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Lower the Volume and Do More with Full-Size Electronic Drum Kits
When it comes to total cost, electronic drum kits are going to be similar in price to beginner acoustic drum kits. But, for the young musician, there are several key advantages to going the electronic route: 1. Electronic drum kits save space. This is true even when the electronic drum kit is fully set up. But,…
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Recommended Valve Oil for Brass Instruments (Trumpet, French Horn, Tuba, Euphonium, etc)
Oiling the valves on a brass instrument is very important to do regularly. The oil helps to keep the valves in good working condition. It also helps to keep them clean. When the valve is not oiled, it can cause several problems. The most immediate problem is that the valve will stick and make the…
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Complete Guide for Continuing Music Learning at Home
Every day, music should be a part of every home, for the entire family to enjoy and learn about together. Here are some resources for parents to help make that possible for their household. Whether your child is a student at Open School, enrolled in private or group lessons, both, or none of the above,…
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Open School’s “One Pitch at a Time” Music Resources
For the second year in a row, students in Open School clusters that include 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades have the opportunity to participate in Music Karate! Here are some great resources to help you continue the learning experience at home.
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Electronic Drum Pads (a.k.a. Table-top Drum Kits): The Cheaper, Quieter, Space-Saving Alternative to the Full-Size Drum Kits
When it comes to drum practice, full-size drum kits can be expensive and take up a lot of space. On top of that, acoustic drum kits are loud and electronic drum kits require additional equipment (headphones or an amplifier) just to hear it. A more affordable and space-saving alternative for drum practice is an electronic…
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Tuning Your Drums for the Perfect Sound
Tuning a drum is not an overly complicated process, but it does require a little “know how”. The two most important things to consider are: Getting the drum to sound good it must be in tune with itself (all places you hit should be the same pitch), and for a drum kit, each drum must…
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The Most Affordable Acoustic Drum Kits Worth Considering
Acoustic drum kits are a lot of things including loud, expensive, and big enough to fill a small room. However, if you have the space and the money and you (and the neighbors) don’t mind the noise, an acoustic drum kit is absolutely the best drumming experience both in terms of sound and ease of…
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Buying Used Musical Instruments
New musical instruments are shiney and cool, but most decent instruments can equal the cost of a month or two of mortgage. The good news is that there are many places to get quality used musical instruments at a steep discount. For keyboards, guitars, and drums, Guitar Center is a good place to start, especially…
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Open School Music Karate Resources
For the second year in a row, students in Open School clusters that include 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades have the opportunity to participate in Music Karate! Here are some great resources to help you continue the learning experience at home.
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Free Xylophone / Glockenspiel App to Practice Without an Instrument
Update (3/17/20): It seems the app reviewed below is no longer available for Android. Not to worry, it is still available for iOS and there are plenty of xylophone apps for Android. I will be testing the other Android apps soon and I will then update this article with my recommendations. In the meantime, here…
