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Every guide we've published, newest first — 28 plain-English articles across all our topics.

All Getting StartedGuitarPiano & KeysPractice & Theory
A young person playing an acoustic guitar while seated.
Guitar 6 min read

How to Play Your First Guitar Song

Go from single chords to a real tune. How to pick a beginner-friendly first song, slow it down, loop the hard parts, and actually finish playing something you love.

Marco Vidal Marco Vidal
An upright piano with the keyboard ready for practice.
Piano 6 min read

Your First Month Learning Piano

A realistic week-by-week plan for your first month learning piano, from finding the keys to playing your first simple song, without burning out or getting lost.

Marco Vidal Marco Vidal
Fingertips pressing down on guitar strings near the fretboard.
Guitar 5 min read

How to Build Guitar Calluses

Sore fingertips are normal for new guitarists. Here's how to build calluses safely — short frequent sessions, light strings, gentle care, and patience over a few weeks.

Nia Thompson Nia Thompson
A close-up of piano keys, showing the pattern of white and black keys.
Practice 7 min read

Music Theory Basics for Beginners

A gentle introduction to music theory basics — notes, the musical alphabet, scales, keys, intervals, and chords — explained plainly so it finally makes sense to beginners.

Samuel O'Connor Samuel O'Connor
A digital keyboard set up on a stand for practice.
Piano 6 min read

Digital Piano vs Keyboard: What to Buy

Digital piano or keyboard for a beginner? A clear, honest comparison of weighted keys, price, portability, and what actually matters when you're starting out.

Marco Vidal Marco Vidal
Close-up of the tuning pegs on a guitar headstock.
Guitar 6 min read

How to Tune Your Guitar

A beginner's guide to tuning a guitar to standard EADGBE — using a clip-on tuner or app, tuning the strings to each other, and keeping a new guitar in tune longer.

Marco Vidal Marco Vidal
An open music book on a stand with a pencil resting across the printed notes.
Practice 6 min read

How to Improve Your Sight-Reading

Practical ways to get better at sight-reading music — how to keep your eyes moving, read ahead, hold a steady pulse, and build the skill with short daily practice.

Samuel O'Connor Samuel O'Connor
A quiet home corner set up for daily music practice by a window.
Start Here 6 min read

Setting Up a Practice Space at Home

How to set up a practice space at home that pulls you toward playing: where to put your instrument, cutting friction, managing noise, and keeping it inviting.

Nia Thompson Nia Thompson
A traditional wind-up metronome on a wooden surface with its pendulum arm upright.
Practice 6 min read

How to Practice With a Metronome

How to practice with a metronome the right way — set a tempo, lock in your timing, and speed up gradually so your playing gets steadier and cleaner over time.

Marco Vidal Marco Vidal
A person strumming an acoustic guitar with a pick.
Guitar 5 min read

How to Strum Guitar in Time

Learn to strum guitar in time — keep your arm moving, use down and up strokes, lock to a steady beat, and build patterns that make simple chords sound like real songs.

Marco Vidal Marco Vidal
A close-up of printed sheet music showing notes on the staff and time signatures.
Practice 6 min read

How to Read Sheet Music From Scratch

A friendly, jargon-free guide to reading sheet music from zero — the staff, notes, clefs, and rhythm explained simply so a total beginner can start decoding a page.

Samuel O'Connor Samuel O'Connor
A grand piano keyboard photographed from an angle.
Piano 6 min read

How to Practice Piano Scales

Practice piano scales the useful way: correct fingering, smooth thumb crossings, and a calm routine that actually builds speed, evenness, and real musical skill.

Samuel O'Connor Samuel O'Connor
A guitarist's left hand fretting a chord high on the neck.
Guitar 6 min read

How to Change Chords Smoothly

Practical ways to switch guitar chords without stopping — anchor fingers, minimal movement, slow practice and the drills that finally close the gap between shapes.

Nia Thompson Nia Thompson
Sheet music open on a stand beside a piano keyboard.
Piano 6 min read

How to Read Sheet Music for Piano

A patient beginner's guide to reading piano sheet music: the two staves, note names, rhythm, and how to turn dots on a page into music you can play.

Samuel O'Connor Samuel O'Connor
An acoustic guitar resting on a chair in soft natural light.
Guitar 5 min read

The First Guitar Chords to Learn

A friendly order for your very first guitar chords — Em, E, A, D, G, C and the minors — with why these open shapes come first and how to practise them well.

Nia Thompson Nia Thompson
A close-up of the black and white keys of a piano.
Piano 6 min read

How to Play Piano Chords as a Beginner

A clear, beginner-friendly guide to playing your first piano chords, understanding major and minor shapes, and using a handful of them to play real songs.

Samuel O'Connor Samuel O'Connor
Close-up of a hand pressing chords on an acoustic guitar fretboard.
Guitar 6 min read

How to Read Guitar Chord Diagrams

A beginner's guide to reading guitar chord diagrams: what the dots, numbers, X and O marks mean, and how to turn any chord chart into a shape your hand can play.

Nia Thompson Nia Thompson