Here are a few pointers for getting the right gift for the right person.

• Know the Person – As with all gift giving, think about the person you want to give the gift to.
  • Has the person expressed an interest in playing an instrument?
  • Are they desiring a specific instrument?
  • What is the person’s musical experience?
  • What style of music do they love?
  • What are their reasons for wanting to play?

Choosing a quality instrument

If you are not familiar with musical instruments, this will take some effort, but don’t let that discourage you.

• Know Your Limitations and Get Help-
  Ask lots of questions of knowledgeable musicians who play the instrument you are considering. Be sure to ask them about facts to look for and brands they recommend.
• Online Reviews-
  Do an online search for reviews. Include the word review along with things like the type of instrument, brand, and/or model. Amazon and are a great resource for personal reviews from people who have owned the product.
• Return Policy-
  Make sure there is a good return policy just in case the instrument is not a good fit.
• Use Gift Cards-
  An instrument can be a very personal decision. A gift card allows the recepient to choose what is best for them.
• Avoid buying used or from online auctions-
  If you are not familiar with an instrument, you may want to avoid buying a used instrument or buying from online auctions. Stick with a reputable company with a good return policy.  Even the new items on the online auctions can be suspect. Many are poor quality instruments imported cheaply from overseas.

Instrument Ideas
Here are a few instrument ideas and resources for finding them.

• Simple to Learn Instruments-ukelele, dulcimer, recorder, harmonica, kazoo and many percussion instruments
• Instrument Families
  • Brass – trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba…
  • Woodwind – flute, clarinet, oboe, sax…
  • Classical Strings – violin, viola, cello and bass
  • Other Strings – guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, banjo, dulcimers…
  • Percussion – Snare drum, drum set (standard or electronic), xylophone, glockenspiel, world percussion, handheld percussion…
  • Keyboard – piano, digital piano, keyboard

An additional tip, if you can afford it, add music lessons as part of the gift. If you can’t afford to add lessons, do some research and give them the name of one or more teachers to contact. Instruction books and videos can be helpful, too.

Hoping you have musical holidays,

Deborah

We are both firm believers in general music classes for young children, followed by a foundation in piano, and then private study and ensemble experience with the instrument of their choice. Up until about age 8 or 9 music is more developmental and process oriented, and we don’t believe in structured private lessons at too young of an age.

We have taken him to Kindermusik classes since he was about 15 months old. (The Kodaly and Orff music education methods are also good). He has two more years of Kindermusik and then he will begin keyboard training through a program called Music Makers at the Keyboard. It is a wonderful program where the kids learn to hear music first then write it–just like language is learned. In St. Louis we enroll him in Community Music School, but these classes are offered across the country (and possibly internationally).

We will begin private piano instruction when these classes are over or toward the end. We really have to assess it as it goes. Somewhere in the process he will most likely choose a different instrument he wants to be his focus of study.

As part of our homeschooling we will soon begin playing music from a single composer. We will have the music playing in our home for several weeks with some of the time spent actively listening and discussing the music. We will tie it in with other things he is learning such as history, geography, science, art. It will change over time. Since he is only five, much of what we do will be learning through play and through reading.

The goal is so he can build a relationship with the music and the composer.  We will begin with Tchaikovsky since we are seeing The Nutcracker ballet in December.

This is our approach for our structured music training. There are many ways you can tailor this in your own family and we have seen many approaches.  This is not a set in stone plan, either. For instance, if our son had a super focused interest in a particular instrument we would have weighed that in with our decision making.

When it comes to activities for our son, music is our priority. If we can’t afford anything else, we will have music class–even if it is a sacrifice.

Our main goal is to create a musical foundation for him that he can stand on no matter what his musical choices are later. That foundation includes developing musical skills, understanding, enjoyment, and appreciation. The added brain and motor development is a big plus, too.

Musically yours,

Deborah

Here are a few tips to help you

Don’t wait for your child to show an interest – music is an innate part of being human and plays important roles in brain development, emotional health, motor development, and more.

Many parents take a wait and see approach to music and will often only go to the effort for children who are showing some interest or aptitude. However, just like learning a language, music is best learned at a very young age.

Consider it as important as the 3 R’s.  Since music helps improve a child’s abilities with the 3 R’s, then it’s really a win-win.

Potential Outcomes – Remember that music is as much about the process as it is about outcome. A musical activity may seem small or inconsequential, but it’s is usually very significant. Every small task creates an imprint. It’s like a musical bank account. It develops the brain, it creates muscle memory, it helps make an emotional connection…. These are all very important. Music is not an instant gratification process and that’s a good thing. Encourage your child to strive to do better, but find the balance so music can blossom rather than become a ride on a treadmill.

Where to Start – Don’t rush your child into private study of a musical instrument too soon.  Many parents want to start their kids in piano at 3, 4, or 5 years old. Unless your child has such an interest in a particular instrument that they can’t think of anything else, it is best to start them in general music classes. There are many classes like this for young children. They focus on helping the child learn to listen, how to feel the beat, how to interact with music. As the child gets older they slowly progress adding things as they are developmentally ready.

If a child starts on a musical level before they are developmentally ready it can backfire. The child can get frustrated and may become determined never to play the instrument again.

You are not too late – Even if your child is already school age or a teenager, go ahead and get them started. It’s not like an invisible window closes and you’ve completely missed it. It is ideal to start young, especially to give your child the opportunity to develop enough for advanced study, but don’t get discouraged if you didn’t understand that sooner.

Practice makes experience - One of my husband’s cello teachers often said “Practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes experience”.  The point of practice is to build skill and understanding. The amount of time spent in practice should be in line with goals and developmental levels.  For most young and beginning musicians teachers expect about a half hour a day.

Studies have shown that short bursts of music practice are as effect as long sessions. Even six focused five minute sessions are very beneficial. It may be difficult for you or your child to sit down for half an hour with the busy schedules families have these days. Scheduling five, ten, or fifteen minute sessions is very doable for most people.

Remember to keep the time focused. Help your child decide what they are going to work on when they sit down and guide them to spend the session doing that.  It can be anything that isn’t quite right including mastering a tricky measure, improving tone or keeping the tempo steady.  Be sure to spend time looking at the music more deeply, not just playing through it.

Time for fun – Be sure to allow time for fun. There’s a time for discipline and a time for play. The beauty of discipline is that it makes the play much richer. The danger of discipline alone is the joy of the music is often lost. Many times the challenges we place on ourselves as we are having fun are some of the best practice experiences.

Just remember to keep things in perspective, continue to find the balance between discipline and fun. This is a growing process in itself.

Deborah

Recently, Greg Pritchard, sporting a wild-haired rocker look, wowed everyone by showcasing his counter tenor voice. Counter tenors sing very high and it’s always a little freaky to me when watch them sing.

I enjoyed both performances very much. I love music done well and I love when false perceptions about music are broken.

Even though I can here that Paul lacks training and has room for improvement in that area, I am moved by the passion of his singing. It’s not just a voice that is heard in good singing, it is soul as well.

I was amazed at Greg’s control and skill as a singer as he effortlessly placed those notes in all the right places. Something I’ve always struggled with.

Of course, you’ve got to give kudos to Puccini for writing such a beautiful piece of music.

People often say that getting musical training takes away your ability to enjoy music because you start to analyze it. That hasn’t been true for me. I find increases my love for it even more. I love how one song, written by one person, can live so many different lives through the voices of many. It’s one of the awesome things about music.

Look below for videos of the two “Nessu Dorma” performances. Very different and very beautiful.

Live Musically,

Deborah

Summer is a good time to work on music. It’s a time when most people are making a shift in their lives due to changes in routines.  Use that change in routine to your musical advantage. Here are a few ideas…

Do a Quick Change
If you or your child are already in lessons you might consider making a shift in the music you are studying. Go with something more light-hearted or choose a theme. You could learn a bunch of camp songs or beach songs. If you’ve been studying more serious classical music, mix it up with some pop, jazz or show tunes for the summer.

Pick up a new instrument
Learn your first (or your 14th) instrument. It’s all for fun and you can leave serious decisions for the end of the summer. Just let yourself explore.

Dust off an old instrument
Where’s that high school band instrument hiding these days? Dig it out, get it worked on if necessary, and find a place to play. Feeling insecure and out of shape? Play a lot at home. Also look for a summer band or orchestra that lets anyone join.  There are plenty of groups that let anyone in.

Create a Your Own Opportunities
If you live in a rural area, you may have to create your own opportunities. You don’t have to start your own music group, but you could have reading party or a jam session. This was very popular in the days before recorded music. You could do it one time or create a club. Just make sure it is a no pressure event. No critiques allowed and lots of good times.

My summer music plans are simple. I have decided to spend more time just playing piano and guitar from my fakebooks and trying to get back into my songwriting groove. I want to build up the number of songs I know and to just have more live music filling our home.

What kind of plans are you pondering?

Live Musically,

Deborah

I taught in people’s homes back then and observed a lot of what their mom, Phyllis, did to help them. She strongly believes in the importance of music for people on the autism spectrum because she has seen the benefits with her two Asperger’s kids and her autistic brother.

The benefits are many. I recently wrote article about it called “Autism Symptoms & Music – 5 Ways Music Can Make a Difference With Autism”. In it I discuss ways that music can help autistic people have a better quality of live physically, mentally, and socially.

You can read get the full article by clicking the “articles” tab above. You can also get there by clicking
www.ourmusicalhome.com/blog/articles/ or www.articlesbydeborah.com

I hope it helps. I’d love to hear your thoughts. The comment area is open 24/7.

Until next time,
Deborah

P.S. My friend, Phyllis, has written a book titled “Nurturing Your Asperger’s Child”. If you are caring for someone with Asperger’s or even PDD-NOS it’s worth checking out. Just go to www.myautisminfo.com

Now my focus is back on wearing my music hat. Right now I’m working on an ebook that I think is going to be helpful for a lot of people. It’s based on some basic lessons I always gave to my guitar students. The whole focus is to provide the tools and knowledge to simplify the music and make it more playable for their skill level. It’s an easy process to learn, but for some reason it’s not being taught anywhere that I know of. I’ll keep you posted on the progress.

I’m starting to get my brain cells back from tax land, so expect more musical posts. In the meantime, I’d like to leave you with a little fun with an instrument called a vibraslap. One video is a serious lesson. The other is tongue in cheek.

Live musically,
Deborah

• We can passively listen to music while we do other things
• We can listen to music expressively by focusing on how it has an effect on our moods and emotions
• We can look at it intellectually by analyzing the components of the music and its form.

Developing our listening ability gives us ways to be more connected to our music. It’s like the difference between fast food and fine dining. Good listening lets you savor the music. You can do little things everyday to develop those listening skills. It doesn’t have to be difficult.

Open your mind to what’s around you. Have your brain start to check-in when you’re listening to the radio in the car or the background music at a place of business.

As you are listening start asking yourself questions, like what style is this, what instruments are used, what is the melody line. Try to get a feel for the beat of the song and see if you can hear how the melody line moves up and down.

Little activities can do a lot for helping you see music in a different way.

Get in touch with your emotions about music. Does it calm you or cause some stress? Do you have any feelings about what the music is communicating? If it is a familiar piece of music, have you had strong emotions about it in the past? Are they different now?

You see, it doesn’t take much to start moving in a musical direction. Start with awareness.

Christmas music is very important to me and it was the inspiration for the chapter I recently wrote for a book called Saving Christmas.  The chapter title is “Getting Personal With Your Christmas Music” and focuses on ways to have richer experiences with your music by getting to know it better.  The book is available now and I am offering the chapter for free for those who sign-up for my newsletter.  Go to http://savingchristmas.ourmusicalhome.com to learn more about it.

I hope that your preparations for the holidays and the holidays themselves are a joyous time for you and your family. I’d like to encourage you to take the time to really listen to what you are singing this year.  You might find something you are missing.

Deborah

He’s got some great insights and advice on learning music and developing your musicianship. A lot of what he talks about crosses over to other areas of life such as goal setting, finding and keeping focus and following through.

I also like how he often lays the information out in bulleted form and ends posts with specific action steps. It’s very practical and accessible information for any level of musician.

Since Ed teaches in Massachusetts, most of us don’t have access to him for lessons. However, we can all learn quite a bit from his 30 years of teaching through this very helpful blog he has developed.

To check it out go to http://edmascari.com/emblog/.  His main site is http://edmascari.com

Musically,
Deborah