July 2, 2018
The following list will either be a refresher course for some experienced guitar players, a confirmation of things you may already know or you might just mess around and have an “Oh whoa!” moment… But before we get into some technical details and recommendations when it comes to guitar effects, let’s take a look at […]
June 11, 2018
What Does it all Mean? Twelve and 14 fret guitars refer to the place where the neck and the guitar body come together. Twelve fret guitars meet at the 12th fret. Fourteen fret guitars meet at the 14th. What’s a fret you ask? A fret is that raised part on the neck of a stringed […]
April 10, 2018
If you’ve been playing guitar for a few months, or even a year or two, and are gaining ground, you might want to start thinking about upgrading your guitar to a better instrument. While many starter acoustic guitars offer great value for the money, there are distinct advantages to investing in a higher quality guitar. […]
February 18, 2018
By Bill Hart This is a common question for beginning students. It might seem innocent enough, but it’s a loaded question to be sure. It’s a very logical question, but I don’t believe logic has a place in music. Stay with me for a moment. Music is a language that breaks down all barriers. […]
December 1, 2017
By Scott Schwertfeger, Guitar instructor in Burke, VA The modern, nylon string “classical” guitar is an amazing instrument and vehicle for music expression. It comes from a long line of distant cousins, including the Lute, Vihuela, Renaissance Guitar, and Baroque Guitar. Since the first construct of the modern design in 1859 by Antonio de Torres […]
November 24, 2017
Cordoba focuses on traditional craftsmanship and innovation, which they have been able to balance by producing nylon string guitars and ukuleles that appeal to both beginner students and professional musicians. Cordoba continues to stay innovative with its three guitars inspired by the new Disney•Pixar film “Coco.” Renier Fee, Director of Marketing at Music & Arts, […]
October 26, 2017
Disney’s much anticipated new movie Coco tells the story of Miguel who, despite having music in his soul, is prohibited from following his passion. Miguel’s family has inexplicably shunned music for generations, but Miguel can think of nothing but his musical aspirations and his desire to follow in the footsteps of the great performer, Ernesto […]
October 12, 2017
The sound of a guitar, like other instruments, will only be as good as the condition of its various parts. If your strings need to be changed or the nut is old, your sound probably won’t be as crisp and clear as it was when your guitar was brand new. If you purchased a used […]
July 28, 2017
If you’ve ever seen a country music band perform live, you might have noticed someone playing what looks like a small guitar. That instrument is, in fact, a mandolin. The mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family. It generally has four courses of doubled metal strings, for a total of eight strings, that […]
July 26, 2017
What’s the best type of guitar? No matter what grade levels you teach, the best guitar for classroom use is the classic or nylon-stringed guitar. The strings are much easier on the fingers than steel-stringed guitars. Note that three of the six nylon strings appear to be metal, but they have a nylon-filament core. What’s […]
