Basic Cooking Chemistry For The Cooking Wizard

Basic Cooking Chemistry For The Cooking WizardCooking chemistry is usually referred to as the science of combining flavors in one dish. It's not just about selecting a few ingredients, but it's also about achieving a balance is achieved when the items are combined together in harmony. In this article I will talk about what cooking chemistry is and how you can use it to improve your dishes.Chemistry is basically the art of building up and assembling parts in an organic matter. You might have seen it in movies and books, with the molecular assembly of molecules and atoms that are all tied together. All these things are made from chemical elements. Cooking chemistry is the science of combining foods using the right ratios, temperature and time. It is the science of preparing the right things in the right amounts, so that they combine with each other and achieve a good balance.Chemists have developed many different techniques for cooking chemistry. While you may have used simple science experiments or use the methods that are more common among cooks, here are some of the more common ones that you may use to prepare your own recipes:Water, sugar, and acids: These are the basic ingredients of any great dish and always need to be combined together. The three mentioned above are the most common types of food combinations in cooking, although there are many others. When you combine water and sugar, it creates foam, which makes the bubbles rise up in the glass. Using acid bases such as vinegar, lime juice, salt, wine or tomato juice, the sugar dissolves and the acid forms the bubbles that give the bubbles the 'ice cream' effect in the glass.Flavor bases: The use of base is the same as the use of base for chemistry. To prepare your recipe, combine the desired ingredient in the appropriate proportion with some heat. All these things combine and form the base, which will remain unaltered, until the next use. So if you mix orange juice with chicken, it's not going to change into orange-zest chicken at the end. The sauce would have the same base as it has the entire time, while the chicken would have a better flavor with the added orange-zest.Temperature: A high and low temperature mix is also considered cooking chemistry. A good example is using a tomato sauce with chopped lettuce and cheese. With a hot pan, you can use a high temperature and make the salad taste like a tomato and cheese salad. At a lower temperature, the salad may have a similar taste.Heat: As the name implies, a process is a process of heating. By mixing things in the correct proportions, you can cook on medium and slow heat. A cook knows that they need to go to the extreme at times, in order to get something that is perfect.

Google Secrets How to Learn a Language Using Google

Google Secrets How to Learn a Language Using Google Google Secrets: How to Learn a Language Using Google On the journey to fluency, you might think of Google as a road.You use it to get to important placesâ€"like language courses or study materials.You might not realize that Google is a language learning destination itself.But think about it.Google can pull from all the information in hundreds of languages found online.Its built on some of the most sophisticated technology out there, all with the purpose of connecting people and ideas from all over the world.You just need to know the right features and search tricks to put it all to use for your language studies.Here’s how to unlock Googles potential for foreign language fluency. Google Secrets: How to Learn a Language Using GoogleUse Image Search for Visual LearningWhat, to you, is the difference between an easy chair, a couch, a sofa and a recliner?How about a garbage pail, garbage bin or trash can?Words for physical objects can sometimes be perfectly clear to native speakers, but maddeningly tricky to pin down. As a language lear ner, this can make it difficult to build a vocabulary base that youre confident in.So instead of memorizing dictionary definitions, try adding Google Images to your vocabulary building regimen. Just look up a foreign word that youre learning, and youll quickly see how the image results can give you a much more precise, nuanced understanding.Here’s a perfect example. The standard English translation for the Chinese word ?? (wàitào) is raincoat or coat. But when I searched for images, I realized the word refers to all kinds of things that I might call a sweater or windbreaker in English. It’s clearly a broader definition than I realized!Take a few flashcards or a vocabulary lesson that youre working on, and see what discoveries Google Images brings to you.Plus, if you enjoy this type of real-world, visual learning, FluentU is a great supplement to your Google explorations. FluentU provides authentic foreign language videos thatve been transformed into language learning experienc es.Each video comes with interactive captionsâ€"click on any word for an instant definition and native pronunciation, as well as a picture to help you understand and remember the word. There are also flashcards with visual learning aids, quizzes, full transcripts and vocabulary lists to help you remember new words from each video once youre done watching.The videos are organized by genre and learning level, so you can easily find ones that work for you. FluentU also personalizes your learning by suggesting new videos based on what youve already learned.FluentU currently has programs for Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Italian, Japanese, Korean and English. Click any language youre interested in to explore the program for free with a FluentU trial.Use Site Search to See Vocab in Different ContextsWhen we take writing classes in school or study literature, we eventually learn that some words belong in some contexts and others don’t.You wouldn’t use Dr. Seuss wo rds in an academic paper, and if you’re writing a diary you probably won’t use the same language as Shakespeare.When you learn a foreign language or teach one to yourself, you run the risk of being unsure about this sort of thing. Without someone to guide your writing, you really don’t have much of a way to tell if you’re using the right words in the right situations.How can Google solve this problem?With a simple trick called site search. It’s very easy to use.You just type “site:” plus the name of a website, plus whatever you’re looking for. Then the results that come up will be restricted to that one website. This is a great way to look for posts by one author on a blog, for instance, or find all the times that a country is mentioned in a news publication.And as for language learning, you can definitely try non-English search queries too. Let’s say you’ve just learned the word mochila  (backpack) in Spanish. If we search different websites that run the gamut o f nonfiction, news and entertainment, we’ll find a few different examples.If I search a photography website, I’ll find articles about adventure or hiking backpacks made for photographers. A fashion website gives me advice about different styles of everyday backpacks.Each of these has their own related vocabulary and writing style to describe the same vocabulary word you just learnedâ€"making for perfect reading practice  and well-rounded communication skills.Get the Gist with Machine TranslationLots of language learners decry Google Translate, and not without reason. Everybody’s heard of the inaccurate or flat-out hilarious results it can come up with, and nobody should use it as their only learning resource.But if you’re careful with it, Google Translate can fill an important gap in language learning.How many times have you struggled to understand a long article in your target language? Next time that happens to you, put it into Google Translate to get the gist in English. Since you can see the two texts side by side, you can connect them mentally and start learning the patterns.You can even hover over the sentences with your mouse and see the relevant translation light up on the other side!Don’t worry, it’s not cheating to use a machine translator. When used correctly, its a step towards comfort with the structures, rhythms and common words in your target language.Check Your Language with Pattern-friendly SearchesThis is probably the biggest secret for language learning with Google, and here I am, giving it away.How is it that search engines give you the result you’re looking for in the top two or three results, almost every time?Its because search engines like Google are massively powerful pattern-recognition and pattern-analysis machines.If enough people click on a link, that means it’s valuable and it goes up in the search results. And if enough people type “faceboko” and then click on “Facebook,” Google knows to suggest an alterna te spelling for you.What else is based on patterns? Language.From sound systems to verb conjugations to adjective declensions, every language in the world follows (mostly) predictable rules and patterns. You can take advantage of this through strategic foreign language Google searches.Lets say youre unsure about a particular grammatical construction. Just type it into Google and see whether you get a suggested alternate phrasing or see different versions of it in the top results.To narrow it down, put the search inside quotation marks  and Google will look for that exact phrase all over the internet. This will also help filter for websites that are written entirely in your target language.If you get very few results (say, under 500,000) youll know your phrase is off. If its a short but incorrect phrase, you can often find the correct version within the search results or as suggestions at the bottom of the page.Get Free Literature for Your LanguageA lot of people never get beyond the images, maps and videos tabs on Google results. But did you know that there are also enormous indexes of published books and academic papers, absolutely free?Google Scholar and Google Books have tons of public domain material.Google Books lets you search the text of millions of published books, ranging from rare and out-of-print foreign books to the newest bestsellers. Got a book on your shelf you practically know by heart? See if you can find it online in your target language!And if you’re linguistically inclined, there’s no better resource than Google Scholar for in-depth academic papers. Some of them are way over my head, but others are absolutely fascinating.For me, these are the most helpful when I’m struggling with a complicated aspect of grammar that doesn’t have the slightest equivalent in my native language.The formal analysis of language in these papers isn’t for everyone, but try it outâ€"you may find a few gems.Be a Language Tourist from Your SofaOne of the re asons I travel is to go speak and hear other languages. The people and places around the world are cool I suppose, but as someone with a passion for languages, that’s what really drives me to go places.And if you’re reading this article, you might be in the same boat. When you get to your destination, will you be prepared?It’s a powerfully strong psychological effect to look around and see not a word of your native language. Depending on where you go, you might end up far away from bilingual signs or English advertisements. This can really be overwhelming for some people.So before you go, look up some of the places you’ll visit or dream of visiting on Google Street View and see what it’s like to be surrounded by foreign-language text all the time. Check the definitions of the most common words you see on street signs or business names.This is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in your target language from home. Plus, its fun and a great study motivator! It makes your lang uage seem more relevant and might even inspire some travel plans, if you dont have them already.And if you do have a trip booked, Street View tourism will make you less intimidated and more ready to enjoy your travels once youre there.If you know how to use it, Google can find just about anything for you.Language learning online has never been easier, and now that you know how to go about language learning with Google, you’ve stepped into a brand new world of resources.Whether it’s checking grammatical patterns or looking up images to help you understand definitions, there’s no better time than now to get started!Yassir Sahnoun is a content strategist, writer, polyglot and co-founder of WriteWorldwide. You can learn more about Yassir at YassirSahnoun.com. And One More ThingMake FluentU as regular a part of your life as Google, and itll prove just as indispensable. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With Fluent U, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that real people speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse ScreenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive TranscriptsYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.

Depression And Plane Crashes

Depression And Plane Crashes Wreckage from the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 (image via www.pamelagetler.com) Soon after the tragedy, the cockpit recorders were recovered from the plane and handed over to the authorities who analyzed the tapes. From this and other evidence it was preliminary determined that this crash was a murder-suicide brought by an onset of depression and psychosis in the copilot, Andreas Lubitz. Yet another tragedy has occurred and headlined news involving suicide. Months previously, one of America’s most beloved comics, Robin Williams, committed suicide as well. Just this week a teen took his own life in McKinney, Texas after severe bullying. These three are not isolated cases. In the U.S., suicide is the number 10 leading cause of death according to the Center for Disease Control. The World Health Organization says that depression, one of the most common causes of suicide, is the leading cause for disability in the developed world. Approximately 1 in 20 Americans have dealt with, will deal with, or are experiencing depression, although this number is estimated to be skewed down. Depression is simply a chemical imbalance in the brain brought on by a lack of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. These are neurotransmitters that cause good feelings and happiness. Typically, this is accompanied by an increase in cortisol, the stress hormone. People with depression with can experience lack of energy, apathy, consistent feelings of sadness or being down, disinterest in former hobbies and activities, insomnia or increased sleep, and thoughts of guilt, death, and/or suicide. This disease is remarkably treatable. With treatment, symptoms usually alleviate in a matter of 8-12 weeks. Treatment can include therapy, medication, or a combination of the two. With the end of the semester approaching, stress is piling on. (image courtesy of blog.fit.edu) Sadly, while depression is the most treatable mental illness, it is also the most frequent and the most frequently ignored. The problem arises when people will brush off symptoms as just “being down” or “in a funk.” Patients themselves might feel this way or parents and friends. Make no mistake; depression is not just a state of mind or attitude. It is a real, serious, life-threatening disease that has readily available treatment. In professional life, stress is an expected part of life. No one can escape the frustrating problems of bills, responsibilities and work. When stressed our bodies try to help us out by releasing cortisol. This neurotransmitter can give you a boost to your adrenaline system allowing you to cope with the problem easily. However, if the body experiences high levels of cortisol all the time, it can be very detrimental, leading to depression some studies have suggested. Pilots, actors, and even high school students all have high levels of stress. However, like I said before, stress is not necessarily bad. It can help you get things done, but the problem arises with how Americans and many other countries and cultures deal with stress. Many accept it as part of a job or environment and certainly that’s true to an extent, but stress can be minimized through a variety of mediums. When dealing with stress, try to take some time away from your problems. Find time for you. Some of the best ways to reduce stress in the body include exercise. With the weather finally warming up, it’s time to get outside. Sunlight has been shown to stimulate the release of dopamine and exercise has been proven to remove cortisol in the body. So find some friends and toss a Frisbee or play some street ball. Besides getting out in the sun, make sure to eat well. Being busy makes it really hard to push back carbs and sweets, but these foods can make you sluggish and decrease your energy levels. Make sure to increase your vegetable and fruit intake. Eating lots of these can re-energize you and make you more capable of tackling a tough day. (image courtesy of msw.usc.edu) If you’ve already fallen into the pit of despair, it’s not too late. Right now, you’ve realized you’re there so you can still get help. First, talk to your friends and family about how you are feeling. Let them know what’s going on. Have some time to complain. Just talk to someone and let it out. Purge the system of all the problems. Then go do something. Spend time with that friend doing something else. Get away from the problem for a bit. If you are experiencing depression or believe you are, please seek help for it. Depression success rates are amazing. Talk to your family doctor, a counselor, or a friend about it. They can set you up with services in your area that can help you deal with this illness. You don’t have to let depression win. If you are having thoughts of suicide or death please call 9-1-1 or the National Suicide Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This last number is staffed 24/7, 365 days of the year by volunteers who care and will help you. Our culture is not the best about stress and work. Americans work more than most cultures and certainly the most in the developed world. This worker bee attitude is great for the country, but can be very bad for individuals. If school, work, or life is stressing you out too much, don’t let it beat you. You can do it. If you need help reach out. You can get better.

4 Reading Comprehension Tips Organizing Chapter Books

4 Reading Comprehension Tips Organizing Chapter Books Irvine English Tutoring: 4 Reading Comprehension Tips Students are settling into the new school year and getting used to having homework assignments once again. One of the things elementary-aged students will need to work on is reading chapter books that will be discussed in class. In most cases, students will be required to complete a book report, write summaries of chapters, answer questions about characters and setting, and have a discussion in the classroom. One of the biggest issues younger learners have is organizing their chapter books so they can finish the assignment on time. If a student is on track they will learn a lot and be able to participate in class but, if they fall too far behind the assignment can become overwhelming do well in your English class with the help of private Irvine English tutoring from TutorNerds. 1. Set a timeline for the entire book Its a good idea if students can have a timeline for their book. For instance, perhaps there are 16 chapters and the report is due in two weeks time. This means students will have to read about one and a half chapters per day to finish promptly. It also gives them the weekend to catch up if they fall behind. Alternatively, if a teacher has mentioned that students will be discussing certain chapters on certain days, parents can encourage their kids to follow that timeline. Setting a schedule in advance helps students avoid needing to read all 16 chapters the day before the book report is due. If students are struggling with time management, they should consider working with a tutor who can help identify if they need to work on study skills or reading comprehension to help them improve. 2. Talk to the teachers about reading pace Each child reads at their own pace, and there are two elements to consider in this situation. How quickly or slowly does the student read? And, how much of the passage do students understand while reading? In some cases, a speed reader can get through the book very quickly but might not understand intricate character development needed to complete their report. Additionally, a slower reader might have a full comprehension of the subject matter but struggles to get the assignment done on time. It’s beneficial to talk with the classroom teacher and figure out a reasonable range of time to spend on at-home reading. If two chapters should take 20 minutes according to the teacher than a reasonable range would be between 15 and 30 minutes, for instance. If a student is far out of this range, its a good idea to sit down with kids and see which elements they might be missing (READ: The Importance of Repetition in Elementary School). 3. Talk about the difference between skimming and close reading Theres a big difference between skimming and doing a close reading. Each skill is important and is used for different types of reading at school. Skimming is appropriate when a student is re-reading a textbook to search for a certain concept or test question they need to study. This helps students find what theyre looking for quickly so they can then focus on it fully. On the other hand, a close reading will include annotations (underlining and highlighting) along with notes about the setting, characters, or informative elements. Its important for students to understand the difference between the two skills and when they are appropriate. 4. Write summaries and take notes If kids are breezing through their chapter books too quickly or struggling to meet a deadline they will often benefit from writing a brief summary or taking some notes as they read.   When students write a two or three sentence summary at the end of each chapter it lets the parent or tutor know if the student actually understood what they were reading. As a result, they can tackle the information one chapter at a time rather than trying to work on the entire book. Taking notes is also a great skill that all students should be doing in their language arts classes. Taking notes help students determine what happens to each character and how they change throughout the novel as well as understand various plot elements and why they were important. Good note-taking is refined with time and practice. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

How To Take Chemistry Online - What Is The Best Way To Do It?

How To Take Chemistry Online - What Is The Best Way To Do It?When you are trying to find out how to take chemistry online, you should be able to find an understanding of the differences between taking this course and taking it in a regular classroom. Taking chemistry online is not only easier but also more affordable, which is important for people who live in places where they have to pay high school tuition. The great thing about taking chemistry online is that it is so easy to do and there are very few things that you need to remember.When you start studying for a class online, it's important to keep in mind that you will get through the course faster. This is because you won't have to worry about the material being boring or not being interesting enough. However, if you study in a regular classroom, there are still important factors that you should consider such as taking notes and making the most of your teacher.When you take chemistry online, it's important to keep in mind that there are also many resources available. There are many different types of books and textbooks, and they are all easy to find on the internet. The reason why you should get these materials is that they will help you learn the material more effectively.In order to make sure that you will learn the material faster, it's important to sign up for an online class. This is especially true for people who are trying to study for a general education class that is not related to chemistry. You will be able to get all the information that you need from the resources that you use and with these resources, you can actually learn the material faster.There are many advantages to taking chemistry online. For one, you will be able to get all the materials that you need to study. When you are learning in a regular classroom, it's very difficult to find the materials that you need to study in the proper order. The only advantage that you can get isthe ability to print out notes and reference guides.Yo u will also save money when you take a course like this. When you pay your high school tuition, you will have to pay the actual fees in addition to your other expenses such as food and your college book. When you take a course for general education, there are no other charges. If you have to live somewhere that has high tuition, then you will save a lot of money.The main advantage that you will have is that you will be able to study chemistry online without the restrictions that come with normal classes. Since this is a more flexible type of class, you will be able to study at your own pace. So if you want to learn chemistry, then make sure that you choose this option because you will have the opportunity to do so easily.

Pyrex Chemistry Kits

Pyrex Chemistry KitsPyrex Chemistry kits are a new addition to the home science labs. As you may know, it is common for students to own an ordinary lab tool for their science lab and then eventually change it for the special equipment they'll need in the future. Pyrex has long been known for its quality construction and great performance at a competitive price, and these kits help to make that even more noticeable.Pyrex Chemistry kits contain a real metal, not plastic, lid which is fairly easy to use. This material lets you keep the contents from vaporizing, allowing you to take a sample of liquid or solid, place it in the canister, and release it into a solution. It also helps to keep the contents from burning, keeping the contents intact and preventing deterioration. All you have to do is screw the lid on and leave it in a test tube.Pyrex Chemistry kits include plenty of components, such as a glass container, measuring cup, and a test tube. You can find instructions, a guide on how to use each component, and even a guide on cleaning all of the components before using them. After having used the kit for a few days, you should be able to use it with any home laboratory. As mentioned earlier, this is a great value for science labs.The label will indicate the quantity of chemical reactants you will need, which is relatively small. One thing to keep in mind is that Pyrex Chemistry kits do not include a test tube, so you will need to purchase a new one separately. When purchasing your test tube, make sure you buy one that fits your Pyrex kit. All of the components included in a kit, including the test tube, come with a written instruction manual.Pyrex Chemistry kits are known for their ability to stand up to extreme temperatures, including high pressure and high temperature. In fact, they have to withstand these conditions because some of the components have been deliberately engineered to have properties that allow them to withstand changes in temperature and pres sure. So even if you're taking a solution of hydrogen and oxygen with water, you can be sure that the container will not leak!Pyrex Chemistry kits have many other advantages as well. It allows you to control the pH level of the solution to make sure you are getting a balanced solution without changing the chemical makeup of the solutions you use in your experiments. It also provides a safe environment for test tubes and the contents of your test tubes.If you like to test chemicals, then these kits are perfect for you. Just keep in mind that they are sold at a competitive price, so it may not be as inexpensive as it seems.

Why You Need an IBC Mandarin Chinese Tutor

Why You Need an IBC Mandarin Chinese TutorFor anyone who is interested in learning Mandarin Chinese, one of the first things that you will need to do is to find an IBC Mandarin Chinese Tutor Singapore. This is a very important step in learning Mandarin because you will need someone who can help you learn the language quickly and effectively. If you do not have someone to help you, then the only thing that you can do is go to class, or wait until the next day to study for that evening.Now, why would you need an IBC Mandarin Chinese Tutor Singapore? One of the biggest benefits of using one of these tutors is that they will help you learn how to talk and read effectively. However, one of the most important benefits of using a tutor is that they will make your learning experience a lot more fun.You may have the ability to learn how to speak effectively and correctly with someone who is right in front of you, but if you want a really enjoyable experience, then you may want to seek out a t utor that you can actually interact with. If you are someone who wants to talk about how to say every word, how to say every question, and also how to read the answer on the test, then you should look for a tutor that allows you to do so. When you are learning Mandarin, it is very important that you are able to feel free to have a conversation with another person in the room.The reason that you need to be able to chat and talk with the tutor is that you will want to know what questions they want you to ask. You will not be able to figure out how to get an answer to a question if you are not able to ask it in the moment. The best thing about a tutor is that they will be able to offer you all the answers to your questions.You may have to chat with the tutor throughout the day so that you are able to ask your questions. You can set up a chat with them to answer any questions that you may have so that you can really understand what the tutor is saying. The more you interact with the tut or, the more you will be able to remember the information.The best way to get an IBC Mandarin Chinese Tutor Singapore is to look around online. There are many different resources that you can use to help you find a tutor. By being able to find the right resource, you will be able to find a tutor that is going to make learning more fun for you.So, now that you have an idea of why you need an IBC Mandarin Chinese Tutor Singapore, now that you know why you want to use one, you will need to decide which one you are going to use. Do you need a tutor to teach you English, or perhaps to help you learn Chinese? You can find out the answer to this question by looking at all the different resources that are available to you.

The Secrets to Playing Guitar Chords.

The Secrets to Playing Guitar Chords. Play Guitar Chords Quickly, Smoothly, and Efficiently. ChaptersA Step by Step Guide to Learning ChordsA Few Things All Chords Have in Common.Changing between Chords.Tips and Tricks for Putting Chords TogetherIf you’re studying music, learning guitar is a great place to start. It’s the perfect instrument on which to learn how to play your favorite pieces of music.As soon as you know the basics of the instrument - guitar tablature, the odd chord, and a bit of the fretboard - you can begin composing and jamming straightaway.  Whilst the building blocks of music theory are the different notes, scales - from the major scale to the variations on the minor scale - and the ability to read music, for beginner guitar the methodology conventionally works a little differently. Particularly if you are playing rock guitar or folk guitar.Here, the most fundamental thing will be chords - power chords, open chords, barre chords, major chords, and minor chords - and chord progressions, the way that we string different chords together. These will provi de the basis of your favorite songs, and are an essential part of the repertoire of all guitar players.  If you want to learn how to play guitar, you need to get to grips with the guitar chord in all its variations. It’s impossible to avoid and it’s important to learn the proper finger positions for the chords so that you can learn how to play a whole series smoothly and quickly.Once you can do that, you can really say that you’re a guitar player.For most beginners, learning guitar can be a rocky journey - the strings hurt your fingers when you fret them, your right hand seems completely disconnected from your left, and there are tons of chords to learn which all seem impossible. The virtuosic flights of jazz guitar, or the guitar music of Hendrix, seem a long way off.For anyone who’s trying to learn guitar, we’d recommend starting with the basic chords. By these we mean the 'open chord', the chord shapes that really on notes from strings that you don't fret ('open' string s). In most pop songs you'll see and hear these being played - from the C major to the E major or D major chord. These are opposed to the 'barre chord', which requires all of the strings to be fretted.You will find that your index finger, middle finger, and ring finger will all hurt a little as you learn these shapes. You are pressing your fingers against metal wires after all.But, if you keep going, the next step is learning to play them in a series, hitting the right notes, and creating a bit of fluidity… and of course, for your fingers to stop hurting when you play.You can find tab sets in specialist magazines and on the internet - series of chords to play together and reproduce a piece of music. Many many many songs, you will find, follow the same chord progression - and these usually involve the open position chords. And, honestly, once you have nailed these basic guitar chords, you'll be able to play really a lot of guitar songs. If you don't believe us, check out this video here.But how do you put two chords together without losing your rhythm? How do you keep adding on chords until you’re actually playing a whole piece of music?Here are a few tips.A Few Things All Chords Have in Common.When you are first starting out and you have to stare at a different chord chart every time you search for different guitar tabs, chords can all look overwhelmingly different. However, they aren't.Because the secret of effective rhythm guitar is actually  efficiency  - by which we mean specifically the efficiency of your movements. From a major chord to a minor chord there is usually only the difference of one note - and the best guitar players around know how to make these movements incredibly efficiently.The secret here is knowing your fret board - and knowing where the notes are in a chord.Know Your Chords Well, and Know How to Recognize Them.To really achieve fluidity in your playing and begin putting chords together, you need to start by recognizing the common f actors.Two consecutive chords might have one or more finger positions in common, so you might be able to get to the next chord without moving all of your fingers. Efficiency here is the name of the game.If the shape of two chords is the same, but is up or down by one or two frets, don’t change the shape of your hand. Just pick up and move your whole hand along the frets.A chord chart is going to be one of the things most helpful to get you to learn to play chords.If   the finger position for the chords is the same, but just on different strings (say the E major chord and the A minor chord), there is no need to change your hand shape. Just practicing moving your fingers together as a group.Some notes are the same, but the finger positions change. Here you can have a play and try out new finger positions so that the chords have a few fingers in common. You might find it helpful to pivot around a particular finger (try this with your ring finger when moving from a D major chord to a G major)Sometimes there’s nothing in common between the chords, and you just need to learn the movements by heart to make the transition as fluid as possible. Learning to read tabs will help.Why do this?If you look closely at the different chords you’re trying to play, you can benefit from the points in common. Finding these points can help to reduce your movements and improve the fluidity of your playing.By finding the commonalities between easy guitar chords, you'll improve your fluidity in hand with your efficiency.Work on Your Fingers to Improve Your PlayingIf some of your fingers stay the same between chords, try to keep them perfectly still while you’re moving the rest of your hand.If you’re just picking up and moving your hand along without changing finger positions, make sure you aren’t moving your fingers as you move your hand. Even in the air your fingers should still stay in position.By practicing these tips your hand will begin to anticipate the movement of you r fingers and your playing will improve.With any new guitar technique, there will be exercises to help you to develop your dexterity. Practising moving your hand in different positions across the guitar neck will help you massively.Break a Movement DownIf two chords contain open notes, it’s an opportunity to play notes that are already there without actually having to put your fingers down. The open string is really a bit of a gift to guitar players to improve the efficiency of the movement.Learn how to dissect the positions. Check to see if you can play the note without having to add any extra fingers. Studying the chord diagrams and finding ways to play that are most comfortable for you will help.You’ll save time, and playing a series of chords together will become second nature.Changing between Chords.Putting two chords together is composed of up to six small steps that you can adjust based on your level.First, learn all of your chords by heart, and then work on changing from one chord to another.Be very clear where you need to place your fingers.It’s impossible to learn how to change chords and put them together all in one go, even in a guitar lesson.In summary, here's how to do it:Make the first chord with your left hand.Slowly change the position of your fingers to create the second chord - making sure that the chords you are making are the same positions as on the chord charts.Look at the positions of your fingers - are they the same? are your fingers crossing? are there any that don’t require moving at all?Go back and forth between the second and the first chord, slowly going forwards and backwards. Keep your fingers relaxed and as close to the guitar strings as possible to conserve your movements.It’s important to practice the transitions between the chords really slowly in order to gain muscle in your fingers, and to begin to build muscle memory.Then, you can begin to increase the speed and volume of your playing.Repeat this over and over u ntil it becomes comfortable. The goal is that the movements become second nature and instinctive, and that you stay relaxed.The last step is to repeat the whole exercise, but to strum the strings of the guitar with your right hand so that you can hear the chords.To check to see if you have the right notes, play each individual string and check its sound.This will help you get ready to play arpeggios!Tips and Tricks for Putting Chords TogetherPractice regularlyListen well - if you want to be able to play guitar like Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, or even Ben Harper, the most important thing that you can do is to practice regularly.What do we mean by that? How often do you need to practice guitar to begin playing well? Professional guitarists advise students to practice daily, or every other day, for 10 to 15 minutes so that the movements begin to become automatic and second nature. Then your muscle memory can take over when you’re moving your fingers between chords.Get Help from a Guitar TeacherIf you aren’t motivated to practice on your own, or you’re having trouble mastering the chords, ask a professional for help. They can guide you through the process in private lessons and give you advice on how to improve.They will show you if you’re sitting badly or picking up bad habits, and correct you where need be.Find a teacher who can help you improve your chords.Having a teacher will help generate immediate feedback on how you’re doing - they can mirror you, and your learning will be considerably enriched.So start looking for guitar lessons London to find the perfect teacher!Keep the BeatKeeping a consistent rhythm is a crucial part of playing guitar, and you need to keep the beat when you change chords.Don’t slow down to change chords and learn how to play with a metronome. This way, you won’t need to think too hard about the beat. Instead you’ll learn to keep a steady, even rhythm and play your chords.Once you’ve mastered the two chords and your move ments are smooth and easy, get a stopwatch to time yourself as you move up and down the neck of the guitar.Always give preference to quality over quantity - it’s always better to make five clean chord changes in one minute, than to try and get 15 chord changes in, but the sound is all wrong.Pay Attention to Your BreathingWe’re not talking about your physical breathing, but about the small pauses between chords when you let the strings vibrate and you move on to the next position.This pause should always happen between chord changes, and especially on the last note of a measure.If you want to get technical  when you’re using a pick and changing between two chords, instead of playing both with your pick, leave the last note of the measure empty and use the time to get your left hand ready.Visualize the Changing ChordsLearn to visualize changing chords.Close your eyes and picture your fingers in the correct position, and then picture them changing to the next chord.Focus on that mental image; it will help get your brain ready for the movement, and make the actual action smoother and easier.If possible, use the fingers that aren't holding strings as a ‘pivot’ to change positions between chords.And don’t forget to stay motivated and enjoy playing the guitar!

Essential Japanese Literature You Need To Read

Essential Japanese Literature You Need To Read The Best Japanese Books You Must Read ChaptersSeventeen, by Kenzaburô  Ã"éKafka on the Shore, by Murakami HarukiThe Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea, by Mishima YukioThe Last Shogun: The Life of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, by Shiba RyotaroA Midsummer's Equation, by Higashino KeigoMuch More to Discover...Japanese literature is rarely promoted during book fairs. When one thinks about foreign  literature, famous Japanse novelists rarely come to mind.American or European literature is often the bulk of the Foreign Novels books on the shelves of  your bookshop.Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, Marcel Proust, Victor Hugo, Leo Tolstoy or Fyodor Dostoyevsky are probably the most read classic authors from their respective countries.Japan is better known  for  its unique form of short poems, the haiku or its comic books, the mangas.Yet Japan is the home of some of the best writers in the world, even though only 2 of them ever received a Nobel Prize.Japanese book on display in a bookshop, More and more bookstores stock Japanese novels and mangas (by UCCS Kraemer Family Library)But one of the good things, when you live outside Japan and want to read Japanese books, is that the Japanese language is so complicated and laborious to translate that publishers, in their infinite wisdom, will only translate the best of the best. So rest assured that whatever makes it to the shelves of your bookstore has been very carefully curated.If you want to learn more about Japan, or if you are planning a trip to the Land of The Rising Sun, or even if you want to learn Japanese, any of the Japanese books you will find in your bookshop will teach you about the uniqueness of the Japanese culture.It is even truer if you are looking to live in Japan for a while (or forever), that reading some of the Japanese literary classics will probably teach you more about the traditions and lifestyle of the country than any anime or manga will.Watching or reading Naruto won't teach you much about actual Japan.So we've selected a few of the best Ja panese novels just for you.If you want to read Japanese novels in the original text, why not take Japanese lessons online?Want to read Japanese books in the original language? Look for Japanese classes London on Superprof.