A successful and enjoyable recital experience is the goal! For me, prep starts about 6-8 weeks before the big day with piece selection. During “recital piece picking week” I obsessively analyze 2 or 3 songs for each music student. They can’t be too easy or too challenging. Most importantly, they should be fun to play
General
Drumstick Grip Basics for Beginners: A Step-By-Step Lesson from Your Teacher
So, it’s your very first drum lesson. Your kit is set up, your teacher has arrived, and you’re holding a pair of sticks in your hands. Now what? One of the first things we teach all our students is how to hold a drumstick properly. It’s foundational to everything that follows—rhythm, speed, power, and control.
Why Guitar Tuners Help Beginners Sound Better From Day One
As guitar teachers who specialize in helping beginner students, we’ve seen firsthand how guitar tuners help beginners build confidence, play more accurately, and stay motivated. Whether you’re just starting private guitar lessons or tuning up for your 100th session, using a tuner is not a shortcut—it’s a smart tool for success. What Is a Guitar
Pencil stuck in my baby grand piano. You don’t have to call your piano teacher!
When it happens and you freeze with fear as you hear the call; “mom, the piano is broken”. You come over to see that a number of the keys on your piano are not working properly as your child is practicing for her piano lesson. You look, and as the notes are played on the
Tune Your Piano – What To Do When Your Piano Tuner Comes Over.
Keeping your piano tuned is a part of regular maintenance for your piano. Pianos should be tuned twice a year to keep it sounding its best and working properly for the student who is using the piano.When you schedule your piano tuning please keep in mind that the piano technician will need the area that
How To Find An In Home Music Lesson Teacher – 3 Steps To Starting Music Lessons
So you know you are looking for in-home music lessons and need to find a teacher. Where should you turn and how do you know who to choose? I believe deciding is pretty tough. After all most of us aren’t musicians and even if we are do we know what makes a great teacher? The
Pedals On The Piano, What Do They Do?
On a typical piano there will be three pedals in the center by the floor. These pedals are used to change the sound and effects of the piano. The most common pedal is the Damper pedal located to the right. When the damper pedal is pressed down it raises the dampers inside the piano off
4 ways to know if a note is wrong! Use your ears in Music Lessons
There are many things to concentrate and focus on while learning to play new pieces of music, reading notes, counting rhythms, moving hand positions, using pedals, etc. One thing that I try to have my students not forget is to use their ears and to listen to what they are playing. Sometimes while a student
Keep In Home Music Students Longer – The Best Part of Teaching Lessons!
The best part of teaching in home music lessons is your students stay with you longer then those who travel to their lessons at a music school or a teacher’s home. There are 3 easy to understand reasons why this is. One, a great music teacher gets more time with the family of their student.
Why Use a Metronome at Home? Busting the Myths and Building Great Habits
When we recommend metronomes to new students, we often hear hesitation. “Isn’t that just for professionals?” “Won’t it make practice boring?” “My child already has a good sense of rhythm.” We get it—metronomes have a reputation. But as private music teachers who work with beginner students every day, we can say with confidence: using a
