Welcome to the All-Purpose Music Tips and Topics blog category page. For this category I’ve scoured social media to find the questions that people have been asking the most. It’ll function as a catch-all covering a wide range of music topics.
It might be a student practice tip one post, while it could be a music instructor teaching tip the next post. Or perhaps it will be a music theory or other general music topic.
Sometimes it’ll apply to typical leaners. Other times, it’ll be geared toward special needs students. However, the posts will usually be helpful for all students. In any case, these are the topics that you, the people, have been asking about.
Everything that doesn’t have a home in another blog category will land here. Thus, the “All-Purpose” part of the title. The “Tips and Topics” part hints at the practice tips, teaching tips, and other topics we’ll cover in this blog category. For example:
Practice and Playing Tips
Do you have a hard time playing with both hands? The All-Purpose Music Tips and Topics category has a post that deals with that.
Are you terrified of playing in front of an audience? I’ve got you covered.
Or does your student have small hands and needs to play pieces of music that have fast octaves and other wide stretches. It’ll be in The All-Purpose Music Tips and Topics category.
Do you have a student who plays by ear, but wants to learn how to read music? We’ll definitely deal with that.
Have you ever wondered why minor scales sound sad? I’ll discuss the theory and science behind why this happens.
Want to know what’s left to study after you’ve learned to sight read music? The All-Purpose Music Tips and Topics category will cover that too.
As you can see, we’ve got a lot of fun posts. I hope you’ll join me for the ride.
The Cornerstone Post:
The Posts:
See the posts below for full descriptions.
– Geoffrey Keith
© 2022 Geoffrey Keith
“What is a parallel mode and how does it work? And how does a parallel mode differ from a relative mode?” Many musicians find the concept of modes confusing. I can help! Click to answer the question, “What is a parallel mode and how does it work?” Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
“Do my hands’ sizes affect learning performance on the piano?” Yes, your hand’s size can affect your ability to play certain techniques and perform some types of music. Click to find out how your hand’s size can affect your ability to perform and what you can do about it. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Do you ever find yourself asking, “Why can I play piano hands together but not separately?” Really, it depends on the type of music you play. Some pieces lend themselves to hands together work, while others will be better suited for learning hands separate. Click to learn the factors that impact how you learn a new piece of music. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
“Why am I so bad at reading sheet music? How can I learn to read better?” At least part of the problem rests with the music notation itself. Don’t worry, I can help you read music! Click to learn why you struggle with reading sheet music and what you can do about it. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Have you ever wondered what the best practice strategies are? D’you want some music tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years? Mastering playing an instrument or singing can be both challenging and rewarding. Need some help? I’ve been teaching music lessons for over thirty years. In that time, I’ve gained tons of tips that’ll improve your skills. I’ll share a few of the best ones in today’s post, and even more tricks in the All-Purpose Music Tips and Topics posts. Click to get these valuable tips. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
On the electric keyboard can you play dynamics? Well, that depends on the type of keyboard that you buy. In music, dynamics refers to the volume and intensity of sound, ranging from very soft (pp = pianissimo) to very loud (ff = fortissimo). Not all keyboards can play loud and soft through the keys though. Click to learn what you need to think about when buying an electronic keyboard. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
How can you make a note be long and short simultaneously? How can legato notes be played staccato? Mozart created a mixed staccato/legato notation to use in his piano pieces, and it still confuses musicians to this day. Click to answer the question, “How can legato notes be played staccato?” Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Do you want tips for how to stay calm and cool before a concert? Today’s post contains two tips to help keep your nerves at bay. Click to learn how it works. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Have you ever asked yourself, “Should I learn to play the piano one hand at a time or simultaneously?” The answer might surprise you. Click to find out the practice strategies used by the most effective practicers. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
After they can sight-read what’s left for musicians to learn? Lots of thing spring to mind, such as: repertoire, memorized repertoire, interpretation, performance practice, improvisation, composition, music theory, and music history. Click to find out about what’s left for musicians to learn after they can sight-read. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.