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Wedding Ceremony Music – What Are Your Options?

Selecting the style of music you have performed at your wedding ceremony can seem like a daunting prospect. Searching online will reveal that there are a multitude of options to choose from, and when you aren’t quite sure what you want, it can be difficult to commit to anything.

So we have compiled an overview of your ceremony music options, including pros and cons of each, with the aim of making your decision a little less overwhelming:

PART 1

String Quartet

Versatile and expressive, a string quartet (or trio) remains a popular choice for wedding ceremony music. Suitable for both religious and secular ceremonies, string quartets can perform from a large repertoire of classical and popular songs, and it is common for them to accept song requests (as long as they are given enough notice – leaving it until the day itself is a little late!). They also add a fantastic visual element to the occasion, and will stimulate an atmosphere of classic elegance.

String quartets can perform outdoors at garden ceremonies, although they will require cover or shade, as sunlight (or rain!) will damage their instruments.

Hiring a string quartet for your ceremony will cost around $600.

A good idea if you like: ‘Canon in D’ – Pachelbel, ‘Spring’ – Vivaldi, ‘All You Need Is Love’ – The Beatles, ‘Air on G’ – Bach.

Harpist

Hiring a harpist for your wedding ceremony is another more traditional option, however like string quartets, they are suitable for both religious and secular ceremonies. If you have a romantic wedding in mind, a harpist will be ideal, as they exude romance both musically and visually.

The repertoire of a harpist is far more limited than other options, as they have a narrower range of sound and expression. They also have quite a soft dynamic, so are more suited to intimate ceremonies. If you are having an outdoor wedding, the harpist will require shade or cover to avoid damage to their instrument.

A harpist will generally cost around $350.

A good idea if you like: ‘Greensleeves’ – Traditional, ‘Raindrop Prelude’ – Chopin, ‘Moon River’ – Henry Mancini

Guitar (or Keyboard) and Vocal Duo

This option is most suitable for secular ceremonies, particularly if you want a relaxed vibe, and more contemporary songs to be performed. Duo’s can perform from a large repertoire of well-known pop, acoustic, groove, rock and even indie favourites. If your guests are on the younger side especially, this choice will be perfect as the audience will connect with and relate to the music.

If the duo is performing with electric guitar or keyboard, they will require a power source for their instruments, which can be problematic for some garden ceremonies.

As this duo will come with a vocalist, there are lyrics to consider as well as the music. Lyrics are a very powerful expressive tool, and can communicate to your guests how you and your partner feel about one another. Just make sure you consider the lyrics of your chosen music carefully – some songs don’t have the meaning that you initially expect them to!

A duo will range in price from around $500 to $900.

A good idea if you like: ‘I’m Yours’ – Jason Mraz, ‘It’s Only Natural’ – Crowded House, ‘If I Ain’t Got You’ – Alicia Keys, ‘Just The Two Of Us’ – Bill Withers, ‘Better Together’ – Jack Johnson

Jazz Band

Hiring a jazz band to perform at your ceremony will add a unique and sophisticated edge to the occasion. They can perform from an enormous instrumental repertoire, however a jazz band won’t be able to perform ‘conventional’ wedding songs that many of your guests will expect. Generally, a trio or quartet is best, and you have the option of selecting the instrumentation eg. saxophone, guitar and drums, or trumpet, guitar and bass.

If the jazz band is acoustic, there won’t be the issue of requiring power if the ceremony is outdoors. Also, a jazz band will also project sound further than most other groups (particularly if you choose to include a horn player) so your guests will be able to enjoy the music without struggling to hear it.

A jazz trio will generally cost around $900, and a quartet will start from $1200.

A good idea if you like: ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ – Frank Sinatra, ‘The Way You Look Tonight’ – Michael Buble, ‘So What’ – Miles Daves

Other Options (Covered in Part 2)
• Organ Player
• Wind Quartet (flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon)
• A Capella Group
• Church Choir

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Learn How to Play the Violin – Discover What Every Beginner Must Know Before They Even Start

If you’ve ever tried to play the violin then you will know firsthand just how difficult it can be. Violins don’t look like much. They are small and appear to be rather basic when compared against some other much larger and seemingly more complex instruments. It isn’t until you have actually tried to learn how to play one do you realize that they are possibly one of the hardest instruments to learn. If you have just started to learn how to play the violin then here are some tips to help get you started and keep you on the right track.

The first thing you must do is make sure that you know all the correct terminology of the instrument. Many people fail at learning an instrument because they don’t do their homework. Much like a sailor on a ship, there is much about the violin that you will need to memorize. This probably the most uninteresting part about learning any kind of instrument, but by doing this you are not only making it easier to learn how to play the violin but you are also demonstrating to yourself and others that you are determined and will succeed.

The correct way to hold a violin is rather unique and this actually is a big stumbling block for most beginners. Because the position can feel awkward for some people you may want to start off by holding it like you would a guitar or banjo. Obviously when holding it in this position you are unable to play it correctly, so pluck the strings instead. Continue holding it like this and plucking the strings until you feel comfortable holding it in the proper position under your chin.

While you may find experimenting and learning how to play the violin on your own exciting, the truth is that most people will never be able to master any instrument by teaching themselves. The violin is no exception and it is strongly recommended that you either get a personal violin tutor or instruction of some kind. There is a lot that you can’t teach yourself because you simply don’t know or you will find that you can learn much faster with someone else teaching you. Everyone learns at their own pace so be sure that any tutor you hire understands your needs and can customize classes to suit your personal preference.

Sometime you may feel that mastering the violin is near impossible, but with the above tips you are already ahead of the game. All that it takes is persistence and determination and you will find that mastering the violin isn’t as hard as you originally thought.

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