Musical Musings from www.musiccorner.co.uk

Music Makers Fundraising Scheme

2011-02-25T07:26:00.000-08:00

The Music Makers Fundraising Scheme is a great way for schools, groups and organisations to raise vital funds.

Once you have registered to be part of the scheme, by your supporters using the special Music Makers Fundraising Code.

You will receive 5 - 15% cash-back from us on every order that is placed using your code. (excl. delivery)
Your supporters will receive 5% discount on all orders (before delivery chargers)
Your chosen charity will receive £1 per £100 spent by your supporters.

If you are a school, group or charity with a need to raise funds and are not yet part of the Music Makers Fundraising Scheme why not email chris@musiccorner.co.uk and register now!

If your school, group or organization is already registered in the scheme and has an allocated fundraising code you can use it on our website within 48 hours of receiving your code. Keep an eye out for fund raising special offers received by email.

If you would like to start raising funds for your school this week, dowload the application form from this link (Application Form as Doc 2003 , Doc 2007 , PDF ) and we will email you within 48 hours with your Music Makers Fundraising code.

Or for more information please see the articles under newsdesk or follow this link

A Single Music Note

2011-01-25T03:48:00.000-08:00

A single music note
Small and simple
Easy to place
Hard to hold

Brought to existence for a measly moment
Exhaled into a intricate form
How elegantly it dances through my thoughts
Plays deep into my heart

Taps into a web of emotions
Mesmerizes me
Captivates my body
Leaves me spellbound

And then weakens
And dies young and beautiful
In it's silent grave

Living and dying a thousand times
For my pleasure and whim
Controlled by confident hands
And expert visions

Powerful
Useful
Eternal
Meaningful

A single music note

by A Music Corner Customer

for more Creative Writing articles please see the main site at

http://www.musiccorner.co.uk/Miscellaneous-Articles-Creative-Writing/t117_34/articles.html

He Healed them all - A Poem

2011-01-25T03:46:00.001-08:00

He Healed them all

God picked up a piece of clay

And began to mould it in His way.

For a while it was quite smooth

Then sin came in with crooked move.

Distorted pot that clay became

Then Jesus came to heal the lame.

Broken people, full of tears

Hurt that went on through the years.

Jesus healed them all that day

And began again to mould the clay

Christos

May Foreman

for more poems and stories please see our main site at
http://www.musiccorner.co.uk/Miscellaneous-Articles-Creative-Writing/t117_34/articles.html

Cave of Gold - A Poem

2011-01-25T03:43:00.000-08:00

Cave of Gold

Go now and seek the cave of gold

And you will find your hidden soul.

This secret place is hard to find

It holds the mysteries of mankind.

Lost in dimensions we can’t see

That stream into eternity.

Deep within this golden cave

Lies secrets of another age.

There’s wisdom there for you to find

If you’ve a pure and honest mind.

The plan of life is waiting too

The one that’s made for only you.

As long and narrow is life’s road

So don’t collect those heavy loads.

Begin your quest with humble heart

Fill up with love and make a start.

If you walk in truth, you’ll find that cave

Within its light your life you’ll save.

Christos May Foreman

for more see our Creative Writing section at http://www.musiccorner.co.uk/Miscellaneous-Articles-Creative-Writing/t117_34/articles.html

How Can I Use Political Rosettes?

2010-04-27T09:53:00.000-07:00

Apart from the obvious national elections political rosettes can be used for

• Educational school reproduction of the democratic election process

• Television/ Satellite studio debates - political programmes

• Youth Group elections

• Local elections

• Kids fancy dress .. what better way to get youngsters to understand politics than to pretend or re-enact news casts

Or just to show your support for your local party.

We supply the main 3 parties (Conservative , Labour or Liberal ) from stock in singles or multiples of 12 per party.

Optional blank centres of the appropriate colours for you to add your own ‘political party’ bearing the same manifesto pledges.

(PS Yellow rosettes with blank centres make smile face badges when used with the large smile face stickers)

Fringe Party Colours available, please enquire.

Types of Violins

2010-04-26T02:00:00.000-07:00

Types of Violins

There are many violin makers from all across the world who create violins for specific name brands. Generally, there are two types of violins:

* Acoustic or Non-Electric Violin - This is the traditional violin that is more suitable for beginners. The violin is a bowed string instrument that has the highest tune and is the smallest among the violin family of instruments. It is also called the fiddle when used to play traditional or folk music.

* Electric Violin - As the name implies, electric violins use an electronic signal output and is suited for more advanced players. The sound of an electric violin is sharper than that of an acoustic.

Violins may also be classified by period or era:

* Baroque Violin - The violin of this period had a shallower angle and neck, there was not much thought given to chin and shoulder rests and the strings were strung in gut with equal tension.

* Classical Violin - The violin of this period had a thinner neck and smaller heels than that of the Baroque period.

* Modern Violin - The neck of the modern violin is more sharply angled, the wood used is thinner and smaller and the strings are tuned higher.

Violins may also be classified by the country from which it originated such as China, Korea, Hungary, Germany and Italy. People who make violins are called luthier. Less expensive violins often come from China, Pakistan or India, while the most expensive, Stradivarius, (named after Antonio Stradivari) comes from Italy. However there are many named Stradivarius that are just cheap copies.

for more information please visit www.musiccorner.co.uk

Which guitar, classical, electric or acoustic?

2009-12-06T12:48:00.000-08:00

The Electric Guitar

The electric guitar is the coolest instrument ever invented. A bold statement maybe? But it honestly is. No instrument has inspired as many people to take up music, and no instrument has ever sounded or looked as unbelievably good on a stage (Slash?). The guitar in the above picture is a 1959 Gibson Les Paul, aka the holy grail of electric guitars. The Les Paul is one of the contenders for the prize of the first electric guitar. Les Paul (the person) did lots to help the world of music, as well as inventing on of the most iconic guitars in history; he also invented the idea of multi-tracking, which turned out to be one of the most important recording techniques ever. Unfortunately he was beaten to the first production electric guitar by a guy called Leo Fender, with his telecaster, mainly because Gibson just laughed at Les Pauls ‘log’.

So should you pick an electric guitar straight away? Personally, as a teacher, I would recommend an acoustic but I have been told by pupils that they prefer the sound and feel of the electric. A Gibson Les Paul, wouldn’t be a sensible place for a learner to start. Firstly, the Les Paul is a beautiful piece of art (seriously) and it will leave you a bit out of pocket, especially if it is left in a corner and not played. Brands like Stagg do copies of the Gibson Les Paul; this would be a good place to start. The copies that are being made are higher quality than ever before, being easier to play and nicer to look at than they used to be. The main big brand companies also do budget versions of their guitars, Fender has squier and Gibson has Epiphone. Even most of the smaller companies do a cheaper version of their guitars, so if your son/daughter has their heart set on a Gibson you can easily trick them into using a cheaper guitar (ha!). The cheaper guitars will also make your wallet ache less when your child carelessly throws the guitar into the boot of the car.

The electric guitar is very different to other types of guitars; this will impact your learning. If you start learning the electric guitar (using an amplifier) you will find that your control over the amplifier will be much better than if you started on an acoustic. This will be beneficial for the future if you hope to be using tons of gain, as you will be able to get a clearer sound. Unfortunately the electric guitar can mask some of the mistakes that you can easily hear on the acoustic. Because of the electric guitars relative ease compared with the acoustic, picking up the acoustic after learning on electric can be a difficult process.

The Acoustic Guitar

The acoustic guitar is the second coolest instrument ever invented. Maybe it doesn’t have the same aesthetic appeal or the unparalleled “cool” of the electric guitar, there is something strangely intriguing about a person sat on a dark stage, just an acoustic guitar and a microphone. To this guitarist, the mystery that is generated by that kind of set up is much more interesting than watching a guitarist play 18,000 notes per minute and spin the guitar around his head, that’s been done before anyway! To get up on stage alone with just the acoustic takes a lot of guts compared to having three or four (or five! Go crazy!) musicians on a stage. Even with a band, the acoustic guitar can bring a new dynamic to a bands sound.

The acoustic guitar is the guitar that I would recommend for learning on. I personally would recommend steel strings, however nylon strings are easier on the fingertips which will make the learning experience easier. I learned on a steel string acoustic and (aside from bleeding fingertips) I was always satisfied with the sound that I obtained from the simplest song, even Mull of Kintyre sounded good, somehow. I have always felt that the acoustic guitar generates more confidence than the electric. To get up on stage and play an acoustic alone should get respect for the player, as the intimacy between the crowd and the artist is at its peak. The electric guitar also seems unnecessarily easy compared with the acoustic, once you get used to the idea of feedback and buzz from the amp, you will have the electric guitar mastered easily if you begin with an acoustic.

The Classical Guitar

In terms of sheer beautiful gorgeousness the classical guitar wins out of the three hands down. The sound of a classical guitar is nothing like the other two, it has a soft, relaxing sound that can (if played correctly) be very nice. Unfortunately, the classical guitar is often given to new players, who then relate its sound and feel to their learning days, this means that it gets played less. Truthfully, classical guitar music is the most difficult style to learn on the guitar, take it from me.

Hopefully this article is nice and informative about gee-tars for you. More about classical guitars can be found on my newsdesk

For more articles on guitars please see my site at

How to Use a Guitar Capo and Which is Best for Me

2009-11-14T07:30:00.000-08:00

Since the dawn of guitar playing , big bearded folkies have been using a capo to fit the song they are playing to their voices. This shouldn’t be held against the guitar capo, however. Guitar Capo s have also been used in pretty much every other style of playing under the sun.

They work by (deep breath) shortening the strings, the shorter the string the higher the pitch. It is essentially the same as barring across a fret, which allows you to play open voiced chords, which any bearded folkie will tell you are much easier than barring. They also alter the timbre of the guitar slightly.
A guitar with a capo on the fifth fret will sound softer than without a capo, strange to describe but it does alter the sounds.

Here are some pictures of different types of capos:

Standard Shubb style capo

G7th Guitar Capo (THE HOLY GRAIL!!!! Of capos)

Stagg Elastic Guitar Capo

Capodastro Quick Release Guitar Capo

The guitar capo is an almost magical item that will inspire you to create wonderful songs. Seriously though, the different sounds that you will get if you use a guitar capo might give you new ideas and bring a new sound to old ideas.
They are very interesting things to mess around with, so try one soon.

Try out a few different types of capos before you buy. The G7th types of capos are definitely the easiest and best sounding capos, but this is reflected in the price. The G7th capo (which, if you can’t tell are very much loved by me) are easiest, they just clamp round the neck and are squeezed until they are tight.

The Shubb Guitar Capos are also easy to use, but also expensive. The shubb type capos, work by being clamped on the neck and tightened.

The cheaper capos, called capodastro, that are sold in the shop are very good for the price, solid capo that doesn’t buzz. A Capodastro guitar capo, for flat or curved fingerboards, just fit round the neck and close.

Finally, the elastic guitar capo s are held on the fingerboard and stretched until they clip. Easy as that, elastic capos aren’t particularly difficult to figure out. There are also capos with elastic parts which are decent enough.

Test a bunch out and see which one you prefer, the lovely staff will not mind.

Incidentally the word capo comes from the Italian, capo, which means head, not sure why but it’s an interesting fact. Arrivederci!

Humbucker and Single Coil Pickups

2009-11-07T07:21:00.000-08:00

Pickups are one of a few things that define how an electric guitar sounds .A pickup is essentially a magnet, and your guitar strings are made of metals that are easily picked up by magnets. Somehow, in a very round-about confusing manner, the combination of the two leads to a sound. There are basically two types of pickups, called single coil and humbuckers. Both of these make different sounds.

Single coil pickups were the first type of pickup invented. Unfortunately, as well as picking up the sound from the strings, single coil pickups have to nasty habit of finding stray radio frequencies. Single coils have a very trebly sound in comparison with humbuckers, a lot more twangy (which isn’t a real word). Humbuckers were designed to eliminate this annoying hum sound, to “buck” the “hum” (whatever that means). This description isn’t that simple, however. Humbucker pickups don’t just sound like single coils without buzz, because of the larger amount of wire and the larger magnets that are used, there is more output from the pickups. If you set an amp up for single coil pickups then use a humbucker guitar, it will sound louder and more bassy (which also isn’t a real word).

Single Coil Pick-Up

Humbucker Pickup

Take the type of pickup into account when you buy a guitar, it will affect the sound that you get from the amp. This sound will stimulate the learning, if it is a bad sound; you are less likely to play the guitar more. If the sound is good, it will prompt you to pick the guitar up more and become better. But, as with most aspects of guitar, the type of pickup that you use is a matter of personal preference.

For more information see http://www.musiccorner.co.uk/Guitar-Shop-Electric-Guitar-Shop-Electric-Guitar-Pick-ups/c4941_5085_5440/index.html

Guitar Strings - Why are they all different.

2009-11-07T04:20:00.001-08:00

There are three different kinds of strings for guitars. Each ones make a different sound and are suited to one type of guitar. For example, nylon strings on an electric guitar will make no sound, and 13. Gauge strings on a classical guitar will result in catastrophe when the neck explodes. So before you go into a guitar shop and grab the first packet of strings that you see, have a think about which ones you should use.

Electric guitars use steel strings. These make a thin sound when unamplified and are very tinny, which makes them no good for using on acoustic guitars. This is because electric guitar strings are designed to be used with the pickups of the guitar, they are nickel wound, which makes them sound brighter and clearer through an amplifier. Using acoustic guitar strings on an electric guitar will sound awful, basically. Using electric guitar strings on an acoustic guitar will sound equally rubbish. If your guitar is a classical style guitar then you need to be even more careful. If you put steel electric or acoustic strings on a classical guitar and tune them up to concert pitch then it is very likely that, unless you are very lucky, you will snap the neck on the guitar. Not only will this have a chance of hurting you (which is bad) you will have to fork out another chunk of money for a new guitar (which in this economic climate is probably worse). So when you get to the music shop, take a second and make sure that you have the right strings for the job. If in doubt then ask the salesperson. Basically, if you have an electric guitar then buy electric guitar strings, if you have an acoustic then buy acoustic guitar strings, if you have a classical guitar then buy classical (nylon) guitar strings. Simples.

Something else that should be considered when you have been playing for some time is the gauge of strings that you use. If you use strings that are too thick when you are learning, they will be uncomfortable. This will put you off picking the guitar up to practice. For a more advanced player however, string gauge is an important part of how they play their instrument (and dare I say it… tone). For a rough example on string gauges though, the thinner the strings, the easier the guitar will be to play. Gauge 9 strings are easier to bend and easier to move around on, as it takes less pressure to press the strings down and make a noise. Unfortunately, the fact that they are thinner makes the tone of the string less powerful and thinner. Thin gauge strings are also easier to snap which costs you more in the long run. Thicker gauge strings are much more difficult to bend and play quickly on, but they have a much thicker tone, and sound stronger (and better?).

So remember, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to guitar strings. Using the right strings will have a positive impact on the way you play the guitar. And I didn’t even go into different makes of string…

For more information see my sebsite at http://www.musiccorner.co.uk/a915/Guitar-Strings-Which-Ones-Should-I-Get/article_info.html

A whole article!? For plectrums!?

2009-10-31T09:23:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-20T03:34:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-19T15:44:00.001-07:00

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

2009-10-19T15:43:00.003-07:00

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

2009-10-19T15:43:00.001-07:00

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

2009-10-19T15:42:00.001-07:00

......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

2009-10-19T15:32:00.001-07:00

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