If you are a guitar player or just someone who loves to listen to the sounds of the guitar, you’ll be happy to know that April is the International Guitar Month. The annual (since 1987) celebration is dedicated to recognizing this universal stringed instrument, as well as all the talented musicians who play it.

Now, you may think that we at Hey Joe Guitar are responsible for the creation of this holiday. It is a totally legitimate supposition and we don’t blame you for thinking this. However, we’d like to clarify that this month-long celebration is the brainchild of the Guitar Association, a New York organization whose goal is to “bring together and grow the guitar community by promoting greater access to learning and playing guitar.”

We think it is a very worthwhile objective, don’t you?

Different strokes

If you are rolling your eyes just about now, thinking that we will give a long tutorial about the types of guitars out there (classical, acoustic, and electric), or their sizes (¼, ½, ¾, and full), relax! There is so much more we want to share!

For instance, let’s look at some interesting guitar -related stuff:

1. A really cool electric guitar orchestra .
2. Some guitar humor .
3. Rock’n’roll history expressed through 100 famous guitar riffs .
4. North Korean kindergarten students in concert .
5. A talented young guitarist right here in the United States.

Right at your fingertip

One way to celebrate the International Guitar Month is to get to know this wonderful instrument.

A while ago, we wrote a blog about how various orchestras run community outreach programs allowing young children to touch and handle a wide range of instruments. The same is true for the guitar – by holding and strumming it, you literally get the feel of what this instrument is all about, from its smooth and curvy body, the fretted fingerboard, and, of course, its sound!

Once you or your child decide to learn to play the guitar, we’ll be here to help. We have many excellent guitar teachers and will be happy to match you up with one best suited to your level and needs. He or she will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office and teach you to…strike a chord!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

The post With the Guitar, You Can Be All Fingers and Thumbs! appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

Why is a piano so hard to open? And why is slippery ice like music? We’ll give you answers to these questions in just a little while, but first let us introduce this blog’s topic: musical jokes. We will start with silly jokes kids tell and then move on to more, um, mature ones adults laugh at.

Why are we telling jokes all of a sudden? Well, doctors tell us that laughing is good for us. As Charlie Chapin (who certainly knew a thing or two about humor) said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” So without further ado, let’s start laughing!

Out of the mouths of the babes

The answer to the first question above (why is a piano so hard to open?) is: “Because the keys are on the inside.” And the response to the second one, “why is slippery ice like music,” is “if you don’t C sharp, you’ll B flat!” Hey, we never said they were good jokes! Here are some other ones:

• What do you call a cow that plays a musical instrument? A Moo-sician!
• Why was the musician arrested? Because she got in treble!
• What’s the most musical part of a turkey? The drumstick!
• What do you get if you cross a sweet potato and a jazz musician? A yam session!
• What’s the most musical bone? The trom-bone!

Now let’s continue chuckling at jokes grown-ups tell.

Ageless humor

Going up the age ladder, here are some music-related jokes that adults find funny:

• “I like the song you sang. One day you should put it to music.”
• “Why are pianists’ fingers like lightning? They rarely strike the same place twice.”
• “What did the guitar say to the guitarist? Pick on someone your own size!”
• Note left from pianist to his wife: “Gone Chopin, have Liszt, Bach in a Minuet.”
• “Haven’t I seen your face before?” a judge demanded, looking down at the defendant. “You have, Your Honor,” the man answered hopefully. “I gave your son violin lessons last winter.”“Ah, yes,” recalled the judge. “Twenty years!”

Knock, knock, who is there?

Your music teacher – the one who will never get in…treble! Joking aside, teaching music is no laughing matter, but it certainly doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be fun and enjoyable too. The teacher we will send to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office will never be dull, dour and humorless – though cracking jokes is not exactly part of her job description (neither is taking care of lighting, so we don’t really know how many music teachers it takes to change a lightbulb). The teachers’ primary goal is to instruct, guide, inspire, and motivate their students. So if you ever hear the one about the teacher who showed up at your doorstep with his musical instrument in hand, that is no joke, it’s real life!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

The post Brooklyn Guitar School Will Always Humor You appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

Chances are that wherever you go these days, you hear traditional Christmas carols. Yes, they are beautiful and, for many of us, bring memories of Christmases past. “Silent Night,” “O Holy Night,” “The Little Drummer Boy,” and “Do You Hear What I Hear,” are among the carols that usually carry the Yuletide season into the New Year.

We at Hey Joe Guitar love those songs too, but, let’s be honest, sometimes we would like to hear something new – or, at least, something that is not as widely played as the traditional carols.

Do such songs exist? Yes they do! There are plenty of lesser-known tunes that beautifully express the true spirit of Christmas. We hope that, among the ones listed below, you will find some that will… strike a chord with you and your family.

Put on your listening ears

These are among our favorite not-so-well-known Christmas songs. Do you agree that they are worth listening to?

There is a Star that Shines Tonight – Sheryl Crow

Christmas Celebration – B.B. King

New Star Shining – Ricky Skaggs

Dear Santa Tim McGraw

Please Come Home for Christmas – The Eagles

Notice how this selection includes different genres, from jazz and blues to pop and country. So whatever kind of music you are partial to, chances are you will find exactly what you like!

Sounds from near and far

Speaking of lesser-known Christmas songs, have you ever wondered what traditional tunes are most popular in other countries? Of course, we all know the one from our south of the border neighbors, but how about these tunes from around the globe:

Yes, we know, the world is a vast place and the wealth of Christmas musical traditions is huge. Unfortunately, we can’t include all of them here, but at least you have an opportunity to hear some of them.

All you want for Christmas: New York City Music School

Say your interest is piqued and you want to pursue music – Christmas and other. Nothing could be easier and more enjoyable than getting involved with our NYC music school

Whatever instrument you want to play – guitar, piano, drums, or anything else – (or whatever songs you would like to sing), our excellent teachers will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office to give you personalized music lessons.

Photo by rein

The post Beyond JINGLE BELLS – New York City Music School Reveals Lesser-known Christmas Songs appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.