Blog | Music To Your Home

5 Ways Playing A Musical Instrument Can Benefit Your Health

By Vincent Reina / 2.8.2018 / No Comment

Besides being fun, learning and playing a musical instrument can have many positive effects on your health and mental wellness. Research shows that these benefits can occur at any age and come from playing any instrument. Keep reading to see why people are playing instruments to improve their general health.

Stress Relief – Playing an instrument can help refocus bad energy into something positive and enjoyable, which in turn can help alleviate stress. Reduced stress levels lead to slowing down your heart rate and lowering your blood pressure. Research shows that playing and composing music can reduce stress by lowering cortisol levels.

Improves respiratory system – Whether you’re singing show tunes or blowing into a saxophone or oboe, one of the most important things you can learn is how to breathe properly. Producing a good sound on any wind instrument is dependent on your breath, making breathing with the proper technique a must. So while you are in the pursuit of becoming a great singer or woodwind player you are actually also improving your respiratory system.

Exercise – Playing an instrument can be a great form of physical activity. Playing the piano, guitar or drums takes a lot of upper body strength and playing for extended periods of time can help build muscle while also improving your posture and increasing your stamina.

Improves Cognitive Performance – It has been shown that playing and listening to music can help improve memory in people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Playing music has even been shown to help people recover from strokes as well as slow down the onset of dementia and Alzheimers.

Improved Immune System -Research between Tenovus Cancer Care and the Royal College of Music has found that singing for an hour can increase levels of immune proteins, reduce stress and improve people’s mood. Studies have also shown that making music enhances the immunological response, which enables us to fight viruses.

Online Music Lessons - Performance - Piano Lessons - Piano Recital

3 Reasons Why Your Child Must Take Piano Lessons

By Music To Your Home / 2.6.2018 / No Comment

Between baseball, soccer, karate and cell phones, our children’s schedules are packed with fun activities. If you were on the fence about adding piano lessons into the weekly grind, here are a few reasons why piano lessons might be an important activity for your child to be involved in.

Learning to play the piano helps teach children how to concentrate, focus and be patient. During a piano lesson so many different skills are being learned. Students are essentially learning how to read an entirely new language. Children are learning to be present and in the moment and to focus on the music and the technique it takes to make the music. It’s a great way for kids to clear their minds of stress for an hour a week and concentrate on an amazing art. Piano lessons are also a great way to challenge kids into learning a new skill. Learning how to sit down and focus on a task will help them in many different ways as they get older.

Piano lessons help develop speech, cognitive skills and social abilities. “Music study requires a high degree of precision in auditory processing: being almost in tune is not good enough. This means that musically trained children are better able to distinguish subtle details of speech, leading to improved reading, better comprehension, and also a greater ability to interpret what other people– children and adults – are really saying.” (The Royal Conservatory) https://www.rcmusic.com/sites/default/files/files/RCM_MusicEducationBenefits.pdf

3) Piano lessons boost self-esteem.

Piano lessons offer an activity where children can learn to accept and utilize constructive criticism. Overcoming negative feedback with practice and accomplishing goals will help build confidence and self-esteem in students. Recitals and other other performances will help build confidence in other non musical areas such as public speaking. Also, having a musical skill can help a child stand out from everyone else, further adding to their self confidence.

Are you ready to take your skills to the next level? Sign Up For Piano Lessons Today!

Bass Lessons - Music Lessons - Musical Thoughts - New York City

The 3 Most Important Electric Bassists That Every Bass Player Should Know and Study

By Maximilian Gerl / 12.8.2017 / No Comment

The 3 Most Important Electric Bassists That Every Bass Player Should Know and Study

So you want to play bass, huh? Well, let me be the first to welcome you to the club, and if you’ve already spent some time with the bass or are a seasoned player, that’s beautiful too! As a beginning, intermediate or advanced player of the bass, I think we can all agree that there’s always more to learn, and that we’re never done in our pursuit of mastering this wonderful instrument. Oftentimes I find myself looking for the next source of study, and usually I end up coming back to a handful of the same players who revolutionized the instrument decades ago. I believe that these are the players that merit a lifetime of study. I’d like to also add that this list is MY OPINION ONLY, and if these bassists stylistically don’t do it for you, that is totally fine. The key is finding players who inspire you, and learning from them, no matter what style! So without further ado, lets begin!

James Jamerson:

A lot has been made of the Fender Precision Bass over the years, but it can be argued that no one has taken it to greater heights than James Jamerson, the long unheralded bass genius of the Motown Sound. Jamerson was part of the Motown studio band called, “The Funk Brothers”, and together they played on more no. 1 hit records than The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, and Elvis combined. Jamerson was the groove master behind this unit.

The facets of Jamerson’s playing that make him stand out are his perfect time, tone, and his melodic bass line construction. Jamerson was one of the first to adopt the electric bass, a new invention in the late 50’s/early 60’s. He started on upright bass, and he played the Fender bass similarly, with just his index finger plucking the strings. This gave him a warm and punchy tone that anchored records by artists such as The Temptations, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye, and earned him the nickname, “The Hook”. He was also one of the first bassists to deviate from the popular music bass zeitgeist of the time, which consisted of mostly playing roots and 5ths. By delving into more adventurous harmonic territory, creating counterpoint lines with the vocalist, Jamerson rewrote the rules on how pop bass is played.

Iconic Jamerson bass lines:

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO_PWF0bmoM

What’s Goin’ On – Marvin Gaye

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-kA3UtBj4M

Darling Dear (Isolated Bassline) – The Jackson 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvI1Nis7RkU

Jaco Pastorius:

The way that James Jamerson transformed the Fender Precision Bass is what Jaco Pastorius did for the Fender Jazz Bass. He did the unthinkable in the 70’s and 80’s by turning the electric bass into a soloistic instrument, finding ways to play melody, harmony, and rhythm, ALL AT THE SAME TIME. He is best known for his playing with the jazz-fusion band, Weather Report, and folk songwriter and singer Joni Mitchell.

Jaco’s unique traits were his melodiousness, tight grooves, and outrageous technique, the likes of which had never been heard and are rarely seen or heard even today. Jaco was a gifted composer as well, and wrote several beautiful tunes that have gone on to become standard repertoire in the fusion genre. Because of his ear for composition, Jaco could play hauntingly beautiful melodies in the upper register of his instrument, which at the time was uncharted territory for bassists. Unfortunately, his melodic sense was often overlooked due to his monstrous technique that not only spanned playing fast in the conventional sense, but playing chords and harmonics as well. He did what had never been done, which was give the bass a human voice.

Iconic Jaco Pastorius examples:

Portrait of Tracy – Jaco Pastorius

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsZ_1mPOuyk

Teen Town – Weather Report (a Pastorius composition)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSUk8bSVHYc

Coyote – Joni Mitchell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHQfIwyEVzY

Stanley Clarke:

There are many reasons why Stanley Clarke is important to the electric bass, but one of the most significant is that he was an absolutely monster on the electric bass AND the upright acoustic bass, one of the first masters of both. He began his career playing upright bass with straight-ahead jazz artists such as Joe Henderson, Art Blakey, and Horace Silver. With Chick Corea, he formed Return to Forever, one of the first jazz- fusion bands and would go on to release a number of hit records as a solo artist.

Clarke’s standout features are his ability to play both electric and upright bass at a high level, his compositional ability and being one of the first bassists to bring slapping to prominence. Clarke has lead his own band for decades, where he plays both basses, and has even found a percussive way of playing on the upright bass. In his band, they play mostly Clarke original tunes, but he is also an accomplished film composer, having scored such projects as “Pee Wee’s Playhouse”, and “Boyz n the Hood”. And while the slap bass concept is credited to Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone, Clarke played a large role in bringing it to prominence and expanding it technically.

Iconic Stanley Clarke examples:

School Days – Stanley Clarke

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrnI7TQ44U0

The Romantic Warrior – Return to Forever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lObVilGPjHc

Silly Putty – Stanley Clarke

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXsZVs1EEfw

I hope this gives you some new stuff to check out, and if this is all familiar territory to you, I encourage you to keep exploring and see if maybe there’s something undiscovered that you can find. Happy listening!

Author Maximillian G. is an up and coming bassist and bass superfan who can be found gigging all over NYC and is also available for private bass lessons in your home. Contact us today to schedule your NYC bass lesson with him!

Image courtesy of Phaitoon at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Adult Music Lessons - Guitar Lessons - Inspiration - Music Lessons - Musical Thoughts

The “Should Syndrome” And Learning To Play Like a Child

By Rianne Mision / 11.17.2017 / No Comment

Rianne M.

There exists in my adult students a special phenomenon that I have affectionately labeled The “Should” Syndrome. Symptoms of this syndrome include excessive self-doubt, narrow judgment regarding what is going well with their playing, and when their frustration is at its peak, passive aggression toward their teacher when she tries to give them a compliment. It is always interesting to note the difference in attitude between the kids I teach and the adults I teach. Some of the adults enjoy music as much as the kids do, but there is always an air of self-consciousness about their age and what they don’t already know (read: what they “should” already know by their age). Mistakes in lessons are immediately followed by apologies. Comments are made about how they may be “too old” to still be trying to learn this. They lament, “I would be good at this now if I had just started playing when I was young.” Etc., etc., etc.

Kids, on the other hand (especially the younger ones), rarely apologize or even acknowledge their mistakes. An eight year-old who gets a new guitar rips it out of the delivery box and immediately starts banging on it and sliding his fingers around the fretboard, experimenting with the different sounds even though he doesn’t know anything about the instrument yet. This is because he is too busy being interested in this new, alien thing in front of him than he is with what the world’s expectations of him regarding that thing are. A thirty-eight year-old often comes to their first lesson waiting for instructions and not doing anything until the teacher instructs them to, for fear of looking silly. Ultimately, this is not such a bad thing, but they don’t feel free to experiment and connect with their guitar on their own level because this way might not be the “correct” way. I see this in my more experienced adult students too, as well as my musician colleagues. Once you’re older, your personal responsibilities and psychological demons start to cloud your connection with your art. As adults – both beginners and professionals – we are all familiar with the following scenario:

It’s a weekday afternoon and I need to squeeze in some practice time in the only free hour I have today. As I pick up my instrument, I remember for the third time that the rent is due tomorrow and I’m still waiting for that one check to clear. There’s nothing I can do about it now, but it’s still bothering me. I begin to warm up by playing some scales. As I play and some notes don’t come out as well as I would like them to, I begin to tense up my hands and body. Then the tension makes it even harder. I watched a YouTube video of a ten year-old prodigy playing faster-than-lightning this morning. I’m at least a decade older and I can’t play these scales nearly that fast. My mistakes don’t just feel physically uncomfortable now. I feel silly for making them, as if someone is in the room with me and judging me for being a bad person.

Speaking of being a bad person, I got into a fight with my significant other yesterday and said some mean things, and along with the rent, that’s on my mind too. I look at the clock and I have half an hour left. I still feel silly about those mistakes with my scales, but now it’s time to move on to the pieces I’ve been working on. I still don’t like my sound right now, but I know I have to get this work done.

The phone rings as I’m ten minutes into working on this piece. There’s an issue with a project I’ve been assigned to at work and I need to put down my instrument and go to the computer to solve it. I could fix it later, but my boss will probably want it done right now, and I don’t want to look bad. I’ll need to practice everything another day, even though my sound is still not great and I only have a few days before my next lesson. When will I ever sound like that kid in the video? What am I even doing with my life?

Young children don’t go through this thought process when they play. Children do not have all of the subconscious biases about how the world “should” be, like adults do. They do not separate the everything in their environment into strict categories, like adults do. They do not have a defined idea of who they are yet, so they do not exclude possibilities and pursue their interests without hesitation. (A friend of mine who teaches elementary school told me a story about how on the day before winter break, she had her students cut out and color pictures of holiday objects. The choices included Christmas trees, menorahs, etc. When a boy from a Jewish family chose a Christmas tree, she inquired as to what made him choose Christmas symbols rather than Hannukah ones. The boy stared at her, puzzled by the question, and said “I just think that the tree is pretty”. What many adults would assume he “should” choose did not even occur to him!)

Because of this openness, children have an extreme advantage when it comes to learning anything, and they absorb information like a sponge. The advantage to starting to play music when you are younger, then, is not because people eventually become “too old” to learn – the advantage lies in the fact that the more time you spend studying music when you are a child, the more time you’ve spent building a connection to music without ever questioning your worth at it or having to deal with adulthood’s endless distractions. This connection causes a snowball effect of positive experiences, which slowly creates a positive self-image regarding music for an individual once they have reached adolescence and eventually, adulthood. By this time, they are not trying to learn music – they are a musician.

What is the solution, then? Obviously, we cannot do a System Restore on our minds to make ourselves stop thinking like an overly self-aware adult.

Recognize that even if the voice inside your head has some unhelpful things to say, you can learn to silence it and just enjoy the music. Think about all of the things that you enjoyed as a little kid with unbridled passion and how you approached those things. Have fun and stop the adult voice in your head that says your picture is “wrong” because you didn’t color in the lines. Play like a child…

Rianne M. is currently giving guitar lessons in NYC to adults and children, and occasionally blurs the line between them with her teaching styles. Contact us today to schedule a lesson with her!

Flute Lessons - Inspiration - Music History - Music Lessons - Musical Thoughts - Nature

From ancient bird bones to concert halls. Unlocking the mystery of the Flute.

By Andrea White / 10.23.2017 / No Comment

The oldest instrument in the world is the flute; to be specific, a couple of 42,000 year-old bird-bone flutes found in a cave in Germany. The last few centuries have transformed the Western concert flute from a hollow stick or bone with holes in it into a shiny, intricately wrought metal tube with a complex mechanism of keys, springs and rods. However, the musical character of the flute is still closely tied to its history as a ceremonial instrument and with the natural world of wood and bird-bones from which the earliest flutes were fashioned. With its shimmering tone and ability to play very high and very fast, the flute can evoke the calls of birds, rolling hills and soaring skies, while it’s dark and smooth low register conjures up an air of mystery and ritual.

It’s an amazing feeling to play an instrument with such deep history, but that’s only part of the flute’s story…

Over the last century there has been increasing interest into the sound-world of the flute beyond its beautiful and rich tone. When I first began delving into this world in my early years of college at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and more recently at the Manhattan School of Music, I was astonished by the variety of possible sounds: the low beat of a distant drum, the sound of a passing jet, gentle rapid fluttering (the sound of amplified hummingbird wings?), very high whistling, the crisp POP of popping corn, a train horn, a siren… the list goes on (and beyond easy comparison with environmental sound). These sounds are known as extended techniques, and the flute has one of the most diverse ranges of extended techniques of any instrument. Extended techniques have been increasingly explored by performers and used by composers over the last century because as well as being fun sounds in themselves, they broaden the expressive possibilities of instruments. If you think about it as an artists’ paint palette, extended techniques have broadened the color range of instruments from the primary colors of traditional tone to a vast range of mixtures and shades.

As well as expanding the expressive potential of instrumental music to fit with our ever-changing world, extended techniques can be extremely useful practice tools. An important reason for learning music is that it sharpens our ears and it teaches us to listen. However, the attention to detail necessary for productive practice can be frustrating for students, and this is where extended techniques can be very helpful. Incorporating extended techniques into learning an instrument can re-introduce the freedom of play into a context that can quickly become obsessive and un-creative. Sometimes when that high note just won’t come out the way we want it, rather than repeating it over and over and becoming annoyed and disheartened, playing a few multiphonics (for example) can help press the re-start button: refreshing the ear, re-connecting with a spirit of experimentation and in this case approaching the issue of air-speed (the problem behind the troublesome high note) from a totally different angle.

Learning an instrument is many things, and it is something different to everyone, but without a doubt it should be fun and creative! The best music comes from a place of imagination as well as great technique!

Andrea W. is now available for flute lessons in your home or online. Contact Music To Your Home to schedule yours with her today!

Inspiration - Music Lessons - New York City - Performance - Trumpet Lessons

A trumpet player living the NYC Dream: An Interview with David N.

By Music To Your Home / 9.29.2017 / No Comment

Music To Your Home is proud to work with the best and brightest music teachers NYC has to offer, and David N. is no exception. He holds degrees from Juilliard, New England Conservatory, and Berklee College of Music. An impressive resume is one thing, but beyond that, David is a passionate teacher and all around nice guy with great advice for trumpet players.

1) What advice would you give to parents who are considering getting trumpet lessons for their children?

David: When I started out playing trumpet, my parents were nothing but supportive. I showed interest in music at an early age, and I think my parents knew to nurture that as well as let me know that it would take some work on my part to learn to read music, to play the trumpet, to perform in front of people, etc. Music is a hard but very fun topic to learn at an early age because I think while progress can’t be technically “measured”, there certainly is an aspect of tangible knowledge the student will learn that they can then put to use on the trumpet or whatever their instrument is. Music truly teaches the student much more than just how to play an instrument and notes on a page, and I think the awareness that music can teach discipline, creativity, and can support a social environment is very important.

2) How you inspire your students?

David: To me, inspiration comes from listening to other people play music. I’ve found that while providing a solid base knowledge of instrument fundamentals, music theory, and other skills that pertain to ones musicianship; exposing a student to different types of music, art, etc. helps. I always ask my students, “What type of music do you listen to?”, and “Have you ever heard music with trumpet in it?” I feel that by finding music that they can now strive to play really ignites the student’s drive to want to work to a particular level.

3) What is the youngest trumpet student you have taught?

David: The youngest students I have taught have been around 6 years old.

4) How much daily practice time does it take to become a good trumpet player?

David: While trumpet is a difficult instrument to learn, I think that a solid and focused 25 minutes a day can really put the student into a disciplined mindset to make consistent progress.

5) What is your favorite book to use with beginner trumpet students?

David: The Standard of Excellence books are great beginner material, and for my more advanced students, the Rubank book or the Arban’s are typically the life-long study material for trumpet players.

6) What do you love most about teaching trumpet lessons in NYC?

David: In the past three years of living and teaching in NYC, I have met some unbelievably bright students. I think being exposed to what NYC has to offer culturally (music, art, dance, education, etc.), really puts some students on a higher creative level. Being able to go see world-class musicians in Lincoln Center, the West Village, all over the city; really ignites the students inspiration to want to progress to that higher level.

7) What was your most memorable teaching experience?

David: My most memorable teaching experience was when I was on faculty at the Torino Jazz Festival Juilliard Jazz Workshop. The first day, I was greeted by about 12 trumpet students who were eager to take me to coffee, and hear about NYC, jazz, my inspirations, my influences, etc. After a week of meeting with them 8 hours a day and coaching an ensemble, they were then told they would be performing at the final day of the Torino Jazz Festival on the main stage. Watching them perform one of my pieces was an incredibly humbling experience, and afterwards being thanked so sincerely was truly an amazing feeling.

8) When and where was your most memorable performance?

David: In 2011, I performed at the Panama Jazz Festival with the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. Nerves aside, the feeling of walking onstage greeted by over 10,000 audience members was truly the most overwhelming feeling I’ve had performing. Afterwards we were approached by interviewers, and audience members who wanted autographs. It was really a feeling of love that came from the audience that I had never felt before.

9) Who are the trumpet players that have inspired you?

David: Everyone who has ever played trumpet before me, and after meeting so many musicians, trumpet players, and most importantly, friends; in the past 10 years of going to college, and living in NYC. They are the ones that inspire me.

10)What is your favorite piece to play on the trumpet?

David: My favorite experience playing music is playing music of my peers. It’s truly an honor to be playing with such amazing composers and players, and have access to their creativity while we try and make music together.

11) What do you love about NY and being a musican in NY?

David: Since I first learned about jazz, living in NYC has always been a dream of mine. While living in NYC as a musician isn’t the easiest lifestyle, the inspiration all of us get here is second to none. Being able to see and hear and meet, and even play with these musicians who I have listened for years, is truly inspiring. The culture in NYC is so forward-thinking and it’s a daily inspiration to be around like-minded people.

When he’s not gigging or making records, David teaches trumpet to students all over the great city of NY. Contact us to schedule a private trumpet lesson with him today!

Inspiration - Music Lessons - New York City - Performance - Piano Lessons - Piano Recital

10 Reasons Why Music Lessons Are Highly Effective: An Infographic

By Music To Your Home / 9.12.2017 / No Comment

Drum Lessons - Guitar Lessons - Music Lessons - Musical Thoughts - New York City - Piano Lessons - Saxophone lessons - Violin Lessons - Voice Lessons

5 Tips to Get You to Practice Your Instrument

By Music To Your Home / 8.28.2017 / No Comment

If you really want to get yourself into a routine and stay motivated while practicing your instrument, then it’s best to have a solid plan. The following are five tips to keep you going:

1. Create the right atmosphere

Nothing will motivate you in your musical practice like the right environment. You might be one of those people who prefer a quiet room. Others need a little bit of stimulation. Whatever setting you like, try to be consistent so as to enter the right mindset when you start practicing. If you will need water, snacks, picks, pencils, manuscript paper, and sharpeners etc. have them with you. If you use apps, download them in advance.

2. Warm up

Musical instrument practice is much like a physical workout. To get yourself in the mood, ensure you do a warm up every time before you start. That way, you will be able to prepare your mind and body before the actual practice. It doesn’t have to be 15 minutes of fiddling with scales but can be something like sight reading or playing a familiar song if you like. Also, get into the right mindset by considering the keys of the pieces you are rehearsing.

3. Set Goals

Practicing is not synonymous with just playing through your music. You need to have the end in mind at the start of each practice session. With a prior goal for each practice session, you will find yourself progressing more quickly and effectively. Only that each goal needs to be broken down into smaller and focused objectives. Every time you complete a goal should help you feel more accomplished.

4. Be realistic

Many people – including your teachers – have told you to “get a lot done now”. Of course, it’s not realistic for you to do all your practice in one go. It gets even worse when you have a tough part to practice. The best way to go about this is to practice a little but more often. That way, you can go through a long-drawn process bit-by-bit. Think more about quality and not the quantity of your practice. Practice smarter and not necessarily longer if you want to have the willpower to keep going. Small and realistic goals should help you overcome areas that looked tricky and accept any missteps you might have made.

5. Identify and overcome problems

There is no need to ignore any areas you might find problematic. Learn to identify where you are using the wrong fingering or stumbling out of time. Decide why it’s going wrong and make up your mind how you will fix it. Obviously, different problems require different techniques. Problems with rhythm call for steps at mastering it. You may want to practice rhythm by simply clapping it out or use one note alongside a metronome. That way, you will know when to increase the tempo and when to slow it down. With time, you will master your musical instrument. Having the right music teacher is also a huge factor in overcoming plateaus and ultimately making the most progress. That’s where we come in, contact Music to Your Home to set up your NYC music lesson today!

Music Lessons - New York City - Piano Lessons

What is the best age to start music lessons?

By Music To Your Home / 7.24.2017 / No Comment

Many people ask us “what is the best age to start learning music?” Honestly? The answer varies from person to person.

We currently teach in home music lessons to students of all ages, ranging from two years old to senior citizens. Learning music is like learning another language and many studies show that the earlier children are exposed to a new language, the easier it will be for them to learn it.

Each student is different so what might work for your three year old might not work with another child the same age. Here are some questions to ask yourself before deciding to enroll your child in lessons:

Does he/she express an interest in music? If not, it doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t ready, but if you have a child who really responds to music, through dancing clapping, even banging in the table, that’s a sign that it’s time to channel that excitement into one on one music lessons. A teacher can show them how to clap on beat sing songs, explore different percussion instruments and start to identify basic note reading and rhythmic patterns.

Do you notice your child constantly playing on your piano? Do they gravitate towards other instruments? If you start noodling on your guitar, are they at your feet either listening or attempting to strum some chords? Those are pretty good indications that they might really benefit from more structured music lessons.

Five years old is an optimal age to begin lessons. At that point, children are usually pretty good at being able to sit and focus with a music teacher in their home. But if you have a curious four or even three year old who you know has the attention span for a music lesson, by all means, give it a try!

How about adults? Here’s our rule of thumb, just do it! The only criteria for learning music as an adult is the desire to go for it. One of our talented teachers will take care of the rest, right in your home.

Music Lessons

4 Ways to Set Up An Amazing Practice Space

By Music To Your Home / 7.18.2017 / No Comment

Learning an instrument can be one of the most rewarding skills you will ever achieve. Being able to play piano, guitar, violin or any other instrument will provide you with a lifetime of creativity, stress relief and enjoyment. But before you start with your music lessons there are a few steps you should take to set yourself up for success.

Any great teacher will tell you the most important thing while learning an instrument is practice time. Regardless of the instrument you’re learning, practice is needed to work on the technical aspects of playing music. Each instrument comes with its own unique set of techniques that will need many hours of practice for you to truly make progress. So having the right instrument and rehearsal space are essential while you are learning. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

1. Sanctuary. Pick a quiet spot to learn music in your home. Your practice space should be private and away from any distractions so you can focus on learning your instrument. Many of our NYC piano students have limited space so we recommend keyboards and wearing headphones if your space is occupied by others. This has worked out really well for students in this type of situation.

2. Lighting. Make sure the lighting is sufficient for reading music and seeing your instrument properly. I’ve seen practice spaces in basements with bad lighting which caused the students to struggle to read notes and see their fingers. This type of situation eventually makes practicing an uncomfortable task.

3. Instruments. There are many cheap instruments on the internet like keyboards, violins and woodwinds. These instruments generally don’t last very long and most of them sound terrible. It’s a smarter choice to buy or rent a better quality instrument from a reputable dealer. These instruments will last longer and sound better. Having a good quality instrument will help motivate you to practice longer and more frequently. Plus, your ears will appreciate hearing a well made instrument.

4. Other essentials. Having a comfortable chair will have a huge effect on how long you end up practicing. You are more likely to stay there if you feel comfortable. Keeping a pencil and paper handy will be convenient when its time to work on theory or make notes in your music. Keeping a metronome in your space will also help when its time to practice tempo and rhythm.

Having all of these things ready to go will definitely increase your motivation and help keep practice time something you look forward to on a daily basis.

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