Do you want to know how to play or teach instrumental music better? The archive contains posts about teaching instruments. In addition, it contains posts with teaching tips for playing and notating music. Plus, there are posts that deal with traditional music theory and also the theory of micro tuning instruments.
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 many of you want to know how to tune with guitar harmonics? Tuning using the 5th and 7th fret harmonics is the most common way to fine-tune standard tuning on the guitar. It yields better sounding chords than tuning using frets. However, it doesn’t restrict what you can use for open chord forms. Read more to learn how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
How Many of You Want to Know How to Tune with Guitar Harmonics? Read More »
“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 »
“Once sheet music is all digital, why not always colour-code notes?” Since most sheet music can now come in digital format, will there be any good reason not to color code the notes all the time? I’ve long advocated using color coding for helping special needs students to learn music from sheet music. However, the opening suggestion (by a person on social media) goes one step further. It proposes making a permanent change to how people read sheet music. Click to find out the arguments for and against adopting universal color coded music notation. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Once Sheet Music is All Digital, Why Not Always Colour-Code Notes? Read More »
“I’m having a hard time keeping a steady beat.” One of the best things you can do is get a teacher who can help you learn how to keep a steady beat. Also, I have specific strategies that you can use with or without a teacher. Keep reading to learn how it works. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
I’m Having a Hard Time Keeping a Steady Beat Read More »
Do you want to understand advanced heterophony concepts? How does timbre affect heterophony in the ma’luf ensembles? Many cultures organize their music by using heterophony which forms the music in essentially different ways than harmony-based music. Keep reading to understand the relationship between heterophony and timbre. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Advanced Heterophony Concepts – Part 1 Read More »
Does playing a different dynamic in each hand on piano seem like it’d be impossible to do? Would you like help figuring out how it works? A lot of people have trouble playing a different dynamic in each hand. However, the trick is to treat as them connected – not as separate dynamics. Read more to learn the tips for playing a different dynamic in each hand on piano. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Tips for Playing a Different Dynamic in Each Hand on Piano Read More »
“How do I finally get my students to be able to read music without color coding?” In today’s post, we’ll look at the last stage of graduating from the colors: flashcards. Keeping reading to learn how to graduate from color coded music symbols. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
How to Graduate from Color Coded Music Symbols – Part 5 Read More »
Do you want to be better at piano touch? Do you need help learning how to interpret a piece of music? The term piano touch covers the different ways you strike the key to get certain effects. Carl Seashore, in Piano Touch, states, “The pianist has at his direct control only two of four factors in music: namely intensity and time” (360). Read more to answer the question, “How do I improve my touch on piano?” Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Help Me! How Do I Improve My Touch on Piano? Part 4 Read More »
Do you have a hard time recreating on the synth the xylophone sounds from your favorite world music? Do you want to know how to tune the African balafon? The tuning and tone color of an instrument are closely tied together. Keep reading to get info and tips for synthesizing an African balafon style xylophone sound. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Tips for Synthesizing an African Balafon Style Xylophone Sound Read More »