B&B Music Resources

Q What is the difference between a chord and an arpeggio?

A An arpeggio is simply a chord played one note at a time. It is sometimes called a 'broken chord', since the notes are not played simultaneously.

Q Can you recommend any local music teachers?

B&B Music World can help you find a great music teacher for in home music lessons. Just click on this link: http://bnbmusicworld.com/

If you want to travel to a store or a school, we can recommend several different locations, depending on your proximity to them. 'Jerry's Music' in Bethesda or the Washington Conservatory in NW DC are good places to start.

Q. How do I tune a guitar?

Visit our lesson video page and click on the link for tuning instructions.

Q. How much do I need to make my child practice to get good results?

The best results are obtained with regular practice. Even 10 or 15 minutes a day is enough to get a good start.

Q. Do you recommend starting with a nylon string guitar or an acoustic guitar?

The nylon string guitar is easier on your fingers and the strings are further apart, both of which make it easier to play. Whichever instrument you start with, you will be able to apply your knowledge to other types of guitar.

Q. What age is good to start on the guitar?

It's best to start on the guitar at the age of 7 or above. It can be tough for a 5 year old to coordinate the right and left hands adequately. We recommend starting on the piano if your child is younger than 7. The knowledge learned from the piano will easily translate to other instruments in the future.

Q. Is it OK to take piano lessons on a keyboard?

Sure. It's best if you have weighted keys, which give you the ability to use dynamics. For beginners though any keyboard will do. If a student continues to show interest and development, we'd recommend getting either a piano or a digital piano. A rental might be a good idea at that point.

Q. My son wants to learn the drums but we don't want to purchase a drum kit. Can we take lessons without the drum kit?

To get started with the drums, all you need is a drum pad (inexpensive and easy to find), a set of drum sticks and a metronome. A book will also be necessary, and your instructor can help you with that. If your child shows continued interest, you can purchase a basic drum kit consisting of a bass drum, high hat, cymbal and a snare drum. The additional drums can be added later.

Q. Does Guitar Hero help or hurt my son's abilities to play the guitar? We're thinking about getting him guitar lessons soon.

Our opinion is that Guitar Hero is a fun and easy way to learn a few basic skills that are required for guitar. Of course, it can give a false sense of accomplishment as well. We support the use of the game and believe that it is creating a lot more interest in the guitar and other rock instruments.