The Puerto Rican seis is derived from poetic and musical forms that were popular in Spain, especially in Andalucia, in the 16th century. In Puerto Rico, the seis presents an opportunity for the troubadours to display their poetic invention, commonly improvising lyrics on the spot based on an idea...

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En la columna anterior titulada El enigmático origen del cuatro, mencionamos otros dos instrumentos de cuerdas que forman parte de los instrumentos típicos o folklóricos de la Isla: el tiple y la bordonúa. Tal y como sucede con el cuatro, existen varias teorías sobre el origen de estos dos...

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It’s always good to laugh out loud—they say it’s good for the soul. This post is all about musician jokes, get ready to laugh a bit. Q. What is the difference between a savings bond and a guitarist? A. Eventually a savings bond will mature and earn money. Q. How many guitarists does it take...

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A natural harmonic is a tone that’s created by touching the string above a fret on an open vibrating string. Place your index finger on your fret-hand above at the 7th or 12th fret. Don’t press too hard or you will mute the note, pluck the note and then pull your finger off. Timing is...

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Tomás Rivera Morales, simply known as "Maso Rivera" (November 13, 1927 – February 4, 2001), was a Puerto Rican musician and a major exponent of Puerto Rico's Jibaro (folkloric) music. Rivera composed over 1,000 instrumental compositions for the Cuatro, Puerto Rico's national instrument. Early...

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A Puerto Rican Orquesta Jíbara was traditionally composed of the native string instruments of Puerto Rico: the tiple, the cuatro and the bordonúa. These instruments were made from native woods using a peculiar technique of carving the body and neck out of a solid chunk of wood. The Puerto...

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Cuatros are one of the most sensitive instruments out there in terms of the ways in which their performance can be impeded. They are also one of the most lovely of all instruments. They are beautiful to look at, and they are wonderful to listen to and play. When assessing the quality of a cuatro,...

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Do you play a musical instrument and want to master it? Are you tired of practicing the same thing over and over again without seeing any improvement? Worry not, as we are here to help you with some tips that will make you a pro. The very first and most important thing you need to do is identify...

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#1: The 10,000-hour rule. Scientists have proven these are the hours required to master anything, which is about three hours per day for ten years. There's no short cut. #2: Eliminate distractions. No TV in the background. Turn off phone and mobile devices. Ask people around you to respect your...

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When was the last time you performed on a stage or had an audition? Do you remember that sick feeling in your stomach that almost made you run away to God knows where and never face people again? The cold beads of sweat rolling down your forehead, butterflies in your stomach, sweaty hands,...

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