In today’s world of technology, there are more resources than ever for new music students to advance their abilities; however, sifting through the countless amounts of sights and tutorials can be really overwhelming, especially for someone just starting out in music. We decided to make this search a little simpler by providing new musicians with three amazing (and free) resources to get them started or to complement their lessons. If students take the time to actually utilize these resources, they will see their abilities grow at a rapid pace. Here are the top three resources that new musicians MUST know about:
1. Songsterr - Songsterr is by far my favorite tablature sight on the Internet (note - if you do not know what tablature is, then type it into Google and find out. It is vital that new musicians understand how to read tablature. At least in the beginning, it will be your main form of communication with other musicians). I find that many tablature sites on the Internet contain versions of songs that are just incorrect. I find that because it is harder to upload songs to Songsterr, the songs that do get uploaded tend to be right (unlike sites like Ultimate Guitar where anyone can upload whatever they want).
On Songsterr, you can read and play along with songs in real time. This site utilizes a scrolling marker that points out the notes that are supposed to be played as they arise in the song. This is similar to Guitar Hero’s platform, but for real instruments. Songsterr also includes tab for every instrument that plays on a particular song, and you can listen to them all together or you can mute out the parts that you do not want to hear. This site is free to use, but if you wish to add more features (tempo changing, tuner, etc.) then there is a pay feature as well. If you want to learn a new song, start by typing the song’s name with songsterr after it into Google (e.g. Seven Nation Army Songsterr). There is not a songsterr page for every song out there, but they do have a pretty extensive catalogue.
2. Sightreading Factory - Sightreading (reading music notes off a sheet and then being able to play them without first hearing the music) is a prerequisite to get accepted into many higher-level music programs, and the sooner young musicians begin this, the easier it will be for them. Music is a language, and as most people know, the earlier you learn a language, the more fluent you can become. It is because of this that I love Sightreading Factory. This program is simple and intuitive and fits most every level of sightreader. In the program, students can set their instrument, the key they would like to practice, the level of difficulty, and the time signature, and then sightreading factory will provide them with a short piece of music to read. Once a student thinks that they know how the piece is supposed to go, they can play along with the song in realtime. The basic program is free and you get around five reading pieces a day, or for a fee, you can upgrade to unlimited pieces per day.
3. Backing Tracks on Youtube - This is a great feature that many young musicians overlook on Youtube. Many starting players in music would love to have a band that they can practice soloing with, but many young players either don’t know how to put together a band, or are too nervous about their abilities to do so. That is where backing tracks come in: on Youtube, a musician can type in whatever key they want to solo in followed by the words “backing track” (e.g. A minor backing track) and they will be presented with numerous musical arrangements. These arrangements will have every instrument from a band, except the main lead instrument. Students can use these backing tracks to practice their scales and soloing in different keys, and then when they are ready, they can put together a band of their own and do it for real. There are thousands of different backing tracks for any key imaginable (even more advanced keys like Phrygian Dominant), and there are even band specific backing tracks (e.g. Pink Floyd backing tracks). I have personally spent hours soloing over these backing tracks, and I find that once students start using them, their soloing becomes more fluid in their Music Lessons rapidly.
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