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Incorrect Habits During Piano Lessons

October 1, 2017 Keyboards / Piano

It might seem that Piano is an instrument that can be played without any trouble. But just the same, keyboard players can sustain injuries if they do not stick to correct habits. Right from the beginning, one should pay attention to the posture. All these would be taught in your piano lessons as well.

Incorrect Habits

One of the incorrect habits you might indulge in while playing the piano is that you keep your wrists and your whole hand rigid. It is better you relax your hand and let it flow naturally. Long practice hours does not mean immediate great improvements. Regular and steady practicing will help you much more than practicing for long hours. These can lead to many problems. Improper posture, improper wrist positioning, anxiety, or stress are all reasons that could cause body injuries. Getting used to the wrong posture might cause strain, backache, and many other problems.

Do not hit the keys forcefully. The Piano is a delicate musical instrument. Hitting the keys forcefully not only hurts your fingers but the music you produce this way is not melodious either. It is better if you try to put aside a little time every day for your practice. If you keep skipping practices, you will never be able to settle down to a routine. The later you get set up on a routine, the more time your body will need to adjust to it.

If you are a beginner, as you get started with your piece on the Piano, you might hold your breath till you are done. That is a bad habit. Pianos are not wind instruments like the flute! Holding your breath will slow you down, you will have trouble remembering, and your energy will be over sooner. As you get accustomed to playing the piano, you need to worry about paying attention to your breathing as it would become second nature. This is why one should cultivate the right habits from the beginning so that as you move on, you can concentrate more on your playing than on your posture and other habits.

Correct Habits

One should take short breaks while learning or practicing. This will help you to relax and give your mind some time to adjust and take in the rest of your practicing. If you feel you have a pain in your wrists, take a break and do not continue playing. It is a great idea to stretch and do a few small warm-up exercises. This will make your body ready for your piano sessions.

It is generally observed that using too much of laptops and computers can cause neck and back strain. As a pianist, it would be better for you to stay away or limit your interaction with computers.

It is also a great idea if you can learn to read the notes. You could get stressed out if the music is only in your mind and if you get distracted, it would tough to pick it up from memory. But by having the confidence that you can read the notes, you are making sure that you will not get stressed.

These are some of the basic points which you need to be aware of before you are ready to take up piano lessons and learn further. To know why one should learn the piano, check out this link For more on pianos, click here!

Motivating Kids to Take Classical Singing Lessons

October 1, 2017 Singing

Classical singing is fun to learn but appreciation for it comes quite late in life to most people. Hence, it is important for parents, schools, and teachers to ensure that children are exposed to the world of classical music at an early age so that their interests and talents can blossom sooner rather than later. Here are a few ideas to help you engender an interest in classical music in your children.

Make it fun

Rule number one when teaching anything to children – make it fun for them. Find a teacher who will go down to their level and teach them. A teacher who is too strict can completely spoil their interest in music forever. Try to find a teacher who is able to develop a relationship with your child. It is also important for the child to develop a healthy respect for the teacher and the knowledge they are imparting. For tips to find a good teacher for your child, do refer to this article. If your child is enjoying the classical singing lessons, he or she will want to continue and will want to work hard on it.

Don’t force it

Well, this should really not be required to be mentioned, but many parents often make the mistake of forcing classical music on their children instead of letting them decide for themselves. No amount of force could engender a taste for music and the child might just go through the motions but not actually work on it. To avoid this, you can simply expose your child to the music by taking them to concerts, by simply playing the music at home, or tell them fun stories about the classical music world. All this will help them gradually develop an interest.

Listen to music with them

Exposing young children to classical music at a young age is very important if you want them to develop an interest in it. You can easily do so by listening to classical music with them and talk to them about your favorite singers. Put in the time to ensure that they learn to appreciate classical music. When this is done from an early age, children automatically pick it up. If the parents are able to provide the platform, the child has a higher chance of developing a strong interest in classical music. You can also accompany them to their singing lessons for kidsand follow their progress closely.

Motivate them

Every child needs a boosting up once in a while. Sit down with him or her and try to find out what they enjoy and what they hate about their lessons. By doing this, you can help them skate over the rough patches while encouraging them to do more of what they enjoy. Your child will also get the message that you are there to help them if things get too hard, and this in turn, would motivate them to work hard and perform better. Ignoring any problems at this stage can blow up in the face and turn them off music.

Ultimately, what matters is that your child should realize his or her full potential for classical music and this website can help you with it. A vast resource of interesting articles on different aspects of singing and music, our blog is very useful for both students and teachers of music.

How to Avoid Hiring the Wrong Drum Lessons Teacher for Your Child

October 1, 2017 Drums

Children are bright and they begin a new skill with a lot of enthusiasm. Unfortunately, that enthusiasm does not last until the end. They give up in the middle due to various reasons. Most common reasons are that they are not comfortable with the teacher or they do not get along with the teacher, or they feel it is boring. More often than not, the teacher plays an important role in educating the children.

Here are a few factors that you should consider before you enroll your child for drum lessons:

Friendly disposition

The teacher needs to be aware that he/she needs to establish a rapport with the student in order to get the best out of the child. Teachers who are friendly achieve this much more easily than those who are stricter. It is more likely that a student would ask questions to a teacher he likes rather than one who is strict. The teacher should also be able to make sure that the students practice and improve and not take advantage of the teacher’s friendly nature.

Flexibility

Children might sometimes have to stay back for other classes or rehearsals. The teacher should be able to re-schedule. If that is not possible, the teacher should take every effort to make sure the student learns what was taught in his absence. It goes without saying that the student too should give his best to learn.

References

Not always do we find excellent teachers. In a world driven by the internet, it is easy to boast about your accomplishments, where in reality, the teacher might not be that great. If you come across a teacher, it is better to ask for their references, talk to their students, ask if you could sit through a couple of their classes. Most teachers do not mind and would encourage you to come and take a look.

Practical teaching

It is seen that several musical institutes and teachers give more emphasis to the theory of the instrument rather than actually playing it. It is very important to learn the theory of the instrument you are going to play, but in your drum lessons, you should also be given the opportunity to play the drums and learn. This is a major concern that you should express to the right teacher before you enroll for their drum lessons.

Strong basics

We come across many teachers who think that they would get more appreciation if the child starts to play long or complicated pieces in a short time. The child learns it and the parents are happy too. But what the child misses out on in this process is invaluable. He/She loses the basics. While moving further up in his education, he would find it increasingly difficult to learn and play it as he would not have a strong foundation. Make sure that the teacher considers learning the basics as the first step and makes it the main priority.

Understand all the factors stated above before you set off to get your child enrolled for drum lessons. Once you get started with the lessons, you need to know what all you need to buy to help out with your playing. To know more on this, check our our guide on buying drums. For more on drums, click here

Advantages of Private Cello Lessons

October 1, 2017 Cello

If you have been playing the cello for a long time already, you might want to prepare for grading. While group lessons are fine for children or for beginners seeking to build a network, those who approach their playing more seriously would find private one-on-one cello classes more useful, especially if you are preparing for a certification or an exam.

Personalised attention

Private lessons always mean that the student is getting more personalised attention, which in turn leads to better and deeper understanding. While group cello lessons can be fun, the teacher can actually move ahead before you have mastered a certain technique. With private lessons, you can learn at your own pace and master every aspect of the cello. With one-on-one lessons, the teacher will be able to point out all your problems and work on them until you get it perfect. When preparing for grading, this becomes very important.

Focus is on the student

With private lessons, the teacher is able to give sufficient time to a single student. Of course, it costs more but if you are really serious about passing your cello exam, then it is really worth the money. In private cello classes, the teacher will also be able to pinpoint your weaknesses give you sufficient time in order to improve the areas in which you are weak. This is especially useful at the advanced level when an experienced cello teacher can help you make career choices, something that will not always be possible if you are taking group lessons.

Discipline

In private cello lessons, you will be motivated to do the work because no one else would be there to cover up for your failures. With the full spotlight on you in your lessons, you will definitely be able to put your best foot forward and work hard. You will also be able to concentrate on your own progress and work on your weak points rather than worrying about others. You will have to practice and do your best, putting the onus on you to progress.

Flexibility

If you have a busy schedule otherwise, then private cello lessons are best for you. A teacher might not be able to work with you each time you require some adjustments if you are taking group lessons because it would simply be unfair to the other students. But with solo lessons, they can make adjustments and give you a schedule that actually works for you. If your work takes you away from home on a regular basis, you can plan out a schedule with your teacher around your trips, so that your progress is not affected.

Combination of group and solo lessons

Even if you are already taking group lessons, it is a good idea to take a few solo lessons to work on your weak areas. As such, group lessons will be great in many ways but since teachers can’t wait for you to catch up, taking a few private lessons will help cover the gap if you are behind in any particular aspect. Even the best student can only improve with one-on-one private lessons with a dedicated teacher as it helps in smoothing out your rough patches.

You can find some tips on how to find a good cello teacher in this article: http://cellolessonssingapore.com/questions-ask-cello-teacher/. For more generic information on learning the cello, please refer to www.cellolessonssingapore.com.

Making Money Through Giving Violin Lessons

October 1, 2017 Violin / Viola

As a violinist, you might be feeling there are not sufficient career options open to you. If you are happy with just playing at concerts, then it’s great. But many musicians feel the need to go forward and share their knowledge. A lot of great violinists give part of their time back to society by teaching kids and adults and spread the love of the instrument. If this is what you too want, then you don’t have to worry about the income. Giving violin lessons can make you money as well as give you the satisfaction of sharing your love of the violin to receptive students.

Know your worth

As a good musician, you have gone through all the small problems that crop up during the learning phase and surmounted them. As such, this constitutes experience. If you know what you are doing, you should be able to teach it to others. So don’t undersell yourself when offering your services as a violin teacher. You are opening your students to an entire new world of fun and excitement, and you deserve to be richly compensated for it. Most students would be happy to pay well for the privilege of learning the violin.

Go the extra mile

You might be a good violinist, but when you have students, you have to think of their welfare. One way to do this is to be slightly flexible. Do as much as you can for them. Small things like putting up your lessons online, rescheduling their lessons in case of absences, helping senior students with auditions, taking them to concerts occasionally, will all help them develop as musicians. But in their welfare lies yours too. The word will get around and more students will flock to you, and they will be ready to pay a good price.

Target the right customers

There will always be some students who would dither at paying on time. Sometimes, it is about genuine financial problem, but more often, people just don’t have the respect or the discipline to take care of their dues. Make it a point to take an advance and learn how to distinguish customers who would pay on time. Even if you feel like helping along a struggling student, you need to set some limits, and discuss payment in installments. Ultimately, you need to know when exactly the payment will roll in.

Advertise right

Advertising in the right places would make a lot of difference when scouting for students. A lot depends on the type of students you want to teach. If you are advertising for children’s lessons, then talking to the local school might help bring in students. Similarly, if you want to take up advanced students, then you need to contact music institutions or spread the word out in those circles. Finally, you will need to target your market in order to be successful as a teacher and make money.

As such, the cost of violin lessons must cover the effort you put in, the knowledge you have acquired over the years, and the time spent in preparing lessons and teaching. The dedication and love is extra! Check out this article for some more tips on the qualities required of a good violin teacher. For more information about taking or giving violin lessons, please refer to our Violin Lessons Page.

Maintaining a Violin – Part 2

June 23, 2017 Violin / Viola

Learning how to maintain your violin is an important part of your violin lessons because a well-maintained instrument will allow you to learn capably and will give good service for many years. We have already seen some tips on how to keep your violin in good shape in the article: http://absolutelyintuned.com.sg/blog/maintaining-violin-part-1/ . In this article, we will see some more tips on keeping your violin well maintained and in good condition for the longest possible time.

Violin case

Your violin case should be chosen with the utmost care. This is the one thing that would help your instrument be kept safe from all the accidents, whimsical and changing weather, and your own carelessness. So, when purchasing a violin case, put some thought and effort into it. Ensure that the case is sturdy and of good quality.

When purchasing a violin case, you have to take a lot of factors into consideration. The climate that you live in would have to be of primary consideration. The case must be built with the right kind of wood that would survive better in your climate. If the climate is too dry or too cold, this can be dealt with built in insulation and humidifier features.

Apart from these basic precautions, also check that the violin case is geared towards maximum comfort for your violin to rest. It should have sufficient padding so that the instrument is protected at all times and there is no friction between the instrument and the case. The case should also have sturdy and well-padded pockets for the bow and other accessories so that everything is well protected.

Finally, making a safe space to keep your case is just as important as making a habit of putting your violin away in its case. Make sure that you clear up sufficient space so that the violin does not crowd over with other items even if you don’t use it for a while. The case must never get wet or be exposed directly to the elements. You must also keep the case tucked away in a corner so that it doesn’t accidentally get tipped over. By just developing some of these good habits, you will go a long way in ensuring the longevity of your instrument.

Loosen the bow

The violin bow is generally made of horsehair, and is quite tough. The bow, when stretched and played across the strings, produces a typical sound that we associate with the violin. Taking care of the bow is also important. One way to do this is to loosen the bow when the violin is not being played. This is to ensure that the stretched hair does not get stressed, which can break. Even when tightening the bow, just do so only as much as required. The bow will require being re-haired once a year.

Changing strings

When it comes to the violin strings, they are quite hardy. However, they still require some care. The same principle as with the bow applies to them and they ought to be kept loosened when not in play to reduce pressure on the strings and the bridge of the instrument. You also need to learn how to change the strings properly.

For more information on local violin lessons, please refer to this link

Benefits of Hiring an Acoustic Guitar Teacher

June 23, 2017 Guitar / Ukulele

If you are looking to learn how to play the guitar, the most important thing is to find a good teacher for your acoustic guitar lessons. There are many types of guitars, such as classical guitar, jazz guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar and so on. No matter what kind of guitar you want to learn and specialize in, you would need somebody to guide you. Take a look below at some of the benefits of hiring a guitar teacher.

Body Posture

Not everybody pays careful attention to this seemingly small thing. But playing for a long time with incorrect posture can lead to hand pain, chronic back ache, pain in the shoulders and neck along with other problems. Learning and making use of the correct posture can help you prevent the harmful effects. Hiring a teacher for your guitar lessons is a good decision as they would tell you about these things and make sure you follow them.

Personal attention

In a class with other students, you would have to go along with something that is suitable for all the students. If you are hiring a guitar teacher, you can inform and request your teacher about your interests and learn that interest. Learning something that you actually like will help in keeping the love for your instrument alive and keep you motivated to perform better. Teachers would have had years of experience which would be very useful to you. They would help you to avoid mistakes and make sure you are on the right path every time.

More comfort

Again, if you are in group classes, you would have to stick to a strict time schedule. Hiring your own guitar teacher would help you a lot as you would be able to schedule the classes at your convenience. Another great thing is that you would be saving all the time that would be wasted during commute. You can use that time to practice more or finish up your other works.

You would also not have to be concerned about your peers moving faster or slower than you. Since you would be the only student, you can go at your pace, thereby getting the most out of your lessons.

Networking

Teachers often know a lot of people in the same field and are likely to introduce you to them if you want. They also organize events and performances where you can get a chance to play and show-off your skills. This acts as an opportunity to take up the stage giving you some exposure. Playing on the stage will teach you a lot of things of which you might have no idea if you just continue to practice and play in your house.

Technique

Learning from the web is a great way to learn nowadays but there are some things that the videos or the internet just cannot teach you. There are a variety of techniques which you should learn in order to excel in your guitar lessons. A teacher would be sure to mention this and teach you the various techniques involved in playing the guitar in your guitar lessons.

For more information on which type of class would be the right fit for you, you can check out https://www.absolutelyintuned.com.sg/acoustic-guitar-lessons-online-learning-vs-regular-classes/ . For more on guitars, you can refer to our Guitar Lessons Page

Buying an Electric Guitar – Part II

June 23, 2017 Guitar / Ukulele

Buying an electric guitar is not an easy decision. There are many factors to be considered, some of which shall be discussed in this article. But apart from these, the budget and other practical considerations are also sufficiently important and need to be taken into account. With so many things to look out for, it can be very intimidating to set out to purchase an electric guitar. This is why it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with some of the elements you need to look out for. The article: http://absolutelyintuned.com.sg/buying-electric-guitar-part/ contains some things to check out when purchasing a guitar. Now we will discuss further details here.

Decide on tonewood

The wood used in making the instrument plays an important role in the tone of the guitar. Some woods provide a deeper sound, while others have a high pitch. Hence, the tonewood of the guitar needs to be chosen with care, depending on the type of music you want to play, the kind of tone that you personally like, as well as the weather and climate conditions of your location. Guitars can be made of many different kinds of woods, each one providing slightly different features to the instrument.

Some common woods used to make electric guitars are maple, mahogany, rosewood, ash, ebony, poplar, etc. The main criterion for choosing these woods is that they are easily available in areas where guitar manufacturers can access them. Another reason is that these woods are sturdy and dense, and hence the instruments shaped from them are also sturdy. There are also a large number of other tonewood guitars available in the market. It is recommended that you go for any sturdy wood after educating yourself on the choices available to you, keeping in mind that different parts of the guitar might be made of different woods.

One thing to look out for is that sometimes manufacturers of cheaper guitars tend to stick plywood together to construct a guitar. This kind of guitar does not sound good or look good, and it doesn’t hold out much hope for longevity either. It is also hard for the player to actually be able to learn guitar lessons on such instruments. So always keep in mind that the best guitars are made of solid hard woods.

Test the guitar

All said and done, you might have the best features in your guitar, but their just saying so would in no way make it a sure thing. You have to test the guitar properly to ensure that it suits every need of yours. The feel of the guitar is as important as anything else we have discussed so far. If you are comfortable with holding the guitar, then it is a good one for you. Make it a point to actually go and test out the guitars before making the purchase. Even if you choose to purchase online, do go and try out the guitar you want to buy in a shop or from a friend who owns one before placing the order.

For the best electric guitar lessons, you need a good instrument. So take care to buy the best possible instrument within your budget.

Cleaning Tips for Those Playing the Flute

June 23, 2017 Flute

A dirty instrument speaks of a bad musician. Every aspiring musician or instrumentalist should first learn to care for their instruments. These would also be taught to you during your flute lessons. Maintaining it properly at the right time would take very little effort, time and cost from your side. Once your flute gets a problem, you will need to get it to a professional to be repaired and it is not always that easy!

Take a look at the below tips for an idea on how to maintain the flute and keep it clean.

Longevity

One main reason one should care for their instrument is that if it is maintained with love and care, the instrument would live up to several years. It would last a longer time and save you the time, energy and money of purchasing another.

Moisture is the enemy

When one plays the flute, moisture forms inside the instrument due to the act of blowing air into it. This can cause damage to the flute. Never ever forget to wipe it and give it a quick dust down.

You can use a soft and clean cloth to remove dirt and clean the inside of your flute. It is advisable that when you are done playing, to take your flute apart. It is important to clean every part, nook and corners to make sure there is no dirty residue left inside and the moisture is cleaned up.

Polishing the flute is an easy task keeping in mind that it is quite a small and light-weight instrument. But one needs to be careful of the same fact because it is played with our mouth. It is a good idea to brush your teeth before playing to make sure the particles in saliva do not spoil the flute.

Flute case

If you travel often, the best way to transport the flute is to carry it in a flute case. It is also a good idea to keep it in the case if you are done playing or practicing. This helps in avoiding moisture and extreme heat. It will also protect the instrument from a fall. There are many cheap cases available but they will not do the job. They would most likely let the moisture in. They would not be made of good quality material, thereby risking the flute in case of a fall. Since this is a one-time investment, make sure you take the right decision and buy a good case for your flute.

Professional servicing

At least once in a while get your flute professionally serviced to give it a long and healthy life. Never try to fix the flute on your own if there should be problems with your instrument. Take it to the professionals. You might cause more damage to it if you handle it without having proper knowledge of the same.

Regular maintenance is an absolute must for the flutes as a clean instrument will play amazingly and will never let you down! Be regular in the maintenance of your instrument and they would play faithfully. To know more about flute lessons for beginners, check out: https://www.absolutelyintuned.com.sg/flute-2/