| Which instrument to learn? |
| Barry Fone Instructor, award-winning songwriter |
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| EASIEST: Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keyboard HARDEST: Violin, Cello, Pedal Steel Guitar |
| Stop watching everyone else have fun with music-- pick up the FONE! |
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Lessons taught by award-winning songwriter BARRY FONE
BARRY FONE MUSIC
| BARRY FONE Instructor, Award-winning Songwriter |
4783 Glenrosa Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
Day, evening and weekend lessons available to fit your busy schedule
Lessons at FONE MUSIC
| Learn your favorite music FAST! |
| Learn by ear or by note...or both |
| Choice of 3 learning environments. Learn in our private studios and avoid the "music store" distractions! |
Instruments we teach, pros and cons, level of difficulty
GUITAR
- Easiest to learn
- Most popular instrument
- Electric, acoustic, classical
- Lead guitar, rock or country
| Student will be able to play literally THOUSANDS of popular songs after learning a few basic chords. The guitar is an excellent stepping stone towards other instruments, as well as being the prominent instrument in much popular music. A skilled guitarist can play and sing alone, making the guitar one of the most useful tools for songwriting. |
BASS GUITAR
- Easy to learn
- Generally follows the guitar
- Easiest to find work on bass
- No chords--mainly single notes
| The bass guitar is a support instrument which, along with the drums, provides the musical foundation. Tuning is similar to the guitar, and the wide string spacing makes it easy for students with large hands to learn. The bass typically does NOT take solo parts except in rare cases, and its effect is often more "felt" than heard. |
DRUMS
- No keys, chords or melodies
- Rhythmic concepts only
- Be the "boss of the beat"
- Good drummers make MONEY
| The drummer lays down the beat and establishes the overall tempo (fast or slow). Drummers have lots of freedom to improvise and experiment during songs. The work of a drummer always stands out, making it a great instrument for showing off. As the tempo is very crucial to proper sound, strong emphasis is placed on counting and timing. |
KEYBOARD
- Make ANY instrument sound!
- Be the "orchestra" in your band
- Play popular songs quickly
- Music reading not necessary
| The function of the keyboard player in most bands is to play string parts, horns, brass, organ and piano parts. Difficulty ranges from easy string parts to very demanding and involved technical piano pieces (if desired). The keyboard is another excellent songwriting tool which can be played without any other instruments or musicians, and sound full. |
VIOLIN and VIOLA
- Most beautiful and expressive
- Requires the most practice
- Music reading REQUIRED
- Student should start early
| The violin plays solo and supporting parts in orchestras, string quartets and school band situations. As finger placement and bowing techniques are so critical, this instrument requires constant practice and dedication. A musician already skilled on another instrument may learn the violin by ear; however, the study of written music is very strongly recommended. |
CELLO
- Easier than violin or viola
- Very large--hard to transport
- Music reading REQUIRED
- Feels great to play!
| The setting for the cello is almost always the orchestra or string quartet, where it acts as support and foundation for other acoustic instruments. The cello and DOUBLE BASS often play from the same music, with the double basses playing the same part one octave lower in pitch. The cello, while easier than the violin, nevertheless requires much practice. |
PEDAL STEEL GUITAR
- The beautiful Country sound
- NO music reading required
- Requires LOTS of practice
- Very much in demand
| The pedal steel guitar is that wonderful shimmering, sliding, crying sound you hear on country songs. This instrument calls for some very exacting coordination between both hands, both feet and even the knees at times (if instrument is equipped with knee levers). Student also must operate a volume pedal while playing; the constant volume manipulation is a large part of the sound. |
MANDOLIN
- Excellent Bluegrass instrument
- NO music reading required
- Tuned similar to violin
- Takes prominent solo parts
| The Mandolin is that sweet instrument we hear in Bluegrass tunes. Not very common in rock, but is featured on the Rod Stewart song "Maggie Mae". The main thing to get used to on this instrument is the tiny frets, which makes the mandolin an excellent instrument for young students. As the tuning and fingering are fairly similar to the violin, the mandolin also makes a handy note-finding tool for violin. |
BANJO
- Requires no explanation!
- NO music reading required
- Fun to play, fun to listen to
- Sounds like no other!
| The banjo is immediately recognized anywhere you hear it being played. Its sharp attack and distinctive, almost humorous sound make it a blast to play and hear! This instrument has a lot of very demanding right-hand parts and is usually played with fingerpicks and a thumb pick. The biggest challenge with the banjo is the intensive right- hand fingerpicking. |
MUSIC THEORY
- Sharpens the ear tremendously
- Very light music reading
- Great aid to songwriting
- Can be taught with instrument
| The study of music theory means the difference between someone who simply strums chords and a musician who can also discuss music structure intelligently with other musicians. As the study of Music Theory includes EAR TRAINING, it is not uncommon for theory students to learn entire songs without touching an instrument! Music theory is best taught AFTER the student has learned his/her instrument somewhat. |
SONGWRITING
- No more "albums" of cover music!
- Express yourself in song
- The WRITERS get the ROYALTIES!
- Taught by award-winning writer
| The musician who writes his/her own songs is the musician who will keep collecting royalties long after the other musicians have spent their performing money. We can teach you to write music to express yourself your own way as accurately as possible, or we can instruct the student to write for the mainstream market. Songwriting skills also enable one to figure out cover material more quickly, interpret lyrics faster and even improve on the original! |
ARRANGEMENT
- Give music style and class
- Make easy songs more exciting
- HEAVY music reading/writing
- Strong emphasis on Theory
| A "C Major" chord strummed on the guitar sounds much different than an orchestra playing the same chord. When you hear the same song by a different band, the reason it sounds different is because it has a different ARRANGEMENT. ARRANGEMENT is the process by which we make music "our own" by deciding which instruments play which parts, thus determining what the song will sound like overall. |
| Talent is NOT needed to learn an instrument! What is needed is the willingness to PRACTICE at least ONE HOUR EACH DAY between lessons. It may be hard to believe, but that's all you need! Talent without action is useless...action without talent can move mountains! In fact, too much talent often results in songs people can't understand, and music that is too complex for the average listener's ear. The most successful songs are the simplest, with simple instrument parts and no more than 4 chords. Even if there are many instruments, the song structure itself is generally fairly simple. So have confidence! |