Jazz guitars are a fairly new term, as there aren’t many that are specifically made for the genre. In jazz, guitars tend to have a clean, dry sound with little to no reverb, and often no other effects. The charm comes from the clear sound that allows you to pick up every detail, from the plucking to the vibration of every string.

The best instruments for jazz are hollow-body semi-acoustic guitars, although you’ll find more than a few that break away from the rule. One of the most famous jazz guitars is the Gibson ES150, probably best known to jazz enthusiasts as Charlie Christian’s signature instrument. Its famous warm, mellow tone is made possible by a single-coil pickup at the neck, and the f-holes in the acoustic-style body.

Two other Gibson guitars are considered jazz classics: the L5 and the ES175. The L5 has been around for decades and hasn’t changed much from its original design, which includes a large body offering excellent resonance. The ES175 is largely recognizable from its uncharacteristic Florentine design, but offers the same sound quality and personality as the rest of the line.

If you want a real classic, of course, the Fender Telecaster is your best choice. Arguably the most famous guitar in the market in any genre, it has a sweet, mellow tone that goes just as well in jazz as in country music, where it’s better known. What’s great about it is that you can experiment with styles, given its versatility. Indeed, you probably wouldn’t want to use it solely for jazz, as you’ll be missing out on creative opportunities.

The Gretsch Country Gentleman, although obviously more a country guitar, also lends itself very well to jazz playing. This is made possible with the various controls that allow you to change the tone, and the proprietary pickups that give it a unique sound. A similar model, the Nashville, offers the same features with a slightly different look.

Check out Piano for All at www.pianoforall.com

Many learn to play systems for piano are very much book or manual based learning and many of these resources are difficult to stay interested in as they focus too much on the technical stuff and exercises rather than moving the student to learn popular music.  To increase the appeal of learning to play the piano, Piano For All has been created as a course that combines workbook lessons with computer based visual and audio elements.  Using the different elements makes the course easier to understand and follow as the video lessons guide the student through the examples and through the lessons.  Piano For All has been designed by piano teacher and artist Robin Hall and is targeted specifically at beginner piano players of all ages.

The bulk of the information for each of the lessons is contained in the 10 eBooks that make up the Piano For All course.  Each of these books has video and audio demonstrations and exercises which are linked through the eBooks.  The lessons start with a good foundation of parts of the piano and understanding how chords work and when used in order the eBooks gradually introduce new skills which are then practised mastered.  One of the better features of the lesson exercises is that once you have passed the initial couple of lessons then popular music is introduced to make the exercises more interesting.

One of the best qualities of this program is that you don’t need a degree in IT to be able to use the eBooks, the lessons or the video and audio examples.  To make the lessons run smoothly each of the video and audio links are right there on the page and only require a click to view the relevant file.  Other positive features of this course is the amount of information that you receive when purchasing Piano For All.  The lessons are very comprehensive and the size of the course is half a gig so it is important that you have room on your computer for the whole course.  Piano For All includes a piano resource book (eBook 10) which contains loads of information, tips and exercises which supplement the lessons.

Piano For All is a great overall course for people looking for a computer based course to learn the piano.  This program has many positive features such as the interesting lessons, the easy to use format and the extras that you get when purchasing this piano course.

Check the Piano For All Website at www.pianoforall.com

If you are looking for a complete learn to play guitar package that focuses on both electric and acoustic guitar then Amazing Guitar Secrets may be the course for you.  This learn to play pack includes work books, video examples and audio tracks which are all designed to move you along as you learn and develop skills.

Amazing Guitar Secrets has been designed and taught by musician and teacher Dan Denley.  Denley has a very accomplished music background that includes a music degree, classical training in piano and vocal performance as well as over seven years experience playing guitar with performing bands.  For those guitarists that find this guitar package great to learn from, Denley also has several advanced guitar courses including Lead Guitar Secrets and Acoustic Guitar Secrets.

As with many of these learn to play guitar packages this course contains 2 DVDs of lessons and techniques, a CD which contains jam tracks and a very comprehensive work book which guides you through the lessons.

The DVD part of the pack contains just over 4 hours of material with a mix of video and on screen graphics and diagrams.  The quality of the video segments is nothing special but it makes up for this with quality material and relatively good audio.  A note to beginners who are using this guitar program is that Denley in some examples uses technical language which may not be understood by people who have just started to play guitar and have no other music background.

The CD contained in Amazing Guitar Secrets includes 40 guitar tracks which you can play along with.  These tracks are a good addition to the course however they have been recorded with just the guitar playing and would have been better with the option of playing the tracks with a backing band.  The CD also has all the work books as PDF files which can be printed and also contains printable versions of the tutorials that cover topics such as reading chord charts and learning scales.

The Work book that is included in the pack is made up of 10 smaller black and white workbooks that follow the lessons and format of the included DVDs.  Other information included in the work book is a handy progress tracker which you can use to map your progress through the lessons.  There is also an included Amazing Guitar Secrets guide book and you will also receive several other smaller theory books which cover some of the technical information such as scales, patterns, reading music, guitar tab and guitar theory.

This guitar package is suitable for people who are wanting to learn music theory as well as learning to play the guitar and at the price of under $100 it is defiantly worth a look.

Check out the Beginner Guitar System at www.beginnerguitarsystem.com

For beginner guitarists looking for a system that covers all the basics as well as providing material that will keep you interested and challenged then this guitar system may suit your needs.  The Beginner Guitar System has been created by guitarist and teacher Nate Savage who has had plenty of experience with over 16+ years playing and teaching guitar.  The lessons are all featured on a collection of DVDs and exercises and lessons are also featured in the included workbook.  This beginner guitar system has been developed for use by beginners but also has excellent sections on chords, rhythm and guitar theory that are also suited to intermediate guitarists.

The Beginner Guitar System is a complete guitar playing course and includes in the pack a work book which supplements the lessons, a poster which features guitar chords, 4 DVDs of video lessons, 2 DVDs which feature 10 songs to learn, CDs which contain backing tracks for the play along songs and a CD which works as a metronome.

The work book supplied with the Beginner Guitar System is an illustrated manual that is designed as a reference for the student while using the DVD video lessons.  The great thing about this work book is that it contains extra material as well as what is covered in the video lessons.  The work book should be used while viewing the video lesson as the relevant page numbers are displayed on the screen so you can follow the lesson through the work book.

The lessons are divided up onto 4 DVDs and take you through each of the lessons and included exercises step by step.  An excellent aspect of this course is that it starts with all of the basics such as how to hold the guitar, equipment that you will need as well as important things such as how the tune the guitar and change strings.  The video presentation of each lesson is excellent especially when showing fingering close ups and the lessons feature guitar tab and music which is useful for people who are complete beginners at both the guitar and reading music.

The extra play along songs that are contained in the Beginner Guitar System are a great idea as you have something to aim for while completing the course.  The 10 tracks are featured like the course video lessons and once you have mastered them you can play with or without the guitar or metronome or just with the backing band.

This course is a refreshing change from all the poor quality guitar courses on the internet.  The Beginner Guitar System is a great package for anyone looking to the internet for lessons on how to play the guitar.

For more information visit the Beginner Guitar System Website www.beginnerguitarsystem.com

You can usually rent a piano from music shops or rental agencies (which are usually associated with the former). One thing you’ll notice with rental shops is their large selection of pianos, often larger than the typical store’s brand-new range. You’ll find consoles, grand pianos, baby grands, and even digital pianos and keyboards. Of course, you can test them beforehand and see which one works best for you.

Another advantage to renting a piano besides the large selection is that it doesn’t require any serious commitment. If you’re a beginner and just want to see if you like it, there’s no point spending thousands of dollars on what may end up being an unwieldy piece of furniture. You can keep it as long or as little as you want, or even keep renting while you save up for your own. Or if you decide you’d rather play baseball, you can turn it back in with no strings attached.

Most piano rentals work on a monthly basis, meaning they charge a flat fee every month. These range from $30 for a beginner-level piano to $150 for a grand, usually with moving fees and periodic tuning added to the cost. If you’ve been playing for a while and expect to buy your own eventually, try looking for a rent-to-own deal—these allow you to rent the piano until you’ve paid enough to cover the cost of the instrument, at which point it becomes yours. The only risk with this arrangement is that you risk losing money if you change your mind midway, and may even have to pay penalties.

Start looking for piano rentals in your area. Even if you find better rates online, dealing with people face to face is a lot safer—at the very least you’ll know where to go for repairs or refunds if necessary. You may need to undergo a credit check and place a deposit. Once that’s done, all you have to do is choose your instrument and start making music!

Visit the Fret2Fret website at www.fret2fret.com

Anyone who has done some searching on the internet for online resources for learning to play the guitar has probably come across Fret2Fret through their advertising.  Much of the advertising for this program is very hyped with guarantees such as  mastering the techniques and improve your guitar playing in less than half an hour.  Some people may be put off by this type of advertising as you have to look past the hype, the many testimonials and sales pitches before getting to the content of Fret2Fret and what it has to offer the beginner guitar player.

Fret2Fret was created by guitarist Mike Slaiter and offers the beginner guitarist an alternative to the structured guitar lessons that are offered by many other learn to play guitar programs.    The Fret2Fret program is not an actual guitar course that moves you step by step through learning and playing, rather Fret2Fret is a collection of memory techniques that once learnt help you remember the location of notes and patterns on the guitar or bass Fretboard.  Learning these techniques can be useful for beginners but should not be the only technique or material used when learning to play the guitar or bass.

Apart from the collection of memory techniques for guitar and bass guitar, Fret2Fret also includes several other extras, many of which are available for free over the internet.  The first of these extras is the Fretboard Warrior which is a game for use by the guitar player to memorise notes on the fret board.  The next extra is a very basic tuning software called TuMeDrum which also includes a metronome and drum loop.  This extra is not really worth using as the metronome has only a few settings, the drum rhythms are boring and the whole interface with this software is uninspiring.

One of the more interesting extras is the Guitar Tablature that Fret2Fret gives you access to.  After a little investigation of this extra and the content it looks like some of this material may be provided in violation of copyright regulations.  The last of the extra features that Fret2Fret gives you access to is Guitar Tablature files for Guitar Pro 3.  It should be noted that this extra only works if you already own the Guitar Pro software, for those who don’t have this software this extra is a complete waste of time.

Fret2Fret offers the beginner guitarist a different learning tool as an alternative to the standard learn and play courses used by many other companies.  While these memory techniques can be useful you are better off spending your hard earned cash on other much better guitar courses.

For more information visit the Fret2Fret website www.fret2fret.com

Check out the Instrument Master website at www.instrumentmaster.com

Anyone who has spend time trawling through the internet and the many music related websites will probably have come across Instrument Master.  One of the negative aspects of Instrument Master is the hyped and over the top way that the course is featured on the webpage.  Many people are put off by websites with pop ups, endless reviews by random people and outrageous claims about how good the product is and ‘special prices’ for recommending your friends also buy the product.  What seems to attract people to this piano course is the promise of an all inclusive piano course, the price which is cheaper than many of the other courses available online and also the advertised bonus of access to other courses for instruments including guitar, bass and violin at no extra cost.

Unfortunately after parting with the purchase price to have access to all that Instrument Master (Piano) has to offer it was clear that many of the features that were advertised on the website were substandard or in some cases were exaggerated or nonexistent.  The advertisement for Instrument Master claims that you will have access to 1000s of lessons for all instruments via the Instrument Master library as well as access to 10 Styles and genres of instruction for each of the instruments covered by this site.  What you really get is somewhat different to the promises made before you part with your money.

After gaining access to the teaching materials for Instrument Master it was clear that what was promised and what was delivered were two totally different things.  The advertisement for Instrument Master promised thousands of lessons but the site only features 13 QuickTime movie files which were poor quality, didn’t really teach anything of importance and were only short with the longest clip only 3 minutes.  The clips that did show something where blurry,  had muffled audio and there was no structure to any of the lessons.

Instrument Master also provides the user with 13 MP3 files that contain just the audio of the above mentioned QuickTime movie files.  These audio files are completely useless as you already have the audio with the video clips and they aren’t that good anyhow.  The package also features scale illustrations, some PDF files that have some basic music theory and notation and some Jam Tracks which as with most of this package are rubbish and a waste of time downloading.

For people looking for a great online course for learning to play piano – keep looking.  Instrument Master is a poor quality waste of money – do not buy this course.

For more information check the website www.instrumentmaster.com

Although small, Lindo’s guitar lineup is fairly varied, with selections for acoustic, electric, electric-acoustic, and bass guitars. They also have a line of travel guitars, which are smaller, more compact, and designed for easy transport. Prices range from £50 (US$82) for a basic travel guitar to £150 (US$245) for their higher-end electric guitars. The company regularly adds to its collection and holds regular specials, so you may even be able to get one for less.

Lindo guitars come with various colors and finishes, so there’s one to catch every user’s fancy. For instance, the Lindo (i) Series, its bass guitar line, features a natural wood finish, an eye-catching red, and a polished black. All come with a basswood body and a maple neck, as well as chrome hardware and die-cast machine heads.

Two of its more popular electro-acoustic guitars are the Black Fire and Dreadnought, which are made with roomy, ergonomic bodies to ensure playing comfort. The fingerboards are rosewood and the body is natural spruce. The necks are made with maple, a popular “tonewood,” which means it carries sound well and makes for excellent acoustic play. As the name implies, it also plugs into an amp and can be used as an electric guitar.

One of its newer products is the Tribal electro-acoustic guitar, set apart mainly by its glossy tiger-stripe design. Featuring the same solid construction as the rest of the lineup, it boasts some of Lindo’s new features such as a scratch-plate design, matte tuning pegs for added style and finger comfort, and a smart headstock design.

Lindo also offers a wide range of guitar accessories, including picks, strings, and straps. Beginners may also be interested in the Complete Rock Guitarist six-lesson DVD for electric guitars or the Complete Fingerstyle Guitarist for acoustic guitars. Tuners, amplifiers, amp cables, and guitar stands are also available for those in the professional league. There’s even an accessory pack for electric-acoustic guitar owners that includes a gig bag, spare steel strings, shoulder straps, plectrums, and a pitch pipe.

Online lessons have become increasingly popular as people, even children, adopted busier lifestyles. This applies even outside music, from art to academics. But in music, it’s a little complicated because it’s always a two-way affair. you don’t just want to learn notes—you want to be able to play well. Often, that means playing for someone. Many guitar lessons get the instruction part right, but aren’t good at prompting practice and assessing performance. This is one of the first things you should look for when choosing lessons.

High-quality video and audio lessons are a good way of assuring this. Jamplay, for example, has about 570 hours of video instruction from over 40 real-life experts. And it’s not just some scripted lesson plan, either: you get professional-quality videos and performances from your instructors, and they keep adding new ones every week.

Another great thing about this program is that it covers various musical genres, something that’s rare in the industry. Most guitar lessons will focus on a particular style, such as rock or jazz, but Jamplay offers lessons across the board, allowing you to try out new styles and eventually settle into something you like.

You also have to consider your level of expertise. There are guitar lessons for pros and lessons for those who’ve never held a guitar before. If you’re the latter, a good place to start is Beginner Guitar System from Railroad Media. Nate Savage, a guitarist with over 16 years of experience, walks you through all the basics, from common chords and power chords to skills like rhythm and timing. Even intermediate players can find some of the concepts useful.

Such programs are ideal for beginners because they don’t cost much—for instance, the Learn and Master Guitar program from guitar manufacturer Gibson offers about two years’ worth of lessons for a fraction of the price. If you’re not sure you want to be a serious player, or if you’re just trying to see if your kid will like it, it doesn’t make sense to pay a fortune for a private instructor’s time.

Check out the Learn and Master Bass Guitar website www.learnandmaster.com

Learn and Master Bass Guitar is a brand new bass guitar course from the Legacy Learning company.  This course is part of the spotlight series of courses offered by this company and is a less expensive bass guitar course which still manages to give the student good quality video lessons and an excellent introduction to the 4 string bass guitar.  The video lessons feature Tony Marvelli who has a solid background in playing and teaching the bass guitar and his easy style comes across well as he teaches in the video lessons.

As with many of the online courses, Learn and Master Bass Guitar features 3 DVDs of video lessons, 1 audio CD and a work book which is used to supplement the lessons.  The video lessons are split into 6 sessions which cover topics such as an introduction to the bass guitar, music theory, tab and reading music, scales, chord progressions and how to get the most out of your practice time.  This course is great for beginners as it spends a fair amount of time focusing on the basics of playing the bass guitar such as picking, fretting techniques as well as slides and patterns.  Some of the topics that are featured during the video lessons are only covered very briefly so it is essential to have the work book to follow which fills in the required detail for many of these skills.

Learn and Master Bass Guitar also features a Jam Along CD which has 8 tracks which you can play along to.  The tracks are of a high quality and feature full band backing as well as excellent jazz and blues sections which are great to play along to.  The Jam Along CD is good but unlike other learn to play bass courses the tracks are only featured at the one tempo and the tracks are an extra and learning them is not covered in any of the video lessons.

The lesson book is available only as a PDF and can be downloaded from the resource website.  The book is an excellent complement to the video lessons and has been produced with easy to understand diagrams, chord charts and exercises.

Learn and Master Bass Guitar is quite a good course for people who are looking for a cheaper option for an online course.  The video lessons and work book have many positive features and this course is great for beginners who are looking for a course that covers the basics of playing bass in some detail.

Check out the Learn and Master Bass Guitar website www.learnandmaster.com