Send Us Your Video!

As we continue to record and publish professional musicians performing our songs this year, we'll also be accepting and adding user submitted videos into our Step 3 Song pages.

"Videos can be useful and certainly play a part in the learning process" said Bob Lawrence, president of MusickEd.com, "but they are not the 'be-all and end-all' component.  There has to be a healthy balance in the learning process whereby material and information is understood conceptually before it can be applied to your chosen instrument".

We hope you'll share your videos with us and other users, teachers, and learners from around the world.  


CLICK HERE to submit your video.  Keep in mind the following items:

1. Video you or someone you know performing one of the 9 songs from any Kore Series lesson. There's no need for excess production or perfection - just smile and enjoy your playing.

2. You may play along with the melody only, melody and background , or background only tracks. You may even perform solo with no background.

3. Be sure to include the name, location, and age of the performer so we can give accurate credit!

4. MusickEd retains all rights and privileges to said recordings.

5. Videos may (or may not) appear on our site or any site within our community (i.e. our blog, facebook, or twitter pages).

"There has to be a healthy balance in the learning process whereby material and information is understood conceptually before it can be applied to your chosen instrument"

Here are two user videos that were recorded on campus at the Dallas School of Music with a simple 'flip' camera.  The 1st is Tanya S. who proves that having fun and enjoying the process is the main goal!





And here's Jack P. He's an electric guitarist who is actually reading music! Wow, what a concept!





Look for these and other user videos to start popping up soon!.  And come one - be brave - share your stuff with other users from around the world! CLICK HERE to submit your video. 

Dream a Little Dream...

Tara Parker-Pope writes in the NY Times about a team of researchers who ponder the question - why do we dream? Some new research may have unlocked a little of this mystery and it leads to some interesting conclusions about how and why we learn. Dreaming may actually result from the brain’s effort to keep learning... even as we sleep!

In a study released by Current Biology, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, volunteers trained visualized their way through a complicated, three-dimensional puzzle. Half the volunteers were allowed to sleep for 90 minutes while the other half stayed awake, reading or relaxing. During their resting period, they were awakened and asked to describe their thoughts or dreams.

After the resting period, the volunteers were asked to again tackle the maze and were graded. Those who napped but didn’t report any 'maze-related' dreams did better but showed only marginal improvement over the non-nappers.

However, a few of the nappers reported dreaming about the maze and showed a startling improvement in their task, cutting completion time in half. The difference in scores before and after sleeping was 10 times higher for the maze dreamers than those who hadn’t dreamed about the task.

Even though the number of 'maze dreamers' was small, researchers noted that the gap in learning was so wide that the finding was statistically significant.

'Notably, the dreamers had all performed poorly on the test prior to dreaming about it. That suggests that struggling with a task might be the trigger that prompts the sleeping brain to focus on the subject and work on getting better', explained the lead author, Robert Stickgold.

'It’s almost as if your brain is rummaging through everything that happened today and deciding that you’re not done with it. The things that really grip you, the ones you decide at an emotional level are really important, those are the ones you dream about. The things you’re obsessed with are the ones that your brain forces you to continue to process.'

Dr. Stickgold continues, 'If you’re a student and you want to do better on the test, you might need to dream about it. The question is, ‘How do I get myself to dream about it?’ The answer is to get excited about it. That seems to be what you dream about.'

We'd love to hear your thoughts and comments about this study and in particular, dreams regarding music or learning music. Maybe this is why passionate music makers often show improvement from week to week with limited practice time?

Read Tara's complete article here.

The Clarinet Bulletin Board

This is a reply I posted on a Clarinet Bulletin Board (I know, I know...nerd alert!). Someone had asked if anyone knew anything about 'musicked.com'. As I read the responses I felt a little like a father overhearing kids pick on a son or daughter so I figured I'd set the record straight as best I could. Here is what I wrote:

I know this is probably an old post but I wanted to clear a few things up about MusickEd.com, the software and what we have in store for the future. First off - the version that is currently available is the 2nd incarnation of what essentially was a beta product offered way back in 2004. It contained solid information but was delivered differently and had a tricky interface to navigate through our learning process. The current software was updated in 2007 - we made the delivery simpler and navigation easier.

The MusickEd curriculum is not meant to displace teachers although it can (and should) be used by individual learners who need help with everything from taking the instrument out of the case, assembling and making a sound all the way to learning chord/scale relationships. It can (and should) be used by teachers who all too often ‘scatter-shoot’ with students because they A.) assume the student will lose interest or B.) don’t have a plan. MusickEd software comes with educational support – that’s something that print ‘method’ books cannot deliver.

All concepts are presented clearly and concisely and most important - in sequential order - which is why it is perfect for students at all levels. I have advanced students who have used the software to go back to basics and cover things they have missed and beginning students who excel past their classmates because they use the same learning process from lesson to lesson.
We are currently completing the latest version called the Kore Series which is the culmination of literally 10 years of work. The content, design, learning process, amazing songs and play-alongs, support and community aspects make this product an amazing value - you can take a tour here:

Tour MusickEd

We are also working on a Jazz Series which we hope to launch within a year. It will use the same (trademarked and patented) learning process as the Kore Series and continues on with the jazz soloist/improviser in mind.

Thanks for the ear – Eugene Cantera – Partner MusickEd.com

What if all instruments came with a great curriculum and 24 hour help?

Does this sound like you?

You are into music and thinking about learning an instrument. You weren't a band geek in high school but you do enjoy jazz so maybe the saxophone strikes your fancy? You like old 70's rock so maybe guitar or electric bass is the way to go? You cracked up at Will Farrell in Anchorman but thought that 'yazz flute' actually 'really sounded pretty cool'! That's it! You've made up your mind... now off you go to your local music dealer.

The bright lights and shiny instruments beckon. You plunk a few notes as you walk past the demo keyboard. Walls of cool extras and rows of sheet music give you pause but you press on.

'Which one do I choose? Do I rent or purchase?'

You finally find a salesman and start asking questions and soon realize that whichever one you choose, you are still days, if not weeks and maybe months, away from making music. Who will show me how to put it together? Where do my fingers go? Can anyone help me? Is this a futile endeavor? AHHHH!

Now imagine you could purchase or rent an instrument that included a full music curriculum along with 24 hour educational support. Talk about a 'no-brainer'! And how is that for added value?!

Impossible you say? That would take one visionary company, an amazing team of educators and possibly the foresight of...gulp...instrument manufacturers and distributors. Ha Ha Ha! Like that will ever happen!

Well, laugh all ya want, but we're not kidding. MusickEd.com is positioning itself to make this (and much more) a possibility for any shrewd instrument manufacturer or local dealer who wants to separate themselves from the pack. Heck, we're even open to the idea of Yahoo or Google or even Best Buy coming aboard. Our software program and support is poised to change the course of music education as we know it and it can be attached to any instrument rented or sold more easily and economically than any freebie DVD.

Now, we're not talking about reaching the 'El-Hi band, choir and orchestra programs' or 'saving the music'. If all goes well, they will benefit when the time is right. We're talking about making world class music education services and support available to anyone with a laptop and an instrument.

We're talking to you Mr. and Mrs. 20 Something gen-googler with an IPod and a hankering for solid, well delivered information.

We're talking to the same group of people who are inspired by Food Network - not to become chefs mind you, but to simply try Giada's Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Vinegrette recipe this weekend.

We want to reach you Mr. Golf Digest Magazine - you couldn't qualify as a caddie but that doesn't stop you from trying to improve your game each week.

And what about you Ms. Weekend Gardener? We know you'd love nothing more than to sit among your magnificent Lady Banks Roses or Kaffir Lillies and serenade them sweetly with your oboe!

Does this even exist in music? It sure does. And it's right here at MusickEd.com. Sit back and take the tour of our program and be sure to follow us on Twitter so you can stay up to date on the latest news and product releases.

TAKE THE TOUR!

4 Must Haves for Every Music Teacher

1. Computer

OK, it sounds ridiculous. But as we all know, music educators are not the first or most likely group to adopt 'new' technology. I know some teachers who still prefer to wind their metronomes. And how many of us teach out of the same old tired method books that we learned from when we were kids?

The offices of DSM are furnished with state of the art systems from Dell and have been ever since its inception in 1992. It was always part of the grand plan to expose faculty (and students) to the best tools available for both teaching and learning.

Of course, we were building MusickEd.com all along the way so having computers, the internet and related software came with the territory. We also developed something called an II Doc (Individual Instruction Documentation) that is completed by each teacher during every session and is e-mailed to the student or parent afterward. This documentation becomes a terrific history of every students' progress and a reference for other teachers who may step in or sub on given notice. The idea is so powerful that it is being incorporated into the Support Center of our MusickEd software.

Computers allow us to stay connected with students, parents and the outside world. If you are a teacher, get yourself a computer and use it to better your craft. Keep it connected to the internet and close to where you teach. You won't regret it!


2. YouTube

This is a fantastic resource for recorded music - both with and without video. Spend a few minutes searching and you'll become addicted. Once you become a little discerning, you can quickly cipher the good from the bad and find great examples of music covering all genres. I've used YouTube as a play-along tool, to show great performances by great artists and to show examples of what NOT to do (and there's plenty of that to choose from, believe me).

Every teacher (especially private teachers) should access YouTube in their studios and spend some time getting their favorite videos saved for future reference. You and your students will love it.

3. Digital Keyboard

In the offices at DSM and MusickEd, we have a combination of upright and digital pianos depending on the taste and need for each educator. I totally love my Yamaha 625 and use it often during my sessions... regardless of the instrument I'm teaching. It has an amazing number of sounds, grooves and even recording capability. know I have only scratched the surface of this fantastic machine. Many of my younger students seem to have this innate ability to find all sorts of fun sound combinations and rhythms very quickly. It sure beats the wind up metronome my teacher used.



4. MusickEd.com Software

Yeah, I know, it sounds like a plug. But my passion for this software goes way beyond the fact that I have had a hand in its development. I know what is happening behind the scenes and I can tell you that there is a team of amazing educators and innovators who are working to make this product all that it can be. The software is comprehensive in its approach, presenting concepts in sequential order and giving learners (and teachers) a variety of ways to address and absorb musical information. Teachers who once may have felt uncomfortable working with students at certain levels of ability (low or high) now have a quick and easy way to evaluate and assimilate them into a solid curriculum.

In the few years that we have been using MusickEd material here at DSM, our students have found the learning process is fun and easy to follow. Younger students enjoy the interactivity and older students appreciate the no nonsense approach (it's not a shortcut or magic potion!).

In 2009 we will be announcing some major partnerships and releasing a new navigation and look for the current software. We are also excited about the release of our Jazz Series later next year. Keep an eye out in this space for sneak peeks and breaking news!

2 MusickEd News Flash(es)

News Flash!



The Dallas School of Music, Inc. is expecting one of its biggest Fall Semesters in the 16 year history of the school. This is a testament to the entire DSM team and a great community of music enthusiasts in the North Dallas area. The school is welcoming several new faculty members to handle the increased demand. We'll do a blog feature on some of our awesome staff members in the upcoming months... so stay tuned.

Our other 'passion', MusickEd.com is also experiencing rapid growth and exciting times lie ahead as we are in negotiations on a deal with a major retailer. We'll keep you posted! This will be a 'first of its kind', groundbreaking partnership between music retail and music education enterprises.

The MusickEd software itself is undergoing a massive overhaul in both layout and design. Because our product is internet (html) based, we are able to work 'behind the scenes' and make any and all updates instantly available to our users as they are completed. Current work includes re-formatting the content and layout of the worksheets, editing all quizzes and changing the interface so that each section of the software can be accessed from a single 'page'. Our users spoke and we listened!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of playing through one of the original tunes from our forthcoming Jazz Series. Mike Finkel has put together a terrific Ellington-esque medium tempo ballad stressing the concepts of major and minor 7th chords. Be sure to keep checking back for an exact release date of the Jazz Series due sometime in early '09.

Stay cool!

Embrace the Process, Beware the Shortcut

I have visited many music education related blogs over the past few weeks and have thoroughly enjoyed reading the opinions of my colleagues across the country and the world. We are an amazing group of thoughtful and intelligent professionals! Among the plethora of sites I visited however, there were a number that make fantastic and sometimes outlandish claims:

Cut 'your learning time in half' boasts one, offering 'tons of shortcuts' that evidently have never before been revealed. Another site has this bold and amazing statement; 'YOU DO NOT HAVE TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MUSIC' and after just 30 minutes you'll be playing 'DOZENS OF SONGS WITHOUT STRUGGLING, WITHOUT BORING EXERCISES AND YOU DO NOT EVEN HAVE TO READ MUSIC'!

Now I am all about entrepreneurship, especially in our profession - believe me, but I am just as passionate about promoting quality music education throughout our communities. So rather than name names, I thought I'd cast this sobering thought out to the blogosphere; embrace the process, beware the shortcut. Remember, this goes for both the learner and the teacher.

I hope that teachers with passion will encourage learners to embrace the process of discovering musical concepts and manage the challenges that come with applying those concepts to any instrument. And I hope that music enthusiasts choose to embrace their amazing journey with excitement, optimism and realistic expectations.

Christopher Small, a very wise music philosopher once said that 'music should be viewed as an act instead of a thing'. He called the act musicking and claimed it to be valid at every level. Rather than searching for shortcuts, let's all remember that the connections formed around the act of hearing, learning and making music are what really matters.

So to teachers and students alike I say, choose your materials wisely and enjoy the process!