Every instrument comes with a system of fingering to help the composer illustrate how the piece should be played. This goes beyond tempo markings and dynamics and tells the performer exactly which finger to use to play a note, what position the student should be in, and what string the note goes on. All of… Read more »
So, the school year is starting again, and it is a perfect time for we music teachers to remind students and parents of our goals for this upcoming year. To have another successful and artistic year with music lessons we need a bit of planning, forecasting and development to help guide us through. Ask your… Read more »
By Wayne Estes Oftentimes I feel that I’ve gotten bogged down in my own practice with technical studies, reading, scale work and I see my teaching style starting to go in the same direction. But many of my students aren’t in grad school and studying to become a professional musician, so I must remind myself… Read more »
There comes a point in every students’ learning when practice becomes arduous and stale. This can happen to any student at any age or skill level. Often hectic work or school schedules leave little time for practice making it feel like a chore or students plateau at times and feel as if they are not… Read more »
So, a few months ago I wrote about starting your musical New Year’s Resolution. How are you doing with your practice routine? I must admit I failed after two weeks! I got sick with bronchitis and then there was a death in my family. If you remember my blog I noted that “internet research indicates… Read more »
There comes a point in every students’ learning when practice becomes arduous and stale. This can happen to any student at any age or skill level. Often hectic work or school schedules leave little time for practice making it feel like a chore, or students plateau at times and feel as if they are not… Read more »
My internet research indicates that you have a whopping 20% chance of sticking to your New Year’s resolutions this year. That’s kind of depressing. So about 20% of us will be successful and sadly about 80% of us will fail in restarting or reenergizing our new, good habits. After a month 50% of us will… Read more »
Parents ask me all the time how to get their child interested in practicing and how to stop having to nag them to practice. While simple bribing and small incentives may work, they often only resolve in short term results. In my opinion the best way to get a student interested is to also show… Read more »
A student walked into her lesson a few weeks ago and the first words out of her mouth were: “Ms. Sarah, the metronome is an amazing thing”. I was so dumbfounded by the wisdom of what this student said (being so young, I was shocked she would ever admit it), that it nearly knocked me… Read more »
By Alyssa Cowell Music lessons are a valuable tool for developing growing minds, honing fine motor skills, finding a creative outlet for self-expression, and a myriad other personal benefits for young and old alike. Families who sign up for music lessons are making an investment in their child’s education, and should make sure they are… Read more »
