IPFW Tutor Trac - How to Play Guitar Like a Pro on Your Phone With the Trac

IPFW Tutor Trac - How to Play Guitar Like a Pro on Your Phone With the TracYou've probably seen the IPFW tutor Trac as a YouTube video. It's a great way to learn to play guitar, but it's also a wonderful way to become an effective tutor for those with little or no experience. In this post, I'll show you how to get started using it.To start using the Trac, you need to download the free Android app onto your phone. That should be easy enough to do. The Trac is actually a little game that will give you clues about each chord. You can collect clues for a set of notes and then play through each game on a perfect song to get the best rating possible.After downloading the Trac app, connect your phone to your computer, if you don't already have one connected to your home network. Make sure that your computer's internet is up and running, and your phone's internet is up and running, too. Connect the Trac to your computer and let it download the apps.Once the Trac is downloaded, you'll see a b ig blue 'Trap' icon on your desktop. Click on it to open up the Trac application. In the app, you'll see a blue box that says 'Collect Information'. Here, you'll be able to get all sorts of clues, including chords.You can also click on the 'Find' button at the bottom of the screen to find chords in the tree-style grid. From there, you can check each chord symbol to see which ones match the chord you're trying to play. Remember that each chord has one or more symbols, so you can always click on the chord you need to play to see if it matches the chord you're playing.Once you'veplayed the chord symbols, you'll find the note on the left of the chord symbol, the name of the chord, and some notes of the chord itself. For example, you might see 'E7' next to the note. The note will represent the first note in the chord.Then, you just need to press the corresponding key on your guitar for the note, and you'll play it. This may sound complicated, but once you do it a few times, it really isn 't. Overall, you should find that you're learning the chords from Trac very quickly.

Punctuation Saves Lives

Punctuation Saves Lives Punctuation saves lives! What? How come? Yes. Here is the example: Lets eat kitty. (Meaning that, we will be eating a cat.) Lets eat, kitty. (Meaning that, you and your friend kitty will be starting to eat.) The above example is a punctuation rule. Your tutor would put it formally like this: Use commas to set off the name, nickname, or title of a person you have directly addressed. More Examples: Yes, old friend, I will. Good day, Captain.

Five Signs Your Child Needs a Tutor

Five Signs Your Child Needs a Tutor Between demanding studies, extracurricular activities, and busy family lives, individual attention can help students of all ages and abilities. Perhaps you've found yourself wondering how to give your child a more enjoyable academic experience. These five signs can help you determine whether it's time to HIRE A TUTOR. 1. Low Test Scores Whether you've noticed a slip in your child's grades or simply believe he/she can do better, a tutor can offer valuable partnership in getting your child back on track. The right tutor can offer insights into your child's strengths and identify any areas of weakness. A tutor will proactively work with your child to help him/her master problematic areas. 2. Confidence Issues Low self-esteem can affect your child's report card. Changes in a child's self-esteem are often caused by struggles in school. Unfortunately, this can have a domino effect, leading to anxiety about tests, homework, and attendance. A tutor can immediately identify skill gaps and work with your child to correct them. A wonderful side benefit is a boost in your child's self-esteem that will carry over into all areas of life. 3. Trouble with Time Management Procrastination is normal, but if your child is constantly avoiding assignments, it may indicate that he/she is stuck or cannot handle the workload. A tutor can work with your child to teach positive study habits, learn the material, and instill a sense of self-motivation. 4. Life Changes A new job, the birth of a baby, or a recent move may prevent you from offering your child the same level of help as before. In addition, you may notice that homework load increases as your child advances from grade to grade. If you're unable to fit homework help into your schedule, a tutor can act as an invaluable backup. The largest study ever on parental involvement in children's lives indicated that parents can actually have a negative impact on homework grades. For this reason, consider hiring a trained tutor instead of trying to help with topics you're unfamiliar with. 5. Learning Disability Diagnosis If your child has been diagnosed with a learning disability, you may be trying to understand how it affects him/her academically. Many tutors are trained in teaching children with learning disabilities. They can offer specialised sessions aimed at helping kids establish healthy study habits and learn in the manner that suits them best. One last sign that your child may need a tutor is your own intuition. If you feel like your child may be struggling at school, quick, corrective action is in order. PRIVATE TUTORS not only ensure that kids' needs are being met, but that their academic experience remains positive, too.

13 Reasons Why Resources for Teachers

13 Reasons Why Resources for Teachers Chances are, if you’re a teacher, you’ve already have heard about (or watched) the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, released early last month. Based on a popular young adult novel, 13 Reasons Why follows the story of a teenage girl who commits suicide, leaving behind a series of tapes for various people explaining why they’re responsible for her death. Recently, the series has been embroiled in controversy. School psychologists and suicide prevention experts have almost universally criticized the show, arguing that it sends the wrong message about teen suicide. Suicide is among the leading causes of death for young people and teachers play an important role in keeping their students safe. As a key setting for suicide prevention, schools have been sending out warnings and issuing talking points about the show. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) is advising teachers not to discuss the show unless their students are already talking about it. So, while the show shouldn’t be used as a teaching tool, there's no doubt that it’s being widely watched by adolescents and school leaders and educators alike have a responsibility to promote suicide awareness. Below, we’ve collected a quick round-up of some helpful resources to help educators learn more about youth suicide prevention: The NASP has released guidelines on 13 Reasons Why for parents and educators. For additional guidance, also check out their resource on Preventing Youth Suicide: Tips for Parents and Educators and Preventing Youth Suicide: Brief Facts. Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) and the JED Foundation have created talking points for teachers who want to discuss 13 Reasons Why with their students. Additional Resources Center for Disease Control Suicide Datasheet Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools American Association of Suicidology American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Stop Bullying Rape, Abuse Incest National Network

Secrets of Zumdahl Chemistry 9th Edition Solutions PDF

Secrets of Zumdahl Chemistry 9th Edition Solutions PDFZumdahl Chemistry 9th Edition is one of the best chemistry guides available today. It can be used as a simple reference for students interested in studying chemistry, or even as a quick reference guide to provide students with a better understanding of various chemistry concepts. This book can be easily downloaded from several online websites that are offering free download of the book for students.The content of the text book is laid out in a very clear and easy to read manner. This provides a sense of ease to the reader, who will not have any difficulty in understanding the instructions. The instructions are also provided in a practical manner, using examples to provide students with the information they need. This makes it possible for students to learn various different aspects of chemistry at their own pace, and with a flexible and quick learning method.A well-prepared student will find the text book useful. The book has been created by professionals in the field of chemistry and they take pride in presenting the text book in a quality manner. This book is easily made use of as a practical guide for students to learn and understand the subject.The book is organized in an easy to follow format, which ensures that students will be able to read through the instructions easily. The inclusion of the sections on 'reaction sets' helps students understand the various reactions that can occur with various components of the book.Excellent clarity of the written information makes it possible for students to follow the instructions without any confusion. The procedure employed for writing the text book ensures that all the instructions are given in a clear manner. The students will find it easy to understand the procedures for writing the book.There are different learning methods used by teachers in imparting chemistry knowledge to students. Students may use the methods taught by teachers or the book itself. The bo ok makes it possible for the students to utilize different learning methods, according to their choice.If you are looking for an easy to read book, this is one of the best books you can purchase. It is user friendly and easy to understand. The information and instruction provided by the book will be useful for students. It is therefore recommended that students are able to understand the topic fully before using it as a reference.

Why Is A Free Math Tutor Essential?

Why Is A Free Math Tutor Essential?The free math tutor is great for the students who don't have the financial resources to hire a professional. You can find them online, in tutoring centers, and in private and public schools that offer these services.Before you sign up with any one of these programs, you need to determine the particular areas where you need assistance, and decide which of these programs would be most suitable for you. There are many free tutoring websites that offer services for free, but you must carefully evaluate which ones you want to sign up with.After choosing which math tutor you would like to choose from, you should read through the various available options available for you. There are certain programs that are focused on computer-based tutoring, while there are others that offer hands-on instruction. It's best to research which one suits your needs the best. Researching online will give you a good idea of the different tutoring programs available, and the d ifference between the programs will also help you to make a choice between one tutoring program and another.If you're looking for tutoring from a computer, the free math tutor will offer a free trial period that lets you see how the program works. However, if you already paid for the program, there are no restrictions regarding what you do. You'll be able to watch the videos that are featured on the tutor's website or on the internet. However, it would be beneficial to look at the video materials first before signing up for the free trial, so that you can see the best practices and techniques the tutor is teaching.If you'd rather have a tutor who is more hands-on, the math tutor may not be able to work with you in real life. You will have to be a bit careful about who you sign up with, since some tutors charge extra fees to use their services. Sometimes, the fee will be taken directly from your pocket.The free math tutor has various levels and programs that can suit the needs of stu dents. Some tutor services have their own unique curriculum, while other tutors provide their clients with materials that they can use to develop their own lessons.Once you choose the right program, you will be in a position to judge the skills of the teacher, the quality of the material and the overall experience of the tutor. The best thing is that it's not necessary to pay extra fees to get a better tutor.

How to Make Dance Routines

How to Make Dance Routines How to Create Choreography ChaptersCreating Choreography: Choosing a Style of DanceCreating Choreography: Choosing the MusicStudy the MusicImprovisationCreating Choreography: Putting the Steps Together“To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful… This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking” - Agnes De MilleThere are an estimated 17,000 dancers or choreographers in the UK. If you want to join them and learn how to dance, you’ll also need to learn choreography and how to make your own. No matter which type of dancing you do, be it contemporary dance, hip hop, Argentine tango, or rock, you’ll probably end up choreographing routines at some point.Even if you’re not a choreographer, practising and creating dance routines can be enjoyable. Here’s our advice on how to do it. SeamDance Teacher 4.96 (24) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamieDance Teacher 5.00 (6) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErickaDance Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamuelDance Teacher 5.00 (4) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlavioDance Teacher 5.00 (7) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimDance Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HannaDance Teacher 5.00 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ClareDance Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsCreating Choreography: Choosing a Style of DanceThe first thing you need to do is choose the style of dancing you’ll use in your choreography. You should probably choose a style that you’re familiar with as there are plenty of different types of dance:Ballroom dancing, waltz, tango, rock ‘n’ roll, cha-cha, jive.Latin, Cuban salsa, samba, rumba.Modern jazz dance.Tap.Charleston.Oriental danceThe Lindy hop, foxtrotLatin danceBachataKizombaQuickstepFolk danceFlamencoAfricanContemporary or modern danceWest coast swing danceClassical ballet Before you can start creating dance routines, you need to choose a style first. (Source: marcianofab)You can also blend several styles of dance. However, this means you’ll need to master at least two types of dancing. For example, you could fuse oriental dance and jazz to create something quite original.Find out more about learning choreography.Creating Choreography: Choosing the MusicThis is a crucial step when it comes to creating music. The music needs to speak to you, mean something, and make you feel. You can’t just pick some music out of a hat and create choreography to it.Of course, it’s much easier to create choreography when the style of music matches the style of dancing you’d like to do. Certain genres of music are made for dancing. However, when you create a fusion, you can break a few rules. You could always do some hip hop dancing over classical music. SeamDance Teacher 4.96 (24) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamieDance Teacher 5.00 (6) £50/h1 st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErickaDance Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamuelDance Teacher 5.00 (4) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlavioDance Teacher 5.00 (7) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimDance Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HannaDance Teacher 5.00 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ClareDance Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsStudy the MusicBefore you start any choreography, you’ll need to study the music that you’re going to use. Listen to it a few times until you remember it. You’ll need to know the music off by heart if you want to dance to it.You can also make a note of the emotions that the music inspires. Before you make a dance routine, you need to carefully study the music you'll be dancing to. (Source: kaboompics)If there are lyrics, do they tell a story or have any personal significance to you?Focus on some of the lyrics and try to translate the emotions they make you feel into your choreography.Analyse the structure of the song: the intro, the verse, the chorus, the bridge, etc. Pop-rock music is often constructed similarly. Here’s what your notes on the structure should look like:Intro: 2 x 8 beats.Verse 1: 4 x 8 beats.Chorus: 2 x 8 beats.Verse 2: 4 x 8 beats.Chorus: 2 x 8 beats.Bridge: 3 x 8 beats.Chorus x 2: 4 x 8 beats.Outro: 1 x 8 beats.This is an important stage of the choreography process so that you can plan out what you need to do. Focus on the stresses within the music.If there are words in another language, you might want to look up what they mean so that you can be sure that you’re conveying the right feelings.ImprovisationNow it’s time to start planning out you r choreography. If you’re doing jazz, African, or ragga dancehall, your teacher may ask you to improvise. You can always improvise, but it helps to have an arsenal of dance moves at your disposal. (Source: Pexels)In oriental dance, for example, it’s quite common to improvise in a circle at the end of each session.If you’ve never improvised, you’re going to have to dive straight in. Improvisation can free up your emotions without you having to think too much about technique. Follow the rhythm without feeling trapped in a particular choreography. This might seem quite paradoxical. However, everything comes from improvisation.It’s a good idea to film yourself while you improvise. After having studied music and dance, you can start improvising while filming yourself. Don’t watch the videos between sessions as it’ll influence your improvisation.Leave the videos to one side for a few hours or come back to them the following days. Regard the videos you’ve made and highlight the parts that you’d like. Note down the minute of each part you’d like to use.You may even want to writ e down your ideas on a sheet of paper if it helps you with your choreography. Don’t forget about using visual aids as it’ll be much easier to correct mistakes further down the line.Discover some of the easiest dance routines.Creating Choreography: Putting the Steps TogetherThere’ll be gaps where you’re not exactly sure what you should be doing. Don’t worry about them for the time being. A private tutor can help you put your dance moves into a dance routine. (Source: Skitterphoto)Fine-tune the parts that you’ve already got. Perfect these movements and consider filming yourself doing them so you remember them.Learn how to remember dance routines.Fill in the GapsAs you practise your choreography, you can still improvise during the gaps.  If you’re still fresh out of ideas, go back to your original footage and see if there are any steps of movements that you might want to use elsewhere.Film yourself improvising again and check if there’s something you could use as a transition between two parts.Check out some of the best online choreogrpahy tutorials.More Advice for Creating ChoreographyWhether it’s modern jazz, hip hop, or dancehall, dancers who’d like to create choreography need to keep a few things in mind:Warm-up before you start: warming up is essential if you don’t want to hurt yourself.Focus on the beginning and the end. In the beginning, you need to grab the audience’s attention. Start with impressive movements and your entrance. In the end, you need to leave a good impression.Vary between calm and quick movements: you can’t go full-throttle throughout or you’ll be exhausted. You’ll need cardio performance for jumps, spins, etc.Keep it simple and go with the music: you don’t need to show off everything you’re capable of. You can have technical sections but you need to ensure that they go with the music. Like with rests in music, a moment of “silence” in a routine can express more than a dozen spins or doing the splits mid-air.You can use the same sequence multiple times: just like music has a chorus, you can use the same sections and sequences multiple times. This allows the audience to gain familiarity with your routine. Sometimes you might want to bookend the whole performance by making the start and finish similar.No half-measures when it comes to your movement. Each movement needs a good reason to be include d in your routine and well-executed from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. This can also help give your choreography some intensity.Don’t mime the words: there’s nothing more ridiculous than a dancer lipsyncing. You’re a dancer, not a comedian. The audience came to see dancing. Avoid singing along, too. The audience doesn’t want that, either.Use the space: if you’re performing in a small space, you mightn't be able to move around much, but you should make the most of the space you have, especially if you’re the only dancer. It makes your routine more dynamic and will capture the audience’s attention. Use every inch of the stage you can. And make sure you use the right moves to get around.Regularly study your choreography so that you don’t forget it!So are you ready to show off what you’ve created?If you're interested in learning more about how to dance, consider getting in touch with the many talented and experienced tutors on Superprof. You can get ei ther face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials and each type of tutorial comes with its pros and cons so you have to think carefully about which will work for you, your preferred learning style, and your budget.Face-to-face private tutorials are between you and your tutor. The lessons will be designed with you in mind and your tutor will be spending time outside of the lessons planning and preparing them. Of course, this all comes at a cost so expect to pay more for these types of tutorials than the others available.Online tutorials, while better suited to academic subjects rather than hands-on subjects, are also available for dancing. Since the tutor doesn't have to travel to you and can schedule far more tutorials a week, they can charge more competitive rates.Group tutorials tend to cost less per person per hour because everyone in the class is paying for it. While you won't get as much one-on-one time with your private tutor, the lessons take on a very differ ent dynamic. Furthermore, group dance classes mean that you won't always have to dace with the same partner or your tutor in every single lesson.

What Are the Different Types of Drums

What Are the Different Types of Drums Do You Know of All These Types of Drums? ChaptersAfrican DrumsDrums in AsiaThe Drums of OceanaEuropean DrummingLatin Percussion and the Caribbean DrumsNo matter where in the world they originate, any musical instrument that gets beat is considered a percussion instrument, but not every percussion instrument is a drum.To put that in perspective: the Latin word percussio means to beat or to strike â€" in a musical sense, not with an implication of violence.That Latin word is the root of the term percussion and it covers anything that is struck to make a sound.Some musical instruments, such as the piano and the dulcimer use hammers to beat the strings, which produce the sounds. Yet they are not considered percussion.In fact, the piano defies standard classification: most accurately, it should be considered as a beaten-string instrument!Other instruments in the percussion section of any orchestra or band, such as chimes and maracas, are agitated rather than struck by the player â€" although one can beat a single maraca into one ’s palm.Rain sticks do not get beat at all; the percussionist simply inverts the stick to generate its sound!In compiling this list of drums, your Superprof considered the overwhelming variety of percussive instruments from around the world and puzzled at how to best present them to you.by their official Hornbostel-Sachs designation?those classifications include idiophones, membranophones, and electrophonesby their basic classification: acoustic, electric, and world?by their region of origin: Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe among them?by their function: orchestra, band, marching, military...?by their configuration/size: standard, fusion, electronic, two-headed, single-headed?By their shape: cylindrical, goblet, hourglass, bowl, box?By how they’re played â€" by hand, with a mallet, with sticks, or by striking them against something?And should we include cymbals in our assessment? They are, after all, essential to a drum kit and make a welcome addition to any orchestra.Besi des, they are some of the oldest musical instruments in the world!One thing we can say for sure: you don’t need us to break down a common drum kit â€" the kick drum, the tom-toms, the snare drum...Let’s go visit the four corners of the world to find all of the traditional, ceremonial and improvisational drums we can!in the bass range.The nankasa is  played with sticks rather than beaten with hands like the other drums and it makes a high-pitched sound. You might think of this drum as the snare’s counterpart â€" minus the snares, of course.The drum most resembling the traditional, ceremonial ngoma is called engalabi. It is taller and more narrow than the other drums in the set. Furthermore, as opposed to the other drums, it has only one head, made of lizard skin and fastened with wooden pegs.All of the other drum heads are made of cowhide on top and bottom. These skins are laced together by means of an intricate weave.The engalabi has the highest pitch of any drums the set may comprise of. As you might have figured, it is a special honour to play this drum!Other African percussion instruments include the marimba and the mbira, both of which must be regularly tuned.Needless to say, drumming is a vital part of Bantu culture. Drum music, often accompanied by ritual dances are used to reinforce social cohesion, aid in healing and help reduce stress and tension.Have you ever heard of a drum circle? Have you ever participated in one?African tribes are not the only proponents of drumming to manage stress and help healing.According to the Resiliency Project, drumming has a therapeutic effect on our physical, mental, emotional and psychological well-being. It has been shown to help lower blood pressure as well as to boost immunity and in  managing chronic pain.They should know! This non-profit foundation was established by the Thunder God himself, Rick Allen.If you are any kind of music aficionado, you surely know this drummer for Def Leppard lost his left arm in a car accident. Rather than terminate his tenure, his bandmates aided his recovery by allowing him time to adapt to using an intricate pedal system so that his left foot plays the drums and cymbals his missing left arm would normally strike.Back to African drums, now...Of particular note in the African drum lineup is the talking drum: a two-headed, hourglass-shaped instrument with strings joining the top and bottom heads.Look for  online drum lessons.When played correctly, the percussionist would seat the drum under his arm and squeeze the strings while beating the head, causing the tone and pitch to change, mimicking human speech.This drum type was generally used for communication more so than for making music, at least as we understand music making.Naturally, each region, language, country and tribe identifies their drums by names unique to their language, and one might find similar drums on one side of the continent as the other. The aforementioned djembe is a prime example of su ch.Furthermore, considering that Africa is the cradle of humankind, it is both reasonable and logical to postulate that, as humans migrated throughout the world, they took their drums with them.That is why we see similar drums in Asia, South America and even in the Caribbean!Find out how much you can expect to pay for your drum set...A tabla: male and female drums with coated heads, seated on cushions Source: Wikipedia Credit: LestatDrums in AsiaNow we go from individual tribes in Africa to civilization in China, where drums came into their own.Did you know that the art of playing the drums is more than 7 thousand years old?During the latter part of the Stone Age, people living in China were looking for new ways to use alligator skins.They stretched such a membrane over a hollow, cylindrical device and, presto! The Chinese drum was born.From China, those instruments travelled all over Asia: to Japan, the Philippines, India and the Middle East.They also made their way into Australia and southern Europe; that will be our next stop!Although gongs and cymbals are far more prominent in Asian percussion, there is nevertheless a fine selection of drums found in China: from the small bangu used in Beijing opera to the dagu â€" a large, wooden drum played with sticks.The Chinese even have their own hourglass-shaped drum, called the jiegu!Drums in IndiaThe Indian culture, also very prolific in their drumming â€" both for religious and secular reasons, boasts a long list of membranophones too.The tumbaknaer is a goblet-shaped drum played while reciting devotionals, while the tabla consists of a pair of barrel-shaped, single-headed drums, with one a bit bigger than the other. They are played not with drumsticks but with fingers and the palms of the hands.In fact, the tabla is a fascinating pair of drums; let's talk more about them!The mridangam, the oldest of all percussion instruments, is a double-headed drum made from a single piece of wood. Generally barrel-shaped, it does bulge on one side. Played horizontally, its right ‘face’ is smaller than its left face â€" what we would call the drum head.  The two faces are secured to the drum by an intricate system of braids and leather straps.Prior to playing, the artist will sometimes apply a mixture of flour and water to the left face to achieve a lower tone. This coating is wiped off after the session, naturally!The Pakhawaj is the Northern Indian counterpart to the mrindangam. It too is barrel-shaped and has two heads but there is one critical difference between the two: this drum has tuning blocks between the straps and the shell. The drummer would slide these blocks up or down in order to tune the drum.This type of drum was mainly used to accompany dhammar and druphad singers but it is now rarely used.The tabla, India’s most widely-played drum, is said to have originated from the mridangam and the pakhawaj. Tablas are actually a pair of drums.Rather interesting that this drum has a male and f emale side.  The drum designated male is on the left side and renders bass tones. The female drum yields a treble tone.The Dayan, as the female drum is called, consists of a slim, wooden shell. The male drum shell is rounded and made of metal. Both drums have heads made of skin that are fastened to leather hoops which, in turn, are secured to the drum body with leather straps.Addtionally, the female drum has blocks of wood trapped between the leather braces and the drum body. One tunes the drum by adjusting the positions of these wooden blocks... just as with the pakhawaj!One more unique feature of the tabla drums: they usually rest on a small pad, one for each drum. These round cushions have the dual effect of insulating the instruments so that their vibrations don't transmit to the ground and it keeps them in place.The Nepalese Madal is a hand drum that resembles the small, cylindrical drum that women play while dancing, in China!The madal is the national instrument of Nepal and t he backbone of that country’s folk music repertoire.  It too is barrel-shaped with one end wider than the other and with the narrower end designated female.The heads are made of a double layer of goatskin. The centre of each head is then coated with a mixture of flour, iron filings and egg which is seared on, giving the drum a distinctly... metallic tone; almost like a bell.Note: a similar coating features on the head of the Indian female Dayan drum; it is made of flour, water and iron filings â€" no eggs involved.The Madal drum is played sitting down; an extra leather strap is incorporated into its design to secure the instrument to the player’s knees.Many cultures and societies use goblet drums in their rituals; this is a prime indicator that drums migrated out of Africa when humankind did! The darbuka is a prime example of such. This goblet-shaped drum found in the Middle East as well as Northern Africa and in eastern Europe. It is known by other names in different regions: d umbeg, tarabaki, toumperliki among them.And, of course, the most famous goblet drum of all, the djembe!  The musical heritage and culture of Asia is so rich and varied, we hope you'll chance to play at least some of these few shining examples of drums from that region before moving on to discover your own drumming style!Discover also the best drum kits for your style of drumming...China's massive war drums take energy and force to play! Source: Pixabay Credit: David Ansettdrumming takes pride of place as a cultural more. Drums are an integral part of religious rites as well as popular entertainment.In New Guinea as well as surrounding islands, also throughout eastern Micronesia, drums tend to be hand-held instruments. They could be shaped like an hourglass â€" like the Chinese jiegu, or tubular.A unique feature of drums in some parts of New Guinea is their handle. Intricately carved to resemble mythical figures or animals, they are an integral part of the drum’s appearance and fun ction but do not contribute to its sound.These drums are not played with both hands. Instead, the drummer holds his instrument by this carved handle with one hand while striking it with the other.In this region and in almost every society, drumming is the purview of males.In those that don't emphasise drumming as a masculine pursuit, women are trained to be competent (and competitive!) drummers. In bygone eras, there is evidence that drumming was exclusively a feminine activity.In eastern Polynesia, a region that includes our Pitcairn Islands, drums are not hand-held but quite tall, upright instruments. They are placed on the ground rather than on any kind of stand and, depending on the height of the drum, the drummer may sit or stand in order to play it.Unlike in other societies, drums in this area were mainly used for religious purposes and, unlike the handled drums of New Guinea â€" which belong to individuals and are passed down through families, these drums belong to the tribe. One more interesting characteristic of drums throughout most of Oceana: that they are seldom beat with anything but the players’ hands; any type of implements such as sticks or mallets almost never feature.Drums of the Maori and AborigineYou might think that, because drums are an integral part of so many cultures in Oceana, the Maori of New Zealand and the indigenous people of Australia would also make drums a vital part of their culture and communications systems.On the contrary, the Maori did not adopt drumming as it is commonly known (or the use of stringed instruments) until the arrival of European explorers, when they gave up their instruments wholesale in favour of the imports.However, they did have instruments that are struck, primarily gongs, used to signal war or other official decrees. One such instrument, the tumutumu, is made of stone, bone or wood, is tapped with some type of striker.Likewise in Australia, where the three main musical instruments are the didjeridu (or didgeridoo), the bullroarer and the gumleaf, all of which are wind instruments.Not a percussion implement in sight... or, shall we say: in audible range?European DrummingNow we start finding drum names that we are familiar with!In the 14th century, the snare drum was created. We find concrete evidence of drum sticks â€" as they are shaped today, around that same time. The timpani, a type of kettle drum, came along shortly after the snare but did not gain popularity until about 200 years later.The bass drum might have overshadowed the timpani because it was created around the same time.Perhaps because it was more portable and less likely than the tom tom to drop tune, the bass drum was preferred for use in military bands.About 400 years after the establishment of the bass drum, the bongos made their appearance onto the European music stage.By the 1800s, more explorers were venturing out â€" to Cuba, to Africa, and imported those drums into Europe’s music scene.A few decades after that, in the early 1900s, drummers could purchase entire drum kits: kick drum and snare, along with their toms and, of course, the cymbals.In 1976, German Karl Bartos, drummer for the band Kraftwerk, pioneered the electric drums.The timeline of drumming in Europe leads us to where drumming and drum sets are today!We may add that Ringo Starr is responsible for the essential drum kit we’re so familiar with these days: a kick drum, one hanging tom, one-floor tom and a snare drum; complemented by hi-hats, a crash cymbal and a ride cymbal!And how could we end this section on European drumming without mentioning the bodhran, an open-ended frame drum from Ireland?Find out what else you need to know before buying your first drum set...Leon Mobley plays his modified cajon. Source: Wikipedia Credit: GluckstadtLatin Percussion and the Caribbean DrumsNo drum review would be complete without the exotic sounds from Latin America!The Conga is a single-headed drum native to Cuba but found whereve r Latin rhythms are played.It is usually paired with a smaller drum tuned to a different pitch. Beaten by hand, it has a surprisingly wide range of sounds, depending on where and how it is struck.The timbale is similar to the conga, played on raised stands. Both of these drums are tunable.The box drum, or cajon, originated in Peru, the creation of west African slaves held there more than 300 years ago.They could not find any satisfactory materials to make their drums, so they fashioned them out of the materials they had at hand.This drum is remarkable in that... it is a box. There are no drum heads; one simply beats the front face or sides â€" generally made of plywood, to obtain different tones.You may find cajon players in a jazz ensemble or tapping out a hot rumba beat!The cajon is unique in that it serves as its own throne: the player sits atop the box, leans backwards at a slight angle and strikes the box’s face.Traditionally, the cajon player would use his hands; these days, a broader range of sound is achieved by beating it with sticks or mallets, or combed with brushes â€" as you would a jazz snare.Another interesting fact of this hand percussion marvel is its association with Ireland’s bodhran: in a folk music pinch, this box drum fits the bill nicely!Thus we’ve come full circle: from the djembe drum through the standard drum set that you might already own, with a nod to talking drums and paying respects to cymbals.These drums' history could be no more diverse, fascinating and colourful, could it?Neither could drumming lessons be! Instead of searching online for drum lessons near me, let Superprof take you further into your drum education.Don't you need a complete guide to drum kit maintenance?

10 French Grammar Mistakes Youre Probably Making

10 French Grammar Mistakes Youre Probably Making Suzy S. Mastering all of the French grammar rules can be tricky for beginner students. Below, French teacher Carol Beth L. shares 10 French grammar mistakes youre probably making Making mistakes is inevitable when youre learning a new language. After all, youre learning  complex grammar rules, difficult pronunciation, and long lists of vocabulary words. Students  often make the same French grammar mistakes over and over again. Being aware of these common grammar mistakes will help you  avoid them in the future. Below are some of the  most common French grammar mistakes students  find themselves making, even when they are familiar with the rules. The first few mistakes relate to specific phrases that students have a tendency to misuse, while the rest deal with grammatical patterns that are quite  complex. 1. Greetings In English, when you greet someone in the early morning hours, you typically say “Good morning.” This English greeting doesnt translate literally in French. In fact, the phrase “Bon matin” does not actually exist in the French language. Rather, one would simply say “Bonjour!” when greeting someone. 2. Translations A number of other literal translations can also be tempting. For example, you might want to  express your interest in hobbies, people, and activities. Be careful not to  literally translate the English phrase “I am interested in” into French (eg, Je suis interessée dans). Instead, say “Ça minteresse” (That interests me) or “____ minteresse” (____ interests me). 3. Subject/Object To correctly state that you  miss someone, use the verb “se manquer.” If you want to say “I miss you,” say “Tu me manques.” To say “He misses us,” say “Nous lui manquons.”  Remember that  the English subject and object switch places when translated into French. 4. Agreement Remember to make adjectives properly agree with feminine or plural nouns. For example, the adjective amusant (funny) would be changed to amusante in the feminine singular and amusantes in the feminine plural. In English,  adjectives dont usually change based on the gender or number, so its easy for students  to forget this important French grammar rule. 5. Articles French has more articles than English. Both languages use a and the, but French has separate articles to denote masculine, feminine, and plural of each one. Recall, however, that no neuter exists among French pronouns or articles. For example, a table is most definitely feminine, whereas the wall beside it is quite masculine. In addition to having more articles, French also uses articles more frequently than English. In English, for example, you  would say that We meet regularly on Mondays, but French-speakers would use the appropriate article, saying on se rencontre régulièrement le lundi. 6. Prepositions Remember to use the  correct preposition and  include the appropriate article contraction when necessary. In theory, French prepositions are easier than English prepositions because there are fewer of the most common ones. For example, De translates to of or from, and à  translates to to, at, and sometimes other related location or movement prepositions. A few places to watch out are when youre talking about playing musical instruments (Je joue dun instrument) and sports (Je joue à un sport). Also, be extra careful with those  pesky articles! Relevant contractions include du (de + le), des (de + les), au (à + le) and aux (à + les). De, la, and à la do not contract. 7. Negative Articles Use “il ny a pas de” rather than  â€œil y a pas de”. When using “de” or “de” + an article in the negative, remember that French has lots of exceptions! This is one of them. If there is zero  of something, take out the article. For example, someone could say “Il y a du pain sur la table” (There is bread on the table). In the negative, this would become “Il ny a pas de pain sur la table,” not “Il ny a pas du pain sur la table.” 8. Conjugated Verbs Remember to conjugate your verbs. While we do this  in the English language, its  not as much or in as much detail as French-speakers. This is especially important when youre writing because all those silent final consonants and vowels need attention. The singular forms are the most similar in present tense, but are not always spelled the same, so watch out! 9. Passé composé/ Imparfait The  English distinction between the present perfect and the simple past isnt exactly the same as the French distinction between these two tenses. The passé composé is very commonly used for one-time events in the past. For example, Jai fait mes devoirs hier soir. (I did my homework last night.) The imperfect is used more often for something a person used to do over a period of time in the past. For example, Je faisais mes devoirs tous les jours. (I did my homework every day.) 10. Subjunctive The subjunctive is one of the most difficult verbs in French, if not the most difficult because we dont use it often in English. Many of us anglophones arent even aware of the fact that we use it at all. The first step is to understand the situations in which it is used, and then practice, observe, and correct oneself. Then practice some more, and observe some more, and correct oneself more. Give yourself time to perfect this French grammar rule, but also insist on understanding and using it correctly. Gradually, you will be able to use it successfully. These  arent  the only French grammar mistakes out there, but they are certainly worthy of attention. Keep your eyes open and your ears peeled for other mistakes, and correct them when you can. In no time, you will  be well on your way to excellent (and impressive) French usage! Post Author:  Carol Beth L. Carol Beth L. teaches  French lessons in San Francisco, CA. She has her Masters in French language education from the Sorbonne University in Paris and has been teaching since 2009.  Learn more about Carol Beth 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