1.18.1 🪗 Learn Music Online, Real Python, Round Bubbles, Kids and Geology

Happy Wednesday afternoon. This week I had a lot of fun following up on a topic that has interested me for awhile: can you learn to play an instrument online? And, if that's do-able, where might you begin? I also highlight Real Python, an excellent online source for people wanting to learn the Python programming language. It's great if you're a beginner or want to add to your coding skills. There's also why bubbles are round (with a video of a square bubble), and how to engage kids in learning about geology around us. Hope you find this email interesting and fun.

Learn to Play a Musical Instrument

Years ago, I researched and wrote an article about how people created banjos in the early 1900s. Unlike today, musical instruments were often homemade. People played for and with their families and friends. I learned banjo strings were sometimes made from the thin wires in screen doors. It was that primitive.

But here we are in summer 2024. I’m wondering how easy or hard it might be to learn online how to play a musical instrument. One of my nephews, for example, learned to play guitar by watching YouTube videos. I’ve heard that lots of people have done the same. So where would you begin? And what instruments might be fun to learn? And could you build some instruments from materials lying around the house? Let’s see what we can learn.

Researching this topic, I found YouTube has lots of musical instrument courses. They're arranged for beginners to advanced musicians. If you want to learn guitar, for example, the first step would be to get your hands on a guitar. Then tune the guitar. Then work through online videos once you find a set that works for you. While learning music scales is typical, some people learn by repeating what they hear. Ambitions and needs also vary. Some people want to perform onstage. Others are happy learning how to play songs they love.

If you want to do your own research, the search engine phrases that generated a lot of useful results for me are: "learn how to play guitar videos", "learn how to play guitar online", "how to tune a guitar", and "how to build a guitar". Replace the word guitar with the instrument you want to learn about.

Last point to make: there are many ways around a barn when it comes to learning music or anything online. As always, these are links that I read and listened to that were interesting and fun. They also have a minimum amount of hard sell, advertising, and flim flam. Your mileage may vary.

What’s the best online guitar learning source? So many it’s tough to decide.
https://www.reddit.com/r/guitarlessons/comments/zhu599/whats_the_best_online_guitar_learning_source_so/
https://deviantnoise.com/guitar/online-lessons/

How to Learn Guitar Online
https://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Guitar-Online

Kids Guitar Dojo
https://www.kidsguitardojo.com/

How to Tune a Guitar for Beginners
https://www.youtube.com/embed/5jTsSvkBv60
https://www.youtube.com/@MartyMusic

How to Build an Electric Guitar
https://www.instructables.com/How-to-build-an-Electric-Guitar/

Hardware Store Fretted Cigar Box Guitar
https://www.instructables.com/Hardware-Store-Fretted-Cigar-Box-Guitar/

15 Types of Guitars: Electric and Acoustic
https://www.skillshare.com/en/blog/15-types-of-guitars-electric-and-acoustic/

Real Python

The Real Python website has always been an excellent start point for beginners who want to learn the basics. It’s also geared towards people who want to become professional Python programmers. Or add Python to their coding skills. They have the basic tutorials plus learning paths. There’s also at least one book they’ve published. And they offer guidance if you join their community.

From my perspective, thinking about kids who want to learn at their own pace, their learning paths and tutorials are perfect for self paced learning. Kids can start with the basics then read, work, and learn with the Real Python materials. They’re not forced into any long convoluted learning process like a class.

There is one detail to point out. There is a difference between downloading and using the Python language and using online Python emulators. Using an emulator lets you practice and learn without the bother of installing software. However, learning how to install software is a key programming skill. It is to be encouraged for anyone who truly wants to learn a language. Real Python teaches you how to install Python. The main Python website has an online emulator. And there’s other emulators like Repl.it.

Real Python
https://realpython.com
https://realpython.com/search?level=basics
https://realpython.com/learning-paths/python3-introduction/

Python
https://www.python.org/
https://www.python.org/about/gettingstarted/

Replit
https://replit.com/languages/online-python-compiler

Geology for Kids

For kids and adults that enjoy being outdoors, finding rocks is a great way to learn about geology. But geology actually covers a lot more than rocks.

Volcanologists study volcanoes and are geologists. Same for seismologists who study earthquakes. There’s a few online resources for kids who want to learn more about rocks and how the earth works.

There's lots of book guides and apps like Rockd if you want to start a rock collection. And there’s good rock-collecting sites on gravel bars, roadside ditches, and beaches. And it’s fun to explore the Macrostrat website which has geology maps for much of the world. Type your location name in the map and then click a spot on the map to learn about its geology.

A Day in the Life of a Geologist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd0ebby6npk

Rocks for Kids | Learn all about geology and rocks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsHPA2GNF9Q

Geology STEM Activities for Kids
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities/subjects/geology

15 Ways Kids Can Study Geology at Home
https://earthsciencejr.com/15-at-home-geology-projects-for-kids/

Geology: What Forces Shape Your World?
https://www.pbs.org/video/d4k-geology-basics-o1a1qo/

Macrostrat
https://macrostrat.org/

Why are Bubbles Round?

The BBC Science Focus article has the simple canonical answer. But the Science-U video also demonstrates how to make a square bubble. Plus a catchy chant for kids! Here’s the BBC answer:

“Bubbles occur when a thin film (for example, of soapy water) traps some gas (for example, air). The molecules in the film are attracted to each other, which not only holds the film together, but also makes it shrink to the smallest possible area.

The smallest area enclosing any given volume? A sphere. Therefore, the film will shrink to cover a sphere, and then can’t shrink any further because of the trapped air. Thus, bubbles end up as round.”

Why are bubbles round?
https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/why-are-bubbles-round

Is a Bubble Always Round? | Science-U
https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/square-bubbles/is-a-bubble-always-round/

This Week

Our Sunday issue this week has fun often offbeat links, for example, making the Seine in Paris swimmable, how nightmares could be a sign autoimmune disease, how gems were stolen from the British Museum and sold on eBay, dirty car art, what happens if an innocent person is tagged as a shoplifter with facial recognition software, and more. Look for it this Sunday!