To grade, or not to grade, that is the question: A beginners guide to music grade exams. Personally I am a big fan of graded music exams. I believe they can give the pupil a sense of direction, a purpose to practice (if needed) and a real sense of achievement when (if) they pass. That […]
OK, so straight off, this article is to give you a little help in selecting the right mouthpiece for you with some basic but important info on how and why to choose between the different types and what to look for. The Holy Grail of any musical instrument is tone or put simply, the sound […]
…..and Improvise Ah, the ‘J’ word and the ‘I’ word. Enough to get some musicians salivating with delight and expectation or to turn some into a quivering heap running for the quiet sanctity of Chopin ! Yes the words Jazz and Improvisation can certainly be intimidating. Over the years I have worked with some seasoned, […]
What is a REED? Basically a reed is a little piece of cane that attaches to the mouthpiece of your clarinet/sax and then sits on your lower lip. As you blow through the mouthpiece this reed vibrates. It is these vibrations that create the sound as they travel down your instrument. As this is the […]
If you are beginning to learn the Saxophone, Clarinet or Flute then ..one of my favorite tutor books at the moment is TEAM WOODWIND. It has some really good repertoire including some well-known popular tunes which are appropriate to the instrument : Sax includes Pink panther In the mood Watermelon man Clarinet includes Stranger on […]
Don’t put it off…. Hello and welcome to the new year. The time of regretting all those extra Christmas treats in December then frantically joining a gym in January. The statement “I wish I………” could probably be finished by most of us : ……be slimmer and healthier …….could join a gym …….earn more money …….learn […]
Hoping you all had a wonderful Christmas and a peaceful New Year. Maybe now is the time to find that extra little bit of motivation to push on and get closer to your musical goals…….
“When we learn we can only start from where we are. From where we are we find ourselves drawn to the sources (tutors, books,courses) which evoke in us the response: Yes, this is what I want!” from Tuning In (Lucinda Mackworth-Young) Once you have made the decision to learn an instrument choosing the source […]
Get out and play your music ! The pleasure of playing a musical instrument is all about sound…creating sound….musical harmony…classical, jazz, punk, rock…there are so many different musical sounds to make. So why keep it to yourself ? Get out and play to an audience. The thought of stepping outside your bedroom (or whichever practice […]
And so the new school year has begun. Why not use this as an opportunity to purchase a new book….maybe one that will take your playing into a new direction. Why not choose something that you have previously avoided. Most learners shy away from certain things….usually because they think it is hard. That is all […]