Tools
Here are some basic tools needed as a musician!
Tuner
(click here to tune your instrument!)
A tuner works by taking the sound you play and figuring out which musical note it’s closest to, then showing how far off it is from being perfectly in tune. You can think of it as matching your note to a reference: if your pitch is slightly higher than the correct note, the tuner shows it as sharp; if it’s lower, it shows it as flat. As you adjust your instrument, the tuner updates in real time until your note lines up exactly with the correct pitch.
Instruments' standard tuning:
Guitar (6 strings, from lowest/thickest to highest/thinnest):
E – A – D – G – B – E
(The lowest string is E, and the highest string is also E, but higher in pitch. They’re both “E,” but in different octaves. The higher open E string is 2 octaves higher than the lower open E string on a guitar.)
Violin (4 strings, from lowest/thickest to highest/thinnest):
G – D – A – E
Each string is tuned to those exact notes, and a tuner helps you adjust until each one matches its correct pitch.
Metronome
(click here to practice with a metronome!)
A metronome is a device that helps musicians keep a steady beat. It works by ticking back and forth at a set speed, which you can adjust. Each tick represents one beat, so when you play along, it keeps your timing even—fast or slow—like a musical clock that helps you stay in rhythm. When you're struggling to play a part, turn on your metronome at a speed you can play comfortably, then gradually increase the tempo as you gain accuracy and confidence, until you can play the passage at the full intended speed without mistakes. This can help you build precision and control, making tricky passages easier to play and improving your overall timing.
Here’s a list of common tempo markings with their typical beats per minute (BPM):
Largo – very slow, broad: 40–60 BPM
Adagio – slow and expressive: 66–76 BPM
Andante – walking pace: 76–108 BPM
Moderato – moderate speed: 108–120 BPM
Allegro – fast and lively: 120–168 BPM
Presto – very fast: 168–200 BPM
Prestissimo – extremely fast: 200+ BPM
These ranges can vary slightly depending on the composer or style.