(Part 2) Best products from r/Learnmusic

Everything this guy said is gold. I would add a couple things.

• If you are completely new to guitar and not adverse to spending money:
  http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Handbook-Ralph-Denyer/dp/0679742751/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269624397&sr=8-1
  You can get a lot of this info on line, but the book is a classic.
  
  
• You really want to pick a few songs that you really like and want to play as your goals. It helps you with focus and inspiration. And if you tell us what type of music you are looking to play to start I can recommend more books or websites.
  
  
• For guitars you really get a lot more bank for the buck for a few bucks more. Basically from 100 up to 600 dollars the guitars really improve every bit you spend. However, BloodyThorn is right about wasting guitar equipment. This is why there is so much used equipment on craigslist.
  
  
• For buying a beginner guitar, don't be afraid of buying used. Try craigslist. But if you have a friend that plays, get him to come along and help check it out. And if you decide to keep with the guitar and you outgrow the guitar after a year or two, then you can always use a guitar that you can afford to lose. Much nicer to take your second $150 guitar with you on a boat than your only $700 (or $2000) dollar guitar.

This is an actual synthesizer. The keyboarist in my old band used to use this on top of his piano for certain songs. The reason we used it is because you plug it right into an amp, and you perform the piece live without the need for a laptop with a DAW on it.

If you want to also use a synth as a controller, what you need is one with a MIDI output. MIDI controllers/keyboars have MIDI outputs, because that's what they're made to do. MIDI is the language that the controller uses to speak to the DAW/computer. A MIDI output looks like this. A cable will run out of that port into your computer.

As far as whether an actual, self-contained synth like the one I posted would have a MIDI output on it or not, I'm afraid that is not my area of expertise at all. I know nothing of electronic music aside from what I've said already, I was mainly hoping to help you decide what instrument you want to pick up. I'm sure someone here will give you a good synth recommendation, or you could head over to /r/synthesizers.

EDIT: One more thing. You say you want to be able to play the instrument. If so, you're going to need something you can practice on. You can't really practice very well on a little 3-octave microkorg like the one I posted up there. If you're serious about acquiring the skill to play keys, you should think about getting a decent sized MIDI controller like this (this is what I use to control my DAW), or, if you really, really don't want to have to use a computer, get a nice electronic piano like this. It's all about what you want to do in the end.

I just purchased my first keyboard a few days ago.
After talking to a lot of people and researching what I needed, I went with this.

http://www.amazon.com/Casio-CAS-PX150-BK-Tri-Sensor/dp/B0094KNESM

There are some keyboards that are 50-100, but the extra features you get with this one make it worth it.

I love it so far, sounds and feels great.

If you're in Canada it's a little more expensive. I got mine from best buy for 599 inc. a wooden stand.

edit: I think almost any modern electronic keyboard has a headphone jack, this one does as well as the ability to connect to your computer through usb for midi control and to upload different songs to play along with.

I had it narrowed down to three, I was also looking at.
http://www.amazon.com/Korg-SP170s-88-Key-Digital-Piano/dp/B004M92J0O
and
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Series-P35B-88-Key-Digital/dp/B009CN8WZ6

It looks like you're into artists that fall broadly into what we might call Egyptian pop and others who are more West African (Mali) styles. I'm not up on my Egyptian pop, but if you're into Moctar and Anivolla, you should definitely check out Tinariwen and Ali Farka, if you haven't already.

The most important melodic theme all of the you mentioned share is that their sound is based on maqamat, which are simply Arabic scales and modes. If you're looking for literature, I recommend starting with The Maqam Book, by David Mu'Allem. Beware: maqamat are similar in some ways to scales in Western Music, but there are also significant differences. For instance: Western scales are cyclical. They repeat the same intervals in any octave. maqamat are not cyclical, and their intervals may change based on the octave. In modern music, this non-cyclical aspect of maqamat often exchanged for a cyclical approac, as Western music continues to influence modern Arab and Turkish music. Also, maqamat are quartertonal; some (not all) of their intervals are quartertones and 3-quartertones. maqamat on fretted instruments can be tricky. They work great on cellos.

If you just want to get your toe wet for now, you can try noodling around in Phrygian and Phrygian Dominant.

Good luck!

Hi ! (sorry for my bad english)...
Real piano is really better, but that not always possible... You need at least a keyboard who simulate the piano key... (you have to watch the technical description for something like "semi-weighted velocity-sensitive keys")

In this price, this one is not bad at all:
http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Keystation-88-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00IWTS58A

And this pedal :
http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Sustain-Pedal-Action-Keyboards/dp/B00063678K/ref=pd_bxgy_267_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=10N3ACGJ7G3FSR9KK1VC

And you can find better on the second hand market... Best to go around what is available on the second hand market and then do research on the real value of the keyboard.
You have a lot of natural resources on the net to learn the piano ... that's how I started ... The downside of not having a teacher is that you have someone to tell you your gross errors (such as sitting too close or too far from the keyboard), but it is still very possible, at least if your goal is to have fun and not a career.

Some good bases here :
https://www.youtube.com/user/pianoologist/playlists
https://www.youtube.com/user/pianocareer/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/PianistMagazine/videos

Myself I have a old Kawai CL25 and I use it like a midi controller with Reason and a piano bank sounds (piano refills)...

I have to say that, unfortunately, the best advice I can give you is to find a teacher. I know that it seems like you can learn the basics by yourself, especially if you are already musical. But you will either learn habits that will be horrendously difficult to break later on, injure yourself, or both. You could end up with tendinitis, carpal tunnel, serious back problems, serious jaw problems, etc.

If you still want to learn on your own, as you look for a teacher, here's some advice that might help (from a violinist of 19 years):

• Make sure you don't have excess tension in your body. Your arms, your hands, your back, should be relaxed. This is imperative for not hurting yourself.
  
• Make sure you use either a shoulder rest or a sponge (not a kitchen sponge. One made for violin.) http://www.amazon.com/Players-Economy-Foam-Violin-Shoulder/dp/B000EEHDBG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1301454082&sr=8-2
  
• Make sure you put rosin on your bow. Don't over rosin, though. Just put enough on so that there is resistance when pulling the bow across the strings. If you are accumulating a layer of white on your violin while playing, you're using too much.
  
• Make sure to care for your violin. Wipe off any accumulated rosin, place the violin in the case snugly, and loosen the hair of your bow a bit before placing in the case.
  
• It may look dumb, but you'll want to place tape on the neck of your violin so you can easily find the right pitches, until your muscle memory is developed. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31YQHPWYMAL.jpg
  Work with a tuner. Play on the A string, and place tape at B natural, C sharp, and D natural. Make sure your violin is in tune first (using the tuner!)
  
• Don't start playing songs that involve anything other than first position. First position is when (on A-string), your index finger is placed on the tape at B natural, your middle finger on C sharp, and your ring finger on D natural. To find songs at this level, I suggest buying Suzuki Violin Book 1. Start at the beginning. http://www.amazon.com/Suzuki-Violin-School-Revised-Part/dp/B0027P7QY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1301454626&sr=1-1
  
  Troubleshooting:
  
  
• One reason for notes not speaking well would be not having any or enough rosin on your bow. But remember, add gradually. Don't pile it on. Oh, and common mistake for beginners: Just rub the hair of your bow across the rosin. DON'T CHIP AWAY AT THE ROSIN BEFORE APPLYING. You'll just gunk up your bow hair and damage it.
  
  
• Start slowly. Don't try to play songs the way you hear them. You want to master songs at a slow speed before trying them faster. You'll just frustrate yourself otherwise.
  
  
• Squealing and bouncing happens when you don't have consistent weight of your bow arm. You should not feel like you're holding your bow arm up in the air from the shoulder. Your elbow should not held down by your side. (This should also be in the Suzuki book. With pictures.)
  
  I could go on forever, but hopefully this will help you. But, seriously. If you want to actually learn anything, find a teacher! But I wish you luck!

There's also a free, Berklee Intro to Music Theory course on edX. It says enrollment is closed, but I'm still able to view the lessons once I log in.

I'm new to learning about music as well, and this book has been very helpful: How Music Works. It's written very conversationally, not too technical, with great explanations of core concepts.

Also picked up The Complete Musician, which is very technical.

For writing software, Muse Score is free.

I'd also recommend getting a midi keyboard as well, if you don't already have one.

If I play a very simple syncopated beat like

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
X X X X |X X X X |X X X X |X X X X

So quarter notes essentially, but dragging the second pair an 8th behind the beat
When I do this, I literally feel an 'absence' on beats 3 and 4 - it has a lifting quality opposed to the downward feel of the sounded 'and's - If I were to vocalise this feeling, it'd sound like Un Un unKa unKa

It's this felt-absence that I then time the syncopated notes by - if I was strumming a guitar, I'd literally to a down-stroke that missed the strings to feel that hidden down beat, and then do a lifting stroke for the sounded off beats
There's a sense that I am actively playing the silent note in time on the beat
To emphasise this feeling, I might move my body (tap foot, nod head) - this is especially helpful for difficult peaces - if you watch radio head playing the infamously deceptive syncopation in video-tape you'll see them all bobbing their heads like they're children learning their first instrument - even virtuoso pianist thom yorke playing what sounds like quarter notes - it just helps root your brain

As to how to get this to happen; I can only tell you how I did it
There are syncopation study books - basically long sheet music that's just variations and permutations of rhythm - no note differentation
And I'd sit and 'play' through them with/without instrument, tapping the beat
Eventually you just get a feel for it

Afro-Cuban music is built largely around interlocking rhythmic patterns, so a large part of it is learning how these work so you can function within them rhythmically.

The biggest important concept is that the rhythmic patterns revolve around the clave, which is a 5 note figure that dictates the rhythmic feeling (one half relatively straight, the other half more syncopated). The two sides are interchangeable, so you have to know which pattern a particular song is in or you'll play the rhythms "crossed", which in this style of music is the rhythmic equivalent of playing in the wrong key.

The basic rhythm of the clave is usually divided into 2 measures, one with 2 notes and one with 3. We refer to the two variants as 3-2 or 2-3 depending on which measure starts the phrase.

2-3 Clave
|------|-----|

3-2 Clave
|-----|------|

In the example you gave here, the opening riff is actually clave neutral (i.e. playing the same rhythm on both sides of the clave), but the other rhythms in the song indicate that it's in 2-3 clave. This example is also in 2-3 clave, but the opening riff follows the clave:

Clave
|------|-----|

Opening riff
|-*--|----*|

Notice that the 2 side of the riff is the only one that plays on any beats (1 and 2) and from there it goes off on to a string of offbeats. Generally, the 2 side of the clave has a straighter feel, and it's especially common for rhythms on the 2 side to line up on beat 2. You can read more about the clave from one of my old posts here.

If you can read music, I would suggest looking into this book as it explores how these riffs evolved over time. It's written from a pianist's perspective, but all the examples are transcribed from string instruments.

Speaking of instruments, the other important thing to get this kind of sound is to have doubled strings. Cuban music often uses an instrument called a Tres, which is essentially a small scale guitar with the strings arranged in 3 doubled courses instead of 6 strings. If you're handy with tools, I've had some fairly good success simply getting a cheap 3/4 sized guitar (or smaller would probably work better) and recutting the nut and saddle. La Bella makes easily available strings.

A Laud is sometimes also used, and Puerto Ricans (whose traditional music is very similar to Cuba's) will commonly use a Cuatro.

Here is a nice example of the Tres being used in a more modern Afro-Cuban context.

There's usually also a traditional guitar strumming chords, but I assume you want to get a bit deeper into how the music works. Let me know if you have any other questions!

this book of classical duets is a fantastic way to learn.
https://www.amazon.com/Carulli-Progressive-Student-Teacher-Classical-Guitar/dp/1530036623

get yourself a cheap nylon string guitar and find a player who can read the teacher parts. there is no way around that first task of memorizing all the names of the notes in open/first position. get your c major scale together, then start playing these duets. I've studied reading in a few different ways and I really think this is the best way to start. Once youre well into this book, also start looking at this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Music-Reading-Guitar-Complete-Method/dp/0793581885

those two together will make you a pretty solid reader. good luck.

Honestly, I think wanting to learn now as a uni student is the perfect time to learn.

Don't know music theory? Take a class in it!
Want a piano to learn on? Just go to the music building and practice on their piano!
As for getting involved in music? Join a music club or listen to some musically talented friends!

If you have the urge to learn, that's enough. I am a 23 year old currently teaching myself piano (still in school though, so I don't have to pay for a piano). I started with this book and am currently teaching myself songs from this book. I've also taken some music theory classes in the past, so the learning curve was slightly easier in the theoretical aspects.

As for the software, I don't know enough about that. It seems like many people here do though, so follow their advice on that part.

For me there could only be one : Mahalo Flying V

I smile every time I pick it up, and the few times I've played it with friends, they've all wanted one. Quality is not at all bad and for a first instrument is absolutely fine.

Edit: Sorry about this, I'd forgotten - I installed a better set of machine heads than the standard, as the tuning kept slipping, and restrung with better strings, so possibly not quite as good an instrument for a beginner. Nonetheless I love mine now.