Ed Pearlman

Can your students “mapify” and “tonalize”?

June 16th, 2013 by

In order to learn a piece of music, students must first mapify it, and then tonalize it.  These are brand new words for two essential listening skills, which usually get taken for granted.  Why?  Simply because our language has no words to describe nonverbal skills.  So I’ve made up a couple of words for us to use!   After all, these skills are at the heart of learning and playing music, and need to be easier to pin down.mapify1

Because students have no words to describe the actions of our ears in learning music, students have a hard time thinking about what their ears do, and therefore their brains usually dismiss the ears as tangential to the process, or take them for granted.  Sometimes, I’ve noticed students doing all they can to avoid what they might consider “learning by ear” — they will simply state they cannot do it, and will cling more tightly than ever to their book, sheet music, and verbal thinking strategies.

Verbal thinking strategies focus on what a student can put into words.  In music, this start with written notes or instructions.  Often a student will try mightily to play sequences of notes in the right order, and will stop to fix it when a note is wrong.  For them, trying harder usually means applying their brains ever more diligently to the ideas they’re able to think about — notes, finger numbers, markings, keys, time signatures — trying to get it all right.tonalize

But that is not where music can be found.  Without sound, music is an intellectual exercise.  And without timing, there is only sound — and no music at all.  We teachers need to focus our students on respect for listening.  We need a way for students to apply their thinking and practicing to an appreciation of their ears.

So I’ve made up a couple of words for teachers and students to use in describing the work of the ears.  Read more…

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Posted in Practicing, Teaching Tips

Kerri Green

Music Teaching Financial Binder Makeover

June 15th, 2013 by

I have a confession to make.image

I am a musician. I possess a wonderful, creative, passionately-interested-in-the-world right brain. I love to explore, to learn, to ponder, to express. I love to share ideas, to share emotions, to create beauty.

It is a great kind of brain to have.

Most of the time.

There are those times, however, that the possession of such a brain creates chaos, confusion, and disorder. I am sure that there are many of you fellow musicians who have never had these feelings. I am sure there are many of you who have learned to harness both your right AND your left brains, that your paperwork is all in order, all of your financial dealings with students have been handled in a timely, professional manner, and that you have no questions about how to start over from a muddled, unsure record-keeping state.

This post is not for those of you who fit that category. Instead, please fast forward to the end of this post and leave us your wise counsel and organizational tips in the comment section. We need you. We really really do.

For the rest of us, though, I have this promise: you are not alone. We creative sorts have many gifts. So what if filing isn’t one of them? Let’s use our creativity to find new solutions. I have some advice, some tips, some words of hope for you. Read more…

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Posted in Financial Business, Studio Management, Using Music Teacher's Helper

Amanda Furbeck

Summer Performance Opportunities

June 10th, 2013 by

IMG_2847Summer is a terrific time to organize some extra performance opportunities for your younger private lessons students. Don’t worry if they’ve never performed in front of anyone before – now is the time to start.  Performance opportunities help students in a variety of way.  Students learn to play well under pressure, and they learn to play through their mistakes, instead of stopping to fix them. They learn poise, professionalism, and they learn how to encourage one another.  Performing has a way of maturing a piece of music; the more people your students perform in front of other people, the better, especially if they are transitioning or auditioning for colleges and special groups.  Here are a few ideas to squeeze in some fun and exciting performing opportunities for this summer.

Nursing homes. Nursing homes are some of my favorite places to play.  They usually have some sort of large activities room, often with a stage and piano.  The elderly folks who live there generally love music and children – bringing both front and center will likely make their day.  A 45 minute program is perfect.  Let students know ahead of time what they may see as far as wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, or severely disabled adults.

Coffee shops.  Coffee shops may not be willing to give up ‘prime time’ to inexperienced musicians, but they may be willing to work with you on a time that has low attendance.  It will certainly help if your students’ parents are willing to come by and drink some coffee, too. Students can sign up for time slots or even rotate. Read more…

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Posted in Performing, Practicing, Studio Management

Ronnie Currey (Editor)

The 3 Biggest Values of Adult Piano Lessons

June 10th, 2013 by

Guest Blog by Dan Starr

adult studentIt’s Worthwhile for a Variety of Good Reasons – Here’s Only Three!

1. It’s a wonderful, fun hobby that you can pursue for your entire lifetime.
Now, some folks like to play for others and some don’t, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that your new ability, your new hobby, can give you a lifetime of sheer enjoyment for almost no money at all. Sure, you’ll have to learn but once learning is done, you simply sit down at it when the mood strikes and make pleasing, beautiful music. For most folks, this means playing their favorite tunes with a minimum of practice.

2. It Costs Little in Terms of Money and Effort
The lessons do take awhile (more on that below!,) but even learning can be fun – if you let it be. And once the lessons are through, and since you’ll already own your own instrument, your enjoyment costs you zero in terms of effort and expense. Just play.

3. Science now confirms that your efforts will keep you as young as possible.
From the pages of NYT “best-sellers” to your favorite magazines, the news about adult music training is all positive. I have copies of articles which explain how learning takes place at every age (I could have told them that years ago!) not just for children. Science now has proven this fact and even invented a wonderful $10 word for it – “neuroplasticity!” This means that in order to keep the brain and hands as young as possible, older learners need to learn new things.

But how hard is that? I’ve taught ages 5 ½ to 97 and I can conclusively state that adults, on the average, learn 10 -20X faster than children. Yes, I know this goes against “conventional wisdom.” However, ask yourself how often that’s been wrong! Ask any parent about why their child only slowly “gets the picture” and you’ll have your answer. Sure, there are “young Mozarts,” but they are few and far between!

Dan Starr AuthorDan Starr (www.danstarr.com) is a native of Tucson, Arizona, born in 1952. He’s played electronic instruments since 1968 and taught music – mostly keyboards, including organ, piano (acoustic and digital,) synth, and portable keyboard but also banjo, voice, and guitar – since 1987. He started writing in 2001 and has kept at it since.

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Posted in Teaching Tips

Reuben Vincent

I Think I’ve Found It!

June 6th, 2013 by

NoteWorks in Action!

Click to enlarge

Isn’t it frustrating watching a new student struggling to work out the pitch of the notes on their sheet music. Is it a C or an A? You can hear them muttering “every good boy…” under their breathe whilst their parent waits anxiously on the edge of their seat to see if they might finally “hear a tune.”

Or what about a more advanced student? Surely by now they should be able to recognise that note on the ledger lines? Why can’t they remember to play a G sharp when playing in the key of A major? If only they would play that note in the correct octave?

Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve tried everything under the sun over the years to try and help my pupils quickly recognise pitch; flash cards, all manner of computer software and other miscellaneous methods in an effort to help them become better music readers. After all, faster pitch recognition equals more fluent sight reading. New pieces then get learnt quicker and everybody, pupil, parent and music teacher are much happier!

 

This could be it!

And then the light bulb moment! One of my students introduced me to Read more…

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Posted in Music Theory, Practicing, Product Reviews, Professional Development, Teaching Tips

Ronnie Currey (Editor)

The Pros And Cons Of Teaching Students At Home

June 5th, 2013 by

Guest blog by Marcela De Vivo

pros and consProviding your child with a well-rounded education is a highly important part of their development. Introducing children to music is one of the most readily available and common components of that education.

Whether your child is interested in the typical piano and guitar or something completely different, like the viola or a wind instrument, chances are good that you’ll be able to find an instructor for a decent hourly rate.

One of the less-discussed aspects of that decision is whether or not your child’s music lessons should take place in your own home or in the home of the instructor.

Making the call will have a lot to do with your kid’s personality and learning tendencies. Some children learn much better at home while others need to get away from their familiar surroundings in order to concentrate on anything academic.

Yet, aside from the personality of the child, there are some fairly universal pros and cons to having your child’s music lessons occur inside of the home.

Let’s take a look at each side of the coin. Read more…

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Posted in Studio Management, Teaching Tips

Leila Viss

Travel the World of Music with Your Students

June 1st, 2013 by

Ever since I opened my private piano studio (a nice way of saying a LONG time ago), I’ve always used lab-assisted instruction. Students not only have a 20112619_s20a_whhjpiano lesson with me but stay another 30 minutes to complete activities on the computer, on worksheets and now the iPad.  As I consider myself an expert consumer of technology but NOT an expert, meeting Michelle Sisler years ago at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy has been life changing and yes “lab changing”.

Are We There Yet?

Are We There Yet?

If you are interested in expanding the use of technology in your studio or music classroom, I highly recommend becoming familiar with Michelle’s products at her site Keys to Imagination. She not only sells and supports a host of software programs and books, but also authors and produces her own unique products.  It would be difficult to make a complete list here so instead I’ll highlight a product that I believe you will find a perfect solution for your upcoming summer plans, a unique camp or theme for your private studio lab, a music classroom or even a general classroom unit. It’s called  Are We There Yet? A Musical Journey Around the Globe®.

Michelle describes it as “a unique multimedia, interdisciplinary program to teach students about world music, instruments, culture, people, and geography through colorful slides, text, photos, videos, music, crafts, games and puzzles.  Designed to be used with a projector or SMART board or computer station for an independent lab, this curriculum is completely done for you!  Simply read the slides to students, click on related sound clips and videos, and complete activities as directed.”

Let me reiterate that when Michelle mentions it is completely done for you, she means it is completely done for you. I’ve known her and used many of her products long enough to know that whatever she produces will be comprehensive, extremely well researched, organized and most importantly, easy to use. In addition, Michelle aligns herself with top-notch people for all her projects.  For the Are We There Yet series she collaborated with Dr. Deborah Brener (among others), an expert in world music.  Deborah’s doctoral work concentrated on multicultural studies in teaching music and the blending of western and non-western teaching styles. She has written numerous published articles and given presentations on this topic nationwide. The pair decided to create a product to bring world music to elementary students using an interdisciplinary and multimedia program. As both Michelle and Deborah have different areas of expertise, I vouch that this team’s collaborative efforts have proven successful.

13376548335181033819636What does Are We There Yet? A Musical Journey Around the Globe® offer?

  • An easy to follow plan for music or non-music teachers, no experience in world music is needed
  • Sensitivity to the use of music to enhance learning
  • An all-in-one multi-cultural curriculum that classroom teachers could coordinate with other subjects
  • Well-researched content with music, text, photos, videos, crafts, games, and puzzles aligned with the national standards
  • Flexibility with which to customize classes or a student’s lab session by choosing slides and activities to fit your schedule
  • Currently six country kits are available with another six in development
  • Lovely orchestrated accompaniment tracks showcasing instruments from around the world to enhance hand-selected and carefully arranged pieces for piano, Boomwhackers, Orff and rhythm instruments and singing (FYI: the arranger, Levi Taylor was hired by Dr. Randall Faber as a result of his work on this project)
  • Easily accessed materials requiring minimal equipment
  • A classroom or piano studio version: the classroom version is licensed for an entire school building and multiple classes.  It also includes music for Boomwhackers (already color coded for the teacher) or other Orff instruments, rhythm instrument and vocals.  This is an optional add-on kit for the piano studio version.

Perhaps the best way to learn more about the unique cross-cultural curriculum is to view this video in which Michelle steps through the details about the latest addition to the series: Africa. You will enjoy seeing her activities in action with real students.

So, book your tickets (the rates are reasonable at $40-$80 per kit), pack your bags and take a trip to a foreign country and culture in the comfort of your own studio or classroom. With her Are We There Yet? series, Michelle Sisler–in collaboration with respected colleagues–provides key programs to spark your music students’ imagination.

Good News! Michelle has offered a $5 discount for Are We There Yet? A Musical Journey Around the Globe – Teacher Kit (Piano Version) (Download only). This $5.00 discount can be applied to each country which adds up to $30.00 off retail. 

Coupon Code: MTH

 

 

 

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Posted in Music & Technology, Music History & Facts, Product Reviews, Teaching Tips

Anita Houser

Right Brain Music’s Cool Cast of Characters Live On in the Imagination

May 30th, 2013 by

Cool Cast of Characters Live On in the Imagination, connecting Musical Staff to Keyboard

On Right Brain Music’s website it says:  “Learn to read music in less than 30 days with the Right Brain Music Note Learning System.  By incorporating humor, vibrant colors, and pictures, into each of our products, we have created a system that will enable music students of all ages to learn much faster, and retain the information much longer, than they would through traditional left brain music learning methods.”  Click here for more on Right Brain Philosophy

The Right Brain Music Note Learning System  ($54.99) (This is the full system and there is a mini version Right Brain Music Mini Kit “The Essentials” ($34.99) as well as some items of the system sold separately.)

The Right Brain Music system has 26 very colorful and memorable characters that represent notes from the the first ledger line (D) below the Bass Clef to the first ledger line (A)above the Treble Clef.

Here is what the system does and how I used it with my students .  (This approach varied with each student in terms of how much I introduced per lesson.  For most I divided it up over the course of 2- 4  lessons) :

Read more…

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Posted in Product Reviews, Teaching Tips

Ed Pearlman

Jamming and Teaching Online with Live Audio

May 16th, 2013 by

Wouldn’t it be great if you could play live online with another musician or a student?  Now you can.  Last month, in discussing pointers for teaching by Skype, I mentioned the unfortunate delay we experience in sound.  Amazingly, there is a way around this problem, though only for audio, not video.

It can be found at ejamming.com and promises great things.  I will discuss what this system can do for musicians, teacher, and students — but I have to point out first that for some, the technical setup of this program on the computer can be very difficult or even prohibitive.  Ejaejammming has staff members who will work with you one on one to help you set up; they can even take control of your desktop and walk you through everything.  However, ultimately this did not work for me, and I will discuss this below so you can be forewarned.  For some, clearly, it works fine, so let’s continue!

Allow me to explain how exciting this software can be, and is, for many who do use it.  If it won’t work for you now, it’s worth keeping an eye on for future improvements.

The amazing concept here is that you can simultaneously jam with, or teach, up to three other musicians online in real time. Read more…

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Posted in Music & Technology, Practicing

Kerri Green

Labtime Listening Favorites

May 15th, 2013 by

On my first day of pedagogy, our professor handed out sheets of paper and asked us to list five of our

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favorite living pianists. Despite having spent the last fourteen years of my life at the keyboard, learning to play the piano, I realized at that moment that I had very little experience with listening to other performers. I think I listed Glenn Gould and Van Cliburn. And that might have been it. I was embarrassed and determined to know more about my chosen craft and those who practice it at the highest levels from that moment on.

When I started teaching, I wanted to make sure my students had more exposure than I had had. I encouraged parents to attend concerts with their children, to buy recordings or check them out at the library and play them often for their families, but it wasn’t until I added a lab time to my private lessons that I really felt like I could help my students increase their listening. Read more…

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Posted in Music & Technology

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