Study Your Music Score

Score study, or studying the sheet music, is a useful way to practice music away from your instrument. Here are some tips on how to practice using scorestudy. Things to take note of:

• time signature changes

• key signature changes

• hand position changes

• the overall form (more on this later)

• tricky rhythms

• chords (especially) cadences

• patterns

• dynamics

• expression markings

Mark anything that you need to pay special attention to. Depending on your learning style, you may want to colour-code these, or make up some short code.

With regards to form, beginner students can look for repeating patterns. Intermediate and advanced students can label the sections as they know them (e.g. A section, B section, Exposition, Development, Theme 1, etc.).

I find it especially helpful to tap and count tricky rhythms away from any of my music instruments. Slowly and then gradually building in speed.

If you need more tips on how to scorestudy, don't be afraid to ask your music teacher.

Music Practicing 101: The Three Different Ways Drill

When I was a young music student, I was often told, "Fix your trouble spots" or "This spot needs extra practice. Drill that spot 10X". However, one thing I've noticed, is that my concentration wanes after drilling something five times. I think that's even a bigger challenge for music students today as they are inundated with so much more information.I like the number "3". This week, I've had my students drill their trouble spots three times. However, the catch is that they must play it three different ways. For example:

• use three different registers

• use three different surfaces

• use three different levels of dynamics

• use three different types of articulation

• If you play more than one instrument - try it on three different instruments

My students and I have noticed that they are more focused for those three times since they are playing that spot differently each time. They are actively listening to what they are doing. 

The end result? In most cases, the problem spot was ironed out after drilling the spot only three times. 

In some cases, you may need to drill a spot up to five times. In that case, you'll make it the "Five Different Ways Drill".

Student Post: Music iApps Review

My students occasionally do extra projects to earn more Maestro Bucks to spend at Maestro's Market. One such method is to write a review, be it a concert review or in this case, an app review. This is from one of my senior level students - Dylan: Pocket Drums I thought this was a very fun app, letting you play along to songs in your library or on your own. It is a 6-piece drum set. You can record your own drum loops, and then play along with them to make a very full sound. In conclusion: 5/5 stars Rhythm Pad When I played the pads, no sound came out. 0/5 stars Shazam This is a very fun app to play with, just hold it up to your speaker while it's playing a song (like from the iTunes store) and, if everyone's quiet, after a few seconds, it will show you what song it is. It's perfect for when you hear a song you want but don't know the name of it.  It's also linked with the iTunes store, so when it finds the song name, there is a little iTunes store button so you can buy the song. In conclusion: 4/5 stars Author's Note: For five stars, make it work for live piano performances. (-:

Playing By Ear

It's around this time of year that music students and music teachers alike feel a bit brain dead. I try to change things up a bit so that my students are learning, but learning music in a different way - playing by ear. Playing by ear is a great way to practice your ear training and brush up on your music theory.  My ConCan students would tell you that this is just a step up from their Keyboard Harmony and Transposition requirements for their piano exam.

Shortly after Halloween, my students started working on Christmas music. A couple of my older students wanted a bit of a change, so they opted for Hanukkah and Kwanzaa music. One week, I asked them to pick out the tune to one of their favourite songs. Subsequent weeks involve adding the harmonies. Then, if they wanted to sing along with their song, I would ask them to transpose the song into their range. It doesn't have to be seasonal music. Popular music is great for this exercises - the melodies have narrow ranges and most likely, you only have four chords to deal with. The one thing I've noticed with songs I've learned by ear is that I tend to remember them longer than pieces I've learned primarily through note reading and repetition.

Music Practicing 101 - Keyboard Harmony Demo

Another quick demo primarily for students studying through the Conservatory Canada system (although anyone interested in chording can still benefit from this).ConCan students in Grade 5 and up have to demonstrate that they can harmonize a melody. In Grade 5, they use the Tonic (I) and Dominant (V). As they progress to higher grades, they must be able to harmonize using a wider selection of chords.From a speed learning perspective as well as a piano accompanist perspective, I must say that keyboard harmony is a necessity! It's saved my bacon on numerous occasions.This video shows you how to practice when you are just starting out with keyboard harmony.