Audio General

The harp encompasses a variety of different plucked stringed instruments found around the world and heard in many different musical genres. Though there are many types of harps, they all share many of the same benefits as we learn to play and practice regularly. Maybe you’re already an accomplished harpist, or perhaps you’re considering trying…

The flute is one of the most popular and versatile woodwind instruments in the world. There are many different types of flutes, and different flute varieties can be found in music around the world, spanning genres such as classical, folk, jazz, rock and more. There are a surprising number of benefits associated with learning how…

The harmonica is a common (and relatively affordable) free-reed woodwind instrument played in many musical genres. With such a vast catalogue of songs, genres and harmonica types, it’s no wonder so many people pick up the harmonica. Additionally, there are a surprising number of benefits associated with learning how to play the harmonica and practicing/playing…

Online learning resources, be it courses, videos, written content, one-on-one coaching, apps, et cetera, provide fantastic opportunities to learn (and teach) bass guitar and understand music more generally. Though nothing truly beats dedicated in-person bass lessons, there are plenty of excellent alternatives online. Note that by “resources,” I’m not only referring to video tutoring and…

Most electric guitars come with various pickups. At times, these can be selected through switches, providing players with the advantage of various configurations and combinations that largely depend on the number of pickups available. How do guitar pickup switches work? A pickup selector switch triggers the pickups that will send signals to the amplifier. Most…

An electric guitar works through a device called a “pickup”, which is a transducer that translates vibration into electricity and delivers signals to the amplifier. Pickups can be made with one, two, and, to a lesser extent, three coils, each one basically comprising the wiring wound to a set of magnets. Depending on the number…

Guitar pickups produce different outputs depending on their setup, build quality and positioning. Some pickups produce a higher output than others, but determining what constitutes a high-output pickup can become tricky. What would be considered a high-output guitar/bass pickup? High-output pickups are the ones that transfer stronger signals to the amplifier relative to the string’s…

Electric guitars and basses are, for the most part, solid-bodied, meaning that they have no soundhole and rely entirely on electric or electromagnetic induction through pickups. Acoustic guitars and basses ordinarily produce sound through their soundhole, but it may not be enough for large venues, so some of them have pickups fitted. The question would…

Electric guitars and basses have magnetic pickups located between the bridge and the neck below the strings. This design is the same, regardless of whether we speak of single-coil pickups, humbucking pickups, P90s, or other similar types. On the other hand, acoustic guitars and basses vary in terms of pickup arrangements since they have different…

Steel guitars are interesting and beloved string instruments capable of superb portamento and vibrato. Their sound is popular in Hawaiian music (where the steel guitar originated) and blues, rock, honky-tonk, gospel and bluegrass. When it comes to choosing the best steel guitar, there are plenty of options, namely in the categories of lap and pedal steel. In this article,…

The bassoon and contrabassoon are popular double-reed woodwind instruments found in orchestral, concert band, and chamber music, as well as in jazz and pop music (though not as commonly). Since the bassoon is such a popular instrument, it’s no surprise that there are plenty of options for student, intermediate and professional bassoonists. This isn’t only true of…