How often have you walked straight past a soulful singer strumming a guitar in the town centre? A lone violinist bringing a tender classical repertoire to life? The miracle of what these brave souls create is too often lost in a world where ‘music’ is everywhere. And they are brave souls. When you speak to…
I am commonly asked these two questions: 1. How soon after commencing lessons should I purchase a drum kit? 2. Should I buy an electronic or an acoustic set? The drums can be very difficult to practice without the kit in front of you, especially if you are learning grooves and are expected to play along…
“At the end of every music lesson, my teacher tells me to practice. What does that mean?” What is NOT effective practice? Playing your instrument in between your lessons is the only way to make real progress. You can’t expect to develop any kind of understanding by just playing in your weekly session. Music isn’t something we…
Tuning is one of the most overlooked areas of drum performance. You could be the best player in the world, but if your kit sounds bad then the performance can lose its impact. The key to tuning is creating even tension over the drum head. Each head, or skin, must be in tune with itself and…
Playing fast is fun. There’s no doubt about it! That feeling you get as the adrenaline kicks in, playing your newest pattern at warp speed! Sometimes it’s the only way to play the pattern; by playing faster, the feedback to your ears is quicker, so you know you’re playing it correctly. Try and slow it…
Preparation is key to achieve the best possible mark in your music exam.
Read these tips to learn how to prepare effectively and find out exactly what your examiner will be looking for on exam day.
Music is most deeply relevant when it is a ‘conversation’ between two or more musicians. The more we ‘speak’ with others, the better we get at conversing in the language of music.