Today left handed electric guitars are readily available in most music stores as the demand for these types of guitars especially left handed electric guitars has been increased by the popularity of famous left handed guitar players.  Iggy Pop, Jimi Hendrix and Paul McCartney are all famous guitarists that played left-handed on specially made guitars.

To determine whether or not a left handed electric guitar is right for you the best way is to try both a right handed and a left-handed guitar next time you are at the music store.  Play each of the guitars and note which one feels the most comfortable in terms of strumming, fingering of chords and practising chord progressions.  You should be able to tell quite quickly which guitar feels the most natural when you are playing.

Apart from the difficulties that a left-handed person faces when choosing and playing a left-handed guitar it is also a challenge to find teaching and learning material for this type of guitar playing.  The increase in the amount of online material for electric guitar players has provided some much needed resources for left-handed guitar players who have been searching for information on guitar basics and left-handed guitar techniques

Some of the earliest stands included stands designed to rest on a table as well as those that where tall enough to stand alone.  These early music stands where made of wood and many of the stands where quite ornate which matched furniture that was in the music rooms of these houses during that period of time.

Today stands are available in many different types of material with the most popular being metal.  Metal stands are very durable with a majority of these designed to be folded up when transported.  Folding stands are the most popular type of music stand on the market.  The design saves space and makes it easy to transport one or more stands around to the multiple venues that a band may perform at.

Music stands are also available for specialized uses such as for marching bands.  These types are generally made of metal and are quite small when compared with a regular music stand.  The marching band type of music stand also have clips and attachments to allow these stands to be attached to the various instruments that make up a marching band.

Some people who have a sense of history still have some of the early styles of music stands that are handcrafted with wood.  This sort of thing goes in and out of fashion, but a beautiful ornate music stand can be quite striking in a music room with other furniture items and instruments such as a piano.

The first of the piano bars is the Bemelmans Bar which is located on the upper east side on Madison Avenue.  The bar is named after the children’s author and the atmosphere in this venue is very classic old style New York.  A visit to Bemelmans Bar is definitely a must for anyone that is looking for a great venue to have drinks with friends in a friendly atmosphere where they can enjoy some quality entertainment.

Don’t Tell Mama is a great piano bar located between 8th and 9th Avenues.  This venue features a great variety of live jazz and the opportunity to sing along as well as featuring musicals, comedy and vocal groups.  Don’t Tell Mama is not your typical piano bar but the atmosphere, staff and the musicians are excellent.  This bar is defiantly worth a visit if you are in this area of the city.

The Duplex is one of the more popular piano bars in New York and is located on Christopher street in West Village.  This piano bar attracts people from all walks of life and has hosted stars such as Barbra Streisand, KT Sullivan and Lea Delaria.  The entertainment at the Duplex gets going at 9pm most nights with the staff performing and providing the opportunity for open mic performances and requests.

The Top of the Tower Piano Bar has the atmosphere of a relaxed piano bar with the advantage of a stunning view over New York city.  The bar is located on the 26th floor of the Beekman Tower Hotel and is open daily until quite late.  The Top of the Tower Piano bar is a great place to come to enjoy a relaxed atmosphere, take in the art deco inspired furnishings while listening to great live music over a few drinks.

Brandy’s Piano Bar, located between 2nd and 3rd Avenue New York, is a lively venue where many patrons visit to have a drink and participate in the entertainment.  The piano bar area has a great ambiance and expect to be involved in the singing if you visit this bar.  Brandy’s Bar is open late and host all type of clientele looking for a great night out.

The features of a venue that will provide the musician or band with the best possible sound are the same regardless of the size of the venue or the type of music being performed.  The best venues are the ones that generate a great sound, have adjustable lighting, have a great view of the stage from all areas of the audience and have some history or vibe about the place.  The United States has a long list of great venues scattered throughout the country which showcase live music at its best.  These venues include but is not limited to the following and feature both outdoor and small intimate venues.

Smalls Jazz Club which is located in New York is one of those venues that provides that special intimate feeling with great acoustics and live music nearly every day of the week and weekend.  This jazz club is located right in the heart of New York and is one of those venues that was just meant to have live music.

The Great American Music Hall is another of these great venues that only seems right if there is live music.  This venue has a rich history of live performances and fits into this category of great live music venues due to the great sound, the practical size and the history that is associated with the music hall having hosted the likes of Duke Ellington and Van Morrison.

One of Americas best outdoor live music venues is the Hollywood Bowl in California.  This venue provides concert goers with great acoustics and a fantastic view of proceedings on stage.  The Hollywood Bowl was opened in 1922 and has hosted countless concerts and shows with its distinctive shell like structure over the stage ensuring that the live music is heard at it best.

Firstly, The Lead of the Packs provides electric guitar packages at an affordable price. Each package provides legendary quality, value, and features, matched with industry-leading service and support. They have two great electric guitar packages, at very affordable prices. The SE Special Strat & SP-10 Amp pack consists of the Squier SE Special Strat which includes 3 single coil pickups, rosewood fingerboard, diecast tuners and a 3-play shell pickguard. The package also contains the Squier SP10 amp, Squier Electronic tuner, and Fender gig bag, guitar stand, picks, cable and strap, as well as a DVD sampler on, ‘Getting Started on Electric Guitar’. From just $549, you can customise your guitar package in various colours, black, white and sunburst. The Affinity Strat & Frontman 15G Amp pack consists on a Squier Affinity Strat, Fender Frontman 15g amp and Fender electric tuner, cable, gig bag, strap, picks, headphones and the DVD sampler. This package is at a retail price of just $699 and available in black, sunburst, metallic red and metallic blue.

Another great company offering amazing electric guitar packages is BMusic, which consists of starter guitar and amp packages, from the leading brands of ESP, Zemaitis, DBZ Guitars, Caparison, Edwards, Cort, Hagstrom, Parker, Washburn and Greg Bennett Signature. The first package from BMusic is the ESP Ltd M10 Electric Guitar package that is priced at $498.99, including GST. It includes LTD M0-10 deluxe electric guitar, LTD 15 watt guitar amp, gig bag, tuner, strap and cable. The ESP Ltd F-10 Electric Guitar package consists of the LTD F-10 guitar that is pure rock, from its distinctive angled shape through to its deep black finish. The package contains the special edition ESP amp which is great for practice, instruction or jamming along to your favourite CDs. This package ranges from $549.

Lastly, The Music Shop showcases the Ashton Electric Guitar and Amp Package, with more extras than ever before! The AG131 Starter Pack includes a new built-in tuner and is built around the classically styled rock guitar, which is built from solid basswood producing a rich tone. Extras include the 10 Watt practice amp, picks, lead, strap and DVD lessons. Prices start from $319.

The emergence of rock music can be traced to the early 1940s where there was the combination of the increased popularity of the electric guitar and prominent musicians such as Chuck Berry who were in a position to push the boundaries.  The conservative nature of that time was gradually being pushed aside and emerging individuals and rock acts such as the Rolling Stones began to develop the style of rock music.

The early 1970s saw rock music become the most dominant form of popular music and also saw the emergence of many new bands that both developed the rock music sound as well as moved this music into new and uncharted territory.  Heavy metal was one of these areas that rock music had developed into thanks mainly to bands such as Led Zeppelin.  At the same time as the birth of heavy metal, the more complex sounds of psychedelic rock was also flourishing on the back of bands such as Pink Floyd.

By the end of the 1970s bands such as the Sex Pistols and the Clash changed the direction of rock music back to the sound of loud guitars, heavy beat and an attitude to match.  This was popular for a while but began to grow stale in the 1980s.  At this time college rock and alternative rock were to move into dominance on the back of bands such as R.E.M which were played throughout college radio stations.  Other bands and artists that were played were called indie rock due to the increasing popularity of small independently owned labels.

The early 1990s saw the rise of alternative rock take a dominant position in the mainstream music stakes.  This was achieved on the back of the popularity of Nirvana and alternative bands such as Sound garden.  Throughout the 1990s to now rock music has continued to grow and change as it is influenced by bands such as Limp Bizkit, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Foo Fighters and Linkin Park.

As a beginner on the guitar it is important that the basics are learnt first as many of the basic techniques are designed to make playing the guitar easier and stop you from falling into bad habits that may cause technique problems in the future.  One of these basics is how to properly strum a guitar, how to keep your strumming in time and also how to hold and use a pick. Guitar strumming lessons can help you start with the right technique rather than have to change the way you play later, when you need to strum much faster in more advanced music.

Before starting to try out strumming on the guitar it is a good idea to have a goal in mind of what you would like to achieve with your playing.  Many beginners would set a goal if strumming a song from start to finish with good technique.  Traditionally a skill like this is usually taught by a teacher in a face to face lesson but many students are using the internet to access online lessons which also offer the same sort of face to face lesson through video lessons.

Whether you are looking to play country music, classical or rock a proper strumming technique is important for forming a good basis for your playing.  Learning a proper strumming technique is a skill that can be use across all types of music from the simplest of rock songs to a complex classical piece.

From the beginner guitarist to the professional learning to strum the guitar both with and without a pick is an essential skill that all guitarist should practice and perfect.  One of the most effective ways of teaching this skill is through guitar strumming lessons both from a private teacher or from guitar lessons over the internet.

The type of guitar that is included in the pack is important and one of the easiest ways to choose a guitar is to try a few different models in the shop.  Many music stores encourage people to have a play of several different types of guitars so that you get one that is comfortable for you and one that you like the style and colour of.

The next feature of most of the electric guitar packages that are on the market is an amplifier.  Many of the amps on offer are small starter amps which are suitable for most beginners.  These amps are designed for you to practice at home.  If you are going to be playing with other guitarists or with a band then these amps are not suitable and you should consider getting a larger more powerful amp for this situation.

The guitar pack should also include a strap for the guitar as well as leads to connect up to the amp.  These things will be the very basic of items and once you have started to play will you can reward yourself with a more personalised guitar strap and some better quality leads.

Some of the guitar packages will also feature items such as a bag for your guitar, a stand for the guitar and also some beginner books that will help you on your way to learning how to play the guitar.