Another Way to Practice Technique

This is more for the advanced students, music teachers and anyone who wants to learn jazz chords and scales. The bottom line is that instead of practicing your technical exercises by key, you are practicing them by their shared root: Getting Started on Jazz Technique - Musespeak Studio

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".