The medium of musical creation is something as old as man itself. Even pre-historic humans can be traced to have some sort of musical creation in their lineage, whether that be the simple beat of a drum or some sort of singing that can be matched to what we have today. Music, however, is anything but static – it is a medium of human creation that has evolved and changed more than any other form of entertainment.

For those who are sceptical about the evolution of music all you have to do is take a popular song from today, perhaps from an artist like Drake or Ed Sheeran, and compare it to the music someone like Frank Sinatra was making decades ago – anyone with an ear will be able to hear the stark contrast in sound. However, there are a few musical instruments that have travelled throughout the entire evolution of music.

The Guitar

The guitar is probably the most popular musical instrument known to modern-day man. It is an instrument that has itself evolved over time through the introduction of electrical elements like amplifying speakers and pedal boards, which all produce wild and wavy effects.

The beauty of the guitar is that it can cross boundaries and really find its own home in a variety of different genres.

Back in the day, around the early 1900s, when the guitar was first introduced, it was used for extremely basic melodies which could match the tone and key of the singer. Today, creative musicians are able to bend the idea of the guitar to create music in hip-hop, country, rock, and pop, often changing the way we think about music completely.

The guitar isn’t going away anytime soon.

Trumpet

Now this entry into the list of historical musical instruments may surprise a few people. The trumpet is in fact one of the oldest and most popular musical instruments in the world. People often look down on the trumpet, calling its sound dated, and claiming that it had its time in the limelight when in reality the trumpet is still as popular today as it ever was in the past.

The trumpet was invented all the way back in 1000 AD, and the fact that many songs and bands in the modern era still incorporate the trumpet speaks to its versatility and staying power.

Piano

Now, this entry really should surprise anybody. The piano is one of the most loved and most popular sounds in music history, even if it is from mostly classical roots. The piano was popularized by artists like Bach and Mozart, but most recently has found its home in huge rock and roll ballads and productions, melancholic pop and hip-hop music and even classy soundtracks for live casino roulette online games.

The piano simply has a sound that cannot be replicated and should never be changed. It, like the guitar and the trumpet, is here to stay.

Every piano student is delighted to perform their first piece since it is more enjoyable and engaging than learning and to read notes in sheet music, counting, and where our notes are on our keyboards. Pieces also allow us to assess how much we’ve progressed technically in our practice time, work that allows us to perform more difficult music and genuine piano pieces.

When we reach the point where we can play harder versions of these easier pieces, which is usually about six months into our first year, we are ready to play our first pieces.

In this blog post, we’ll give examples of Musical pieces that Bach wrote or composed in the style of Bach’s music that you can easily learn, including bach prelude in c major sheet music, Minuet in G major, and Musette in D major!

Who is Johann Sebastian Bach?

There is little doubt that Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the greatest minds ever lived. Though he is today regarded as a brilliant composer, he was known in his day mostly for his abilities as a virtuoso organist and improviser.

His music was not acclaimed worldwide until the nineteenth century, even though prominent eighteenth-century composers like Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven and other composers that year appreciated and studied his manuscripts.

Bach’s 4 Easy Piano Pieces for Every Beginning Piano Student

Now that we’ve acknowledged who J.S. Bach is let’s look at the first work and piano collection of Bach that I suggest for beginner solo piano players. Watching the video in a new tab while reading this lesson is highly recommended.

1st Piece – Prelude in C Major

When you’re ready to start playing classical music, the Prelude in C is one of the greatest Bach compositions.

This composition is excellent for beginners for various reasons:

• It has an easy Key Signature to play – C Major, which has no sharps or flats like b flat major or e flat major.
• It has simple rhythms to learn and play, so you won’t be overwhelmed by anything too complicated.
• It features simple hand and finger patterns that follow throughout the composition, so if you learn one, in the beginning, you won’t have to learn another later on.
• It’s simple to listen to and enjoyable to play compared to his other components,, such as Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major.

In this composition, the left hand plays the bottom note and the one immediately above it. C&E in the first measure and C&D in the second. This rhythm repeats throughout, so you’ll be good to go for the remainder after you’ve mastered it in the first few measures. Those are the only notes that will be updated.

The measures also flow smoothly from one to the next. You won’t have to bounce around the piano to nail tricky chords. Your hand will feel calm in this position for the duration of the composition.

2nd Piece – Minuet in G

Many folks are familiar with this Minuet! It is generally assumed to be composed by Bach, although it was written in the Bach style by a composer named Christian Petzold. Because the style is similar to Bach’s, it provides the same technical work to help you build your talents, like playing Bach.

The Minute in G is an excellent introduction for the following reasons:

• It has the same simple Key signature as the Prelude. The key in this example is G Major, which has one sharp; F#.
• The rhythms are easier than the Prelude, and the patterns flow throughout the composition.
• It features simple and repetitive hand and finger patterns that are playable at this level.
• It is not so tough as overpowering, but it is challenging enough to test and develop new musical talents and comprehension.

3rd Piece – Musette in D

Musette in D Major is a lot of fun! As you can see, each component is a little more difficult than the one before it, which is exactly the goal. We’ll be able to perform much more of the music we want to play as we push ourselves to learn new things!

The Musette in D is a wonderful composition for beginner solo piano players for a variety of reasons, including:

• It has a simple Key signature but is more complex than the preceding ones. Two sharps exist in D Major: F# and C#.
• The composition contains smooth rhythms throughout.
• It includes simple hand and finger movements that are repeated throughout the composition.
• It introduces new abilities for us to acquire while not requiring us to learn too much at once. It also uses the new abilities we learned in the previous two parts.

One of the most interesting aspects of this work is that the right and left hands mirror each other in some measure, playing identical notes and rhythms but an octave apart.

4th Piece – Prelude in C Major bwv

Wait! didn’t we start with Bach’s Prelude in C?

Yes! We’ll finish with another Prelude in C, this time by composer Johann Peter Kellner.

It’s on our list because, like the second piece, it’s in the style of Bach. Thus, it provides the same advantages and is a fun piece to play.

This piece is appropriate for beginner piano solo players for the same reasons as the previous three examples, but because it is the last level, it is the hardest of the four to learn.

The key signature is simple, the rhythms are simple, and the hand and finger patterns are simple. All these elements are present throughout the composition and challenge the musician without being overly difficult to master.

And, as with all of these compositions, it’s a joy to listen to and play.

Final Note

Johann Sebastian Bach is widely recognized as one of the greatest composers. His music is still enjoyed and played by people worldwide today. These Bach pieces are ideal for a solo pianist student who plans to pursue a solo performance career.

Each piece is relatively easy to play, and they are all beautiful compositions that will give you a taste of Bach’s genius. Which of these do you find yourself reaching for time and time again when you want to play an instrumental piece? Let us know your thoughts with us in the comment box below.

 

The kick drum spices up your music or audio projects and enhances the acoustics of other musical instruments. It has a low-end indefinite pitch that you may not get from other tools. Hence, it is one musical instrument that can never be overrated.

However, as a music creator or producer, you may not know how to play the instrument. Even if you could, playing it manually and mixing the sounds could be taxing. But with VST/AU kick drum plugins, you are right on track to a more leisurely journey.

This article will explore our top 7 best free-kick drum plugins and how you can use them to improve your musical projects. Let’s get to it.

VST/AU Kick Drum Plugin

This is a Virtual Studio Technology that enhances your audio projects with kick drum sounds. It is computer software that provides you with an interface for adding audio effects to your digital workstation. The VST integrates with your software synthesizers and allows you to customize your audio with kick drum sound effects automatically.

Wide arrays of VST/AU plugins that promise to bring out the best in your sounds are available online. However, finding the best plugin can be a hard nut to crack. We have made a list of our top free VST kick drum plugins to ease your stress. You can find them below.

7 Top Free VST/AU Kick Drum Plugins 2021

Our top free picks include the following:

T. REX 606

This is a rompler plugin and was created to sound like the Rolan TR-606 drum. It provides a simple user interface that allows you to mix your sounds and add various sound effects, even as an amateur. It is one of the best machines for home recordings.

You can find it in VST for Mac Os x and Audio Units. It has two knobs (volumes and reverbs) that allow you to switch levels to enhance your pitch. It also contains seven classic sounds that you will love.

Drum Pro

This tool has many free presets and sounds for absolute beginners and professionals who have no issues with free plugins. It covers any music genre that you might love but is specifically designed for Techno and EDM. In addition, you get global effects, plus 12 pads and 20 built-in drum kits.

Drum Pro has an advanced but intuitive user interface that allows you to unleash the sound god in you. The pads have dedicated pan and volume controls and ADSR parameters for volume levels.

To know more about ADSR envelopes and how to use them, you might want to check the link below https://blog.landr.com/adsr-envelopes-infographic/.

MT Power Drum Kit 2

This software offers samples that have been processed with EQs, compressors, and other audio effects to give you a perfect sound. It provides a snare drum and a natural-sounding kick feature. You can create your sounds from scratch or use any of the preset sounds.

It also has built-in compressors and a comprehensive groove library that offers thousands of rhythmic patterns. This VST works with 32/64-bit operating systems and most Digital Audio Workstations.

DjinnDrum

The DjinnDrum is modeled after The Linn LM-1 drum machine used by music legends like Peter Gabriel, Prince, and Michael Jackson.

This tool offers a drier sound, and you may need to compress and add EQ when you are done with the mix. It also has pitch control for some sound effects. It supports the 32/64 bit operating systems for Windows and also works on MAC OS X versions and beyond.

The Beat Factory Drums

This software offers an easy-to-use interface and customizable ADSR parameters that let you edit your sounds to your taste. It is designed with top-notch outboard gear that is absent in most free VST plugins. It provides ten drum kits, built-in reverb, and was modeled after the MPC 2500.

Line of Legends

The Line of Legends is not as technical as other plugins, but that does not affect its functionalities. The plugin provides a release and attack knob, eight (8) distinct output channels, and punch. It also provides 47 top-notch samples that you can customize to suit your taste.

You might want to set up the plugin in your DAW to view all eight output channels. They include- Snare, Tom, Hi-hat, Kick, Clap, Crash, and Ride. And it is excellent for beginners.

The KickMaker

The KickMaker plugin is designed with four independent oscillators and an ADSR curve for each oscillator. The ADSR curve is used for mixed signals when crafting kicks. This plugin is specially designed to help you prepare the best spices for your songs and recordings.

On a side note, you should also make sure that your DAW is fully set up and active before you can use most of these plugins. You might want to check here for insights on how to set up your home studio.

Conclusion

If you’re a beginner, you might want to try any of the free plugins listed above to get your creativity up to speed before moving to the paid versions. However, the cost of a paid plug-in might not determine how powerful it works.

There you have a list of plugins that you can use to tweak your songs to your taste. You can now craft kicks and add various sound effects to make your music as rich as you want.

Music has the ability to make any task or chore a little better. It can brighten your mood, energize you, speak to your emotional side, and even help to relax you and alleviate stress. It’s really no wonder that people turn to music throughout their day, as it often provides that much needed escape or emotional connection. With all this in mind, it has led many people to build rather robust digital music collections. Digital music collections make it possible for people to download not just albums but specific songs and really build a customized catalog.

If you’ve been building up your own digital music catalog for some time now and it’s getting a little out of control or disorganized, we’ve got some tips you can use. These will help ensure you get the very most out of your music collection and that albums, songs, and artists don’t get forgotten about.

Keep All Music in One Central Location

The first tip focuses on convenience. You don’t want to have to switch between devices, apps, platforms, or software just to access your favorite music. Everything needs to be in one central location so you aren’t jumping through hoops to access it. For some people, one of the challenges to making sure all their music is in one spot is that they may need to deal with file conversion.

This file conversion issues seems to be a problem that Mac users in particular have. The issue of converting an M4A to an MP3 iTunes file can exist. Figuring out how to convert these files doesn’t have to be confusing, and once you figure it out, then you’ll be able to create that central library of content. One really simple solution is to make use of the free trial of Setapp and use the Permute media converter to easily do the conversion. Setapp features over 190 Mac apps in all different categories, including the Elmedia Player which can also tackle the conversion for you. For more information, check this blog on how to convert M4A to MP3.

Using these options will be much more straightforward over trying to do the audio conversion yourself. If you’re a relatively new Mac user, or you just don’t find yourself to be computer-savvy, it’s all the more reason to use tools like these.

Get Rid of Content You No Longer Want

Now that you’ve got everything in one central location, it’s time to do a major clean-up. This means getting rid of any music you no longer want or are interested in. You may be surprised at just how many tunes you’ve got stored, and that a portion of that music no longer fits with your musical styling and interests.

Sub-Folders Can Help to Streamline Content

Just as you would organize word files on your computer using folders and sub-folders, you can do the same with your music. This is a huge step towards a more organized and cohesive collection that makes sense and is user-friendly.

As for how to sort the music in your folders, typically people will sort the content by genre, artist/band, and album. Your music management program will likely do this for you, but you may choose to create your own rankings or sorting techniques instead.

Playlists Will Prove to Be the Best Tip

This brings us to your playlists, which are arguably one of the best and most effective ways to organize your music. Because a playlist is created by you, it gives you a chance to truly customize your digital music library and make it work for you.

You may want to build these playlists around an activity such as workout music, relaxation music, home entertaining music, and so forth, or it could be more specific and focus on favorite music from a particular genre, artist, or time period. Depending on the music management platform you are using, sometimes they create their own lists too of recently listened to music, favorites, and so forth. The idea is that you can really play around with your playlists, customizing them as you see fit. Music can always be added or deleted off these lists at any time.

Now It’s Time to Add More to Your Library

Once you have taken all the necessary steps to get your digital music library under control and organized, it’s time to start adding more music to it. Moving forward, you want to be sure to stick to your organizational tips so that it doesn’t get out of hand again.

It can also be helpful to do a music purge every few months just to ensure the content you have is the music you want to listen to. A good rule to stick to when deleting music is to view when it was last played and if it’s more than two years ago, chances are you wouldn’t miss it. Sure, this may seem a bit cutthroat, but this helps to keep your music library organized and relevant to your personal taste.

If you’re the type that hears a song or hears one mentioned that you want to remember to download at a later date, you can also start a note, file, or list on your smartphone where you can essentially keep track of songs to download. When you get a chance to download more music, you can then refer to your list and not worry about forgetting anything.

Consider Sharing Your Playlist

The final tip is to consider sharing your playlists with others, and then checking out what other people are listening to. This can be a great way to expand your musical preferences and find new favorites that you can download for your own library.

An Organized Digital Library Makes for Good Listening

The fact is that once you’re able to organize your digital music collection, it will be much easier to use and you’ll get a more customized experience. It can also help to reacquaint you with music you forgot you had, so you can fall in love with the tunes all over again. Spending a little time organizing your collection will be well worth the effort.

 

Something which I have always done is been in bands, with friends and with colleagues, ever since I was in high school. As a guitar player I have never been on my way to stardom, but I have always enjoyed playing with people and in front of people. This is something which many musicians, amateur musicians at least, are a little fearful of, but the benefits are just so great that you should do all you can to try and join a band, regardless of how good or bad you think you are. Currently I am in a cool little rockabilly trip called the Owen Group ( because there are 2 Owens in the band) and we have a great time each week playing in a local bar. If you aren’t sure whether or not this is for you, here is why I’d recommend that you make a band with your friends or people you know.

Improvement

It is all well and good sitting in your room practicing the bass guitar or the drums, but the truth is that you don’t know how good you really are until you start practicing with other people. n fat I have alway preferred playing with people who are better than myself, because as uncomfortable as it can feel, you improve greatly when you do so. Playing with people gives you a far better understanding of how to play a song, how to manage timing and how to read the cues which others give you. I am most certainly a better guitar player when I play in a group with others.

New Music

Normally when I join bands there is a group of people with different musical tastes and we generally try to play songs which everyone in the band likes. This is something which I really enjoy and learning to play new genres and styles can really add something to your playing. In fact I have discovered many bands that I love to listen to because my bandmates have suggested that we play a song by them.

Camaraderie

There is a very special feeling about being in a band and you feel like this united team, something which I have always really enjoyed. If you are in a band with friends then you will certainly become better friends as a result, despite the occasional in-band fight. If you aren’t friends with those who you are playing with then it will not take long before you are, and this is a great way to bond with people.

Play More Music

When I am not in a band I find that I play much less than when I am in the band, and in truth this is one of the reasons why I dislike being out of a band for any period of time.

If you love music and you love playing your instrument, I would urge you to get involved in a band and just see what you can do.

 

I always felt as though my music taste was pretty eclectic but when I met Bogoljub Karic at college I realized what eclectic really meant. We bonded over music and then he started to introduce me to all kinds of music from French rappers to Indian bangra music. Thanks to his influence I now listen to a wide range of music from around the world and whilst some are put off by the foreign language in the lyrics, here is why you should ignore that and give some world music a try.

Only the Half of It

We all love a lyric which we can sing along to but it is important to remember that music isn’t just about the lyrics. The thing that makes us feel good about the music is the rhythm, the melody and the musicianship of the song, not always the lyrics. It is after all why many people like electronic music, which focus on the musicality of it rather than the lyrics. It is for this reason that you don’t always need to know what they are saying in the lyrics, you can still enjoy a song without them.

Learning

Music from around the world uses different styles and different instruments which can really help you to develop a deeper understanding of music. For example many African styles are heavy on the drums and the bass sounds, they use the voices in many different ways, completely different to what we hear on the radio. The same goes for Indian music, many strange instruments and vocal sounds which can open your ears and mind up to new ways of making music. If you take something like Graceland by Paul Simon, one of the world’s most famous albums, he heavily used the African influence and although people had no idea what Ladysmith Black Mambazo were saying, they still dug it because it sounded great. Even going back to the Beatles, they were heavily influenced by many different pieces of world music which they incorporated into their own music.

Accessible

The thing which you have to remember is that world music is more accessible than ever before. You can get straight online and find music from Korea, Zimbabwe, Poland, Ecuador and just about every nation in the world. You don’t need to spend money on this as you can watch videos on YouTube or listen on sites like Spotify. The key is that you give it a try and see what you like and what you don’t.

For many years the world has been listening to heavily rotated English language music, and they have fallen in love with many bands. There is no reason therefore that you are not going to fall in love with a band from another country, it is the same situation in reverse. Give it a try, open your mind and you will be pleased with what you find.