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5 Stages for Introducing Music to Children

Thursday, December 29th, 2011

Pop culture fanatics and Gleeks alike have been making a big deal out of a leaked set list for an upcoming episode of Glee – a tribute to the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson!

With a family like the Jacksons, it wasn’t hard for Michael to jump into the music industry at an early age.  But for most parents, it will take a bit more effort to involve your child in music.  And the question remains: What age should a child start music lessons?  It depends.  Check out this great resource for intoducing music to your child at all ages, courtesy of Childrensmusicworkshop.com:

6 to 8 Months
Classes for moms and babies are a great way to begin even with children as young as 6 – 8 months. These classes are usually 30 – 40 minutes long, and they require active participation on the part of parents. Programs designed for toddlers 18 – 24 months are very popular as well; these still require parental participation, but by this age, children are starting actively to engage in the different activities in the class.

3 and 4 Year Olds
Programs for 3- and 4-year-olds are now readily available. This is really the ideal age for kids to start their music experience. Most of these programs are about 30 – 35 minutes in length, and involve props, movement and singing. Some even integrate arts and crafts and free play with rhythm instruments and props to music. Parents typically are not required to participate in these classes.

Ages 5 and Up
For children ages 5 and up, teachers should ideally integrate activities such as music games and crafts into the curriculum.  Piano/keyboard lessons are sometimes easiest for children ages 5, 6, and even older. One year of instruction on the piano or keyboard provides a great foundation as children learn basic music theory concepts such as the music alphabet, what a quarter note, half note, and whole note is, what the music staff does, and the location of the keys on the keyboard. In addition, they learn fun kids songs like “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” If piano isn’t their thing, the violin can provide a great foundation for children to start their lesson path.

Ages 7 and Up
Around age 7, instruments such as the guitar, drums and other string instruments can be introduced. The same concepts are covered, but children who have had at least six months to one year of piano under their belt (and thus already know the basic elements of music) find it easier to make the transition between instruments. Consequently, they are able to engage with the new instrument a lot faster.

Elementary School Grades 3 and Up
Most elementary schools provide an opportunity for children in Grades 3 and up to begin taking group lessons in school on all instruments except the piano. This gives them the opportunity to participate in a band or orchestra at school with their friends, an experience that is often remembered vividly into adulthood. The only drawback that comes from these types of group lessons is that children needing extra help on their instrument are sometimes too timid to ask for it, or the instructor’s schedule does not allow for extra time spent with students, which can lead to discouragement. Outside private lessons on your child’s instrument are a wonderful way to reinforce what they are doing at school, and also help them to exceed what the other children in their group class are doing. This can pave the way for the child’s inclusion in solo festivals offered by the State or County.

Looking for a music lessons for your child?  Find a teacher near you – search by zip code here.

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You might also like…
- How to Keep Your Kids Engaged in Music
- Making Music Fun: Practice Tips for Young Children
- Supporting Your Child in Music: A Parent’s Guide

 

Image courtesy of http://www.sheknows.com

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Posted in Music Education, Music Lessons for Children, Tips For Parents, Tips For Teachers | 1 Comment »

This Just In: Music Now Helps Fight Fatigue, Stave Off Colds

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

We’ve all heard about the benefits of music lessons for kids, helping with things like memorization and test scores, and the positive attributes to music therapy for brain-damaged patients.  But science has also  revealed many other benefits that can help with your everyday life.  You don’t have to be suffering from any ailments to get these benefits, and if you don’t have musical talent, don’t worry – just a daily dose of listening to music may be just what the doctor ordered.

If you haven’t seen it yet, this Lifehacker.com article about how music affects the brain – and how to use it to your advantage – has been circling the Internet.  Check out how to harmonize music with your daily activities:

Recalling Memories
You might remember reports back in the 1990s that said that studying while listening to Mozart increases the likelihood of performing well on a test, but that has been disproven in some studies, and in turn, studies have shown some music has a negative affect on fact retention if you’re studying numbers or lists. Still, performing music has been proven to increase memory and language skills, but for listeners, it’s better used as a means to recall memories. It has been shown in Alzheimer’s patients to help with memory recall, and even restore cognitive function. It works for Alzheimer’s patients in the same way it works in everyone else.

When you listen to music you know, it stimulates the hippocampus, which handles long-term storage in the brain. Doing so can also bring out relevant memories you made while listening to a particular song. So, even though the Mozart-effect has essentially been disproven, the idea that forming a new memory with music, and then using the same music again later to recall the memory still appears to be a sound idea. If you’re having trouble remembering something, you might have better luck if you play the same music you were listening to when you first made the thought.

Boosting Your Immune System
The idea that listening to music can boost your immune system might sound a little crazy on the surface, but the science backs it up. Soothing music is known to decrease stress, and when it does that, it decreases the level of the stress hormone cortisol. It’s not just soothing music though, even upbeat dance music is known to increase the level of antibodies in your system. Dr. Ronny Enk, who lead the recent research about music’s effect on the immune system suggests, “We think the pleasant state that can be induced by music leads to special physiological changes which eventually lead to stress reduction or direct immune enhancement.”

Now that the cold season has set in, it’s a good idea to keep this in mind throughout the day. If you’re feeling stressed out or if you’re starting to feel ill, listening to music might be the extra help you need to stay well.

Fighting Fatigue & Increasing Productivity
The effect of using music to increase productivity is still inconclusive, even though a few studies were done on the subject. Regardless, it certainly doesn’t hurt, and it seems the best option might be to use music without words so it doesn’t affect the language parts of your brain. The theory is similar to using upbeat music to amp up your workouts, as faster music might keep you and your brain working hard.

That said, if you have a monotonous job, music is a great way to increase your mood while performing boring work. For the same reason it helps with exercising, it can also help with fighting fatigue, especially if you change up the music often. Studies have also shown that almost all music increases your mood, because it causes a release of dopamine, so if you’re feeling tired, bored, or depressed, a good pop song might be the cure you need.  (Feel better about Ke$ha now?)

What benefits have you seen when you listen to music?  We want to know – leave a comment below! Like these posts?  Sign up to receive daily updates right to your inbox!  Click here to subscribe.

 

You might also like…
- All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Music Recitals
- 5 Key Benefits of Taking Music Lessons as an Adult
- Supporting Your Child in Music: A Parent’s Guide

Image courtesy of http://www.infobarrel.com/5_Ways_Music_Can_Benefit_Your_Life

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Posted in Music Education | 3 Comments »

How to Break into the Music Biz Without Even Playing a Note

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

Do you dream of someday working in the music industry, but consider yourself tone deaf? If you don’t have the musical chops necessary, it doesn’t mean you need to give up on that dream.  Today, we’re taking a look at a few behind-the-scenes career paths that might be right up your alley.  For example…

Booking Agent (or Talent Agent)
Booking agents work to secure performance engagements for musical artists and groups. They work to find talent to book and may be involved with developing the talent toward a goal. They must possess good communication skills to sell talent and develop contacts in the music industry. They often work closely with an act’s manager and may be involved in setting the fee and negotiating with promoters or clubs. A booking agent is paid a percentage of the negotiated fee for an act’s performance.

Entertainment Attorney
An entertainment attorney handles any contractual matters conceivable within the entertainment industry. Entertainment attorneys can be freelance, hired on retainer, or an employee of a company or business within the entertainment industry. Entertainment attorneys generally specialize in one of three separate fields within the entertainment industry: sports, film and television, and music. An attorney that specializes in the music industry usually has a solid depth of understanding with regard to copyright laws and artist/band agreements with managers, publishers, record labels, booking agents, etc. Successful completion of law school and a state bar exam are requisites for being an entertainment attorney, as well.

Publicist (or Staff Publicist, Press Agent)
A publicist handles the publicity and press needs of acts signed to a label. Publicity helps the label sell records and produce income. A publicist must be able to get an artist’s name in the news (magazines, music trades, TV, radio, etc.) as often as possible. This is accomplished by writing press releases, sending them to the correct media, talking to media about acts, and arranging interviews. The publicist often arranges a series of print interviews, radio interviews, and TV appearances in conjunction with the release of a new record. Staff publicists spend a lot of time on the telephone and are usually the first to send out promotional copies of new records and other important materials to the media. After a new record is released, a publicist may work with the A&R or promotional departments on a showcase booking of the group, and make arrangements for a press party.

Music Publisher
Music publishers are responsible for acquiring the copyrights to songs and publishing them. They may work for a very large music publishing company and perform one or two specific duties as a music publisher. They may work for a relatively small firm and fulfill a variety of functions. Many individuals in music publishing or songwriting become independent music publishers, running their own music publishing firm. The goal of the music publisher is to find and acquire potential hit songs (copyrights) and songwriters, promote them for financial gain, and serve as copyright administrator whereby tracking, licensing, and payment collection can be done efficiently. A good music publisher has knowledge of all facets of the music business, an understanding of music industry dynamics, an ability to hear hit tunes, knowledge of copyrights laws, and contacts in the music business.

Tour Coordinator
The tour coordinator is responsible for coordinating the many facets of an act’s tour, including travel, lodging, arranging for services, and budgeting for expenses.

Sound Technician
Sound technicians are responsible for high-quality sound during the live performance. They usually arrive at the concert site before the performers and are involved in unloading and setting up the equipment and instruments along with the road crew. The sound technician supervises the placement of equipment and works with the talent during the sound check to achieve the best sound. They may even work a soundboard during the actual performance.

The list goes on and on: music supervisor for TV and movies, music journalist or critic, music therapist, and of course, radio DJ.  The NAfME Career Center page and the Careers page for Berklee’s College of Music are great resources to check out if you need some guidance.  So if you’re in college now – or ready for a career change – consider these options if you can’t carry a tune!

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Posted in Music Education, Music Resources, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

How Can American Idol Help In Music Lessons?

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

American Idol winner Scotty McCreery has been making headlines recently, with his debut album “Clear As Day” debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart.  This achievement makes him the first country artist to debut at No. 1 in all genres with their first studio album, and also the youngest male singer ever to top the all-genre chart on the first week of his solo debut.

Although some of the American Idol hype has died down in the past few years, its impact on fans is still clear.  Idol hopefuls still line up by the thousands, for the chance to win America’s heart and catapult into celebrity status.

McCreery’s success got us thinking about how teachers can incorporate American Idol into music lessons.  After all, private music lessons are a great way to brush up on your technique before an audition for American Idol, X-Factor, or any of the other talent shows.

Yahoo! News Associated Content brought up just a few ways the show can be used as a learning tool:

1. Music History

In many weeks on American Idol, the songs chosen by the competitors must come from a particular artist or genre. For example, themes have included Elvis Presley, Motown, The Beatles, and songs from the movies. Each theme can be expanded into a lesson on how that artist or style impacted the development of popular music and how it fits into the context of today’s music. A music history lesson about Elvis could include an exploration of Southern roots music and its beginnings on plantations and in juke joints. The phenomenon that was The Beatles can be framed in musical influences that arrived in port cities in England like Liverpool and how it affected the popular music of that country.

2. Music Genres

While American Idol mostly focuses on finding an artist who can sell a bazillion albums that will chart as pop hits, the contestants often delve into different musical genres including rock, blues, country, and rap. Lessons surrounding American Idol performances can help students identify the defining characteristics of musical genres and understand the effects of merging genres on popularity and album sales.

3. The Business of Music

The audience of American Idol is voting for whom they enjoy the most, but the judges are looking for who can be effectively molded into a recording artist. One way to teach students about how the music industry works is to divide students up into groups. Each group represents a music publisher looking for a new hit maker. The publishers can rate the American Idol performers based on not only their singing ability but also their willingness to take direction and their professionalism towards the judges and other contestants. This is often most effective in the early parts of the season where some contestants fail to take judging feedback gracefully. Allowing students to contemplate how that behavior might translate into an artist that costs the publisher money rather than making it can expand a student’s understanding of the business of music.

Although critiques of the show are obviously out there, we think it’s important to have a good understanding of current pop culture in order to connect with younger students.  Teachers – what do you think?  Do you incorporate pop culture in out-of-the-ordinary ways to teach lessons?  We’d love to hear all of your ideas, so leave a comment below to discuss!

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Composing Life Lessons from Music

Friday, September 2nd, 2011

The benefits of music are well-documented when it comes to instilling skills and confidence in young children – here, TakeLessons instructor Bryan B. explains how music can translate into career success for adults as well!

____________________________________________

Recently, I went on a two week trip to sunny Northridge, California, where I got to work with amazing artists and teachers to help develop my craft. What is my craft you say? Singing – more specifically, opera singing.

The program I took part in, OperaWorks, provided me with much more insight than I initially expected. Living in an age of doubt, I immediately felt like it might not have been worth my money. But after two weeks I was pleased to see that there were noticeable changes not only in my music, but also in my life.

Let’s take a closer look at how my training in music affected my life and my world:

Opera-ism #1: I am AWESOME. This was a technique I learned to help prepare myself for an audition. By giving myself a pep talk before walking through the door, I am able to walk in with confidence.

So how does this apply to my life? Well, aside from teaching, I have a normal day-to-day job in sales. And as part of that job, I have to provide people with a service or product. This can be really nerve-wracking because I hate sales people myself. I recently went to buy a car and the worst part about the whole experience was the salesman. I already knew I was going to buy a car, I had already researched the car that I wanted and he just seemed to get in the way. Because of experiences like these, I try to steer myself away from being a “pushy” sales guy.

When I applied my “I am AWESOME!” pep talk to my day-to-day job, I found that it was a lot easier for me to sell to people without being pushy or being pushed over. I was able to confidently talk about products, build relationships with my clients and actively listen and respond to their concerns. Essentially, being AWESOME allowed me to be myself when I was on the phone, and let my personality shine. What I learned from this is products don’t sell – people do.

Opera-ism #2: Music is not what’s written on the page, it is what the performers make of it. The intention of the composer was not that the performer sing the song exactly how it was written, in a robotic fashion, but to add expression and interpretation to it.

This came to light for me when I sang an operatic aria (Love Sounds the Alarm from Acis and Galatea), which is a love song.  Rather than expressing lovey-dovey emotions, this aria became a “war speech” in OperaWorks. I was inspiring a nation to defend itself against its enemies. The whole meaning of the song changed, but it was really effective.

The real life experience happened in learning my “pitch.”  You can always hear the sales pitch coming when you’re on the phone with a salesman.  Well, I realized it’s not about the words, it’s about the meaning. Upon returning, having already memorized the pitch, I started to implement the meaning of the words, and tie them back to the desires of my customers.

What I’ve learned as a performer has more than affected my life – it has changed me. I went into OperaWorks as an insecure performer and came out a confident man. The results speak for themselves. My performance at work has improved, and my personal life is much happier and free. This just goes to show that things shouldn’t be taken at face value. What you learn in school might actually apply to real life. Who knew?

 

-Bryan B.

TakeLessons Instructor

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Posted in Music Education, Performing, Singing | 1 Comment »

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