Music Blogs Worth Checking Out

Now that I've successfully migrated my blogs from Blogspot to Wordpress, my hands are full with cleaning posts up from the back-end - checking and updating links, tags and the like - before I can get back to the happy task of writing music reviews, interviews with fellow musicians and feature articles. In the meantime, please check out these music blogs which will keep you updated on upcoming music events in your area:

• CBC Music Blog

• CKUA Music Blog

• FFWD Weekly's Upcoming Events Blog

Do you have any music blogs that you like to check out? Please share them!

RCM and ConCan on Youtube

Students - did you know that the Royal Conservatory of Music and Conservatory Canada have their own Youtube Channels? Check out tips, great performances, repertoire demos and interviews with musicians past and present. Conservatory Canada Youtube Channel

Royal Conservatory of Music Youtube Channel

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. (-: