by Jamey Mann, Catoctin School of Music Classical guitars use nylon strings, however it’s not quite that simple. Within the world of classical guitar strings there is a plethora of different materials, strings tensions, thickness, and brands. Deciding on which string to use is overwhelming and takes a long time to choose (if you ever really settle on one type). Deciding on what strings to use comes...
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by Jamey Mann, Catoctin School of Music What kind of strings to use, how to change strings, and how often to change strings are all necessary things to know for anyone learning to play a stringed instrument. In the stringed instrument world, there are countless number of brands, types, materials, and attachment methods. Many students get overwhelmed by having to buy or change their strings, so they...
Read More by Jamey Mann, Catoctin School of Music A highly debated and personal topic in the guitar world is changing guitar strings. Generally, it is recommended that guitar strings be changed about every three months which may seem fairly often. However, depending on how much you play and your personal tolerance/preference for aging strings, your mileage may vary. While strings should be changed regularly, it is surprising how...
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By Alyssa Cowell, Catoctin School of Music Let’s get to know CSM’s Folk Instruments! Today’s instrument is the Bowed Psaltery – a super cool stringed instrument dating back to the 12th Century! What is a bowed psaltery? The bowed psaltery is a hollow-bodied, triangle-shaped wooden instrument set with a series of metal strings threaded through metal string pins. Bowed psalteries come in a variety of sizes to accommodate...
Read MoreAbout two weeks before school starts, students and parents spend copious amounts of time and effort on back-to-school shopping. That begs the question: how many students upgrade and repair their stringed instruments before heading back to orchestra class? If you haven’t thought about it yet, consider doing a little back-to-school maintenance. Below is a list of common repairs I recommend to my students: Get new...
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