Countries of the World and Their Instruments

The world is a colourful place with everyone speaking different languages, wearing different clothes and having differing cultures. The countries of the world also differ in the instruments we play. Each is highly unique and played all over the world. Here are some of the biggest countries of the world, and their instruments:

America

Famed for its Country and Western music, America's most famous instrument is the Banjo. The banjo has long since stood as the symbol of South American heritage, and has since found popularity all over the world. With its unique sound, the banjo has played a huge part in popular American music for over 200 years.

Africa

Africa is known the world over for its amazing array of musical instruments, and none are more traditional and famous than the handheld djembe drum. This type of African instrument, pronounced 'jem-bay', was originally played in religious ceremonies but is now a regular feature in many drumming circles and schools.

India

North India's most famous musical instrument is the Sitar. The sitar is made up of metal frets and up to seven main cords. This instrument has grown in popularity all over the world and is now taught in many schools in the US and the UK.

Spain

The perfect accompaniment to the native Flamenco dancing, Castanets are one of Spain's most famous instruments. Castanets are held in the hand and used to produce rhythmic accents through a series of rapid clicks. Tradition dictates that they are made of hardwood, although fibreglass alternatives are becoming increasingly more common.

Scotland

Scotland is, of course, the home of the bagpipes. This instrument is recognisable the world over, and produces a highly unique and beautiful sound. Bagpipes have always been played to accompany dancers but have become increasingly common all over the world in recent years. This instrument, is also notoriously difficult to play which only adds to its allure.

Australia

When you think of Australia you instantly think of two things: the wildlife, and the music. The didgeridoo is recognised all over the world for its unique look and sound. The didgeridoo saw a recent resurgence in popularity thanks to popular television personality and musician, Rolf Harris.

It becomes apparent how diverse the musical instruments of the world are. Learning about the music and instruments played by different cultures tells us a lot about their lives and traditions so introducing some of these instruments into schools is a great way to educate children.

Looking into buying a djembe drum? Djembe Drum Shop sells a comprehensive range of African instruments including drums, percussion shakers and rain makers.

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What Songs Sound Good on Piano Or Keyboard Without Needing Other Instruments As Accompaniment?

The advantage of playing keyboard compared with most other instruments is that the keyboard doesn't rely on any other instruments to fill it out pieces of music to sound good.

The keyboard has a voice of its own and can stand strong and independent no matter how big or small the audience.

You can build in other sounds yourself on a keyboard too, and this will thicken up the sound when performing.

Many solo artists would be lost without a keyboard because it allows them to programme in drum beats for them to perform along to. It also has connections on the back to enable integration with a PA system when performing at a larger venue.

If you consider a comparison to playing woodwind or percussion instruments where you would rely on a small team of musicians for accompaniment, you don't have this worry when playing keyboard because everything can be built into its interface.

Some songs will sound better than others on the keyboard. This will depend on whether they have been arranged specifically for keyboard or have been arranged for a different instrument.

If written on a keyboard then they will have all the necessary sections to fill out the song for a full performance.

Below are some suggestions of songs that sound great played solo on the keyboard or piano:

'Everybody Hurts' by Rem. This song is very expressive and is great for adding strings into the chorus. You can also add a soft beat to this which can be programmed into your keyboard. It has a 6/8 rhythm which makes it stand out from other pop songs which are normally written in 4/4 time signature.

'Somewhere Only We Know' by Keane. This song was written by modern rock stars and was written on keyboard. It has a great feel to it with lots of flavor, which really makes this piece of music beautiful to play on either piano or keyboard.

'Everything I Do I Do it For You' by Bryan Adams. This is a beautiful rock ballad, and is a favorite with young and old audiences alike. It is often played by professional keyboard players for wedding functions and gatherings, and is a great first dance song.

Any song can be adapted to suit keyboard but as a beginner it is advisable to learn the songs suggested.

These are usually arranged in various books and courses to help you progress with you piano and keyboard playing.

It can take many years of practice to reach the standard to be able play your own one hour song repertoire on piano or keyboard. This is by far the quickest way to learn: Beginner Piano Tunes

But what if there was a simple method that could show any beginner how to do it in just 12 days? Find out how it's done Easy Keyboard Lessons

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Wind Instruments, Long Tones and You! How to Practice Long Tones and Why They Are Important

Long Tones are essential if you want to master a wind instrument. They are the quickest way to improve your sound and strengthen your muscles. You may find them boring, but they are a challenge to play correctly. When you play long tones you are working on your embouchure, attacks, releases, pitch, sound, dynamics and endurance. That's a lot to accomplish on one note. Long tones force you to take the music out of the picture and really make you work on listening. I recommend you incorporate long tones into your daily practice for at least 5 to 10 minutes.

To practice long tones face a wall so your sound bounces right back and you can really hear every nuance. Start by taking some long, slow breaths in and out (without your instrument). Then choose a mid range note that is comfortable to play and that speaks well on your instrument. Take a deep breath, form your embouchure, and try to get the best attack that you can at about a mf volume. Hold this note at a steady volume for 8 slow beats. Really listen to the pitch and keep the same volume. Think of the note as a bulls eye and you are trying to keep the sound right in the middle. It helps if you have a tuner so you can check your pitch. If your tuner sounds the note or you have a piano try to match the note. Repeat on notes in your lower register and upper register.

Next, add some dynamics. Try to start as quiet as you can. Really listen to your attack and try to start at pp and crescendo up to ff in the span of 12 beats. If you have a metronome put it on 60 bpm. Take a breath, re-attack at ff and decrescendo to pp in the span of 12 beats. It is difficult to keep the crescendo and decrescendo even while keeping a centered sound and keeping the pitch steady. Many students tend to make their crescendo and decrescendo to fast. Really listen and try to keep everything even and smooth. Repeat playing different notes.

Long tones are not easy, but are worth the practice time each day. You will be surprised at how quickly long tones will make a difference in your sound quality and endurance. To be a great musician you need to put in the practice time and the results will follow.

C A Fox is a musician, teacher and businesswoman. Visit http://www.themusicalfox.com/ for more music resources.

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Heavy Metal Music Instruments

The beginnings of heavy metal and the instruments used to make it can arguably be traced back to the early days of the electric guitar and the work done by inventors and innovators like George Beauchamp (inventor of the first electric guitar), Adolph Rickenbacker, Paul Barth, and Les Paul. Without their work and the work and the contributions of countless others guitars that you plugged in would not be a reality and, indeed, if heavy metal was ever created it would have taken on a very different form.

Starting in the early 70s and continuing on today heavy metal has taken shape as a musical art form played plugged in a very loud. The basic instruments used include the guitar, bass, vocals and drums. Many different variations of the guitar can be found from a basic six string to seven or eight string guitars and even very large Warr guitars which can have as many as fifteen strings. Bass guitars used range from 3 to 6 strings and drum sets anywhere from a single drum to very large and complex kits like the one played by Mark Temperato which includes over 500 pieces. Due to the nature of heavy metal, it's tuning, speed, and emphasis on rhythm, most drums used by drummers will include a double bass.

As metal progressed the artists responsible for shaping it began to experiment with different sounds. Early use of keyboards used in heavy metal can be traced back to even some of the most early practitioners who would used this electric piano-type instrument to sound like a myriad of other instruments from the piano to a full orchestra. Other early experimentation with instruments used to make metal include the band AC/DC's decision to include bagpipes in their song It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll). This example may be the very first of such an unusual instrument being used in heavy metal and was the decision of band member Bon Scott who played as a child.

From that point on the community of musicians and fans became more accepting of different, "experimental" instruments in their music which eventually gave way to a style that revolutionized and forever changed "accepted" instruments in metal-black metal. More specifically, second-wave, Norwegian black metal. With its roots in thrash metal and traditional Norwegian folk music, black metal musicians began experimenting with everything from acoustic guitars to tin whistles, harps, traditional drums, the hurdy-gurdy, bagpipes, and just about any folk instrument you could imagine. The new-found freedom within black metal helped other, more confined styles of heavy metal to branch out as well and work with other instruments.

Since the early 1990s the instruments that have come to take part in making heavy metal, while many are formed around a base of basic guitars, bass, and drums have become almost innumerable. It is not unusual anymore to hear a band experimenting with the sound of choirs, full orchestras, Sumerian sounds, the sitar, and even banjos to complement their music.

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