Which Instrument Should I Choose?

Many people know that they want to start learning an instrument but often they are unsure of which would be the right choice for them. Some find that a certain band or artist is inspiring or they know that they like a type of music but can't settle on whether they want to be the dynamic singer, the fiery lead guitarist, or the crazy, energetic drummer! Students younger than age 7 do very well with instruments like the drums as they are easy to pick up and deal primarily in rhythm reading only. However, voice, piano, and guitar may also be suitable for the enthusiastic youngster! Adults looking for a good hobby find much pleasure playing through their favorite songs on the guitar or singing in a choir. I had a 74-year-old drum student who "just wanted to bang on the drums". It can be difficult to know for certain which instrument is the right one for you. Let us here at Matt Burk Music Studio help you find your musical passion! We specialize in custom private music lessons and have the experience and knowledge to guide you. We offer piano, guitar, drum, bass, voice, songwriting, and audio production lessons that are cultivated to your specific needs.

Re-string That Axe!

So you've got a big show tomorrow night. A & R reps will be in the crowd, biggest show to date. You look at your guitar and notice something. Your strings are dull and lifeless; all the bright and slinky-ness has been lost due to corrosion. You need to re-string your axe! Should you take it into your local guitar shop and have the luthier do it for an exorbitant amount? NOPE! Just follow these instructions and you'll be golden! First off, the way you will approach this will differ depending on the type of guitar being re-strung. Acoustics need the tension to remain on the neck to avoid warping or bending. The way to avoid those problems is to begin by removing and replacing the lowest E string. When trying to determine how much slack you should leave on the string for a good wind, try my method. I pull the string taut through the eyelet. Then pull it back through the feed about half a fret's worth of space. This should ensure enough string on the wind without too much excess! Next will be the D string, then the B. Do you see the overall "skip-a-string" method we're using? Once the B has been replaced you may return to the A string (5th largest) and begin the skipping from there: A, G, E). Remember that this is primarily for acoustics, but may be used for electric as well. Electric guitars may be restrung from the lowest to highest or vice-versa without too much stress on the neck. I still don't recommend taking ALL the strings off unless you need to make repairs. This will ensure a straight neck! After all the strings have been replaced, you will want to "stretch" out the strings by bending them on the fretboard (many play through lead lines and use bends for this purpose). This will make sure that they keep their tone when they naturally lengthen from the stress. Well, I hope this was helpful! Knowledge like this is just a small part of what you will learn if you take private music lessons here at Matt Burk Music Studio. We can help you reach your musical goals and relay valuable information on gigging, tuning, rigs, guitars, etc. Matt Burk Music Studio: Learn, Create, Perform!

Just a Little Push

I am fairly certain that I wouldn't be sitting here typing about the music studio if my grandmother hadn't given me her guitar when I was a young boy. I hadn't thought about playing an instrument before then. She and my grandfather had been in a traveling country band and she felt it was time to pass it to the next generation. Perhaps there is an alternate universe where I bizzaro-me is a CPA and spends his weekends building ships in small glass bottles. Alas, in this universe I am a musician and I have it all to thank from that one little "push" that she gave me so many years ago. As she handed me the case she said, "your fingers are going to hurt a bit at first, but the more you play it, the easier it gets". Sound advice at the time and something I now tell my students who are new to the instrument. Perhaps you know someone that is looking for a hobby, something to relax them from a stressful job, or a way to connect with others. Learning an instrument is, in my humble opinion, is the perfect solution! Maybe they're already thinking about it and they just need that "little push". Are you the person to give it to them? Not sure where to go after that? Let us at Matt Burk Music Studio take over from there. We offer private music lessons for piano, guitar, drums, bass, voice, songwriting, and audio production. Together we can open the world of music to those whom might have not tried it in the first place. Matt Burk Music Studio: Learn, Create, Perform!

Too Old? Too Young? To the Contrary!

As a teacher I have been asked on more than one occasion, what age is a good age to start taking lessons? Am I too old to learn a musical instrument? Well,  I have seen students as young as 4 years and as old as 76! It is never too late or too early to start learning an instrument! Now, don't get me wrong; starting music lessons at an early age definitely gives those a bit of a leg up when it comes to band, orchestra, or personal pursuits! As adults, learning an instrument can be therapeutic and a great stress-reliever. I've had many an adult student come to me to learn songs they can play by the camp fire while the rest of the family sings along. And if you're already playing an instrument, it never hurts to learn from someone at the next level. This is what we do at Matt Burk Music Studio! We offer private lessons for piano, drums, guitar, bass, voice, songwriting, and audio production. All levels, from beginner to advanced, are welcome here; we customize our lessons to you! So remember that it is never too late or too early to start taking music lessons, especially here at Matt Burk Music Studio: Learn, Create, Perform!   

1, 2, 3, 4!

It is as easy as that! If you can count to four, you can learn to read music. Sure, there is a lot more to it than just that, but the overall foundation of rhythm is counting! I am fairly certain that I tell my students to count out loud every single day that I go into the studio. Why, you ask? Well, I  find that even in times of high anxiety, perhaps during a performance, that the counting we've done in the past out loud can help our inner count get back on track. I have seen it happen, used it myself, and know it to be true. Understanding this fundamental factor seems like it would be obvious, but for many it can be an "A-ha!" moment. Those are the type of moments we can create here at Matt Burk Music Studio for you! We offer private lessons for Piano, Guitar, Drums, Bass, Voice, Songwriting, and  Audio Production located conveniently in Allen, Texas! Matt Burk Music Studio: Learn, Create, Perform!

Reading Music in the Modern Age

  A  long time ago, before radio and television, families would sit together and play through popular songs that were available as sheet music. Perhaps dad played piano while the rest of the family harmonized with mom. Or brother and sister played violin to counter mother and fathers' viola and cello.   No TV programs for the family to watch, no radio to listen to. People made "conversation" through reading music together. These things still occur, of course, but with a modern twist. Here at Matt Burk Music Studio we have many students who have siblings, parents, and children taking lessons congruently. This allows for conversations about music between family members that may bring them closer together; they might play songs that they're working on, or at least have someone to talk to about music in general and help with tricky rhythms and melodies. Reading music may seem difficult to grasp, but no matter if you take private piano, drum, voice, guitar, or bass lessons with us, we can teach you to read proficiently! Matt Burk Music Studio: Learn, Create, Perform!

Music Makes You Smarter?

 

I have heard that learning to read and play music at an early age can make certain academic enterprises later in life easier to accomplish. Whether or not this is true is up for debate. In my own experiences I have found that it helped foster an ease with communication, working with others for a common goal, and has made me much more open to learning new things such as songs, chords, rhythms, and ideas. Having a musical background can help with your college admission and finding friends with common interests (I know of a group of doctors that play together in a jazz combo for stress relief). Time and time again I have heard from adult students, "I wish I would have started lessons earlier if I knew how positively it would affect my life!" The best part is, it is NEVER too late to start! We here at Matt Burk Music Studio can help you reach your goals musically. We offer many private lessons, such as piano, drums, guitar, bass, and voice. If you're interested in songwriting and audio production, we've got that covered too! In fact, we can help you write, perform, record, and produce YOUR music! Does music make you smarter? Why not find out? Sign up today! Matt Burk Music Studio: Learn, Create, Perform!

Creativity and the "Outside" Perspective

There is nothing quite like writing music with others that gets the creative "juices" flowing. Sometimes we as composers and performers can get stuck in a writing rut, playing the same chord progressions, repeating the same rhythms, hearing the same melodies! We have to escape "the box" and one of the best ways to do so is to get an outside perspective. Remember, even the Beatles had Brian Epstein to help them write and record some of the most popular songs worldwide! We here at Matt Burk Music Studio can help you do the same! Whether it is vocal coaching, songwriting, learning "killer licks", awesome beats, bringing the low end, or how to "tickle the ivory"; we can give you the positive reinforcement and help you to advance to the next level with your musicianship!

Allen Summer Concerts

Are you looking for something fun to do with your family this summer? Check out Allen’s 15th annual Summer Sounds concerts! It's held at the Joe Farmer Recreation Center Amphitheatre. This is a great way to get your family outside, while keeping them entertained. Also, it’s every Monday night!  Summer Sounds kicked off their six-week series on Monday May 21st, so there is still plenty of time to get out there! The music hits on every genre from contemporary, to zydeco, to Beatles tributes. Do you want to hear the best part? These concerts are FREE. So grab a blanket and the little ones and enjoy some great music outdoors!

This Monday, June 4th High Definition will be playing! High Definition is a great cover band. They play the best of today’s hits along with a wide variety of other popular music from the last five decades! Check out www.cityofallen.org for a full list of bands and performers and plan a few nights out with the family!

If you or one of your family members would like to play in a concert like this someday, we can teach you how! Here at Matt Burk Music Studio we teach a variety of musical genres! We offer private lessons for piano, guitar, drums, bass, voice, songwriting, and audio production lessons. If you would like more information please visit our website at www.wannalearnmusic.com or give us a call at (972) 207-9353. We would be happy to talk to you about enrolling today!

Where to begin your musical journey

Have you been trying to decide on an instrument to get started with? It’s not uncommon to be unsure of where to start. Here are some good basic questions to ask yourself when you are in the decision process:  What instrument do I really enjoy? Is there an instrument that stands out to you? Maybe a genre of music that you really enjoy that features a certain instrument. This is a good place to start. Find an instrument that sounds intriguing, and go from there!

What instrument do my friends play? Playing in a group is not only fun, but a great learning experience as well! Find an instrument that some of your friends are playing and join them! Or, pick a different one and form a band!

Do I have an instrument at my house? A lot of times families have a piano sitting in their living room as decoration, or an old guitar that has been passed down or given as a present. Look around your house and see what is there!

Instruments are fun and can provide a lot of opportunities. Don’t stress about which one to choose, maybe try a few different ones? If you’re looking for a place to begin private music lessons, check out our website at www.wannalearnmusic.com! We offer piano, guitar, drums, bass, voice, songwriting, and audio production lessons. Give us a call at (972) 207-9353 or send us an email at info@mattburk.com to get started!

Free music in Allen

Are you looking for something fun to do with your family this summer? Check out Allen’s 15th annual Summer Sounds concerts! It's held at the Joe Farmer Recreation Center Amphitheatre. This is a great way to get your family outside, while keeping them entertained. Also, it’s every Monday night! 

Summer Sounds kicked off their six-week series on Monday May 21st, so there is still plenty of time to get out there! The music hits on every genre from contemporary, to zydeco, to Beatles tributes. Do you want to hear the best part? These concerts are FREE. So grab a blanket and the little ones and enjoy some great music outdoors!

This Monday, June 4th High Definition will be playing! High Definition is a great cover band. They play the best of today’s hits along with a wide variety of other popular music from the last five decades! Check outwww.cityofallen.org for a full list of bands and performers. Then plan a few nights out with the family!

If you or one of your family members would like to play in a concert like this someday, we can help you get there! Here at Matt Burk Music Studio we teach a variety of musical genres! We offer private lessons for piano, guitar,drums, bass, voice, songwriting, and audio production lessons. If you would like more information please visit our website at www.wannalearnmusic.com or give us a call at (972) 207-9353. We would be happy to talk to you about starting or continuing your musical journey!

Benefits of playing music in a group

Working as a team comes into play a lot through your life. When you are young it could be on a sports team, in grade school it could be working in a group to finish a class project, and later in life it could be learning to work as a team with other coworkers. Studies have shown that playing music in a group could have a significant impact on your life. For example, playing (and sticking with) an instrument can increase the capacity of your memory. In an article on www.effectivemusicteaching.com it states “New research suggests that regularly playing an instrument changes the shape and power of the brain and may be used in therapy to improve cognitive skills.” It continues to say “if you learn how to play an instrument, the parts of your brain that control motor skills (ex: using your hands, running, swimming, balancing, etc.), hearing, storing audio information, and memory, actually grow and become more active.” 

Playing an instrument in a group setting can also be very beneficial. Teaching children (and adults) to pay attention to the other musicians and to be flexible when things go wrong. It’s also very helpful in teaching perseverance and patience. Since learning an instrument takes time and LOTS of practice it can help children, as well as adults, learn to be patient and teaches children that hard work can pay off! If increasing brain function is something you want to try, or if learning an instrument just sounds fun, let us know! We offer piano, guitar, drums, bass, and voice lessons as well as song writing and audio production. If you would like more information on music lessons give us a call at (972) 207-9353 or visit our website at www.wannalearnmusic.com!