Although it’s actually been around for a few decades, neo soul has ridden a renewed popularity in its parent genres, as well as a general thirst for meaningful music. One of its key characteristics is more profound, sometimes poetic lyrics compared to modern R&B. It’s also known for having a more soulful, personal sound than most contemporary creations.

Tony! Toni! Toné!, the band made famous by musician Raphael Saadiq, is credited with putting neo soul on the map in the mid-1990s. However, the likes of Erykah Badu and D’Angelo are likely the ones that helped give it its current status. Indeed, Badu’s style has become an unofficial blueprint for the sound of neo soul. Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, and similar acts all show traces of Badu’s influence, albeit with a distinctly American twist.

One of the reasons it took so long to take hold in the U.S. is that neo soul has a far smaller commercial interest. The first—and most “authentic”—neo soul artists are more about expression and creativity than making it big. Therefore, they never really sought out the record companies and remained largely unheard even as their followers brought the music to the big cities. That’s all starting to change, however: as music fans start to value individualism and seek out more unique sounds, many are picking up neo soul, and big-name artists have started adapting their styles accordingly.

As is often the case in the music industry, there are those who aren’t as ready to embrace the new genre. A few artists have actively, and sometimes publicly, dissociated themselves from the movement, as the term neo soul been used by record labels to attract a growing niche of fans. Many prefer to refer to their music as soul. But labels will always stick—and for most fans of the genre, the label doesn’t matter as long as they’ve got a good connection with the music.

There are some pretty strong arguments for music reading, especially when you’re learning to play an instrument. For one thing, if you’re a beginner, reading music can help you become more familiar with your instrument and get a better feel of what movements create what sounds. While the effect is most easily seen in piano playing, it applies to any instrument and even voice training. When you know how to play things by ear and read notes, you’re not dependent on anything but yourself, and that can give you a boost of confidence when you’re performing.

Reading music also allows you to play a wider range of songs, sometimes even after hearing them once or twice. Sheet music for a wide range of pieces, from classics to pop and everything in between, are readily available on the Internet. If you know your whole notes, quarter notes and half notes, you can learn these songs in minutes, whereas other learners will need several days to master it. You don’t even have to take lessons for the basics; there are lots of books and websites where you can learn the symbols and practice reading simple pieces. And the more songs you can play, the more variety you can incorporate in your practice and the faster you will improve.

Start by choosing the right sheet music. A Rachmaninoff masterpiece may not be your first choice, but simple ones—even nursery rhymes, if you’re a complete beginner—can be just as rewarding when you find that you’re able to play it right off the paper. Eventually this will become second nature, and you’ll be paying harder and harder pieces before you know it.

Playing by ear is still important, but good musicians are always willing to explore techniques. Even if you reach a certain level without having to read music, knowing that you can when you need to may be just what you need to take more risks and bring your craft to the next level.

Here’s one tip you probably wouldn’t expect: start with what’s difficult. This doesn’t mean attempting a rock-star riff on day one, but never settling into a comfortable level. Determine your skill level right away and always try exercises that are just beyond that point. Once it’s gotten easy for you, move up one more level. It’s tempting to stick to the easy pieces and play them well, but it’s only by failing at harder tasks that you master any craft.

If you still have to buy your instrument, don’t go for the best just yet. Good equipment is important, but when you’re a beginner there is such a thing as too good. There’s the practical point that you won’t be wasting money if you lose interest later on. But more importantly, all the bells and whistles of a fancy guitar can cloud the basics you’re trying to learn. Modern guitars often have correction abilities that hide your flaws, and this can interfere with your improvement.

Another trick is to tune your guitar on your own, using a tuning fork instead of an electronic tuner. This helps you become more sensitive to sound and frequency, an important quality for any serious musician. Also, at some point during your training you may find yourself working with other musicians, and being able to tune your instrument with everyone else’s can be crucial. You can rely on an electronic tuner for occasional needs, but try not to get too dependent on it.

Next, don’t stick to just one style. Everyone goes into a guitar lesson with a general idea of who or what they want to play like, but it’s important to experiment because each style focuses on one skill. For example, rock music places lots of emphasis on power chords, while minor and major chords are best addressed in country and folk music. Although you probably won’t be using them all equally, practicing them will make you a more well-rounded musician and give you an edge in terms of creativity.

You can change your strings using just a pair of pliers. Some people use a tuning fork or tuning winder, which you may find useful if you’re new to the craft but aren’t really imperative. Always start by removing the top three strings—the bass strings—so that some tension is left on the guitar to help you finish the job. Use the pliers to loosen and then pull out the pegs holding the string to the surface.

Once the strings are off, clean the area underneath using a good-quality guitar polish. Use a soft, smooth cloth to avoid scratching the surface. Make sure to clean not just the fret board and the wood under the strings, but also the head, neck, and the space next to the bridge. Many people just do a quick swipe over these areas, but they actually tend to collect a lot of dust and they can be hard to clean if there’s too much buildup.

When installing the new strings, start with the bass strings again and then move down. Starting with the E, place the string with the nut end in the peg hole, then follow up with the A and the D. Then replace the peg and push it down to hold the string in place. Next, thread the other end of the string through the peg tuner or machine head, keeping it just loose enough to wrap twice or thrice around the tuner. Place a finger on the part being tuned to keep it flat until the string has tightened enough. You may want to use a hand-held winder to speed things up at this step.

Finally, wind up the string, starting over the threaded end to keep it in place. Make sure you’ve strung inside the peg tuners. Do the same with the next three strings, starting with the G and followed by the B and the E. Pluck the strings individually to make sure they’re properly tuned, using your other tools if necessary, and your guitar is good as new!

First, what makes guitar strings lose quality? Much of the damage comes from your own hands. When you play, you transfer dirt, oil, and sweat from your hands onto the strings, whether or not you use a pick. Strings will then start sounding dull or out of tune. At first, you may notice that you need more force to get the right sound or volume out of them. Most players will take this to mean the guitar needs tuning, but you know it’s time to change the strings when you need to retune more often than usual.

Another factor in string wear-out is humidity. This is especially true with metal strings, which corrode when exposed to wet or humid conditions for too long. Avoid playing with sweaty hands, or wipe your hands on a clean towel before playing. Of course, this would be unavoidable during long performances. Your best bet in this case is to take breaks as often as you can, and try to play with lighter hands—heavy-handed playing can strengthen the damaging effects of humid air.

Most guitar strings, when played regularly, will last a few months before the quality gets drastically altered. If you’re not sensitive to changes in sound quality, try feeling for changes in texture. Dirty strings tend to feel more slippery than usual as oil builds up on the surface. You can also run a white rag or piece of paper over the strings; if it comes out a little discoloured, then there’s probably enough dirt to merit a new set of strings.

Sometimes you’ll even want to change the strings on a brand-new guitar. It’s safe to assume that an instrument gets tested by dozens of people every day—that’s dozens of dirty hands handling your guitar even before you start playing it. This tends to happen in large music shops. You can buy a new set of strings on the spot and have them put them in while you wait; at a decent shop you might even get this service for free.

Most tuners use the default frequency of 440 as a benchmark for measuring and adjusting frequency. With the machine doing the “listening,” new players risk becoming too dependent on it, losing their sensitivity to sound. This doesn’t affect the instrument’s sound quality at all, but it can desensitize you to frequency changes and make it hard to tell when it’s time to tune your guitar. Listening, after all, is one of those skills that need to be practiced regularly.

If you’re not ready to go old-school just yet, start by combining old and new methods—a system that even many music greats swear by. Start by using a tuning fork to tune your guitar by ear, then check your accuracy by running the electric tuner. If you’ve never tuned manually before, the differences may be a little disappointing at first, but that’s part of the process. As you start getting used to it, you’ll find that the gap is getting smaller and smaller and you’re becoming more precise.

The theory behind this is that the tuner serves not to do the job for you, but as a reference for your own perception. As you rely on it less and less, you develop a stronger listening ability and a better ear for music in general. You also become more familiar with the sounds your guitar makes, and thus will be able to tell when something is off. This is the same concept used by music and voice coaches to help students develop perfect pitch.

There’s nothing wrong with using an electronic tuner, especially when you’re pressed for time or simply want the convenience. Even professionals use them from time to time. What matters is that you don’t lose touch with your instrument and become a “technical” player, following the notes but not making the music. If you think you can benefit from electronic tuning, use your ears to choose the right one—if it sounds right for you, it probably is.

Voice exercises are all about preparing your vocal cords for the rigors of performance. They address three main areas: they improve your voice quality, broaden your vocal range, and make your voice stronger. Most importantly, at least for the pros, it loosens your vocal structures so they can take the strains of singing for hours on end. Going into a performance without voice exercises is like going for a run without warming up. You can do well, but you’ll be stiff and sore afterwards.

One of the simplest voice exercises is humming. This helps you practice hitting notes without the filter of lyrics and other elements, and controlling volume. Start with a gentle, quiet hum, and then increase the volume little by little until it’s clearly audible. Pay attention to the soft buzzing it makes in your face—you’ll know you’re doing it right when you feel the buzz without making an effort to create it.

The exercise you’re probably most familiar with focuses on the articulators—the parts of your mouth that shape your words, such as your tongue, lips, and jaw. Practice using them by singing isolated syllables such as “ba,” “ma,” “ya,” and “la,” making sure to use a different, deliberate pitch every time.  Concentrate on the movement of your articulators. This is especially useful right before a performance, as it relaxes your vocal, facial, and oral muscles and allows you to put more emphasis on your voice itself.

Voice quality can be addressed with two common drills, one to help you develop a smooth voice and one to extend your range. The first is what allows good singers to move between high and low notes seamlessly, without changing pitch, volume, or any other element. Do this by singing “ah” up and down the scale, feeling the way your throat, chest, and face work together to create the notes. When you’re able to switch between notes while keeping all three body parts working in unison, your notes will sound smoother.

Finally, you can practice extending your vocal range, which is what singers probably work on the most. You can do this by singing as high and low as you’re able to, and then trying to go just beyond that. It’ll be hard and probably sound off on your first few tries, but you’ll be able to get it with practice. One way to help yourself along is to imagine physically reaching up for the high notes and bending down for the low ones. It’s important to always push yourself beyond your current limits; once a particular top or bottom note has become too easy for you, work on learning the next.

Of course, like a lot of things on the Internet, there’s a load of bad apples for every good one. If you’re in the market for a guitar tab app, it’s important to know what you’re looking for. Do you want straight-up lessons or just some pieces to practice on? Do you already know the basics and just need an app to help you monitor your progress?

One thing you should always look for, no matter what your answers are, is organization. The best apps often have a digital library feature, which allows you to easily store and retrieve tabs and arrangements. If you’re a beginner, this will help you remember which pieces you’ve learned and which ones you need to work on. If you’re more advanced, it’s a great way to sort your music by style, difficulty, or any other organization scheme. Guitar Jam Tracks from NineBuzz Software is great for those who like experimenting with styles, although it can get pricey—tracks cost $1.99 each.

Simple playback is also a must. Even before music apps came along, the best music devices were the ones that were easy to use. Try to see where the main controls are—if it takes you more than a few seconds to find them, the app probably isn’t very user-friendly. Some apps have a “smart playback” feature that’s more intuitive and allows you to switch between a selected set of tracks—this can be useful if you’re working on several pieces at a time or using one as a reference.

Guitar learners will also benefit from fingering guides, which is only available on some apps (or the paid versions of certain apps). If you’re not used to reading music, this will help you follow notes and get you playing your pieces faster. For this purpose, some of the best apps are Guitarist from MooCowMusic ($3.99) and Gibson Learn & Master, which is free.

A pickguard is a plate placed over the body of a guitar to prevent the pick from scratching the surface as you play. Since it’s in plain sight, it often serves a decorative purpose as well, and that’s where the issues come in. Some people like a “pristine” look and do away with the pickguard, while others prefer custom-made ones that better reflect their character.

One thing to consider is whether the pickguard interferes with sound quality and performance. This boils down to the material used. Early guitars came with plastic or celluloid pickguards, which were a little thick and tended to interfere with the vibrations. You may have seen pickguards that look like shells or mother-of-pearl; this is actually a material called pearloid, which was chosen more for its look than for durability. When hit by a pick, they would often make a scratching sound that distracted from the music.

Modern pickguards are made of hard plastic or acrylic, often made transparent so they don’t interfere with the look of the guitar. They are also much lighter and thinner, so they don’t get in the way of playing. High-end guitars sometimes come with exotic pickguards made with expensive wood or fancy synthetic materials. Despite claims that these materials enhance your performance, they often don’t—as long as they protect the surface, there’s really not much of a difference between ordinary plastic and imported wood.

If you’re installing a pickguard on your own, make sure to position it properly. It should go right on top of the sound hole, where pick scratches are most common. Use the right kind of adhesive; a mild but high-quality wood glue is usually appropriate. Most shops can usually install the pickguard for you when you buy it, or at least give you tips on what materials to use.

Audio interface: A good signal chain is essential to any home studio, so if you’re going to splurge on any part, this should be it. You’ll need onboard analog-digital converters and preamps, and in and out jacks to connect to your computer. Make sure you have a compatible DAW program; ProTools, Sonar, and Cubase are some of the most popular. A good audio interface should cost somewhere between $200 and $500.

Microphone: A mic is one of those things you can just upgrade as you go, so don’t spend too much on it just yet. You’ll find that everyone has their opinion on sound quality, but any diaphragm microphone over $100 is usually pretty good. One feature worth spending on is shockmount—not only does it reduce vibration and taps; it also makes the mic itself much more solid. You may also want to get a pop filter, which keeps plosives (letters that pop, such as p and t) and sibilants (letters that hiss, such as s and sh) from overpowering the vocal.

Headphones: This is another fairly cheap investment. It’s mostly a matter of preference—if you’re not bothered by ambient noise, you can get a good pair for just $50. Otherwise, you can look into closed-back headphones, which cancel out background noise and can go for over $200.

Keyboard controller: A MIDI controller sends a code to your computer, which then translates it into corresponding sounds. You’ll need one to input sounds directly when you start putting patches of music together. Again, you don’t need to splurge on this one; a budget of $200 should get you a great unit.

Studio monitors: These are professional-grade loudspeakers, designed to mimic the sound you make as closely as possible. You’ll hear a lot of jargon when you shop for them, but the most important terms to look for are near-field and active reception. Near-field means the speaker can be placed close to you so that the sound doesn’t get distorted by bouncing off surfaces, and active just means they don’t need an amplifier. Invest in a good one; the best models are usually between $350 and$500.

Cables: Most shops will sell cables by the foot. For an average studio, expect to spend $70 to $100 on these. There are pricier cables that will set you back hundreds of dollars, but they don’t make much of a difference. They may last longer, but even changing your regular cables a few times would be cheaper than buying “signature” ones.