PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Woodshedding - Learning to Play!

Woodshedding - learning to play!

This forum is for posts that are anything to do with learning to play any musical instrument (including vocals). The purpose of this is to help you answer the question ..."How can I learn to play a musical instrument, as soon as possible!"

For most people, one of the primary reasons for using music software like Band-in-a-Box, is to improve your musical playing on an instrument. Sometimes we forget that, and get caught up in the technical details of the software. So we get questions about how to change the font size for the lyrics, but not many questions like "How can Band-in-a-Box help me to learn Smooth Jazz Trumpet soloing?" Band-in-a-Box is a great tool for helping you learn to play a musical instrument. There are lots of other great tools out there that help with learning to play, including:

PG Music software (e.g. Band-in-a-Box, RealBand, AudioChordWizard, Brent Mason Guitar Star, Jazz Guitar Master Class etc.)
Other software
Teachers (on youtube, online etc.)
Books, DVD's
Music schools and online courses
Music Theory
Gear

The hope is that this forum will help people who are learning to play an instrument, providing them with information encouragement to fulfill their goals. Example posts:

How do I learn to play bluegrass banjo?
I want to learn jazz piano, will Band-in-a-Box help?
What is 'modal playing'?
What's a good guitar for learning to play fingerstyle?
Are there any good tips for learning to play folk-style mandolin?

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Thread Title / Thread Starter	Replies	Views	Last Post
What are the best songs to learn to get various 'modal sounds' into your ears ? by Joe V 07/13/14 04:57 PM pghboemike Replies: 8 Views: 50,655	8	50,655	07/13/14 04:57 PM by pghboemike
For the jazzers - is this cheating? 1 2 3 all by rockstar_not 12/19/13 02:32 PM Mac Replies: 41 Views: 49,896	41	49,896	12/19/13 02:32 PM by Mac
Where to find *MGU files of famous songs? by Asian Sun 01/31/24 05:36 AM Charlie Fogle Replies: 14 Views: 34,934	14	34,934	01/31/24 05:36 AM by Charlie Fogle
Anybody playing LESS due to RTs? 1 2 3 all by Janice & Bud 12/07/13 08:52 AM PaulH Replies: 44 Views: 30,728	44	30,728	12/07/13 08:52 AM by PaulH
WHAT IS DIFFERENCE 3/4 AND 6/8 TIME? 1 2 all by sixchannel 12/25/13 05:39 AM wade lillico Replies: 33 Views: 26,216	33	26,216	12/25/13 05:39 AM by wade lillico
Do you have a system for categorizing or remembering "riffs" 1 2 all by PeterGannon 06/11/13 07:51 AM TexasHeartRush Replies: 30 Views: 24,113	30	24,113	06/11/13 07:51 AM by TexasHeartRush
Chords don't tell you what you need to know 1 2 all by ZeroZero 02/16/15 03:15 PM raymb1 Replies: 38 Views: 23,969	38	23,969	02/16/15 03:15 PM by raymb1
Seeking advice from people who've learned to play some piano after many years of guitar playing 1 2 all by Joe V 11/12/13 05:58 PM Mac Replies: 30 Views: 22,981	30	22,981	11/12/13 05:58 PM by Mac
Nashville Guitar Style Demo Song 1 2 all by TexasHeartRush 06/11/13 07:39 AM TexasHeartRush Replies: 28 Views: 21,804	28	21,804	06/11/13 07:39 AM by TexasHeartRush
Circle of 5ths 1 2 3 4 all by Bass Thumper 11/11/22 08:30 AM Bass Thumper Replies: 76 Views: 20,137	76	20,137	11/11/22 08:30 AM by Bass Thumper
Dissonance - what is it, musically? 1 2 all by ZeroZero 05/04/15 06:45 AM ZeroZero Replies: 22 Views: 20,085	22	20,085	05/04/15 06:45 AM by ZeroZero
Picking up the guitar agian 1 2 all by SpaceDog 01/26/14 10:31 AM chulaivet1966 Replies: 30 Views: 19,366	30	19,366	01/26/14 10:31 AM by chulaivet1966
Can BIAB Teach Me Alto Saxophone? 1 2 all by George Nelson 10/10/13 02:16 AM wen Replies: 26 Views: 18,894	26	18,894	10/10/13 02:16 AM by wen
Please add songs that are "modern" (>1960) jazz standards... by PeterGannon 01/19/14 06:39 AM MarioD Replies: 15 Views: 17,186	15	17,186	01/19/14 06:39 AM by MarioD
COMPRESSOR PEDAL - WHAT IS "ATTACK"? by sixchannel 01/06/14 07:30 AM Guitarhacker Replies: 4 Views: 15,310	4	15,310	01/06/14 07:30 AM by Guitarhacker
What are the most common functions of diminished, augmented, and m7b5 chords ? 1 2 all by Joe V 05/12/14 12:03 PM dcuny Replies: 20 Views: 15,286	20	15,286	05/12/14 12:03 PM by dcuny
Can anyone recommend a good rock/blues guitar book? by doogiet 10/24/16 08:18 PM edshaw Replies: 17 Views: 14,655	17	14,655	10/24/16 08:18 PM by edshaw
10,000 hours 1 2 all by TexasHeartRush 03/20/13 12:58 PM TexasHeartRush Replies: 25 Views: 12,561	25	12,561	03/20/13 12:58 PM by TexasHeartRush
What exactly is a Tonal center vs. an underlying Mode or Scale on which a song is based ? by Joe V 01/21/15 01:25 AM ZeroZero Replies: 4 Views: 12,352	4	12,352	01/21/15 01:25 AM by ZeroZero
Amazing Slow Downer by 90 dB 03/31/14 11:26 PM music2jam Replies: 17 Views: 12,316	17	12,316	03/31/14 11:26 PM by music2jam
GUITAR: How to practice. 1 2 all by Don Gaynor 08/27/21 03:40 AM etcjoe Replies: 29 Views: 11,838	29	11,838	08/27/21 03:40 AM by etcjoe
Question about minor II V I's by ZeroZero 08/07/14 07:20 PM alan S. Replies: 19 Views: 11,703	19	11,703	08/07/14 07:20 PM by alan S.
Dont waste time or money on Amazing slow downer Get TRANSCRIBE! by BBB 04/02/14 09:23 PM BBB Replies: 8 Views: 11,655	8	11,655	04/02/14 09:23 PM by BBB
Lyric techniques found in songs: "I Got Rhythm" by Noel96 11/12/16 12:51 PM Pauline - PG Music Replies: 13 Views: 10,846	13	10,846	11/12/16 12:51 PM by Pauline - PG Music
Proof that One Direction songwriters are studying the Beatles - you can too. by rockstar_not 12/14/15 02:59 PM Charlie Fogle Replies: 16 Views: 9,779	16	9,779	12/14/15 02:59 PM by Charlie Fogle
Tonebridge Guitar iPad app For Famous Song Tones and Effects by pghboemike 09/13/16 05:32 AM tigermetal Replies: 9 Views: 9,378	9	9,378	09/13/16 05:32 AM by tigermetal
Learning melodies in all 12 keys by PeterGannon 05/29/13 07:33 AM AlastairLC Replies: 11 Views: 9,373	11	9,373	05/29/13 07:33 AM by AlastairLC
Woodshed Progress and New Instructional DVD by TexasHeartRush 12/07/13 11:18 AM Mac Replies: 17 Views: 9,025	17	9,025	12/07/13 11:18 AM by Mac
roland sound canvas va by colly 04/19/17 08:25 AM Jim Fogle Replies: 7 Views: 9,024	7	9,024	04/19/17 08:25 AM by Jim Fogle
Arranger Module Software? by newbert 03/04/22 09:19 AM JBran Replies: 7 Views: 8,925	7	8,925	03/04/22 09:19 AM by JBran
Lyric Techniques: "I Got Rhythm" (Part 2) by Noel96 11/08/16 08:01 PM Noel96 Replies: 10 Views: 8,855	10	8,855	11/08/16 08:01 PM by Noel96
Scales using Band in a Box by Island Soul 10/17/16 08:32 AM edshaw Replies: 8 Views: 8,510	8	8,510	10/17/16 08:32 AM by edshaw
Pro tools audiophile 2496 by keltie 05/19/14 05:26 PM keltie Replies: 12 Views: 8,491	12	8,491	05/19/14 05:26 PM by keltie
Free non-copyrighted BIAB practice files by bobcflatpicker 02/03/15 05:49 PM andyclar_6668 Replies: 9 Views: 8,443	9	8,443	02/03/15 05:49 PM by andyclar_6668
Experience players - share some exercises that you still practice to this day by Joe V 03/01/14 03:29 PM dani48 Replies: 18 Views: 7,979	18	7,979	03/01/14 03:29 PM by dani48
Using BiaB to learn to improvise - it's the best tool for the job that I've ever found by Notes Norton 04/24/13 09:53 AM JustKen Replies: 7 Views: 7,789	7	7,789	04/24/13 09:53 AM by JustKen
Help - Please - Regaining My Vocal Range 1 2 all by drutgat 11/01/18 02:22 PM drutgat Replies: 23 Views: 7,654	23	7,654	11/01/18 02:22 PM by drutgat
Adding Interest to Modal Tunes in BIAB by vic 08/31/15 02:19 AM alan S. Replies: 14 Views: 7,487	14	7,487	08/31/15 02:19 AM by alan S.
Augmented chords by shannon88 01/24/14 09:29 PM raymb1 Replies: 10 Views: 7,404	10	7,404	01/24/14 09:29 PM by raymb1
any guitarists play with Parkinson's? by Bob Calver 02/29/24 11:45 AM Bob Calver Replies: 17 Views: 7,268	17	7,268	02/29/24 11:45 AM by Bob Calver
free guitar backing tracks by pghboemike 01/03/17 12:44 PM sixchannel Replies: 3 Views: 6,940	3	6,940	01/03/17 12:44 PM by sixchannel
My new jazz guitar lesson: Moonlight in Vermont - chord melody style by Sandra Sherman 08/20/17 07:20 AM Sandra Sherman Replies: 2 Views: 6,426	2	6,426	08/20/17 07:20 AM by Sandra Sherman
Chord/scale identifier by pghboemike 11/10/18 03:45 PM Matt Finley Replies: 7 Views: 6,396	7	6,396	11/10/18 03:45 PM by Matt Finley
Using A Capo Correctly - Tommy Emmanuel Workshop by Don Gaynor 04/02/13 07:32 AM Mootsman Replies: 5 Views: 6,287	5	6,287	04/02/13 07:32 AM by Mootsman
The Chord Syllabus by MarioD 11/21/13 12:03 PM rockstar_not Replies: 8 Views: 6,265	8	6,265	11/21/13 12:03 PM by rockstar_not
Such a slow learner 1 2 all by goofeyfoot 10/02/20 10:15 PM SussexGuitar Replies: 23 Views: 6,260	23	6,260	10/02/20 10:15 PM by SussexGuitar
Check out this great App 1 2 all by biab-user 11/21/22 05:07 PM Bass Thumper Replies: 25 Views: 6,217	25	6,217	11/21/22 05:07 PM by Bass Thumper
Have any of you tried Rick Beato's training courses by Planobilly 05/12/23 06:20 AM sslechta Replies: 3 Views: 6,166	3	6,166	05/12/23 06:20 AM by sslechta
Using Band in a Box by Rich35 02/12/18 05:22 PM edshaw Replies: 12 Views: 5,907	12	5,907	02/12/18 05:22 PM by edshaw
What modulations are most common in pop and pop/jazz, and please share some song examples ? by Joe V 01/08/15 02:19 PM GDaddy Replies: 10 Views: 5,740	10	5,740	01/08/15 02:19 PM by GDaddy
A new free Berklee online course - Developing your Musicianship by rockstar_not 04/03/14 10:54 AM rockstar_not Replies: 5 Views: 5,259	5	5,259	04/03/14 10:54 AM by rockstar_not
Learning to Play Bluegrass Banjo by Buford 08/20/17 04:45 AM Pat Marr Replies: 8 Views: 5,097	8	5,097	08/20/17 04:45 AM by Pat Marr
fyi-How Music Works with Howard Goodall by pghboemike 04/19/15 02:14 AM Joe V Replies: 7 Views: 4,937	7	4,937	04/19/15 02:14 AM by Joe V
Confusion over root vs lowest note by doogiet 06/29/17 03:52 AM edshaw Replies: 9 Views: 4,901	9	4,901	06/29/17 03:52 AM by edshaw
listen - play - listen - loop by ShaunHH 04/22/18 05:48 AM DeaconBlues09 Replies: 16 Views: 4,880	16	4,880	04/22/18 05:48 AM by DeaconBlues09
Why are keys like Db popular? 1 2 all by Planobilly 02/21/23 02:32 PM MarioD Replies: 23 Views: 4,823	23	4,823	02/21/23 02:32 PM by MarioD
EWI standard fingering by pipandtinker 12/06/14 11:30 AM MarioD Replies: 6 Views: 4,738	6	4,738	12/06/14 11:30 AM by MarioD
Great videos for learning jazz piano - Doug McKenzie by PeterGannon 03/27/13 10:23 AM ZeroZero Replies: 1 Views: 4,731	1	4,731	03/27/13 10:23 AM by ZeroZero
Advanced Jazz a remark by Bill Evans by ZeroZero 12/28/13 06:39 AM VideoTrack Replies: 10 Views: 4,597	10	4,597	12/28/13 06:39 AM by VideoTrack
Is this chord impossible to write? by ZeroZero 11/30/14 06:08 AM ZeroZero Replies: 10 Views: 4,490	10	4,490	11/30/14 06:08 AM by ZeroZero

Moderated by: Andrew - PG Music, Blake - PG Music, Callie - PG Music, Catherine, PeterGannon, pgmoderation

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