The same reason I deplore video games is the same reason that so many people love them. They’re addictive. Pianist and cellist, Erica Ann Sipes is on the same page as me, but she has some fascinating thoughts on capitalizing on the psychology behind video games in our music practicing. Her post, Tapping Into the […]
Practice Incentives
Top 10 Ways to Make a Living While Making Music
One of the things that is emphasized over and over in the business studies I’ve done is the importance of having multiple streams of income. This is the same principle that King Solomon taught in Ecclesiastes 11:1-2, “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Give a portion to […]
Monday Mailbag – Practice Incentives
My question is regarding what type of practice incentives you use, if any. Currently, I have an incentive program for practice time only, where they earn a prize after one month of consistent practice (and the parent’s signature). I set this up because this year I started over with all brand new beginners. I do […]
Monday Mailbag – Student Assignment Books
I’ve enjoyed reading about all of your incentive programs. I was wondering about your assignment book. Is it separate from the incentives or a part of the incentives program? I think I’m getting confused. Most of my students are beginners or early intermediate…K-8th grade. That’s a great question! I probably need to clarify that on […]
Free Practice Guide for Beginning Music Students
Mike Saville, of the fabulous How to Practice blog, has put together a beautiful ebook called, “Complete Beginner’s Guide to Practice.” Once you register a free account on the site, you can download the colorful 55-page ebook for free. In addition to lots of great tips and inspirational quotes, the book contains handy lists and […]
No Hands Left Behind!
The key-notes blog recently posted a question and answer regarding how to strengthen and train the left hand. I thought the tips shared were helpful to keep in mind for both personal practice and when working with students. I’ve got a double-note drill pattern that my teacher taught me several years ago that is still […]
