Earlier this week I was sent a new iPhone App, ‘Metronome Plus’ to review. My students and I have spent the past few days trialing this metronome and have discovered many excellent features. Read more…
Posted in Music & Technology, Music News, Practicing, Product Reviews, Teaching Tips
Some Observations…
1) As an organist and pianist with a master’s degree in piano performance and pedagogy, I met the challenges of memorizing Bach, executing the articulation of Mozart, the voicing of Brahms’ inner melodies, and the shimmering tones of Debussy and, succeeded, according to my professors. However, after the diploma was hung, it was quite clear to me that my sight reading skills needed attention AND chord charts for my church’s praise band seemed to be written in a secret code. I kept thinking, what kind of pianist was I? I felt lopsided–I was strong as a classical pianist but very weak as a functional musician.
2) Recently, a student of mine participated in a very unique Creative Pianist Contest and earned a $100 for the best performance of a Contemporary piece and another $100 prize for the most Versatile Pianist. Of course I was so proud of him and can take some credit for helping him to master Copland’s “Cat and Mouse”. However, I wish I could also take full credit for his versatility as well! In general, my “job” as his teacher has been to keep him staying ON the printed page because he has such exceptional skills living OFF the printed page. I can take credit for challenging those skills but the wiring between his hands and ears is an extraordinary gift and very atypical of what most of my present piano students possess.
Question…
If all students can learn to read and play music from the grand staff, should they not be able to learn how to play by ear, read chord charts and improvise as well? Can all students (not just those with a natural gift to play by ear) learn to be versatile, musically fit musicians? Read more…
Posted in Composing & Arranging, Music & Technology, Music Theory, Product Reviews, Teaching Tips
Spring is here, and many music publishers have sent out their spring catalogue. I have always believed in using a variety of method books and supplementary materials for my studio. Compared to say twenty years ago, we as teachers are very lucky today that there are so many wonderful resources to choose from, and many publishers offer substantial teacher discount. There are some methods that are tried and true, but I am always interested in the latest publications and research in music education. Here are some of my favorite sheet music websites that I frequently visit and buy from:
1. Hal Leonard
If you have not taken advantage of Hal Leonard’s teacher VIP program, you have missed out big time! You get 40% discount off retail on selected books. There is a two copy limit per title, but it is a great way to restock favorites and try something new. My favorites include their Recital Showcase and Composer Showcase series, where pieces by living composers such as Jennifer Linn, Phillip Keveren and Carol Klose are featured. Shipping and handling is extra, but if you order above a certain amount, there is usually a free gift!
Posted in Product Reviews, Professional Development, Studio Management, Teaching Tips
If music is a language, more specifically, a universal language, then all musicians should be able to listen to it, play it, read it, talk it (improvising) AND write it (composing). Summer seems to be a great time to encourage students to move away from the printed page of others and on to writing their own creations on empty staves. Filling those open staves with original ideas is a topic for another time–maybe next month?
Last summer, students created pieces and notated their compositions on my Sibelius program. They thoroughly enjoyed the experience and many more are signing up for that opportunity this summer. As I make plans for these budding composers, I would like to offer them options so that they can notate their masterpieces at home. This will allow for more lesson time spent on creating and refining and less time on entering data.
Two programs have come to my attention. I am hoping that one or both may equip students for producing a professional-looking composition here, at the studio, and also at home. Read more…
Posted in Composing & Arranging, Music & Technology, Product Reviews
Yes, YouTube has been around for awhile–founded in 2005. This year I have claimed YouTube as an official and permanent tool for my teaching.
I give most of the credit for my recent YouTube fascination to my new Flip®Camera. This easy-to-use camera has changed by video-life. Forever…
A book entitled YouTube in Music Education by Rudolph and Frankel also gets some credit for my latest affair. There is still something about the printed page, the feeling of a book in hand, that helps me digest information. Although I was familiar with YouTube, the book gave me confidence to grasp the intuitive (yes, intuitive!) features of YouTube.. Coupled with my new Flip®Camera, this video-sharing site has propelled my teaching into the 21st century.
YouTube is now be an intentional staple in my teaching since I’ve set up my own channel (I know, I’m behind so please disregard if you know this all!) My channel features Read more…
Posted in Music & Technology, Performing, Practicing, Product Reviews, Teaching Tips
I am inspired to write this blog entry after reading Valerie Kampmeier’s great post “Music Exams – What do you think?”
I have always believed in the benefits of assessment opportunities for students. They can be called exams, tests, auditions, festivals, or other names, but basically involve students playing for a judge or examiner and receiving feedback on their performance. In my previous blog article Benefits of Music Auditions I listed the many benefits for both students and teachers. I am further inspired and feel the need to write more on this subject, after reading the comments on Joy Morin’s Q&A Forum about standardized music testing on her wonderful blog Color in My Piano; it seems many teachers are reluctant to participate in testing programs.
I feel strongly that we as music teachers need to understand the differences and requirements of various exam/testing systems, before deciding in general that testing is not “healthy” for our students. While it is true that some systems have strict syllabus requirements, there are many programs available in the US that are quite flexible. I would like to give my personal opinion about the different music audition/festival/exam systems I am aware of. Read more…
Posted in Product Reviews, Teaching Tips
This past Christmas break I was working on music for a faculty voice recital, scheduled for January 20, 2011. As I practiced, I noticed that something was just NOT right with my voice. Singing classically, I was fine, if sounding slightly tired. The problem came when I was trying to sing a slightly higher Broadway belt sound (D4-E4). My voice was making extra noise and just wouldn’t phonate properly. I knew that I felt I was working too hard, and my self-diagnosis was muscle tension dysphonia (in other words, using too much muscle and “overblowing” the cords).
So, on January 13, 2011, I went to an ENT to have my cords looked at. I was shocked when the doctor told me that I had small bilateral pre-nodules on the leading edge of the vocal folds. I have always had “cords of steel” and been able to pretty much sing through anything. This diagnosis of pre-nodules really made me re-think how I was approaching my voice.
What are pre-nodules? Here’s the layman’s version: the vocal folds are covered with the same skin as the outer layer of the skin on the outside of your body (squamous epithelium). Nodules are similar to calluses that form from repetitive motion. If, when you notice that a callus is forming, you change your behavior, the callus can go away pretty quickly. This is similar to the situation of pre-nodules on the vocal folds: it’s what is the beginning of the formation of a callus, but the skin has not yet hardened. Because I knew my voice and knew that what was going on was NOT just because I was exhausted, I got myself to the doctor quickly. 
What causes nodules? Nodules are most often a vocal disorder of vocal misuse. But, in any voice disorder, there are generally a confluence of factors that contribute to the diagnosed disorder. In my case, I had many factors that contributed: 1) On top of my private studio teaching and my regular performance schedule, I began teaching in a university setting in September 2010 (including 13 private students and class voice) which drastically increased my voice use, 2) in December my daughters became ill, & I ended up with very little sleep for 2+ weeks while continuing the crazy schedule that is a singer’s life in the Christmas season, 3) because I am able to be loud, I was speaking too loudly at home to my daughters, 4) I was singing in the Turandot chorus, which for mezzo-soprano is on the upper end of the tessitura (it hangs D5-F5), 5) I was working learning how to belt while my voice was tired, not the style in which I’m most highly trained, 6) I had an undiagnosed case of Laryngo-Pharyngeal Reflux Disease (LPRD). All of these factors combined to create what I had felt was just a “tired voice,” but ultimately resulted in something that COULD have been very drastic.
How are pre-nodules diagnosed? Read more…
Posted in Performing, Practicing, Product Reviews, Teaching Tips
It was at the age of seven, when I came to the United Kingdom, that I first encountered the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) music examination system. “What grade are you?” the other children would ask when I told them that I played the piano. It was not a question I had encountered in the United States, and I didn’t know what to tell them. However, soon enough, my new piano teacher decided that it was time for me to take one of these examinations, and I began to learn all about the system. Read more…
Posted in Music Theory, Performing, Product Reviews, Teaching Tips
Jerald Simon is obviously passionate about music, creating, and teaching. It is also clear that he wishes to motivate his students and other teachers, to develop these same passions. In his Music Motivation Series ® and website, Simon shares his unique methodology. The series includes three focus areas: Theory Therapy ™, Innovative Improvisation™ and Innovative Composition™.
His website states: “One of our primary goals is to help prepare the next
generation of composers, arrangers, musicians, music teachers and musicologists to use their music and their love of music to make a difference in their own lives, their community, and the world.”
From the extensive information Simon offers–motivational tips, published books featuring his organized methodology, free downloads, videos and more–he is well on his way to this respectable goal.
I have only perused some of the books in the series and have not used most with any students. However, just today an adult student of mine was thrilled with the visuals and charts found in the Introduction to Scales and Modes book (see below for more details). Below are some of my early discoveries.
GENERALLY, what you will find in the Music Motivation Series®:
Exciting music which stimulates, motivates and inspires.
Original solos usually power-packed with large chords, demanding rhythmical variety, and uplifting patterns.
Books and the website include an encouraging tone which attracts musicians of all skills levels and their teachers to keep moving forward. A favorite tip for teachers to motivate students: “Ask your students what they want to learn and teach them what t they want to learn.” I agree–I’ve noticed that customizing lessons attracts and retain students.
Theory explanations that are in-depth but not cumbersome. Read more…
Posted in Composing & Arranging, Music Theory, Practicing, Product Reviews, Professional Development, Teaching Tips
Zoom Q3HD review
The Q3HD is the updated version of the Q3 camera I reviewed in August at this link. Well, overall, I’m completely in love with the HD version of the camera.
Some quirks I’ve picked up…recording file size max is 3.5-ish GB, so at highest resolution (1080p/30fps) & sound quality (PCM 96kHz/24-bits), that’s about 35 minutes. The recording auto-splits at this max file size point, which created, for me, some interesting problems when I recorded a Messiah concert in which I was singing – it looked like it was recording straight through (the little red light could be seen from the stage), but when I reviewed the concert, there were clips in the middle of some numbers. I have also been unable to successfully upload the concert files to YouTube at this highest quality recording. I can hear sound on my computer, via QuickTime, iTunes, and the Handyshare 2.0 application that comes with the camera. I am, unfortunately, unable to hear any audio once the file is uploaded to YouTube (example here). This is a HUGE disappointment. The other qualities I have uploaded work fine, just not this highest quality. I think this is a YouTube issue that will hopefully be resolved, as the files play fine on my computer.
For use in the studio for voice lessons, I use a resolution of 720p/30fps, with AAC compression at 192kbps (high-quality, but compressed). This works well, and hour music lessons record with no shortage of time. A 4GB SDHD card (which are currently about $10 on amazon.com) has approximately 1 hr 21 min of recording, as was the case with my original Zoom Q3. Read more…
Posted in Music & Technology, Practicing, Product Reviews, Teaching Tips