Learning Guitar Understanding Minor and 7th Chords

Learning Guitar Understanding Minor and 7th Chords Megan L. What are minor and 7th chords anyway? TakeLessons teacher Brian T. breaks down the music theory behind building these chords Learning guitar chords is one of the early challenges of learning the guitar. Very often a new student will find themselves presented with a host of fingering patterns that make little sense. Why this set of frets and not that one? the student wonders Why, when I move my E major down a string does it become A minor? With just a bit of music theory and a willingness to work things out, we can answer these sorts of questions on our own. With a bit of effort, we can even free ourselves from dependence on chord books and other reference materials! Finding Notes on the Guitar To make sure were all on the same page, were going to start by discussing the notes used in the western musical tradition and where they are found on the guitar. Western music is made up of twelve notes, which are commonly labeled in one of two ways: Observe that A sharp labels the same note as B flat, C sharp likewise labels the same not as D flat, and so on. For our purposes, we can treat these alternate labels as interchangeable. Lets review how we find these notes on the guitar. Moving one space to the right on the chart above (this is called, confusingly for guitarists, a half step) is the same as moving one fret up the neck of the guitar. If we start with the 5th (A) string open, we have an A. Moving to the first fret yields an A sharp; the second fret is B; we find C on the third fret, and so on. With the charts above and your the open strings memorized (E-B-G-D-A-E), you can find any note on the guitar! A Brief Overview of Chord Construction Though there are twelve notes available, any given song will stick for the most part to a set of seven notes that form the key of the song. For simplicitys sake, well look at the key starting with A and containing no sharps or flats; this key is known as A minor. Now that weve established our key, were ready to make some chords! Each chord has a root note which gives the chord its name. We start by labelling the root 1, and count up from it until all the members of the key have a number (we may need to loop around). If were making an A chord in our chosen key of A minor, it looks like this: To form the chord, we play the notes labeled 1, 3, and 5; in the case of our A minor chord, these are A, C, and E. Thats all there is to making a basic chord! Now of course, your guitar has more than three strings, so youll usually need to double up a few notes. Just make sure that the deepest sounding note is the root, and youll be good to go. Lets look at building another chord in A minor. This time well form a C chord. This time our 1, 3, and 5, are C, E, and G respectively. What Makes a Chord Minor If youve been playing along (and I hope you have, as this is the best way of learning guitar chords) you may have noticed that the A and the C chords we constructed above sound markedly different. The A chord sounds somber, even sad, whereas the C chord is cheerful. This is because the A chord is a minor chord, while the C chord is Major. Lets look at why this is: The distance between two notes, in half steps, is called the interval between them. As we saw before, each chord consists of a 1, 3, and 5. The interval between 1 and 3 is called, quite reasonably, a 3rd. Not all thirds are the same size. A look at the chart of the key of A minor shows that there are three half steps from A to C. There are, however, four half steps from C to E, which is also a 3rd. The smaller three half step version of the 3rd is called a minor 3rd, while the larger four half step version is known as a major 3rd. A minor 3rd leads to a minor chord, and likewise a major 3rd yields a major chord. We can see this using the two chords we built earlier, A minor and C major: A minor 3rd yields a minor chord. Thats really all there is to it! Adding 7ths to Your Chords We need not limit ourselves to chords with only three notes! If we wish, we can add another just as we did before by skipping one note in the key. We end up with a chord containing 1,3,5, and 7; not surprisingly this is called a 7th chord. Much like 3rds, 7ths come in two varieties: major and minor. The most common combination is a major chord with a minor 7th. This is usually formed on the dominant (V) member of the key, and heralds the return of the tonic (I/i). Lets look at an example, again from the key of A minor: E major 7(V7): Other combinations are possible, however try them out! I find that the major 7th on a major chord yields a warm, sweet sound, while a minor chord with a minor 7th sounds a bit gloomy. The minor chord with a major 7th inspires in me a sense of foreboding. What does it inspire in you? Conclusion Hopefully this post has given you a bit of a better sense of what minor and 7th chords are, and how to construct them. Ultimately, the best way of learning guitar chords is with fingers on the fret board. Name a chord, figure out what notes make it up, and find it on your guitar preferably somewhere down the neck where things are a bit less familiar! Brian T. teaches Economics, Geometry, Grammar, and Math in San Francisco, CA. He has been playing guitar for 14 years. He received his BA in Mathematics and Economics at University of San Francisco, where he studied Classical Guitar and Music Theory for three years.  Learn more about Brian T. here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  Dusty J

Online Solve Inequalities Tutors

Online Solve Inequalities Tutors Inequality is the equation which has less than or greater than symbols in it i.e. and respectively. Linear inequalities is the inequalities where the degree of the variables is one. An inequality equation can contain variables, constants and exponents for the variables. There are different mathematical operations that can be used in an inequality like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Example 1: Find the solution of the inequality equation 4 x - 5 15? Solution: Given is the inequality equation with one unknown variables x. 4 x - 5 15 is a linear inequality with greater than sign. Add 5 on both sided of the equation. This gives, 4 x - 5 + 5 15 + 5; 4 x 20; Now divide the inequality by 4 on both sides of the equation. 4 x/ 4 20 /4; x 5. Hence the solution to the linear inequality is x 5. Example 2: Find the solution of the inequality equation 6 x - 8 10? Solution: Given is the inequality equation with one unknown variables x. 6 x - 8 10 is a linear inequality with lesser than sign. Add 8 on both sided of the equation. This gives, 6 x - 8 + 8 10 + 8; 6 x 18; Now divide the inequality by 4 on both sides of the equation. 6 x/ 6 16 /8; x 3. Hence the solution to the linear inequality is x 3.

A Breakdown of Your Academic Transcript

A Breakdown of Your Academic Transcript As you start applying to colleges, there are a number of materials you will need to present, one of which isyour academic transcript.You open your transcriptonly to be met with confusion. Deciphering your academic transcript can be confusing, but once you understand what each component means, your academic transcript can be quite a powerful tool for self-reflection! Format An academic transcript is typically divided into semesters. Identifying information for you and your school is generally located at the top of the transcript, with the terms you have completedincluding courses, grades, and creditsbeneath. Your class information may be displayed as follows: subject, course number, and title. The subject and course number match listings in the class catalog. This is typically the information you utilize during registration, and it is the official designator for the course. The class title (Introduction to Sociology) is its descriptive label. Your grade and the courses credits follow. This varies at each school, but it often includes the number of credits attempted, the number of credits earned, and your grade (in either letter or number format). Under each semester will be your GPA (grade point average) for that term. If you made the Deans List or otherwise received honors, this may be noted. At the very bottom of the transcript is your cumulative (or combined) GPA for all the terms you have completed at that school. The bottom of your academic transcript may also contain the certificates or degrees you have completed, as well as the term in which you completed them. Grades Understanding your grades and GPA can occasionally be difficult, especially if you are not familiar with the numerical 4-point system. In general, an A or A+ equates to a perfect 4.0, while a B is a 3.0, and a C is a 2.0. While there is some variance within this model (i.e. certain schools will identify a 4.0 as a 98 or above, while others may be more lenient), you can generally refer to this chart to determine what your grade in a class is. Rarely, you may also note a different grade, such as P/NP, W, or I, on your transcript. Generally speaking, P is Pass, while NP is No Pass, and these are awarded for non-graded courses. W usually indicates a withdrawal from a class (after the official drop date), while I is an incomplete. Once finished, an I will often change to a more traditional grade. Your course syllabi may explain these sorts of grades to you, but information can also typically be obtained from your registrar or class catalog. Your term GPA is the average of all the grades you received in a term (based on how many credits each wasa five-credit course is worth more than a one-credit class), while your cumulative GPA is the average of your grades from all your semesters at the school. Here is some usful information on how to balance grades, a social life and sleep in college. Use Now that you understand your academic transcript, you can use this valuable tool for self-reflection and evaluation. Review it, and look for themes. Do you notice that courses at a certain time of day generally benefit from higher grades? Are there subject areas with which you consistently struggled? Do you see terms where circumstances in your life (such as family issues or your health) impacted your GPA? When you can view your transcript in this way, it allows you to make changes for future terms and to become a more successful student. If you find this process difficult, anacademic mentor or atutorcan guide you through it. This is some great information on how extracurricular activities boost college success. While transcripts can be confusing, they can also be a very useful way of gaining important information about your studiesand yourself as a student.

Learn Bass Guitar How to Play a Walking Bass Line in 3 Steps

Learn Bass Guitar How to Play a Walking Bass Line in 3 Steps Megan L. Looking for a way to make your bass lines move? Bass guitar teacher  Miller W.  shares his three step plan to creating walking bass lines The walking bass line is one of the most fundamental parts of American music. It is found most commonly in blues and jazz, but as you learn bass guitar, you will hear its influence in almost any style of music. A walking bass line provides a strong rhythmic and harmonic foundation by smoothly moving from each chord to the next using four quarter notes per bar, or three quarter notes per bar in 3/4 time. Many bass players have based their entire careers on their creative and innovative walking lines. Upright bass players like Jimmy Blanton, Ray Brown, Ron Carter, and Paul Chambers were some of the first musicians to make the walking bass line an art form all its own, and that tradition is so widespread that some of the best electric bass players like Victor Wooten, Jaco Pastorius, Christian McBride, and John Pattituci cite those walking lines as major influences in their musical development. Playing a walking bass line is fun and easy if you follow these three simple steps: 1. Learn the Chord Changes Familiarize yourself with the chord changes and when they occur in a song. Play through the changes a few times using only the root note of each chord (e.g. a Bb for a Bb7 chord). 2. Add Arpeggios Now that you’re familiar with the chord changes, play through them again, but this time arpeggiate each chord (e.g. play Bb â€" D â€" F â€" Ab for a Bb7 chord). The most enjoyable and creative part of playing walking bass lines is finding new and interesting ways to outline each chord, so make sure you practice as many variations of arpeggiating the chord as possible. 3. Add Passing Tones One of the most important and essential features of a walking bass line is that every chord, or at least the vast majority, is approached by a half-step above or below. This means that if the chord changes move from Bb to F, on the last quarter note before the F, you would play either an E or an F#. This is particularly important in jazz due to the very chromatic nature of the music. In more advanced walking lines, you can employ a similar technique within the chord by putting one or two “chromatic passing tones” between the notes of the chord (e.g. Bb â€" D â€" Ab â€" A â€" Bb for a Bb7 chord). One of the most common places to find walking bass lines is in blues music. Walking bass is so instrinsic to the blues that you would be hard pressed to find a better example. Here is a sample bass tab over a Bb 12-Bar Blues: Notice that in Bar 2 the line moves Ab â€" A â€" Bb instead of fully outlining the Eb7. This is a common substitution used to make the line flow more smoothly. Similarly, notice that in Bar 6, the note immediately preceding the Bb in bar 7 is a G, which does not follow the rule of approaching the new chord by half-step. This is done so often that it would almost sound wrong if the line did follow the half-step rule. The beauty of walking bass lines is that there are exceptions to every rule, and those exceptions are what allow you to be creative and make the lines your own. Now you have all the tools you need for creating your own walking bass lines. Good luck and have fun! Learn more guitar and bass guitar techniques by taking lessons with a private instructor. Search for a guitar teacher today!   Miller W. teaches acoustic guitar, bass guitar, music theory and upright bass in Orange, CA. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Music at Santa Barbara and has been teaching students since 2008.  Learn more about Miller W. here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Mark Blevis

English Present Perfect Video with Exercise

English Present Perfect Video with Exercise One of the most difficult tenses in English for many students to master is the present perfect. Its more complicated than it appears, partially because, even though its called present perfect, we can use it to talk about the past, and partially because it has 3 different uses.So weve created video to help you learn the present perfect.Watch the video below, and then try the exercises.Ok, so we learned there are 3 ways the present perfect is used in English.  For an action that began in the past  but still continues.For an action that happened in the indefinite past (no particular date) and is important to the current situationFor an action that happened in the past but the time is not mentioned.Which of the 3 different uses of present perfect are in the sentences below?1. I have lived here since 2006.2. Youre thinking about moving to Buenos Aires? I have lived there, and its nice.3. I have been to 5 foreign countries.4. I have worked here for 12 years.5. You like the food at the new restaurant? Ive eaten there, and I wasnt impressed.Write three sentences of your own, with each of the 3 ways of using the present perfect.Write your answers in comments, and well respond!Weve got more videos for learning English! Afnan 1. I have worked at zain company since 20112. I have worked in 3 different companies3. I Am feeling hungry susana gonzalez I have loved you since I met you Katy has traveled around the world because is a famous singer My boyfriend has eaten the best noddles in the world

Celebrating Halloween with Da Share Z0ne

Celebrating Halloween with Da Share Z0ne via @dasharez0ne Through the jarring dissonance of its gothic, biker-horror imagery and it’s vulnerable, pitiable text, Da Share Z0ne deftly needles at the hypocritical constructs of masculinity with a gnarled, bony skeleton finger. So in honor of Halloween, here’s a short gallery of some of Da Share Z0ne’s inimitable work. GREAT HAIR; SELF CARE pic.twitter.com/CTWiXbw4cu â€" da share z0ne (@dasharez0ne) October 6, 2016 This recent Share Z0ne offering is one of my all-time favorites. Here we see a skeleton blow-drying what appears to be either a) a head full of gorgeous auburn hair or b) flames. It’s the sprawling reams of background text, though, that elevate the meme. As he is wont to do, Admin is airing his grievances or the things in life that bring him particular sorrow. A couple of my favorites include “Elon Musk says the world is a computer” and “Ethical consumption is impossible with capitalism.” duckING HELL WTF pic.twitter.com/C9xB9BVBBM â€" da share z0ne (@dasharez0ne) September 21, 2016 Anyone who has gone spelunking down between the couch cushions as the Mario Kart theme menu blares incessantly from the TV can understand why Admin is so peeved that he’s down a Wiimote. If the sword wielding, controller surfing skeleton didn’t spook the perp into returning the goods, I don’t think there’s much hope. THINK ABOUIT IT pic.twitter.com/v1wBFVNDuE â€" da share z0ne (@dasharez0ne) September 1, 2016 Here again Admin invokes Elon Musk, this time assailing his star-gazing hubris. This post was a response to Space X’s Falcon 9 explosion, which destroyed the rocket and its commercial satellite payload. Between the explosion and Admin’s meme, Musk and Space X are facing an uphill battle to regain some dignity. HELL YEAH pic.twitter.com/ukJXPwIxb3 â€" da share z0ne (@dasharez0ne) May 29, 2016 Da Share Z0ne has always made great use of acrostic poetry. Here, it looks like Admin is responding to some ignorant jerks who get off on denigrating people’s sexuality. Well, the joke will be on them when they see how well manicured Admin’s hedges are. IS GENDER TH CAUSE OR THE SYMPTOM..WHO CARES IM SHOOTIN IT pic.twitter.com/sEvdGV0aZ6 â€" da share z0ne (@dasharez0ne) July 30, 2016 Admin’s brief ruminations on gender. Ultimately, he opts to just shoot it. Down with the patriarchy!

?? How to Track your Childs Tutoring Progress

?? How to Track your Child’s Tutoring Progress How to Track your Child’s Tutoring Progress When your child is regularly receiving tuition, it’s only natural for you to want to track the progress they’re making.After all, you’re spending money on a tutor, so you want to know that they’re doing their job.Schools regularly hold parents’ evenings, giving you the opportunity to speak to your child’s teachers. When it comes to tutoring, there isn’t always the same level of accountability.But that doesn’t mean you can’t track your child’s progress.Here’s how to do it...Set Some Goals It’s hard to measure progress unless you specifically have something to measure. Ideally, you should set some goals before your child’s first tutoring session, but if your child has already started it isn’t too late.You need to work out what you want from your child’s tutoring sessions. Do you simply want to improve their knowledge of the subject? If so, how are you measuring that? You could set regular tests or past papers to see your child’s improvement over time. We’ll cover that later.Do you want your child to work towards a specific grade? In that case, you could keep setting past papers and work towards getting that grade.Do you want your child to be more confident in their abilities? Maybe you could measure that through their behaviour in the classroom. Are they answering more questions? Are they even starting to help other kids in the class?Once you have your goals, it’s important that the tutor is aware of them too. That way they know which areas to focus on, a nd can report back to you.Which brings us on nicely to...Speak to the TutorIt sounds obvious, but your first port of call when you’re looking to track your child’s tutoring progress is the tutor themselves.Most tutors will be more than happy to schedule in some time to chat about your child, and this presents the perfect opportunity to get some feedback.The following list of questions will help you determine how much progress your child is making:Have you noticed any improvement in my child’s knowledge?Have you noticed any improvement in my child’s confidence?Is my child enjoying the sessions?How are you measuring my child’s abilities?Can you show me some of my child’s work?Ask the right questions and you’ll be able to get an overview of how your child is progressing with their tutor. You can also discuss how much progress is being made towards the goals that you set.Your tutor, however, isn’t the only person who should be noticing a difference in your child…Speak to the TeacherYour child’s tutoring is only one part of their education. They still attend school every day, and so their teacher can provide some great feedback about how they are improving.Hopefully, your child’s teacher is already aware that they’re receiving extra tutoring. If not, it’s worth mentioning it to them. This will help your teacher cater more to your child’s needs.If you can, arrange to speak to your child’s teacher after a couple of months of tutoring. They can then give you an idea of how your child has progressed in that time.Here are some questions you should be asking:Does my child have a better understanding of the subject?Is my child concentrating more in class?Is my child more confident in class?Can you show me some of my child’s work?Is my child on track for a specific grade?The teacher sees your child several times a week, and so they’re in the perfect position to track any progress.But they aren’t the only person you should be listening to …Speak to your Child Ultimately, tutoring is for your child’s benefit, and so it’s important to check in with them about how they’re finding it.Sometimes, the conversations you have with your child are more insightful than those with their tutor or teacher.It’s a great opportunity to understand how tutoring is affecting them, and whether they’re noticing any improvements in themselves. That’s equally important.Some of the questions you should be asking are:Are you enjoying your tutoring?How do you find the work?How often do you find yourself not knowing the answers?Do you volunteer in class? Why/Why not?Do you understand things better after tutoring?Of course, it can be hard to get an honest answer from your child, so take what they say with a pinch of salt. Used in conjunction with what the tutor and teacher says, however, it can provide you with the missing piece of the puzzle.Set Past PapersHow your child fares with past papers or mock tests can tell you a lot about the progress they’re making. For starters, tests are standardised. Your child will get a mark which you can then compare with previous marks. This provides you with a clear, numerical way of tracking your child’s progress.You can find a lot of GCSE and A-Level past papers online. Alternatively, you can ask your child’s teacher for some. This is particularly useful for Primary and KS3 tests, which aren’t as readily available online.Don’t go overboard and give your child a past paper to do every week. They’ll get exhausted and bored, and then their marks will suffer. Instead, set key milestone markers. You could do a test after month 1, a test after 3 months, and then a test after 6 months. And be sure to reward your child when you notice that they’ve made an improvement!When your Child isn’t Making Progress It’s worth bearing in mind that tutoring can often be a long-term endeavour. You won’t always see results right away. Having said that, if you’re concerned that your child isn’t making as much progress as you want them to, then there are some things you can do.Firstly, speak to the tutor about it. If your child isn’t making progress, then you need to know why. There might be any number of reasons for this.Perhaps your child isn’t paying attention to their tutor, or isn’t doing the homework required. Maybe your tutor is rushing through parts of the syllabus and your child can’t keep up. Or possibly, and this is very uncommon, your tutor simply isn’t very good at their job.Whatever the reason, you need to act as soon as you can. The longer your child isn’t progressing, the further behind they’re going to fall.Have an honest and frank discussion with the tutor about where things aren’t working, and devise a plan to get back on track.Whatever you do, don’t go in all guns blazing and accuse the tutor of not doing their job. Chances are it’s not all their fault. Accusing them will create an awkward atmosphere and it won’t help your child in the long run.If all else fails maybe you should consider finding a new tutor. But that’s a last resort, and chances are you won’t need to.Get TrackingAs you can see, keeping track of your child’s tutoring progress isn’t impossible. With a bit of organisation and communication, you can measure how your child improves over time.It all starts with your goals. Without a goal, you have nothing to measure progress against. So make sure that your goals are clear, and that everyone involved knows what they are.

4 Homemade Edible Holiday Ornaments

4 Homemade Edible Holiday Ornaments Image via http://rodalesorganiclife.com Even if you don’t celebrate any holiday, decorating can be a nostalgic way to commemorate the past year of your life and to usher in an exciting new era! Regardless of your preferences or beliefs in regards to holiday decorations, there is no denying that decorating during any time of the year is a fun and creative outlet. This is why I absolutely love making my own decorations. I urge you to ditch the plastic store bought ornaments and to opt for something homemade. When I say homemade, I literally mean made at home in your very own kitchen. Yes, natural and food based decorations not only look adorable and festive, but rather than being stored in a box in your attic you can consume these knick-knacks when they’re done being seen! You can make everything from edible gingerbread people to painted eggshells or even dried fruit. The goal is to be creative and to create unique pieces that hold meaning for you simply because you took the time to craft them with loved ones or even on your own. It also doesn’t hurt when you can eat some of these pretty pieces too! Edible Ornaments Image via http://cdn1.tmbi.com Cookies, walnuts, popcorn balls, or even plain whole fruits are the easiest edible ornaments to create. The next time that you’re cooking up a batch of holiday cookies, add a dozen or so extra for decorating. Brushing cookies with egg glaze before baking makes them shiny and festive. Tie a piece of twine around the stem of an apple. When youre making popcorn balls, insert a piece of string into your handful of popcorn mix before you mold it into a ball shape. You can even insert a string of dried red peppers and garlic together with a needle and thread, and use star anise or cinnamon sticks in creative ways. Apple and Starfruit Stars Image via http://rodalesorganiclife.com You can cut an apple  in half horizontally and immediately see that the five seed cavities in the center form kind of a star shape. Cut each half into thin rounds, about ¼ inch or a little less, and dry those on parchment paper in a very cool oven set on 150 degrees or even in a dry room for about 10 hours. Once dried, use a needle to thread a string or piece of ribbon through the edge of each slice. You can do the same thing with starfruit, which naturally slice into the shape of a star. Slice those to expose their star-shaped outline, dry them as you would the apple slices, and string them up. After the holidays you can eat your apple and starfruit slices, chop them up into cereal, or even soak them in water (or liquor) to bake into treats. Fruit Reflectors Image via http://rodalesorganiclife.com Dried orange, grapefruit,  lemon,  and lime slices are gorgeous decorations because their flesh becomes reflective and translucent as it dries. Create ¼-inch horizontal slices through the fruit and dry your rounds as you would the aforementioned apple slices. For variety, stud the peel with whole cloves first, and cut your slices a little thicker. Thread a string through one edge of each round and hang. Once the holidays are over, eat the slices, use them to flavor dishes, add them to baked goods, cook them with a bit of honey to make marmalade, or just simmer them on the stove to release their fresh scent. Citrus Skin Shapes Image via https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com Citrus fruit skins dry nicely and are easy to cut into festive shapes. Tangerine or clementine skins are especially easy to work with. Cut your fruits in half and scoop out the pulp with a spoon (save the pulp for cooking or another useful holiday purpose). Use scissors to make evenly spaced cuts from the rim down toward the bottom. Carefully flatten the cut peel, and use your scissors to shape the sections into points of a star, flower petals, or anything else you like. Thread some string through one of your sections, and then dry the peel. Spread a few layers of newspaper on a flat surface, arrange your peels on that, cover them with more newspaper, and then stack magazines or books on the top to keep the peels flat. Theyre ready to use for decoration as soon as they are stiff (usually in a few days to a week).