Saturday, March 21, 2020

Online Trapezoidal Rule Tutors

Online Trapezoidal Rule Tutors Integration is a very important concept in calculus and the main purpose of finding integrals of various functions is to find the area of the region covered under the graph of the function. Trapezoidal or Trapezium rule is a method in which we can calculate the area under the graph of a given function. In other words, we are evaluating the integral of the given function since finding area implies finding integral! In Trapezoidal rule, the region under the graph is divided into several trapeziums and the area is estimated. Example 1: Evaluate (2x) dx where x is going from 0 to 1. Here the values of x are divided into 4 equal intervals as 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1. These numbers are regularly spaced, and hence the space, h = 0.25. If x= 0, then (2x) = 0 If x= 0.25, then (2x) = 0.707 If x= 0.50, then (2x) = 1 If x= 0.75, then (2x) = 1.22 If x= 1, then (2x) = 1.414 Applying the trapezoid rule we get: 1/2* 0.25* (0+ 1.414+ 2(0.707+ 1+ 1.22)) This gives the area= 0.9085 Example 2: Evaluate (3x+ 1) dx where x is going from 0 to 1. Here the values of x are divided into 4 equal intervals as 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1. These numbers are regularly spaced, and hence the space, h = 0.25. If x= 0, then (3x+ 1) = 1 If x= 0.25, then (3x+ 1) = 1.75 If x= 0.50, then (3x+ 1) = 2.50 If x= 0.75, then (3x+ 1) = 3.25 If x= 1, then (3x+ 1) = 2 Applying the trapezoid rule we get: 1/2* 0.25* (1+ 1.75+ 2(1.75+ 2.50+ 3.25)) This gives the area= 2.22

Friday, March 6, 2020

What is it Like to Attend University of St. Thomas

What is it Like to Attend University of St. Thomas The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences, as well. Jenna is a Houston tutor specializing in ACT tutoringand SAT prep tutoring. She is currently a junior at University of St. Thomas studying Mathematics, Theology, and Secondary Education. Check out her review of University of St. Thomas: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or safe is the campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Jenna: University of St. Thomas is located in the middle of Houston, very close to the Museum District. Because of its urban location, the university purposely focuses on safety. Blue emergency call boxes and a University of St. Thomas police force are present around campus, but they are rarely needed due to the generally safe environment. Numerous students commute via the public bus system, but there is also plenty of parking in the Moran Parking Garage for students who drive to campus. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Jenna: All of the teachers and advisers are devoted to individual student success. They all hold office hours, but most of them are also more than willing to meet you outside of those hours. They are almost always available to answer any questions or to assist with assignments. VT: How would you describe the dorm life - rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Jenna: Many students who attend the University of St. Thomas live in the Houston area, so we only have two dorm options: Guinan Hall and Young Hall. Guinan Hall is a traditional dorm, co-ed by floor. Unlike most dorms, each room has its own bathroom and balcony, which makes it feel more like a hotel. Young Hall has on-campus apartments for upperclassmen. There are various apartment sizes, including single rooms, double rooms, and units that hold up to six people per apartment. Residence Life works hard to put on events, including weekly Wonderful Wednesdays with food and activities, as well as monthly campus-wide events like costume dodge ball. Our dining hall has been undergoing some serious changes, including getting a Subway. Our meal plans consist of flex dollars that can be spent in the cafeteria, Subway, or the coffee/smoothie shop. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Jenna: We have a lot of students who are involved in the Cameron School of Business, which has AACSB accreditation. Nursing is also very popular. We also boast a very high medical school acceptance rate for those students on the pre-medical track. I am studying Theology, Mathematics, and Secondary Education. The School of Educationis phenomenal, and it has been nothing but accommodating in helping me achieve my goal of three degrees. They have worked with me to create a functioning class schedule that satisfies all of my requirements. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Jenna: We do not have Greek life on our campus, but it is really easy to meet people. Freshman orientation was a great, fun way to get to know your fellow students. Having small classes also makes it easier to strike up a conversation with a stranger. As a student who came from a different state, knowing no one, I can say that I easily made friends that I will have for the rest of my life. VT: How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services? Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Jenna: The Career Center is great for working on resumes and job applications. They are awesome at helping you find places to apply. As a smaller university, we do not have as many of the recruitment options as larger universities. However, University of St. Thomas is located near Rice University and the University of Houston, which host many career fairs and other such events. VT: How are the various study areas such as libraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Jenna: Dormitories have study rooms on every floor, so there are plenty of places to study without leaving the building. Our library has many places to sit down, study, and do research. We also have a central lounge and lounges in many of the buildings. Many of the departments also have houses where all of the professors have their offices, and many of those buildings have places that students can sit down in to get work done. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between? To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Jenna: As I said before, we are in the middle of Houston. There are parks, free concerts and events, amazing food, great nightlife, places to shop, etc. We are only a few miles from Rice Village, which is filled with shops and nightlife. A few miles in the other direction will put you in the Museum District with plenty of great places to spend the day, including art museums or the zoo. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Jenna: We have about 1,500 undergraduates and 2,000 graduate students. General classes will have 20-30 students, but I have classes geared toward my major that only have a small handful of students. It is a great way to work with your professors and get one-on-one attention. It also forces you to come to class and learn the material, something that certain college students ignore and later regret. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most. Jenna: One of my classes was on the Trinity, a concept not easily explained or understood. I had to write a research paper for the class, and I was beyond confused. I went to my professor's office three or four times with different drafts of my paper. He took the time to read through each draft, ask me questions about what I meant or what I was confused about, and give me guidance toward key resources. I had never gone to a professor like that before, and it was definitely a good decision. I learned a lot about the subject, but also about my strengths and weaknesses. I really appreciated all of the time my professor spent working with me. Check out Jennas tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

The Best Cooking Websites

The Best Cooking Websites Websites for Budding Chefs ChaptersWhy Should You Learn to Cook?BBC Good FoodEpicuriousCooking for StudentsAllRecipes.comSeriousEats.comGeniusKitchen.comYummly.comFoodNetwork.com for Cooking with ChildrenLearn to Cook with Cooking Blogs“Good cooking is honest, sincere, and simple” Elizabeth David.In today’s stressful world, cooking can be a great escape.  In fact, when you’re cooking, your troubles just seem to melt away.Shows like Masterchef and The Great British Bakeoff are whetting appetites up and down the country.  Some people really struggle when it comes to cooking, even with the help of a cookbook.People often say “I’m rubbish at cooking” and “I can’t cook”. If this sounds like you and you want to improve your culinary skills, you’re in luck! You can now learn to cook from the comfort of your own home thanks to the internet.  Of course, you’ll also need some utensils before you cook your first dish.If you’re trying to wade through the thousands of cooking websites on the inter net, Superprof’s put together a few of the best ones for you to check out.Ready to become the next top chef?Find cooking classes Glasgow  to help you learn to make these delicious recipes.Yummly.comYummly.com boasts even more recipes than Genius Kitchen. However, this is more of a gateway to recipes than a site itself. While they say there are 1,000,000 recipes on this site, they’re actually hosted on other sites.If you’re a beginner, you should immediately click on the “Quick and Easy” section (and not just because I found the site to run slowly if you try and scroll through all the recipes).While I’m not a fan of the site’s navigation, I do like the way the recipes are presented: you can immediately see how many different ingredients you’ll need, how many calories in the meal, and how long it takes to make.Unlike the other websites in this list, there aren’t as many different sections to help you find certain recipes.The recipes are presented in both metric and i mperial measures, but the conversion to metric comes up with some interesting units. Can you really be bothered to measure out 1 10/13 decilitres of balsamic vinegar?This site works better for finding inspiration for meals than actually cooking them. The variety of sites it links to also means that you can’t guarantee the actual quality of the site you’re going to end up on.However, the sheer number of recipes you’ll have access to is why it makes the list.The advantages:More recipes than you could even comprehend. Whether you're looking for snacks or main meals, you'll find recipes here.Like Google for recipes.Useful previews of each recipe before you leave the site.The disadvantages:Slow to navigate.Recipes aren’t hosted on the site itself.FoodNetwork.com for Cooking with ChildrenYou probably recognise Food Network from your Facebook feed and the tonnes of viral videos shared by your friends (if you’re not the one sharing them). However, the best thing about this site is its section for cooking with children. Whether you’re an experienced cook or not, you should be able to help your kids with the recipes on this website.We particularly like the section on safe cooking techniques for children since safety is a common concern for parents when encouraging their children in the kitchen.  There’s a great article that explains safety advice for children of different ages.The advantages:Quick and easy recipes to make.Clear instructions.Recipes the whole family can enjoy.The disadvantages:Since the recipes are quite childish, you’re going to struggle encouraging older children to participate (especially teens).Learn to Cook with Cooking BlogsDespite the success of cooking videos, there are still plenty of really good cooking blogs.  Some bloggers maintain sites that have just as many recipes and content as cooking websites.You can find plenty of great recipes on blogs. (Source: Ananya440)Blogs tend to adopt a more personal approach and are usually mo re enjoyable to read than some of the drier cooking websites.  Here are some of the blogs worth visiting if you want to learn how to cook:Simply RecipesA Cozy KitchenNot Without SaltHow Sweet EatsOrangetteDavid LebovitzAndie MitchellWhat’s Gaby Cooking20 Something CupcakesSmitten KitchenJoy the BakerHave Cake Will TravelButter Me Up, BrooklynTartelette BlogSpoon Fork BaconCookie and KateBeginners will enjoy the personal approach to blogs which address their audience as people. Blogs don’t tend to be as snobby as cooking websites, which can often put off aspiring chefs.  They’re really useful if you own a tablet to prop up on your bench while you’re following the recipes.If you want to make an omelette, you have to break some eggs. (Source: bluebudgie)The advantages:There are often original and one-of-a-kind recipes.The photos are usually really good.Bloggers are usually at the forefront of current trends and include modern recipes.The disadvantages:Since the recipes are usua lly quite ambitious, they can be difficult for absolute beginners.They include techniques that novice chefs may not be familiar with.  That said, the sites can still be a veritable goldmine of information for those that want to teach themselves how to cook.You just need to choose the right platform for you and start with the absolute basics first.In short:You can learn to cook in a cooking class but it’s cheaper learning how to cook by visiting cooking websites.  Start by learning the basics and the lingo on websites for beginners.  You can then move onto basic websites (such as cooking websites for students) and cooking blogs. Cooking, like all other skills, gets better with practice.WebsiteProsConsBBC Good FoodContent for beginners, easy-to-find recipes, cooking terms explained, good images.Easy to get lost in so much content, good images will make your attempts look poor.EpicuriousGood images, a lot of interesting recipes, good variety of recipes.Too much choice in some cases, some recipes are difficult.Student RecipesRecipes for beginners, good navigation, advice for students.Poor writing on some recipes.All RecipesEasy to navigate, cheap recipes, customised feeds.Some difficult recipes.Serious EatsWide range of recipes, information on techniques, clear instructions.No difficulty rating on recipes.Genius KitchenHuge variety, user ratings, recipe of the day.A lot of content that isn't recipes, a lot of recipes to sift through.YummlyLoads of recipe, powerful search tool, previews of recipes.Slow navigation, content aggregated from other sites.Food Network (for Children)Quick and easy recipes, clear instructions, recipes for the whole family.Childish recipes (not good for teens).Now that you’ve got all your ingredients and you know the ropes, you’re ready to get the cooker on and get ready for the best moment, tasting your food!See the best cooking video tutorials.In addition to the above online resources, you can find useful tips in cookery books.Find cooking classes all over the UK with SuperprofFind cooking classes London.

Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone, Success Awaits - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone, Success Awaits - Introvert Whisperer Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone, Success Awaits Success can mean a lot of things to different people. Depending on who you ask, success could be getting a good grade on a test, landing a promotion at work, or finally organizing that closet you have been avoiding for so long. However, theres one thing about success that is the same for everyone and that is the way it makes you feel once you achieve it. There probably is no better feeling than the sense of fullness and happiness you are overcome with when success is achieved. While getting to that point can be difficult, there are ways you can identify what you need in order to succeed. What’s Keeping You From Success? Put aside the fact that we live in a very cutthroat society today where everyone is fighting for a piece of the proverbial pie, there are also things like social media that are shaping and changing our definition of success. While much of this innovation has been beneficial in advancing society, what happens when you are someone who cringes at the thought of competing or trying to one-up somebody? What if your worst fear in life is getting up in front of a crowd or trying to bargain or negotiate with someone in person? For most of us, this is a terrible feeling especially if we believe it is the only way to achieve success. Introversion The personality traits mentioned above best described by Carl Jung and popularized by other psychologists since is known as introversion. This personality trait sometimes is mistaken as being incapable of success because of the preference to be alone or not act on impulse. However, there are many tactics for introverts to leverage that will still allow them to be successful in life and it starts with understanding and embracing who they are. With the New Year approaching, most of us are beginning to think about goals and what we will need to do to succeed.   Its also a great time to start strategizing ways you can be successful without being afraid of what it will take to get you there. Believe in Yourself First things first. You have to believe in yourself and your potential. If you do not believe in yourself, no one else will. How does one picture you succeeding if you dont see it for yourself either? Take some time to reflect on what you desire and actually envision yourself already in the successful position. How does it make you feel? Meditation has helped so many to clear their minds and achieve their goals by focusing on success. If you’re considering finding someone who can help you on your path to success, there are many life coaches and mentors who can identify your strengths and ways to maximize your potential. Mentors or even local life coaches in your area can provide helpful tips on what it will take to achieve your goals in life.   Understand the things you’ll need to change in life and what roads, not yet taken, you may need to pursue. Build a Support Group We all have those people who have been there for us from day one. Whether it is family, a close friend or a mentor at work. There are people who stay by our side, influence us and help push us to keep doing better. Those are the people you want to seek out in life. Look to them, not for mere advice on success, but to have close to you as positive influences. Their advice, encouraging words and support will help you to go far.

Variable Costing - Accounting Tutors - Online Tutoring

Variable Costing - Accounting Tutors - Online Tutoring Variable costing is defined as a technique where costs of production that vary with output is treated as product costs. The variable cost includes direct materials, direct labor and variable portion of manufacturing overhead. Though to determine variable cost there are many cost drivers on which basis cost is being accumulated and apportioned according to the usage of these cost drivers like number of units produced, machine used for production for how many hours, labor hours used for production and lastly how much of the transportation cost to be beard. Example: Beginning inventory in units 0 Units produced 4,800 Units sold 4,000 Sales $400,000 Selling price per unit = $400,000 / Unit sold 4,000 = $100. Material cost (unit level or variable) $96,000 = $20/unit Variable conversion cost used (committed) 48,000 $10/unit Facility-level or fixed manufacturing cost $72,000 $15/unit Indirect operating cost (fixed) $80,000 $16.67/unit The variable cost of goods sold is: Variable cost of goods sold = Material cost + Variable conversion cost = $96,000 + $48,000 = $144,000

7 Essential Rhythm Guitar Techniques

7 Essential Rhythm Guitar Techniques Megan L. Strumming a chord sounds pretty good, but these rhythm guitar techniques truly bring a song to life! Guitar teacher Jerry W. shares the tricks youll need to have up your sleeve Rhythm guitar is both easy to learn and hard to master. It is relatively easy to learn the open chords and strum along with someone as they sing. But what if you want to take your playing to the next level? What are some of the essential techniques that will help you become a more complete rhythm guitarist? Let me suggest seven key skills that will help you excel at your craft. Power Chords Power chords are a great way to add color to your playing and, even better, they are simple to learn. Because of their unique “open” sound they work well with distortion and are very common in many styles of popular music. Below are the two most common movable power chords. Palm Muting Muting the strings give the guitar a completely different sound. It muffles the tone and shortens the duration of the pitch. To mute the guitar simply place the side of your picking hand lightly against the strings very close to the bridge. The trick is to use the right amount of pressure so the notes sound muffled but not completely stopped. This technique works great when combined with distortion and power chords. To take this technique one step further, try playing selected notes open to give it a strong accent. In the following example the + is over the notes to mute and the o is over the notes to play open. Try this pattern with any power chord. Fret Hand Muting A great way to create rhythmic variety in your strumming is to learn to use fret hand muting. To mute the strings with your fret hand all you need to do is lighten the pressure from the frets so that the strings are dampened. This is different from palm muting in that you do not want the pitch to sound at all. The effect should be more of a “thunk” sound. When you intermix open strums and dampened strums you can create very interesting rhythmic patterns. This method works easiest with barre chords. A similar effect can be accomplished by laying your pinky over the strings when doing open chords. In this example the x note heads represent the dampened strums. Fingerpicking Learning how to fingerpick on your guitar will open up a whole new world of accompaniment patterns. Fingerpicking has a much lighter feel and allows you to create complex moving lines. Playing in the Higher Frets Many rhythm guitarists never learn to use the full range of the guitar. They play almost exclusively in the the first 5-7 frets. To be a more complete guitarist learn to use the higher frets. There are two ways to play in the higher frets: 1) use a capo, 2) learn the movable barre chords. Using a capo is both a simple and effective way to quickly add a higher range to your playing. Learning the movable barre chords will take a little more work but will pay off in the end. Try this exercise to memorize some of the higher chords. Hammer Ons and Pull Offs Hammer ons and pull offs are a little harder to master than some of the other techniques but they are well worth the effort. They are especially effective when combined with fingerpicking, but they also work with many strumming patterns. To hammer on, use your fretting finger and hammer it down on the fret to sound the pitch. For a pull off, you sound the pitch by pulling your finger off of the string in a manner that plucks the string. Here is a simple strumming pattern that includes hammer ons. Chord Inversions and Slash Chords My final essential technique for rhythm guitar is to learn chord inversions. This is a very complex topic and requires that you know the names of the notes on each of the lower strings. The goal is to be able to play the bass note that is requested when you see a slash chord, such as a G/B chord. This techniques is best used when there is no bass playing. It allows you to capture the sound the composer intended even though the bass is absent. Essentially you play the chord on the left side of the slash but make sure the note on the right of the slash is the lowest sounding note. Notice how this works in the following example. Learn these seven rhythm guitar techniques and you will be well on your way to becoming a complete guitar player. Looking for more guitar tips and tricks? Lessons with a private guitar teacher are the best way to learn to play the guitar better, faster! Search for a guitar teacher now! Jerry W. teaches classical guitar, composition, trombone and  trumpet  in Grosse Pointe, MI.  He received his Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition from  Cornerstone University and went on to receive both his Masters and PhD in Music Composition from  Michigan State University.  Jerry has been making music and teaching students for over thirty years.    Learn more about Jerry W. here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by faunggs photo

How Many Guitar Classes Does a Child Need

How Many Guitar Classes Does a Child Need When Will My Child be a Famous Guitar Player? ChaptersWhen Can You Consider Someone a ‘Good’ Guitarist?Improving their Guitar Playing - What Elements Can Hold Your Child Back?Is a One-Hour Lesson a Week Enough to Learn to Play Guitar?Should I Sign My Child Up for Two Hours of Guitar Classes a Week?Milestones of Playing GuitarWhen you’re a parent and you’re paying for an ‘extra’ like guitar lessons, it’s good to know exactly what to expect from all those classes. For example, how many classes does your child need to become a good guitarist?  How can they improve their guitar playing quickly?  And above all, how many lessons per week should your child have in order to learn how to play the guitar properly?Such questions are hard to answer. It is truly difficult to definitively say that much about the process of learning to play guitar for a child.  So much of what they do depends on their personal qualities: a sense of rhythm, an ear for music, coordination between their hands, creativity…But it also depends upon h ow much they do guitar practice - how often they practice their guitar chords, how often they play songs, and how much they like to play different guitar tricks, guitar licks, and exercises like scales or arpeggios.This, really, is the important thing. Because if they only play in the guitar lesson - if they leave their blues guitar or power chords, their rhythm guitar or pentatonic in the guitar course - they are never going to learn how to play guitar.However, without the doom and gloom, by reading this article to the end, you’ll find the answers to your questions! PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson fr ee!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhen Can You Consider Someone a ‘Good’ Guitarist?You know what they say about children and learning languages?When they’re very young, children are like human sponges that suck up all of the information around them using their intuition. At this point, they can get to grips the fretboard - and the theory of the barre chord, the major scale, jazz guitar, and ear training - really quite quickly.Therefore, it’s good to have your child try the guitar from the youngest age possible.It'll take a little while for your child to play guitar like Hendrix!But from what age can you begin learning the guitar? It’s generally recommended that you wait until your child is at least 6 or 7 years old - when they can actually begin to get their fingers around the chord shapes and fingerstyle method.Essentially, they need a certai n physical maturity in order to hold the guitar and keep their right and left hands synchronised.But to go back to the original question - when can you begin to call your child a good guitarist?Can they play the acoustic guitar perfectly? Play solos on the electric guitar? Or both? Is it about reading tablature and knowing all the barre chords, or just knowing some guitar songs very well?Can they move from one chord to the next? Use all the fingers in their right hand on the string, from their thumb to their pinky with a perfect flexibility in their wrist?It’s difficult to say exactly what makes a good guitarist. Where would you rank Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton on the list of skilled musicians? Or could we say that just knowing enough chords to be able to play the guitar with your friends is all you need to be a ‘good’ guitarist?Going by that rule of thumb, and if your child begins guitar lessons as soon as possible, they can easily reach quite a good level by the time they a re in their teens... just in time to pick up a girlfriend with their skills!Improving their Guitar Playing - What Elements Can Hold Your Child Back?After a few guitar lessons for beginners, will everyone improve at guitar?Of course, and especially if you have the best guitar teacher you can find. But not everyone will have the same skill with the instrument, which after all can be a bit complicated. It can be challenging keeping your hands coordinated and staying on rhythm. It can be a struggle to practice fingerpicking or to master the chord progressions for the songs to play.Some students learn their first piece of music in an hour. Others take two months. It’s difficult, but that’s how it goes.There are a few common areas which tend to hold children back when they’re playing guitar and which will have to be overcome if they ever want to play Deep Purple’s ‘Smoke on the Water’, Bob Marley’s ‘No Woman, No Cry,’ Nirvana’s ‘Come as you are,’ Metallica’s ‘N othing Else Matters’ or even ‘Stand by Me’Poor Coordination between Their Left and Right HandsKeeping your left and right hand in sync and coordinated is torture for some, but obvious for others. And really it's this that is the primary challenge for beginner guitar players.It’s hard to explain. It’s a bit like being able to sing like an angel, or being completely incapable of ever hitting the right note in front of a microphone. Coordination is one of those innate qualities.If you’ve been born with it, you can quickly progress at guitar. Keeping your right and left hand coordinated won’t present any difficulty for you - but in beginner guitar lessons, this is something that you will learn.But how do you keep improving if keeping your right and left hand coordinated is more difficult than AP Calculus? If this is the case, than learning to play guitar will automatically become difficult. And many children become discouraged.But if you continue to study and practice, you can still become a good guitarist one day. And really, once you have nailed the basic chords to your favorite songs, it all becomes a little easier from there.Patience and perseverance will be your best allies. Taking guitar lessons helps children to develop these skills.A Bad Sense of RhythmLearning how to play the guitar cannot be done without a great sense of rhythm, and it isn’t just the metronome  which drives the rhythm of a  song. Unfortunately, just like coordination, rhythm is an innate skill.We’ve all seen that person before in the bar or at a concert, unable to clap their hands to the beat even when it’s slow and easy. Somehow they’re still managing to clap on the upbeats and then the down beats, and then just something that they’re hearing all on their own. Same thing on the dance floor, those people who hear something just a little different from  the rest of us.Essentially, those people don’t have a sense of rhythm. And if you don’t have one at all, beco ming a good guitarist may well be difficult - but it is far from impossible You can practice and try different techniques and open chords, but a child trying to learn guitar without a sense of rhythm will always be a beat behind.Lost Love for the GuitarIf a child starts with guitar lessons at 6 or 7 years old, they usually haven't decided they want to learn on their own. 99% of the time, it’s the parents who wish they’d learned guitar themselves, and are conscious of all the benefits of learning guitar at a young age.At such a young age, ‘forcing’ a child to become a musician can be delicate. They may take it as a treat, but they may also take it as a punishment. Music theory, fingerstyle guitar, arpeggios, learning to play with a pick, and choosing between an acoustic or a folk guitar… Each step along the way could end up being a block for the young budding musician.No Ear for Music?Reading tabs or a piece of music, learning music theory - that’s all theoretical, almost scientific.You learn all the techniques after a few lessons with your music teacher or guitar tutor.But an ear for music - once again that’s something you either have or don’t from  birth.If you’ve studied music before or played in a group, you’ll know just how important it is. You need your ear to listen to the chords and the harmonies - essential when you’re playing guitar! PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsIs a One-Hour Lesson a Week Enough to Learn to Play Guitar?How often should guitar lessons be each week in order for your child to improve at the guitar? That’s the basic question at the heart of this article.Let’s assume that you’ve decided to start with one hour of classes per week. With one class per week, can you quickly become a good guitarist?Unfortunately, it’s basically impossible to say for sure. There are many different variables that affect how quickly or not your child will be able to learn guitar. Having some intrinsic skills might make one child learn twice as fast as another. Or at only half the speed.But if your child is a budding guitarist with a love for music, sense of rhythm, coordination, and an ear for music, one hour a week might be a bit short. If you’re trying to quickly learn guitar and become good, letting six days pass between guitar lessons is a bit of a loss.Even if your child practices after each lesson, they still only have one hour with their teacher per week. It’s good enough to learn the basics, but not to quickly improve their guitar playing.Should I Sign My Child Up for Two Hours of Guitar Classes a Week?Start your kids learning guitar from an early ageIf you’ve decided on at least two hours of classes per week, should the two classes be different? It’s definitely important to space them out.The lag time between each class will be greatly reduced, which won’t give your child as much of a break. Playing guitar is something that should be done over time and regularly.We would therefore recommend sending your child to their guitar teacher at least twice a week for the extra practice and corrections.You might find that your kid gets as much benefit out of a half-hour lesson as they do from an hour-long one.Milestones of Playing GuitarIt’s difficult to lay out exactly  how your child will learn guitar, or to be able to say when they will be ‘done’ with lessons. But here we’ve tried to describe the major milestones.Step 1: Learn to Read Guitar Tabs and Begin Playing the First ChordsBefore your child really begins playing the guitar, they first need to learn the basics of a string instrument.From their first guitar lessons with an instructor, they will begin to learn how to read guitar tabs and play their first chords. Most professors won’t start right away with music theory. Much better to give your child a taste for guitar by trying out their first few chords to start.For this first step, it’s safe to estimate that this will take about 2-3 weeks of lessons. Step 2: Play their First Piece of Music on the GuitarOnce they’ve mastered the basic first chords, it’s time to put them all together and learn how to play a song.Your child’s guitar teacher will know short and simple songs for them to learn. There are several options, and they will know them all.It will take about one month to learn how to play their first song on the guitar by heart.Step 3: Learn to Read Music and Understand Music Theo ryOnce your child has gotten a taste for music and played their first songs, it’s time to focus on their foundations.If you want them to become a good guitarist, they can’t just always play using guitar tabs. To become a real musician, it’s necessary to learn music theory as well. Ask their music teacher to introduce them to theory in small steps and get them to the point where they can read sheet music.For this, it will take at least a year.Step 4: Become a Musician in a BandHow long will it take to learn guitar in a band? The answer depends on the childIn their teens, some of their friends will probably have the same interests as them - chief among them, to be in a band.This isn’t only playing and writing music, but being able to perform on a stage, and carry people along with you.They’ll have graduated to  creating a new form of art with their own fingers.But before they can write their own music, they’ll need to learn the basics. How to play a harmony with other musi cians, having a good sense of rhythm, and a true knowledge of music composition are all necessary in order to play with a band.At least two years of guitar classes might be reasonable before your child reaches this step. Step 5 - Work on their First Complex Guitar SolosTo the general public, being a good guitarist isn’t just being able to play or sing along on a folk guitar. No, above all being a good guitarist means being able to play a solo on an electric guitar.Try to emulate the other great guitarists, like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Van Halen, Slash, Santana, Hendrix and all the others…But before you reach the stage where you’re playing solos, you first need to master all of the theory. Music theory and advanced guitar techniques will be necessary to finally reach the stage where you’re creating your own melodies.This stage may take another 2 or 3 years to really master playing solos.And don’t forget to consider your neighbours when you’re playing guitar.Learn how to cut back on all the noise from playing guitar.

The Man Who Writes Hits for Daft Punk, Madonna and Bowie

The Man Who Writes Hits for Daft Punk, Madonna and Bowie What do the songs  We Are Family, Lets Dance, Like a Virgin, Get Lucky, Love Shack  have in common, besides being some of the best known hits in the world? They were all written and/or produced by one man, Nile Rodgers.Rodgers has produced albums for Diana Ross, Lady Gaga, Daft Punk, Madonna, David Bowie, Beck, The B-52s, Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and many more. Hes also produced music for many films.  To me, its amazing that one man could produce so many hit songs, for such a variety of bands, and over so many years.The New York Times has done a really interesting interview with him. Watch it below, then see if you can answer the listening questions.Answer the questions in comments and we will respond.What does he say is the difference between performance and composition?What do you think of his house?What was the neighbor kid confused about?What did he get at 60.Why did her write a song titled Im Coming Out for Diana Ross?Why was he at that club?When did his life change when he was young?How has it changed more recently?What do you think makes him able to write so many hits?Heres a little more Nile Rodgers for you to freak out to ??