AbsolutelyInTuned, Author at Absolutely In-Tuned!

Advantages and Disadvantages of Group Keyboard Lessons

July 13, 2015 Keyboards / Piano

Advantages and Disadvantages of Group Keyboard Lessons

Like with everything else, there are advantages and disadvantages to taking group lessons, but when it comes to learning the keyboard, there are some further specifications to be considered. Keyboard as an instrument is rather unique in how it is played in general, so the requirements for keyboard classes might be slightly different than for other musical instruments. Let us take a quick look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of group lessons in this context.

Advantages

Students learning the keyboard or piano in a group learn how to socialise and it might help them retain interest in continuing with piano lessons even during tough times. Having friends who are also into music is a great way to ensure that you remain dedicated and interested.
Group learning is fun. Practising with other students becomes a way of life and it helps in gaining more perspective, especially if they offer constructive criticism to each other. With plenty of group activities, you can even help each other long past the initial stages.
One major advantage of group lessons is that they are generally cheaper than private lessons since teachers don’t have to invest the same time in group lessons. This difference can actually be pretty high. So if money is an important consideration, then choose group lessons, especially at the beginning when you haven’t yet learned your way around the musical world.
Finally, group lessons help with the networking aspect that is always an important facet of learning to play the piano professionally. If you are looking at a long-term career playing the keyboard, then these opportunities for networking can come in pretty useful. Over time and learning with different groups, your network of music lovers will also increase.

Disadvantages

Keyboard musicians are never required to perform in a choir with other keyboard performers. This takes away the necessity of having them learn how to play together in a chorus. There is no advantage of learning how to play in a group environment since they would never be called upon to do so professionally.
Group lessons on the piano or keyboard usually end up with one student playing while the others cluster around. Most teachers take small groups of 4 to 5 students but they only have one keyboard to be used per class. This kind of learning doesn’t go far because it takes you far longer to get familiar with the instrument.
There are some students who simply learn better in a private environment on a one-to-one basis. It is more difficult for them to connect to the teacher in a group learning environment. Most keyboard teachers too will not be able to assess students as effectively in this option. Providing a standardised teaching might not suit the requirements of some students who fall behind due to lack of personalised attention.
Group lessons are not flexible. In case you fall sick or get too busy at work, you cannot just stop practising for a few days and then pick it up again. You will fall incredibly behind and will have to catch up on your own. This will put pressure on you to quickly learn things in a short time, something with which you might not feel comfortable.

In view of the above, the choice of opting for a group or individual keyboard lessons lie in your own hands according to your convenience. Just be sure to consider all aspects of the situation before making a final choice.

Types of Flutes Beginners Can Use For Flute Lessons

July 13, 2015 Flute

Types of Flutes Beginners Can Use For Flute Lessons

When it comes to buying a flute, there are so many choices that it boggles the mind. It is far easier for advanced learners to know exactly what they are seeking in a flute, but for a beginner, things become rather difficult. If you are planning to begin flute lessons, here are some basic points you might want to consider before going ahead and buying a flute.

There are two main types of flutes – side blown and end blown. The former is held horizontally and you blow into it from an opening on the side. The end blown flute is played by blowing at the end of the pipe. The flutes can be open at one end or at both ends. The flutes are made of different materials including metals such as silver, gold, nickel, copper and platinum in different proportions, each producing different sounds. There are also flutes made of bamboo and wood. Your own preference as well as the kind of music you want to learn will play a large role in making a decision on the type of flute you purchase or the materials of which they are made.

Depending on the kind of flute you want to play, you should consider the following points before buying one for a beginner taking flute tutorials.

Beginner’s flutes can be useful: There are flutes that are specifically designated as beginner flutes, meant for people who have just begun to learn. These flutes make air flow easier and sounds are produced without too much effort. It is specifically designed for beginners since they don’t have any practice. The flute also needs to be easy to hold and to use. It’s best if you can rent or buy a beginner’s flute so that you will learn the basics easily before switching to a professional flute.

Buy branded: Buying a branded flute is a good investment, even if you are just a beginner. While non-branded flutes might be of good quality, it is something of which one cannot be sure. Brands have built up their reputations by consistently selling good quality flutes. Besides, flutes from renowned brands are easier to replace or repair in case they get damaged. Some good brands are Yamaha, Gemeinhardt, Armstrong, and Selmer.

Rent or buy: This is definitely a question you need to ask yourself. Flutes can be expensive and if you don’t think you are convinced that you will stick with your new passion, you might do well to rent. On the other hand, with your very own flute, you will assured of good quality and long lasting durability. It’s also nicer to work on a single instrument. Whatever you choose, pay some attention to this decision.

Ultimately, what really matters is that you should be comfortable with your flute. You should be able to play on it and produce good sounds. It might not be as professional, but that’s not really a problem with a beginner who is just starting with flute classes. Your beginner flute must help you develop a decent posture and pave the way for a musical future by enabling you to learn the basics. Once you learn how to play the flute, you can always switch to a more professional flute.

How to Buy the Instrument for Saxophone Lessons Beginners

July 13, 2015 Saxophone

How to Buy the Instrument for Saxophone Lessons Beginners

You have decided to learn how to play the saxophone and have made arrangements to take some lessons. Now you are really faced with the main decision of what to do about an instrument, whether to buy or rent one. If you do decide that you are sufficiently committed enough to purchase an instrument outright, you start looking at the variety of choices available to you. Here are a few tips to help you along with purchasing your first saxophone for your beginner’s saxophone lessons.

Educate yourself

There are different types of saxophones, which slightly alter the tone of your playing. Alto, tenor, bass and baritone, and soprano saxophones are all available in the market. The baritone and bass saxophone is the most expensive one, and also is one of the more difficult ones to master. Soprano saxophones are also definitely not for beginners, though they have a rich sound and can be great once you have got some experience. Most beginners use alto or tenor saxophones, which are not only cheaper but are also easier for learning, especially if you have had no previous experience at all.

Buy branded

Like most expensive items, it is better to buy saxophones from a well known brand rather than just buy the local model or the cheapest alternative. If you aren’t planning to pursue a long-term relationship with your instrument, there is no point in buying a saxophone at all. If you are indeed planning to go in for the long haul, buying a reliable instrument that will last you for a long time makes sense. Branded saxophones also come with guarantees and it’s easy to get it repaired or tuned if anything goes wrong. Yamaha is reputedly the best brand around for saxophones, though it’s really expensive. Other options you can consider are Jupiter, Prelude, Sonata, Elkhart, and Nuovo.

Get it tested

You have located a nice store, either online or in your locality and checked out a few instruments you have liked. Now, the real problem arises. If you are a beginner, it stands to reason you will not know how a good saxophone should sound. There are a couple of things you can do. If you have a friend who is knowledgeable about saxophones, take them along to help you decide. If not, you can even ask your new saxophone teachers to come with you and test the saxophone. If all else fails, contact your local university department and ask for information from the music department.

Insist on accessories

Before you set out to buy a saxophone, find out from a knowledgeable person what else you will require in the immediate future. Make sure you buy from a shop where you will also be able to get a saxophone case for storing the instrument, and a neck strap, which is very important for your posture. In addition, you will require other accessories as well such as reeds, swabs, mouthpiece, and ligature. Find out if you need to buy books as well, or whether your teacher or institution would supply them.

There are really only two things you ultimately need from an instrument for your saxophone classes: your own comfort level when you play the instrument both in a physical sense and a sense of satisfaction you gain from the music; and the durability of the instrument over a long period of usage.

Ukulele Lessons Are Easy For Your Children

July 13, 2015 Guitar / Ukulele

Ukulele Lessons Are Easy For Your Children

Of all the musical instruments that you can ask your child to learn and be good at, it is the ukulele that is most appropriate for them. It is not daunting like the usual guitar, and it is small enough so that they can easily control it. Ukulele lessons are also quite easy, and before you know it your children will be playing their favorite songs on their ukulele.

Easy to handle

Physically, the ukulele is not intimidating as a guitar, or a violin. Small body, short neck which they can easily wrap their hands around on, lightweight, and just four strings. Its physical characteristics is so natural for small children, you will see them readily and immediately pick up a ukulele as if they are already very familiar with it.

Easy handling is one of the reasons why the ukulele is a good entry instrument for your children. Mentally, this is also an easy victory for you child. When they start with their ukulele lessons, you will be amazed at how quickly they will gain significant development. The skills are so easy to develop that they would definitely gain confidence quickly. These small successes would further encourage them to play more, and give them motivation to continue with their classes. All because of how easy it is to handle the ukulele!

Easy to learn

Four strings. What could be easier? Your children can play almost any song that they know using just basic and easier chords, unlike the guitar or violin.

There is a series of easy chords that even skillful ukulele players like to play around with. It goes like this: C – A minor – F – G. That’s it. Even beginning players will have no trouble playing that. But, despite its simplicity, this chord series will enable your child to play a lot of familiar songs. Same set chords that are easy to play, yet very, very, widely used.

But do not be fooled by its simplicity. The ukulele can play very diverse and complex music pieces. Join your child and go online and look up performances of Jake Shimabukuro or James Hill, and you can see how beautiful and moving ukulele playing can be.

Easy to have fun with

We all know that children are all about playing and having fun. Well, there is no other instrument that evokes the feeling of fun than a ukulele. The sound that comes out of it brings to mind sunshine, playing, smiles, and good times. Even on a rainy day it sounds like summer.

It is not hard to imagine a group of children singing along to a ukulele, laughing under the sun, and just having fun!

Easy on the budget

No need to break the bank on this one, because ukuleles are not very expensive. There are even plastic ones, maybe the least expensive of all makes. But do not be deceived by I being plastic: the sound is still great, some professional players use them during performances!

If you want your child to develop their musical skills and learn to play a musical instrument, sign them up for ukulele lessons. It will definitely be a fun and very satisfying experience for them, without too much difficulty.

Quick Pointers Before You Start Your Pop Singing Lessons

July 13, 2015 Singing

Quick Pointers Before You Start Your Pop Singing Lessons

In singing, natural talent is one of the important elements to have. There are people who are just really born to sing. However, this talent must be polished and continually honed, and the best way to perfect your singing voice is to go for pop singing lessons.

But before you start your formal lessons, read through the quick pointers below to get the most out of your training.

Practice vocal dexterity

Do repetitions of the scale to determine your vocal range. Go up and down, up and down the scales and notes to further develop your vocal skills. Know your range and be powerful on it and make it your strong point.

Developing this skill will come in handy during actual performances. The current style of pop music gives singers a lot of opportunity to improvise, wherein they play around with notes in a scale to come up with unique and soulful harmonies. You can practice this on your own, with a keyboard or a piano. It is the modern adaptation of the vocalization of classical music.

Learn and be aware of your registers

It is important to recognize your high, middle, and low registers and work on all of them equally to produce a nice and even tone when singing. This will also be a focus in one of your pop singing lessons.

LOW register – this is your normal speaking voice, so this does not take much effort from you. Also called the chest register for men, it is achieved usually with an open mouth. The best way to practice your low registers is to exercise it in front of the mirror. Make sure your face is relaxed, you are not forcing your voice out of you, and that there is enough abdominal force with it. Practice by going through a descending scale, gradually lowering your tone half-tone by half-tone until you reach the lowest, most compatible tone.
MIDDLE register – a bit tougher to master than your low register, you can practice this also by using a descending scale. For most women, this is their chest voice. This is what is considered the “most abused” voice range, and you will tend to alter your voice a lot at this register. Make sure you stay relaxed, and that you are still using chest voice, and not head voice. The transitioning from low to middle, and from high to middle is also a bit tricky, so make sure you understand your comfort level and the proper techniques when going up and down to and from your middle ranges.
HIGH register – when this is not your normal speaking voice, you will tend to squeeze it in to stay in this vocal range. If you do not know the proper technique though, you will just sound nasal and high-pitched. The correct way to practice this is to tighten your cheeks by lifting it up to some sort of a smile. That way, your high ranges will sound more natural.

Belting it out

This is singing forcefully while staying in your high registers. This technique is very delicate that a lot of singers who belt it out just sound like shouting without the singing. Practice this by keeping your abdominal muscles tight as you sing. Use ascending scales, until your reach a comfortable high tone.

Remember these tips when learning or practicing singing, and you will find that your pop singing lessons will be easier and much more enjoyable!

Your Guide To Achieving Success in Saxophone Lessons

July 13, 2015 Saxophone

Your Guide To Achieving Success in Saxophone Lessons

Self-help and personal development guru, Robert Collier states: “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out”. This nugget of wisdom is definitely applicable for a student who is studying a musical instrument. To paraphrase a cliché, ‘success in saxophone lessons is not achieved overnight’.

Here are sound advices that could help you have a more meaningful and rewarding journey as you go through each step in learning how to play the saxophone:

Breathe deeply. Play masterfully. Live fully. The art of consciously breathing deeply is the unseen force that powers-up your saxophone. Learning proper breathing techniques are essential in saxophone playing. Studies also prove that deep breathing is beneficial to health and wellness. It promotes mental clarity, psychological steadfastness, and physical strength and balance. And when stress attacks, the most basic line of defense you have against it is breathing and relaxation.

Learn to trust. Trust to learn. Signing-up for saxophone lessons signifies your commitment to learn. Your teacher is there to share with you his knowledge and skills. Learning only takes place when you put your trust in your teacher. Be receptive to his pointers, guidelines, motivation, and discipline. Doing so will reinforce your passion and commitment.

Take care and interact with your instrument. Truly, it is only a piece of metal. But in good hands, it could work wonders. Your saxophone is your partner. Give it some T-L-C (tender loving care). Learn the skills on how to handle it; and be amazed.

Learning to play is just half of the game. The ability to hear and to listen, and to know how a particular note should actually sound will give you the home run. When your listening ability is entwined with your playing techniques, your overall sound will drastically improve.

Identify your goals. Assess. Why did you choose to learn to play the saxophone? What do you want to achieve? What will you do to fulfill them? How far have you gone? It’s a fact that you will experience upswings and downswings. Take a step back and evaluate yourself.

Yes, this is a loaded and demanding activity. This is the ‘small’ chunks of activities that Robert Collier was referring to, as quoted above. Master saxophone players truly invested so much time, energy, sweat, tears, breath, heart, and soul in practice.

Let your creative instincts flow, rather than your competitive instincts. There’s a big world of saxophonists out there. Hence, everyone wants to get better, faster. Comparing one’s progress to others causes frustration, impatience, and insecurity. It is alright to challenge yourself, but not to the point of self-destruction. Follow your creative instincts. Find your own rhythm.

Achieving success is most effective when you imbibe the right techniques and habits from your saxophone lessons right from the very start. They may require some adjustments on your part. Yet it will give you a sense of discipline that will develop into good habits. Hence, saxophone playing sessions become more fruitful and progressive.

A Teacher’s Guide In Giving Effective Flute Lessons For Beginners

July 13, 2015 Flute

A Teacher’s Guide In Giving Effective Flute Lessons For Beginners

Flute players who have reached a certain level of mastery in flute playing may choose to pursue a career in teaching. Or a flautist could have additional income as a teacher giving flute lessons to beginner students.

If you intend to pursue this, whether as a career path or as a supplemental income stream, you should be prepared. It is not enough that you ‘just know how to play the flute’. You have to equip yourself with tools and resources, as well as the right attitude for teaching.

Here are some pointers on how to get started:

Wear a ‘student hat’. You were once a student taking flute lessons , right? You’ve been there, done that. You felt the growing pains of a beginner struggling to make the flute sound right. You once were awkward and slow in finger placements. Your students would also go through those experiences. Exercise patience and understanding. Share with them pointers on how you overcame those stages. Apply methods that your former teacher used to help you progress with your skills.

Show and tell. Students learning by doing. As a teacher, you’ve got to show them how and the right way to do it. Demonstrate the correct lip position in blowing air into the mouthpiece. Be ‘hands-on’ in doing correct finger positions. Let them hear how a note should sound. This is more effective than lectures or by reading instructions from a manual. Your students could achieve results in a shorter span of time.

Parents’ involvement. Students would be spending a great amount of time practicing, and they usually do this at home. A child may not have any music stimulation at home. If parents are not musically inclined, the child could not get the level of support needed when they are left on their own. Hold frequent chats with your student’s parents. Let them know his/her progress and areas of difficulties. Give them pointers on how they can encourage their child to practice regularly at home. Share books and video materials about children who are learning to play musical instruments. Allow them to sit-in in one of your lessons so they can get insights on some teaching and motivation methods.

Invest in sheet music. Expand your music books library. Your students will have various tastes in music. Of course, the ‘classics’ are often the basic foundation of learning. However, students are more enthusiastic to play when they like the kind of music that they play. Read-up and keep abreast on new teaching and playing methods. Supplement your lessons by showing video clips of tutorials, concert and performance footage.

Share your flute music collection or playlist. Suggest playlists and share cds or music files that your students can listen to. If you’re ‘friends’ with your students in their social media sites, post songs or videos and engage them into a discussion about it. This only not serves to expose and inspire them to flute music. It opens up communication lines and forges a healthy student-teacher relationship.

Flute lessons should not feel like that ‘it’s-all-in-a-day’s-work’. Make it more fun and engaging. Foster a learning environment that is interesting and inspiring. Radiate love for teaching and playing the flute. Your students would definitely follow suit.

Top Qualities Of Good Drummers You Can Develop From Drum Lessons (Part 2 of 2)

July 13, 2015 Drums

Top Qualities Of Good Drummers You Can Develop From Drum Lessons (Part 2 of 2)

Drummers are like ship captains. Drummers steer the helm of the song’s beat, rhythm, and time. The drummer ensures a smooth sailing ride along the ebbs and flows of a song. Drum lessons offer more than just a skill set of drumming techniques. Great drumming stems from developing the proper attitude and habits essential in leading the band.

Skills Are Best, But Attitude Counts

Any band or music group wants to have a superbly talented and skilled drummer. However, this does not guarantee longevity nor success. Band members would rather have a fairly good drummer that can work well with the group, than a drummer with an overbearing ‘superstar’ attitude. A musician’s mental, psychological, and emotional well-being and behavior are the building blocks that lay the foundation for teamwork. Indeed, teamwork trumps individual talent.

Top Qualities of Highly Effective Drummers as Highly Effective Team Players:

Mental Attributes

Concentration: A drummer should be alert and focused on steering the course of the beat and timing of the song or music. Getting off course will lead to disastrous results.
Imagination: A drummer is required to be precise, but it doesn’t mean that there would be no room for improvisation. Imagination brings a new flavor and style that could make your band stand out.
Creativity: It is a ‘jamming of the minds’. It is assimilating various musical ideas and styles. An effective drummer can execute and drive these creative outbursts into a cohesive beat and rhythm.
Memory: A band has a playlist of songs at a particular gig. A drummer has to commit to memory on how a song sounds and how it should be played based on how the band rehearsed it. Memory is a skill learned through constant practice and discipline.

Motivation and Attitude

Practice / Learning / Improving: All these do not end with your drum lessons. In fact, a professional musician spends most of his waking hours practicing. Learning is an endless process. A musician should not stagnate; your style should always be evolving. As you sharpen the saw and evolve creatively, your playing skills will drastically improve.
Preparedness: School’s out, but everyone is still expected to do their homework. As a drummer, you are expected to know the song/s and bring your skills to the fore.
Quality of Life: Are you generally healthy and fit to play drums? Drumming is a highly physical activity and demands mental faculties too. Your overall state of well-being is crucial for this job.
Punctuality: A drummer does not only keep time, he is expected to show-up on time. Tardiness puts a strain on the band’s team spirit. Waiting time is often a waste of time. It sucks the energy out of its members.

In drum lessons, you will include discipline and habits that could mold your attitude highly effective drummer. The drummer is the heart behind the beat. Your band needs you to pump and drive the beat and let the lifeblood of music flow.

Read This If You Are A New Flute Teacher

July 4, 2015 Flute

Read This If You Are A New Flute Teacher

The saying that you can be an engineer via YouTube is not really that far-fetched anymore. There is now a lot of content available online for free that practically everything you need to know, you can download, or watch and learn online. The same applies to the music industry, particularly on instrument lessons, where players are posting tips and tricks faster thank you can download them. If you are a beginning flute teacher, you have to have an advantage over these online contents to succeed in your chosen path.

There are several ways to stay ahead, and in here we provide you a few pointers that can really help you survive despite of these free online contents.

Never stop learning

Keep your materials fresh and your flute lessons updated by going for continuous lessons yourself. You can even take advantage of these free online stuffs and learn from them, and mix it in with your own knowledge.

New and better knowledge in any field is always out there, and you cannot and should not teach what you do not know. If you remain stagnant, you will do a disservice to your students, and maybe even teach them bad habits instead.

Equip yourself with lots of materials

Invest on audio CDs, video DVDs, books, and lots and lots of music sheets. You never know what you are going to need, or what your students will ask from you. Sure, you might have read one great flute instructional book, or watched an excellent video tutorial by a flute expert, but do not stop there. Include in your collection materials about teaching methods, because there are always newer and better techniques.

You do not have to build your knowledge library in one go. Slowly and carefully make these acquisitions, and before you know it, you have more materials than your students can get their hands on. If budget is tight, your local library be able to help with free materials.

Charge small for now

Do not think about charging the right fee for now. Remember, you competition is FREE content online. Start small, maybe $10 – $15 per hour for now. The small fee is a great incentive for new flute students, and once they enroll under your tutelage, the income from them will be steady and sure.

When you already have a year or two of teaching experience, or if you have earned your Bachelor’s degree in music, or have acquired a teaching certification, then maybe you can start to think of increasing your fee.

Engage the parents

No matter how good your materials are, or how efficient your teaching methods are, if your student does not practice the flute at home, the progress will be disappointing. This is where you should involve the parents. Give them the responsibility of monitoring and encouraging their children to repeat at home whatever they learned from you for the day.

An effective way to engage them is to have them sit in during your lessons. Have them see the enthusiasm of their children when you are teaching them, so they will know how to excite them to practice. Allow them also to borrow materials from you, whether it be books, DVDs, etc, to use at home.

The actual and personal interaction of flute teachers with their students is what sets them apart from free content on the Internet. Take these pointers with you and watch your flute students succeed!

A Guide Before You Start Your Saxophone Lessons

July 4, 2015 Saxophone

A Guide Before You Start Your Saxophone Lessons

Saxophone is widely considered as the sexiest musical instrument, not only because of its gorgeous shape and appearance, but also because of the quality of the sound that comes out of it. But it is not an easy instrument to handle, and it is not easy to teach yourself with it, that is why it is advisable to go for formal saxophone lessons. But before you start on those lessons, here are a few things to help you get the best out of your programs:

WHAT TO BUY

The saxophone family has nine (9) varieties ranging in different keys. In order of highest to lowest keys or octaves, these are:

Sopranissimo
Sopranino
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Baritone
Bass
Contrabass
Subcontrabass

Let us concentrate on the mid-range:

Soprano – tuned to the key of Bb (B-flat), you will find both curved and straight variety. This is considered to be for advanced or very experienced saxophone players, and is a little more challenging to play than any other type of saxophone.
Alto – the easiest to play in the family, the reason most beginners are advised to start with this, and also the reason why this is the most common and popular type. Curve shaped, it is tuned to the key of Eb (E-flat).
Tenor – also a very popular type especially for lovers of jazz and rock music. Also curved but a little bit more slender than alto, it is also tuned to the key of Bb (B-flat).
Baritone –with a longer tube for the bell part to produce those low, deep sounds, this is the biggest saxophone, more so with an extension attached at the horn part.

THE CORRECT EMBOUCHURE

Embouchure in music is defined as the position of a player’s mouth to the mouthpiece of a brass or wind instrument. It comes from the French word ‘emboucher’ meaning ‘put in or to the mouth’. At the start of your saxophone lessons, it is imperative that you learn the correct embouchure, as it not only boosts your confidence, but it also is critical for your playing success. Here are techniques that you should remember:

Hold your chin flat while putting your lower lip over your bottom teeth. This is your foundation.
Position the lip of the mouthpiece on top of your bottom lip.
Gently bite down your upper teeth on the mouthpiece, about halfway through its length.
Close your upper lip over your teeth and the mouthpiece.
Loosely close your mouth over and around the mouthpiece.

What is important in your embouchure is that you keep the muscles relaxed around your lips and mouth, and do not pinch your mouth tight on the mouthpiece. You will easily notice that when you pinch the muscles around your mouth on the mouthpiece, the tone that comes out is also pinched and small. You want to keep it relaxed, so you can have a good normal tone which is easier to play around with.

These are the same things that a professional coach will teach you on your saxophone lessons. You will find it helpful to know these things before hand, so you will have a quicker learning time, and more enjoyable sessions.

Questions To Ask Your Keyboard Teacher

July 4, 2015 Keyboards / Piano

Questions To Ask Your Keyboard Teacher

An obviously frustrated mother writes, “All day it’s ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars’. My daughter has been doing lessons for two weeks now, and she just plays that song over and over the whole day. Is her keyboard teacher really helping in my daughter’s progress?”

This frustration is more common than we think. It is apparent that one of the usual causes of slow learning progress is because we don’t get the right teacher for our children. So when it comes to music lessons, particularly on keyboards, how do we find a good teacher? Here are a few questions you can ask that will help you determine if you are sending your child to a good keyboard teacher:

What is your professional experience?

A lot of music coaches boast of a good educational background in music, and some even have master’s degrees. But is that enough credential? We must not be easily impressed by these things, and instead focus on their actual experience.

Find somebody who has played professionally, as they have more to offer in terms of techniques and styles, but also make sure they have done a lot of teaching before. Find the balance between educational and professional backgrounds, but consider them equally important.

How do you set goals for my child?

It is important that the teacher understands what you want your child to accomplish, and then sets his own goals for your child’s lessons. Almost all teachers have some sort of a structure of teaching, and outline of lessons that they follow. That is all very well, but make sure your teacher has enough flexibility and willingness to change and adapt their lessons according to your child’s style and progress.

This will ensure that your child will not get stuck too long in one lesson, and that you will not have the same frustration as the mother mentioned earlier.

Am I allowed to join my child during your lessons?

If your child is in a way already independent, then you won’t have this problem. However, a lot of times children feel more assured and confident when they see their Mom or Dad around, especially at the first few sessions with their teacher.

Some teachers prefer that you do not get too involved during lessons, and they think that your child will just get distracted. There are also other teachers and methods that asks parents direct involvement, not only on home practice but during the lesson itself. Make sure the teacher understands your child’s need and be adaptive to it.

Are your lessons both productive and enjoyable?

If you ask this question to a teacher, it will be difficult to find somebody who will say, “No.” Of course they will say that their classes are fun and dynamic, so it is quite a challenge to find out if it is true. Rather than asking the question directly, allow yourself to spend some time with the teacher personally.

Do they look like they genuinely like children? How is their sense of humor? Do they have a can-do positive attitude? Do they have a temper? Your child’s music instructor should be their coach, and must be able to inspire and make the lessons fun for them

Make sure you get to interview your child’s potential keyboard teacher. Do not rush into a decision. More important than your child learning to play the keyboard is that they get a wonderful experience out of it.

What to Expect from Beginner Classical Guitar Lessons

July 3, 2015 Guitar / Ukulele

What to Expect from Beginner Classical Guitar Lessons

Classical guitar is a guitar with nylon strings as opposed to the steel strings of the acoustic guitar. It is a good choice for beginners or children because of its lighter weight and gives a softer and mellower tone. If you are a beginner and want to join classical guitar tutorials, you must know what to expect from your teacher because without the basic knowledge about your instrument and music, you will not get far, no matter how hard you practice.

Guitar basics

If you are a beginner, then you really must start with knowing the names of the parts of the guitar. Without being knowledgeable about your instrument, it will be difficult for you to grasp instructions once you continue on your musical path. Rosette, nut, saddle, and bridge are all terms with which you must become familiar. It would be even better if your guitar teacher teaches you how to tune your guitar. Once you know these things, you will become familiar with your instrument, which is always a good thing.

Holding

It stands to reason that you will not know how to hold a guitar for best results unless it is shown to you. Holding a guitar properly means that you will not strain your body unnecessarily while playing music. You will be comfortable and able to concentrate on your playing. You will thus also be able to make good music because you don’t feel encumbered. It is important to keep your back straight, and not put the load on any one part of your body. You can find a convenient position sitting or standing or even sitting on the ground.

Chords

Chords are musical notes that follow a sequence. While it sounds simple, it might not be so in practice. Unless you play them correctly, you will not be able to get the correct sound. It helps to study the naming and theory of chords as you learn to play each one. Make sure that your teacher explains it to you because it will help you in the long run. Being formally trained means being able to understand the technical intricacies of playing.

Strumming

Your classical guitar lessons should also teach you strumming. It is a technique of using your fingers or a pick to brush across several strings in order to play a chord. Your teacher will help you decide whether to strum or to use a pick, according to your comfort level. Keep in mind that you will produce different sounds and ultimately will produce a very different kind of music.

Simple songs

Once the basic theory and practice are over, it will then be time for you to learn simple songs. Many teachers might try to start you off with nursery rhymes, but as an adult, it can be frustrating and annoying. Find a teacher who will teach you proper songs in the genre you are interested in. It is a good rule to start the way you mean to continue. There are many simple songs for beginners that you can start off with and your teacher should be able to deal with it.

In short, find good classical guitar teachers who should not just ground you well on the basics, but should also make the lessons fun, enjoyable, inspiring and something that you look forward to everyday.

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