New research from Northwestern University shows that playing a musical instrument for even a brief period in childhood can improve actual hearing. Adults who had a least a couple years of music instruction in childhood heard fundamental frequency sound waves better than those who did not have music instruction. This is an aspect of hearing
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The benefits of sibling competition – a piano teachers tool
I absolutely love teaching siblings. When I first started teaching, I thought siblings were a sensitive issue and that I should be careful not to stir up any competition between them but the more I grow and learn as a teacher, I realize that your younger sister or older brother can be the BEST practice
Drum Sets- Electronic Vs. Acoustic? Learning to Play Drums
As an experienced drum set teacher in Miami, FL, many parents ask me whether they should purchase a standard acoustic drum set or the increasingly popular electronic drum set for their young drum student. Either is fine, but there are definitely pros and cons with both. An electronic set may seem more practical on the
How often should my piano be tuned? – Piano lessons
As a piano teacher in Seattle, WA I am often asked by piano students and their parents, “how often should I tune my piano?” Pianos should be tuned twice a year on average. Pianos naturally go out of tune over time due to change in weather and humidity. However the more that a piano is
Small Goals Equal Big Results – In-home Music Lessons In Seattle Piano, Guitar, Drums, and More!
Practicing. It’s something that we all do wiether you are a student or teacher. Practicing your insturment is how we improve our musical skills. But what’s the best way to practice? *Find a time everyday that you can dedicate to practicing. *Plan out what you are going to practice and how many times you would
The Super Bowl of Muisc Lessons, Seattle, Atlanta, Washingtion DC, Denver, Baltimore, and Houston
Sometimes people look at me funny when they find out what a huge sports fan I am. They think musicians are a different type then “sports fans”. Not True! There are tons of aspects that make musicians and athletes alike (sounds like a future blog post to me:) This years NFL playoffs are particularly interesting
Will Guitar Lessons Teach You how to Tune Your Guitar?
We get the question all the time when students sign up for lessons. Will I learn how to tune my guitar? The answer of course is yes but I think the real question people are trying to ask is why is my guitar out of tune. A guitar goes out of tune often. How often
Stickers and goals – small motiviations for music students can equal big results!
It doesn’t take much to motivate the under 10 crowd and stickers, sticker charts, and the occasional bonus surprise have kept mine practicing and trying hard all year long. My kids know that if they play their homework song well enough, they will get their choice from a buffet of stickers, that very in sizes
A D.C. & Baltimore Piano Teacher’s Favorite Methods: Age 7 to 12 Years Old
On average, most students Lessons In Your Home works with on piano fall into the 7 to 12 year old age range. We definitely have a lot of students who are younger and older, but as a general age group, this is the most popular. It seems also that authors of the standard, popular piano
Practice Your Age! in Minutes a day – A fresh concept in practicing for your music lesson.
I was in a coffee shop in Miami with Rich Margolis, Piano Teacher with Lessons In Your Home. I asked Rich “how’s practice going with your students?” to which he replied great, they are practicing their age. Rich explained that as he’s been using this technique and it’s going really well. It’s as simple as