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.

Jan

Common Mistakes Piano Students Make When Practicing

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There’s a reason many piano students quit before learning the basics of piano; they become bored and uninterested.

Here are a few common mistakes piano students make when practicing.

1. Not actually practicing. This is a common mistake because practicing the piano may not seem high on your or your children’s lists of things to do. If your kids are also involved in sports practices, school clubs and have homework, practicing the piano may not seem feasible. It may be a struggle to find time for your kids to practice at first, but once they begin to really enjoy playing, they will make time to practice.

2. Practicing what you already know. It may be fun to play through songs or chords you are already familiar with, but what are you really learning? This habit is common because students get excited with the result of progress with the piano and continue to play what they just learned. This is often followed by boredom and discouragement. Make it your goal to try something new during each practice session to keep things interesting.

3. Learning parts of a piece well and not the rest. This mistake is common because as students try to play through a piece of music, they will stumble towards the middle and start over. Eventually you have the beginning of the piece down, but are continuing to make the same mistakes in the middle. Instead of always starting at the beginning of a piano piece, work on parts that you’re having trouble with.

4. Practice isn’t fun. When learning something new there is always a certain amount of effort required, this goes for musical instruments as well. Instead of trying to squeeze practice time in, set aside specific time for it. Create a comfortable practice space and use it as relaxation time. Keep in your mind that as the more you practice, the better you will get and the more fun practicing and playing will be.

For some tips and tricks on how to avoid these mistakes, contact Lesson Match to enroll in piano lessons!

Jan

Vocal Performance Tips

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Performing in front of an audience can be nerve-wracking, but the rush felt after a performance, during the applause is unbeatable. The key to a great performance is confidence.

If you’re nervous about a performance, here are a few tips to fake confidence.

1. Eye Contact. Maintaining eye contact with the audience helps the performer to appear more confident. In everyday life, when you’re nervous, it’s difficult to maintain eye contact with someone you’re nervous around. There’s also nothing worse for the audience than watching a nervous performer staring at the floor.

2. Enunciate. Do you ever listed to a song at a concert and realize you have no idea what they’re saying. It’s difficult to enunciate every word on stage, especially when you’re nervous, but the audience loves to hear lyrics. If the lyrics are audible, then by the end of the song, the audience might be singing along with you.

3. Convey Emotion. Performing in front of an audience is a lot like acting. Actors wouldn’t smile the whole time if they were acting in drama or tragedy. Similarly, if you’re performing a dark and somber song, try to convey the emotion to the audience. The best performances are the ones the audience can feel and relate to.

4. High Energy. Last summer, I went to two concerts; the first artist stood behind the microphone and sang beautifully, the second had back up dancers and was moving around as much as possible (without being distracting). While I prefer the first artist’s music on the radio, in person the second concert was much more fun. I loved the energy the artist was conveying. You could tell she was enjoying performing and fed off the audience.

Even if you are nervous during the performance, the audience can help you out. Try to appear confident and the audience will respond. Eventually you won’t be pretending to be confident, you actually will be.

All of our vocal instructors at Lesson Match have amazing stage presence and great performance tips.

Contact Lesson Match today to receive some great performance tips from one of our qualified voice instructors!

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.

Nov

10 Drum Tips

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Interested in taking drum lessons? Or do you already play the drums but are looking for some drum tips?

Here are a few tips to refine your technique and keep your drum set sounding great.

1. Keep your drum clean. Use a can of compressed air to get the dust out of hard to reach places like in between lugs.

2. Listen to different kinds of music. This will boost your creativity and allow you to learn new techniques. The more styles and techniques you can master, the more interesting your sound is.

3. Warm up. This is important for all instruments including the drums. Always warm up before lessons, practicing new songs, gigs etc.

4. Air drums. You don’t always have to have a drum set to practice the drums. If you’re sitting around bored with nothing to do, play the air drums. This can help refine patterns and increase your muscle memory.

5. Check your form. Make sure you’re using correct form for optimum sound. Are you holding the sticks at best place? Are you hitting the drums straight up and down?

6. Stick twirling. All crowds love stick twirling and it’s a great form of showmanship. If you don’t know how to twirl your drumsticks, there are how-to videos all over the Internet.

7. Learn to read music. Even if you are able to play the drums perfectly without reading music, reading music is a great way to expand your ability. Reading music allows you to read a song out of a book and be able to play it without having to continually take drum lessons.

8. Write down what works for you. Keep a log of practice techniques that work for you. You can also write down ideas that you’ve heard about and want to try. Keeping all these ideas together will assure you don’t forget about them and they are readily accessible.

9. Record/Videotape yourself playing. This will help you understand your form and see things you cannot see when you’re playing. Do you have a snarl on your face when you play? Is your snare drum titled?

10. Take lessons. While it may seem like you can learn anything online these days, there are things that will be easier for you to learn from an instructor. Drum instructors have been where you are and may have some helpful practice tips and techniques.

For more information about drum lessons with Lesson Match, call us at 612-460-7653.

Oct

10 Tips for Your First Recital

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Playing your first recital can be nerve-wracking, but it’s a great way to show what you’ve learned and stay motivated with lessons.

Here are a few tips to prepare for your first recital.

Find out what music you’re playing. Some instructors allow you to choose what piece(s) you’d like to play during the recital; other instructors assign pieces. If allowed to choose your own music, choose a piece that interests you.

Practice! Try to set aside time every day to practice. Practicing for 15 minutes a day will be more effective than practicing one day for an hour.

Difficulty. Tackle the more difficult pieces you’ll be playing then move onto the easier ones. Beginning with the harder pieces will give you more time to learn and master them. After learning the difficult pieces you should master the easier ones in no time.

Warm up. Play through a few easy pieces and your recital piece before the recital. Don’t over practice right before a recital though or you’ll be tired and make more mistakes.

Play in front of an audience. Practice a few times in front of your family and friends. This will help you feel more confident playing in front of a larger audience.

Record a practice session. Record yourself, or have someone record you, playing through all your pieces. Some musicians have bad habits that they do on stage and aren’t aware of them. Watching yourself play will show you how you will look on stage and you can address any issues before playing in front of an audience.

Rest. Get a good night’s sleep the night before a recital. You may be too nervous to sleep, but if you’re tired during the recital you might forget a piece or miss a note.

Breath! Many people get nervous in front of an audience and forget to breath. Practice some breathing techniques before your recital that help calm you down.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Everyone messes up during his or her first recital. Usually it’s just a small mistake that only you notice, but the temptation to stop will be there. If you make a mistake, keep playing like nothing happened. Remember, this is your first recital; it will go better next time.

Have fun! Playing music shouldn’t be a chore. Always remember to have fun when playing. Performers that are having fun have better stage presence than those who are not.

For more tips about the first recital or lessons with Lesson Match, contact us!

Oct

Introduce Music to Young Children

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Children need music in their lives too!

Young children are inherently curious and open to new experiences. Parents can use fun activities to introduce music to young children. If children are introduced to music at a young age, then they’re more likely to be interested in music as they grow up. Studies show that children who take music lessons perform better on standardized testing and in school. So, introduce your young child to music and they’ll do better in school. Here are a few ways to make learning about music fun for children.

Pots and Pans
A great way to introduce music to young children is to teach them about musical concepts by using items found around the house. Bring out the pots and pans and let your child bang on them with a wooden spoon. Show them how varying the rhythm and pressure used to hit the pots changes the sound.

Tuned Instruments
Bells, triangles and maracas are great instruments to introduce to young children. Let your child play with the instrument and explore the different ways they produce sound. If you have multiple children, have one of them bang on the pots and pans and the other play the triangle and teach them about playing together.

Homemade Instruments
A great activity to teach young children about different types of instruments is to let them make their own out of recycled materials. Drums, guitars and shakers are instruments that can be easily created using empty containers, rubber bands and other household materials. Children will have fun making and playing with these instruments.

Listen to Music
Exposing your young children to music from different cultures and periods can get them interested in different types of music. Play some different types of music and afterwards ask your child if he/she can identify any of the instruments used in the song. You can also have your child try to play along to the music with the instrument they made.

Oct

Why Take Private Music Lessons with Band Instruments

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If your child is enrolled in band class at school, then you might think there is no reason to enroll them in private music lessons.

Students that take private music lessons on an instrument will improve faster than if they are only learning in the classroom. It is difficult to get individualized attention and guidance in a classroom setting because there are many students.

If your child has a genuine interest in an instrument, or maybe their band teacher thinks they have special musical talent, then you should consider enrolling your child in private music lessons.

Better Ensembles
Typically, the more students enrolled in private music lessons, the better the ensemble sounds. If a few students are taking private music lessons and excelling at their instrument, other parents might see that and enroll their children as well. Band ensembles often compete in competitions and if the majority of the students are also taking private lessons the ensemble should do well.

Individualized Attention
If your child has an interest in learning an instrument, then school band classes may not be cutting it. Students interested in learning an instrument will typically practice more outside of class and be genuinely interested in learning the instrument. Some students in band classes may only be taking the class to socialize and therefore slow the progress of the entire group down. Private music lessons will give your child the training they need.

Musical Talent
All children learn at different speeds, and it can be discouraging if children see their peers excelling at something that is taking them more time to learn. Private music lessons can speed up a slower learner because a private instructor can address issues the student may be having with learning, or teach him/her better ways to practice.

Innate Ability
If your child has a serious interest in music and would like to pursue music as a career, then private lessons are a must. Music schools and ensembles (even youth ensembles) are extremely competitive and children will have to take private music lessons to ensure they are getting the proper training.

Enroll in private music lessons today with Lesson Match!

Sep

10 Tips to Overcome Stage Fright

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What do Adele, Barbra Streisand, Rod Stewart and Carly Simon have in common? They all suffer from stage fright. That’s right. Even celebrities get nervous before performing on stage. Performing on stage can be a terrifying experience, but there are a few tips and tricks to make the performance go by a little smoother.

1. Practice. The more you practice, the better you’ll feel about your talent.

2. Be prepared. Make sure that you have everything in order for your performance long before the performance is supposed to begin.

3. Analyze. Check out your performance space before the actual performance. This will ensure there are no surprises and you’ll feel more in control.

4. Relax. Find some relaxation techniques that work for you. If you have a few techniques you know will relax you before anything, this will help calm your nerves.

5. Take deep breaths. Use deep breathing to calm your body and your nerves.

6. Rid yourself of distractions. Avoid all distractions the day of your performance. Try not to have a million things on your plate that day so the only thing you have to worry about is the performance and practicing.

7. Visualize. Before the performance, take an imaginary journey of it. Close your eyes and imagine the entire performance from beginning to end. Then once the performance is actually happening, it will feel like you’ve already given the performance.

8. Nobody’s perfect. Try to accept the fact that every performance is not going to be perfect. Realize you might make a mistake every once and a while but you have to pick up and move on. That’s what helps Donny Osmond control his stage fright.

9. Encouragement. Make sure some friends and family are in the audience. Friends and family can offer silent encouragement and reinforcement.

10. Have fun! Make your performance a celebration of everything you’ve accomplished rather than punishment for being so talented.

Sep

10 Things Musicians Should Avoid

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Like all other things in this world, there are things you should and shouldn’t do in the music industry. Becoming a successful musician is definitely a possibility for people if they work hard and avoid a few things that can harm their musical future.

1. Procrastination. If you’re constantly saying “I’ll practice later” then you’re never going to perfect your instrument or your music. If you’re thinking about practicing, get up and do it. You won’t get anywhere by putting things off until the last minute.

2. Drinking and Smoking. While these may seem like two requirements to become a successful musician, they actually harm your music. Smoking can cause a musician to lose his/her voice during a show and drinking can cause a terrible hangover that interferes with a gig.

3. Stress. Musicians should always try to avoid stress! Stress can cause fatigue, which severely affects your music and sound. During a gig, if you’re stressed or tired, you might be a little slow hitting a note and ruin the whole song. Fatigue also blocks your mind so you’re not able to be creative and write new music.

4. Not setting goals. Goals are what keep people motivated to succeed. Everyone, including musicians should set goals in their life.

5. Not having the right priorities. If you want to be a successful musician, then music should be a top priority. However, don’t let music take over you’re life. Friends and family need to be a priority as well.

6. Playing only “popular” music. Don’t only play the type of music you think people want to hear. Play the music you want to play and if others like it, then great. If not, then at least you’re doing something you’re passionate about and can be proud of that.

7. Not giving enough time to music. Becoming a successful musician takes tons of practice! Even if you’ve mastered your instrument and your songs, you should still take time to write new music or learn new techniques. There’s always more to learn.

8. Waiting to be “discovered.” If you’re just sitting around waiting for someone to discover your talent, then you’ll probably wait a long time. There are many ways to become known in the music industry. Try applying for gigs or making demo CDs of your music to get your band recognized.

9. Plagiarizing. This is a big no-no even outside the music industry. People are always looking for something new and if you’re copying someone else’s music then you won’t be unique and probably won’t become successful.

10. Giving up. Even famous musicians didn’t make it big right away. Music takes trial and error before you find your sound and niche. It’s easy to become discouraged and give up, but remember to keep trying. Eventually you’ll make it!

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.

There’s a reason many piano students quit before learning the basics of piano; they become bored and uninterested.

Here are a few common mistakes piano students make when practicing.

For some tips and tricks on how to avoid these mistakes, contact Lesson Match to enroll in piano lessons!

If you’re nervous about a performance, here are a few tips to fake confidence.

All of our vocal instructors at Lesson Match have amazing stage presence and great performance tips.

Contact Lesson Match today to receive some great performance tips from one of our qualified voice instructors!

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.

Interested in taking drum lessons? Or do you already play the drums but are looking for some drum tips?

Here are a few tips to refine your technique and keep your drum set sounding great.

For more information about drum lessons with Lesson Match, call us at 612-460-7653.

Playing your first recital can be nerve-wracking, but it’s a great way to show what you’ve learned and stay motivated with lessons.

Here are a few tips to prepare for your first recital.

For more tips about the first recital or lessons with Lesson Match, contact us!

Children need music in their lives too!

If your child is enrolled in band class at school, then you might think there is no reason to enroll them in private music lessons.

If your child has a genuine interest in an instrument, or maybe their band teacher thinks they have special musical talent, then you should consider enrolling your child in private music lessons.

Enroll in private music lessons today with Lesson Match!

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