Student: Is memorization really an important skill for a musician to learn? Teacher: Absolutely! Student: But it’s so hard, I am never going to be able to do it. Patience grasshopper…Memorization is a struggle for many musicians. For some, memorization comes naturally but for most, it is a skill that must be developed. A common …
Scales and arpeggios are found in every piece of music ever written so it is important as a musician to have a mastery of their various forms yet so many students struggle with scales. Practicing scales and arpeggios doesn’t have to be hard. Let’s break them down and simplify things! What is a scale? A …
Make sure you practice. You probably hear this on a regular basis. If you’re not sure where to start, you can learn practice basics here. If you already have a solid practice foundation, its time to figure out how to organize your practice in a way that makes your more efficient. Using a practice planner …
How to use a practice planner to get better faster Read More »
You need to learn a new piece of music. Maybe you just got your audition music, new band music, or a new solo. You take one look at it and have no idea where to even start. There is no need to fear, learning a new piece of music is easy if you incorporate smart practice. …
If you are a private music teacher, you probably have a bag full of things you have to carry around daily. Your teaching bag doubles as your mobile office and you use absolutely everything in it on a regular basis. Modern technology has changed the game. Apps are available for almost anything you could imagine. …
I love teaching beginners! Young music students are eager to learn and haven’t had the time to develop bad habits that need to be undone. Beginners are a blank slate ready to be filled with knowledge. New teacher often don’t know where to start and frequently ask: What repertoire do you use? How do you …
The private lesson contract is one of the most important documents you will use in your studio and to my dismay I see so many teachers out there who fail to outline their studio policies or use a lesson contract. If you have been teaching lessons very long, a client has failed to pay at …
Creating a Private Lesson Contract for Your Studio Read More »
You just started playing an instrument and your teacher is constantly telling you to practice. The problem is no one has ever told you how to practice! You go home play your instrument for the 20 minutes your teacher asked. You play all of the lines you are working on in class but you are …
Maybe you just moved to a new city and want to start a private studio or maybe you have a few private music students and want to learn how to grow your existing studio. My studio started out with a handful of students and over time, grew to more than 50 regular students each week, …
Back-to-school scheduling is the biggest source of stress for me. Every fall I have to schedule approximately 60 students and it often feels like I am putting together a complex jigsaw puzzle. I have tried many different methods of scheduling students. Paper and Pencil Spreadsheets Whiteboards Word documents The problem was, that they were, time-consuming, …
