How to Read Music for the Guitar

Learning guitar by reading music has many advantages: the ability to read music provides a lot of information that you can usually only get when you spend time with a more proficient musician who is willing to show or explain techniques to you. Music takes time; muscle memory and neurological pathways must be developed over thousands of hours of practice. While teachers and professional musicians can be very helpful, learning to read music makes you independently able to study and learn new material yourself. When you have a grasp of the chords and melodies, then your teacher can help you refine your knowledge and show you the right techniques in a targeted way during your lessons.

In the old days, especially with folk music, notation was unnecessary and most musicians learned by copying a master. But in those times the master musician took on a few apprentices and spent thousands of hours with them personally developing their techniques and styles. There simply isn’t time for that any more in the modern world, so prejudice against reading music is unfounded! Reading music for the guitar can help you immensely in your own independent study.

Types of guitar notation – tabs vs. note reading Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , ,

Chinese Philosophy – Moral Cultivation Through Action

The thing about Chinese philosophy is that it didn’t just have an affect on a select few who sought it out like philosophy in the western world. It involved multiple cultures and has influenced them for thousands and thousands of years whether they welcomed it or not. This may not be the best introduction, but these facts are of great consequence when taken into consideration for the topic at hand, which are the different methods of moral cultivation produced by ancient Chinese thinkers. This is not some frivolous subject matter that can be brushed off as worthless. It has permeated all eastern religions as well as many western ones. It has shaped education, government and daily lifestyles in many different countries. It will enlighten all those that venture within its realm. I understand that most people realize its magnitude but I find it necessary to reiterate it for the sole purpose of solidifying the importance of the content I will cover.

Moral cultivation was a highly crucial aspect among the Chinese people and they were adamant about doing it correctly. Historically there has been one great school of thought that directed all the others. This was Confucianism and it did indeed purport a remarkably tedious course by which one could cultivate their morality. I will present this course and explain it. However, it is impossible to discuss Confucius without passing through the ideas and teaching of Zhu Xi, who is considered to be the most influential neo-Confucianist. Zhu Xi also taught the proper course of self cultivation although it is different than that of Confucius. It will be necessary to look at both courses and compare the two in order to determine what they have to offer and the importance in the differences.

The course of moral cultivation that Confucius teaches can be found in Analects 8.8 it states, “The Master said, Get your start with the Odes; acquire a firm standing through ritual; complete the process with music” (Watson 55). It is clear from this passage that Confucius identifies 3 separates stages through which a person must pass in order to reach the echelon of sage hood which is the highest degree of moral cultivation. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , ,

Art And Budget Cuts: Provide The Kids With Art

I’ve been harping on the benefits of art and I thought I was tooting my own horn. So when I bumped into an article the other day written beautifully by Lisa L., a teenager from Wisconsin, I thought it was absolutely great. The article was entitled “Benefits of the Arts.” While her article also discusses the benefits of music and dance, it speaks of all the arts and her words were more than perfect.

Her essay begins with “The arts are an essential part of public education.” That sounds like someone would like to do more dancing and singing in class. But, what it says to me is that Lisa understands that art benefits the students in ways few people realize. Lisa goes on to list all the ways in which art helps students develop. But, she mentions one sad fact that for some schools is already true. She is worried that the schools will cut art from the curriculum because of budget cuts.

Art helps students express themselves in ways they normally aren’t allowed. Classrooms don’t offer much discussion and when they do, discussions still have to be monitored by the teacher. But, art allows a student to say what she wants to say. After all, why do you think Lisa wrote her essay? The art of self-expression through writing allows her to put concerns into print where others can understand her and possibly change what will be cut from the school curriculum because of her influence. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , ,