INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Soaking your corns will soften the thickened skin, making it easier to remove. Fill a foot bath or other shallow basin with warm, soapy water and soak the affected area for 10 minutes or until the corn begins to feel softer.  The water should be warm, but not so hot that it scalds your skin. Some people find it helpful to add a little apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or baking soda to the warm water. Once you’ve soaked your corn in warm water for a bit, take a pumice stone and dip it in the water. Rub the stone gently over the corn, making small circles or sideways motions.  You can also use a nail file, emery board, or even a rough washcloth or exfoliating pad.  Be careful not to scrub too aggressively or remove too much skin since this can lead to irritation or infection. Don’t use a pumice stone on your skin if you have diabetes, because this can lead to slow-healing wounds and infections. See your doctor or podiatrist for treatment and advice. Moisturizers can help soften the skin of hardened corns, eventually making them easier to remove. Moisturizing creams or lotions containing salicylic acid, ammonium lactate, or urea may be especially helpful for softening corns. Look for corn or callus pads online or in your local drugstore. You can buy specially made corn pads or purchase moleskin that you can cut to the right shape and size for your corns. Follow package instructions carefully, and use these products with caution. Most corn removal products contain salicylic acid, which could irritate or burn your foot.  If you have diabetes, don’t use these products without consulting your doctor. They could lead to irritation and infection. Most OTC pads contain 40% salicylic acid, making this a strong medication. Even so, your doctor may recommend that you file away some of the dead skin on the corn before applying the pad.

SUMMARY: Soak your corns in warm water for 10 minutes. File away the softened corn with a pumice stone. Moisturize the affected area every day. Use padding to prevent further irritation. Try over-the-counter medications on stubborn corns.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Don't try to sing or practice along just yet-- you'll be practicing the wrong words and melodies until you know the song well. Listen for the lyrics, the melody, and how the singer reacts to the band or backing track. Most music has a consistent pattern of "beats" that keeps the entire band playing at the same time. The easiest way to learn the rhythm of a song is to tap your feet along with the song. Each "tap" is a beat. In modern songs, listening to the kick drum (the deepest sounding drum) is the easiest way find rhythm if you are unsure. This is usually found in jazz or metal, or old song's without consistent beats. Time signatures, like 4/4 or 3/2, are used to write out rhythm. The first number tells you how many beats are in a measure, and the second tells you the length of each beat. 4/4 is the most common, and it means that the song repeats 4 beats of 4 quarter notes (1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, etc). Any instrument that plays notes and chords is a melody instrument. Often, finding the root note is usually as easy as finding the first note played. The song's key most important part of it's melodic structure, and is the first thing you need to know to figure out a song.  To find a song's key, look for the one note that you can play over every section of the song without sounding bad or "out of key." It can help to hum to a song. Our brains are wired to understand melody, and often the first note you will try to hum is the song's key. Find the note on your instrument that matches your humming and you have the key! Sheet music is a blueprint for playing a song. If you play an orchestral instrument or a piano, reading music is essential to learning new songs, but all instruments can benefit from written music. Spend some time every day practicing reading music and look up notes or symbols your don't know.  Reading music can also help teach music theory, which will help you decipher songs that you can't find music for. Guitars, bass guitars, and drums are often written in "tablature," a simplified way of reading music that tells you where to place your hands or drumsticks instead of what notes to play. if you cannot buy or find sheet music. This can be difficult for some songs, but start by finding out what key the song is in and what tempo it is at. Then experiment from there with relevant scales, chords, and rhythms until you feel confident that you know the song.  Write down the part as you figure it out so you don't forget anything. Work slowly, writing out 2-3 bars of the song at a time before moving on. Bring songs you are struggling to learn to a teacher or experienced player and see if they know the part or can help learn it.

SUMMARY:
Listen to the song 3-4 times in silence. Learn the song's rhythm. Some genres and bands will "play" with rhythm-- changing it mid-song or "hiding" it in other rhythms. Find the song's key if you play a melody instrument. Learn how to read music. Learn the song by ear