AbsolutelyInTuned, Author at Absolutely In-Tuned!

Fast Facts You Need To Know About the Viola for Your Viola Lessons

February 27, 2015 Violin / Viola

Fast Facts You Need To Know About the Viola for Your Viola Lessons

It is a sad fact that violists or viola players are a rare breed. The viola is even maligned as ‘the Cinderella of the orchestra”. And yes, there are so-called ‘viola jokes’ and stereotypes. Do not let these unfair remarks discourage you from taking viola lessons. Examine the facts. The spotlight may not always be on the viola, yet it has its own shining moments.

There has been a resurgence of interest, respect, and repertoire for the viola. Declared by the annual Berlin music festival as 2014’s ‘Instrument of the Year’, the viola is back in vogue. In fact, it has a rich vault of interesting credentials.

Fast facts about the viola:

History: The viola originated from Italy and was built in the 15th century.

Shape and Size: The viola’s shape and method of playing is almost identical to the violin. However, the viola’s size is larger and has thicker strings. It does not have a standard size. It ranges about 15 to 17 inches; or some are as small as 11 inches.

Sound:

The viola has a rich, mellow, and low pitch. It is often played in harmony with the rest of the string instruments in the orchestra. It just blends-in. It rarely gets a ‘solo’ spot, unlike its more famous sibling, the violin. Hence, people got the impression that the viola will always be playing second fiddle to the violin (no pun intended). It was only in the late 1800s to 1900s when composers discovered its beauty and gave the viola its rightful place and the recognition it deserves in the orchestra.
In viola lessons, you will learn how to enhance the sound of the viola by playing with a vibrato.

Music: The number of compositions for the viola pales in comparison to the huge library of music of the violin or cello. However starting from the 20th century to the present, music written for the viola has grown in leaps and bounds.

Famous Violists: This may come as a surprise. Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and Haydn were viola masters too! They composed music with and for the viola. Here’s a bigger surprise — Jimi Hendrix, the famous rock guitar god began his career as a musician playing the viola! Another renowned contemporary violist include Scottish violist William Primrose who has written numerous viola solo arrangements.

Modern Pop Music: The viola has been elevated to rock star status as well. Several contemporary pop, rock, and alternative artists have featured the viola in some of their most recognizable hits. Here’s to name drop a few:

“Baba O’Riley” by The Who
“Dust in the Wind” by Kansas
“Hello, Goodbye” and “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles
“Venus in Furs” and “Heroin, Sunday Morning” by The Velvet Underground
“It’s Time” by Imagine Dragons

Career: An orchestra always needs a violist. There are very few really good violinists. Ergo, violists are in-demand.

If you’re taking viola lessons and happen to have viola jokes thrown at you, fret not. You know who gets to laugh all the way to a place in the orchestra.

Viola lessons can give you lots of advantages and opportunities in the music industry. Not only would you have the right to play in an orchestra you also have the option of just playing the versatile instrument to amuse yourself and entertain your friends or family. It can be a lucrative career to someone who is good at playing and performing. Having a viola education also qualifies you to teach other students to know and play this wonderfully under-appreciated instrument. So begin exploring your many options now and start a thrilling adventure of learning this terrific musical instrument.

The Ten Commandments of Pop Singing Lessons to Prevent Vocal Damage

February 27, 2015 Singing

The Ten Commandments of Pop Singing Lessons to Prevent Vocal Damage

Pop singers could possibly be one of the busiest people on earth. Their voices take so much beating from the backbreaking pace of rehearsals, tours, and performances. Yet the main culprits that cause vocal breakdown are bad lifestyle habits and improper singing techniques. Pop singing lessons are essential for aspiring singers. It could steer you toward the right directions.

Your voice is your main instrument. Once damaged, it is irreplaceable. It is not something that you could buy from a music store. Caring and protecting your voice require you to follow certain rules. Here are ‘10 Commandments’ to keep your voice safe and sound:

Thou shalt not get into the habit of clearing your throat or coughing all the time. Doing so habitually could cause bumps and scratches on your vocal chords. If you feel the urge for an ‘ahem’, swallow slowly and take a sip of water instead.

Thou shalt not yell or scream. Excitement and sudden burst of emotions in concerts or sporting events could make you shout at the top of your lungs. The release could be great but could give you vocal strain or laryngitis.

Thou shalt not sing at a pitch too high beyond your vocal range. Pop or rock songs often have soaring tones. Ask for guidance and correct vocal exercises from a pop singing teacher who could gradually help you reach those notes . It is good to push your limits at times, but do it with the proper technique.

Thou shalt not take antihistamines before singing. Some medications like antihistamines could cause dryness in the throat area. Taking a glass of water could keep your allergies at bay for the moment and hydrate your throat.

Thou shalt not drink coffee, tea, alcohol, chocolate and dairy drinks. These are main causes of dryness and mucus around your throat.

Remember to get plenty of rest when you have colds or laryngitis. Give your body the chance to recuperate. Your voice is prone to get permanently damaged when it is in a vulnerable situation.

Thou shalt not put stress on your jaw while singing. Keep calm while singing. Putting your jaw on a tight clench could cause vocal nodes and laryngitis.

Thou shalt not smoke. Smoking and singing should not mix. It damages every part in your body essential for singing — your vocal cords, throat, and lungs.

Thou shalt not sleep with fan or air condition air directly blowing into your face. This also causes throat dryness, making your voice scratchy.

Get a full 8-hour sleep at night. Your overall body resistance could take a toll due to sleep deprivation. It makes you prone to catching viruses and infection. Also, lack of sleep could make your voice sound hoarse.

You could avoid the deadly sins that could ruin your voice by keeping these tips in voice lessons a heavenly experience.

Taking care of your voice is not only good practice but also healthy and wise. You will not only have an investment on which you can source your material needs you will also have a future free from vocal illness and injury. When taking voice lessons, be sure to listen to what your teacher has to say about home remedies to sore throats. There is always the possibility that you would injure yourself when practicing continuously with your singing. It is important to know the do’s and don’ts when taking voice lessons so you can avoid damaging your vocal cords and your opportunity for a successful music career in pop singing. So enrol now and start a new and exciting adventure.

What is The Best Age to Start Keyboard Lessons

February 27, 2015 Keyboards / Piano

What is The Best Age to Start Keyboard Lessons

Just like language learning, there is much debate over what the best age is to take up a musical instrument. Some argue that younger students perform better whereas others claim that the more mature make the best students. It should be clear that keyboard lessons are a good idea at any age – different levels of maturity offer different benefits to instrument learning. Let’s have a look at the advantages of learning young versus learning later in life.

Benefits of learning the keyboard as a child:

Children are generally more confident in their lessons than adults as they have none of the baggage that accumulates after years of schooling and working…
As a result, they tend to take quicker to learning the keyboard as there is nothing to hold them back.
Children will generally have more time than adults to attend lessons and practice.
Perhaps they will even have the opportunity to take music lessons at school!
Learning the keyboard is a great first instrument for a child to master as it will lay the groundwork for musical and performance skills that they may be able to use later in life.
Children tend to do better in examinations than adults due to youthful confidence and a sparklingly good memory. This should mean that they don’t feel too pressurized by grade exams and pass with flying colors!

Benefits of taking keyboard lessons as an adult:

Adults will be more mature than children and should take their lessons and practice more seriously…
There will be no parent pressurizing them into taking lessons but rather they just want to learn of their own accord.
Adults will have already participated in music lessons at school and potentially even have prior experience with the keyboard which will help them learn new techniques and skills.
As an adult, you will be able to have much more of a hand in the content of your lessons and the general direction in which you would like your learning to go…
A two-handed relationship with your teacher will certainly help you make the most of your keyboard playing.
Adults will generally have a much more sophisticated taste in music and so will probably have a much more rounded view of the keyboard as an instrument.

Benefits of learning the keyboard at any age:

If you enjoy playing and are willing to put in the time and effort into your lessons and practice, you can be sure to become a great keyboard player whatever your age.
Playing the keyboard will not only increase your musical knowledge and confidence in performance but will also increase your happiness levels, according to various surveys.

Different ages bring different skills and perspectives to keyboard lessons and it should be noted that there is never a ‘wrong’ time to learn. You certainly shouldn’t be put off if you think you’re too old, nor daunted if you’re younger. Regardless of your age, if you’re ready and willing to work hard and commit to practice, you’ll make the most of your lessons and are sure to see some great results in your playing.

More Benefits

Keyboard lessons can open up so many opportunities for you in the music world. You can be a professional keyboard player or a piano teacher to other aspirants. It is a known fact that bands will not really be complete without a keyboardist. Going solo as a keyboardist may be a difficult road but success as a soloist is not really unheard of. Everything will naturally depend on your drive and passion, diligence and resourcefulness.

Drum Teachers: Ever Considered Teaching at Your Students’ Homes?

February 27, 2015 Drums

Drum Teachers: Ever Considered Teaching at Your Students’ Homes?

Teaching at your students’ homes instead of at a school is a great way to work flexibly, earn more money and be able to work for yourself. Increasing numbers of drum teachers are turning to this way of working for these very reasons. Let’s have a look at some of the pros and cons to teaching your students at their home.

Flexibility

When you teach music at a school, you are immediately hemmed in to the restrictions hoisted upon you by the school, such as a set timetable and a set pay structure. In addition, you are obviously restricted to only teaching students of school age who attend that school. As soon as you decide to start teaching at your students’ homes, you have the freedom and flexibility to teach whoever you like at whatever time you like, for whatever fee you like! What could be better? This flexibility will be especially beneficial for teachers who are keen to teach adults during the day and are willing to travel between students.

Pay benefits

You can often command a higher fee as a drum teacher who teaches in students’ homes as many people will pay more for the convenience of their tutor coming to them. It is certainly also worth bearing in mind your travel costs and time too when you are negotiating your fee. You’ll generally be able to charge more than you would teaching at a school as you’ll probably be teaching older students and there will be no school taking a cut of your wage.

Less stability

One thing to bear in mind if you decide to quit your school and teach at your students’ homes is that your ready-made client base of school children will disappear and so you will have to find and keep your own clients. This can be quite daunting when you first start out on your own but if you are well organized, you should be able to do well. It’s worth mentioning to any students and their parents that you already teach that you are moving from the school but would still like to continue teaching them – chances are, they will decide to stick with you and take advantage of the convenience of having lessons within their own home.

Once you have a few loyal students, you will find that your reputation will increase just by word-of-mouth and the students will be knocking down your door trying to get lessons! A good idea would be to create your own website which contains your experience and up-to-date contact details so any would-be students can get in contact with you quickly to arrange lessons. It may even be worth doing deals (such as buy 10 lessons for the price of 9) in order to entice students if you find it difficult to start with.

Be prepared

Teaching drum lessons at your students’ homes instead of within the traditional setting of a school is a great way for a teacher to work flexibly and potentially earn more money. Before you make the break, ensure that you have a strategy to entice in new students so you don’t miss the stability of teaching in a school.

There is, of course, the option of both teaching privately and teaching in a school. It is just a matter of scheduling carefully so as not to over load yourself. There is no sense in earning loads of money if in the end you won’t have the time to enjoy or spend it as you please. Remember your health is still more important than any riches in the world. Good luck making the right decision!

Teaching in Students’ Homes: Recruitment Opportunities for Flute Teachers

February 27, 2015 Flute

Teaching in Students’ Homes: Recruitment Opportunities for Flute Teachers

It has probably crossed your mind at some point whether it would be easier, more fulfilling and potentially more lucrative if you were able to teach at your students’ homes, rather than in a school or at your own home. Many flute teachers are turning to this option for all of the above reasons and many are building a sustainable business model off the back of it. Let’s have a look at a few of the things you should consider before you decide to teach at your students’ homes.

Flexibility

If you decide to teach at your students’ homes, you immediately have more flexibility as a teacher. No longer will you need to make sure your house is tidy and free of distractions for your students when they come to your house for their lessons. No longer will you be tied to your school’s timetable and pay structure if you teach within a school. You can design your lessons around when both you and your students are available without needing to worry about the teaching environment in your own home.

Teaching at your students’ homes is really great if your personal circumstances change; perhaps you move outside the area most of your students are living in or you have to downsize – teaching at your students’ homes is a great way to retain those students.

The flip side of having this flexibility, particularly if you’ve been working in a school, is that you could lose some of the stability that comes with that. If you decide to teach at your students’ homes, it will be up to you to recruit clients and make sure that you keep them – as opposed to having your school sort this for you.

Organization

As any good flute teacher will know, organization is key to teaching well together with recruiting and keeping students. It’s a great idea to design a website showcasing your playing and teaching ability together with your availability as a teacher; a website immediately gives you both authenticity and an easy way for potential clients to contact you. Once you’ve established a good base of students who are ready and willing to recommend you to others, word-of-mouth will bring you any additional students you may need.

As with teaching in a school or at your own home, it is imperative that you turn up on time and have all the necessary equipment with you for the lesson – nothing will destroy your reputation faster than being badly organized!

Opportunities to earn more money

When you decide to start teaching at your students’ homes, you have the opportunity to negotiate a higher fee for your services. Students will often pay more for the convenience of having their teacher come to them and you will need to take into account your travel costs when you agree a price for your teaching.

Bearing in mind the limitations of having to travel between your students, if you’re super organized you will be able to see lots of students in a day – it’s up to you how much money you want to earn!

Teaching at students’ homes is a great opportunity for flute teachers who are after additional flexibility and the opportunity to make more money. Just make sure to be highly organized and you’ll have a strong student base in no time!

Networking

The key to being a successful as a private flute teacher is in finding the right number of students to teach that will fit into all your planned working hours. If you could organize yourself to devote the right amount of time to teaching and travelling to your students home then you are on your way to achieving that dream net pay that you are aiming for.

Teaching at Students’ Homes: Recruitment for Keyboard Teachers

February 18, 2015 Keyboards / Piano

Teaching at Students’ Homes: Recruitment for Keyboard Teachers

If you’re unable or don’t want to teach the keyboard at a school or at your own home, it will be well worth considering taking your skills and experiences and turning yourself into a ‘mobile teacher’. Giving keyboard lessons at students’ homes is a new and increasingly popular way to work for a number of teachers. Let’s have a look at a few of the requirements and benefits of the job.

What do you need to teach at your students’ homes?

All you really need is your teaching qualification and experience playing the keyboard. If you already teach keyboard at your own home or a school and are looking to a more flexible way of working, it’s a good idea to talk to your current students and ask them if they’d like you to teach them at home instead. It’s a great way to get your first clients and, if they have a keyboard at home, much easier and more convenient for your students to learn.

You must make sure that you’re super organized – there’s nothing worse than turning up at a student’s house late or without the right music. Remember, you’re on their time now!

As always when you’re starting out with a new venture, it’s a great idea to create yourself a website which clearly shows your skills and contact details so new students can find you as easily as possible. You’ll find that once you have a few long-term students who like you and will recommend you as a teacher, you’ll have lots of prospective students interested in you just by word-of-mouth. Make sure to do a good job and your popularity will rise!

What are the benefits for teaching at students’ homes?

• Flexibility

This is probably the most sought-after benefit for keyboard teachers looking to teach at students’ homes. When you do not have to host at your own home or at a school, you can be much more reactive to your students’ needs and can really focus on them.

• Possible increase in pay

You may find that students are more likely to pay for convenience – and what could be more convenient than their teacher coming to their home to teach them? Obviously, it’s worth negotiating on this point when they first seek you out to give lessons. Remember that you have to travel to their house and back for the sake of their convenience so you have a great case to ask for a little more money than you would if you were teaching at your own house.

• Less domestic stress

One of the worst things about being a teacher giving lessons at your own home is the fact that you have to make sure that your house is presentable for your students and there’s no distractions lying in wait to divert you during your lesson. Lessons at the teacher’s home are much more problematic if you live in a house share or you have young children running around. There is much less stress when you teach at your students’ houses!

In conclusion, there’s lots of valuable benefits to reap from teaching keyboard lessons at your students’ homes and, as long as you’re organized, you can be a highly successful teacher doing it.

Do not miss out on the many good opportunities that could be yours when you decide to be a mobile keyboard teacher. Many students will appreciate the flexibility it would afford them to have their own private keyboard mentor and would most likely recommend you to their friends and family. Start your network now and give yourself the break you deserve. Good luck!

What Makes a Good Flute Teacher

February 18, 2015 Flute

What Makes a Good Flute Teacher

Once you’ve decided that you want to start playing the flute, the first thing you should be thinking about is who you would like to hire to teach you. A good flute teacher is imperative to you becoming a good musician so it’s worth taking some extra time to research good teachers rather than just opting for the person with the cheapest rate. Let’s have a look at some of the qualities you should be looking out for when choosing your teacher.

Talent

Obviously, you want your teacher to be an excellent flautist so they will be able to teach you all the requisite skills as well as inspire you in your playing. How to find out how well they can play? Most teachers will have a website advertising their lessons and they will probably include a section on what level of playing they have reached, whether they have attended Music College and a brief CV of their experience (or maybe even a video of them playing!). It is well worth checking out their website to get a taste for their style and level of playing.

Teacher training

Just as important as their playing quality is their actual ability to teach. I’m sure you’ve heard of the cliché that musicians are difficult to work with; while that’s fine if they’re a singer/songwriter in a successful band, you don’t want your teacher to be moody and unpredictable! Look out for a flute teacher who has proper music teaching qualifications and a lot of experience teaching at the level you are playing at. If you are a parent looking for a teacher for your child, be sure to choose someone who has experience teaching children, whereas an advanced flautist who’d like lessons to coach them into Music College should look for a teacher who has experience in that arena. Which leads us nicely on to our next point…

On your side

Make sure that your teacher is happy to work in whatever direction you wish to work in. If, for instance, you would like to take grade examinations for the flute, ensure that your teacher is happy and qualified to prepare you for your exams. Alternatively, if you decide that you would rather play for pleasure and have no desire to take exams, make sure that your teacher doesn’t suddenly start pressurising you into anything you don’t want to do. More generally, it is important to hire a teacher who has a personality and teaching style that works well for you; if you’re a relaxed player, try and find someone who is a relaxed teacher. Conversely, if you work better in a strictly organised lesson structure, find someone who can offer you that. Some music teachers will offer you a trial lesson before you commit which is a great way of ascertaining whether you think they’ll be a good fit for you.

Make no mistake

Make sure that you do your research before you begin your flute lessons so you can find the perfect teacher for you. Not only should they be a good match for your learning style, they should also be a great flautist and a qualified teacher.

Make no mistake, having the right teacher could mean a student’s success or failure in life. It is equally true if you are determined to make a career out of playing the flute. Having the right teacher will give you all the knowledge and techniques you will need to become the professional flute player that could make waves in the music industry. Remember the criteria set above and start looking for your perfect match now. Good luck!

Drum Lessons: The Differences Between Learning as a Child And Learning as an Adult

February 18, 2015 Drums

Drum Lessons: The Differences Between Learning as a Child And Learning as an Adult

As you would expect, there will be huge differences in your lessons if you’re learning to play the drums as a child or if you’re learning as an adult. This is exactly how it should be; children and adults have totally different learning needs and styles and their drum lessons should cater to that. It’s important to find a teacher who has experience teaching at whatever age and ability you are so you can make sure that you’re getting the most from your lessons.

So, what can you expect as a child beginning lessons?
• More structure
Children are often less focused and more easily distracted than adults so it’s important that lessons are carefully structured. There should be appropriate time allocated to practice and, just as importantly, time allocated for fun playing! This is especially important when playing an instrument such as the drums; although careful practice is needed to master the skills and techniques, it’s important to let younger students have fun and really let go with the instrument so they stay engaged in their learning.
• Teacher-led direction
Hand-in-hand with the above point is the fact that younger students will need a more teacher-led approach during their drum lessons. Children, naturally, are more focused on the ‘here and now’ rather than looking forward to their future so it’s important that the teacher is heavily involved when decisions need to be made about their musical direction. Say, for instance, the child is an excellent drummer but is lacking the discipline or motivation to commit to grade exams – it is important that the teacher encourages and recommends a new approach in the child’s learning so they will be able to take the exams in the future, rather than just letting the opportunity slip away.

What about adult lessons?
• Student-led lessons
Adults are naturally more self-confident and assertive than children and it is therefore natural that they will take much more of a role in determining the direction of their lessons. If an adult decides that they would rather play the drums for pleasure rather than obtaining grade qualifications, their teacher should respect this decision and they should work together to plan lessons accordingly. It would be a great idea for the student to bring in some music that they would like to play which could then help to set the tone of the lessons. There is generally a lot more freedom when teaching adults.
• Less enforced discipline
Most children require a little enforced discipline to study effectively, whether it’s at school or during their music lessons. Discipline enforced by the teacher is a great tool for learning as it will ensure that the child both pays attention during the lessons and practices once they get home. Generally, it’s a different story for an adult student who will have decided to take up the drums purely because they want to, rather than being pushed into lessons by a parent. There should be little to no difficulty with adult students not wanting to practice or not taking part fully in the lesson.

It’s clear that there are a few big differences in drum lessons for adults and those for children; it’s important to ensure that you employ the right teacher who will get the best from you whatever your age.

What Makes a Good Keyboard Teacher

February 13, 2015 Keyboards / Piano

What Makes a Good Keyboard Teacher

When you decide to take up a musical instrument, it is absolutely imperative that you make sure that you pick a good teacher whom you get along well with as well as someone who will make sure that you make the most of your lessons. A good keyboard teacher can improve your playing, inspire you and prepare you for grade exams whereas a bad teacher will leave you feeling unmotivated, bored and probably ready to give up learning pretty quickly. Let’s have a look at the qualities you should be looking out for when picking a teacher.

Musical and teaching ability

It’s really important that not only is your teacher a great musician but a great teacher too – there’s no use having one without the other! If you want to check your teacher’s musical ability, why don’t you ask about their performing experience or see if you can listen to them play? A great musician will inspire you as a student to perform better and perhaps even start you on the road to becoming a musician yourself. You also need to ensure that your teacher has suitable qualifications to teach the keyboard; this will mean that they will be aware of the syllabus you need to follow as well as knowing how to get the best from you during your keyboard lessons. If you are a parent who wants their child to start lessons, it is worth checking that the teacher has experience teaching children and vice versa if you are an adult wanting to start playing.

Matching learning and teaching style

It’s also important that their teaching style fits the way you want to learn. If you both disagree over the direction that you want to take your keyboard learning, your lessons will naturally stop being worth your time. If you are set on attaining grades, for example, it is necessary for your teacher to be organized and dedicated to preparing you well for your examinations and making sure that you have all the necessary skills to see you through. If you would prefer, however, to take a more relaxed approach to your learning, you will want to ensure that your teacher is similarly relaxed and isn’t going to pressurize you to take exams when you are not ready to.

Availability and accessibility

This is an obvious point, but still an important one! You may find the absolute perfect teacher for you but if they are unable to offer you lessons when you need them or if they live too far away and aren’t prepared to give lessons at your home, then they aren’t really that perfect. You may find that some teachers who have excellent reputations don’t have any space left for teaching you or maybe they have a waiting list. It may be worth signing up to the waiting list and in the meantime, looking for an alternative teacher who isn’t quite as popular (but still good). Many teachers will offer you a trial lesson before you sign up and it is definitely worth taking advantage of this to see if you’ll work well together.

It’s really important to find a great teacher when you decide to start keyboard lessons – make sure that they have both musical and teaching ability, a teaching style that works for you and also the availability to make your lessons happen when you want them.

Finding the right teacher is easy if you can make a checklist of the qualities you want them to have. Make sure you check out every the internet for reviews, get feedback from your friends and families and attend performance to scout check out prospective keyboard teachers.

Is It Better to Take Drum Lessons at School or at Home

February 13, 2015 Drums

Is It Better to Take Drum Lessons at School or at Home

New drum students often stop to consider where the best place to learn their instrument is – school or home? There are certainly benefits to both locations but also some practicalities to consider when you are making your decision. Let’s have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of taking your drum lessons at school or at home…

Facilities

Unless you’re blessed with a top-notch music studio at home, it is unlikely that you will have the same great facilities that are present in most schools. Schools often have their own music department which hosts sound-proof music rooms and great equipment for students to make use of during their lessons and free time. One of the biggest drawbacks to playing the drums is the fact that the kit is so large and, obviously, quite loud once you get started! If you are living in a small house or perhaps have a parent who works from home, your lessons are unlikely to be very popular with the rest of your family due to both space and noise issues.

Practice makes perfect

If you do have the space to have your drum lessons at home then you will certainly be able to reap some benefits. You are much more likely to practice your drumming if your drum kit is at home right in front of you waiting to be used. It’s really easy to practice whenever you want and there will be no one else arguing that it’s ‘their turn’ (unless you have a sibling who wants to have a go!). It takes much more discipline to commit yourself to practicing if you have to drag yourself away from your friends and go to your school music room. Additionally, if you want to play at school you will be expected to share the drum kit with other students who are learning so it may not always be too easy to practice whenever you want.

Band involvement

Regardless of whether you take your lessons at school or at home, it is a great idea to lend your new drumming skills to a band – obviously, the best place to get involved is at school with other like-minded musicians who have the same free time as you. Being in a band is a great way to practice your drumming and to get another perspective on the instrument outside of your lessons. If you’re taking your lessons at home but your parents are unhappy with you practicing all the time due to noise issues, band practice is a great way to get the best of both home and school drumming.

When you decide to start drumming, it’s important to consider where the best place to take your drum lessons will be. School lessons are great if you don’t have the space or facilities at home to learn but you have to make sure that you are disciplined enough to commit to practicing even when you’d rather be having fun with your friends at break time. Wherever you take your lessons, you’ll find a happy medium being involved with a band.

Taking up drum lessons is a great way to improve your musicality as well as your personality. Physically, you improve your coordination. You get your blood flowing with the constant beating with your drums sticks. Your heart benefits from the exercise and you sweat out those extra pounds. Drumming is rarely a solo thing so you get to interact frequently with various band members for practice, gigs or just to hang out and have fun. All in all, a win win situation for you or your child.

Saxophone Lessons: Playing For Grades Versus Playing For Pleasure

February 13, 2015 Saxophone

Saxophone Lessons: Playing For Grades Versus Playing For Pleasure

When you decide that you’d like to start playing the saxophone, it’s a good idea to consider whether or not you’d like to try and pass grade examinations or whether you’d rather just play for pleasure. This will probably be one of the first things your teacher will ask when you start your saxophone lessons so it’s smart to have an idea in your head about the direction you’d like your learning to take. You may be a little concerned at making such a big decision so let’s have a look at how playing for grades versus playing for pleasure will shape your lessons.

Playing for grades

If you decide that you want to achieve grades with your saxophone playing, then your lessons will need to be more organized and structured in order to ensure that you acquire the requisite skills and confidence that are needed to pass the exam. Aside from learning to play a few pieces well, you will also need to sight-read and sing for parts of the exam so your teacher will have to make sure that you spend a just amount of time practicing these skills. Organization and committed practice are key to passing grade exams.

The benefits of grade exams

Although some students do feel the pressure when they take their grade exams, there are certainly benefits to be reaped if you put the work in. It’s a great thing to be able to put what grade you have attained in your saxophone playing onto resumes or college applications and if you wish to go to Music College then you will certainly need to have attained a certain grade standard in your instrument. Additionally, you will undoubtedly feel a great sense of purpose when you realise that all your practise and saxophone lessons have paid off now that you are a certain grade.

Playing for pleasure

Many people, particularly adults, decide that they would much rather play for pleasure rather than bother with grade examinations. This is definitely the path to go down if you don’t cope well with exam pressure or would rather focus on developing your saxophone skills organically as opposed to following a syllabus. Playing for pleasure gives you the freedom to play exactly the type of music you would like to play so you’re not hemmed in into the usual classical fare that you need to master in order to pass exams.

A happy medium

There is, of course, a happy medium – unless you want to pass as many grades as you can as quickly as possible it is a good idea to spend perhaps half of your lessons focusing on skills necessary for passing grades and then spending the other half of your lessons playing for pleasure. Although it will take you slightly longer to achieve the grades you want, you will have a much more balanced approach to playing the saxophone and will probably be a better player for it.

So there you go – there are certainly benefits of playing for pleasure and playing for grades (and both at the same time!). It is important to figure out exactly what you want to achieve from your saxophone lessons before you make any final decisions about the direction you’d like your playing to head in – make sure to have a thorough discussion with your teacher about it too.

Just remember whichever way you choose to direct your saxophone lessons to enjoy yourself and this wonderful instrument that has given so much pleasure to so many people over the years. Take advantage of the opportunities to learn the saxophone now and find yourself the perfect saxophone teacher.

How Do Keyboard Lessons Change As You Get More Advanced

February 3, 2015 Keyboards / Piano

How do Keyboard Lessons Change as you Get More Advanced

Picture the scene: you’ve been playing the keyboard for a while now and have mastered all the basic skills and techniques. You’re confident enough to play in front of your friends. Where do you go from here? How can you and your teacher take your keyboard lessons to the next level? It’s important to make sure that as you progress in your learning, your lessons develop too so you can acquire more complex skills and become a better musician. Let’s have a look at a few of the things you can expect to change:

Your input

It is natural that as you get more skilled as a keyboard player, your teacher will welcome more of your input to your learning. This could be regarding the structure of your lessons, the genre of music you would like to start playing, or even whether you want to attempt to pass any grade examinations. It’s likely that when you started playing the keyboard, your teacher structured your lessons relatively strictly in order to teach you all the necessary basic skills you would need before you start to tackle the complexities of playing. Now you have these skills, you will be much more knowledgeable and self-aware about what you hope to achieve with your playing, and your teacher will be able to respect your decisions regarding the direction you want to head.

Extracurricular activities

Now you’re of a certain standard in your playing, you may have decided to branch out a bit and lend your keyboard skills to a band or even an orchestra. These extracurricular activities are a great idea in terms of honing your technique and putting all your practise and keyboard lessons into perspective. Playing in a band is a great way to find out what genres of music you are interested in playing and also will help you learn how to play with other musicians. If you’re playing in a band with a lead singer, for example, this will challenge you to develop your sense of rhythm and your reaction skills as you work around the singer. You can then take these newfound skills and incorporate them into your lessons.

Grades

For some students, grade examinations are the natural step when they get to a certain standard and want to show their progress with a series of certificates. Grades are a great way to prove that you’ve reached a certain standard in your playing and are pretty much mandatory if you’re considering going to Music College. This is obviously something that you should discuss with your teacher to determine whether or not you’re ready to take this next step and you can then work together to structure your lessons in a way that should achieve the best results for you.

Once you become more advanced in your playing, your lessons will become more on your terms as you shape the way you want to play and how you want to progress. It’s a great time to get involved with extracurricular activities, such as playing in a band or taking grade examinations, and you can ensure that you incorporate any new skills you learn into your keyboard lessons.

Advancing in your lessons is the natural recommendation of piano teachers whenever they feel that a student has learned all he or she has to learn from the basic lessons. Intermediate lessons are available everywhere now and more teachers are also offering one on one tutorials if the student is serious about progressing more in his or her study of this wonderfully sounding instrument. Inquire now for intermediate or advanced lessons from music schools or teachers and get started with your higher learning.

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