Sometimes, I think my phone listens to my conversations too well. I only see targeted ads for things I’ve discussed in chats everywhere. Most of the time, I get ads on my phone for stuff I couldn’t care less about; but other times, some strange alignment of the planets brings me the perfect ad. That… Continue reading The Case for Fusing Passions & Preserving Curiosity
We parents try to set up our kids for success. That usually takes the form of homework help, immunizations, a 529 plan, regular health check-ups, prep for the SAT, and the like. However, did you know that investing in music lessons for your child now will set up his/her little brain for healthy aging 40… Continue reading Sound Investment Advice
Developing your “ear” for music is a fundamental part of becoming a confident musician & songwriter. Still, it can also be challenging to understand precisely where to start. By practicing more complex brain games incrementally, we can gain a deeper awareness when listening, songwriting, and performing. This is lesson three of three on how to… Continue reading Practical & Playful Ear Training, Part Three
Every parent has been there. That moment when you have repeated yourself ad infinitum to your (seemingly deaf) child without a flicker of acknowledgement. That moment that requires the uncanny willpower not to scream at a decibel that will likely cause an Indonesian tidal wave and can only be heard by dogs. Luckily, we can… Continue reading A Sound Argument for Music Lessons
Developing your “ear” for music is a fundamental part of becoming a confident musician & songwriter. Still, it can also be challenging to understand precisely where to start. By practicing more complex brain games incrementally, we can gain a deeper awareness when listening, songwriting, and performing. This is lesson two of three. Here, I will… Continue reading Practical & Playful Ear Training, Part Two
“I am bored”. The three words that are the bane of a parent’s existence. Boredom is not to be trifled with – it is well established that the greatest threat to success is not failure, but rather boredom. Unfortunately, it is also well established that learning how to play an instrument involves repetition, an obvious… Continue reading A Parent’s Guide to Boredom
Developing your “ear” for music is a fundamental part of becoming a confident musician & songwriter. Still, it can also be challenging to understand precisely where to start. By practicing incrementally more complex brain games, we can gain a deeper awareness when listening, songwriting, and performing. Also known as “aural skills” in the study of… Continue reading Practical & Playful Ear Training, Part One
Today there’s no shortage of the ways that parents can schedule their kids. Multiple club sports, robotics teams, volunteering, coding programs are just some of the ways to fill every vacant slot of a family’s iCal. However, when the pandemic put a hard stop on enrichments giving us all a moment to reassess, many parents started… Continue reading Music & Academic Performance
This is a walkthrough for the readers who are anxious musicians, for anyone who may have anxiety, and for singers/instrumentalists who benefit from practicing proper breathing techniques. The Wim Hof breathing method is excellent for anyone who seeks better control over their breath when anxiety creeps into their lives. The process is flexible for any… Continue reading Wim Hof, Breath Control, and the Anxious Musician
As a parent, you’re painfully aware of the sway that instant gratification has over your young musician. While you can extol the virtues of music lessons and practice to your child, when competing for his time and interest, the siren song of Snapchat will always win. And win big. However, don’t despair. Instant gratification can… Continue reading Habit Tracking
