tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64464515232724330082024-03-13T08:03:44.276-07:00The Piano AdvocateHow to think, practice, perform, and live more musically.
A resource to help piano students, parents, and caregivers get the most out of their music lessons.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04056661039089967140noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446451523272433008.post-14836643227649429902015-07-14T16:26:00.000-07:002015-07-14T16:26:08.595-07:00Practice TipsI'm putting together next years' teaching materials and wanted to post this bit on practicing that I've included in my studio policies newsletter this year. I recently read a fantastic book "The Practicing Mind: Bringing Discipline and Focus into your Life" by Thomas Sterner. It's a great read and applies so perfectly to practicing a musical instrument!<br />
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“Everything in life worth achieving requires practice. In fact, life itself is nothing more than one long practice session, an endless effort of refining our motions. When the proper mechanics of practice are understood, the task of learning something new becomes a stress-free experience of joy and calmness, a process which settles all areas in your life and promotes proper perspective on all of life’s difficulties.”<br />
― Thomas M. Sterner, The Practicing Mind: Developing Focus and Discipline in Your Life<br />
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Try some of these tips with yourself or your child when practicing:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Do. Observe. Correct. - Give your full attention as you play. Ask yourself - How did that feel? How did it sound? How accurate were the notes, rhythms, articulation? Was the sound representative of the character of the piece? What could I do to make it easier for my hands to play? What can I improve to make this sound closer to my ideal performance? Notice here how there is NO JUDGEMENT of "good" or "bad." There is simply a flow toward your best interpretation of the written score. Each time you play, you observe what happened and find one small thing you'd like to try to correct in your next play. Experienced practicers find that this happens very quickly and within just a minute or two you could replay a short passage a dozen times - each time trying to correct something from the time before. </li>
<li>Decide upon one or two short, manageable goals every time you sit down to practice. Something like "I will play this 5-note passage with the correct fingering 3 times in a row" or "I will clap the rhythm to this section correctly while counting out loud" or "I will do a wrist float-off at the end of each of these three phrases so my hand is completely relaxed." This prevents the temptation to just sit down and play through the entire song a couple times and call it a day! Keep your focus to a single goal and don't stop until you feel satisfied that you have accomplished your goal. If it is taking you more than a few minutes, your goal is too broad and needs to be more specific! If you can reach your goal on the first try, it's too easy!</li>
<li>Practice slowly. I don't mean play slowly, I mean try to take your time and do your best. Try not to look at the clock or feel rushed that you have to accomplish a million things. Take your time to lay out your books neatly, read through your assignment and listen to the sound as you play. Wait until you feel you've really accomplished your goal before trying to move onto the next piece or section of music.</li>
<li>Play Games with yourself as you practice. Find a few little toys that can move across the music stand with each repetition of a phrase. Make a sticker chart or keep a notebook to count your practice sessions. Challenge yourself to play with one eye closed, while balancing a stuffed animal on your head, with your left knee touching the underside of the keyboard. Play your new melody notes to the rhythm of Yankee Doodle. Play the last note with your nose. Be silly while still getting work done!</li>
<li>Make "deadlines" for yourself by enrolling a friend or family member to watch a performance of your newest piece. Or tell a long distance relative that you will send them a video of your polished piece in 3 days. Take it seriously and try to have your piece or section of music "performance ready" for your performance!</li>
<li>Watch other kids perform your piece on Youtube, or listen to the real orchestra version of a classical melody in your lesson book. Listen to piano music while you are in the car or doing chores around the house. Incorporate music into your daily life and not just that thing you do at your piano teacher's house once a week!</li>
<li>Feeling frusterated, overwhelmed, or bored? Take a break. Go to the bathroom, eat a granola bar, then come back refreshed and ready to work!</li>
</ul>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04056661039089967140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446451523272433008.post-66633879313051516952015-04-10T12:36:00.000-07:002015-04-11T19:22:32.910-07:00Which is better; Massed Practice or Spaced Practiced?Interesting new article out about the effects of "Massed Practice" vs "Spaced Practice." Is it better to practice in one big chunk of time or in several small snippits over several days? Check it out!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.salon.com/2014/04/20/ditch_the_10000_hour_rule_why_malcolm_gladwells_famous_advice_falls_short/">http://www.salon.com/2014/04/20/ditch_the_10000_hour_rule_why_malcolm_gladwells_famous_advice_falls_short/</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04056661039089967140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446451523272433008.post-41633865996546063192014-03-29T20:45:00.001-07:002014-03-29T20:45:37.318-07:00"Getting Kids to Practice Music without Tears or Tantrums"<br />
Hey Parents!<br />
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This article just seems to sum it up:<br />
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<a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2012/06/18/155282684/getting-kids-to-practice-music-without-tears-or-tantrums" target="_blank">http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2012/06/18/155282684/getting-kids-to-practice-music-without-tears-or-tantrums</a><br />
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Here are a few of my favorite ideas:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Having a goal for each practice session is essential, whether your child is practicing for five minutes or a couple of hours each day. </span><a href="http://www.fromthetop.org/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-select: none; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4774cc; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">From the Top</em></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> alumna Ren Martin-Doike, a 20-year-old violist who now studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, says that her number one practice technique is to write down those benchmarks: "Set goals, hold yourself accountable to them and create a practice log you can be proud of!"</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">In our house, the mood, and the amount of stuff we could accomplish in less than 10 minutes changed really dramatically when we switched from practicing in the early evenings to getting it done before school.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">And at the end of a practice session, we try to leave a bit of time for her play whatever she wants, usually her own improvisations.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Hope this gives you a little inspiration today! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">-E</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04056661039089967140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446451523272433008.post-59843012449338949192014-03-21T03:54:00.002-07:002014-03-21T03:54:27.677-07:00Finger 4 on B Flat!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qBk5hVi4rpE/Usb3kMsDnvI/AAAAAAABaOg/Pm3SZLdx0ZM/s1600/canstockphoto13473795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qBk5hVi4rpE/Usb3kMsDnvI/AAAAAAABaOg/Pm3SZLdx0ZM/s320/canstockphoto13473795.jpg" height="207" width="320" /></a></div>
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I love to teach the F Major Scale....especially the Right Hand. You see, before this point students have been mastering the technique involved in playing scales like B and C and G and D Major. They have been taught how to play 8 (or more) consecutive notes using all 5 fingers.<br />
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And you mathematicians out there might have already found the conundrum....if you only have 5 fingers, then how can you play more than 5 sequential notes in a row? Nope, not by using your other hand. Ahh, by adding the "the cross over - finger 2 or 3 crosses over the thumb" or "the cross under - the thumb crosses under finger 2 or 3." This idea seems to be digested quickly with most students. Makes sense. Fits nicely with most scales because you just memorize 1-2-3-CROSS!<br />
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But then comes the F Major Scale! You see, when a piano student tries to apply this paradigm with the Right Hand it doesn't work. You start on F and play 1-2-3-CROSS......and suddenly your thumb has to awkwardly shift up onto a black key, the Bb. Crossing the thumb under the hand and onto a black note just doesn't fly - it's jarring, strenuous, and unpredictable. Not what you want when using quick and exacting movements.<br />
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So what do we do? I love this part...This is where I ask the question and watch the gears turn in those brilliant little minds. We use a different fingering! We change the "rules" in order to achieve a fluid sound, keep a relaxed hand, and not drive our piano teacher crazy with excessive wrong notes! And here's the key: We use that same fingering CONSISTENTLY every time we play our F Major scale so that we can play it quickly and accurately!<br />
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I write this as an introduction to a greater idea in the realm of piano playing: How fingering - the finger we decide to use when playing a particular note - is quite important to the success or failure of everything we play. It's often overlooked by beginning (and even advanced) students who are so concerned about playing the correct NOTE that they forget they also need to use the correct FINGER when playing it! Piano practice is all about refining the movement of the finger/hand/wrist/arm/shoulder to achieve a particular sound. If a little extra time is taken to pay attention to the finger number written above certain notes in your music (or writing in your own fingering) when first learning a new passage of music, you will be amazed at how quickly and securely you will be playing that passage! I mean...would an olympic ice skater pulling off a triple axle use a different foot each time she jumped?<br />
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So parents, if you are hearing any of the following: a consistent "hiccup" or stop in the same spot, notes that aren't articulated well or sound sloppy, complaints that a new piece is too hard or not fun, or seeing crazy looking arm or hand movements; ask your kiddo what the fingering is. Have them explain why they chose to use the finger they use. If you get a blank stare, you might have just planted the seed toward greater understanding!<br />
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Here's my tip for practicing new fingerings: Looking at the notes directly BEFORE and AFTER the difficult spot. Then practice...very slowly at first....playing a small section that includes the difficult passage and a note or two beyond the tricky spot. Watch the hand to make sure you "Nail it" when you get to those notes with the finger numbers above them. Grab a pencil and write in a few more finger numbers if needed. Repeat.<br />
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Have fun Everyone! -EmilyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04056661039089967140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446451523272433008.post-58461685362851771642013-08-09T11:57:00.003-07:002013-08-09T12:03:53.512-07:00Video to watch! Murray Perahia: Not of this World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-exudIPrbNFM/UgU7bICsirI/AAAAAAABRMk/vnCsouklHRs/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-09+at+1.56.14+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-exudIPrbNFM/UgU7bICsirI/AAAAAAABRMk/vnCsouklHRs/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-08-09+at+1.56.14+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's a quick link to a pretty cool German-produced video of Murray Perahia. He is one of the top pianists in the world and just amazing to listen to. It's such an experience for our aspiring musicians to actually see and listen to world-class musicians. I bet many of you have seen what a professional athlete looks like.....have you ever seen a professional pianist in action? For $6, you can access the video for 48 hours. Might be a fun "movie night" or rainy day activity!<br />
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<a href="http://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/concert/111">http://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/concert/111</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04056661039089967140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446451523272433008.post-91985849456707552432013-08-06T14:12:00.001-07:002013-08-08T12:59:04.066-07:00Watch your favorite "Piano Adventures" piece on YoutubeThanks to the Anderson's for this great tip:<br />
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Not feeling quite like practicing yet today? How about some computer time! I bet by the time you get done watching a few of these great videos, your fingers will be itching to tickle those keys. Sometimes it just helps to hear or see someone else play your next lesson assignment piece. Of course, this isn't a compromise to reading the notes, which I still want you to do! But music is listening. And listening is a skill that can be sharpened!<br />
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Check out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/SuperMANgino" target="_blank">Marc Mangino's</a> youtube page. He is a wonderful teacher and has gone through just about every song in the Piano Adventures lesson books. In these videos he tells you about common pitfalls, what to listen for and plays the piece with a sensitive technique. This is a great encouragement for those times when you might feel stuck, frustrated, or just plain unmotivated to practice. <br />
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I'd love to do this too at some point....very cool project!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04056661039089967140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446451523272433008.post-40024192876105119512013-06-23T09:33:00.002-07:002013-06-23T09:33:42.132-07:003 Great Books for improving your At-Home PracticingPractice Practice Practice. After teaching for 10+ years, I'm finally starting to realize that when I say that I "teach piano" what I'm really doing is "teaching how to practice." I'm going to try this year to avoid saying things like "just take this home and practice it this week, and show me what you come up with!" Instead I'm going to say something like "measures 8-12 need a round of Bug Spotting followed by a game of Metronome Madness until you can play it 3 times in a row at 92." <br />
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Practicing is a lifelong skill that is developed through mindful attention to detail. It is a process of decision making, of strategy, of careful listening and evaluation. It's a wonderful gift to give our children - the skill of how to better yourself! As parents and educators, isn't that the goal? Teach 'em to fish!<br />
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Here are a few books I have in the studio that students are welcome to page through during lessons or borrow for the week. If you'd like to grab a copy for yourself, they make great gifts!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-53Ay2BLcoEI/UcceBBHNppI/AAAAAAABOHs/e9Gw8YUNgpo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-06-23+at+11.10.10+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-53Ay2BLcoEI/UcceBBHNppI/AAAAAAABOHs/e9Gw8YUNgpo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-06-23+at+11.10.10+AM.png" /></a></div>
Practiceopedia by Philip Johnston. This hefty book is the encyclopedia of great ideas for making practice fun and efficient. Although it's a higher price tag, this is an awesome resource! The writing is funny and interesting, and the ideas are sound and easy to implement. I love that he makes practicing piano into life-and-death drama! Philip makes it easy to reference ideas that fix common problems, ie "not wanting to practice" or "managing deadlines." Great for breaking a practice funk!<br />
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Not Until You've Done Your Practice by Philip Johnston and David Sutton. If you don't want to spring for the Practiceopedia, this is a great option! Same great ideas, just not as detailed in the description. This is one the kids can read themselves and enjoy - there are some great graphics to complement each practice strategy. Very easy to implement today!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lp6tdh_sgG8/Uccg6iHtGDI/AAAAAAABOIM/PYls6q2df34/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-06-23+at+11.22.39+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lp6tdh_sgG8/Uccg6iHtGDI/AAAAAAABOIM/PYls6q2df34/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-06-23+at+11.22.39+AM.png" /></a></div>
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<h1 class="parseasinTitle " style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span id="btAsinTitle"><span style="font-size: small;">The Piano Student's Guide to Effective Practicing, a Hal Leonard publication. This is a full sized tri-fold brochure outlining some excellent practice strategies to use at home. This is a great reference catalogue if you need a few quick ideas for a specific problem or if you get stuck!</span></span></h1>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04056661039089967140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446451523272433008.post-55107457910116968712013-03-08T04:44:00.002-08:002013-03-08T04:45:04.836-08:00Bobby McFerrin at the 2009 World Science Fair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ne6tB2KiZuk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Although this has been floating around for a few years, it's definitely worth a view! We use the pentatonic scale at our first piano lesson - it's all the black keys! This is a wonderful and easy tool for improvising and creating your own songs - try it on your piano at home.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04056661039089967140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446451523272433008.post-60614270893239647322013-02-25T13:03:00.001-08:002013-02-25T13:03:54.425-08:00Keep your piano skills alive during breaks!Hello Students and Parents!<br />
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Have you ever said to yourself "Wow, my child was able play new songs so quickly last year, but after taking this summer off it's like he/she has completely forgotten how to read music!" Today I'd like to brainstorm a few ideas with you for keeping those piano skills alive - especially during extended breaks like summer, holidays, and when your teacher has a baby! It's frustrating how quickly skills like sight-reading and playing scales deteriorate with even a few weeks off. Oh, and it takes a ton of work to build them back up once lost! Argggg.<br />
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Try 1 or 2 of these simple ideas at home during your next break and I bet you'll be patting yourself on the back in a few weeks!<br />
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<ol>
<li><b>Routine within a Routine</b>: It doesn't have to be 30 minutes every day. Even 10 minutes of "real practice" before breakfast or after homework a few times a week will help keep those piano skills alive. BUT HERE IS THE TRICK: Listen to what your child is playing and help them structure a PIANO ROUTINE for those 10 minutes. Don't let them just noodle around or play the 3 passages they remember from their favorite piece over and over as fast as they can (especially if your child is a 4-7th grade boy). Encourage 1-2 minutes each of warm-ups, scales, SIGHT-READING, and old recital pieces along with their current favorites. </li>
<li><b>Sight-Read:</b> Being able to play the notes on the page is the first....THE FIRST....skill to crash and burn when you stop practicing. So encourage your child to try and play something their fingers don't already know. Take out a lesson book from a few years ago, swap books with a friend, buy a "Sight-Reading" book for $5-8, google your favorite pop songs and you'll find sheet music to print off, or even get a set of flashcards and practice naming notes.</li>
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<li><b>Emily's favorite Sight-Reading Books</b></li>
<ul>
<li><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sight-Reading-Rhythm-Every-Book/dp/1569395012">Sight Reading and Rhythm Every Day</a></i> by Kevin Olson </li>
<li><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Improve-Your-Sight-Reading-Piano-Elementary/dp/0571533132/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1361822675&sr=8-9&keywords=%22sight-reading%22">Improve your Sight Reading</a></i> by Paul Harris </li>
<li><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=dozen%20a%20day&sprefix=dozen%2B%2Cstripbooks&rh=n:283155%2Ck%3Adozen%20a%20day">Dozen a Day</a></i> by Edna Mae Burman</li>
<li><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Primer-Level-Sightreading-Faber-Adventures/dp/1616776307/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1361822675&sr=8-17&keywords=%22sight-reading%22">Sight Reading</a></i> by Faber (the same series as your lesson books) (only available in primer and level 1) </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Online Games and Ipad apps</b>: If your child is anything like my husband, then they will do anything to have their face glued to a screen all day long. There are wonderful ways of taking advantage of this! Here are a few links for you</li>
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<li><b>Emily's favorite Online Games/Apps</b></li>
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<li><a href="http://tonictutor.com/">TonicTutor.com</a> - I pay for a monthly subscription to this site, please use it! If you don't know your username and password, email me!</li>
<li>YouTube Videos - When I need a little inspiration, I watch a few of my favorite pianists play. Try a few of these big names in the piano world: "Horowitz" "Argarich" "Lang Lang" "The 5 Browns" "Emily Brown" </li>
<li><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/headwatersmusic1/for-current-students/websites-for-further-learning">Here</a> is a list on my website</li>
<li><a href="http://www.composecreate.com/ipad-102-a-starter-kit-of-apps-for-your-studio/">Here</a> is a great blog with the most current Ipad apps </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Music Activities Away from the Piano</b>: OK, so your child won't sit down on the piano bench. How can you sneak music-related activities into other areas of their life?</li>
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<li><b>Emily's Favorite "Away from the Piano" activities</b></li>
<ul>
<li><i>Music Sketch Book</i>: Buy or make a little book of staff paper and a pencil. Use this to practice drawing treble clefs, or try writing down your favorite pop melodies or rhythms, or compose your own music! It's like a scrapbook of little musical ideas!</li>
<li><i>Theory Pages</i>: Get a notespeller book or find free notespeller or theory pages to print online. Keep a stack of them in the car or when you are at a siblings hockey game. An old-fashioned written version of a smartphone app :)</li>
<li><i>Listen to Piano Music:</i> That's right, download some classical music or check out a few CD's from the library. Have them playing in the background before dinner or on the weekend. You'll soon develop favorites!</li>
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</ol>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #554433; font-family: Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Paderewski (a famous concert pianist) is coined with this thought: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #554433; font-family: Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">If I don't practice for one day, I know it; if I don't practice for two days, my friends know it. If I don't practice for three days, EVERYBODY knows it...</span></div>
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If you don't practice all summer, your piano teacher will DEFINITELY know it :)<br />
EmilyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04056661039089967140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446451523272433008.post-6504408136838666272013-02-20T07:57:00.003-08:002013-02-20T07:57:54.386-08:00Cool video using prepared piano to get a hip hop beat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey Kids - take a look at this one! These guys are using a "Prepared Piano." Prepared Piano is where you alter the regular sound of the piano, usually by placing something on or through the strings that add a different sound. The tune they use is an old jazz standard, but they've re-imagined it so that it sounds very cool. Duets for the spring recital anyone??Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04056661039089967140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446451523272433008.post-85255697957253833892013-01-30T14:02:00.003-08:002013-01-30T14:02:54.665-08:00Great TED talk about Classical Music!Benjamin Zander, an amazing teacher and conductor, gives this great talk on classical music. It's very energizing and inspiring for both parents and students to watch! Very funny yet deeply moving. Check it out!<br />
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<a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion.html">http://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion.html</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04056661039089967140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446451523272433008.post-21791653040708816182013-01-23T15:20:00.000-08:002013-01-23T15:22:16.208-08:00"Top 10 Skills Children Learn from the Arts" by Valerie StraussI just read this great article which reminded me of the importance of keeping the arts in your child's life. Couldn't say it better myself!<br />
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<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/01/22/top-10-skills-children-learn-from-the-arts/">http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/01/22/top-10-skills-children-learn-from-the-arts/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04056661039089967140noreply@blogger.com0