Do you envy those musicians who can play by ear? Or perhaps you are one of them and wonder how it all works? Well generally it’s all about the patterns. Here’s some ideas to think about… Look for the patterns in the song: Most songs have easily identifiable sections like a verse , Read more…
We get asked this a lot. Why can’t I teach myself, or get lessons online? Of course, we are a little biased but here’s some things I might say in response… A tutor knows what you don’t know. Sure, there are hundreds of resources around on the Internet so why not Read more…
Did you know that you can learn more about music just by listening to songs? Try listening to a song by your favourite artist. Can you name the time signature? Try tapping out the beat. Is the tempo fast, or slow? Does it change during the song? You could create Read more…
I’ve always admired those people who can wiggle their ears, especially those who can move the left and right ones independently… no… wait… not that kind of ear training Mark! Of course, what we really are interested is musical ear training—the ability to hear a series of notes, a rhythm, Read more…
Get a great instrument teacher and you’re all sorted, right? Well, it certainly helps, but have you ever thought about what it means to be a good student? After all, a good student with a great teacher has to be the most awesome of combination for your learning. Here’s a few points to consider: Read more…
Over the years I’ve heard countless musicians say that they won’t learn theory because it will “restrict their playing”. I’ve even heard someone say that they won’t learn scales—they would rather make up their own (I’m not convinced that this person will find a musically pleasing arrangement of music’s 12 notes that hasn’t already been Read more…