Why Learn the Electric Violin

Why Learn the Electric Violin What About Playing an Electric Violin? ChaptersThe Specifics of the Electric ViolinLearning the Electric Violin: What Type of Lessons Should You Pick?Improve Your Electric Violin Playing by Reading MusicLearning to Play the Electric Violin: Some Practical AdviceWhile a lot of people are aware of the acoustic violin or fiddle, fewer know about the electric one.  The instrument, which was invented in the 20th century, is today quite common within rock and pop groups.Some musicians even decided to learn the electric violin rather than the acoustic violin. That’s because the instrument is just as accessible to beginners as it is to intermediate and advanced players.Which type of classes should you pick?What is sheet music or tabs and which should you use?Whether you want to play a concert as part of an orchestra or quartet or just for fun, here’s some useful information on becoming an electric violinist. TomViolin Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StacyViolin Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Dis cover all our tutors ValtieViolin Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BenedictViolin Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TaisiiaViolin Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AmyViolin Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuísViolin Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoViolin Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Specifics of the Electric ViolinAccording to 82% of Brits, the world of classical music needs to change. It needs to become more accessible, head out to the streets, and reach a more varied audience.What better than the electric violin to kick off this revolution?The electric violin, which was created in the the 20th century, has slowly started to crop up everywhere.  It's not uncommon for a violinist to opt for the instrument nowadays.A traditional acoustic violin isn't the only way to learn to play. (Source: Wikimedia Common s)Whether to find new sounds or just for practical reasons, there are plenty of reasons why more and more electric violins are being seen.  Lindsey Stirling, Jean-Jacques Goldman, Nightwish, the list goes on and on. The electric violin is making its way into all styles of music.But are really are the differences between an electric violin and an acoustic violin?The first and most obvious different is the parts of the instrument, (head, body, fingerboard, neck, strings, sound board, pegs, etc.).While the traditional acoustic members of the violin family (which includes the cello, viola, and double bass) are stringed instruments with bodies carved out of woods such as spruce, ebony, boxwood, willow, and rosewood by a luthier, the electric violin can be crafted using more modern techniques.In fact, the electric violin doesn’t even have a sound box because its sound is directly transferred to the amplifier via a pickup. Without this amplifier, the instrument is significantly diminishe d.When the string vibrates, it moves through a magnetic field on the pickup. These vibrations induce an electric current which is transferred through a cable (or wirelessly in some cases) to amps. The electric current is then amplified and output through a speaker.While the wood is often an important part of a traditional violin's sound and tonal quality, a good electric violin with the right pickups and amplification can have the playability and sound equal to or greater than that of some of the best acoustic violins.Thanks to not needing a sound box, plenty of manufacturers have built electric violins in interesting shapes. The new look is an easy way to tell an electric violin apart from an acoustic violin.The sound is also slightly different. While the sound of an acoustic violin comes from its sound box, the sound of an electric violin depends on the quality of the amplifier, too. You can even get a silent violin!  The better the amp, the better the sound quality of the electri c violin.Furthermore, just like for electric guitars, there are pedals for electric violins that allow you to change the sound. Of course, you should learn to play the thing before you buy an effects pedal and don't buy the Stradivarius of electric violins when you first start learning. A good sounding violin won't sound good when played by an amateur.Does this really change how the instrument is played, though?You can play the violin, whether its acoustic or electric (or acoustic electric violin), in exactly the same way. You’re going to have to exercise your wrists, practise holding the bow, and improve your posture and positioning.Electric violin strings can still be bowed in the same way as an acoustic violin. However, it's common for a performer to choose bows that are as outlandish or cool-looking as their string instrument.Just like an acoustic violin, studying music is still going to be useful when playing the electric violin. Practising your scales and having a sense of r hythm will still be useful regardless of the type of violin you’re playing.There are a lot of famous violinists who learnt to play the electric violin without a single music class. This is usually because the electric violin is rarely covered in conservatoires.Just like with the acoustic violin, you can also teach yourself to play the electric violin. If you're wondering which violin to buy, you should pay a visit to a violin shop and ask a sales assistant for the best option for your budget. Beginners shouldn't worry too much about violin sound, you should worry about which instruments are easier to learn on or play.Don't forget to have a look at tuners and a violin case for your new musical instrument, too.Learning the Electric Violin: What Type of Lessons Should You Pick?If they rarely teach the electric violin in schools, how can you play it?There are several ways to do this.Violin Lessons with an AssociationWhile the conservatoires don’t often teach electric violin players, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any other places to learn.There are associations, for example, that offer classes for instruments that aren’t commonly seen in more traditional settings. They can teach you how to play piano, guitar, violin, or almost any other instrument.The teachers are probably more willing to provide electric violin classes if there’s enough demand for them.Classic Violin Lessons in a ConservatoireIn the event that there are only conservatoires near you, there is a solution.You could take traditional violin lessons and then adapt your playing style once you get home to help you play the electric violin. The classes will be very similar.Having a good knowledge of how to playing the acoustic violin will still help you to play the electric violin. Additionally, music courses alongside your violin lessons london (or wherever you are based) can also be really useful.Classic violin training has it's benefits, too. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)Private Violin Lesson sIf group classes don’t appeal to you, you could always get in touch with a private violin tutor. Private lessons are often taken by those wanting to learn to play the violin.On Superprof, for example, students pick the tutor that works for them and then they put together a programme with them. By doing this, you can find a musician who plays an electric violin.Whether you take these classes at your home or your tutor’s home, where you have these lessons is up to you.Teaching Yourself to Play the ViolinJust like with the acoustic violin, you can also teach yourself to play the electric violin.  There are plenty of sites and videos on the internet that can teach you how to do it.How to restring a violinVibratoTuning a violinHow to hold a violin bow and bowing techniquePlaying a melodyPizzicatoGlissandoThere’s no lack of learning resources on the internet. A lot of artists learnt to play thanks to the violin resources online and then themselves became famous for their own videos .However, the internet isn’t the only way to learn to play. Manuals and books are still very useful. Whether you get them from a dedicated music store or violin lessons online, they can teach you more about the violin and some important techniques.Improve Your Electric Violin Playing by Reading MusicIf you want to play a musical instrument, you need to understand music.  Different types of languages have been created throughout the history of music.Generally speaking, sheet music is the universal language for musicians though tabs are becoming more and more popular. Sheet music is a handwritten or printed form of music.Studying music, whether consciously or otherwise, is useful for all musicians when they write music. Tabs are generally used by musicians teaching themselves.So what are tabs?Tabs are printed music written in such a way so that it can be played by those who cannot read music. It used number and letters to tell musicians where they should place their fingers on the i nstrument.While reading music is generally covered in schools and conservatoires, tabs are very popular amongst those who are teaching themselves to play.Music theory can be really important for progressing musically. (Source: NGi)In both cases, whether you’re reading music or reading tabs, practising is the best way to improve.These are both things you should look into when you start learning to play the electric violin. They can help you understand how to play a violin better. While sheet music will tell you the notes and rhythm, tabs tell you how to directly play these notes on a given instrument.There are plenty of songs written in tabs on the internet. This is probably why plenty of musicians are recording themselves playing Despacito on the electric violin and uploading it to YouTube.Learning to Play the Electric Violin: Some Practical AdviceIn theory, learning the electric violin might sound good, but in practice, why should you?When it comes to learning an instrument, the most important thing is motivation. Without motivation, you’re going to have a very long journey ahead of you. The second you encounter any difficulties, you’ll want to give up.  After that, it’s very hard to get back into the swing of things and your violin will find itself a new home in your closet.To avoid this, you should ask yourself whether or not you’re serious enough about learning the violin to play it at least once a week. While you should practise more than this in order to learn to play, if you’re not going to still be playing in a year’s time, you shouldn’t bother getting an instrument.Once you’ve bought your violin, it’s important that you practise regularly between your lessons, too.It's important that you regularly practise playing the violin. (Source: Baohm)Whether you’re going to school, taking lessons with a tutor, or teaching yourself, you need to stick with it.  To make sure you don’t get discouraged, you should pace yourself and practise p ieces bit by bit.  Turn challenges into manageable chunks and practice will do the rest.Don’t forget about constructive criticism, either. Whether from your violin teacher, friends, or family, constructive criticism can really help you improve.  You'll know what you need to practise and what you’re doing well. If you can’t play in front of your teacher and get feedback, you can always perform for your friends and family and listen to their opinions.Above all, play, play, and play some more., and make sure you’re having fun, too! Whether you're performing orchestral pieces, traditional violin music, or pop songs, playing the violin needs to be an enjoyable experience.Now that you’ve got a better idea of what it takes, what about learning vibrato on violin?

The 7 Best Guitar Picks for Every Kind of Guitarist

The 7 Best Guitar Picks for Every Kind of Guitarist Sign up successful The cool guitar picks on this list each provide a great deal of tonal variation. So if youre trying to get a nice and bright, jangly sound, or a darker, more muted sound, there is a guitar pick on this list for you! The 7 Best Guitar Picks for All Guitarists 1. Sharkfin Guitar Picks Sharkfin picks give you a lot of versatility, and the way they’re cut provides an easy grip. With a sharkfin pick, you get the traditional sounds that come from a regular pick, in addition to unique tonal qualities brought to you by the knurled edge. You will be able to achieve different effects by dragging the knurled edge along your strings or brushing them as you strum. These unique guitar picks usually run between $1-$2 and are sold by Landstrom, Dunlop, and others.     2. Stubby Picks Its small size, hardness, and overall look make the stubby a necessary addition to this list of cool guitar picks. The stubby pick feels comfortable and has a bit of a rough grip which makes it easier to hold. Numerous brands make stubby picks, such as Dunlop and V-Pick. You can find them for a little over a dollar, then try out multiple brands to see which one you like the best. 3. Nylon Flex Guitar Picks   This is a great option for guitarists who want a really floppy pick for strumming, and many reputable brands sell them. The Herco Flex 50 specifically produces a nice, bright tone and gives you all the flop you could need. It also has just enough grip to not slip from your fingers. A Herco Flex 50 should run you about a dollar, though sometimes the thicker versions cost a bit more. If this option isn’t available at your local music shop, a good runner-up to this model would be the Jim Dunlop Nylon 60mm pick. 4. Star Picks You should definitely consider adding a Star Pick to your collection of best guitar picks. The .73mm pick is an excellent choice from Star Picks because of its hardness. A hard pick produces a bright, biting sound. Some players prefer a pick to have that bite when it comes to playing solos, because it makes the solo pop out of the mix a little more.   When using a naturally bright guitar like a Fender Statocaster, hard picks are great for getting a little extra tone above the rest of the band. The Star Pick has these advantages, but also seems to grip to your thumb pretty well. It has a small star cut-out which makes it really easy to hold. These unique guitar picks are fairly cheap, usually costing a little less than a dollar. 5. Tortex Picks The Tortex picks by Dunlop come in a variety of colors and thicknesses, and are fairly inexpensive. Many guitarists like the feel of this pick. You will notice a considerable change in tone when using it, but you may like it if you’re into a more mellow tone. When you’re using a Tortex pick, the tone does not really become muted, but the ringing quality of some strings are brought down. So if you have a guitar that seems a little too bright, the Tortex might be the perfect pick to help take away some of the harshness. There are a couple other comparable picks that don’t darken the tone, such as the Clayton 1.07mm pick and the Dunlop Ultex pick. The Clayton is especially easy to keep a grip on. 6. Metal Thumb Picks Metal thumb picks are probably one of the most useful and unique guitar picks to own. These metal finger picks are perfect for boosting the volume on your guitar just a little bit. For only a dollar you can’t go wrong.   Some people find that using a regular pick is difficult because they are easily dropped, or they get cramps in their hands. The advantage of using a thumb pick is that it doesn’t fall out of your hand when you play. You can find these cool guitar picks in metal, plastic, and some that are a hybrid of plastic and metal, although the hybrid picks tend to be more expensive. One good thumb pick to check out is the Dunlop 3040T. 7. Felt Picks Even though they’re marketed for ukuleles, felt picks are very useful for guitarists as well. Felt picks typically run around $1-$2, which is a bargain for the cool tonal variety they bring to your playing.   The muted sound that you get when playing with a felt pick is truly unique. It’s not muted to an extent that you can’t hear your instrument, but it certainly changes the tone and can make your guitar sound like a totally different guitar. This pick would be very useful in recording sessions if you’re trying to go for the sound of two different guitars, but only have one. Final Tips No matter what type of guitar or genre of music you play, there is something on this list of best guitar picks for everyone. Most types of guitar picks run for less than a dollar, so if you can afford it we recommend buying a bunch and trying them all out. If you want to start out small, try the thumb pick and felt pick first. These guitar picks are the most distinct in the tonal sounds they create, so you’ll be able to really experience and appreciate the variety that different guitar picks can provide.   This selection of cool guitar picks should give you plenty to try out and practice. You can find them at your local music store or online. Remember that a good guitar teacher can help you learn proper picking and strumming technique, and TakeLessons is the place to go if you want to find an experienced guitar teacher in your area.   Post Author:  Willy M. Willy M. teaches acoustic, bass, blues guitar and more in Winston Salem, NC. Willy has been teaching for over 20 years, and his students have ranged in age from young children to adults in their 80s.  Learn more about Willy here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

How To Super-Charge Engagement With Your Online Audience (Without The Painful, Mindless, Boring Chatter) - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How To Super-Charge Engagement With Your Online Audience (Without The Painful, Mindless, Boring Chatter) - Introvert Whisperer How To Super-Charge Engagement With Your Online Audience (Without The Painful, Mindless, Boring Chatter) Ash Stevens August 17, 2017 Communication, Personal Branding No responses Go to top  Whether you want people to read your blog, buy a product, or to simply recognize your know-how, the billion other sites on the web can make this quite a feat. If you’re an introvert, this can be even more of a challenge. Blabbering for the sake of blabbering isn’t something we introverts enjoy doing, even if all the business experts claim it’s essential to online business. As with all things, however, engaging with our audience isn’t about quantity but quality, which is something that can actually be done with minimal blabbering. So, if you’re itching to take your relationship with your followers to the next level, these tips are a sure way to get started on that.   Ask Questions If there’s one thing anybody can appreciate, it’s the warm fuzziness of feeling important and valued. Posing questions to your audience gives them the opportunity to share their ideas. They get to feel important, which is a big plus, but this scenario also makes them important. When we pose a question that allows for people to share their unique experience and thoughts, we’re also offering up our site as a haven for sharing helpful ideas and valuable insights. This has major perks for us for a few reasons.  One, we help our readers see how awesome they are. We’re also generating discussion that the whole web can glean from, and we can generate all these fantastic results with little to no conversation on our end. Every introvert’s dream! We can do this with questionnaires and surveys, comments, blog posts, email newsletters, and more. There are so many ways to go about it. Try out a few in various situations and see what works best for you, your business, and your audience.   Expand On Their Thoughts Nothing kills a connection quite like having someone make the conversation all about themselves. Even though talking about our own life experience seems like the best way to relate to others, much of the time it’s just annoying. People want to be heard and understood. That doesn’t happen by someone jumping in and assuming they understand our point, and thinking that’s all we have to say about it. Assumptions are just as worthless in business as they are in conversation because a shallow understanding of needs and problems will only ever deliver a shallow product or service.   So, instead of telling our clients and audience how we think we can relate to them, let’s give them a chance to expand on their thoughts and go deeper. The big plus here is that encouraging our audience to share themselves gives us the chance to get to know our audience both as buyers and as people. This kind of opportunity can create a strong bond between you and your followers â€" A bond that can benefit you in business as well as your personal life. In addition, these expanded ideas could be topics for your next blog posts or future services you can provide. The more you understand what your audience thinks, feels, and needs, the more you can help them as a business.       Respond With Something Valuable As I mentioned above, making a conversation about ourselves is NOT the way we super-charge connection with people. It’s how we kill it. If a comment or email response doesn’t explicitly ask for us share our own thoughts, or we don’t have outstanding personal experience with the topic and we absolutely must share, then we should aim to keep the conversation about them and their experience. Luckily, we can bypass egocentric tendencies and promote connection with readers. All we have to do is offer them something that’s worthwhile to them. Thanks to your unique life experience, you know about tools, practices, and handy information that your audience may know nothing about. This is valuable stuff that people would love to gobble up! Share it! The next time you’re reading through your comments and messages, put your ear up to that screen so you can really hear the message behind the words. Ask yourself what kind of value you have to contribute. Maybe it’s a great business blog you know, an awesome app, or a free web tool. Maybe even just a quote. Whatever you do, your response will be about them instead of you. They may not have use for whatever you send them, but you better believe they’ll appreciate the attention. Most people are either too busy or too caught up in their own life to listen. Don’t underestimate the power of an attentive ear.               Offer Solutions When someone makes a comment about a problem they’re facing, it’s believed that the right thing to do is say sorry, fake sympathy, and if you have a business, give them a link to your relevant product. It seems like the right thing to do because virtually everyone does it, but the connection potential here hovers around zero. If you want interaction and engagement that goes beyond the norm, then you’ll need to step outside the norm too. Each and every one of you has skills and life experiences that give you your own special edge. Our blog, newsletters, products, eCourses, and services are our opportunity to show the value of our edge. Super-charged marketing emails may get you sales, but nothing will express your worth more than using your know-how to help others (for the mere sake of helping others). Get to know the pains your audience and clients are struggling with like, really get to know them. When you have a good grip on those, you can use these pain points to create blog content that offers readers important insights and potential solutions. This is a great lead-in to future services and products too. If you’re helpful enough, you won’t even have to advertise them. People will already know that they can trust you to deliver the results, so they’ll know you’re worth a chunk of change.     Do you have tips for engaging online? Or maybe your business has a problem you’re trying to solve? Share it all in the comments below! Go to top NETWORKING Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.  Grab yours by visiting here right now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

The Origin of Arabic Words in English

The Origin of Arabic Words in English Arabic Words and their Meanings  in English ChaptersEnglish Words from Arabic - A Short HistoryCommon Arabic Phrases Used Day-to-Day in EnglishArabic in English - Phrases that you Wouldn't Think Were Arabic!'I am naturally a stern and silent fellow; even forbidding. But there’s something about etymology and where words come from that overcomes my inbuilt taciturnity.'  ?  Mark Forsyth,  The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connections of the English LanguageAccording to the Linguistic Society, there are more than 6,900 distinct different languages around the world. The Arabic language is the 5th most spoken language worldwide, falling just behind English, Chinese, Hindi and Spanish. The language has such a strong linguistic presence globally that it seems only natural that it should have an influence over the lexicology of Western European languages, such as French  and English.In fact, the English language is composed of a multitude of words and phrases that have been loaned from the Arabic language. Our w hole alphabet, from A to Z, from algebra, alchemy and albatross right through to zenith and zero, English vocabulary is composed of hundreds of words of Arabic origin.Thus, it is interesting to have a closer look at some of the foundations of our dictionary, alphabet, lexicography and  phonetics by examining the different languages that have influenced them.On a personal note, I did not suspect the international origin of certain words that I use almost every day - that is the beauty of linguistics!Not only is becoming familiar with English versions of common words used in Arabic an intriguing endeavour, it is also a great way to learn Arabic and will even enable you to become a master multilingual speaker and Arabic translator!Why not learn arabic online?'seventh-leading supplier of loanwords to English'. This makes it a keen contender for having one of the strongest influences over the English language, outrun only by languages such as French, Spanish, Greek, Italian and Latin.But , we ask ourselves, how has this Semitic language of the Islamic world come to impregnate itself into the English language in such a long-lasting way? How have certain words derived their meaning from the phonetic Arabic pronunciations?Arabic Enters EuropeHundreds of years ago, the sheer global magnitude of the Arabic language as a result of the expansion of the Islamic civilisation during the seventh century meant that Arabic was able to easily infiltrate itself into other languages. The Arab world was able to extend out beyond the borders of Middle Eastern countries and develop a lexicon, phonetic system and etymology so distinctive that it is still present in English vocabulary today.Thus, the Arab culture was able to linguistically dominate the Occident right up until the thirteenth century in an enormous number of domains, which we will learn more about later on.After a period of a so-called linguistic explosion, Western countries, principally from the South, began to take the reins and Islamic Spain started to have a greater linguistic influence over the English language. This is why we still have so many words that are derived from Arabic terminology.What was then to follow was of course colonisation, world migration, other languages and trades, which were to bring with them a whole host of new terms with their origins in the Arabic language.Literature also played an important role in Arabic finding its way into the English language. Essentially, while Plato was translated and brought to us by Latin authors, the philosophy of Aristotle was largely imported by Arab thinkers and translators.So one way of learning Arabic is to learn which English words have Arabic roots, even if the phonetics may have changed slightly from the original.You may think you are a monolingual when in fact each one of us is bilingual and a walking talking Arabic - English dictionary!Do you know some of the most beautiful Arab cities?Common Arabic Phrases Used Day-to-Day in Engli shOne word, one origin - Arabic! (Source: Visual Hunt)English-Arabic DictionaryWe probably don't think about it nearly enough, but several lexical terms that are used day in and day out by English language speakers around the world are actually derived from the Arab world and Arabic script and conversation.This has been one way that Arab culture has been imported across to the West. Little by little, it has transformed itself into the vocabulary we all know and use today. This is just a simple question of etymology, morphemes and locution!An  English - Arabic dictionary is a tool that both helps to inform us of the origin of words and allows us to learn Arabic. The idea here is to take certain words and understand their dialectal variations, derogatory and colloquial definitions, phonetics, etymology and quite simply,  their fundamental meanings.Example of English Words from ArabicA short and very simple example that we can all remember is as follows: If I order you a coffee without sugar and also a carafe of orange juice, how many of the words in the sentence I use will be derived from Arabic? Four! It's as simple as that!So, let us have a look at the terms allow us to gain a better understanding of the etymology of our lexicography and the roots of particular words.Café or Coffee - this drink - the English noun for which is now so famous in the UK -originated in Yemen in the 15th century and got its name thanks to its Arabic counterpart  qahwa. The word  qahwa evolved to  kahve as it reached Turkey and then again to caoua in Algeria before moving on to becoming café in France and finally, transforming into the coffee that we know and love today. In Arab speaking countries, the word signified a grain of roasted coffee and the associated hot drink that would have been prepared at the time. This linguistic origin  also refers to the drink that was discovered in Europe in the seventeenth century thanks to Venitian merchants. Those who enjoy history may also be interested to know that the first coffee house was introduced to the UK in 1651. Another theory as to the origin of the word also suggests that there is a consensus among some geographers that it originates from a province in Ethiopia called  Kaffa.  Thus, it is called  K’hawah, which means invigorating in Arabic.Sugar or Sucrose -  at the end of the twelfth century, the Italian locution,  zucchero, began to be used. The term is itself actually derived from the Arabic equivalent,  sukkar, that comes from Sanskrit  (meaning grain).   For all the versions of the noun (for example, be it sugar or sucrose, or even the French, sucré), each nickname, each meaning, ultimately originates from the Arabic. It is the Arab world who began to refer to sugar through dialogue and speech in the way that we know it today in European languages. Pfeifer, a linguist specialising in Germanic languages, explains that Arabs and the Arabic speaking world brought the sugar cane culture to Andalucia, Egy pt and Sicily.Carafe  - originating from the Arabic word,  gharfa, which meant a form of ladle to hold water, not much is known about the history of this loanword. From gharfa of medieval Arabic, the word travelled to Sicily in the fourteenth century and later to Northern Italy where it morphed into  caraffa  and eventually to British shores where it became a carafe (a drinks vesicle usually made of glass).Orange - the first use of this noun dates back to the thirteenth century. Originally, the orange was a fruit from China that was introduced to the rest of the world by Portuguese sailors in the fifteenth century. In Arabic, the word Orange  actually means… ...Portugal! The evolution of the term into the English noun we now use has been quite an incredible etymological adventure. For several centuries, the term Orange travelled many linguistic paths and took on multiple definitions before it eventually began to refer to the fruit and finally, the colour it refers to in modern Eng lish. In short, after having given us words like  arancia  in Italian,  naranjaen in Spanish, or even  laranja  in Portuguese, the term Orange that we now use in English has been given its name from the Arabic equivalent and refers to oranges that are sweet rather than bitter.Thus, it is safe to say that the Arabic language has an etymological richness that always keeps one guessing!If you're not much one for guessing games, you could take Arabic courses London or elsewhere in the UK!When Arabic and English find themselves interconnected! (Source: Visual Hunt)Unexpected EtymologyNot to mention the phrases in the list above (we can also recall  aubergine, gazelle or even  hazard as being English words translated from Arabic), we can say with some confidence that the Arabic language is an inexhaustible source of morphemes, colloquial language and lexical meanings that covers a large number of areas:Clothes: jumper, cotton, mohair, satin, gilet, etc,Games: hazard, chess, checkmate, rac ket, etc,Music:  lute, guitar, tanbur, tabla etc,Mathematics:  zero, algebra, etc.It is quite clear that among the multitude of words whose origin or etymology is rooted in Arab culture and the Arabic speaking world, there are some words whose roots are rather more  unexpected and surprising than others.Part of what makes up the richness of literary Arabic and Arabic from the dictionary is that it has such a diverse etymology and rare phonetic system, which has resulted in some words being indispensable, either for the simple reading of a historical dictionary or for learning of Arabic vocabulary online.One way of learning a language is by discovering certain words of the same origin or with similar pronunciations and going from there!The existence   of a locution, or a morpheme (defined as 'a meaningful morphological unit of a language that cannot be further divided (e.g.  in,  come,  -ing, forming'), can sometimes be more surprising than simply being a bit of terminology that is p art of the English language and has the same origin as Arabic words.So get out your reading glasses and your travel dictionary as we take a closer look!Are you looking to get a tattoo in Arabic?Arabic in English - Phrases that you Wouldn't Think Were Arabic!Arabic, a language which has given many words to the English language. Now dogs can learn the origin of English words too! (Source: Visual Hunt)Jumper - this noun, which now is such an important part of our everyday clothing vocabulary was actually loaned from the Italian term  giubba, which was itself adapted from the Arabic word  jubba or  giubba. The literal meaning of the word is a kind of men's gown or robe or a kind of undergarment like a vest. From its previously usage making reference as a masculine garment, it has since changed meaning under English hands to become a unisex item that keeps us all warm in the winter months!Spinach - a plant that we know of today as something with which to make delicious soups and become a s strong as Popeye actually has a long and quite fascinating history. The ancient Greeks and Romans were unaware of its existence and it wasn't until Arabs migrating to Spain in medieval times brought the leafy vegetable over for trading that the Arabic term  isfanakh  began to circulate around Europe. Slowly but surely, the term eventually transformed into the word spinach in English after the vegetable was introduced to England in the 1400s.Magazine - the origins of magazine are still fairly recognisable when looking at its Arabic counterpart  makhazin. It is actually more the word's meaning that has changed rather than its phonetics. It initially referred to a storeroom in English, originating from the Arabic verb to store  khazan.  Magazines in England were actually places where military items such as gunpowder and bullets were stored, the French term for shop magasin has perhaps retained more of the original meaning than the English. Around the seventeenth century, the term sta rted to refer to information on goods and topics relating to the army and the navy until it finally evolved to mean our favourite copy of Cosmo, Bliss, Men's Health or even National Geographic!Safari - adventures around the Australian outback or through grasslands in Kenya are probably what spring to mind when you see this word, which makes its foreign roots perhaps not that surprising. However, the word actually originally comes from Arabic rather than from any indigenous African or Australian languages as we might have thought! Whilst the term  did probably reach us through the Swahili version  safari  meaning journey, it ultimately came from the Arabic noun safar that also signifies a journey.Well, it is safe to say that learning the Arabic origins of English words also makes for quite a journey in itself! The terms above are just four examples among many of common Arabic words used in English.It is true that whilst learning the Arabic  language and learning the English language may seem like polar opposite activities nowadays, the English dictionary is a testament to the fact that several English morphemes and phrases come from the same root as those of many Arabic terms. This is probably not really enough vocabulary to turn us into fluent Arabic speakers or foreign language experts but at least it gives non-native Arabic speakers something to get their teeth into and start the learning process!Learning Arabic from English words in this way can pave the way for making your very own dialectal and etymological dictionary, which takes into account the literal sense of words that can be found in any phonetic English dictionary. Apart from the abovementioned terms, we can also easily see that many many terms we use all the time like  chemistry,  massage  and fanfare, all come from Arabic.Find an Arabic teacher here.To summarise, there are so many words in the English language that we use daily and that we would never really have expected to have foreign roots l et alone the same linguistic roots as Arabic words.All this talk of Arabic is enough to make me want to take some Arabic classes!That is the beauty of language and the captivating power of etymology!Discover the best Arab architecture.See the most beautiful Arabian cities.

Guitar Lessons the Real Recipe for Success

Guitar Lessons the Real Recipe for Success Suzy S. When your child is taking guitar lessons, youll quickly learn that the students success depends on everyones commitment including parents and teacher. Continue reading as Glendora, CA guitar teacher Lance K. explains this recipe for success I have always lived by the motto that music should be fun. Part of that fun, however, is becoming proficient on guitar. The best way to achieve the results you desire is through hard work, and hard work requires commitment. Commitment is something that is required from everyone student, parent, teacher when signing up for music lessons. Moms and Dads! The amount of time, money and effort to have a child learn to play the guitar can be substantial. But rest assured the rewards will be worth it when your child performs for the first time. Music students! It’s not always easy to sit down and practice guitar after school when your friends are out having fun. Someday, however, your friends will be very impressed by your talent and will wish they had spent more time practicing their instrument. As a guitar teacher it is my job to always be prepared, and make your lessons fun and informative. My commitment to you comes in the form of individualized lessons that are customized to your needs, as every student is different and learns at a different pace. I know I need to be flexible, understanding and ready to adapt. Much like a recipe in cooking, music lessons need a recipe for success. The recipe in music requires a solid commitment from all three parties: student, parents and teacher. If one ingredient is missing, success will be difficult to achieve. But given the right combination of ingredients, the results can be spectacular! Music is a universal language that you can enjoy for the rest of your life. Here are some handy tips for parents of music students: Do a. Be aware of the personal value and growth inherent in each musical experience. b. Let experiences evolve naturally out of the lesson environment c. Be flexible d. Make sure to ask questions and understand the material your son or daughter is working on e. Be sure to get involved be an active participant in the learning process f. Keep a regular line of communication open between yourself and the instructor Dont a. Dictate experiences to your son or daughter b. Stick rigidly to a course of action that is not working c. Become frustrated when your son or daughter isn’t progressing at the pace you might expect d. Pressure them to succeed beyond their capabilities “There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses â€" only results.” Ken Blanchard Lance K. teaches bass guitar, guitar, piano, singing, Flamenco guitar, music recording, music theory, and songwriting lessons to students in Glendora, CA. Lance holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music with an emphasis in guitar, and his specialties include classical, flamenco, rock, blues and jazz styles. Learn more about Lance, or search for a teacher near you! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by chris friese

English Phrasal Verb of the Day To Hook Up

English Phrasal Verb of the Day To Hook Up Its easy for us native English speaker to forget how complicated and confusing English phrasal verbs (verbs comprised of 2 or more words) are. While they come naturally to us, indeed they are often part of informal speech, they are widely considered to be one of the most challenging aspects of English.Consider the phrasal verb to hook up. If you are just starting to learn English, the following sentence may seem very confusing:We hooked our new computer up to the network. The word up seems to have no place in this sentence, it isnt clear that it goes with the word hooked, and theres no reason that the two words should add up to mean connect. And then theres the fact that hooked up only means connect in this context.Hooked up can be used to ask someone to put you in contact with someone:I asked Jim to hook me up with the girl we met at the club last night. Or it can mean to do you a favor:Jim hooked me up with two tickets to the U2 concert. I can mean to meet with people:Did you hook up with your friends last night? And, as if this phrasal verb couldnt get anymore confusing, it can mean to have sex with someone:Did you hook up with the girl you met at the club last night? Note that in the other usages of hook up, the phrasal verb is usually separated by a noun or pronoun, as in: Hook me up, or Hook Jim up. In this final two usages, it is not separated. The construction of these last two usages are very similar, and you should really have a good handle on how theyre used before trying it out. Or just use it, and be prepared for some humorous misunderstandings.In the end, proper usage of the English phrasal verb hook up is all about context. I recommend testing it out with close friends, or with a native English tutor, before trying it out in the real world. Also, you should note that it is an informal way of speaking, and therefore generally meant to be used with people you are familiar with.Want to learn more phrasal verbs? Check out our Phrasal Verb of the Day.

Listening Exercise Debate or Debacle

Listening Exercise Debate or Debacle debate    noun  a discussion between people in which they express different opinions about something debacle  nouna great disaster or complete failure(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)U.S. presidential elections always get a little ugly.  Attacking the opponent often gets in the way of answering important questions and talking about real plans. This year, however, feels unlike any other.  Each week brings surprise, shock, and usually horror. It’s like seeing a car accident-you want to look away but you can’t. So, if you would like to practice your listening skills while having a good laugh, let’s take a look at some highlights from the second presidential debate.  By the way, if these clips are challenging to understand, don’t blame your English skills. The candidates rarely answer questions in a direct way, and spend time attacking each other instead of getting to the point. Don’t be discouraged if you are confused. Americans are too!  Now, let’s have some fun, shall we?O ne of the biggest problems problems for Hillary Clinton in this election is her irresponsible use of a private email while she was secretary of state. Many people believe this could be linked to attacks in Benghazi, Libya in 2012. If you’d like to know more about this issue, heres  a helpful article from the New York Times that explains the events in detail. The following clip is Hillary’s explanation.  After listening, write your answers and share your opinions in the comments section.Click here for the 1st videoThe FBI said that there were 110 classified emails that ____ ________, 8 of which were ___ ______, and that it was possible _______ actors did gain access to those emails.Why was Hillary “extremely careless with her emails?Obviously, if I ____ __ __ it over again, I would not (use a personal email account).  In number 3, Hillary used the 2nd conditional to express regret for her mistakes.  If you were Hillary, what would you say to Donald Trump?After a yearlong ___ __________, there is no evidence that anyone ______ the server I was using, and there is no evidence that anyone can point to at all (anyone who says otherwise has no basis) that any classified material ended up in the _____ _____.Can you summarize Donald Trump’s response?  What is his argument about the emails?Just like number 4, If you were Trump, what would you say to Clinton?At the end of the clip, why does Trump say the debate is “one on three”?Now, let’s take a look at Donald Trump’s position on a very important issue: immigration. Continue to answer the questions and share your opinions below.click here for the 2nd videoMr. Trump, in December you said this: “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete ________ of Muslims ________ the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what the hell is going on.”Trump says, “we have no choice.”  Do you agree or disagree with this statement?  How do you think countries should approach the refugee crisis?  The Muslim ban is something that, in some form, has _______ into a[n] _______ vetting.“People are coming into our country.  We have no idea who they are, where they are from, what their feelings about our country is, and she wants 550% more.”  Can you find Trump’s grammar mistake?Do you have a headache yet? Are you frustrated and/or confused? At times like these, it is important to find the humor in this debacle. We know Trump wants to get to know the immigrants and who they are. He proposed an ideology test to make sure immigrants share some of the same values of US citizens. Watch the video below to see if some of Trump’s supporters can pass the test.What political issues are most important to you?  Which candidate would you vote for and why?We’d love to hear your opinions in the comments section below!  If you would like to talk politics with one of our instructors, or if you’re sick of hearing about politics but want to improve your English , sign up for a class with LOI today!

10 Ways You Can Get Involved in Politics

10 Ways You Can Get Involved in Politics (via Pixabay) 1) Knowledge is Power Before getting involved in politics it is essential to know and understand its background.  USA.gov  will be your best friend when it comes to learning the basics of how the government actually works. If you dont feel like looking up books in the library, you could always check out some YouTube videos that would speed the process along a little more quickly.  Here  is a seven-minute  crash course on the government basics! School House Rock is no longer around, their catchy, easy-to-follow tunes can be found on YouTube, like the classic  Im Just A Bill  song. Basically, there are several ways to learn about government and its history, whether youd like to indulge in a novel or just watch a quick video. 2) Register to Vote This step is simple and can be achieved in just a few minutes. You can register to vote at your local Department of Motor Vehicles or online. Visit this site  to find out more about where your local DMV is located and how to properly go about the process. 3) Go Actually Vote This should be obvious, but some feel as though their votes do not count. With the proper education on the voting process, you can find out that the constituents do indeed matter. This process can seem sketchy when talking about the electoral college but this actual weighs a states population in connection to the rest of the country. These electoral college numbers represent your  vote in a way that is cohesive and fair when it comes to the total population of the country. If this explanation  is confusing heres a short video  on explaining what it is and another discussing the voting process. US Capitol (via Wikimedia Commons) 4) Learn Who Reps Your State Whos your rep?? The government has three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The legislative branch is where representatives come into play. This branch consists of Congress and the Senate  that are responsible for weighing in on decisions that the executive branch proposes. The legislature is the checks and balances that prevents every decision from becoming an executive order that overrides typical government practice. Its important to know who your state representatives are because you can have an influence on their decisions. Call your representatives, and keep in contact with them to have your voice be heard. You can find out who your representatives are on this website. 5) Share What You Know Knowledge is power for real. The things you know can be impactful to the people you know. Just like how you share stories, you can also share knowledge. You may have heard of the term share the wealth and this is almost one in the same. You can share what you know online or to the people close to you, anything counts! The more that everyone knows about government processes, the more say that constituents have. 6) Meetings on Meetings on Meetings This is possibly the most boring step, but still important! Town hall meetings or meetings in your district can be a direct way of speaking to your local representatives and voicing your opinion. These meetings allow for you to become aware of the things happening in your area that may have been unbeknownst to you. These meetings are a more intimate way to speak your mind rather than leaving your congressman voicemails and emails. But like mentioned earlier, these meetings can be super boring. Depending on what the meeting is about can determine which may be of interest to you. (via Pixabay) 7) Volunteer! Becoming involved does not necessarily always involve the government, but the little things that you can do to help your community. There are often local organizations that you could volunteer for to spread awareness of a cause or assist in their day to day activities. Many churches, schools, and shelters offer volunteer programs that would help out the community around you. There are ways to volunteer in helping people register to vote, and I guess you could consider campaigning for the candidates you believe in as volunteering too. 8) What Do You Believe In? What are you passionate about? What drives you and or riles you up? These things that you feel so strongly about can make your political involvement much easier. If you focus on one topic, or aspect of government, you can direct all of your attention to this cause. Having a focal point will make volunteering and activism seem more easily attainable. Some examples of a focal point would be systematic oppression, environmental factors, or gun control. 9) Find a Publication that Suits You The news media industry is flooded with publications of all kinds. Mainstream publications might not represent your views on a subject but there could be others that do. When you have a source to read from that aligns with your views or provides more information on what you care about, youd be able to keep up on what you believe in. 10) Donate If You Can All of these steps are optional but donating can be the most inconvenient. Unless you have excess money you can spend, donating can take a back seat while you pursue other methods of taking action. Donating to organizations and charities helps them be able to continue making a difference in whatever it is they focus on.