One of the biggest challenges parents and teachers face when it comes to their children learning an instrument is helping them to practice consistently. While some students may be naturally self motivated and excited to practice, others who love music may…
Are you new to playing a string instrument?Perhaps your child has just begun learning a string instrument.As you listen to them practice you might find yourself wondering how you can best support the development of their sound. Some issues with a…
Playing a string instrument is a physical activity and requires us to be mindful of our bodies when playing. Developing good posture helps students play better, avoid discomfort, and prevent potential injuries. As a teacher, I know that it…
Perhaps your child has started showing an interest in playing a string instrument. Maybe their school has sent home information highlighting the different string instruments they can study, but you’re not sure what each instrument is about or which one might…
As teachers we are always working on the fundamentals of tone production and what goes into creating a beautiful bow sound. These concepts include bow weight, bow speed, and bow placement. Some years ago, I created a handy visual reference for…
It is the start of a new school year!If you are beginning your year, perhaps that means you are starting beginners on a new instrument or switching students from one instrument to another. This is definitely the case for me…
It is mid-August right now and the beginning of the school year is quickly approaching. We as music educators know how important it is to cultivate a positive community at the start of the year. This includes setting a positive and…
I wanted to share with everyone that I launched a new store on Etsy – Grace Notes Music Tools. Similar to my store on Teachers Pay Teachers, I will be sharing teaching resources and materials as well as original music inspired…
In 2001 the Smithsonian Museum of American History created Jazz Appreciation month to celebrate the deep history of jazz during the month of April. While many of the most influential jazz musicians were woodwind and brass players, pianists, or rhythm section…
Pentatonic scales are fun and can unlock so much creativity and expression for students. The sounds of pentatonic scales are so familiar and accessible to our ears. Every note sounds good!My goal is for my students to learn nine major…