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It’s not surprising that proper care of your guitar will give you a more consistent quality sound and a much longer guitar life. If you are serious about playing guitar you will want to get some accessories that are essential for the care of the guitar. A guitar player is only as good as the sound and the quality of the guitar he is playing.

The first item would be a hard shell case for transporting the guitar to and from the different locations that you will be playing the guitar. Many people use what they call soft or cloth “gig bag” which zip up and protect the exterior surface of the guitar. A major problem with this type of case is that the tuning nuts on the end of the neck of the guitar get out of tune almost every time you transport it as there is nothing to protect them from being bumped which causes them to turn and get out of tune. Also, if there is any kind of impact while loading and unloading the guitar, this could cause cracks or actual punctures in the body of the guitar. A hard shell case prevents these things from happening as there is space between the neck and body of the guitar and the actual case. The case is designed to take impact while holding the guitar securely on the inside protecting the actual body and neck of the guitar and keeping it in tune. It is a bit more of an investment than a gig bag but in the long run it will help to make your guitar last much longer.

Another item that should be considered for care of the guitar is a guitar stand. You need this to put the guitar on while you are not playing it. Many people lean the guitar against a wall or couch or some other stationary object when they are not playing it. There are a couple of reasons why this is not a good practice. The first would be that if you do not lean the guitar in the correct manner you can very easily warp the neck of the guitar which makes it much more difficult to play. Warping of the neck increases the distance between the strings and the neck which causes you to have to apply more force on the strings while playing. This can make for some very sore and blistered fingers! Also, leaving the guitar laying around makes it much more available for accidents to happen. Having a stand keeps the guitar in the same location when you are done with it and also supports the neck close to the body of the guitar which totally prevents warping of the neck - a small investment solving some big problems.

The last item that should be considered is an actual tuning device for the guitar. You will find that the longer you play the guitar the better you will become at tuning it by just using your ear. But for starting out, you will want to use something that gives you the exact sound and gives the guitar an accurate tune up. There are many devices that you can get that are very easy to use which will give you the exact tuning you need. When your guitar is not tuned correctly this can be very embarrassing - especially if you are singing along with the guitar!

Back in the early 1970s several country music recording artists moved from Nashville to Texas and created the Outlaw movement in country music.

Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings were the leaders of the Outlaw revolution, but there were also some great singers songwriters who helped make Texas Music stand out. Artists like Billy Joe Shaver, who wrote most of Waylon’s Honky Tonk Heroes LP and Steven Fromholtz, who gained recognition for writing Willie Nelson’s Number 2 single “I’d Have To Be Crazy”.

At the same time Jerry Jeff Walker moved from New York to Texas and joined the outlaw movement, writing such songs as Mr. Bo Jangles and recording the million selling LP “A Man Must Carry On”. Jerry Jeff was helped when Waylon and Willie included him in their song about Luckenbach, Texas.

Another Texas artist who received some recognition in the 1970s is Joe Ely. While not receiving the radio airplay of Willie and Waylon and the boys, he has over the years gone from a “rocker” to a balladeer with songs such as Gallo Del Cielo.

There are a number of Texas artists who claim a loyal following both in Texas and also Outside of Texas thanks to the satellite radio stations playing alternative country. These artists include:

James McMurty, who is considered one of the strongest songwriters of his generation.

Cory Morrow, has sold over 200,000 cds and currently tours over 150 dates. He has recorded a duet CD with Pat Green, who began as a Texas icon and has made some inroads in Music City with a major record company deal.

Roger Creager has left his own musical mark throughout the south and Texas over the past seven years.

Robert Earl Keen has filled dance halls throughout Texas for years and wrote the classic song “The Road Goes on Forever”, which has been covered by The Highwaymen and Joe Ely.

Ray Wylie Hubbard, known best for his theme song “Redneck Mothers”, continues touring and producing high quality Texas sounds.

Texas has several newer artists making a name for themselves, Jack Ingram being foremost among them. There is also Max Stalling, Stoney Larue and Aaron Watson.

Dale Watson, known as the Texas Troubadour remains popular in Europe and Texas playing traditional country music.

Gary P Nunn, former lead guitarist for Jerry Jeff and the leader of the Lost Gonzo Band continues to tour throughout Texas as does “The Anti-Garth” Tommy Alverson.

The Randy Rogers Band and Cross Canadian Ragweed are two of the more popular bands in Texas music today.

If you’d like to hear the great Texas Songs you’ll need the internet to find this great music, but it’s certainly worth the effort.

Enjoy!

The modern piano developed its form from two keyboard instruments, the clavichord and the harpsichord, which originated from early in music history. These keyboard instruments operate on the principle of direct connection between the applied force or pressure of the player on the keys, and the volume of sound. Meaning, the harder the pressure or force the player applies on the keys, the louder the sound of the instrument, the lighter the touch, the softer the sound.

Earlier musicians, however, encountered a problem with the clavichord and harpsichord: the sound was relatively diminutive as compared to how they would have wanted it to be, considering the fact that keyboard instruments were often played in large rooms (chambers), cathedrals and churches.

Around the year 1700, Italian instrument maker Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655-1731) created the new keyboard instrument and coined its name from the fact that it could both play “piano” (soft) and “forte” (loud), addressing the problem of the old keyboard instruments. Thus, the pianoforte, or what we call shortly now as the piano.

Aside from the direct connection between the fingers on the keys and the sound, the piano also has two different pedals which are the “sustain” or damper pedal and the “soft” pedal. The sustain pedal allows the pianist to hold the tone or sound even after releasing the key. The soft pedal veils or muffles the sound. There is also a third pedal called the “sostenuto” pedal. However, not all pianos have this.

Other kinds of keyboard instruments include the pipe organ which was most prominent from 1600-1750, when it was commonly used for church music and considered then as the “king of instruments”. The accordion is also another kind of keyboard instrument, as well as the modern organ and electric keyboard.

The role of the piano in the modern world is very versatile. The piano can cover a wide range of musical types from classical to pop to jazz. It can cater to a wide variety of audiences from music connoisseurs in concerts or artists in theatres, to children and pupils in pre-schools. Very noticeably too, piano students can very well play other instruments as well, even without its formal training.

The piano is also a very relevant tool in the culture of society. Since the turn of the 20th century, many households have been able to acquire their very own piano. From this assessment, we can infer that modern society believes in the benefits of studying music and piano in particular.

In almost every gathering (social, religious and even political), one cannot undermine the important role of music. It expresses ideals. It bonds the youth. It provides for a positive, productive & creative channeling for this generation’s aggression and collective angst.

The importance of music on the development of a person, and eventually, of society cannot be understated. Perhaps its time to rethink how this important element of cultural and social development in our society has been treated.