Technology has made just about every aspect of our lives easier – why not music lessons? I have written about the adverse effects of technology in place of private music lessons in my blog, “Technology and Music Lessons”. However, I wish to now share with you how truly wonderful and helpful it can be when private music teachers use technology to their advantage.
Making Student Videos
A method I love using is having the student make a video of themselves playing. The students love to be the star of the show and with private music lessons, they always are! When we make a video of the student playing, it both boosts their confidence and also shows them what they need to work on in the future. I have attached a video I made with one of my percussion students, Khira, playing “Yellow Submarine”. She played the glockenspiel while I played the guitar comp. She loved it so much she couldn’t wait to show everyone in her family the video. She felt like the rock star that she is!
Making Teacher Videos
Sometimes, I like to make videos of myself playing for the students. For example, if a particular drum beat or fill is difficult for the student to remember, I will have them record a video of me playing the exercise so they can look back to the correct way to play it throughout the week. Many of my younger students have not yet learned every aspect of reading music yet – rhythm, dynamics, notes, etc. When they have a video of me playing what they are supposed to be working on, there’s no question of what they need to hit, how fast they need to play and how the piece is supposed to feel. Everything is right there for them to access whenever they need. My performance of the piece also inspires them to practice more and gain more accurate precision.
Watching The Pros
I know I’m talking about videos a lot, but they are so accessible to create as well as watch! Sometimes, if my students are lacking inspiration, I will take them over to a computer and show them a video of an amazing drum solo by a professional musician. After the video is done, they have a new found energy for getting back to work and improving their skills.
Playlists
One thing I love is making playlists using services like Spotify and Grooveshark. Every time I hear a song with a simple drum beat that would be good for teaching, I add it to the list. Using this list, I never draw a blank for what song I want the student to learn next. I sync the playlists to my phone and I have a bunch of songs ready to go for when a student finishes the previous one.
Conclusion
Technology has helped my teaching process in many ways. Students are becoming more and more used to technology in school and in their daily lives. As teachers, we need to utilize all of these great tools to help our students succeed.
