Similarities

• Both are string instruments
• Both use the same chords, scales, and music theory
• The overall structure of the instruments are the same

Differences

Now, let’s explore the ways in which the guitar and bass vary. Here are the main ways in which the bass and guitar differ from one another.

Size

Generally speaking, the bass is relatively larger than both an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar. While the instrument itself is bigger in size than a standard guitar, it also has a thicker neck, thicker strings, and the hardware tends to be larger than that of a standard guitar.

Strings

Upon quick glance, the guitar and bass look almost identical. But on further examination, you’ll find that the bass has less strings than the guitar. A standard guitar has six string with a tuning of E-A-D-G-B-E whereas the bass has four strings and is tuned E-A-D-G.

Pitch

The notes of a bass guitar are played in a lower register than the standard electrical guitar. In fact, they are a whole octave lower in pitch. Due to their differences in sound, the bass and guitar each have their own unique roles and primary functions in music.

Function/Role

In the music world, there are lead roles and there are supportive roles.  While both the bass and guitar are invaluable, the bass is considered to be a supportive role while the guitar is considered to be a more lead role. Traditionally, the bass, along with the drummer, is the backbone of a music ensemble, and the two often work closely together. The bass serves to set the rhythm of the music and keep the pulse whereas the guitar normally carries the melody and has more flexibility to go off-script.

Which Instrument Should You Choose?

Now that you know the basic differences between the guitar and bass, it’s time to choose which one you want to play!  The good new is if you can learn to play one, you can learn to play the other. While the bass is thought to be slightly harder to learn than the guitar, learning either instrument will require lots of practice and dedication, but it’s definitely doable! Luckily, Scottsdale Music Academy offers guitar and bass lessons to nearby residents of Phoenix, Paradise Valley, and more to help make the learning process as fun and pain-free as possible. Give us a call today at 602-751-3537 to learn more!

One of the most thrilling parts of being a musician is sharing your talents with others through performances and live shows. While this can be a fun, adrenaline-filled experience, it can also be quite nerve wracking. To ensure you deliver your best performance possible, you’ll want to be as prepared as you can be. Trust us when we say there’s nothing worse than being under prepared for a show; it usually results in a bad experience for both the audience and the musician….and nobody wants that! 

1. Practice Your Heart Out

The number one thing you can do before a live gig to ensure it’s successful is to practice, practice, practice. When it comes to live shows, the more practice, the better (especially if it’s new for you). Frequent practice, whether by yourself or through music lessons, will only help you become a better musician and help you easily identify and correct your weaknesses. Additionally, practicing your set before a show will help you work out any potential kinks and will enable you to have fun on stage instead of worrying about which notes to play or difficult finger movements….all of that will feel second nature to you thanks to all your pre-performance hard work!

2.  Arrive Early

On the day of the show the best thing you can do to prepare is too arrive early to give yourself enough time to set up and do a soundcheck. This is a simple but critical step that many musicians overlook. Arriving early will allow you to fully warm up, set up all your equipment, and take some time to mentally prepare and focus on the upcoming show, all of which will help to minimize your stress and pre-show jitters.

3. Solicit Feedback

If you really want to deliver an amazing live show with minimal mistakes and setbacks, consider holding a practice performance. A week or two before your music gig, run through your complete set from start to finish just as you would on the actual day of the show. To make the most out of your practice run, recruit friends or family to listen to you play, so they can give you feedback and tips on your performance to help make the real thing even better. Alternatively, you can also record yourself while practicing, so that you can watch your performance afterwards and focus your energy on improving any obvious weaknesses.

4. Embrace Mistakes

Never expect a performance to be perfect. The truth is it probably won’t be because you’re human, and humans make mistakes. If you embrace the idea that mistakes are inevitable, you won’t fear them as much, and your stage fright and concert nervousness won’t be as intense. The more you can learn to accept the possibility that something might go wrong, the more you can be prepared for it and not let one little mistake derail your whole performance.

Finally, don’t forget about music lessons! Besides practicing, music lessons are a highly effective method  to prepare for a live gig. Music lessons like the ones at Scottsdale Music Academy are a fun, yet challenging way to improve your skills and get plenty of practice playing in front of others. For guitar, drums, keyboard, or vocal lessons, contact Scottsdale Music Academy today!

1. Metronome Beats

Staying on tempo is something that many beginning keyboard players have difficulty mastering. If you’re one of the many that struggles with this, Metronome Beats may be just the solution you’re looking for. This app has it all: speed training, visual beat indicators, and the ability to customize a time signature. Incorporate it into your practice sessions to help you recognize when you’re off beat, and soon you’ll be playing perfectly in tempo, no app needed!

2. Yokee Piano App

Practicing at home isn’t always as fun as a music lesson at Scottsdale Music Academy. To fill the void in between sessions, give Yokee Piano App a try. With this app, you can play along to a catalogue of songs from classical to contemporary and everything in between. Earn “coins” by playing songs, completing challenges, and improving the quality of your playing. Although all the keyboard playing through this app is done on the phone, the knowledge you’ll gain about notes and keys will be useful for keyboard playing in the real world.

3. Piano Companion

Learning chords and scales is easy thanks to Piano Companion. This handy app has tutorials for almost all chords and scales, including instructions on proper fingering techniques, notes, and degrees. Best of all, it allows you to listen to each chord or scale so you can learn how it should actually sound.

4. Theory Lessons

Understanding the fundamentals of music and possessing basic music theory knowledge can be beneficial to your journey as a musician. With Theory Lessons, keyboard players and musicians of any instrument can learn everything they’ve ever wanted to know about music theory. This comprehensive app makes music education easy. It gives you just the right amount of info to make learning effortless and simple–just the way it should be!

No doubt about it….keyboard and piano apps can be a great learning tool. However, to really learn all the ins and outs of keyboard playing, nothing beats music lessons! For even more keyboard playing tips and techniques, sign up for a lesson at Scottsdale Music Academy today!   

Advantages of Music Lessons

In addition to making the learning process more efficient, music lessons also have a variety of additional benefits, such as:

• Built-in support system

• Access to passionate music community in Scottsdale and Phoenix

• Opportunities to perform live

• Knowledgeable, friendly music instructor

Now that you know all the reasons why music lessons rock, the next thing you need to learn is how to make the most of them!

Making the Most of Music Lessons

Here are the best tips for maximizing your music lessons brought to you straight from our music lesson instructors in Scottsdale.

1. Put in the Work

To truly become a great musician you’ve got to put in work! That means practicing outside of your music lessons. Practicing is the number one way to improve your playing and increase your skills. If you don’t make time to practice on your own at home, music lessons won’t be that beneficial to you. Just remember that a little hard work and sacrifice now will pay off big time later on!

2. Set Goals

Setting goals goes hand in hand with practicing. In fact, one of the main differences between practicing and just leisurely jamming out is that practice sessions should be well structured and with clear cut goals in mind. Setting goals will help you stay accountable and help you to gauge your progress.  Be sure to set individual goals for both your solo practice sessions and your music lessons. Although your music instructor will guide the lessons, sharing your goals with him or her will help to ensure your music lessons are tailored to your specific aspirations and music goals.

3. Take Notes

Don’t worry, music lessons don’t have tests! But it is a good idea to take notes anyways. Often times, your music teacher will be throwing a lot of lingo, suggestions, and instructions at you all at once, so it’s helpful to bring a notebook to your lessons so you can jot down important points. These notes will be especially useful to you when you’re practicing on your own and want to recall what you went over in your most recent lesson.

Some music students even find it helpful to record their lessons, which can be a great way to document the lesson and a great tool for self-evaluation. Just be sure to ask your instructor for permission first! Discover what a difference music lessons can make in your musical journey by signing up for music lessons with Scottsdale Music Academy today!

Why Soundproof Your Practice Room?

If you’re serious about being a musician, you need a dedicated space for you and your music—a space where you can play as loudly as you want without fear of disturbing other members of your household, or worse yet, the neighbors. However, to completely soundproof a room, you have to invest lots of $ to essentially remodel it. Luckily, there are other quick, cheap ways to sound treat a space that are far less expensive or intensive. For easy, fast ways to partially soundproof your practice room on a budget, check out our suggestions below.

Soundproofing 101

Rule number one for soundproofing: prevent sound from escaping. There are 3 popular ways this can be achieved.

1. Add Sound Absorbing Materials

Soundproofing your practice space doesn’t have to be a daunting task. There are a variety of quick, cheap ways to quiet your space, such as adding sound blocking materials. For starters, pad your space with lots of fabric and other sound-absorbing materials. Things like rugs, acoustic foam panels, and sound blocking blankets can all help to reduce the level of noise projected from the room.

2.  Seal the Gaps

It should be no surprise that sound travels and goes wherever air goes. That’s why sound can be emitted from even the tiniest crack in your door. To prevent sound from escaping, invest in a door seal kit to seal up any gaps in your door. Additionally, try spackling any holes or using solid dense material to plug them.

3. Use Floating Floors

One way sound is projected is through vibrations. To effectively dim sound, vibrations must be prevented. This can be achieved by a technique known as floating floors. In essence, floating floors are secondary floors on top of the main floor, which is constructed by either overlaying the floor with additional material or creating a platform of sorts, most commonly built using plywood and PlatFoam, a high density foam. Essentially, floating floors help to break up the sound and diminish its impact, which means that less sound is transmitted from object to object. Translation? Less noise!

While soundproofing or sound treating your practice space isn’t essential, it is recommended. To truly advance your skills and training, you need to be able to practice in a distraction-free space where you can feel free to let the music overtake you no matter the volume. For more tips and tricks for musicians of any instrument—bass, drum, guitar, and keyboard—be sure to check out Scottsdale Music Academy, the music lesson experts serving Scottsdale, Phoenix, Paradise Valley and elsewhere.

1. Music = Energy

Forget coffee! Caffeinate your day with music instead. Believe it or not, certain types of music (mostly those with a pumped up, fast beat) can provide a natural boost of energy, especially when working out. Studies have shown that listening to music when exercising can increase the intensity of your workout, causing you to push yourself harder and move faster. So, in addition to being active and eating your daily fruits and veggies, be sure to incorporate music into your daily routine for added health benefits. Listening to music may give you that extra edge you need to take your health and wellness to the next level.

2.  Natural Stress Reliever

Let’s face it: life is stressful! Whether you’re a teen, parent, or adult of any age, you will inevitably feel stressed at some point or another in your life. In fact, for many people, stress is an everyday part of life. Although stress can seem harmless, it can actually have a significant impact on your health and manifest itself physically. To keep your mind and body stress free, music may be the key. Numerous studies have examined the health benefits of music on the body, and time and time again, results have shown that music can help ease stress, relax the body, and keep anxiety in check, all of which is good news for your long-term health.

3.  Mood Booster

Got the blues? Music may help! What heartbroken teens everywhere have known for years, science has finally confirmed: music is the ultimate mood booster. Research has shown that music can help lift one’s spirits, ease pain, and invigorate the soul. Just try it out for yourself the next time you’re feeling less than stellar. Catch a concert in Phoenix or schedule a fun-filled music lesson and discover how much better you’ll feel afterwards. And while feeling happier may not directly correlate to a longer life, it will help you live a better life!

To enhance your health and wellness, the answer is clear: incorporate music! One of the best and easiest ways to do this is by learning to play an instrument, and there’s no better place to learn than Scottsdale Music Academy. Sign up for one of our guitar, keyboard, bass, or vocal lessons today!

1. Take Inventory

Nothing guarantees success like having a set plan of action. If you took our earlier advice and started the year of right with SMART goals, you’re likely well on your way to achieving your goals. To take your efforts to the next level, you’ll want to take inventory of your progress so far. Have you been hitting your target goals? Keeping up with your practice schedule? Giving your all in your weekly music lessons? Look closely at the work you’ve put in so far and determine if there are things you could be doing better. Chances are there’s something!

1. Discard What’s Broken

Once you’ve taken inventory of your efforts and assessed your progress, next it’s time to dispose of anything that’s not working. Maybe you’ve been learning to play an instrument on your own but haven’t progressed as far as you’d like or told yourself you’d practice on a regular basis, but haven’t yet. Instead of abandoning your goals altogether, try switching up your approach to see faster results. Quit any habit or routine that’s not moving you closer to your goals and figure out what else will get you there instead.

1. Take Advantage of Resources

The last way you can spruce up your efforts and reach your music goals is by taking advantages of the resources available to you. Some musicians find music lessons to be a helpful tool, while others find that family and friends, online forums, or instructional books and videos offer the best guidance and support. It doesn’t matter what avenue or resource you choose, just as long as you choose something! Achieving your goals is not a solitary, one-man activity. It takes a network of resources and support to get you to the finish line. Springtime or not, there’s never a wrong time to work towards your musical dreams! Let Scottsdale Music Academy help!

It’s safe to say that everyone could use a little more happiness in their life. While a weeklong vacation, new puppy, or tub of ice cream (my personal favorite) are sure to do the trick, there’s another resource that people often overlook ….music! Think about it. What lifts the mood at a party better than some upbeat tunes or makes a chill afternoon at home more relaxing than some soft melodic notes?  Music, in all its forms and genres, has the power to instantly lift our spirits.

It makes sense then that people who play music are generally happier than the average person. While music itself is responsible for a large portion of that happiness, there are other reasons why musicians are usually happy.

1. Music Promotes Social Interaction

Playing an instrument will inevitably introduce you to a wide range of people and will broaden your social circle. That’s because music is a very social activity. On the surface, playing an instrument may seem like a solitary activity, but if you dig deeper, you’ll find music is inherently communal. Whether you take music lessons, join a band, or play at local venues across Phoenix and Scottsdale, you’ll meet so many like-minded musicians who are just as passionate about playing music as you are, And more social activity and meaningful connections means more happiness!

     2. Music Boosts Your Self-Esteem

Another reason that people who play music are happy is because playing an instrument boosts self-esteem.  That’s because learning to play an instrument pushes you out of your comfort zone and challenges you in fun ways. With enough practice and music lessons, you’ll be able to overcome those challenges, and once you do, you’ll feel an immense sense of achievement. Every musical success and goal reached will make you feel incredible about yourself, which, as everyone knows, is the cornerstone of true happiness.

3. Music Is Therapeutic

As mentioned before, music has the power to move us and beautifully evoke our emotions. Playing an instrument and creating music yourself heightens these feelings, and is a great way to release your emotions. No matter what you’re feeling, playing an instrument can help you tap into those emotions and work through them. Thus, many people find that playing an instrument can be almost therapeutic and very cathartic for the soul.

No matter what you play—guitar, drums, keyboard—or whether or not you take music lessons, the simple fact that you play an instrument is guaranteed to lead to more happiness, and give you a generally positive outlook on life (most days at least). So what are you waiting for? Take the first step to more happiness, by visiting Scottsdale Music Academy today!

An Iconic Brand

Gibson guitars have long been revered as one of the best guitar brands in existence. If you’ve ever Googled “best guitars,” without a doubt a Gibson guitar will be listed on almost every search result.  Gibson’s Les Paul guitar, in particular, is a go-to electric guitar and highly sought after by many guitarists. The solid body guitar is produced in many varieties and is a staple in the music industry due to its fine craftsmanship and celebrated tone. In general, Gibson guitars of any kind are synonymous with high-end, rich sounds, and exceptional quality.

Financial Troubles

While Gibson guitars have been a staple in the music industry for years, and even used by famous rock stars, the company is in serious financial trouble with outstanding loans totaling over $500 million. News sources have speculated that Gibson’s financial troubles largely stem from its investments in a variety of electronic companies combined with declining guitar sales. The company’s CEO, Henry Juszkiewicz, confirmed guitar sales haven’t been as profitable recently compared to past years, placing a large majority of the blame on music retail stores.  

In an interview with Billboard, he said, “There are problems with the guitar retail industry. All of the retailers are fearful as can be; they’re all afraid of e-commerce, with Amazon just becoming the second largest employer in the U.S., and the brick and mortar guys are just panicking.” Since Gibson only sells its guitars in stores to music shops and not online, it makes sense that the general decline in sales in the music instrument industry would have a substantial effect on the guitar manufacturer.

The Future

Although the company is struggling financially, it is taking steps to correct the situation. Just this week, Gibson laid off a portion of its workforce at its custom shops (presumably to cut costs). Additionally, Gibson is in the process of selling various real estate holdings, although the sale of these would not bring in nearly enough money to get the company out of debt. Whether or not Gibson will be able to survive its massive financial problems is still unclear. Although its future seems bleak, Gibson’s enormous popularity and iconic brand name bode well for its chances of success. One thing’s for certain…guitar players everywhere will eagerly await the outcome.

For more guitar news or to enroll in guitar lessons or any other kind of music lessons, contact Scottsdale Music Academy–your number one source for all things music!

What is a Growth Mindset?

Simply put, a “growth mindset” is all about how you view the learning experience and how you handle obstacles. People with a growth mindset understand that effort is required to achieve anything, and that the more time and energy you put into things, the more rewards you’ll see in the long run.

Key Features of a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is characterized by the following:

• • Viewing success and achievements as a product of hard work and effort
  • Believing that intelligence and skills are a changeable trait
  • Motivated by a desire to grow and learn

While all that sounds easy enough, the reality is most people possess a mindset that’s in direct opposition to a growth mindset. The term for this type of mindset is called a “fixed mindset.” The defining characteristic of a fixed mindset is a belief that talent is something you’re either born with or not. A fixed mindset is based on the assumption that you can’t change your abilities or skills no matter how much effort you put in.  Hence, this type of mindset is detrimental to learning new skills and growing as a person. It’s no surprise then that in order to successfully learn how to play an instrument and be a real musician, you need to possess a growth mindset. With a growth mindset, you’ll be able to tackle any challenges that come your way and will find joy in learning something new and expanding beyond your comfort zone.

Benefits of a Growth Mindset

Some of the benefits of possessing a growth mindset include:

• The ability to persevere through challenges and bounce back easily from setbacks
• Not being afraid to make mistakes
• More self confidence
• Able to stay motivated no matter what

The end result of possessing a growth mindset is an increased sense of self-worth, a desire to learn and grow, and the belief that you can achieve most anything with enough hard work, concentrated effort, and relentless pursuit.

How To Develop a Growth Mindset

If you possess tendencies of a fixed mindset, rest assured you can train your brain to think with a growth mindset instead. To develop a growth mindset, you must:

1. Recognize your fixed mindset patterns and behaviors
2. Make a conscious effort to stop these behaviors and push negative thoughts from your mind
3. Embrace growth

While switching from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset won’t happen overnight, it is indeed doable, and the benefits to your development as a musician will be enormous. If you need help fueling your growth as a musician and instilling a positive mindset, contact our team at Scottsdale Music Academy or sign up for one of our bass, drum, guitar, keyboard, or voice lessons. No matter what instrument you play, we’ll work with you to shed those old habits and help open up your mind to the world of possibilities waiting for you!