Monthly Music Lesson
Marvin the Metronome
One of the most important things a student can learn is how to practice. So much time can be wasted in unproductive run-throughs at too-fast tempos with little regard for the written rhythms of the piece of music the student is learning. I often ask my students, "Do you want to spend more time working or playing?" or "Do you want to take a long time learning this piece or a short time?". The answer is obvious, but the truth is that its not always easy to get my students to practice the more effective way despite its payoffs. Good practice requires a deeper level of awareness in the physical and mental realm, unbroken attention, intense concentration and... a metronome. Marvin, the metronome. I tell my students that Marvin is their best friend when it comes to playing music and he wants to be included as much as possible! It's silly, but silly is fun, and I like fun. Practice makes permanent. This is why it's so important to practice in perfect time with correct rhythms from the start of learning a new piece of music. Here are some practice tips:
1. Start by learning the pitches (letter name and location on your instrument) and note values (how long you play each note) for first 1 or 2 measures ONLY of your piece.
2. Turn on your metronome at a slow tempo (speed). This is so you can play these first 1 or 2 measures with few mistakes.
3. Think before you start to play. Think of the physical techniques that your teacher has taught you and think of where the notes you are about to play are on your instrument.
4. Begin to play. While counting 1, 2, 3, 4, (or 1, 2, 3 for 3/4 time) begin to play the portion of music you are working on while carefully lining up the notes and written rhythms to the perfect time of the metronome.
5. Fix mistakes. Any area you stumbled on, go back and figure out what went wrong and play just that spot.
6. Play through the section you are working on again. Increase the tempo once you can play with no mistakes.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until you can play that section at a good tempo.
8. Move on to the next 1 or 2 measures. Start the steps over again for the next section you are learning.
Win a $25 gift card to Guitar Center! Heres how: Help your child learn these steps by having them create a chart, flash cards, a drawing (i.e. picture with notes, and a metronome, and maybe a brain or person thinking etc. to demonstrate the different steps) or any other self-made learning tool that helps them to remember these steps. Creative ideas are welcome! Bring your child's self-made learning tool to the fall semester concert on November 12th and you will be entered into a raffle for the gift card. The drawing will take place at the concert and you must be present to win.
Some final thoughts: Playing with a metronome takes time. Its not something that budding musicians can do well right off the bat. Have your children bring their metronome to their private lessons so that their instructors can help them learn how to practice with it. Don't own a metronome? Download a free metronome app onto your smart phone or tablet!
One of the most important things a student can learn is how to practice. So much time can be wasted in unproductive run-throughs at too-fast tempos with little regard for the written rhythms of the piece of music the student is learning. I often ask my students, "Do you want to spend more time working or playing?" or "Do you want to take a long time learning this piece or a short time?". The answer is obvious, but the truth is that its not always easy to get my students to practice the more effective way despite its payoffs. Good practice requires a deeper level of awareness in the physical and mental realm, unbroken attention, intense concentration and... a metronome. Marvin, the metronome. I tell my students that Marvin is their best friend when it comes to playing music and he wants to be included as much as possible! It's silly, but silly is fun, and I like fun. Practice makes permanent. This is why it's so important to practice in perfect time with correct rhythms from the start of learning a new piece of music. Here are some practice tips:
1. Start by learning the pitches (letter name and location on your instrument) and note values (how long you play each note) for first 1 or 2 measures ONLY of your piece.
2. Turn on your metronome at a slow tempo (speed). This is so you can play these first 1 or 2 measures with few mistakes.
3. Think before you start to play. Think of the physical techniques that your teacher has taught you and think of where the notes you are about to play are on your instrument.
4. Begin to play. While counting 1, 2, 3, 4, (or 1, 2, 3 for 3/4 time) begin to play the portion of music you are working on while carefully lining up the notes and written rhythms to the perfect time of the metronome.
5. Fix mistakes. Any area you stumbled on, go back and figure out what went wrong and play just that spot.
6. Play through the section you are working on again. Increase the tempo once you can play with no mistakes.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until you can play that section at a good tempo.
8. Move on to the next 1 or 2 measures. Start the steps over again for the next section you are learning.
Win a $25 gift card to Guitar Center! Heres how: Help your child learn these steps by having them create a chart, flash cards, a drawing (i.e. picture with notes, and a metronome, and maybe a brain or person thinking etc. to demonstrate the different steps) or any other self-made learning tool that helps them to remember these steps. Creative ideas are welcome! Bring your child's self-made learning tool to the fall semester concert on November 12th and you will be entered into a raffle for the gift card. The drawing will take place at the concert and you must be present to win.
Some final thoughts: Playing with a metronome takes time. Its not something that budding musicians can do well right off the bat. Have your children bring their metronome to their private lessons so that their instructors can help them learn how to practice with it. Don't own a metronome? Download a free metronome app onto your smart phone or tablet!
