Posted by: clariniano on: January 30, 2011
What is the right strength of reed to play on? No, the answer is not: “The harder, the better”. Nor is it playing on the same strength of reed since beginning the instrument in late elementary or middle school. The right strength of reed is one that with a good quality mouthpiece, plenty of air, [...]
Posted by: clariniano on: January 26, 2011
Listening to the pieces studied with notation, and using them to help with ear development such as recognizing chords and intervals. –downward perfect 4th, Grade 8 F major study. Knowledge of even basic harmony helps in singing vocal lines, especially those other than the melody line, if you know what a minor second (half step [...]
Posted by: clariniano on: January 26, 2011
Many music teachers who have tried travel teaching say they would not do it if they could. However, many times I have noticed that this is usually based on a single incident. But I have noticed some positives to travel teaching for teachers, and here are a few of them. First, teachers can generate a [...]
Posted by: clariniano on: January 26, 2011
Here are some stickers you can use with students who you would like to improve these aspects of their playing. They are in pdf format, and you can print them on a 30-label sheet for an inkjet printer. musicstickers_rightnotes musicstickers_handshape musicstickers_dynamics
Posted by: clariniano on: January 26, 2011
Here are a couple of resources I created some time ago for helping clarinetists learn the major scales in thirds, and harmonic minor scales in thirds, which are on the Grade 8 and Grade 9 clarinet Technical Requirements from the Royal Conservatory of Music. The files are in pdf format. Clarinetscalesinthirds_prepexercises_majorkeys ClarinetScalesinthirds_prepexercises_harmminorkeys
Posted by: clariniano on: January 25, 2011
Much has been touted about music performance enhancing techniques to help musicians perform better, such as visualization and breathing exercises. For me, some of the techniques others suggested I try actually increased my performance anxiety. However, there are some individuals which the techniques either don’t work, or don’t work well enough for them to perform [...]
Posted by: clariniano on: January 25, 2011
The benefits of materials fees in music lessons Many activities have additional fees that are beyond the cost of instruction themselves Yet more and more places are eliminating these fees, especially cellphone companies and fitness clubs But a teacher with a materials fee may be a good thing, especially if you don’t like being nickel [...]
Posted by: clariniano on: January 25, 2011
I’ve had a number of highly successful students in my short musical career of more than 10 years, and have noticed that most of them come from homes that one or both of the parents studied music seriously themselves. I have thought about some of the reasons why their children are often much more successful [...]
Posted by: clariniano on: January 25, 2011
Recently on a music discussion board there was a controversy on whether private music teachers should contact students outside of lessons. I am a strong proponent of the YES side, and here are my reasons why. I have had a number of cases where the student’s parents understand little English, which in a multicultural city [...]
Posted by: clariniano on: January 24, 2011
(note: I’m looking to expand this list, especially among the athletes and scientists) Famous people who play musical instruments or sing Actors: Woody Allen, clarinet—in fact he’s an excellent player, has a number of videos of him playing clarinet on Youtube Whoopi Goldberg—piano and voice (she does in the Sister Act movies) Julia Roberts (clarinet) [...]
