Author: Dan Cropper

How to Get Your Child Enthusiastic About Learning Guitar

Written by Dan Cropper on June 15, 2019. Posted in Guitar.

Interest in playing music is developed from exposure to music, so if you want to get your child enthusiastic about learning the guitar, you have to let him or her listen to great guitar music or watch musical performances where the guitar figures prominently. Let them know that with practice – they need to understand the importance of this from the beginning – they are capable of making music themselves. To get your child interested in learning how to play the guitar and look forward to the lessons and hours of practice, here are a few tips.

Guitar Lessons for Kids – Let music be a part of home life

Kids who grow up listening to different kinds of music consider music to be a part of life at home and naturally take to learning to play music themselves. If you play the guitar yourself, play songs that your child knows or will easily recognize. Hum or sing your favorite tunes, watch videos of great musicians, play games that involve music – all of these contribute to your child developing an appreciation for and interest in music, which could motivate your child to take up the guitar.

Let them know they can learn

Children as young as 5 years old can learn to play the guitar. Some even start younger at about 3, but you also have to consider the child’s physical and mental development when taking up an instrument. If your child is somewhere between 5 to 10 years of age, it’s a good time to start introducing the guitar. Let them know they don’t have to be a grownup to play. Show them videos of other kids playing the guitar to inspire them to want to play too.

Guide them in choosing their own instrument

When children learn on an instrument they chose themselves, they are more likely to really keep going. Of course, you should know the appropriate size for your child first. Take them to a music store and let them choose from the acoustic guitars that fit for their size. Let them hold each guitar and ask them how they like the instrument – are they comfortable, do they like the color? It’s important that the guitar they would be learning on appeals to them because it will make them want to have the guitar always by their side.

Plan your lessons according to your child’s learning style

All children learn things differently. Some pick up chord shapes easily and imitate you when you demonstrate them once, while others need you to repeat a few times before they get it right. Some do well with minimal supervision using video lessons; some others learn more when a “real” person is there with them. You should know how your child learns and tailor your lessons according to that.

Some kids might even prefer their music teacher not be their parent, so in this case you would have to look for a qualified, experienced instructor who specializes in teaching children because they would know the best approaches to use to make lessons fun and exciting.

We hope those tips help you in getting your child enthusiastic about taking up and practicing the guitar. Make sure you set a good example and practice regularly yourself! Please contact us with any questions you may have regarding guitar lessons for kids.

How to Develop Proper Singing Technique

Written by Dan Cropper on June 15, 2019. Posted in Voice.

Show Some Love To Your Cords

We depend on our vocal cords all day and between phone-calls, shows, sports games, parties and everything in between they can take a beating. These are measures we can take to make sure our vocal cords are healthy and performing at their best ability.

Be Mindful in Noisy Environments

Every time we yell or push our speaking voice, our vocal cords bang together. This irritation creates swelling and mucus on the cords which causes a hoarse, unclear sound. Avoid holding prolonged conversations in noisy environments. If you have to talk in a noisy environment, stand as close as you can to the person you’re speaking to and avoid raising your voice over the sound. Avoid yelling at sports events or concerts, clapping your hands always works!

Use Proper Breathing Technique

Support your singing with good breathing technique. Proper breathing technique will take pressure off your vocal cords and give you more stamina. Click here for more information on proper breathing technique.

Warm-up every day

Just as you would stretch before and after running, it is important to always warm-up and warm-down for singing. Vocalizing with also improve your range and vocal resonance. Think of your vocal cords as a muscle…a weight lifter wouldn’t expect to lift 400 lbs without working up to it day by day. Don’t expect to sing difficult notes without training your vocal cords everyday.

Sleep

Getting proper sleep will keep you healthy Your vocal vords get a chance to heal from irritation when you sleep. Aim to get 8 hours of sleep a night.

Drink Water

Drinking 8 glasses of water a day will keep you healthy and hydrate your vocal cords. Remember that nothing you eat or drink directly touches your vocal cords when you swallow. The water goes into your system and in turn hydrates your vocal cords. For every caffeinated beverage you drink you should compensate with 5 glasses of water.

Watch Your Diet

Everyone is affected differently by foods. Right before you sing it is best to avoid foods high in dairy as they can clog your throat. Foods that are high in spice, citrus, and oils can cause acid reflux. Acid reflux causes mucus production and can cause inflammation on the vocal cords. One of the best ways to avoid acid reflux is to avoid eating 3 hours before you go to bed. For more information on acid reflux click HERE.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking will destroy your voice, simply not worth it!

Breathing Basics for Singing

Written by Dan Cropper on June 15, 2019. Posted in Voice.

Breath support is the most important element of proper singing technique. Proper breathing will help you maintain a clear singing voice and develop a greater range. It will also give you greater stamina for long shows and recording sessions. It is helpful to practice breath technique on its own before applying it to your singing. Your vocal chords will thank you!

Good Posture

Place with your feet below your shoulders with knees slightly bent. Stand with your shoulders supported and rib cage expanded. Make sure you are comfortable and not forcing your ribs out.

Inhale, expanding around your waistline

Keep your ribs and shoulders relatively still and breath into your abdominal region.

Exhale without collapsing

The key when exhaling is to keep your rib cage expanded and breathing from your abdominals. Try placing both thumbs at the bottom of your rib cage and exhaling without letting your thumbs move inward. Keep your abdominal region supported as you push the air out (see picture below).

Breathing Exercise:

1. Stand in front of a full length mirror.

2. Take in a good breath (without “overfilling”) and breathe out on a sustained S sound as in “hiss.” Hold until you are completely out of air.

3. Take in another supported breathe and exhale with the sound “mah” on a single note. Hold until you are completely out of air.

4. Keep you abdominal muscles firm and make sure to keep your ribs expanded and chest supported even when you are at the end of your air supply.

Music Practice on Summer Vacation

Written by Dan Cropper on June 15, 2019. Posted in Music 101.

Summer break comes with schedule and routine changes for students. There are many questions about continuing with music lessons over the summer, going to summer camps, and practicing over trips.

How to keep your music student “in tune” over vacation:

If you plan to be in town for most of the summer, it can be beneficial for your student stick with music lessons throughout the summer or attend a music camp like Creative Arts Camp. Any time a student spends away from an instrument will be time they have to spend regaining their skills when they start back-up.
If you are going to be traveling or in day camps all summer students can maintain their current skills by practicing their past year’s material. Make a list of 5-10 of their favorite songs and encourage them to sit at the piano once a day to review. This is a great time to memorize familiar repertoire.
If you decide to stick with lessons over the summer it’s nice to take on special projects. If there’s a more difficult your child has been dying to learn you could decide with your teacher to stop working out of the book and work on 8 bars of that song every week. If your child enjoys composing music, your teacher can help your child compose their own song and even record it. This is also a great time for your child to get together with friends and play as a band.
Many parents ask what they should do about music practice when they are on vacation. The answer depends on the nature of your trip, how long you will be gone, and your child’s preference. If you are going on a short vacation where you will be busy everyday it’s most likely best to take a break from practice. Sometimes a week’s break can be good for a practice routine, and your child will come back with more inspiration and focus.

If you are going on a trip where you’ll have more free time it can be fun to bring along your instrument. This is a nice opportunity to go over old favorite songs, have sing-a-longs, or learn new fun songs. When I was a child I would take my flute on camping trips with my family and play out in the grass by the lake.
There are many great music summer camps for kids. Unless it’s part of their school curriculum, most kids don’t get a great number of opportunities to play their instrument in a group. Summer camp is a great chance for them to learn to new material and experience the joy and power of playing as part of an ensemble. They’ll also build new friendships along the way and be inspired by kids with their same interests.

Here are some cool gadgets for practicing away from home:

VOX amPlug

This nifty device creates the sound of a guitar amp, but through headphones. It plugs into your guitar and then directly into headphones. Using this will give a much more rewarding sound than practicing an electric guitar with no amp

Roll-up Piano

There are many models of the foldable piano, they are very easy to transport. Note that these pianos are best for beginners only playing a few notes at a time. The keys don’t actually physically push down so it is more to practice finger positions. These pianos can be very fun and useful for beginners.

Drum Practice Pad

Practice pads are great to bring along to practice rudiments and snare patterns. Foldable drums sets with practice pads are also available.

Piano Lessons for 4-Year-Olds

Written by Dan Cropper on June 14, 2019. Posted in Piano.

What Age To Start Piano Lessons?

The “right” age to begin piano lessons varies from child to child. A good first test is the age when your child can tie their shoes. Many four year olds can achieve great success with piano lessons. It’s important for these early lessons to be based around fun, and plenty of off the piano activities and games. Below are the skills you can expect your 4-year-old to gain in their first few months of lessons.

Play Pre-Reading Songs

Begin teaching 4-year-olds with finger numbers. Books like WunderKeys, Faber Piano Adventures, and Alfred 1A Lesson Book, all have great pre-reading pieces. See more fun songs below.

Build Finger Dexterity

In the early days of piano lesson, 4-year-olds can gradually build finger strength with fun games and stories. Practicing separating each finger from the other will help build grace and confidence at the piano.

Try These Resources: Finger Play Poems, Fun With Frogs: Fingers and Frogs

Identify Notes and Patterns

Start teaching notes by identifying the patterns of black keys on the piano (try using Seeing Black Key Patterns). Then slowly introduce one note at a time.

Try These Resources: Seeing Black Key Patterns, Introducing the Animals

Learn Rhythmic Patterns

I love using the stick rhythm method to teach young students. This technique uses words for each rhythm instead of numbers. This is particularly helpful for children who haven’t yet learned math.

Try These Resources: Blue Jello Cards, Rhythm Pizza, Miss Frog’s First Rhythms, Rhythm Hunt

Improvise

I love to start the first lesson with young students by playing an Eb blues scale, and encouraging them to improvise by only playing black keys.

Try These Resources: I’ve Got The Blues Improv Activity, The Snowflake Technique

Compose

Four-year-olds can start composing at their first lesson. Encourage your student to start by using only two notes and write the pattern on one of the composing templates below.

Toys for Music Loving Kids

Written by Dan Cropper on June 14, 2019. Posted in Music 101.

Are you looking for a gift for a music loving kid? These games teach sightreading, composing, and pattern recognition. These are great supplements for students enrolled in piano, guitar, voice, ukulele, and drum lessons.

Toys for music students

Compose Yourself

You don’t have to know how to write music or even own an instrument to be a world-class composer. Created by the ever-famous composer and cellist, Maestro Philip Sheppard, Compose Yourself teaches children as young as six to play with music. To create your own melody, arrange cards in a visual pattern, enter the codes with our music making software at ComposeYourself.ThinkFun.com, and hear your piece played by a full symphony orchestra at Abbey Roads Studios. Then flip, rotate, rearrange and even add more cards to create your very own masterpiece.

Award-Winning Symphony Blocks

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These blocks can be rearranged to play a million different melodies, teaching children about music, shapes, and colors. A recipient of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Blue Chip Classic Award, it consists of five blocks that can be placed in any order into the sturdy base. Each side of each block plays a different phrase of music when pressed, while hitting the big red button on the front runs through all five phrases in sequence. A flip of a switch changes the music from a classical, symphonic performance to swinging jazz to drum-filled African rhythms.

Simon Electronic Memory Game

Attempt to memorize and repeat the light and sound sequences. This helps students learn memorization, pattern recognition, and sequences.

Rock & Roll It Rainbow Piano

Play music on the go with this fun and creative roll-up rainbow piano from Mukikim. With cool features like demo songs, multiple keyboard tones and a built-in speaker, this roll-up piano is perfect for you to rock and roll your way anytime, anywhere.

3 Fresh Ideas for Fun Music Practice

Written by Dan Cropper on June 14, 2019. Posted in Music 101.

Create a music grab bag

Write our your child’s assignments on index cards (you can include some silly cards as well such as “make the silliest face you can”). You can also photocopy your child’s music and cut out small sections with scissors. Add all assignments to a bag. Make sure there is a lot of variety in the bag and that each assignment can be completed in 2-3 minutes. Have them pick 2-5 cards for each practice.

Plan a performance

Have friends coming over? Offer your child a performance opportunity “if” they are prepared with their music. Music teachers are usually very happy to receive videos of progress throughout the week!

Hire a tutor

Do you have a babysitter or teenager that you trust who also plays your child’s instrument? Try having them over a few times to supervise practice. This gives your child 1) the inspiring feeling of getting to play with “a cool older kid” 2) makes music collaborative 3) creates a routine.