It’s difficult to overstate how important breathing is to the process of singing (or speaking!). But, if we break the action of singing down to its simplest components, it is a function of just two pillars: controlled intake and release of breath, coupled with carefully shaping the vocal tract based on the desired effects. By bringing the vocal folds together through a series of tiny muscular coordinations (and by the power of the Bernoulli effect), we create phonation (sound), but if the breathing system is working efficiently, this part happens largely without your conscious thought. It may surprise singers to...
Guitar / Piano
Non-Musical Activities That Improve Musical Ability
One common misconception that many people have is that musical ability is something you either have or you don’t. Musical skill is definitely something that can be improved upon and strengthened with consistent practice, just like everything else. Even the most popular and iconic artists had to spend thousands of hours practicing, spending days upon days just perfecting their craft. Here are 3 practical non-musical activities that can help you improve your musical ability: 1. Mindfulness Meditation Meditation gives us the silence and space we need to rest from the business of daily life. It helps us reconnect and ground...
Guitar / Piano
How Learning an Instrument Benefits the Brain
“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” – Plato Playing an instrument involves all of our senses, leading scientists to conclude that music can result in long-lasting changes in the brain. While listening to music engages multiple areas of your brain, learning an instrument can be compared to a full-body mental workout! Here are some reasons why learning an instrument will greatly benefit our brain power: Memory We all know that learning an instrument improves one’s memory and literacy. When...
Guitar / Piano
How Exercise Helps You Be a Better Musician
It’s a great habit to spend more time practicing your musical instrument, but don’t neglect your physical health! Exercise is definitely a good way to stay healthy. As musicians, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle will also help in building up stamina and endurance to be able to give your best performance every time. Here are some ways regular exercise can help you become a better musician: Better Breathing When you train your cardiovascular endurance, you learn how to breathe more efficiently. This is a huge advantage for singers and those who play wind or brass instruments. In general, performers who do...
Uncategorized
Benefits Of Performing In Music Recitals
Music recitals are a vital part of the performing arts world and students who take part in them often consider the events to be the highlight of their experience. Giving effective performances is an important skill that participants will learn, but students will do best if they are encouraged to join and not forced. Despite the hard work and long hours, recitals are a rewarding activity for everyone. Here are some of the many benefits to performing in music recitals: Music students who have a performance to look forward to experience a sense of urgency because of the nearing deadline....
Guitar / Piano
How To Practice Music More Effectively
We all know that practice makes perfect. With regular exercise of a certain skill, being proficient in the activity is inevitable. How often should we practice in order to improve? How does one become truly proficient? Here is a list of ways on how to practice music better: PRACTICE SMARTER, NOT LONGER “Practice with your fingers and you need all day. Practice with your mind and you will do as much in 1 1/2 hours.” – Leopold Auer Practicing too much is as bad as practicing too little. A music student should be aware of what specific objective to focus...
Guitar / Piano / Voice
How To Memorize A Performance Piece
Ever wonder how musicians in an orchestra memorize their performance piece? How do school bands memorize their sets? Whatever the genre, many musicians tend to forget at one point or another. In order to avoid this mishap, practicing is essential. As the saying goes, “practice makes perfect”! Here are 4 methods that musicians use to memorize a performance piece: MUSCLE MEMORY The act of physically practicing is the strongest yet the most fragile way to memorize a piece. Its strength lies in the way you repeatedly perform the song until you understand and recognize every aspect of it. It is described as fragile way because when you...
Guitar / Piano
How To Choose The Right Instrument For You
Starting to take an interest in musical instruments, but still unsure of what to choose? Picking the right instrument only seems tough at first, but as long as you feel comfortable playing it and enjoy the music you make, you’ll never go wrong. One tip is to also consider whether an instrument will help and motivate you to practice and learn. Here are some tips on choosing the right instrument for you: SOUND This is probably the most important factor that you should consider. After all, if you don’t like how an instrument sounds, you most likely won’t be able to enjoy regular practice sessions! Experiment...
Voice
Why You Should Take Singing Lessons
Let’s get one thing straight: singing lessons are for everyone. You read that right! Anyone can learn how to sing. Not everyone will be a prodigy or a legendary vocalist, but everyone can learn how to sing in their own unique style. Practicing our own unique instrument—our voice—will yield definite results. Like any other instrument, singing can be improved through training. Some people learn quicker and are naturally adept when it comes to singing but, just like how practicing fast guitar picking improves one’s speed, singing is a skill that can be trained. Singing lessons are worth the investment whether...
Guitar / Piano
What To Consider When Choosing An instrument For Your Child
Your child is finally taking an interest in playing a musical instrument! Children are easily attracted to music; it arouses their curiosity by nature and they will easily develop a love for it. One child might like the booming of the drums while the other might like a violin, a saxophone or even an oboe! There are lots of practical factors you should consider to help you gauge your child’s interest and find the perfect perfect instrument: Consider your child’s age Children below than 6 years old are limited in the instruments they can physically handle while older children can...