Congratulations to Matt B., who has earned Vibe's "Student Spotlight" in the month of May!
Making Música: Bringing Cultures Together through Music
Music has a profound way of bringing people together. Whether it’s through performing in school choir or band, singing together in religious services, or jamming with a few friends, music has the power to form bonds between people who are otherwise very different from one another—people of different ages, genders, and sometimes, even people from different cultures.
The Nugget: A Beginner's Guide to Songwriting
I have been asked many times by various students different versions of the same question: “How do I even start writing music?” This question is difficult to answer and varies for everyone, but I would like to talk to you about how I personally write music! This isn’t intended to be a theory breakdown about how to put different harmonies together or song forms but rather as a way to expand on your own ideas.
The Art of Listening: Three Ways To Listen and Grow
In our current society, listening is the root of all music-making. Have you ever watched a two-year-old sit at a piano and explore it by touching any key he or she chooses? If a musician had never been exposed to piano players that make great sounds and had no idea which keys made great sounds when pressed simultaneously, this musician may be no more talented than the two-year-old. By contextualizing what we attempt to create musically, it instantly becomes recognizable and pleasurable to the ear. So, where do we begin?
April 2020 Student Spotlight: Emma Jane H.
Life Lessons from the Music Room: Emotional Intelligence and Expression
“When words fail, music speaks.” This quote, paraphrased from Hans Christian Anderson, expresses the reality that many of us experience when we listen to music. Words may feel insufficient to describe the way we feel, but when expressed through music, our emotions can seem remarkably clear.
In these uncertain times, I’m sure that many of you have taken refuge in the solace of music, but music’s ability to express emotion has greater implications than just its therapeutic benefit. By studying music, students also have the unique opportunity to habitually examine their emotions and to develop greater their emotional intelligence as they learn to express emotion through music.
Should I try online music lessons during COVID-19?
It’d be the understatement of the year to say that we’re living in some strange times. And with the reality of drastic social distancing right now, online music lessons have emerged as a topic for consideration for a lot of people—for some as a substitution for their indefinitely paused in-person lessons, and for others as a new activity to try out while their calendars are a little less dense than normal.
Naturally, as a result, we’re getting a ton of questions about virtual music lessons - the pros, the cons, the different options, so I thought it'd be helpful to give my answer to some commonly asked questions.
Tips To Improve Your Rhythmic Technique
Even though I’m a drummer, this article has some gems for other instrumentalists. although I’ve been playing drums for over twenty years, I didn’t start using serious rhythm improvement techniques until…well, I’d rather not say. 😓 But if I had taken this article’s advice, I would have been WAY more prepared for auditions, performances and studio recording. I wouldn’t have spent so many years with the bad habit of speeding up my tempo, especially while playing fills! Truth be told, that habit STILL haunts my rhythm technique! 😵
March 2020 Student Spotlight: Grace B.
Life Lessons from the Music Room: Perseverance
Every instrument has milestones that you have to hurdle to reach the next level as a musician. Whether that’s getting over the break, mastering shifting, or playing bar chords that actually make a sound, we all experience a moment when what was easy and fun suddenly becomes anything but. These hurdles can leave you with all the pain of bruised shins and skinned knees, but they are a valuable opportunity to learn the lesson of perseverance.
