, the answer is YES! Just look at these two examples . Of course, some instruments (and orchestras) are really funky and wacky , but still capable of making some cool music!

Any instrument

We hope that all the above videos have inspired you to start music lessons. We won’t tell you that we will teach you to play on beer bottles, because we won’t. We have a feeling that this mostly a self-learned skill. However, our teachers can certainly come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office and give you lessons on any of the above-mentioned musical instruments: the accordion, ukulele, piano, violin, cello, harmonica, and many others. And while we are very serious about our lessons, we also believe that music education should be an enjoyable experience.

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Are you one of those people who believe in the saying “there is nothing new under the sun” or “everything that can be invented has been invented?” We hope not, because new things are being created every day, proving that there is plenty of new stuff under the sun (or at least on this earth).

Obviously, we can’t list all the inventions here and now, so let’s focus on just one category, which should come as no surprise to anyone: musical instruments. As much as we love the existing instruments, we are always excited to hear about all the cool ones that are being created.

The shape of things to come

Last month, scores of new instruments were unveiled at the annual National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) exhibit held in Anaheim, CA. Some truly interesting inventions were presented. Are they really new and different? NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond says they are: “Some products at the NAMM Show are so beyond the cutting edge they’re on the bleeding edge!” You be the judge – here are some of them (and we hasten to add that this is in no way an endorsement of any kind; we list these instruments here for informational purposes only). Electric violins: Yamaha’s YEV violin series features an all-wood construction, instead of plastic or other material, and a sleek design. 660 Guitar: A 7-pound guitar made entirely of aircraft aluminum with a carbon-fiber neck, the company’s guitar is practically indestructible and, according to its manufacturer, 660 Guitar, its sound is just as good as any high-end wooden guitar. Occulus Rift Virtual Reality Drum Set: Air-drumming instrument uses that uses a computer and motion-capture technology to create a functional-but-invisible drum set. But while we marvel at all these super-duper inventions, let’s not forget that the musical instruments, which are now considered as “conventional” were once, in centuries past, just a vision or an idea in their inventors’ minds.

Back to the basics

It’s always fun to see what the music industry comes up with in way of new instruments and gadgets. We like to see what the future holds, though it is impossible to predict which novelties will become part of the mainstream. Perhaps back in 1700, musicians also wondered whether the new-fangled instrument known as the pianoforte, invented just that year by Italian craftsman Bartolomeo di Francesco Cristofori, would ever replace the harpsichord? This is what we do know: at Hey Joe Guitar, we teach the instruments that have been around for a long time: the guitar, piano, violin, flute, and many others. Whichever of the (already existing) instruments you’d like to learn, one of our teachers will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home of office to give you as lesson!

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Did you know that the world-famous Steinway Piano Company was founded right here in New York in 1853, in a loft on Manhattan’s Varick Street? If you are curious to see how these elegant instruments are put together, you can go on a tour of Steinway’s factory in Queens.

And that brings us to the topic du jour: September is the National Piano Month, dedicated to this elegant instrument that has contributed so much to the development of music, both classical and modern. This is also a great occasion to talk about the piano, which continues to be one of the most popular instruments in the world. There is a good reason for that: this instrument is versatile and can be used to play different styles of music. Think of the piano as a “gentle giant:” its takes up a lot of room, weighs between 400 and 1,000 pounds, has over 12,000 parts – 10,000 of which are moving – 200 to 250 strings, as well as 88 keys. But oh – what beautiful music this mighty instrument is capable of producing!

Proud history

It seems like the piano has been around for a long time – and it has. But before an Italian instrument maker Bartolomeo Cristofo created the piano in the 17th century, many composers (including Bach) played on a look-alike instrument called the harpsichord . Over the next centuries, composers like Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Chopin, and many others, created the most beautiful, emotionally stirring piano concertos , sonatas , and other pieces of music. Later, different styles of music– including jazz , pop , rock , and other genres – took over the piano as well. And though the piano is such a “grand” instrument, it lends itself to some musical whimsies as well!

Let your fingers do the…playing

We hope that all the above exampled have inspired you (or your child) to start taking piano lessons. If you are nervous about having to strap your piano on your back and schlep it across town – don’t. Our teachers will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office – wherever your instrument happens to live. They won’t haul their own pianos but they will certainly teach you how to tickle the ivories on yours!

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Here is one question you probably don’t ask yourself very often (if at all): are you a drum, piano or violin? Or perhaps you are a flute or ukulele? The reason we are urging you to ask (and answer) this question is simple: if you (or your child) are thinking about taking up music lessons but are not sure which instrument to learn, it is a good idea to reflect upon which one would fit your personality best.

This is not an exact science so please don’t sue us if you happen to end up with an instrument that you or your teacher consider unsuitable – though please keep in mind that there is no such thing as a “bad” musical instrument; it may not fit your personality but it is a good match for others.

Satisfy your personality

There are several criteria for choosing an instrument: the age and size of the player are first and foremost. An instrument that “grows” with your child – such as the guitar, violin, flute or recorder are good choices. Also to be taken into consideration are the player’s physical capabilities: does she or he have flexibility, agility, and coordination to correctly hold and handle the instrument? But what about matching instruments based on personality? Generally speaking – though of course there are many exceptions to these “rules” – someone who is quiet and laid back might be a good fit with a bass, because it is considered to be a “background” instrument. If, on the other hand, you are outgoing, bold, and even brash, then a solo instrument like the trumpet might be your cup of tea. And if you are a high-energy person who can’t sit still, the drum is an obvious choice. Now, if you don’t fit into any clear-cut and defined category – in other words, if your personality has many facets – you might want to opt for instruments that produce a multitude of tones and characteristics, like the piano, guitar, or saxophone. Still not sure what instrument has your name on it? This quiz may help. One thing we are sure of: no matter who you are, there is that special instrument out there for you, just waiting to fall into your arms!

So happy together!

When you and an instrument of your choice are matched together and living happily ever after, that’s when our teacher comes in – literally – to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office. It doesn’t matter whether you and your instrument are hyper or introverted – we will make sure that, when you play, your true colors are shining through!

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Think of a very hot summer day in New York City. Temperatures are soaring past 90 degrees and the humidity is so high, you feel like somebody wrapped a wet blanket around you. Now, ask yourself: if you are so sweaty and uncomfortable that you feel like crawling out of your skin, what about your musical instrument? True, an instrument is an inanimate object and has no feelings, but you should know that heat and humidity – especially big changes in moisture – will ultimately damage the instrument. This applies even more to those constructed from wood – like the guitar, violin, cello, double bass, and others.

Why does this happen? Wood is the kind of material that absorbs moisture, so constant exposure to a humid environment is not good. (By the same token, excessive dryness is also damaging. It could weaken the glue, distort framing, and cause cracks). Clearly, it is important to protect your instrument from extreme changes in temperatures and moisture. Fortunately, the summer is still young so it’s not too late to take action.

Instrument TLC

A few years ago, in an article he wrote for Premier Guitar magazine, Bob Taylor, co-founder and president of Taylor Guitars, said: “At one time, probably 70% of the repairs performed in our service center could have been avoided if the guitar had not been exposed to humidity extremes.” Let’s look at some ways to ensure that your wood instrument is not having a heat stroke this summer: 1. You wouldn’t even think about leaving a child or a dog in a parked car because the temperatures can rise very quickly. It’s the same with a wooden instrument – it shouldn’t sit / lie / stand / recline in a stationary vehicle in hot weather. 2. When humidity is extremely high, you like to be in an air-conditioned room. So do your guitar, violin, and cello. Basically, when you feel uncomfortable on a hot and humid day, you can be pretty sure that your instrument does too. That’s when you know to place it in a cool and dry (but not too dry) room. 3. If you want to have a precise measurement of humidity in your home, consider purchasing a Hygrometer, an inexpensive device that lets you control moisture levels in your environment. It’s good for everyone – humans, pets, and instruments!

Teacher knows best

Now that you are forewarned and forearmed about the effects of heat and humidity, let us tell you how we can help keep your instrument away from harmful temps and moisture levels. One way is that our teachers will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office, which means you don’t have to take your instrument out of its (and your) air-controlled environment. Additionally, the teacher can also advise you on how to protect your instrument in all kinds of extreme conditions – climatic and other. In all matters pertaining to music or instruments, these folks are fountains of knowledge!

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Chances are, you color-coordinate your outfits and home décor. But do you ever wonder whether the instruments you play (or listen to) are well matched? In other words, are they compatible and get along well together, or is there discord among them?

Okay, so we may sound overly persnickety, but bear with us. What you read here may not change your life, but in the very least you will learn something new and, who knows, maybe one day it will prove to be useful! Now, it’s important to know that there is no such thing as mismatched instruments – true, the sound they make together may not be very smooth or ear-pleasing (in the same way as wearing bright orange and lime green together could bring on a killer headache). But the bottom line is that matching instruments is not an exact science – it depends on your personal preference and the style of music you are playing. For instance, a jazz combo would have a different set of instruments than, say, a chamber music ensemble . Having said that, some combinations of instruments just naturally go well together. After all, creating beautiful music – sounds that relate to each other – should not be haphazard. Think of your favorite music genre and musicians who perform it – we can guarantee that they didn’t choose their instruments on the spur of the moment!

The “right” combination of sounds

Musicians have been experimenting with instruments and sounds for centuries – they tried different variations and, through trial and error, came up with combinations of sounds best suited to the kind of music they wanted to play. Obviously, we can’t cover all the possible matches here, but let’s have a look at combinations that sound best for various genres (keep in mind that these combos are not set in stone; there is quite a bit of flexibility): Jazz lineups usually include the guitar, piano, clarinet, sax, and brass instruments. Folk musicians play mainly the acoustic guitar, banjo, harmonica, violin, string bass, flute, recorders, and drums. Rock. Electric and bass guitars, along with drums, are the basis of rock groups. As we said, we can’t list all the possible matches, but these three examples give you a good idea – all these combinations sound wonderfully together!

Meet your match!

As we mentioned, there is no such thing as a “bad” combination of instruments, unless they all play off-key. All instruments are “good” by nature, but they always work best when selected to complement each other. When they come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office, our Hey Joe Guitar teachers will not only tell you which instruments go well with the one you are currently playing, but also show you how to produce harmonious sounds – whether on one instrument or several. This way, you will be able to live in total harmony!

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Let’s talk about multi-tasking. As you certainly know, this term means the performance of more than one activity by one person at the same time. Of course, multi-tasking is a vast subject, so let’s narrow it down to just one area: music. More specifically, we’d like to talk here about those very talented individuals who play more than one musical instrument. They are known as multi-instrumentalists.

Why play more than one instrument? We can’t speak for all the multi-instrumentalists out there, but the folks we do know (our teachers and students) tell us it’s all about their love of music – with different instruments they are able to make different sounds or perform various genres. Let’s put it this way: if playing one instrument gives you a sense of accomplishment, think about how “masterful” you will feel if you are able to perform on two or more. Obviously, it takes a lot of work, discipline, and practice to learn to play on more than one instrument. But, as the Rolling Stones’ front man Mick Jagger famously said, “everything worth doing is worth overdoing.”

The (many) sounds of music

Mick is known to play the guitar, drums, and harmonica , but so many more musicians are gifted multi-instrumentalists as well. Let’s look at some of them: Paul McCartney is brilliant at bass, acoustic and electric guitar , piano and keyboards as well as over 40 other musical instruments. Steven Tyler is best known as the Aerosmith’s vocalist, but he also plays the harmonica , piano and percussion . No wonder Alicia Keys is on fire – she plays the piano , guitar, bass and cello. Speak about the ultimate multi-instrumentalist: Stevie Wonder performs on the piano , synthesizer, harmonica, congas, drums , bongos, organ, and a little-known instrument called harpeji . Another accomplished multi-instrumentalist, country western singer Dolly Parton is proficient at the guitar, dulcimer, autoharp , penny whistle, piano, drums, saxophone , gospel organ, mandolin, and banjo. As we said, this is just a partial list. There are many more!

Wearing more than one hat

Should you play more than one instrument? That is entirely up to you. Some of our students, having mastered one musical instrument, start to learn another, while others are happy to stick to just one. Before you decide, keep in mind that all the instruments have certain things in common, for instance, music theory and notes. Once you learn these basics, they will apply to all the instruments, although the sounds produced by different instruments will vary. Whatever you decide, we have just the right teacher for you. He or she will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office and help you play as you like it.

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Here’s a question you might not have considered before: is there such a thing as a magical or enchanted musical instrument? In art and literature there are examples of instruments that have special powers. Take, for example, a recently published book titled “Echo” In it, the main protagonist is a magic harmonica, which has the ability to break a witch’s spell and save three lives. We won’t tell you how it all ends, but let it suffice to say that this little instrument is very special indeed.

And there are other examples of musical instruments that have special, magical powers.

It’s magic!

If you read “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” you probably remember an enchanted, self-playing harp that lulls Fluffy, the three headed dog, to sleep. (In fact, in this very book, Albus Dumbledore notes, “Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here!”) But magical instruments are not limited to literature. How about Mozart’s opera, “The Magic Flute?” In it, a young prince, Tamino, saves his princess by playing, ever so beautifully, an enchanted flute . Of course, you may say that the above-mentioned harmonica, harp and flute are fictional. This may well be, but in real life there had also been many musical instruments that some cultures considered to have special, mythical powers. For instance, the sound of the tanbur is believed to have had healing and calming powers, while the conch horn’s trumpet-like music was credited with bringing long and prosperous life.

Be spellbound!

“Music is the strongest form of magic” ~ Marilyn Manson Whether or not you believe that instruments have special powers, one thing is certain: music itself is truly magical in the way it brings out so many different emotions. It is soothing, uplifting, therapeutic, and generally a positive and meaningful experience for children and adults alike. Now, our teachers, enchanting as they are, do not possess mysterious or supernatural powers. In fact, their main “power” is the ability to teach music. They are definitely not witches or wizards, but when they come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office, they will show you how to coax a truly magical sound out of your ordinary harmonica, flute, or any other instrument!

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At Hey Joe Guitar, we love the month of May – and not only because spring is in the air and summer is right around the corner. There is another reason we think May rocks: tomorrow, 5-22, is the National Buy a Musical Instrument Day. Now, you probably think we invent these “holidays” just for the heck of it. Not so! This occasion really does exist and we had absolutely nothing to do with its creation – honest!

It is an “unofficial” holiday (meaning you can’t take time off work or school) and its origins are unknown. However, that doesn’t mean that this occasion should not be marked; after all, its purpose is to purchase an instrument so that you or a family member can begin to take music lessons. You’ll get no argument from us!

Be a savvy consumer

Buying your first musical instrument is a momentous occasion. This means you re ready to embark on a new and exciting adventure. As New Yorkers, we are very lucky because our city has so many great music stores. Just as an example (and this is in no way an endorsement, just information), the historic “Music Row” on 48th Street is lined with many such shops. Whether you are a first-time buyer or you are looking to replace your current instrument, there are several things to consider because an instrument is an important purchase. First of all, determine your budget – can you buy a brand new instrument, or opt for a second-hand one? If you can only afford a second-hand instrument, don’t be discouraged –there are plenty of good, quality ones available, so make sure you purchase from a reliable source rather than from the back of a truck in a dark alley. How can you vet your seller? Ask your musician friends, other students, or music teachers for referrals. And always try out the instrument – touch it, handle it, and play it – before parting with your money. If you are taking the instrument home with you right away – a difficult task if you are buying a piano– or have it delivered by the seller or another party, get insurance. Accidents do happen, whether or not you believe in Murphy’s Law!

Make a list

As mentioned before, the best way to ensure that you are not buying a lemon is to deal only with reputable sellers who have been recommended to you by people you know and trust. This is all the more crucial when you are buying a second-hand instrument, which comes with its own history. It may look wonderful but looks could be deceiving, so make sure you ask all the right questions, which are pretty much the same you’d ask if you were purchasing a used car. For instance:

• Who owned the instrument and how many people played it?
• Who tuned it and performed maintenance on it, and how often?
• When not in use, where was the instrument stored?
• Have there been any major repairs? (Cosmetic flaws due to normal use don’t matter, but stay away from an instrument that had been broken or otherwise damaged – unless you are confident it can be repaired).
• Check the valves, keys, frets, strings, and all the other pieces to make sure they are in working order. Last but not least, play it! Does it sound right, as this particular instrument should, or does the noise remind you of a pack of banshees?
• Even used equipment often carries some sort of limited warranty, so get it in writing. And never, ever, buy an instrument “as is,” unless, as stated above, you don’t care about its condition because you are certain you (or someone else) can do the necessary repairs.

We are here for you!

Now that you brought your bundle of joy home (or had it delivered), the next step is to book lessons. We recommend that you choose your music school with as much care as you put into selecting your instrument. Questions to ask: which music school has well trained and highly experienced teachers? Answer: we do! And which school offers convenient private lessons right in your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office? That would be us again! Let’s put it this way: over the years, we have given thousands of music lessons to New Yorkers of all ages and proficiency levels, and have never had a single dissatisfied client – human or instrument.

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At Hey Joe Guitar, we love to hear or read interesting stories about musical instruments. Far from being just inanimate objects, many of them have a fascinating “personal” history, just like human beings do.

One case in point is a “trench” cello, which, as recently reported by BBC, was built by a British soldier during WWI. Obviously, given its precarious beginnings, the cello was not made out of wood (as these instruments usually are) but from an old oil can. When the soldier in question died, his family donated the war-worn instrument – believed to be the only surviving cello actually made on the front lines – to a local museum. The “trench” cello, the museum’s curator noted, “is such an evocative object – you can see the inventiveness of the maker in the beautiful hand-turning of the neck and shaping of the oil can to create a real musical instrument. It’s easy to imagine it bringing a little cheer in the most tragic circumstances.”

From the war zone

Now, you might think this is a sole example of a makeshift cello dating back to WWI. Actually, there is another such instrument that we know of. A French soldier, Maurice Marechal, (a musician before the war) asked two comrades-in-arms, who were carpenters in civilian life, to make a cello for him. The two soldiers fashioned the instrument from the only materials they could find in the combat zone: the wood from an ammunition box, as well as pieces of old door. When the regiment left for the front, the cello traveled with them, placed in the supply van above the tinned food. Sadly, the two carpenters were killed in combat but Marechal – who, as the story goes, considered his makeshift instrument to be as valuable as a Stradivarius violin – survived, as did his precious cello. It now lives in the Music Museum in Paris, but playing or restoring it could damage the fragile instrument. However, an identical copy was made and it replicates the original sound beautifully.

We come in peace!

These two stories are very touching and poignant, and we are glad that they have given us a chance to talk about the cello – a graceful string instrument that looks like a larger version of the violin. (It is, in fact, closely related to the violin, – its full name is violoncello – though the cello has thicker strings). An integral part of classical and chamber orchestras, string quartets, and other ensembles, the cello emits a beautifully deep and rich sound, especially when handled by the very capable hands of Yo Yo Ma . In case the two aforementioned stories have inspired you (or a family member) to play this instrument, we will be happy to help. We have excellent cello teachers who can come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office and give you lessons – whatever your age or proficiency level. Let’s put it this way: for your cello teacher, you’ll always be the first string!

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At Hey Joe Guitar, we live in the present. We don’t spend much time dwelling over the past, but we do sometimes look back at certain aspects of history, especially those pertaining to music.

By the same token, we often wonder what the future holds. We don’t have a crystal ball, of course, but we are curious about what new music-related developments are ahead.

We thought this would be a good opportunity to explore the past and future world of musical instruments – the ones that no longer exist and those that haven’t been popularized yet.

So come on board our time machine and let’s go for a ride!

It’s history!

A great number of instruments invented in centuries past are still in use today, even though they had been modified and modernized in the meantime. However, some are no longer in existence.

Obviously, we can’t mention all of them here and now, but let’s have a quick look at some musical relics of the past:

• Besides the lyre, ancient Greeks also played and listened to the cithara, aulos, and hydraulis – string, reed, and keyboard instruments respectively.
• The Mayans played the trumpet-like hom-tah , which was made of wood, clay, or gourd.
  Its built and deep sound was similar to the didgeridoo used by indigenous Australians.
• The medieval precursor of the oboe, the shawm , was made in Europe from the late 13th until the 17th century. With its loud and shrill tone, it was used by military bands during the Crusades. During the same era, there was also the pear-shaped string instrument called the rebec , as well as the psaltery , a cross between the harp and guitar.
• An instrument that did not survive the Baroque period in its present form was the lautenwerck keyboard, a combination of the lute and harpsichord. One of Johann Sebastian Bach’s favorite instruments, it emitted a smooth and mellow tone.

As we said, it is impossible to cover all the extinct instruments here, but at least you have a quick overview of some of them.

Looking ahead…

Obviously, we cannot predict the future – musical or otherwise. (As Doris Day famously sang: “Whatever will be, will be. The future’s not ours to see.”)

However, this article is giving us a glimpse into what instruments might be developed.

Among them are some truly imaginative ones, like GEPS, a “data glove” that lets the wearer create electronic music with hand gestures; the tine organ; and even something as unusual as the sponge.

Of course, all these (and other) instruments are bound to create new sounds, or at least change the ones we are used to hearing. What will the music of the future sound like? Again, we can only guess, but perhaps this video will provide some answers.

Here and now

We have some great and not-so-great news. Let’s start with the latter: as talented as our teachers are, they cannot give you lessons in instruments that no longer exist or those that haven’t been manufactured yet.

Now for the great news: if an instrument has already been invented and is in use – like the guitar, piano, drums, and many others – you came to the right place. We offer lessons in a wide variety of string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments, and give voice training as well.

Just contact us and we’ll send a terrific teacher to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office.

Isn’t it wonderful to be living in the present?

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

The post New York City Guitar School Sounds Out the Past and Future Instruments appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

When you are going to a concert you probably expect to be seated in an appropriate venue. We are guessing that very few people anticipate listening to a live musical performance while swimming in a pool or skiing down a slope.

But this is not always the case: some musicians like to play in unusual and surprising venues, places where you would not normally expect to hear a performance. That’s okay with us though – we believe music should have no boundaries or be defined by social conventions. Let’s have a look at some creative – and sometimes wacky – places around the world where music is being played!

Submerged in sound

Over in Europe, a British company called Wet Sounds had a genial idea to set up musical installations in public swimming pools. As explained on its website, Wet Sounds “presents listening sessions to a floating and diving audience in the water. It effectively creates three sound spaces in the physical space of the swimming pool. One inside the water, one outside the water and one a merger of the two as the listener floats on the surface of the water. These three distinct sound spaces are chosen by the listeners as they move in and out of the water. The three sound spaces are used to convey parallel narratives, musical and literal.” What does music sound like under water? This BBC report provides the answer. Now, you don’t have to get wet to hear music in offbeat places – just bundle up! A couple of years ago a ski enthusiast named Sean Pawling hit the slopes of a Northern California ski resort and slalomed down while playing “Ride of the Valkyries,” from the movie “Apocalypse Now” on his trombone. He certainly brings a new meaning to the phrase “The hills are alive with the sound of music!” And speaking of taking music to the new heights, sky’s the limit for this adventurous fellow , who decided to play his violin while skydiving. However, unless you are a very skilled skydiver and violinist, and your instrument is well insured, we advise you against such daredevilry!

Music without borders

We’ve heard the song about being in a desert with a horse with no name , but we bet that most of you have never seen this stunning footage of a female ensemble performing in a Mongolian desert. And, unlike the horse, the instrument does have a name: shanz, a long-necked spiked lute with an oval wooden frame that sounds somewhat like the banjo. Also going by the name “shudraga,” it is traditionally used in the Mongolian folk music (though not necessarily in the desert). Now, if you think a concert hall smells “fishy,” you may be right, especially if you happen to attend a performance by an Icelandic musician Sigur Ross, who decided to play with his group in a deserted fish factory . Can’t decide which music venue is the most unconventional for an instrument? This fellow solved it: he takes his long-suffering cello with him everywhere! Should you do the same? As in the case of a parachuting violin, we recommend that you first insure your poor instrument against all kinds of knocks and blows!

We’ll meet you in New York!

We are sure you already know this, but we repeat: our music lessons take place in conventional and traditional venues like your home or office. Our teachers won’t go to a fish factory or a desert, but they WILL go to Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Riverdale – locations that are more convenient for our customers. So if you’d like to venture to Iceland or Mongolia, call the airlines. But if you want to stay city-bound, contact us!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

The post Riverdale Music school Takes You on a Tour of Wacky Concert Venues appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

A couple of months ago, we wrote a blog about an unusual but very interesting musical ensemble that plays instruments made from vegetables. And before that, we told you about an orchestra where all the instruments are made out of garbage.

These two remarkable groups inspired us to explore this topic further, especially to find other unusual orchestras or musical experiences. We didn’t quite know what to expect, but to our ears’ delight, we discovered some ingenious ways to play – and listen to – music.

Bold and creative

One unusual musical experience that is definitely making waves – literally and figuratively – is a South African underwater orchestra. This classical ensemble performs – beautifully! – submerged in the ocean. We don’t know how they manage to do this, and we find this extraordinary performance absolutely amazing. But unless you are a skilled swimmer and diver, and your instruments are waterproof, please don’t attempt to duplicate this feat! Playing music in an aquatic environment is not something you see every day, but there is more. For instance, look and listen to musicians from Australia’s Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performing with empty beer bottles . To see their extraordinary skill and dexterity is a… sobering experience!

Fun with ukes

Musicians who perform on land may not be as funky as their underwater counterparts – though they are certainly drier. And they can still distinguish themselves from the conventional musical ensembles by doing something new and different. By its definition, a traditional orchestra consists of a variety of instruments, usually from the brass, percussion, string, and woodwind family. However, that isn’t always the case. One notable exception is the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, which has gone global with performances combining uke music with a comedy routine and vocals . It just shows you what wonderful sounds you can make when you think out of the box!

We won’t get wet feet!

In case you are wondering, we’ll tell you right away: yes, our music teachers are fun and creative, but no, they will not plunge into your bathtub or fish tank. So when they come to give a music lesson in your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office, they expect to keep their head above water! That said, if you or your child would like to learn to play the ukulele, we have some truly awesome teachers for you. The uke is one of a number of musical instruments we teach – in addition to the guitar and many others.

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

The post Let’s Orchestrate: Manhattan Ukulele School Introduces You to World’s Most Unusual Musicians! appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

Are you familiar with the concept of a petting zoo? Simply put, it is a place where people (mostly children) can interact with domesticated animals by touching and feeding them. It could be a great learning experience as it not only brings inner-city kids closer to nature, but also teaches them to be kind and gentle to our four-legged friends. (In New York, there’s a small but friendly petting zoo in Central Park)

Now, there are also other venues that provide a similar hands-on experience, minus the furry creatures: musical instrument petting zoos! This may sound like something we just made up, but we assure you that such places not only exist, but there are plenty of them.

“Show” is better than “tell”

You may think that a venerable institution like the National Symphony Orchestra, which performs at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C, is not a kid-friendly place. However, as part of its education and community outreach programs, the Orchestra runs a Petting Zoo, where children have a chance to touch and handle the orchestral instruments professional musicians play. The purpose of this exercise is obvious: it gives the kids who may not otherwise be exposed to musical instruments a unique opportunity to touch “the real thing” and spark their interest in music. True, a tuba or a cello may not be as soft and cuddly as a baby goat, but the inspirational value behind the “up-close-and-personal” interaction with a musical instrument should not be underestimated. The National Symphony Orchestra is just one of numerous organizations around the country that run such programs, including some in NYC.

Music appreciation

American blues composer and musician W.C. Handy once said: “Setting my mind on a musical instrument was like falling in love. All the world seemed bright and changed.” Handy eventually learned to play the piano, trumpet, and guitar, earning the title of “The Father of Blues.” We are guessing that in his lifetime, at the end of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th, there was no abundance of petting zoos, so Handy most likely chose his instruments based on affinity. Today’s youngsters have so many more choices. At an instrument petting zoo, they are not only exposed to music, but they also get to know some really cool things about the instruments. For instance:

• They learn that there are different families of instruments – string, brass, percussion, and woodwinds. And, they learn to identify which family a given instrument belongs to.
• They learn the proper way to hold and play an instrument.
• By touching a variety of instruments, they become aware of their shapes and feel the texture and materials they are made of.
• When they listen to the sounds instruments emit, they hear how different they are from each other.
• They develop curiosity and interest in learning more, laying foundation for further music education.

NYC music teachers

It goes without saying that a musical instrument should never be chosen randomly in the “eeny, meeny, miny, mo” manner. It would serve your children well to “get acquainted” with different instruments before picking one that suits them best. The next logical step is finding the best teacher in New York City – one who is “fluent” in an instrument of your choice – to guide your child through the exciting musical journey. We can help! Whether you live in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale, our instructors will happily come to your home or office – and even pet your sheep, if you have one!

Photo by Belfast Fringe Festival

The post At a NYC Guitar School, Musical Instruments are Our “Pet” Projects! appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

What does a carrot sound like? Does it make, um, a grating noise? And what about a zucchini or eggplant? We bet you never thought you’d be asked these questions, but we like to surprise and keep you on your toes! Not only that, but we actually bring you answers, so today you will learn something new and totally amazing. Wait, you’ll see!

Play your veggies!

Honestly, we are not making this up – let us introduce you to …the Vegetable Orchestra, a group of innovative Austrian musicians who tour the world and perform on instruments made from fresh vegetables. The question that begs to be asked is “why?” As the musicians explain it, veggies “create a musically and aesthetically unique sound universe.” And there is more: “There are no musical boundaries for the Vegetable Orchestra’” the band points out. “The most diverse music styles fuse here – contemporary music, beat-oriented House tracks, experimental Electronic, Free Jazz, Noise, Dub, Clicks’n’Cuts – the musical scope of the ensemble expands consistently, and recently developed vegetable instruments and their inherent sounds often determine the direction.” So what does a carrot, pumpkin, cucumber, and red pepper combo sound like? Judge for yourself!

The soup’s on!

You may be wondering where do the musicians get their instruments every day? As you can see , before each performance, the band shops for fresh vegetables. Then they start carving, drilling holes, and otherwise prepping the veggies for that night’s concert, making sure that a carrot can be used like a flute and pumpkin is hard enough to be a drum of sorts. And the experimentation never ceases. “We constantly develop new instruments,” the musicians say. “Each time we perform we refine our instruments or experiment with new variants.” What happens once the performance is finished? Obviously, unlike the conventional instruments, veggies tend to go bad, but the band doesn’t believe in wasting food. So at the end of each concert, the musicians make a big pot of vegetable soup that they serve to the audience.

Not breaking with tradition

At Hey Joe Guitar, we love our veggies – to eat, not to play them. In fact, when it comes to making music, our teachers are traditionalists – they like their guitars to be made from wood, the trumpets from brass, and they don’t expect any instruments to be edible. So if you want your music teacher to show you how to blow into a carrot or beat on a pumpkin – sorry, we can’t help you with that. But if you or your child want to learn to play a “regular” instrument, one of our awesome teachers will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office and give you lessons.

Photo by unknown, available under a Creative Commons License.

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Do you love your musical instrument and treat it with tender loving care? We hope so because the more tenderness and attention you give it, the longer it will serve you.

Proper care of your instrument will not only help maintain its shiny coat, but also the quality of its sound. (Yes, we realize that we are talking about an inanimate object, but if you don’t believe that instruments have feelings, just listen to the Beatles .)

As you can see, guitars do occasionally shed tears, even when handled by very capable hands of George Harrison. By the same token, the piano may wince when you step on its pedal and the drum might feel the pain when it is beaten – well, you get the idea!

All this to say that being kind to your instruments will make an…instrumental difference in how it responds to you.

Be mellow to your cello!

Yes, it is important to take good care of your instrument, and, as in so many other things, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The first step is to keep the instrument safe from harm. For example, don’t hang clothes on the saxophone, keep your parakeet from building a nest inside the guitar, shoo the cat away from the piano , and – though it does sound far-fetched – make sure an elephant doesn’t step on the flute.

Needless to say, all of these actions will cause damage to the innocent instrument, and you’d have to pay a pretty penny to repair it or buy a replacement.

Fortunately, taking care of your instrument is not rocket science. It’s just a matter of common sense and is really quite simple:

• Wash and dry your hands before playing. It’s all too easy to get dirt and grease on the instrument.
• For obvious reasons, don’t eat or drink while holding your instrument. Getting crumbs out from the hollow parts and other crevices is difficult, and spilled liquid will not only damage the exterior finish, but may also alter the instrument’s sound. You don’t want your violin to screech like a dentist’s drill, do you?
• Protect the instrument from extreme temperatures, as well as humidity – exposure to both could cause the glue to soften and some parts might even break off.
• Keep the instrument properly stored – either in its own case, or somewhere safe, away from the traffic. It doesn’t take much for a pet or family member to accidentally step on or trip over an instrument.
• After you play, gently wipe down the instrument. You don’t actually have to wear while gloves – a soft cloth will do just fine!
• If your instrument does get damaged, its repair should not be a DIY project. Take it to a professional or, for the piano, ask one to come to your house. Never, ever attempt to insert sharp objects into an instrument – you might be able to hoof a horse with a Swiss Army Knife, but not repair a violin.

Quick – start polishing!

The teacher we will send to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home will be happy to give you (or your child) a lesson on the instrument of your choice.

But know this: all our teachers have an excellent ear for music (need we even say that?) and will immediately hear if your instrument sounds wacky. So if you have been neglecting your instrument, please give it some urgent TLC before our sharped-ear teacher shows up on your doorstep!

Photo by unknown, available under a Creative Commons License.

The post Keep Your Instrument as Fit as a Fiddle, With NYC Music Lessons appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

What do the slide guitar, mandolin, and banjo have in common? Yes, you guessed it – they all fall under the category of string instruments. But also, all of them are multi-functional: they are used in bluegrass, country, blues, and jazz music.

There is another common denominator for all these instruments, but we will not divulge it just yet. To find out what it is, just keep on reading!

The guitar…by any other name

Let’s start with the slide guitar. No, it’s not a totally different species of the “regular” guitar or the kind that you slide on ice like the rock in the sport of curling (as a matter of fact, we advise you NOT to use your guitar in this way!).

Simply put, it is a technique of playing the guitar, where a musician slides a hard object, like a bottleneck or steel tube, across strings and along the fingerboard to produce a smooth, high-pitched, “blues-y” sound

And, some slide guitars are not held in the way we normally think of when we picture conventional guitarists. For example, the lap steel model is typically placed on the player’s lap (hence the name).

Like the idea of the slide guitar? The good news is you don’t actually have to go out and buy a brand new instrument; any “regular” guitar can be used as a slide by raising the action and retuning the instrument. For instance, Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones would retune to a G chord and Elvin Bishop would use a slide on a regular guitar.

Other prominent musicians who played the slide guitar include John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Bonnie Raitt, as well as bands like The Allman Brothers and Led Zeppelin.

“Wind” or “rain” – it’s the mandolin!

A small, short-necked lute with eight strings, the mandolin’s origins go back to pre-history. Cave paintings found in the grottos of France, which date back to between 15,000 and 8,000 years ago, depict a man playing what appears to be a small, short-necked, eight-string lute, which historians believe evolved over the centuries into the modern-day mandolin.

Though perhaps not as popular as the guitar, the mandolin has nevertheless had many aficionados, and songs have even been written about it – “Mandolin Wind” by Rod Stewart and “Mandolin Rain” by Bruce Hornsby are just two examples.

One the musicians most closely associated with the mandolin was Bill Monroe , who created the genre of music known as bluegrass, named after his band, the “Blue Grass Boys,” which, in turn, was named after Monroe’s home state of Kentucky.

In fact, the mandolin’s tremolo sound that is both sweet and fiery fits well not only with bluegrass, but also with country and even rock music.

Is it a drum or strings?

Fact is, the banjo is a bit of both – the drum with the strings. A blend of African and European sounds and musical traditions, this instrument has influenced many American music styles that emerged in the 19th century: the minstrel show, ragtime and early jazz.

Since then, the banjo has become a prominent fixture in blues, bluegrass, and country, which goes to prove that this instrument has shaped many music styles that we think of as uniquely “American.”

Folk singer Pete Seeger and rocker Jerry Garcia were banjo enthusiasts: in fact, the banjo was reportedly the first instrument Garcia remembered how to play when he came out of a diabetic coma in 1986.

String along with us!

At the beginning, we promised to reveal another common trait that the slide guitar, the mandolin, and the banjo share. So, here it is –let’s have some drum action here – with our Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Riverdale in home music lessons, you can learn all of them.

Whichever of these three instruments you’d like to master, we’ll be happy to come to your home or office and teach you.

And, if any other instrument strikes your fancy just let us know – we at Hey Joe Guitar have more than one string to our fiddle!

Photo by Bruce Jones

The post Banjo, Mandolin & Co: A New Take on the String Theory appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

Though at NYC music lessons you can play “real” instruments, spare a thought for those who can’t. When you think about playing music, you probably imagine one of the string, woodwind, or percussion instruments, right?

But if you ask kids who live in Cateura, Paraguay what they play, they will tell you that oil cans, salad bowls, and bottle caps make perfectly good instruments. Not only that, but they will also show you that this motley crew of random household gadgets actually makes pretty good music. In fact, this chamber orchestra of 20 youngsters has been using discarded furniture and appliances to perform the music of Beethoven, Mozart, and the Beatles in South and Central America. All this proves that one person’s trash really is another person’s treasure!

Everything but the kitchen sink Cateura, where these children live, is a vast landfill outside Asuncion, Paraguay’s capital, where about 25,000 poor families – many of them trash pickers – live among reeking garbage. The instruments the chamber orchestra uses are made from recycled materials found in the landfill. Have you ever imagined that an aluminum bowl and strings tuned with forks could make a pretty good violin, and discarded X-rays can be used as the skins of a drum set? The kids from the aptly named “Orchestra of Instruments Recycled From Cateura” (also known as the Landfill Harmonic), are proving that with creativity, imagination, ingenuity, and out-of-the box thinking, we can overcome whatever obstacles and challenges life throws at us. In their case, it is poverty and lack of opportunities that would discourage so many of us from even trying. Way to go, kids!

The many lives of garbage Making music with improvised instruments is catching on in the United States as well. A group of high school kids from Sarasota, FL, who call themselves “The Garbage-Men,” are fashioning their instruments from trash and recycled materials. For example, an electric guitar is made from a cereal box body, yard stick neck, bottle cap pick-up, lipstick bottle bridge, tooth pick frets, and shoelace strap. For the alto saxophone, they used a corn popper toy for the body, a balloon for the reed, and a medicine bottle ligature. In all, these creative teenagers, built 15 instruments out of garbage, which they use when playing charity concerts at their local venues.

Don’t stop the music! What these two examples demonstrate is the importance of music to people everywhere. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to instruments and music education, and that is sometimes as true in our country and city as it is in the slums of Paraguay. In NYC, for example, there are many schoolchildren whose parents can’t pay for music lessons, which is why our non-profit CWB Foundation for Children & Music provides music programs to youngsters in this city’s economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. We at Hey Joe Guitar believe that everyone who wants to learn to play an instrument should be given opportunities to do so. And we are talking about “real” instruments here, not the makeshift ones – although we are full of admiration for these plucky youngsters who loved playing music enough to find ways to build their own instruments. It’s true: necessity really is “the mother of invention.” Or, as the Cateura kids teach us, hardships inspire ingenious solutions.

Just some “clean” fun Our NYC music lessons are really good, but in certain areas our learning curve is steep: for instance, we don’t know how to fashion a guitar, drum, flute, or any other instrument out of trash or recycled materials (though we do know how to bang pots and pans against each other, if you can call that “music.”) But if you want to learn to play a conventionally manufactured instrument, we’ll be happy to oblige. Just call us, and we’ll come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office and teach you – and we promise not to pick through your garbage while we are there!

Photo by Kevin Kern

The post “Trash Talk,” Brought to You by New York City Music Lessons appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

You know the saying: to each his (or her own). It means that we all have our own individual tastes and preferences, and that includes the kind of music we like and the instruments we want to listen to or play. If you like big, then upright bass, drums, or the piano would be a good fit for you. But if you are partial to a small and light instrument that you can carry in your pocket, the harmonica is a good match.

In fact, it is – hands down – the most portable instrument you will likely find. It is way smaller than a breadbox, but certainly makes better music! There is no doubt about it: the harmonica is a tiny instrument with a big sound.

Watch your mouth!

Also called the French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, the harmonica makes music through a set of reeds that vibrate when you blow air through any of the instrument’s 10 holes. Although there is some evidence that the ancient Chinese made the first harmonica, it was a German teenager, Christian Friedrich Buschmann, who is credited with this invention in 1821. Although Buschmann’s design was rudimentary and even primitive by today’s standards, he was quite pleased with it. As he said to his brother, the new instrument was “truly remarkable. In its entirety it measures but four inches in diameter…but gives me twenty-one notes, and all the pianissimos and crescendos one could want without a keyboard, harmonies of six tones, and the ability to hold a note as long as one would wish to.” With time, the harmonica’s initial design was modified; five years after it was invented, a Bohemian instrument maker named Richter (his first name is not known), developed an improved version that resembles the type we use today. And don’t be fooled by the harmonica’s size – this small instrument comes in different varieties, such as diatonic, chromatic, tremolo, octave, orchestral, and bass versions, depending on the sounds you want to produce and the genre of music you are playing – be it folk, blues, or rock and roll.

Coming to America

Oh, Mickey! When I hear you playing the harmonica, my heart sings!

— Minnie Mouse Mickey and Minnie might be fictional characters (you did know that, right?), but the quote itself has a ring of truth in it – the melodious tunes of the harmonica do tug at the heartstrings. The instrument made its early appearance in the United States before the Civil War, and soldiers on both sides of the conflict played it. In the 20th century, harmonica bands were a popular part of vaudeville acts. In the 1930s, an American musician Larry Adler performed with major symphony orchestras and became known as the world’s most skilled harmonica player . Later on, more harmonica enthusiasts, including 105 musicians who called themselves the “Largest Uniformed Harmonica Band in the United States,” brought this instrument into the mainstream. Since then, scores of famous musicians, including Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Bruce Springsteen, and Billy Joel, integrated the harmonica into their acts.  And Bob Dylan multi-tasked by placing the harmonica on a neck frame to free the hands for playing the guitar or piano at the same time.

It ain’t heavy, it’s the harmonica!

The only way I can play the harmonica is if I get my car going really fast, and stick it out the window.

This is how comedian Steven Wright described his attempts to play the harmonica.  Though the image of the harmonica sticking out the window of a moving car and making sound through the force of the wind is funny, we suggest that you choose a more conventional way of mastering this instrument – for example, with our Manhattan music lessons. Just call us and one of our harmonica instructors will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office and teach you the “proper” way to blow the music into (and out of) this instrument – no fast driving required!

Photo by Mytechtour

The post With the Harmonica, You Have to Watch Your Mouth! appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

The topic of this blog – recycling – may surprise you. But, as you will soon find out, there IS a connection between recycling and music. Yes, really! Now, unless you have been living under a rock somewhere, or just landed on Earth from another planet, you certainly know what the term “recycling” means:  making new products out of old materials.

Not only is recycling good for the environment because it conserves precious resources, but it also “breathes” new life into items that would otherwise be discarded, adding to the already toxic pollution. Think of it as a “reincarnation” of sorts: an old and seemingly useless object can, in a manner of speaking, be born again. And this is where the topics of recycling and music converge.

From trash to art

Recently, we came across a very interesting article about Gary Zimnicki, a Michigan luthier (a person who makes or repairs string instruments) who is using reclaimed floorboards and ceilings from dismantled vacant buildings to make ukuleles and mandolins. Zimnicki, who, as the article notes “has been making high end guitars, mandolins and ukuleles for musicians all over the world” for over 30 years, “began using old floorboards and ceiling joists to craft more than a dozen instruments.” Although the work is difficult – it involves cleaning off “decades of dirt and gunk and then sawing into the very hard wood,” Zimnicki says the effort is worthwhile: the 100-year-old floorboards “produce a deep, rich sound.” It goes without saying that Zimnicki is to be lauded for thinking out of the box, and for being so creative and imaginative.

Old instruments never die

If you are concerned about preserving the environment, you are familiar with the “three Rs” concept: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Zimnicki is reusing and recycling old parts and, at the same time, reducing potential waste so it doesn’t end up in a landfill somewhere, polluting the air we breathe and the water we drink. But you might be wondering what happens to old musical instruments once they emit their last sound? Can they be reused and recycled? The answer is yes…and yes. With a dash of creativity, you can turn old instruments into some very cool decorative objects, which will add a unique personality to your home. For instance, instruments and other musical accessories can be transformed into lighting fixtures, side tables, shelves, and other unique pieces. Yes, we know, this is not your conventional home decor, but it just shows that the love of music takes – literally – many different forms and shapes!

Let us into your environment!

Our Hey Joe Guitar teachers don’t care what your furniture looks like or, for that matter, whether you have any at all (okay, we take it back: a couple of chairs – even recycled ones – to sit on during a lesson would be nice). As long as there is an instrument (brand new, second-hand, or even made from old floorboards) and a student willing to play it, we will happily come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office and give you or your child music lessons.

Photo by Darla Robbins

The post NYC Guitar School: The “Reincarnation” of Musical Instruments appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

New York musician Boujemaa Razgui had a big surprise – but not a good one – waiting for him when he landed at JFK recently. U.S. customs officials seized and smashed each one of his handmade flutes – 11 neys and two kawalas, which are commonly used in Middle Eastern music.

What possible danger did these instruments pose to the nation’s security, you may ask? Customs inspectors decided that the bamboo flutes were “agricultural products” capable of unleashing foreign pests and diseases onto U.S. crops and livestock.

This wacky-but-true story brought to mind other interesting incidents involving musical instruments. We are happy to share them with you here!

Unfriendly skies

It would seem that airports are not the friendliest and safest places for instruments – as the above example demonstrates.

A few years ago, another story made news, this one unfolding on the tarmac of Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. Canadian musician Dave Carroll and his band, Sons of Maxwell, looked out the plane’s window and watched in horror as baggage handlers tossed Dave’s expensive guitar.

The guitar was damaged, but when Dave complained to United Airlines, he got the runaround. Frustrated, he wrote a protest song of sorts and posted it on YouTube The video
quickly went viral and the airline, embarrassed by the negative publicity, eventually compensated Dave for the damage.

In the meantime, the song not only became a YouTube and iTunes hit, but also made TIME Magazine’s list of the Top 10 Viral Videos of 2009. And that’s not all: Taylor Guitars, a company that manufactured the mishandled instrument, offered Dave two guitars and other props for his second video ; that and the following one recount the entire United-versus- guitar saga, as it unfolded.

Dave has successfully turned his tale of woe into a series of tongue-in-cheek videos; we love the way he handled this matter and are happy that he prevailed in the end!

Lost – but found!

Another tale with a happy ending is that of an old Stradivarius violin and its absent-minded caretaker.

A 2012 story out of Switzerland reported that a musician left the priceless instrument, which he borrowed from a friend, on a train. Surveillance tapes showed another passenger leaving the train with the violin in his hand, and authorities immediately launched an appeal for help.

Now, you must know that Stradivarius violins are not exactly a dime a dozen. They are rare – only several hundred of these 17th century treasures remain in existence today – and they are very, very expensive (the one left on the train was reportedly worth several million dollars).

So it must have been music to the hapless fellow’s ears when he found out that the person seen with the violin in hand was not a thief but a Good Samaritan carrying the instrument to the station’s “lost and found” office. As the savior explained it, “There were some drunks on the train, so I took the violin case to make sure nothing happened to it.”

There are lots of other great stories involving musical instruments – funny, wacky, or just interesting.

And here’s an anecdote we find hilarious: For Christmas 1936, Spanish painter Salvador Dalí sent comedian Harpo Marx a harp with barbed-wire strings. Harpo sent back a photograph of himself “playing” the instrument with bandaged fingers. Isn’t this …surreal?

“TLC” is our middle name!

You already know that Hey Joe Guitar is an excellent music school and our teachers are second to none.

But here’s something you might not have known, so we hasten to add it: our teachers handle instruments with tender loving care. You can rest assured that when they show up at your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale (Bronx) home, they will NEVER smash the flutes, damage the guitars, or wreak havoc with any other instruments!

Photo by drinks machine

The post From Smashed Flutes To Broken Guitars: New York City Music School Has The Stories appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.