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How To: Play a two-drum etude

Whether you're a first day beginner or have been playing the drums for several years, learning the fundamentals of technique, rudiments and music reading is very important. In this installment from his video tutorial series on the fundamentals of snare drumming, Mark Wessels demonstrates a simple two-drum etude.

How To: Play dotted quarter notes

Whether you're a first day beginner or have been playing the drums for several years, learning the fundamentals of technique, rudiments and music reading is very important. In this installment from his video tutorial series on the fundamentals of snare drumming, Mark Wessels will teach you a new note value, the dotted quarter note.

How To: Play a "2-beat" drum pattern

A band leader, classical percussionist, clinician and author, Steve Houghton is also the associate professor of percussion and jazz at Indiana University-Bloomington, and is on faculty at the Henry Mancini Institute. In this installment from his video tutorial series on the fundamentals of using a drumset, Steve demonstrates how to play the endlessly fun two-beat drum pattern.

How To: Play the baião bass drum rhythm

World fusion drumming combines the energy and feel of rock, Latin, and world music with the technique and improvisational skills of jazz. In this installment from his video tutorial series on the rudiments of world fusion drumming, Berklee College of Music professor Skip Hadden will demonstrate how to play the the Baião bass drum rhythm, which comes from Northern Brazil. Take a look!

How To: Vary pitch and sound on a concert bass drum

Tom Gauger has played percussion with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Orchestras for over 35 years and has also served on the faculty at Boston University and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. In this installment from his series of video lessons dedicated to breaking down the basic skills necessary for playing the concert bass drum, Tom will demonstrate where to strike the drum to get a desired pitch or sound.

How To: Strike a concert bass drum properly

Tom Gauger has played percussion with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Orchestras for over 35 years and has also served on the faculty at Boston University and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. In this installment from his series of video lessons dedicated to breaking down the basic skills necessary for playing the concert bass drum, Tom will demonstrate the basic drum stroke.

How To: Dampen, or muffle, a concert bass drum

Tom Gauger has played percussion with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Orchestras for over 35 years and has also served on the faculty at Boston University and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. In this installment from his series of video lessons dedicated to breaking down the basic skills necessary for playing the concert bass drum, Tom will teach you three basic dampening techniques.

How To: Tune a concert bass drum

Tom Gauger has played percussion with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Orchestras for over 35 years and has also served on the faculty at Boston University and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. In this installment from his series of video lessons dedicated to breaking down the basic skills necessary for playing the concert bass drum, Tom will teach you how to tune your bass drum.

How To: Tune the timbales

Take heart, aspiring timbaleros and timbaleras. Eguie Castrillo, having played with everyone from Tito Puente to Steve Winwood, is one of the world's most prolific timbale artists. In this installment of his video tutorial series on the fundamentals of timbale playing, Eguie will walk you through the process of tuning your drums.

How To: Master the basics of the timbales

Take heart, aspiring timbaleros and timbaleras. Eguie Castrillo, having played with everyone from Tito Puente to Steve Winwood, is one of the world's most prolific timbale artists. In this two-part installment of his video tutorial series on the fundamentals of timbale playing, Eguie will demonstrate the parts of the timbale drums, grip types and playing positions. Take a look!

How To: Use cáscara with the clave on the timbales

Take heart, aspiring timbaleros and timbaleras. Eguie Castrillo, having played with everyone from Tito Puente to Steve Winwood, is one of the world's most prolific timbale artists. In this installment of his video tutorial series on the fundamentals of timbale playing, Eguie will demonstrate how to fit the cáscara with the clave

How To: Listen for clave patterns in salsa music

Having trouble with the claves? Take heart, aspiring timbaleros and timbaleras. Eguie Castrillo, having played with everyone from Tito Puente to Steve Winwood, is one of the world's most prolific timbale artists. In this installment of his video tutorial series on the fundamentals of timbale playing, Eguie suggests techniques for the important, if oft-overlooked, skill of listening and learning from recorded music.

How To: Solo on the timbales (tymbales)

Take heart, aspiring timbaleros and timbaleras. Eguie Castrillo, having played with everyone from Tito Puente to Steve Winwood, is one of the world's most prolific timbale artists. In this installment of his video tutorial series on the fundamentals of timbale playing, Eguie will walk you through some basic techniques for soloing on the timbales.

How To: Learn the tongue block and pucker method

In this instructional harmonica video, learn which of two methods to use when playing the harmonica. There is sometimes a debate among harmonica players on which method is better to use: the lip pucker method or the tongue block method. Both methods play their part in helping the beginner become a more well rounded harmonica player. This tutorial teaches you both harmonica methods.

How To: Improve thumb position on the cello

Check out this instructional cello video to learn how to have perfect thumb position while playing the cello. Thumb position is involved when you play on the upper part of the cello. This tutorial offers great tips and techniques for beginning cello players.

How To: Learn right arm cello machanics

This instructional cello video explains the mechanics of the right arm when playing the cello. The right arm is what creates the sound on the cello. This tutorial also offers a few basic principles to help practice your cello playing skills.

How To: Play the harp riff from the Green Onions video

Check out this instructional harmonica video to learn how to play that harp riff in the Green Onions video. This tutorial uses the Lee Oskar harmonica in the Natural Minor tuning. But this technique is not very common and instead provides instruction using the Hohner Marine Band DeLuxe. Check out this video and practice some harp riff variations.

How To: Play the song "Grey Street" by Dave Matthews Band

This acoustic guitar video tutorial explains how to play the song "Grey Street" by Dave Matthews Band on the acoustic guitar. There are only two parts, so it's not too tough to figure out. This is a great instructional video for hardcore DMB fans and acoustic guitar enthusiasts. Practice your guitar skills by learning each chord to the song with this step by step video.

How To: Loop instrument samples in FL Studio

With so many samples floating around the internet its a shame more people don't know how to loop an instrument sample so that it can play a note as long as you want it to play. Well, look know further than this tutorial to learn how to loop instrument samples in FL Studio (Fruity Loops) and expand your mixing knowledge. This works in FL7 and FL8.

How To: Psych out the competition when playing sports

When your best is nothing special, you must master the intangibles that separate winners and losers. Trash talk might be unsportsmanlike, but can be effective. These tips are pretty cheap, but sometimes that's what it takes to win. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to unnerve competitors when playing sports.

How To: Play minor chords and "Last Christmas" on piano

Watch this piano tutorial video to learn how to change major triads and chords to minor triads and chords and play "Last Christmas," written by George Michael and performed by Wham! and Jimmy Eat World, on piano. This lesson uses the five-finger pattern concept to teach you how to change major triads to minor triads and how to apply this skill to "Last Christmas." The tips in this helpful how-to video will help you change any major chord to a minor chord and play Wham!'s "Last Christmas" on p...

How To: Play the Philidor position in a chess endgame

This chess game video tutorial from Grandmaster Alexandra Kosteniuk shows you how to use an important postition in rook endgmaes. It's important to know the Philidor Position which shows the easiest way to draw as the weaker side in R + P (rook and pawn) vs. R (rook). Black plays and draws the chess game. How can black save the game?

How To: Capture the king with two variations in endgame chess

Grandmaster Alexandra Kosteniuk shows you how to play a real game of chess in this video tutorial, showing you how to checkmate the king with two variations in endgame/middle game chess. This example is from the game DesChapelles - De Labourdonnais, Paris 1836. White plays and wins the chess game by first playing the knight to check the king, with a sacrifice. Then the queen moves in for the endgame/middle game chess kill.

How To: Use the technique called enfilade in chess

Enfilade is a concept in military tactics used to describe a military formation's exposure to enemy fire. Well, the same concept applies in a game of chess. Check out this video tutorial from Grandmaster Alexandra Kosteniuk that shows you how to use the technique called enfilade. This chess position was taken from a 1737 chess book. White plays and wins by playing the rook and sacrificing it. See how the endgame of chess is really played.