Why Music Teachers Should Learn Accompaniment Techniques for Elementary School Band
I’m sure there are different ways to enhance your music programs in elementary schools like accompanying singing groups with piano, but what about band...
How Teaching Music Taught Me To Play Better
I learned my bad habits religiously through many hours of practicing what my tutor instructed me to do. Not only do we learn through...
Playing In The Zone
You’ll know when you’re playing in the zone. Some things can’t be exactly taught. Playing in the zone is one of them, but I’ll...
From “C” To Shining “C” – Alternate Fingerings on the Sax
Question #1 How many sax players never use the alternate side key “C”?… Question #2 Why? “Old school” teachers only taught second finger “C”,...
Tetrachords: The Foundation Of Major Scales
How to practice tetrachords for learning all 12 major scales. Let’s establish what a tetrachord is first. It is a set of four notes...
To Learn to Play Jazz, Start at Ground Zero
Many years ago a sixteen year old private student asked me how to play jazz. I told him to start by learning the II...
Why People Like Certain Songs: Seeing the Trees From the Forest
Everyone at one time or another has stopped while a song was playing and exclaimed: “Wow, I really like this song.” Being a very...
Musical Terms Out in the World
I would like to make you aware of a couple musical terms that you might not know but have experienced in your travels through...
Teaching Music Now vs. Then: How Technology has Changed
If you think your job of teaching music now is hard lets look back at what I had to work with 45 years ago...
Is a General Music Teacher Qualified to Teach Band Instruments? Or Vice Versa?
Is a general music teacher qualified to teach band instruments? (or vice versa?) Are band directors qualified to teach general music? Of course there...
The Importance of Teaching Good Habits in Instrumental Music Class
HAPPY NEW YEAR! While this is a wish in general for the year 2018, we find ourselves in the middle of the 2017-18 school...
Selective Hearing, in Life and in Music
Did you ever find yourself in a restaurant or lounge and trying to hear a particular song through all the usual ambient noise. Somehow...