Success Music Studio

Guitar • Bass • Banjo • Ukulele • Mandolin • Autoharp • Keyboard • Piano | Voice #: 978-440-9966 | Text #: 508-561-9724

geoff@successmusicstudio.com

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Geoff

Geoff (pronounce Jeff) Keith has taught instrumental music lessons for over 30 years, and special needs students for over 20 years, accruing over 6,000 hours working with special needs and LD students. In the 1990’s, he developed FBC Sudbury’s Kid’s Music Club program (children’s choir). His articles on teaching music to students with learning disabilities have appeared in the Dyslexic Reader. The information in the blog is similar to the information he presented at Berklee College of Music’s ABLE Assembly, which is a special needs arts conference for teachers. Also, he has been included in Marquis Who’s Who biographies.

How Do I Get the Music and Lyrics to Match Together – Musician Singing

How Do I Get the Music and Lyrics to Match Together in My Songwriting?

The Craft of Songwriting / / ,

Frustrated that you can’t get the mood of your music and lyrics to match? Do you have problems getting the syllables of your lyrics to work with the music? If you answered, “yes,” you have problems with prosody in your songwriting. Read more to answer the question, “How do I get the music and lyrics to match together in my songwriting?” Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

How Do I Get the Music and Lyrics to Match Together in My Songwriting? Read More »

Do I Really Have to Learn Music Theory to Learn How to Play Piano - Understanding Prosody in Your Songwriting - piano - Learn How to Play Beethoven’s Beautiful Fur Elise

Do I Really Have to Learn Music Theory to Learn How to Play Piano?

All-Purpose Music Tips and Topics / / , ,

Do you want to give up on learning music theory? Does it seem pointless to you? Music theory can help with sight reading skills on the piano. It’ll be useful for improvisation and composition. It even helps with performance practice. If you still have an open mind, read “Do I Really Have to Learn Music Theory to Learn How to Play Piano?” to understand the ways it can help you to better play the instrument. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.

Do I Really Have to Learn Music Theory to Learn How to Play Piano? Read More »

How Do Guitar Harmonics Work - Intonation and Supplemented Equal Temperament - Guitarist - Tips for How to Stay Calm and Cool Before a Concert - How Many of You Want to Know How to Tune with Guitar Harmonics

How Do Guitar Harmonics Work?

Intonation / / , , ,

So, you play an open string, and it gives you one note. You play the harmonic over the 12th fret, and you get another note. You do the same thing over the 5th and 7th frets, and you get still more notes. However, they don’t relate to the frets at all. You scratch your head, wondering, “How do guitar harmonics work?” Don’t worry, you just need to understand how strings vibrate. Read more to answer the question, how do guitar harmonics work? Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

How Do Guitar Harmonics Work? Read More »

Why it's so hard for someone with a good ear to learn sheet music - music stand - How to Graduate from the Color Coded Music Notation - How Do Musicians Find Enough Time to Practice Their Instruments

Why It’s So Hard for Someone with a Good Ear to Learn Sheet Music

All-Purpose Music Tips and Topics / / , , ,

Do you want to learn how to read music, but just can’t? Are you a teacher that has students with good ears who struggle with reading? Having a good ear can be a two-edged sword. The student can pick up music quickly by ear. However, the same strength can create challenges for score reading. Read more to learn why it’s so hard for someone with a good ear to learn to read sheet music. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

Why It’s So Hard for Someone with a Good Ear to Learn Sheet Music Read More »

Can I Learn Sight-Singing if I Haven't Learned an Instrument -Jazz Singer - Is There a Difference in Difficulty for Singing Specific Vowels - Do You Need Help Learning How to Harmonize - How Do I Switch from Singing Shaped Notes to Standard Notation - How to Figure Out Your Voice Type

Can I Learn Sight-Singing if I Haven’t Learned an Instrument?

Shape Notes and Solfege / / , ,

Do you want to learn how to sight-sing? Have you ever wondered, “Can I learn sight-singing if I haven’t learned an instrument?” You’ve come to the right place! Read more to find out whether it’s possible to learn sight-singing without having learned an instrument first. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.

Can I Learn Sight-Singing if I Haven’t Learned an Instrument? Read More »

Singing Lip Vowels - How to Overcome the Fear of Performing in Front of an Audience - Rock Concert - Anyone Can Learn to Sing, Including You - Stage Fear, How to Deal with Performance Anxiety - Singing Rhythm

How to Overcome the Fear of Performing in Front of an Audience

All-Purpose Music Tips and Topics / / , , ,

Do you feel terrified about playing for people? Do you want to know how to overcome the fear of performing in front of an audience? We know from psychology that our fears can be blown out of proportion through self-talk. However, a simple mental exercise can short circuit self-talk. Read more to find out how to defeat self-defeatism. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.

How to Overcome the Fear of Performing in Front of an Audience Read More »

Do visual spatial thinkers and other neurodivergent musicians need to have sheet music tailored to how they learn - The Successful Music Student Celebrates 100 Blog Posts - color coded quarter rest clapping - Best Music Program for Three-Year-Olds

Do visual spatial thinkers and other neurodivergent musicians need to have sheet music tailored to how they learn?

Color Coding / / , , , , , ,

Do visual spatial thinkers (and other neurodivergent) musicians need to have sheet music tailored to how they learn? Neurodivergent musicians learn in fundamentally different ways from typical leaners. This means that students with learning differences (LD) can greatly benefit from adapted scores. Read more to find out how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

Do visual spatial thinkers and other neurodivergent musicians need to have sheet music tailored to how they learn? Read More »

Why Do Minor Keys Sound Sad to Me- Ways Around the Difficulty of Playing the Piano Due to Short Fingers and Small Hands - piano fingers - How Can Legato Notes Be Played Staccato - Do My Hands' Sizes Affect Learning Performance on the Piano - Piano Major Scales (Basic Fingering Concepts)

Ways Around the Difficulty of Playing the Piano Due to Short Fingers and Small Hands

1 Comment / All-Purpose Music Tips and Topics / / , , ,

So, are there really ways around the difficulty of playing the piano due to short fingers and small hands? Yes, it can be done. This post will help musicians, music students, and music teachers alike. Read more to learn how it works. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.

Ways Around the Difficulty of Playing the Piano Due to Short Fingers and Small Hands Read More »