Success Music Studio

All-Purpose Music Tips and Topics

 

 

All-Purpose Music Tips and Topics

 

Introduction

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 functions 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.

 

Music Teacher Tips

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.

 

Music Theory and Other Music Topics

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:

 

The previous topic lists will be updated periodically. See the post grid below for the full list and full descriptions with featured images.

 

– Geoffrey Keith

 

© 2022 Geoffrey Keith

 

Back to the Successful Music Student blogs page

 

Stage Fear, How to Deal with Performance Anxiety - Ballerina

Stage Fear! How to Deal with Performance Anxiety

Do you have stage fear? Stage fear, also known as stage fright or performance anxiety, affects a lot of people. It can happen when you’re giving a speech, performing a song, or on the soccer field (sports anxiety). Keep reading “Stage Fear! How to Deal with Performance Anxiety” to learn how to work through your stage fright without needing to take medicine for performance anxiety. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

Stage Fear! How to Deal with Performance Anxiety Read More »

Is the Suzuki Music Methodology Bad for Learning Piano - Little Girl at Toy Piano - Best Music Program for Three-Year-Olds

Is the Suzuki Music Methodology Bad for Learning Piano?

“Is the Suzuki music methodology bad for learning piano?” Well, it really depends on what you want out of lessons. Like with many things, Suzuki music does some things well, and others poorly. Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of the Suzuki methodology when teaching children music. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

Is the Suzuki Music Methodology Bad for Learning Piano? Read More »

How Do I Avoid Tension in My Wrists When Playing Piano Arpeggios - Grand Piano with the Lid Open - 17 Songwriting Ideas to Get You Unstuck - How to Write a Song with a Catchy Chorus (Including Lyrics)

How Do I Avoid Tension in My Wrists When Playing Piano Arpeggios?

“How do I avoid tension in my wrists when playing piano arpeggios?” Piano teachers can yell “Relax!” at you until they turn blue in the face, and it won’t do any good. Tension leads to sore muscles, fatigue, and possibly injury. So, how do you reduce the tension in your wrists? There’s an easy trick that’ll help you learn how to relax on your own. Read more to find out how it works. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.

How Do I Avoid Tension in My Wrists When Playing Piano Arpeggios? Read More »

Choosing the Right Sound to Play with Just Intonation - Synthesizer - Can I Learn to Play Piano with a Mini Key Keyboard

Can I Learn to Play Piano with a Mini Key Keyboard?

“Can I learn to play piano with a mini key keyboard?” Electronic keyboards come in all sizes, including keyboards that have different sized keys. If your keyboard has keys that are smaller than an adult finger, it has mini keys. Will mini key keyboards be a good choice for practicing for your piano lessons? Read more to find out. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.

Can I Learn to Play Piano with a Mini Key Keyboard? Read More »

How Do I Make ANY Progress and Have Fun in Music Lessons Again - Guitarist in a Field

How Do I Make ANY Progress and Have Fun in Music Lessons Again

“How do I make any progress and have fun in music lessons again?” Both consistent forward progress and having fun will be important aspects of your musical journey. Without them, you can lose interest and quit. Keep reading to find out how to reinvent the fun while making forward progress. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

How Do I Make ANY Progress and Have Fun in Music Lessons Again Read More »

How Do Musicians Find Enough Time to Practice Their Instruments - Musicians Practicing Outside

How Do Musicians Find Enough Time to Practice Their Instruments?

“How do musicians find enough time to practice their instruments?” It can be challenging. Adults live busy lives, and kids have tons of homework, sports, and afterschool activities. However, it’s not hopeless. You just have to learn how to best structure the time you have. Keep reading to find out how it works. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.

How Do Musicians Find Enough Time to Practice Their Instruments? Read More »

How to Graduate from the Color Coded Music Score - Girl Playing Violin - What's the Difference Between Practice and Play on an Instrument? - How to Color Code the Elusive Alto Clef

What’s the Difference Between Practice and Play on an Instrument?

Have you ever wondered what’s the difference between practicing and playing? Practicing will be a important part of your growth as a musician. According to the “New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians,” studies have found that the best pianists and violinists needed 10,000 hours of practice to master their instruments. Not that you need 10,000 hours to start playing decently, but the master musicians do show us the importance of practicing. So, do practicing and playing get the same results? Read more to learn, “What’s the difference between practice and play on an instrument?” Estimated reading time 2 minutes.

What’s the Difference Between Practice and Play on an Instrument? Read More »

How Do I Find the Key of a Song with Accidentals - Sheet Music and Accordion Key Chain - Song Structure, Musical Phrases, Musical Structures and Forms

How Do I Find the Key of a Song with Accidentals?

Do you need to figure out the key for a song? Whether you have sheet music or figure out a song by ear, it’ll be useful to know the key of a song. This will help when adding harmonies, improvising, memorizing, or for just generally understanding the music. Plus, you can find out if the music changes keys during the song. Keep reading to answer the question, “How do I find the key of a song with accidentals?” Estimated reading time 2 minutes.

How Do I Find the Key of a Song with Accidentals? Read More »

Can I Become a Music Teacher if I Have Special Needs - Teacher Teaching Young Guitar Student - What’s the Best Lesson You’ve Had with Your Music Teacher? - What Is the Precise Meaning of Scaffolding in Teaching

What’s the Best Lesson You’ve Had with Your Music Teacher?

What’s the best lesson you’ve had with your music teacher? The answer to this can take many forms. However, one of the most powerful and important experiences you can have in a music lesson revolves around a concept called ignition. What is ignition and how does it work? Keep reading to find out. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.

What’s the Best Lesson You’ve Had with Your Music Teacher? Read More »

How Long Do You Take to Memorize a Piece of Piano Music - a Rose on Sheet Music - Singing Shape Notes Solfege Lydian Melodies

How Long Do You Take to Memorize a Piece of Piano Music?

“How long do you take to memorize a piece of piano music?” It’ll vary from person to person how long it’ll take. I’ve known musicians who can memorize a piece of music after just one listening. For most of my students, it takes a half-dozen to a dozen listenings to just start learning a piece, much less memorize it. This means that for most musicians, memorizing a piece of music will be a process. Keep reading to get tips to help you memorize your music better and more quickly. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.

How Long Do You Take to Memorize a Piece of Piano Music? Read More »