A whole article!? For plectrums!?

Seems excessive to the seasoned player, but think back on when you were learning. A pretty coloured pick or one that was the same colour as your favourite football team would have done for you. Now though, it has to be a nylon .46mm and nothing else, exactly. There are a whole bunch of different plectrums out there, from thick ones to thin ones, big ones to small ones, and plastic ones to stone ones, and choosing the right kind for you will probably take a long time of experimentation. This guitarist still hasn’t settled on a definitive plectrum for himself. 

The first thing to consider is the thickness of the plectrum. A thin plectrum is normally used for strumming (hmm) and a thick plectrum for picking single notes (say what?) but, as the amusing bracketed text implies, not everybody agrees with that sentiment. Thin plectrums can seem a bit flimsy to be used for strumming and personally, I find that thick plectrums are too rigid for lead, and produce to harsh a sound. 


Here begins the long, confusing, rambling guide to choosing plectrum thickness. 


Choose the plectrum that feels right for you first of all, there are certain plectrums that one guitarist won’t touch and the other will use exclusively. Picks are a personal thing, so find out for yourself which you like, and pretty much ignore what everybody else says about it. Pick a few different thicknesses and try them out until you find one that is comfortable for you.
There are also a lot of different materials that are used for plectrums. Just to confuse the matter even more. Picks are made from plastic, nylon, metal, felt, even stones are used for picks (by insane people). But once again this comes down to personal preference which is chosen. You should also experiment with different shapes of plectrums.
The first paragraph was a bit of a build up, choosing the right plectrum isn’t that difficult, just mess around with some different styles. Try different makers and shapes, everything, or just get some of the grey Dunlops. I’m off to get some now, or should I get a jazz III? Or a shark fin? Or…the choice is yours


See our range of plectrums at http://www.musiccorner.co.uk/Guitar-Shop-Plectrums-Picking-and-Nails/c4941_226/index.html

Teaching Babies and Toddlers Music

In January I commenced music activities for the baby class and the toddler class at the private school where I teach extra-curricular music.

After a few sessions with the toddlers the room leaders agreed that all other toys would be put away and we would all sit down for 10 minutes music.  I used different instruments for different songs, providing everyone in the class with the same instrument.

i.e.

Bells

• Frere Jacques
• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
• Mary Mary Quite Contrary

Maracas

• Looby Loo
• Here we go Round the Mulberry Bush
• Pop Goes the Weasel

Tambourine

• Wheels on the Bus
• Happy and You Know It
• Old Macdonald        

Drum

• Grand Old Duke of York
• Hickory Dickory Dock
• Aitkin Drum

Initially I sang the same songs every week, always starting and ending with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. After this song I handed out the first instrument and we sang the first group of songs.

After each group of songs I would hand out another instrument for the next section, not taking the previous instrument away. Sometimes a child would swap for the new one, sometimes they would not. Either way the adults always used the new instrument and some children copied them.

When I started the second term the children knew what to expect and were now sitting ready for each session already singing and I was receiving requests for particular songs.

One little boy was fascinated with my Ukulele and at every lesson he wanted to try it. When I let him try it he copied me and stroked the strings, not pulling them. I was encouraged.

By September the children were looking forward eagerly to the lessons, using all the instruments intelligently, confident in their use of them.

A little girl decided she would open my music bag and hand out the instruments. After a number of weeks she worked out how the zip worked and handed out the instruments for me. I was amazed. Later on in the term she became interested in my ukulele and copied how I put my finger on the fret board, whilst the little boy strummed away.

The children who have moved up from this class show more enthusiasm for the music and a better knowledge of the instruments and songs.

I was invited by the 3 months ‘walking room’ leader to come along and try the sessions with the youngest age group in the school, initially focusing on a similar programme that I had used with the toddlers. This worked well using short songs in groups. The children showed a much wider preference for certain instruments; dropping those that did not interest them very quickly. Although fascinated, some of the children cried easily, or simply slept. In the autumn term everyone has been stayed awake, showing more enthusiasm with the sessions, the older children using the instruments with greater confidence and knowledge and the youngest children starting to copy.

With this youngest age group I use the same hidden learning objectives and song – instrument themes.

An interesting observation this term has been with a child who initially cried a lot in the baby class and has had completely the opposite response in the toddler class, her face lighting up when certain instruments are selected from the music bag.

The children taught in pre-school and reception have now moved onto recorder and already understand quarter notes, quarter note rests, half notes, half note rests, high, low, loud, soft, higher, lower, fast, slow, faster, slower, sounds raising, sounds falling, line notes, space notes, duple time and triple time, pulse and rhythm control.


Last year’s toddlers are comfortable with the instruments in pre-school this year and can hold a steady beat and listen carefully to instructions. It will be interesting to see how this year’s toddlers who have completed nursery music differ.

Typically in a session I will use 3 or 4 styles of instruments.

Hidden Learning Objectives

From the start of the sessions I knew that I did not want to supply a general boom, bang and crash session. As the lessons are part of a private school I needed hidden learning objectives and a clear aim for each term.


My hidden learning objectives are

• March rhythm and a triple time rhythm and pulse
• Soft and loud sounds
• High and low sounds
• Sounds going up and down
• Happy and Sad                                                                                               
  

1. March Rhythm and a Triple Time Rhythm and Pulse

If a song has a steady duple or quadruple time beat; i.e. Grand Old Duke of York; Miss Polly had a Dolly; Johnny works with One Hammer I use a short sounding instrument drum, tick-tock, claves etc.

If a triple time rhythm is used, i.e. Row, Row, Row your Boat; Pop Goes the Weasel ; Girls and Boys Come Out to Play; Here we go round the Mulberry Bush, Looby Loo, I use a longer sounding instrument, i.e. Maracas, tambourine, bells, egg shakers etc ..

The pulse is always taught by using a ‘on the beat’ strum with my Ukulele. The children can use this to follow with their instruments.


2. Soft and Loud Sounds

This section is relatively simple to work on, however it is worth saying that when I say ‘loud sound’ it tends to be a louder sound, not a loud sound.

I have to hand out ‘loud sound’ and ‘soft sound’ instruments. The children can copy using their instruments. I over emphasize the movements for loud sounds and so do the children.

3. High and Low Sounds

I use songs like Incey Wincey spider, Let’s go fly a kite, or I change the words on other songs, i.e. Happy and You know clap up high (using a high voice) or low (using a low voice).

4. Sounds Going Up and Down

Songs in this section are similar to that in High and Low Sounds but with the ascending or descending sound emphasized.


5. Happy and Sad Sounds

    I only do this once or twice a term as usually one child starts to cry. I use a minor key piece following it by a major key piece. Over the time I have been doing music making sessions with the smallest children, the ones whose faces have crumpled have shown more of an active interest and excitement about music.

To conclude do I think it has 

a) made a difference &

b) been worth the time spent away from other activities.

Yes it has made a difference. The children who have moved up from our initial groups are more aware of what is required in the pre-school groups and the babies that have moved up are actively enjoying the toddler music making.

I believe the time spent once a week on making music with learning objectives and a peripatetic teacher has been worth while for the school. The babies and toddlers have benefited from the planning and hearing and seeing live music close to hand.

I am thrilled that I was asked to do these classes and excited to see what the future years hold for the little musicians – my youngest students. For more articles for music teachers see my website at www.musiccorner.co.uk

The Challenge of teaching the very young

As a piano teacher there is a question I am repeatedly asked, by parents, and by other teachers ‘What is a good age to start piano lessons?’

The answer is easy – as soon as possible. In the same way languages are best taught early so it goes for music.

However, the implications of such an affirmative answer are altogether more complicated.

I am frequently hearing reports of ‘great pianists’ who gave their first public recital at the age of 7, and it included a Chopin polonaise, a Mozart sonata and several etudes. These remarkable feats of humanity are, though, not the norm, and we would be less than wise if we expected this from any of our students.

Expectations - making music at an early age should not acquire the disciplined status of moving through the grades, acquiring technical skills, or trying to memorise Italian terms – it should, in fact, be learning by ‘osmosis’. We should try to let the experience of music ‘rub off’ on the child. Let them explore music through listening, playing, talking, dancing, in fact any of those things that young children delight in, before the veil of self-consciousness surrounds them.

Materials play a crucial role. In my experience, pre-school learners are often (though not always) best taught in groups, with the emphasis on doing (rather than thinking) and with a great deal of repetition, especially where rhythm is concerned. So the materials used need to be clear, entertaining, varied, but repetitive. Only recently has this need been addressed. The Music for Little Mozarts’ course (MFLM) is the first among a new breed of piano courses clearly focused on 4-6 year olds.

Equally important are the different ways that children respond to aural, verbal, visual and physical stimuli. Some children acquire information by practical engagement, where others can theorise and others listen carefully. Materials that address all these areas have the effect of reinforcing and developing varied skills while engaging with all students. For each level of learning MFLM correlates Lesson, Discovery, Colouring, Workbook, Flashcards, and CDs. You do not need all of these, but it does give you an entirely flexible resource from which you can get the best for your students.

Every Parent plays an invaluable role in the process. Not least for making the decision that music is a subject from which their children will gain a lifelong benefit, but also because an active engagement in the learning process will stimulate their child’s interest. This does not mean that a parent must learn simultaneously, although this can be useful, nor is the influence of a gifted player in the family always ideal. I can well remember the parent of a 4 year old pupil complaining about the rate of progress his child was making when she was unable to play a scale barely a month into lessons. We are all apt to forget the difficulty of learning when the skills are so naturally at our disposal.

What parents can do, is to encourage practice,ensure students turn up for lessons on time, take advantage of the additional resources (CDs, colouring books, toys etc), talk to their children about lessons, offer affirmation at each step of the journey (Wow! Now you know 5 notes for the right hand), and, albeit a rather contentious point, try to ensure they hear a wide variety of music. Take them to concerts, listen to more than one radio station, explore your CD collection, anything that broadens their experience. Music is like food and we are developing their palate, children would live on ice cream if we let them, but, hopefully, as they grow older so their taste matures.

Instruments play a crucial part in the whole process. I believe that as the player improves then so should the instrument. For a beginner of 4, it is feasible for early lessons to be completed on a small 4 octave keyboard. Once they begin to study for the grade 1 exam I would recommend a larger, touch sensitive keyboard, or better still, a reasonable piano. A serious student, grades 6, 7 or 8, really does need a quality upright, otherwise their learning will be inhibited by the instrument on which they practice. Good piano shops will work with you here, part-exchanging or hiring instruments at each stage of the journey.

Now, to be still more controversial, I believe reading music is often the most difficult hurdle to cross at the higher ages, and prohibits the acquisition of true musicianship. If we can build a platform in these crucial early years the benefit is absolutely priceless. Let’s be honest, they have to learn 7 letters, up and down, distinguish between several note values, the pattern of the keyboard, that a sharp raises and a flat lowers, bass and treble clef, and a handful of strategic points on the stave. Compared with reading, writing, arithmetic, or any other language, it is a breeze. It is really about experience and practice.

So, there we have it, teach children to enjoy and discover music exactly as they enjoy and discover language, or food, or sports. Be realistic in our expectations; ensure they have good quality inspiring materials; an appropriate instrument; and help them develop good taste.

For more Music Teacher articles see my website

Should or Could

You should have played it this way puts the pupil on the defensive and causes resentment guilt and stress.

Try replacing should with could.

You could have done it this way becomes a suggestion and feels helpful.

Replace should with could and change all those negatives into positives.

For more articles for Music Teachers please see my web site at http://www.musiccorner.co.uk/Articles-for-Music-Teachers/t1/articles.html

Teaching at the Table

The method the motive and the musical benefits.

If the pupil is paying for a trumpet lesson then they should spend the whole lesson with Their trumpet to their lips right ?

If the pupil is paying for a piano lesson then they should spend the whole lesson at the piano. Right ?

Wrong !

Dont feel guilty about spending time away from the instrument with a beginner.

My piano is near our dining room table and for a few minutes at the beginning of every lesson time is spent with our backs to the piano learning to say the letter names out loud of the piece to be played.

A pupil has to learn two things every time a new note is introduced.

1. Where is it on the stave?

2. Where is it on the instrument in our case the piano?

These two processes are initially in our experience best dealt with separately. I find that a few minutes work at my dining room table at the beginning of the lesson saves a lot of work and confusion in the future.

It is advisable to introduce new notes away from the instrument John Thompson is well planned for this method.

To add variety you can make purchase flash cards of all the different notes. T hen the pupil can compare the position of the notes on the stave with the others that they already know.

Still at the table I like to make sequences out of the cards first using three then five then eight when the sequence has been made the pupil goes along the line reading the note names out loud as quickly as they can.

Still on the subject of teaching away from the instruments many young children take reading books home from school and parents listen to their children read. A good exercise for improving note reading is to ask the parent to put their music book under the reading book and when the reading practice is done to carry on with note reading practice at the same sitting. This is a good way of improving parents in their children’s musical education. The beginning of every lesson is spent checking that the letter names have been learnt.

It is only then when the note is easily recognised that the pupil should be allowed to go to the instrument and set about finding the note .

One of the most effective ways of mobilizing a lazy pupil into some serious note learning at home is to refuse to teach them any more pieces until the notes have been learnt, it works every time!

If you can enlist the support of the parents and make sure they supervise study then you are half way there. With a little effort and co-operation on the part of the pupil and parent notes will be thoroughly learnt and sight-reading will soon be possible.


For more articles for music teachers see my website at www.musiccorner.co.uk

Learning Letter Names

......IF YOU CAN SAY IT YOU CAN PLAY IT...SPEED READING.

1. Learn the names of the notes of the piece of music away from the instrument.

2. Learn where the notes are on the instrument independently of the music ie; play all the C's etc.

3. When the notes of the piece are thoroughly learnt away from the piano and the position of the notes on the piano are learnt put the music on the stand and read and play the notes with the music.

Using this method a pupil can learn their notes in approximately 20-30% of the time taken when trying to learn the notes at the instrument straight away.

for more articles for music teachers please see my web site at www.musiccorner.co.uk

Choosing the right size guitar for your child

So your son (or daughter of course) has decided that they want to learn a musical instrument, and after much deliberating they have chosen the guitar. So you leave the music shop with a dreadnought style acoustic guitar and wait for your daughter (or son) to become a rock star, only to discover that the neck is too thick or they can’t even reach over the instrument. What a lot of parents don’t realise is that the guitar that you choose can have a big impact on your learning. Let’s start with the size of the guitar. Imagine trying to play a keyboard on the top shelf at the supermarket, pretty much the same as a four year old trying to play a dreadnought acoustic. Guitars come in four different sizes; ¼ size, ½ size, ¾ size and full size. A small child (or person) should test out all of these sizes to check which would be most appropriate. Make sure that they can touch their first finger and their thumb around the neck, and that they can reach all the strings with their right hand. Most importantly, however, make sure that they find it comfortable to hold and play, because obviously this is most important. Size of guitar is very important for the learner.

Another thing to ponder upon is the kind strings that the type of guitar you choose uses. If you are picking a guitar up for the first time, it would be best to go for nylon strings. Steel strings can be a bit uncomfortable on untrained hands. There are a few differences between types of strings, so I suppose that they should be listed. Nylon strings are the most comfortable, and they have a softer sound. Unfortunately this lilting sound is not favoured by the younger, noisier generation, who would much prefer the sound that a steel string acoustic guitar makes. Steel strings however, are thicker and harder on the fingers. This can put a person off from playing the guitar, as they will have sore fingers every time they pick the guitar up for the first few months. It should be explained to the learner that, no matter how rubbish the nylon strings sound to them, they will have a positive effect on their learning. If that does not work then try bribing them with chocolate or sweets. The nylon strung (or classical) guitars are recommended for new guitarists, and they won’t be a waste of money because classical guitars can be used for classical music, which is an entirely different genre with new challenges for an experienced player.

Chances are that if your child says that it wants a guitar, they will mean an electric guitar. These are the ‘cool’ guitars that make a big noisy sound. Which, to be honest, is probably the last thing that you want around the house at ten o’clock at night when you have work in the morning. Point taken, but also, these types of guitars are, in this teacher’s experience, not fantastic for learning on. Unamplified, they don’t pick up the subtle mistakes that everybody makes at first very well. This can lead to sloppy playing in the future, which isn’t particularly good. Acoustic guitars also have quite a percussive sound which is handy for helping with rhythm. For a decent electric guitar with a decent amp and a decent lead, it will set you back at least £200. That’s being optimistic. You can pick up a good sounding acoustic with good action for just over £100 easily. You also don’t have to worry about possible expensive repairs if the electronics go wrong. The acoustic guitar is also probably the more difficult of the two to master; this has positive effects on your electric playing when you come to it.

So the guitar that you choose will definitely impact your playing, especially if it is your first guitar. Learning on the wrong size guitar can create serious problems, such as the inability to stretch on a guitar that is too big, could result in bad habits. So choose carefully and if in doubt call John at www.musiccorner.co.uk on +44 161 303 9966 and he can give advise on the guitars we sell.

or see our range of children's guitars at http://www.musiccorner.co.uk/Guitar-Shop-Small-Childrens-Guitars-Cases/c4941_4697/index.html