Feb

Music Lessons for Valentine’s Day

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Stuck on what to get your loved one for Valentine’s Day?

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and everyone buys the typical flowers, chocolate and jewelry. Music lessons may be the perfect gift for your significant other who loves to sing in the shower, or your son who plays the air guitar along to the radio. Valentine’s Day is the day to give gifts to show people they are special to you, and music lessons could be that perfect gift.

This Valentine’s Day, show your loved ones that you think outside the box and give them the gift of music!

Music lessons with Lesson Match are easy and convenient because our instructors come to your home on your time. To have a Valentine’s Day gift card sent to that special someone, or to schedule music lessons, contact Lesson Match. Our Lesson Coordinator does all the work, so you just need to let us know when you’re available and what lesson you want to learn, and we take care of the rest.

This year give a Valentine’s Day gift that will stay with someone for a lifetime!

Feb

Benefits Of In Home Music Lessons

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Parents interested in signing their children up for music lessons, may have a difficult decision to make as to whether or not to travel to a studio for lessons or to have in home music lessons.

Here are some of the benefits of in home music lessons.

1. Probably the most obvious benefit is convenience. It’s incredibly convenient to have an instructor come to your home for a half hour (or however long the lesson is) to teach a lesson and then leave. In home music lessons can be squeezed in right after school before homework, or between homework and dinner, the possibilities are ended. In home music lessons are ideal for busy parents that don’t have the time to waste 20+ minutes driving to and from lessons.

2. Parents can become involved. Typically in a studio, the student and teacher are the only people in the room. With in home music lessons, parents can observe and learn tips to help their child practice.

3. Students retain information better when they are able to practice and have lessons in the same designated area. That way they are able to visualize the lesson and revert to that during practice time.

4. Students are always prepared for in home music lessons. Think about all the times you are rushing to get somewhere and you forget something. This happens all the time with studio lessons. Parents and students are rushing to get to the lesson and a lesson book or part of the instrument is forgotten at home. This would never happen with in home music lessons because all the materials are at the lesson area.

5. In home music lessons may seem more expensive, but are they really? Think about the time and gas money it takes to drive to the studio, drop off your student, drive around until the lesson is finished (unless you’d like to wait bored at the studio for the duration of the lesson), then drive back to the studio to pick up the student and finally drive home. In home lessons cost a little more in the beginning, but think about the gas money you’ll be saving by not having to drive anywhere (especially if you drive an SUV).

For information on private in home music lessons with Lesson Match, call now!

Jan

10 Guitar Tips For All Guitar Players

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Whether you’re new to the guitar or are stuck in a musical rut, here are some tips to help you become a better musician.

1.Always try to learn something new every day! Learning a new chord or technique will help expand your musical ability and range.

2.Go dancing! Good dancers have excellent rhythm, which is also necessary for musicians.

3.When you hear a song you like, first try to play it before looking it up on a search engine. The more you do this, the better your musical ear will become and eventually you’ll be able to tab a song in no time.

4.Relax! Stress isn’t good for any situation. Try to stay calm and focused when practicing or playing a gig.

5.Experiment with different guitars. Just because you’re still playing the first guitar you ever picked up, doesn’t mean that it’s the best guitar for you. Try a few different guitars and see if a different one calls to you.

6.Toughen up your fingers! This can’t happen in one day; all you’ll do then is injure your fingers. Take some time and work on creating calluses and toughening up your fingers. This will make it possible for you to play longer.

7.Experiment with different types of guitars as well. If you play the acoustic, try an electric. Similarly if you play an electric, try an acoustic. You’ll become a much more versatile guitar player if you can play both.

8.Learn new songs. Pick new songs that have something a little different about them; try to expand your range.

9.Take proper care of your instrument. Change the strings when they are worn out, always ensure your instrument is properly tuned etc.

10.Talk to other guitar players and see if they have any insights. All guitar players have methods that work best for them. Maybe someone you know has a new approach you’ve never thought about. It’s always good to converse with other players and swap stories. You never know what you may learn.

To talk to a guitar instructor from Lesson Match or to enroll in lessons, contact Lesson Match today!

Jan

Practice Without Picking Up An Instrument

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Learn how to practice your instrument when you don’t have it with you! Learning an instrument and becoming a musician is as much mental as it is physical (if not more).

That means you can “practice your instrument” wherever you are.

Concepts and Techniques. In music, there are many concepts and techniques that need to be memorized, and this is possible to master without using your instrument.
•   Ear training
•   Rhythm
•   Harmony

Visualize. Whenever you’re bored or have some downtime (and you don’t have your instrument), mentally visualize your instrument and play it. Try to visualize your fingers actually pushing down the notes or plucking the guitar strings. This may sound silly, but it can be an effective technique if you’re serious about it.

Remembering to Practice. Remembering to mentally practice can be difficult, especially at first. Try to pick something you do often throughout the day (taking a drink of water, doing a specific task etc.) and use that to remind yourself to practice. If you pick one simple thing to practice (humming a note, visualizing a chord etc.) every time you hang up your phone for a week, eventually you’ll have mastered it.

Listen. Music surrounds us in our daily lives; it’s everywhere from grocery stores to elevators. Listen to the music playing and study it. Try to listen for a concept you’ve been working on or find the harmony. This will fine tune your musical ear and enhance your playing.

These simple tips get rid of any excuses you might have about how you’re too busy to practice.

Dec

10 Reasons to Give a Musical Instrument as a Gift

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An Instrument makes the perfect gift!

Having trouble deciding on a gift for someone this Holiday season? Give them a musical instrument! Many people are interested in learning an instrument but either do not have that instrument or just haven’t taken the steps to begin learning to play.

Here are some reasons why a musical instrument could make the perfect gift.

1. Cost. Buying a used instrument or music lessons for someone is not as expensive as you may think. A used instrument could be the perfect way to turn someone on to music so they will want to invest in a higher quality instrument. Click here for some tips about buying used instruments.

2. Bonding. You’ll often hear that someone comes from a “musical family” and that’s because people bond over shared interests. Families that can play or learn instruments together will naturally bond over the shared interest.

3. Depression. Studies show that music affects people’s moods. Keep your family’s spirits up by giving them music lessons.

4. Age. It’s a myth that you have to learn to play instruments while you’re young. While it may be easier to retain information at a young age, adults have the discipline and attention span necessary for learning an instrument. You’re never too old to learn to play an instrument.

5. Caroling. Do you have friends or family that love to go Christmas caroling? This year, get them music lessons so they will be the talk of the town with their vocal talent.

6. Nostalgia. Many people have a certain instrument they associate with their childhood. Whether they loved listening to jazz or their grandpa played the guitar, they probably have some pastime that involves music. The gift of memories could be the perfect gift this year.

7. Regret. Odds are if you know people that do not play an instrument, they wish they did. Make those regrets a thing of the past by giving them an instrument for Christmas this year.

8. Stress. Music and playing an instrument are shown to fight off stress. Music is often associated with relaxation. If you know someone who gets stressed out easily, give him/her an instrument and watch the stress melt away.

9. Value. All gifts have a different value to the receiver. While your kids might request certain gifts within this year’s fad, an instrument could be the gift they didn’t know they wanted. The gift of music is one that lasts a lifetime.

10. Want. Give someone an instrument for Christmas because they asked for it and they want it. It may seem like a big investment, but if people want to learn an instrument, they will.

This year, give someone the gift of music by giving them an instrument.

Nov

Tips to Extend the Life of Guitar Strings

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Overtime, guitar strings will have to be replaced; it’s inevitable. Natural stretch and wear will require you to replace your guitar strings regularly, but here are a few tips to keep your guitar strings as long as possible.

1.   Wash and thoroughly dry hands before playing. Washing and drying hands removes oil and buildup from your hands that would otherwise get on the guitar.
2.   Keep away from smoke or smoky places.
3.   Keep hands as dry as possible when playing the guitar. Wet or sweaty hands will break down the strings and cause them to have to be replaced more often.
4.   Try not to strum or play your guitar too hard (avoid heavy grip on fretting hand and aggressive picking). Some guitarists have a tendency to play their guitar “hard” and that wears out the strings faster.
5.   Obviously, the more guitars are played, the more often their strings will need to be replaced. If you’re not going to be able to change your guitar strings anytime soon, then avoid strumming away for hours on end, otherwise you will have to change your guitar.

Here are a few tips to tell when it is time to change your guitar strings.

1.   When the strings start to look dark or tarnished, the probably should be changed. Oil and buildup will cause strings to become tarnished and in need of replacement.
2.   When the strings start to sound dull, they’ll need to be changed to keep a nice fresh sound.
3.   If the guitar tone sounds flat, the strings will need to be changed. Strings are responsible for keeping the sound of your guitar in tune.
4.   If you have a harder time tuning your guitar and getting it to stay in tune, the strings should be changed.
5.   If one string breaks after a long period of time, it’s a good indication that all strings should be changed. Otherwise, they’ll all start breaking.

Keep your guitar sounding great by taking guitar lessons!

Nov

The Perfect After School Hobby

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Why music lessons make the perfect after school hobby.

School has already begun and children might be starting to get restless with their after school routines. Music lessons are a great way to keep kids busy and out of trouble. Tighter budgets have forced many schools to cut or severely decrease the funding for music programs. This means students may no longer have the opportunity to take music as part of their school curriculum. Music in an important part of childhood development and just because schools have cut the program does not mean children should not have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. Lesson Match offers private in-home lessons that work during your schedule. Even if you’re a busy parent, we’ll work with you to schedule a time to bring music into your child’s life. Here are a few benefits to private music lessons.

Sports and Music
Children who play a musical instrument are shown to have better hand-eye coordination than those who do not. If your child is interested in playing sports, but does not feel like they have the motor skills necessary to play, enroll them in music lessons. Music lessons can prepare children for many other activities later in life.

Achievement
Popular after school activities for many children involve video games. Children love video games because they have a sense of accomplishment when they reach a new level or overcome an obstacle that had been evading them before. Learning to play a musical instrument can have the same effect on children. Once they master a difficult piece or technique, they will feel a similar sense of achievement to when they were playing video games.

Relaxation
School can be stressful for children and sometimes they just want to come home and relax. Music can help with their relaxation. For many people, playing an instrument is a relaxing activity, especially if they’re playing a soothing song. After a stressful day at school, children can come home and practice the techniques they learned in their music lessons and the stress will melt away.

Keep your kids busy and out of trouble after school by enrolling them in music lessons with Lesson Match.

Oct

10 Tips for Beginning Acoustic Guitar Players

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Some people are able to just pick up an acoustic guitar and instinctively know what to do with it; others might need some tips.

Here are a few tips for beginning acoustic guitar players.

1. Learn how to fingerpick your guitar and play with a pick. Each technique has its place in the music world. Finger picking is used more for classical music, while a pick is used more for rock and metal. Learning both will make you a better acoustic guitar player.

2. Learn how to change your own strings. Dirt and oil from your fingers break down the strings so it’s very important to change them as they lose their sound. Washing your hands before you play and cleaning your strings after you play will lengthen the time between changing your strings.

3. Learn how to use a capo. A capo is a clamp you can apply to different frets of your guitar to change the pitch.

4. Learn how to tune your acoustic guitar. Playing an out of tune acoustic guitar will be a waste of practice time.

5. Build up calluses on your fingers. Playing the guitar, especially the acoustic guitar, will hurt your fingers at first, but after a while you’ll build up calluses and the pain will go away. The more you practice, the quicker you’ll build up calluses.

6. Stretch and warm up your fingers before you play. Warm ups are important for all instruments to make sure you don’t injure yourself during practice. Loose stretched fingers will also make for better guitar playing.

7. Learn the parts of your guitar. Being a good guitar player means knowing the ins and outs of your acoustic guitar.

8. Don’t over do it. Practicing and playing too much can cause extreme discomfort in your hands and might take some time to recover.

9. Go to live performances. You can learn a lot by watching professionals play the guitar. Live performances can teach you new techniques to better your skills.

10. Find a good guitar instructor. While it is possible to learn using books and online tutorials, guitar instructors will be able to give you guided practice and recognize your strengths and weaknesses. A guitar instructor is a must for beginners.

For more tips or to sign up with acoustic guitar lessons, call Lesson Match at 612-460-7653!

Sep

Buying a Beginner Guitar

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Acoustic, electric, bass—there are so many different types of guitars to choose from. So, how do you know which guitar is right for you?

Acoustic Guitar
Acoustic guitars are the most hassle free guitars to learn on because they don’t require any additional equipment. This also makes them cheaper than electric guitars. Acoustic guitars are very portable so you can practice just about anywhere. The drawback with these guitars is that they’re harder to play. This is because the strings are thicker and take more force to make a solid connection with the fret board. The upside of this is that it increases your finger strength so you can play longer.

Electric Guitar
Electric guitars are usually easier for people to learn because the strings are thinner which makes it easier to get a solid connection with the fretboard. This makes a difference because you only need half the force to push down the string and make a solid connection with the fret board, which is a struggle for many beginning guitarists. Electric guitars require more equipment than acoustic guitars, which can get expensive.

**It is important to remember, when buying either type of guitar, not to just buy the cheapest one. Cheap guitars may seem like a good idea if you’re not sure you want to invest in a guitar, but odds are if you buy a cheap guitar you’ll hate the instrument. Cheap guitars hinder learning and practice and often give the player a bad taste for the instrument. You don’t have to spend thousands on a beginner guitar, about $150 should get you a decent acoustic guitar, but don’t skimp. A decent guitar could mean the difference between sticking with guitar lessons and quitting.

In the end, the most important thing to consider is which guitar you enjoy playing the most. The sales associate in a music store may give you a really great pitch about why you should start with an acoustic guitar, but if you’re more interested in the sound of an electric, then go with the electric guitar. Always test the guitars in the music store before investing in one to see which guitar feels the best for you.

Stuck on what to get your loved one for Valentine’s Day?

This Valentine’s Day, show your loved ones that you think outside the box and give them the gift of music!

This year give a Valentine’s Day gift that will stay with someone for a lifetime!

Parents interested in signing their children up for music lessons, may have a difficult decision to make as to whether or not to travel to a studio for lessons or to have in home music lessons.

Here are some of the benefits of in home music lessons.

For information on private in home music lessons with Lesson Match, call now!

Whether you’re new to the guitar or are stuck in a musical rut, here are some tips to help you become a better musician.

To talk to a guitar instructor from Lesson Match or to enroll in lessons, contact Lesson Match today!

That means you can “practice your instrument” wherever you are.

These simple tips get rid of any excuses you might have about how you’re too busy to practice.

An Instrument makes the perfect gift!

Here are some reasons why a musical instrument could make the perfect gift.

This year, give someone the gift of music by giving them an instrument.

Overtime, guitar strings will have to be replaced; it’s inevitable. Natural stretch and wear will require you to replace your guitar strings regularly, but here are a few tips to keep your guitar strings as long as possible.

Here are a few tips to tell when it is time to change your guitar strings.

Keep your guitar sounding great by taking guitar lessons!

Why music lessons make the perfect after school hobby.

Keep your kids busy and out of trouble after school by enrolling them in music lessons with Lesson Match.

Some people are able to just pick up an acoustic guitar and instinctively know what to do with it; others might need some tips.

Here are a few tips for beginning acoustic guitar players.

For more tips or to sign up with acoustic guitar lessons, call Lesson Match at 612-460-7653!

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