How to Choose and Instrument

On June 23 with tongue placed firmly in cheek, we decided to have some fun on Twitter with a series called ‘How to Choose and Instrument”. Upon our very first ‘tweet’ the replies and guffaws started coming in and before long the re-tweets began circling the globe.

Many responses were positive and we even got a few ‘OMG that is soooo spot on!’ messages. The series spanned 3 days and we only heard one grumble – from a French Horn player (figures!). Note: see below, we've likely been ‘un-followed’. PS -if you really want to know what we said about banjo, shoot us an e-mail.  :)

These tweets were meant to be funny folks and in no way a sweeping generalization of all musicians.  After-all, I even poked fun at myself as a saxophonist; Lord knows we bear the brunt of many inside music jokes.

Here is the entire list – find your instrument, find yourself, find a friend and enjoy!

How to choose an instrument:

Did you have a beard in 8th grade? Have you ever worn sneakers with a suit? You may enjoy Double Bass

Asked for a bike and got skates? Asked for a car and got a bike? You may enjoy Glockenspiel

»

When you hear 'Heard it Through the Grapevine" do you clap on beats 1 and 3? You may enjoy Violin

Do you enjoy minutia? Complete Sudoku or NY Times crosswords in pen? Oboe might be for you

Did you buy an i-pad1 a week before the i-pad2 was released? You may enjoy the Synthesizer

Straight A's, Honor Society, Valedictorian and still not prom queen? You might enjoy the Flute

Do you have a bumper sticker that says 'My other car is a Porsche'? Try Bass Guitar

Are you competitive?... even when there's no apparent contest being played? Try the Trumpet

Do the sounds of a blender or a distant lawn mower tug at your heartstrings? You may enjoy Alto Sax

Do you often looked surprised, even when you sleep? You may be a natural for Clarinet

Were you the last kid chosen for the cross country team? Try Baritone Sax

Are you soft spoken, shy, reserved, and can really hold a grudge? French Horn may be for you

Do you keep more than one un-sharpened pencil on your desk? Try Percussion

If you take more than 3 seconds to answer 'boxers or briefs?' Try Jazz Guitar

Do you think a bicycle has one too many wheels? Try English Horn

Do you consider shoes... or clothes that fit properly optional? Try Trombone

Are you a pro at 'whack-a-mole'? Try Marimba

Have you always wanted to make ships in bottle? Try Bassoon

Do you feel your intellect far surpasses that of anyone you know? Viola may be for you

Do you enjoy long periods of quiet contemplation followed by bombastic bursts of energy? Try Percussion

Can you read 2 books at the same time, one with each eye? We suggest Piano

Phish bumper sticker? Still don't own a cell phone? Have whittled within the past 3 years? You may enjoy Fiddle

Thanks for all the great feedback on twitter. Now choose one and let's get started! goo.gl/DdFx0

Practice Like You Cook

So you signed up for music lessons and now you're trying to fit that mystical 1/2 hour a day of practice into your busy schedule. But eek! You haven't touched the instrument since last week. So I guess you'll call to cancel your lesson, right? No way!  

First of all,  where did the mystical '30 minutes a day' number come from?  Is it kind of like the old adage 'wait 30 minutes after you eat before going swimming'? Speaking of eating...

The Food Network has done a brilliant job of presenting and even romanticizing the process of cooking. Far too often in music, we (both students and teachers) focus on the results and fail to embrace the process of learning which includes of course - practicing.

Here's a fresh approach to practice by the musical sous-chefs of The Dallas School of Music and Discover, Learn, and Play.

Prep

Let's face it, there are no magic bullets - you will at some point need to put time in on your instrument if you want to have any measure of success. However, we've found that most people spend what little time they do have unproductively and without a plan of attack.  This usually means simply 'playing' songs or exercises from beginning to end or 'noodling' without consciously applying any musical ideas.  

Don't get us wrong, we're all for noodling! But if you're stretched for time, you'll benefit from a little planning when you do have the time to practice.

 Ingredients

If the fridge and pantry are bare, there's a good chance you'll go hungry. You've got to acquire ingredients before you can eat. We sometimes call this 'paper-practice' and encourage busy students (especially adults) to read lesson material and/or take quizzes before they actually 'practice'. 

As time allows, practice like you might make a nice dinner. Assemble the ingredients, prepare the spices, then follow the recipe until you have a completed dish.  Repeat that process and eventually you'll have a full course meal. Repeat it often enough and you can begin to get creative and add your own touches!

These same ideas can apply to your music learning process. A good teacher or method will present musical concepts (ingredients) in the proper sequence, and communicate specific ways to apply them to your instrument  - that's your musical recipe. If need be, spend some lesson time reviewing your ingredients and preparing your recipes. It's time well spent that will pay off down the road. 

Slow-Roasted versus Stir-Frying

Think of practice as being more like making a turkey rather than a quick wok dish.  There are many steps of preparation that must be completed before the oven is even turned on.  And this line of thinking is valid at every musical level; from beginners naming notes and clapping rhythms, to more advanced learners practicing tempo or meter changes. 

Knowledge precedes results in almost every endeavor and any 'practice' time spent with your instrument should be time spent applying the knowledge that you've gained. If you don't have it upstairs (in your head), it won't come out downstairs (on your instrument).

We know you're busy, so a little planning can really go a  long way toward helping you get the most out of your musical journey. And now it's time for dessert - bon appetit!

Are You Still Winding Your Metronome?

Every generation needs to come to grips with the reality that some new ideas may in fact just be better than the status quo. In music (and in particular, music education) we often go kicking and screaming reluctantly into the future with gnashed teeth and angst. 

Come on, admit it.  You still think that wind up metronomes are better than the new, digital varieties.

And how many parents cringe when they hear their kids' music? 

You grew up listening to 80's hair band rock and your Woodstock parents hated it. You listened to 50's Rock and Roll, and your Big Band era parents hated it. And on it goes...

One way or another though, each generation learns to accept, adopt , and utilize new ideas for the better of all.

If you're teaching (or learning) music with outdated materials and are bored with the same old method books...

OR

If you or your students are losing interest ...

We have something new for you.

You can instantly bring your studio up to date by using  Discover, Learn, and Play.  It's the only 'cloud based' music method that comes with full support from a team of professional educators;  and they're the folks who actually developed the product.  Try that with the method book you're currently using!

Quality material and a proven 'process' for learning makes The Kore Series a solid choice for your next music curriculum.  There are 20 Lessons available for 39 instruments including mallet instruments, guitar, and keyboards. 

And hey,  we know that some old school ideas do remain valid, so we'll teach you to actually READ music and understand theory.  We'll even quiz you on musical concepts and ear training as well. But you won't be learning Old MacDonald or Twinkle-Twinkle, you'll be playing original songs with amazing background tracks.

We know that today's savvy learners want information in ways that they have become accustom - and that's digital delivery and 24/7 access for starters. So ask your teacher if they're using The Kore Series and if not, why not?
 
Individual memberships start at just $9.95 per month. Group memberships are also available.

Welcome to Discover, Learn and Play. Let's get started!

Fender Music Foundation

Our recent affiliate outreach has brought us in touch with old friends and amazing new folks that champion great causes. It has been a fun few weeks of calls and introducing ourselves to other folks with a passion for music, music education, and music related goods and services. 


The Fender Music Foundation is one such group that we look forward to working with to achieve our goal of making more music makers of all ages. The text below is from their Mission and Vision statements - how could we NOT contact them?

The Fender Music Foundation was created to provide funding and resources for music programs across America so that kids and adults alike will have an opportunity to experience the joys of music. We also educate the public on the value of a musical education.

We understand the impact music has on the lives of people of all ages, and the tremendous gift it brings to participants and listeners. ...People don't have to be rock stars or professional musicians to enjoy the rewards of music participation, and age is not a factor in the enjoyment or ability to learn to play music. 

That is certainly music to our ears! And we are delighted to help the FMF by having them as an affiliate.  We hope it is the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership - one that leads to creating more happy music makers all over the world.

Be sure to show them some love by following them on Twitter @givemusiclife  and Like them on Facebook too. Click here for more information on how you can help.         

Share Your Passion for Music Education!

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Are you a musician, music teacher, music therapist, music retailer or e-tailer that wants to promote the benefits of music and earn commissions at the same time?

Maybe you are a current DLP user enjoying the experience and want to share us with your friends. 

Our new Affiliate Program  makes it easy to share your passion for music education - and you can earn a little $$ for yourself or your cause along the way!

Music Education for All

Discover, Learn, and Play is an innovative, online, self-paced, music learning program developed by the professional educators of the Dallas School of Music in partnership with the technology experts at MusickEd.com.  The program is currently being used by music makers and enthusiasts all over the world.

We believe that everyone can benefit from learning music and playing an instrument.  Our campaigns to promote music-making have targeted public and private schools, homeschool groups, church organizations, music retailers, and even active senior centers. Through our affiliate program you can help us provide our brand of quality music education and earn 15% recurring commissions on all members that you refer! 

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Our affiliate tracking cookies are "forever" cookies. This means you can earn commissions for as long as your referral remains a member - even if they cancel and re-new at a later date!

All transactions are processed securely by the PayPal system and your affiliate portions are deposited instantly to the account of your choice. There's no waiting for checks to clear or snail mail, just instant deposits upon every membership and renewal. 

Let's Get Started! 

It's an easy process to set up your personal affiliate account and you can tailor the presentation to your desired objectives. We'll even provide several artwork options, and links to our community to make your affiliation as strong as possible. So tell your story, spread the word, and start earning now!