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!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons Licence.

The post At New York Music School, Age Doesn’t Matter! appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

Two days from now, on November 11, we will celebrate Veterans Day, which honors US veterans past and present. We salute them and thank them for their service. Like cities and towns across America, New York will hold its own parade – the largest celebration of veterans in the country. Every year since 1919, when the 369th Infantry – just back from fighting in WWI – proudly marched up Fifth Avenue, thousands of veterans and other participants re-trace the same route.

This year’s parade will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, and the 25th anniversary of Desert Shield. We think one of the best ways to remember the sacrifices of our veterans is to look back at the music that accompanied them into the battlefield. From the bugles, pipes, and drums of the Civil War to the protest songs of the Vietnam era, the music has been an important part of American history.

Songs of glory

At 239 years, America is a relatively young nation. The first armed conflict it engaged in was the one that actually served to lay the cornerstone of our country – the American Revolutionary War, which lasted from 1775 to 1783. Of course, there are no original recordings of any pieces of music from that era (or until WWI, for that matter), but we do know that one of the most popular songs at that time was “Ballad of the Green Mountain Boys.” During the Civil War (1861 – 1865), the only other battle that was fought on American soil, “The Liberty Song,” originally written in 1768 by Founding Father John Dickinson, was popular, as was “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” And then there was the famous Confederate tune “I Wish I Was In Dixie Land.” By the end of the 19th century, there was another conflict involving the United States – Spanish American War. Even though short-lived (from April to August 1898), it produced patriotic music by John Philip Sousa, such as “Hands Across the Sea.” In the next century, WWI spawned a number of songs, several of which were written by George M. Cohan, including “Over There.” During WWII, Big Band music got the civilian population dancing, but the soldiers fighting overseas were not forgotten. “Remember Pearl Harbor” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” were big hits. Unfortunately, WWII was not the last conflict of the 20th century. The Korean War of the 1950s sparked songs like Jimmie Osborne’s “Victory in Korea” and Wilif Carter’s “Good-bye Maria, I'm Off to Korea.” “Ballad of the Green Berets” was released at the height of Vietnam War in 1966, followed, three decades later, by “God Bless the USA” during the years of the first Gulf War.

Patriotic spirit right in your home

The above-mentioned songs are just a few of many written and performed during various wars. We can only hope that these tunes had provided moral support and some pleasure to our soldiers. You too can learn to play or sing any of these songs. Just get in touch and one of our teachers will march right into your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office to give you lessons.

The post New York Music School’s Salute to the Troops appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

What is your favorite TV commercial? OK, we admit that this not the kind of question you might be asking yourself, but bear with us. There is a reason why we are bringing this up. While television ads may not represent the highest art form – though there are certainly people out there who will disagree – the fact is that a lot of creative energy goes into an advertising campaign.

The ads you see on your television screen didn’t just “happen;” they required extensive market research, knowledge of human psychology and social trends, as well as many other skills. We told you there was a reason why we are bringing up this subject: it’s because the most successful and effective marketing campaigns are the ones that feature music.

“It’s the real thing!”

Why is it that jingles and catchy tunes in advertising grab our attention? The reason is simple: a good melody, especially when it is paired with compelling lyrics, elicits an emotional reaction. Let’s have a look at some of the most successful TV ads of the past decades. The foremost among them was undoubtedly the iconic 1971 Coca-Cola commercial , which went down in the annals of the advertising history for its melodic and upbeat song that made everyone feel like all was right with the world. Imagine if this ad did not contain any music, just words. Would it be as engaging? We think not: with no catchy melody and lyrics, it would be as flat and lifeless as… a coke without the fizz! There were (and still are) other television commercials with ear-catching tunes. Remember this high-vibe McDonald’s jingle that started the famous (or infamous, if you prefer) “you deserve a break today” catchphrase? And what about this cute jingle for Oscar Meyer hot dogs , Band-aids , or chewing gum ? And perhaps you are old enough to remember the time when air travel was hassle-free and enjoyable because airlines actually cared about their passengers’ comfort ?

Never out of tune

Whether or not you are a jingle aficionado, you can learn to play all of the above-mentioned tunes on any kind of instrument – guitar, piano, or any other. And you can sing them too! When one of our teachers comes to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office, you’ll see that the catchphrases from the above-mentioned ads set the mood for your lesson and describe perfectly what to expect from this experience: “It’s the real thing, what the world needs today.” “Double the pleasure, double the fun.” “We’ll move our tail for you.” “You deserve a break today.” And those are not just empty promises!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

The post “Jingly” Melodies, With Brooklyn Music Lessons appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

“I would love to learn to play an instrument but I don’t have what it takes.”

We have heard this kind of statement plenty of times and we are always surprised by this defeatist attitude. While playing any instrument does require certain skills, it is – pun intended – within the grasp of most people!

True, most of us are not Mozarts (or Einsteins, for that matter), but that shouldn’t stop us from taking – and enjoying – music lessons.

How do you know you “don’t have what it takes” if you haven’t given it a fair chance?

Skills within your reach

Let’s start with the basics: mental skills that will help you learn to play (we’ll talk about physical skills in a minute). Basically, these skills are the same as the ones needed for any kind of learning, and not just music.

For instance:

Setting realistic goals: We underline “realistic” because that’s the key to success. If you decide to learn to play so you can become a virtuoso and perform in the most famous concert halls, well, it may happen. But more likely than not, you will not rise to the top ranks, at least not immediately. In order not to become frustrated and disappointed (and want to give up your lessons altogether), set realistic goals for yourself, such as becoming as skilled as you can in your particular instrument, or mastering a certain piece of music. Realistic goals are more reachable and, therefore, more satisfying in the end.

Patience and perseverance: Rome, as the saying goes, was not built in a day, and mastering an instrument takes time too. Also, progress will sometimes be quick and at other times slow – and that is totally normal when you are learning something new – so you have to be prepared for those peaks and valleys and not be tempted to quit each time you hit a bump in the road.

Good practice habits: If you don’t practice in between your lessons, you will not make much progress – need we even say that? Practice is important because it reinforces what you had learned with your teacher, gives you a chance to correct whatever passages / pieces / techniques pose a problem for you, and prepares you for your next lesson.

Yes, you can!

Johann Sebastian Bach famously noted that “it’s easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will pay itself.”

We must tell you that, as much as we adore Bach, your piano, guitar, trumpet, or double bass will NOT play itself! Besides the above-mentioned mental skills, you also need physical abilities to get a musical sound out of your instrument – such as dexterity, correct posture, and right breathing techniques.

The good news is that a good music teacher can help you develop all of the above techniques so that you not only sit (or stand) pretty with your instrument, but also avoid aches, soreness, and shortness of breath. Yes, it’s a process, but a process worth learning!

We can assure you that our music teachers are trained and experienced in helping students master all of the above skills – both mental and physical. During a lesson in your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office, the teacher will help you with whatever hurdles you thought prevented you from learning to play music. Now, isn’t this worth a try?

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

The post Come Out and Play, With Riverdale Music Lessons appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.