Early on in our music education we learn two very important musical terms: major and minor. I am often asked what is the difference. It is a tough question because there are many answers. Many people associate descriptive words with major and minor. Most commonly, major is happy and minor is sad. This is basically true but doesn’t adequately describe
Lessons In Your Home Blog
Learning To Read Lead Sheets on Piano – Chord Charts – How To and Why!
Using lead sheets or chord charts to play your favorite song is not just accessible to guitar players, but to pianists also. Especially when students reach an intermediate level of piano study, reading lead sheets is a great theory exercise to incorporate into guitar lessons and can be made into a progressive improvisation study. What
How To Sit At The Piano – Height, Distance, Posture – Play Piano
Have you ever been to a piano recital and noticed the pianist moving the bench and wonder “what are they doing”? They are adjusting the bench to give themselves the most comfortable position at the piano. Every pianist is different in size and height. Adjusting the bench to their body types allows the pianist to
3 Ways to Prepare Students for a Recital Part 1: Set Them Up For Success
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
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
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
Favorite Piano Methods for Teenagers in D.C. & Baltimore
Teenagers are a fun group to teach, and the musical possibilities are endless! They are at a point in life when individual tastes in music form, and they definitely keep me on my toes with knowing the new, cool bands and artists. Every student age, from young beginners to the 7-12 group, has its own