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Students – Listening to Music While Studying Can Help!

May 25,
2012

Ah, the power of music!  Recent research has found that fast-paced beats can increase your exercise intensity and slow, quiet music can even reduce stress. But what type of music is best to help you study?  Vancouver teacher Kelly K. shares her findings here…

 


It is widely accepted that the best environment for concentration is a quiet one; however the majority of students in the US say they prefer to study while listening to music, and in fact the highest achieving students are even guiltier of this.  Why do students do this?  To block out more distracting noise, to motivate themselves, to stay awake or to calm nerves… Whatever the reason, it’s important to find music that will serve your needs, while causing the least amount of distraction. The type of music a student listens to while studying contributes to how much information she can retain and how well she can focus.  The most common type of music students report listening to while studying is popular music.  However, if a person chooses to listen to music while trying to complete a task, is popular music really the best choice?

No!  Classical instrumental is by far the better choice.  Inspired by the findings of “The Mozart Effect,” I researched this further for my senior thesis in college.  I had 112 participants and my results were statistically significant.  I found that, on average, students score 90% on spatial reasoning tasks conducted in silence, 83% when listening to classical instrumental music, and 72% while listening to popular music with lyrics.  This means that your choice of music could affect your GPA by a whole letter grade!  One of the reasons for this may be that, due to a person’s capacity for attention, lyrics inhibit ability to focus.

Interestingly enough, I found that women are not only more likely to listen to music while trying to complete a task, but they are also more likely to become distracted by it.  So, girls: try to study in a quiet environment, but if you must listen to music, make a good choice and go for classical rather than popular!

To sum it up, it’s best to study in a quiet environment.  No matter what the reason, students are more likely to study while listening to music than to study in silence.  So, make a smart decision and go for classical instead of popular – it could make the difference of a whole letter grade!

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Does music help YOU study?  What kind of music do you turn on when you’re hitting the books?  Stop by our Facebook page and let us know what helps you!

 

Vancouver Piano TeacherKelly K. teaches piano to students of all ages and levels in Vancouver, Washington.  She received her Bachelor’s degree in Music from Scripps College, and joined the TakeLessons team in August 2011. Sign up for lessons with Kelly, or visit TakeLessons to search for teachers near you!

 

 

 

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3 Straightforward Steps for Violin Tuning

May 25,
2012

Violin tuningFor beautiful tone, understanding how to tune your violin is one of the most important things for students to learn. The tuning process will support your ear training, as well as help beginner musicians recognize the connection between strings, pegs and the sounds produced by the violin.

Without an in-tune instrument, any techniques you try to learn will be offset – not to mention your neighbors might complain! Check out these 3 straightforward steps that go into violin tuning, as originally published by Lumuel Violins:

Step One:
Comparing the sound difference between a reference tone and the sound of your violin.
First, you’ll typically need a source for generating reference tones for each of your violin strings. Reference tones can come from a number of sources such as a piano or a tuning fork.

Step Two:
Using the violin pegs to tune the sound of each string most of the way close to the reference tones.
Many problems can happen at this stage. Sometimes the pegs are really hard to turn. They appear stuck or when they actually move, the pegs feel like they are turning through sticky gum or tar. Yet another problem occurs when the peg is easy to turn, but as soon as you let go, the pegs won’t stay in place, but loosen up again. (Your violin teacher can help you combat these issues!)

Step Three:
Fine tuning each violin string to match the reference tone (or at least very close to matching).
To fine tune a violin, you need to hear minor pitch differences between the reference tone and the sound of your violin. This is not easy for many beginners. To put things in perspective, it can take years of ear training to discern very small pitch differences.

With proper training, you can hone your ability to tune your violin by ear.  Once you’ve mastered this skill, the sky’s the limit!

Thoughts, questions or other comments?  Share them below, or stop by our Facebook page and share with the community! Want even more expert advice?  Sign up for email updates here!

 

 

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Electronic vs. Acoustic Drums: Which Should I Buy?

May 24,
2012

Acoustic drum setOne common question we get here at TakeLessons is which type of drumset – electronic or acoustic – is best for beginner drummers to use for practice at home.  If you’ve been wondering that as well, read on for some great advice from Adam C., one of our newest drum teachers in Riverview, FL…

 

Since drums are loud, some people may want to purchase electronic drums instead of acoustic drums. Electronic drums are only worth getting if you get quality—and quality is usually priced around $3,000.

Here is something to consider: electronic drums (advanced as they may be) do not replace the authentic feel of acoustic drums. Electronic drums will give you a good sound regardless of how you hit them.

Acoustic drums only sound good when they are played with good technique. So, if a student learns on electronic drums and then tries to play acoustic drums, he/she will sound terrible. But if a student learns on acoustic drums and then plays on electronic drums, he/she will still sound good.

It would be a bold assumption to assume that a drummer, even owning an electronic kit, would never want to venture out to play an acoustic kit. So, I think it is best to learn on an acoustic kit. If afterwards a person wants to own an electronic kit as well, that’s fine. My objection is from the standpoint of learning and what’s best in the long run.

Here are some other options for handling the noise:
-Only practice during the day.
-Purchase a set of drum mutes (rubber pads that greatly reduce volume). (~$70)
-If you don’t have drum mutes, use hand towels.
-Purchase a drumset practice pad set. (~$100-$170)

This is an excerpt from Adam’s book, “Crash Course: Drumming Manual”

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Adam C., Riverview drum teacherAdam C. teaches drums, guitar, music recording, music theory, percussion and songwriting in Riverview, FL.  He received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of South Florida, and is active in the music scene around the Tampa Bay area.  Sign up for lessons with Adam, or visit TakeLessons to search for teachers near you!

 

 

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Your Guide to Getting Through Tough Piano Passages

May 23,
2012

Kid practicing pianoDoes this sound familiar?  You sit down to practice the piano, sheet music placed in front of you. This is it.  You’re going to dominate this song.  You rest your fingers gently on the keys, and then begin playing.

Everything is going great!  And then suddenly, like black clouds rushing into a sunny sky, the measure is filled with never-ending runs of sixteenth notes and accidentals galore.  And just like that – your fingers freeze.  You think, “Wait, where was I again?”

This “start and stop” habit is something that many pianists face, even if the piece is something you’ve played before.  While you’re not always going to be playing a song perfectly, that dreaded pause when you hit a tough passage can be pretty unnerving.

Here are a few tips to help:

Tip 1 – Practice sight reading strategies.
Before you even begin your practice, it may help to take a look at the piece as a whole:  the time signature, genre and even the style of the composer. Understanding these basics will help you get into the right mindset, as opposed to racing through etudes, exercises and then songs without recognizing the differences.

Tip 2 – Practice slowly.
Practicing with a metronome is a great reminder to slow down – and sometimes, that’s all you need to master a tough phrase.  Take a good look at where you’re tripping it up – is it a certain accidental or one chord that catches you off guard?  An entire measure? One line that’s particularly scary? Once you’ve pinpointed it, simplify.  Start by practicing just a few notes.  Then, start at the measure before and work your way in. You can also simplify further by practicing one hand at a time.

Tip 3 – Practice effectively.
This might be the most important tip to keep in mind, so lazy students, take note!  Running through a song and ignoring the tough passages isn’t effective practice.  When you hit a roadblock, attack it right then and there.  Otherwise, you’ll just be practicing the same mistakes over and over, and they may become harder to fix once they become habits.

Moreover, the way that you think is also a huge part of effective practice.  If you’re so nervous about a certain section that it’s all you can think about, you won’t be playing at your best.  Stay positive and relax – your fingers will follow suit!

How do YOU avoid the “start and stop” habit when practicing the piano?  We want to hear your tips!  Stop by our Facebook page (don’t forget to “Like” us!) and leave a comment.

Learn even more piano tips and techniques – sign up for email updates here!

 


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Vocal Tips: Learning How to Harmonize

May 22,
2012

Learning how to harmonizeIt’s amazing what you can do with your voice!  Unlike other musicians, as a singer you carry your instrument with you at all times.  The opportunities to practice and perform your art are vast, as well as the ways to experiment with different styles, techniques, and of course, harmonies!

Similar to a guitar player plucking one note and then building it into a chord, learning how to harmonize will create that rich, full sound when you’re singing with a group or a choir.  Think of it this way: imagine a “band” made up of just one lone clarinet player.  It might be a good solo, but add in the low tubas and high flutes, and presto – it’s a whole new experience for the listener.

Singing harmonies, however, can be tricky.  Lead lines may come easy to beginner singers, but excelling at harmonies requires an understanding of note relationships and chord formations. Finding a great voice teacher, therefore, is a must if you really want to improve.

As you get started, check out these tips from the Eclectic Musician blog, another great resource for singers:

1. Put on some music and start experimenting with your voice. Harmony is, essentially, multiple pitches at once. One way to proceed is to put on a favorite song and start singing whatever comes to you. Try some high notes, low notes, long tones and short tones. By definition if you are not singing the melody (i.e., the tune) you are singing harmony.

2. If you are having trouble breaking away from the melody, drop the words. Listen to the Beatles’ “Hey Jude”. During the first verse, it’s just Paul singing alone. In the second verse, on the word “minute,” the other guys come in singing “ahhhhh.” Think about how much easier it is to just pick a note and stick with it, rather than come up with a distinct harmony line! Still, it’s completely legit. You can add aaahs and la la las to just about anything to practice.

3. Learn existing harmony parts. If you have the opportunity to sing in a choir, you will learn a specific harmony part to sing against the melody (unless your part actually is the melody). This is a great way to experience how singing harmony is supposed to feel, and develop the independence to stick to your part even when someone else is singing a different part.

Also, seek out the harmony parts in the music you listen to. You might start with call-and-response type songs (if you’re not Gladys Knight, you’re a Pip – can you pick out your part?) and then try out some closer harmonies where two or more parts are moving together in the same rhythm. If it’s not fun, you’re doing it wrong – pick stuff you really like.

Continue reading the article for additional tips here.

Readers, what do you think? What tips have you learned when it comes to learning harmony?  Share them with the community – stop by our Facebook page and leave a comment!

Like this post? Don’t forget to sign up for email updates here and learn more expert tips!

 

 

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