The Best YouTube Drum Videos

The Best YouTube Drum Videos Learning How to Play the Drums with YouTube Videos ChaptersYouTube Channels for Musicians at HeartDrummers on YouTube that You Should FollowLearning How to Play the Drums with YouTube VideosLearn to Play the Drums with Apps“We don’t know what we’re looking for on the internet but we find everything that we’re not looking for.” - Anne RoumanoffWithout a doubt, if you’re looking for drum lessons near me, the internet is still one of your best options. Every minute, 300 hours of videos are uploaded onto YouTube. Three-quarters of this are music, making the platform perfect for those looking to learn more about the drums.But which YouTube drum tutorials should you watch? How can you separate the wheat from the chaff?In this article, we’re going to show you the best drumming tutorials on YouTube and how you can use them to learn more about both music and playing the drums!works  at a time that works for you. Of course, don't schedule your drum lessons for 3 in the morning if you live in a block of flats or have neighbours th at you'll keep awake all night with your drumming!

The Benefits of Playing Guitar

The Benefits of Playing Guitar What Are the Advantages of Being a Guitarist? ChaptersPlaying the Guitar to Improve Your MemoryGetting Rid of Stress by Playing GuitarGaining Discipline by Learning to Play the GuitarLearning the Guitar for FunExpressing Your Emotions with the Guitar“You don't need any brains to listen to music.” - Luciano PavarottiThat said, music can work wonders for your brain.  Music can influence your perception of effort. A study by Southern Connecticut State University showed that basketball players who ran listening to music ran 5 minutes longer than those who didn’t (at 85 to 90% of their maximum heart rate ).Thus, if listening to music can come with such benefits, surely playing the guitar can, too. It doesn't matter whether you learn guitar on your own, with a guitar teacher, or on a guitar course.In this article, we’re going to look at the benefits of playing the guitar in music lessons or teaching yourself how to play the guitar. PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsPlaying the Guitar to Improve Your MemoryWhatever style of music you choose, whether you play electric guitar or acoustic guitar, one thing’s for certain: you’re going to have to learn some guitar techniques.As your guitar playing improves, so will your memory. (Source: venturaartist)When you first start learning guitar, these techniques might include barre chords, chord progressions, pentatonic scales, arpeggios, and rhythm.Guitar lessons for beginners can include specialised lessons for blues gu itar, rock guitar, or classical guitar. Additionally, you'll learn about fingerpicking, basic guitar chords, fretting, and how to tune your guitar.Playing the guitar is a great way to stimulate your brain and your memory and beginners can start seeing the benefits from the moment they start playing a few melodies, licks, or a common guitar chord.All types of memory are engaged:Episodic Memory: when you listen to a song, it reminds you of another memory, of a person, or a specific time and place.Semantic Memory: you’ll develop knowledge-based memories of a particular topic, in this case, the guitar.Perceptual Memory: that which remembers what your senses experienced.Procedural Memory: this is the memory that remembers skills like how to read tablature, music theory, or tuning a guitar, for example.Working Memory: this is the part of memory which provides necessary information in order to complete certain tasks.When you learn to play guitar, you’ll also learn how to concentrate fo r longer. Thus, your concentration skills will be developed. In fact, when you practise a musical instrument, you need to fully concentrate on it. You can’t stop every 5 minutes to check your Facebook, read an email, or call a friend.You need a certain degree of discipline and you’ll soon be able to concentrate for a couple of hours without any problems. It’s great for when it comes to playing the guitar but also for your professional life. The more you can concentrate, the more quickly you’ll remember and the more you’ll remember. This will make learning much easier, resulting in more self-confidence and allowing you to work more effectively.The brain is an important muscle that we rarely flex. Just like any other muscle in our body, it needs regular training in order to remain effective. This is beneficial for children and teenagers, of course, but it’s also beneficial for adults as working on your memory will decrease the effects of ageing and reduce the risk of Alzhe imer’s!Another unsung benefit of playing the guitar is developing better listening skills: hearing rhythm and playing to a beat!Getting Rid of Stress by Playing GuitarStress is far too common in the 21st Century. Nearly half of all workers are stressed.Just like exercising, playing the guitar also releases endorphins. (Source: ThomasWolter)It seems that nobody is safe. An annoying colleague, traffic on the way to work, a doctor’s appointment, there are so many sources of stress in the modern age.  It almost seems inevitable.You need to find a way to avoid and manage your stress as it can be detrimental to your health: heart problems, weight gain, trouble sleeping, etc.  The guitar is a great remedy! Have a go at playing a Hendrix riff or playing some flamenco rhythms when you get in from work after a stressful day.  It’ll feel like a weight is lifted. Thus, with less stress, your mood will improve and so will the quality of your sleep.However, not all stress is bad. In fact, y ou’ll probably feel stressed before going on stage. This is the good type of stress. This will motivate you and encourage you to perform to the best of your abilities.  Good stress is temporary and can help you achieve a goal: putting on a good show in this case. However, it can be exhausting and you’ll need to recover afterwards. PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsGaining Discipline by Learning to Play the GuitarUnlike the piano where p ressing the key will produce a nice sound, a budding guitarist needs to correctly press down on the fretboard and correctly strike the string in order to make a nice sound.Just like the violin, there’s a tough learning curve at the beginning.  However, by working a few minutes on it every day, you’ll soon start seeing results. You need to persevere and not give up after just two guitar lessons when you can’t immediately play what your guitar tutor showed you!Sometimes you’ll feel like you’re stagnating but you can’t give up.  Your brain needs time to assimilate new concepts and there are different stages of the learning process that you need to respect.  You need to keep your objectives in mind and remain disciplined in order to get the right results!Sometimes you just need someone else, like a private guitar tutor, to remind you of the progress you’re making. So why not look up guitar lessons and get started right away?Or, if your guitar teacher says you're ready to,   you could play guitar in a band: that takes discipline to a whole new level!Learning the Guitar for FunLike all musical instruments, it’s important that you enjoy yourself when playing the guitar.  If you don’t get any enjoyment out of playing the guitar, I don’t see any reason to continue doing it.Playing the guitar should cause your brain to secrete dopamine, the hormone that is produced when you do other enjoyable activities like meditation, exercise, or eating chocolate.Need we say more?Playing the guitar can also cause the release of the same endorphins that are produced when you do sport or enjoy certain activities that I won’t explicitly detail in this article.Thus, playing the guitar can bring a lot of pleasure which should feed your determination for improving your guitar playing.Endorphins are a stimulant for the body which acts similarly to a painkiller and also improves the body’s autoimmune response. Playing the guitar is therefore great for your physical an d mental health.  You can also increase your lung capacity by singing at the same time!With all these free hormones floating about, you’ll boost your self-confidence. The more confidence you have, the more you’ll work at it, and the more you’ll improve.Of all of the great reasons to play the guitar, this one has to be at the top of the list!Expressing Your Emotions with the Guitar“I write music with an exclamation point!” - Richard WagnerMusic is a great way to express your emotions. Whether you're sad, angry, or happy, the guitar will be your best friend.Whether you're anxious, stressed, happy, or feeling nostalgic, there's a song for that! (Source: shusnob)Similarly, the guitar can get rid of your daily stress and help you to express feelings that you can’t put into words.A bit like when writers feel liberated by writing down their painful emotions onto paper, a musician will feel much more at ease having played a few notes to express what they’re feeling.  Let your fingers freely roam the fretboard and let your guitar liberate your feelings. It’ll do you the world of good!Composing music is also a great way to express your creativity by writing music exactly that expresses exactly how you feel. Don’t hesitate to grab your guitar whether you feel angry, sad, or joyous!This expression might even make its way into your next live set!Become a Guitarist to Improves Your Social SkillsMusic is all about sharing. You share emotions with yourself, an audience, or other musicians.Being in a band will improve your playing and your confidence. (Source: Pexels)As a member of a band or group, you can develop your empathy towards others and improve your communication with them.In a group, everyone has a role to play and it’s important that each musician remain humble about their music and not get big-headed.  Sharing music with other musicians can help forge strong friendships and is also a lot of fun.Being in a group isn’t always a walk in the park, though. There will inevitably be tension and you’ll need to learn how to manage disagreements without hurting the other members of your band or splitting the group up.  You’ll learn to be tolerant of others and respect the work that each musician is doing.  You’ll learn to compromise, just like you have to in relationships.Whether you're just interested in strumming a few power chords to some pop punk, practising some strumming patterns and basic chords, learning how to read guitar tabs, or becoming the next great guitar player, with all these great benefits, you should learn how to play guitar as soon as possible.

How to Play Ukulele 5 Easy Ukulele Songs

How to Play Ukulele 5 Easy Ukulele Songs Megan L. Once youve mastered playing chords on the ukulele, youre ready to move on to tackling some songs. Here are 5 easy ukulele songs that are great for beginners. Remember, its okay to start slow and gradually increase your speed until youre playing the song at its normal tempo. Alouette This French folk song is light and breezy. With just two chords for you to master, this is a great song to practice singing while playing once you get the chord transitions down. Tabs and chords for Alouette Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star This childrens classic uses three basic chords. Tabs and chords for  Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star Old MacDonald Old MacDonald Had a Farm is another classic childrens song that is easy to play on the ukulele. Tabs and chords for  Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star Amazing Grace This hymn is a little more challenging. Once youve mastered simpler songs, try adding Amazing Grace to your repertoire. Tabs and chords for  Amazing Grace Knocking on Heavens Door This classic Eric Clapton ballad is a bit more challenging than the other songs, but certainly doable for a beginner. Just remember to stay focused on learning the chords and start slow! Tabs and chords for  Knocking on Heavens Door Use these songs as a jumping off point to get started playing the ukulele. There are lots of other great resources online that can help you learn to play just about any ukulele song you can think of. In fact, if youre looking for more songs to play, here is a guide that lists  songs based on category and experience level. If you feel like you need a bit more help learning how to play ukulele, music lessons are another great option to explore. When you take private music lessons, your teacher can tailor lesson plans to you, to make sure you learn what you really want to know! 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

7 Things That You Absolutely Shouldnt Put In Your Resume - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 7 Things That You Absolutely Shouldnt Put In Your Resume - Introvert Whisperer 7 Things That You Absolutely Shouldnt Put In Your Resume   Resumes are viewed as opportunities to display capability. In fact, you are told to include all information you think will help you secure the job. However, this invitation seems to have been abused and is costing more people the job instead of offering them the opportunity. The reality is that employers receive hundreds of applications for every advert put out. This denies them the luxury of dealing with irrelevant entries in your resume. A resume must therefore only contain what is valuable to your application. This means that some items must be automatically expelled from your resume. Experts have given 8 common entries that will cost you your coveted position. 1. Work Experience Are you surprised because employers want people with working experience? Well, not all experience is relevant. Identify the instances you worked and got skills that are relevant to the position you are applying for. You might have been an intern or worked part-time in a field that is not related to your qualification. Keep such information to yourself. This is why you should prepare different resumes for each job you apply so that you can include only the relevant information. The inclusion of irrelevant work experience blankets the most important information that your potential employer is interested in. The employer is left to search for details in a bulky resume. Employers do not have the time and will end up skipping your resume. Make your work experience section lean and relevant. Highlight the most relevant experience and you will capture the eye of your potential employer. 2. Personal Information Most job seekers are confused by the question, “Tell us about yourself” to the point of including personal information in their resumes. The most common personal information entered in resumes includes marital status, religion, height, parental status and hair color, among others. If your employer is interested in such information, you will be asked to provide it during the interview. Unless the advert has a provision for age, no one wants to know about it. There are very few instances where such information is necessary. If you are applying for a position in a religious organization that is sensitive about marital and religious status, you are welcome to include such details. In fact, the requirements indicated on the advert will guide you on the kind of information to provide. 3. Hobbies There is no doubt that employers want all rounded employees. But what you do during your free time will never be important to an employer. You might love biking, playing video games, taking nature photos or hiking, among many other hobbies, but they contribute zero to your work success. In fact, the next time your employer wants photos taken of operations at the firm or an event for the organization, he will never look for the employee who indicated that he enjoys taking photos. Do not ignore the hobbies all together. Find a way of bringing them up during the interview. Once your results are impressive, these hobbies will differentiate you from ordinary employees. They show that you are outgoing and take personal initiative. The company will also take pride in a good performer during a national dancing competition, or such events. 4. Praise Adjectives It is good to be tech savvy and a natural leader. It is also impressive to be a good problem solver and innovative. However, everyone can coin such phrases and include them in resumes. However, only a few can provide evidence of what their natural leadership or tech-savvy skills have done. In fact, organizations and employers are looking for these skills in their employees. However, they require employees who have demonstrated these skills. Other than state that you are a problem solver, highlight your strategic leadership and the results these skills brought to your former employer. 5. Falsehood One of the renowned entrepreneurs is famous for the quote to the effect that if you are offered a job and do not know how to do it, take the job first then learn how to do it. This does not work in the employment sector. Do not apply for a job you are not qualified and hope to learn upon employment. Do not state that you have worked for a company or employer yet you have not. Falsehood will catch up with you, even if it is later in life. Employers verify the information given in resumes. The minute they discover that it was false, you will be on your way out of the job. 6. Referees Employers will expressly state whether they need a referee in your resume or not. In fact, you will be asked to provide this information on a different page. Most employers talk to referees at the final stage of decision making. You will have passed several stages of interview and awaiting confirmation. It is advisable that you inform the referees in advance. They are in a position to give a positive word for you with prior information than when ambushed. Include referees who will add value to your job search. 7. Bluff And Inconsistencies A resume should always and only be informed by the job you are applying for. Check the qualification and information required and include it in the resume. Any other information that is not required should be ignored. In fact, you should have a resume that is brief and precise. One that provides the details required and makes it easier for the shortlisting team to spot the skills they are looking for. Based on the position applied and requirements of the candidate, make your resume as precise as possible. The ultimate guide for the information that goes into a resume is the candidate requirements on the advert. You have a responsibility of making it easy for the employer and vetting committee to spot required skills and pick them out amidst the thousands of applications made. Consult a professional in resume making to streamline your resume and make it attractive in the eyes of the employer. This is your sure way to employment. About the author: Betsy Randall  is a researcher and writer at TermPaperEasy with a Master Degree in Philosophy. Her Liberal Art Education is not an obstacle to learn new technology that she did her hobby. Also, she provides free tutoring lessons for students in the local school in Florida. Go to top Do you know what your next career step is?  Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable. Get your copy now and start your action plan today! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

A Day in the Life at Cornell University

A Day in the Life at Cornell University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Stephanie is a Houston tutor specializing in Literature tutoring, History tutoring, Essay Editing tutoring, and much more. She graduated from Cornell University in 2004 with a Bachelors degree in Sociology. Check out her review of her alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Stephanie: Cornell is located in the town of Ithaca, New York. The area immediately surrounding campus is referred to as College Town with Ithaca proper located just down the hill from the campus. It is a beautiful campus with rolling hills, gorges, and waterfalls. The campus is very safe, but you do need to use common sense when walking at night. The campus is divided according to schools and colleges. Each school or college within the university has its own quad or central location. On-campus bus transportation is convenient and Cornell students can purchase special bus passes for semester or annual use. Students also walk or bike to class. If you plan to walk or bike, be prepared for cold winters good boots are a must! Most of the upperclassmen, especially those who live off campus, typically have cars, but parking can be tricky on campus. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Stephanie: I felt that all of my professors, advisers, and TAs were accessible I just had to make an appointment or attend office hours. Since class sizes can vary tremendously depending on majors and colleges, I would highly recommend going to office hours to develop a rapport with the professor. This is especially true if you are interested in a particular subject or if you want to work with a particular professor later on in your collegiate life. A pre-existing relationship with a professor is also helpful if you choose to undertake a thesis because you select your own advisor. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Stephanie: All of the freshmen live together on North Campus and there are a variety of housing and dining options depending on personal preference. Answers that you provide to university polls on lifestyle and personality type will likely determine what type of housing environment in which you are placed. You can also request a certain dormitory or housing option. The dining halls on campus are first rate and accommodate every type of diet. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Stephanie: Cornells academics are highly respected and you will find top-notch professors and staff in every major and in every college. I was accepted to Cornells College of Arts and Sciences as an English major but switched majors halfway through my sophomore year to Sociology. Switching majors was easy since I was switching intra-college. It is possible to switch majors inter-college, but you will need to work closely with the registrar and your advisors to ensure that all of your academic requirements are satisfied. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Stephanie: Making friends at Cornell is a breeze! The student body is large and diverse, and there will definitely be people who have the same interests as you do! There is Greek life on campus, but there are so many other student groups that going Greek is by no means mandatory in order to feel accepted and develop close bonds with your peers. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Stephanie: The Career Center is fantastic and Cornell has a robust on-campus recruiting and interviewing initiative. All of the top companies and non-profits come to Cornell to interview. In addition, there are career fairs and the alumni network is very strong. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Stephanie: There are lots of spaces to study to fit every preference. Typically, you will find your favorite spot by the end of exams first semester. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Stephanie: Ithaca and College Town boast an impressive collection of restaurants, theatres, and bars and pubs. Cornell also has the Johnson Art Museum, the Ornithology Lab, a rare book collection, and many other state-of-the-art public resources. Cornell does a great job of bringing in music, theatre, and comedy acts to campus, as well as prominent speakers. For example, while I was at Cornell, I saw No Doubt play a show, went to see Jon Stewart, and President Bill Clinton delivered my commencement address. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Stephanie: Cornell is the largest Ivy League school with a student body of around 13,000, but the way the university divides itself by colleges makes it feel much smaller. Class size varies depending on subject matter and the particular college. Large classes will typically include both seminar (where new materials are presented) and a section that is taught by a TA with a class size of 10-15 (where material is reviewed). VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Stephanie: I dont think I can think of just one experience that I loved! I absolutely adored my time at Cornell I really did not want to leave. I found that everything, from the friends that I made to the instruction that I received, were more than I could have hoped for. Check out Stephanies tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Start Cooking on a Budget

Start Cooking on a Budget How Much Does it Cost to Learn How to Cook? ChaptersHow Much Does Cooking Equipment Cost?How Much Do Cooking Courses Cost?How Can You Learn to Cook for Free?Easy Recipes for Under £5“Cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or wood carving, or music.” - Julia ChildHave you thought about opening a cookbook and making your own dishes rather than eating ready meals, instant soups, and leftovers?A lot of people enjoy cooking.What about you?Learning to cook can be quite the investment once you’ve bought the equipment you’ll need to make your own dishes. However, once you've got the equipment, it'll pay for itself as you can make hearty and healthy meals.Whether you’re cooking simple recipes or haute cuisine, you should probably opt for seasonal produce. In addition to saving money, you’ll also get the nutritional benefits of these products and you'll find it much easier to eat well. GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1s t lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Much Does Cooking Equipment Cost?To change your eating habits and start making your own delicious meals, you’ll need to get a few essentials. While you might think cooking on a budget is difficult, you don’t need a kitchen like they have on Masterchef.You don't need to offer haute cuisine to provide good food. (Source: neshom)You’re not going to be doing molecular gastronomy but rather some simple home cooking and healthy meals.Here is some essential cooking equipment you should get for preparing y our ingredients and how much they cost.A peeler for fruits and vegetables. These usually cost under £10. You should pay attention to what it’s made of (stainless steel, ceramic, plastic) and how sturdy the handle is.A good knife for cutting, slicing, etc. You’ll probably pay around £20 for a decent knife. Cheaper knives don't tend to last. Don’t forget a knife sharpener, too.A chopping board since you wouldn’t want to wreck your bench. This usually can work out between £5 and £10 depending on what you go for.For cooking meat and vegetables, you should get the following:A saucepan. If you live on your own, one should be enough. However, it’s recommended that you get two. A 20cm diameter saucepan ranges between £15 and £30.A frying pan. The price will vary depending on the quality and the covering. A 28cm diameter frying pan can cost between £15 and £40.A wooden spoon and spatula. These are often sold as a pack and are useful for mixing and won't scratch your pan whe n you stir a sauce. They usually cost around £5.Lids so that your sauces don’t spit onto the counter. You can get glass or stainless steel lids. You can buy them separately for between €15 and €25 or get pots and pans that come with them and you’ll save more money doing the latter.A strainer. Opt for a strainer with small holes so you can use it for stock, rice, and any type of pasta. This usually can work out between £5 and £10 depending on what you go for.An oven dish. This is essential for cooking stuff in the oven. They’re usually made of glass, but you can also get stainless steel ones. They cost between £5 and £20, depending on the size.Of course, if you’re interested in baking, you’ll probably want a measuring cup, kitchen scales, and mixing bowls.  When you cook for yourself, you can choose what you eat and, therefore, eat more healthily and save money.So when are you going to start?How Much Do Cooking Courses Cost?There are several options for those who w ant to learn how to become a chef:Attending a cookery schoolDoing a cooking workshopStudying a degree in gastronomyTaking private cooking tutorialsThere are cooking schools in larger cities. Thus, a student who wants to learn traditional recipes may have to spend a substantial amount of money.Simple ingredients can make simple dishes that taste delicious. (Source: congerdesign)For example, the Cordon Bleu in London is a culinary arts, wine and management school that was founded in the early 1930s with a focus on the cooking techniques that were being taught to gourmet French chefs. The school was initially founded as L’Ecole du Petit Cordon Bleu by Rosemary Hume and Dione Lucas after being allowed to take the Cordon Bleu tradition to the UK.Did you know that Hume created the recipe for “Poulet Reine Elizabeth” for the Queen's coronation?This recipe is more commonly known as “Coronation Chicken”.The longer courses (such as the Grand Diplôme) can cost nearly £35,000 for 9 months. This is the kind of course where you will learn the art of cooking, every single technique, and all the cooking methods that the worlds best chefs have mastered. Of course, since you'll learn how to prepare a large variety of dishes, you'll be expected to handle seafood, veal (amongst other meats), and alcohol.There are four main culinary arts diplomas offered by the school: cuisine, pâtisserie, boulangerie, and gastronomy and nutrition.There are plenty of cooking workshops up and down the country.The Diplôme de Cuisine can be studied over 9 months or intensively over 6. This is the course that teaches students classic techniques.The Pastry and Confectionary diploma (Diplôme de Pâtisserie) also lasts for 9 months (6 months intensive) and includes cake making and decorating.The Diplôme de Boulangerie focuses on making bread dough, viennoiserie, and other baked goods. This course lasts 7 months and is useful for anyone wanting to open and run their own bakery.Le Cordon Bl eu also offers short courses on various techniques, summer cooking courses, wine tasting, and cake decorating. These courses can be as short as two hours or as long as three weeks. These could be ideal for amateur chefs who want to get better at preparing pastry or gain some fundamental knife skills (in the kitchen, of course!).You could also opt for private cooking tutorials if you’re interested in learning a few different recipes or culinary techniques.On Superprof, a private cooking tutorial costs around £25 per hour. However, a lot of tutors offer their first hour of tutoring for free. This is a good opportunity to see if you get along.  Of course, the cost will vary depending on where you are and your tutor’s experience and qualifications.Find cooking classes london.How Can You Learn to Cook for Free?You don’t have to break the bank to learn how to cook. Quite the opposite. You can learn to make gourmet dishes for very little money.When done right, cooking can be a lot o f fun. (Source: 089photoshootings)As a beginner learning to cook on a budget, you might make a few mistakes, so here’s some advice to help you:Be organised: from going to the supermarket to making your dishes, you should avoid waste at all costs.Read the recipe before you start cooking so that you know what to expect.Test the recipe before you cook it for your friends and family.To learn more about stress-free cooking, there are a few good options:Cooking MOOCs: a MOOC is an online course and you can study a variety of different subjects. There are MOOCs on cooking and you can learn the basics as well as more advanced techniques thanks to them.Video tutorials on YouTube: there are plenty of freely accessible video tutorials on YouTube with recipes and explanations of certain cooking techniques.Cooking websites and blogs: again the internet is home to a lot of useful resources for those on a budget. Check out some of the most popular websites and blogs for useful recipes and advice .When it comes to cooking, practice makes perfect! You can find recipes for whatever you fancy from ham omelettes, lasagna, stuffed vegetables, beef stew, etc, and more often than not, the simplest dishes are the best!Easy Recipes for Under £5When we say dishes for less than a fiver, we’re not talking about canned beans on toast, instant noodles, or prepackaged sandwiches or leftover curry from the night before! When you go grocery shopping, you can fill your pantry with inexpensive and nutritious ingredients and start making healthier meals.You need to be organised from the very moment you arrive at the market! (Source:Make sure your cupboards are stocked up with useful vegetables like potatoes, broccoli, peas, etc. You can also keep veggies in your fridge or freezer for making filling stews, a casserole, a broth, or other money saving dishes like a stir-fry, chilli con carne, etc.There are plenty of budget recipes available online or in cooking magazines and recipe books. Here are a couple of examples to inspire you.Roast Camembert SurprisePreparation time: 15 minutes.Cooking time: 40 minutes.Ingredients for serving four people:1 Camembert1 yellow onion3 tablespoons of brown sugar10g of raisins4 large slices of breadParsley and chives100g of unsalted butter1 tablespoon of brown sugarCiderPreparation:Peel and slice the onion before browning it in a frying pan with butter.Add the vinegar and reduce for two minutes. Add the sugar and reduce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.Cut an 8cm diameter hole in the Camembert and remove it.Full the hole with onions, raisins, and herbs.Put the lid back on the Camembert and wrap it in tinfoil.Cook for 20 minutes at 200 °C.Toast the bread and cut it into soldiers.Serve with a green salad and cider.Chocolate/Orange/Apricot Gooey CookiesPreparation time: 15 minutes.Cooking time: 20 minutes.Ingredients for 16 cookies:50g of unsalted butter50g of slightly salted butter1 egg100g of cane sugar200g of flour1 orange8 tender a pricots1 teaspoon of baking powder75g of milk chocolatePreparation:Dice the apricots, zest the orange, and grind the chocolate.Beat the eggs, baking powder, and half of the flour.Add the butter and sugar and work the dough with your hands.Add the chocolate, apricots, and orange zest before adding the rest of the flour.Create 40g piles of dough (around a tablespoon) onto a baking tray.Bake for 12 to 14 minutes at 180 °C.Cooking VocabularyWhen you learn how to cook, you’ll also need to learn the jargon. In each of our cooking articles, we’ve included a few definitions to help you so make sure to read the other articles.ZestZesting is when you remove the zest (the outer coloured part of a citrus fruit peel) to use to flavour food. Don’t use the white part.ConcasseThis is when you crush or grind something into large pieces. It commonly refers to a process used on tomatoes.

How to Learn English Vocabulary Easily - 5 Tips for Learning New Words

How to Learn English Vocabulary Easily - 5 Tips for Learning New Words I want to talk to you today about English words and how to learn English vocabulary easily.In past few lessons Ive spoken to you about written English and how to improve that. Ive also spoken to you about how to improve your conversational English and how to speak better English.English like any other language is made up of words. Its a series of words and we put all of those words into sentences. But on their own…. Okay, they have a meaning but they dont make much sense unless you put them together and you know how to use them.Many of my students have come to me and they want to learn words. Give me more vocabulary. Give me more words give me 10 20 30 words to use every day.I try to avoid that mainly because it just doesnt work. Okay.So you can sit there with an English dictionary you can learn all the words you want to learn but I almost guarantee that within 24 hours you have forgotten most of them.And the ones you do remember, you wont know what they mean. All youll see is just a page of words and youre trying to remember the word and try to guess what the meaning is. How to Learn English Vocabulary Easily - 5 Tips So lets look at it in a different way how to approach this, to get those words to have more meaning.When you’re trying to learn English, you want to make sense, you want people to understand you. And the best way for them to understand you, is if you speak sensible English correct English using the correct word in the correct way.So you have to understand the word and understand how to use it. So if you want to practise your words, then practise how to use that particular word either in an expression, in a sentence, in a paragraph, in an essay, some written work, whatever it might be.Im not telling you not to learn words. But I am suggesting and recommending that in addition to learning the words, you learn the true meaning and then how to apply them in your English.Whether youre at the lower intermediate level or intermediate or upper intermediate. It really doesnt matter what level youre at, you still have to have the same approach. How to Learn English Vocabulary Easily - Exercise 1 I get my students to select a theme.The theme can be absolutely anything. It could be a visit to the dentist, could be a visit to the hospital, it could be taking a boat trip.Firstly, I get them to put down headings: nouns, adjectives, verbs. For those more advanced adverbs and other expressions.Then try to get them to identify those particular words connected with that theme. How many words can they think of connected that are nouns to the theme visit to the dentist? How many words are adjectives? With verbs is the same and so on.So you then identified those words with the particular theme. When youve got those words, I then get my students to put them together in an essay or a written piece and try to use them in the correct way.This is a much better way to remember the word and how to use it and how to apply it to that particular theme. How to Learn English Vocabulary Easily - Exercise 2 The second example that I use when I talk to my students then is to get an article.Pick an article from a magazine, a newspaper, even a book. It makes no difference. What youve got to do first of all, youre going to read the article once just to get an understanding what does it mean or try to understand 60 65 percent.When youve read it once, read it a second time. As you read through the second time I want you to highlight words and phrases you dont know phrases you dont understand.When you come back to me at the next lesson, then youll have a list of all these words phrases and expressions and I’ll explain what they mean and how to use them.Then we go back to the article and read it together and understand exactly what the author was trying to get at. This way you have a much better chance of understanding the words and certainly a much better chance of remembering them. How to Learn English Vocabulary Easily - Exercise 3 The third exercise is connected with pronunciation. And you might be wondering how is that connected with words.I take a number of words there might be 10 or 15 or 20 (depending on their particular level).Firstly, we practise the pronunciation. We practise where the stress should be. But more importantly, were trying to understand what those words mean. As were going through each of the words I ask the student: ‘Do you know what it is? Can you understand it? Can you use it yourself?’Having gone through each of the words, having put the correct stress on the correct syllable, we then go back to the words and we put them into a sentence. How to Learn English Vocabulary Easily - Exercise 4 The fourth exercise I get my students to write short passages or an essay or a letter. It doesnt really matter what it is but what I get them to do is to make sure they dont repeat the key words more than once in each paragraph.For example, youre going to write a little passage about the holiday that youve had or the book that you just read. And youre going to try and explain those feelings but dont repeat the same key word more than once in each paragraph. Its quite tough to do and its a great exercise to get you to understand, remember and use all of the words. How to Learn English Vocabulary Easily - Exercise 5 The final tip that I have for you is practice. English only gets better if you practise it and particularly with words we want to practise words, we want to practise collocations, expressions and phrases.For example, if we take the phrase ‘discharged from hospital’ Thats on its own its fine ‘discharged from hospital’. In a sentence ‘I was discharged from hospital yesterday.’ So I left hospital yesterday. You get an understanding of what it means and how to use it.Another collocation ‘I have a splitting headache’. Splitting headache is the collocation. ‘I have splitting headache all day because of the weather.’ So practise how to use it an expression.The room that Im sitting in here is bright and cheerful. Bright and cheerful is the expression meaning colours are very nice, the decoration is wonderful. So when you come in you feel alive.You have to find expressions, collocations, phrases and words and practise putting them into appropriate sentences so the meaning sticks with you.Thats all for this particular lesson.Remember to subscribe to my channel as always and join me on www.englishlessonviaskype.com.When you look in the description, youll find a great link to all of our courses. And weve got some great news coming up shortly about a very very special club that you can join. So join me again soon.

Irregular Verbs

Irregular Verbs Learning English can be a difficult task sometimes. Idioms can be many students  achilles heel whilst  adverbs can be  especially  difficult .  Today, we are going to look at another challenging topic- how to use irregular verbs in the past tense.  First, lets look at these videos which explain past irregular verb categories, making them  easier to remember. So get your popcorn ready, sit back and enjoy the videos.Grammar Videos: Irregular VerbsDid you get that? Easy, right? Lets see how well you understood  the video. Below Ive made a table of irregular verbs. Ive highlighted the 12 categories from the videos to make it easier for you to remember the different rules. Look at the examples, and then try to fill in the gaps with your answers.  Remember to write them in the comment section, and well respond!English Irregular Verb Exercise: Gap FillNow lets put those past irregular verbs into practice. Below Ive made 15 questions with the verb in parenthesis(). Go ahead and think of how we would change these to the past tense, remembering the rules we just learned together. Its an interesting story about an Olympic fencing medalist, and well watch a video about it after this activity. Write your answers in the comments section to show the world your English level!  When I _________(to qualify) for the Olympic team, the focus ___(to be) about me being the first Muslim woman in hijab to represent team USA at the Olympic games.I ______(to want) to challenge the narrative that Muslim women are meek and docile and oppressed.As a kid, I ______(to play) softball, I _____(to try) tennis, I ___(to run) track.My teammates ____(to wear) tank tops or  shorts, but my mom always ___(to have) to adjust the uniform so it would adhere to the tenants of my faith.  When I ___(to be) about 12 years old, my mom and I ____(to be) driving past a local high school, and we ___(to see) athletes that ___(to have) on long jackets, long pants, and they ___(to have) on these masks.  Thats whe n we __________(to discover) fencing.Once I ______(to find) fencing it ___(to be) the first time where I ______(to look) like my teammates, and that ___(to be) just this really gratifying experience for me.More English Gap Fill Exercises:As a young athlete, I really ______(to look) up to Serena and Venus.  They never _________(to conform) to what the tennis community ______(to want) them to be, and through their prowess, they ______(to force) society to accept them as they ____(to be).  That was something I ______(to want) for myself within fencing.When I _________(to qualify) for the Olympic team, my life immediately _______(to change).It ___nt (to be) until opening ceremonies that I ___(to be) overcome with emotion.I ____(to tell) her to bring home the gold!No one _______(to think) we would win a medal.  We ____(to be) underdogs.When it ________(to happen), Im like oh my god.From the time I ______(to walk) onto the podium to the time they ___(to put) the medal around my neck, l iterally just like complete disbelief.I ___(to meet) Serena and Venus in the Olympic Village.Im sure they _______(to think) I ___(to be) crazy, but I ____(to feel) like I ___(to have) to tell them in that moment how much they _____(to mean) to me growing up.Good work! That was the difficult part- now for the easy part! Lets see what this story was about and head to the  Olympics for some inspiration. Now, You can check your answers while you are listening.English Listening ExerciseWasnt that a great story? I hope you enjoyed it. So, if you still feel like you need more practice before we move onto the next section, I encourage you to read  this  blog post  from LOI English.English Verb Identification ExerciseFinally,  have a look at this short story:John awoke from his sleep, and bent forward to pick up his slippers to cover his cold feet. The wind blew fiercely outside, but he didn’t need to go to work because it was the weekend. He drank a hot cup of tea and fed his ginger cat, Toby. He then ate his breakfast while he read the newspaper. Something caught John’s eye, and he was shocked to see the front page of the newspaper had his face on it…..You guessed it. the story has some past irregular verbs in it. I can count 11 irregular verbs-can you spot them? Excellent work! You may have noticed that the story is incomplete. If you are feeling inspired after watching some great videos in this class, please go ahead and write how you think the story will end in the comment section- wed love to hear your ideas and give you some feedback. Try to use some of the past irregular verbs weve talked about. Furthermore, if your story is particularly good, you will find your name on the LOI English Past Irregular Verb Wall of Fame! So good luck, and get typing.Sign up  now for some great, interactive Skype English classes with LOI English.