Music genres

Use this chart of music styles and their connections as a starting point in your own explorations of the wonderful world of music.

12 rules for efficient learning in music

1. Select your field of interest

"If music cannot qualify for you on the three grounds of ... interest, and personal value, you should, perhaps, avoid it..."

"In music, select first a general field and within this field from stage to stage a specific aspect or content which you desire to master."

"Knowing exactly what is to be learned is the first stage of mastery..."

2. Intend to Learn

"This does not mean an occasional or sporadic intention but a firm decision to give continuity of effort until mastery is attained."

"Occasional intention is ruinous because tends to destroy what has been attained."

"The intentions that count in life are habitual. ...When the intention to remember has become a habit, you will have the feeling mastery and joy of achievement."

Read more: 12 rules for efficient learning in music

Two approaches to melodic arpeggios on guitar

The guitar is a chordal instrument.

It is designed to easily produce full and pleasing harmonies and chord voicings.

Arpeggios are chords spelt out in time - the notes are played one after the other, often ringing together (in the manner of a harp.

Interestingly, 7th chord arpeggios are much easier to execute on the guitar than triadic arpeggios, because the 7th form replaces the often awkward leap of a 4th between 5th and upper tonic with the much easier to execute minor 3rd interval from 5th to flattened 7th.

Which fingering should you use? Check out this discussion of positional and longitudinal arpeggios with examples, the pros and cons, fingerings for left and right hand and video examples.

Read more: Two approaches to melodic arpeggios on guitar