This is my first writing on music theory trauma, a term I am defining as (working definition), "any negative music learning experience associated with music theory, emotions of anxiety, fear, and insecurity formed while learning music theory in classes, lessons, or experienced in public performance, all contributing to varying degrees of a lower sense of self worth as a musician."
As with all online trolling and negative comments, these music theory reactions stem from wounds experienced earlier in some kind of music learning environment that created shame. While an endless number of factors could have influenced that sense of shame, the negative reaction (such as a public hate comment) is evidence that these wounds have not been healed. The comment really has nothing to do with the original issue or event at hand. As someone who regularly witnesses deep-rooted negativity around my discipline, it has taken this point to really sink in and not take anything personally.
]]>I was right.
So I was surprised to learn over the past decade of being a music theory professor, and especially in the past six years on Instagram and other social media platforms, that many folks have an adverse reaction to this kind of music learning. In fact, some do not see the value in it at all.
These responses and others are trauma responses. From Health. Wellness. Prevention., a trauma is "an emotional response to a distressing event or situation that breaks a sense of security. Traumatic events may be life threatening, yet any events that overwhelm or isolate can result in trauma."
Trauma that has occurred in the past can be easily accessed and thrown instantly back into that emotional state by a trigger. A trigger is a reminder of the trauma initiating fight or flight emotions, sometimes subconsciously, and the trauma response is an emotional or heightened reaction in the present moment.
This is my first writing on music theory trauma, a term I am defining as (working definition), "any negative music learning experience associated with music theory, emotions of anxiety, fear, and insecurity formed while learning music theory in classes, lessons, or experienced in public performance, all contributing to varying degrees of a lower sense of self worth as a musician."
As with all online trolling and negative comments, these music theory reactions stem from wounds experienced earlier in some kind of music learning environment that created shame. While an endless number of factors could have influenced that sense of shame, the negative reaction (such as a public hate comment) is evidence that these wounds have not been healed. The comment has nothing to do with the original issue or event at hand. As someone who regularly witnesses deep-rooted negativity around my discipline, it has taken this point to really sink in and not take anything personally.
In this article, my goal is only to present the topic and how I came into this area of study in order to stimulate the writing process. Ultimately, this is the topic (or a large part of the topic) for my upcoming article in the journal, Music Theory Specturm (forthcoming 2024).
As I begin this research, I will be using my social media data (with four viral reels = 1-6 million views) and 10-years+ experience as a music theory professor at multiple institutions (with curriculum design experience and expertise in music theory pedagogy). I don't have all of the answers, but, every music educator I talk to about the topic of music theory trauma shares similar student experiences that are clearly the result of some form of shame experienced during the music learning journey.
I do believe that there is collective healing of generational trauma from some of the dictatorial styles of classical music training of past decades. Many of those musicians, now educators, are breaking the cycle (some experienced very obvious forms of emotional abuse), and are empathetic enough to identify fear-based responses to music training in their own students. I will dedicate an entire article to proposing pedagogical approaches that alleviate trauma responses.
In the past, I've joked about the music theory "haters" and didn't take the negativity too serious until recently, when I was creating my "Intro to Music School" online course and realized that I was still in the process of healing some of my own music theory trauma.
You can watch that lesson below:
A growing sampling of my questions thus far:
Experiencing trauma is part of being a human, so how is music theory trauma any different?
Why does performing poorly in music theory classes or as being self taught, hurt so much more than performing poorly in math (or other non-art subject)?
Why is developing music literacy (the ability to read and notate music), a large part of music education, seem to be unduly criticized more than general language literacy?
Why is knowing scales, chords, modes and even the names of these elements (music fundamentals) considered an uninspired, non-artistic approach to music creation by some?
Some musicians are careful to not sound too "nerdy" or even request that their music lessons avoid music theory altogether. (Instagram @lessonswithlindyofficial, post 3/14/2024)
I do have a working theory on music theory trauma responses. Music is a highly emotional art form that merges with our identity, our culture, and our values, and that's true for non-musicians. Imagine how much more is at stake when you're actually a musician grappling with becoming proficient on an instrument(s), public performance, studying the mechanics of music (music theory), and artistic development (music maturation). Oh--and did I mention that most college/music school musicians connect academic performance in music school with their ability to create a livelihood in music? That is a lot of pressure, but it is only true to a point.
The essence of the musical art form is inherently deeply personal and hits our emotional core, so it makes perfect sense that the folks creating this art form would judge their own learning journey as part of their value.
When I was completely defeated writing my Ph.D. dissertation, Dave Novak (Professor of Ethnomusicology at UC Santa Barbara), gave me a hugely healing thought to consider which relates to any challenging learning experience: "As babies learning to walk, did our parents judge all of the times we fell down? Did we judge ourselves when we kept falling because we just learning how to use our legs? No. We just got back up again and again until we could control our legs and footing."
So why is there so little self-empathy for the music learning journey? How is music theory trauma affecting the next generation of musicians? I have more questions than answers.
I'll end with the content that prompted the trauma responses throughout this writing. To give more context, the Instagram reel that I had posted was a scene from the tv show, Home Movies (2001-2004), where during Duane's guitar lesson, his teacher gives him a rapid-fire quiz on chords and modes (plus a funny joke).
Comments can be roughly categorized into three camps: (1) positive, encouraging reactions; (2) music theory trauma responses (AKA trolls); and (3) those wanting to publicly correct any errors in the music theory jargon. It's important to note that the Instagram algorithm will feature content with a lot of engagement, positive or negative, so this particular reel was viewed 2.2 million times with 118K likes and 1,012 comments.
Click below to watch.
Your questions, comments, and suggestions are greatly appreciated. If you would like to share your own music theory trauma experience(s) for my research, I will have a form to share in the near future.
Please share literature that you think would help me in my research.👇
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I've read dozens and dozens of Music Teacher Studio Policies, and the majority of educators are undercharging their services for private lessons, resulting in leaving money on the table, and, creating serious implications for music education as a whole.
Many of you know that I am an advocate for music educators, and I want us to sit in our worth. If the majority of music teachers are lowering their fees, it devalues all of us.
]]>I've read dozens and dozens of Music Teacher Studio Policies, and the majority of educators are undercharging their services for private lessons, resulting in leaving money on the table, and, creating serious implications for music education as a whole.
Many of you know that I am an advocate for music educators, and I want us to sit in our worth. If the majority of music teachers are lowering their fees, it devalues all of us.
In any other space, one-on-one individualized services are more expensive. Some music teachers teaching private lessons are charging less than a nail service or haircut (I understand that some may value beauty services higher than education. I do not).
Private one-on-one lessons are the most laborious of services, a trading of time for dollars, and should be compensated as such. There is so much more that goes into running a teaching studio. Surprisingly, the hours of admin is often overlooked when determining pricing.
There are now MANY online music learning apps, group and mentorship learning programs for those that have limited funds but want to learn and instrument or voice.
The new business model for experienced music teachers is to SCALE with group programs, self-study digital courses (apps), and upsell add-ons to music lessons like extra theory, ear training, and composition lessons.
I know this because I have similar offerings here at Music Theory Shop, and I teach this strategy in Start Your Own Piano Teaching Studio Today.
Private lessons are a "white glove" type service that is individualized. We are personal trainers for music. This type of service is not equivalent to a self-study app, or self-study lessons with some mentorship coaching.
So, let's collectively raise our value and charge our worth. Please share this article.
See my pricing guide 👇
FREE GUIDE: What to Charge for Music Lessons
Note: in this article, I'm not addressing how to approach raising your rates, which is a delicate topic and needs a stand alone post.
What are your thoughts and comments? Agree or disagree with my pricing guide? Please leave them below 👇
]]>*Music Executives $150-$300K+
Music Tech $80-$150K+
Music Educators $25-$90K (non-admin)
If you're a music educator, those figures feel like a slap in the face. In comparison with all other music industry-related yearly salaries, it is a fact that music educators are the LEAST compensated. I believe that we live in a culture (U.S.A.) in which education, in general, is not respected and valued in terms of compensation. This isn't a controversial statement if you are in education.
For the amount of financial investment into our own musical training, the ROI (return on investment) is most often not there.
In this article, I'm going to tell you what you need to charge for teaching individual music lessons (instrumental, voice, theory, musicianship).
]]>Get the FREE GUIDE on what to charge for lessons HERE which includes all three levels of pricing.
If you're a music educator, those figures feel like a slap in the face. In comparison with all other music industry-related yearly salaries, it is a fact that music educators are the LEAST compensated. I believe that we live in a culture (U.S.A.) in which education, in general, is not respected and valued in terms of compensation. This isn't a controversial statement if you are in education.
For the amount of financial investment into our own musical training, the ROI (return on investment) is most often not there.
In this article, I'm going to tell you what you need to charge for teaching individual music lessons (instrumental, voice, theory, musicianship).
First, after reviewing endless Studio Policies by music teachers, most are undercharging. Most of the "music teacher influencer" training seminars I've studied tell everybody to simply raise their prices. And I do agree, but why are we undercharging in the first place?
Part of the reason why music teachers don't charge their worth (which *should* correspond to the investment both financially, musical experience, and expertise) is because, culturally (USA), the cost of music education has been devalued in terms of compensation. This is true in most private music studios, K-12, and higher education.
Music education is mostly seen as an "elective," "extracurricular," something "extra" on top of standard required subjects like math, science, and languages.
Another reason is because we collectively want to make music education accessible. And that is a noble consideration. We want as many families as possible to be able to afford us. But do you think doctors and lawyers want to make their services "accessible?" That is a whole other topic beyond the scope of this article. But think about the degree to which creatives (those in the fine arts, performing arts) are often concerned about financial accessibility over other professions.
An aside warning before we get started: Please DO NOT lower your fees for anyone. Not for friends. Not for family. It devalues your services, and it ends up devaluing all of us. Instead, you can offer scholarships if you want to make lessons accessible to those without the resources or based on merit.
I've broken fees down to musical experience, degrees earned and credentials, professional musical experience with or without degrees, and included approximate investment into musical training. I am not including what music celebrities should charge.
Investment can include lessons, college courses, competitions, online courses, workshops, masterclasses, books, sheet music, online resources, instruments, gear, college tuition...ANYTHING that contributed to your musical learning process.
Professional performing experience could be touring, playing gigs, concertizing, recitals, studio recording. For each level, it isn't expected to have every single experience listed.
When to raise fees: For every significant professional achievement (new degree earned, new publication, new record, new award, etc.), RAISE your fees. You should be raising your fees about every 18-24 months if you are continuing your own musical training and gaining professional experience (which I know you are because musicians are lifelong learners).
Get the FREE GUIDE on what to charge for lessons HERE which includes all three levels of pricing below.
Zero degree or high school diploma, 5+ years in weekly private music lessons, AP Music Theory or other music certification for serious young musicians, online music classes taken, such as theory, musicianship, production.
Approx: $9K investment in training (based on $150/month)
Charge:
Community College degree (A.A. in USA), 5-10 years in private lessons, college-level courses in music. Start to invest in instrument(s) and gear.
Approx: $25K+ investment
Charge:
Certifications in Music, 15+ years in private lessons + tuition, online courses, 5+ professional performing experience, K-12 teaching experience, more investment in instrument(s), gear, software programs, music library (sheet music), music technology. Continuing music training and development through workshops, courses, self study.
Approx: $30K+ investment
Charge:
Bachelor degree (in music), 10+ years in private lessons + tuition, 2-5 years professional performance experience, beginning K-12 music teaching career. Starting to invest in instrument(s), gear, software programs, music library (sheet music), music technology.
Approx: $50K-$200K+ investment depending on school
Charge:
Masters Degree (in music), 15+ years private lessons + tuition, online courses, 5+ professional performing experience, K-12 teaching experience, more investment in instrument(s), gear, software programs, music library (sheet music), music technology. High profile touring musician or recording artist. Continuing music training and development through workshops, courses, self study.
Approx: $70K-$250K+ investment depending on school and gear
Charge:
Doctorate in Music, DMA=Doctorate in Musical Arts (performance degree); PhD=Doctor of Philosophy (research degree). 20+ years private lessons + tuition, online courses, 5+ professional performing experience, K-12 teaching experience, more investment in instrument(s), gear, software programs, music library (sheet music), music technology. Attendance and participation in conferences, workshops, masterclasses, continuing music training and development. Regular publishing and/or performing. Higher education teaching experience. High profile touring musician or recording artist.
Approx: $100K-$300K+ investment depending on school and gear
Charge:
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As I read this, I still don't think it is enough for the value that we bring to our culture. I'd like to multiply everything by 2 right now. But, these figures are acceptable at this time.
Music teachers: this is a strategy to make the income you need to support your livelihood, and one that every business employs. Sit in your worth.
My fee recommendations are based on my experience living in Los Angeles, California which has a high cost-of-living; however, it is my opinion that this pay structure is valid no matter where you live. If you want to charge less, let students apply for scholarships with you.
*these figures are based on my personal knowledge of friends in various music industries.
This is one of the lessons in my self-study online course, "Start Your Own Piano Teaching Studio Today," which is designed for new music teachers or musicians wanting to create an easy, additional stream of income.
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Get the FREE GUIDE on what to charge for lessons HERE which includes all three levels of pricing.
Please share this article with both music teachers and folks that are wanting to hire a music teacher.
I'd love to hear your thoughts. Sound off in the comments below.👇
]]>This changed my business...
Meet My New Music Business Strategist...
Honestly, I was disappointed...
Sometimes I forget, I'm still a pianist...
What it's like to be around 70+ music theorists...
New offerings at Music Theory Shop summer '23 to support music students and aspiring music teachers:
Do you teach music and want to make extra cash? Apply for the Music Teacher Affiliate Program
Need some help with chords and writing charts? Now pre-selling for only $27 "Write Better Chord Charts"
Need to nail down your Studio Policy? Enroll now in "Write A Studio Policy for Your Music Teaching Business"
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Need some help with chords and writing charts? Now pre-selling for only $27 "Write Better Chord Charts"
Need to nail down your Studio Policy? Enroll now in "Write A Studio Policy for Your Music Teaching Business"
Need a deeper dive into launching your music teaching business? Enroll now in"Start Your Own Piano Teaching Studio Today"
Need accountability, support, and build your musical network? Enroll now in"Expansive Music Training & Teaching"
I started teaching piano lessons in high school. While my friends were working at the mall, I was making a lot more $$ in less time, by teaching. I was barely seventeen years old, and I had a lot of doubts about charging for piano lessons because I was young, and just a piano student myself. I had zero degrees in music, let alone a high school diploma!
If I started teaching lessons with ZERO music degrees and teaching experience, you can, too. We all have to start somewhere.
This article is going to make the argument for how teaching music to beginners will not only bring in more income in a shorter amount of time than your coffee shop job, but that it will help you become a better musician yourself, give you soul-fulfilling purpose, and inspire the next steps of your music career.
]]>I started teaching piano lessons in high school. While my friends were working at the mall, I was making a lot more $$ in less time, by teaching. I was barely seventeen years old, and I had a lot of doubts about charging for piano lessons because I was young, and just a piano student myself. I had zero degrees in music, let alone a high school diploma! But, I had some substantial music experience behind me and felt confident about the fundamentals of music. I had eleven years of piano lessons, participated in bi-annual piano recital performances all of those years, Certificate of Merit achievements (California Music Teachers Association annual music student achievement event), participation in all high school bands and choir, and I was already working two jobs in music: one as a lounge pianist at a Chinese restaurant (I'll save those stories for another time), and one as a piano-accompanist for a children's choir.
Fast forward some decades (I'm now a music theory professor): most of the college students that I work with support themselves while they are working on their music degree. I always encourage my students to find jobs in the music industry rather than working at a coffee shop or in retail. While the latter is honorable and honest work, if you are confident that your career goal is to make a living in music, you need to start making money somewhere in music. And the sooner, the better. I knew that I wanted to go to college and be a music major, so teaching felt like a natural step in my career.
Teaching beginners is the BEST side hustle for music students.
This article is going to make the argument for how teaching music to beginners will not only bring in more income in a shorter amount of time than your coffee shop job, but that it will help you become a better musician yourself, give you soul-fulfilling purpose, and inspire the next steps of your music career.
But am I even qualified? If you're reading this, then I'm going to guess, yes. Likely, you are a high school or college music student, or, a lifelong musician looking to try something new.
To gauge more definitively:
If you said "yes" to all four statements, then you are a good candidate for teaching beginning music lessons.
The other considerations are personality-related. Warning: if you don't have these traits or are not willing to develop them, then teaching is not the right fit for you.
If you said "yes" to those five statements, or "no" but you are willing to work on them, then you are a good candidate for teaching beginning music lessons.
Although I have been teaching music for decades, it might interest you to know that I change my teaching techniques every year. I experiment with new techniques. I retire techniques or improve on techniques that didn't produce the results I wanted. I invest in music theory pedagogy workshops, attend conferences, belong to organizations in my field, and continue my own education on best practices for teaching.
Teaching IS learning. One-on-one teaching requires the ability to adapt, experiment, and personalize to accommodate individual learning styles.
I might not have fully understood how to voice-lead a German augmented 6th chord...I mean, what was the point of voice-leading, anyway?? But, I DID know how to teach my little students to read music and inspire them to practice week after week after week. I had little reward systems and music games to incentivize. I was expanding as a musician, as were they. They tried their best every week which inspired me to do the same in my own music classes at school, even when I was totally confused with advanced harmony.
Your goal with teaching beginners is simple. If you still have some doubts about whether you are qualified to teach music, consider this: there are only two main goals when teaching beginning music lessons:
That's it. Really! If you can keep all actions aligned with providing strong foundational music skills while cultivating a love for music making, then you will be successful at teaching beginning music lessons. Do not put anymore pressure on yourself to think that it has to be harder than that.
One of the main skills that kids develop in music lessons, is work ethic. I believe that this crucial life skill is not discussed as much as, say, the "Mozart Effect," or that studying music helps with academics. Making weekly goals requires structure, consistency, and the discipline to execute. You need all three in order to have success at ANYTHING in life, not just music. If you can help a young child develop the crucial life skill of consistency, you will have succeeded.
Hone your own skills. Whatever insecurities you might have about your qualifications to teach, consider this: the act of teaching is part of your own musical training. When you can take X concept, break it down and explain it with clarity to somebody else, you now own it. (the next step for fulling synthesizing concepts, is to use X in an original musical context, like composition and improvisation. The other way, is to identify X concept in your musical repertoire, called "music analysis," but, it must be music that you can play yourself).
Recall the you are a good fit for teaching if you engage in "continued music education."
Below is a chart from Unpacking Bloom's Taxonomy, which talks in detail, the student outcomes and learning goals that must be attributed to every course that is part of a highly structured curriculum. Many higher education institutions use this method when designing their courses and writing course descriptions.
A beginning-level course tends to focus on skills toward the bottom of the pyramid, while more advanced courses should be cultivating skills higher up on the pyramid. In my Music Fundamentals course, for example, I want my beginning musicians to generally demonstrate bottom-level skills involving "remembering" and "understanding." As they advance through my theory sequence, they begin to use more mid to top-level skills that "apply" and "analyze" musical knowledge.
To achieve full synthesis of concepts of theory to practice, I aim for the very top: "CREATE." I always choose to give my theory students a final project in composition. Composing original music allows students to "assemble," "construct," "develop," and "author" learned materials of music into a cohesive original artwork. Composition helps integrate theoretical concepts into real-world practice.
So where does "teaching" fall in Bloom's Taxonomy? I would argue that teaching falls under multiple levels, and that this demonstrates how teaching can actually function as part of your own musical training. Teaching is not just to impart knowledge and create a livelihood. Teaching helps YOU become a better musician. Here's why:
Read the following while glancing at the pyramid.
Levels 1& 2. Explain ideas or concepts. The nitty gritty of all lessons. It goes without saying that you will be defining, repeating, and stating facts and basic concepts over and over: note values, dynamics, tempo marking, note reading, clefs, hand position, tuning, etc.
Level 3. Use information in new situations. You will be demonstrating musicianship, interpreting notation, applying technique.
Level 4. Draw connection among ideas. There is no doubt you will begin to connect the materials of music (chords, scales, melody, rhythm, etc.) with the overall study and practice of music.
Level 5. Critiquing is teaching. Evaluating and recommending musical solutions is part of your own musical synthesis. Correcting student errors is one of the best ways to deepen your own practice. This is why many college theory and aural skills courses incorporate "Error Detection" exercises.
Level 6. Authoring. With more experience under your belt, you will begin to design your own music curriculum. You will take the best practices from all of your teachers and make them your own. You may even start authoring your own instrumental exercises, theory lessons, and written exercises. This is how I wrote my book, Visualize Keyboard Scales & Modes. My teaching experience helped me design lessons in my own style and voice.
YOU will become a stronger musician through teaching music.
Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of medieval and Renaissance music, although it has helped me to better understand the form of motets and madrigals as a piano-accompanist. The names and dates would not stick in my memory. BUT, my piano students were playing fun, little homophonic, tonal pieces in keys other than C major! I would say that was a win. They were expanding as musicians, and so was I. Well...I was trying at least.
How to find students. Put yourself in the shoes of a parent looking to start music lessons for their child. The first place that they will go to, are people they see and know, making music. If you work at a school, religious institution, youth organization, etc., begin there. Let folks in that community know that you are looking for new beginner students. When I was working as a church musician, I asked that an announcement be made in the weekly newsletter, as well as in the service program.
Word of mouth is always the BEST way to get students!
It's a bit tougher to find students without some kind of feeder community that you belong to. While there are some local music teacher roster lists that you can join, in my experience, not a lot of parents use those to research potential teachers for beginners. When seeking a music teacher, they will use a trusted source; either they will enroll their child at an established music academy, or, they will go by word of mouth.
Some questions to help you find students:
As a beginning music teacher, I do not recommend:
Okay, I found a student! What should I charge? Lesson fees are dependent on credentials, location, and experience, and there are various types of experience, not just teaching experience. I'll speak from the perspective of my locale in Los Angeles, Ca. Beginning teacher fees (no degrees in music and little to no teaching experience) generally fetch $20-25 per lesson, usually 30-min lessons. If you are driving to a student's home, add an additional $10-15 per lesson depending on location. A Bachelor degree in music generally fetches $35+ per 30-min lesson, and higher degrees (masters and doctorates) $45+ per 30-min lesson.
There are a lot of factors that go into lesson fees. There may be students that you want to teach but you know they don't have the financial resources for weekly lessons. You may consider offering partial scholarships to some students (do not teach for "free" or give "discounts," always frame it as a "music scholarship"). After you have a year or more experience under your belt, or if you have finished your degree or certificate, raise your prices.
The "$500/month" amount in the title is based off of having five weekly students taking 30-min lessons, and charging $25 per lesson.
Once you start teaching that one student, be sure to over-deliver. Be professional, organized, and have stellar communication. After a month or so of successful lessons (student is making progress), let that parent know that you are seeking more students, and that you would so appreciate them spreading the word for you. Do not take this step until you have proven that you can help their child make progress in music, and that they enjoy learning music with you. I guarantee that once you have proven yourself, they will be your biggest cheerleaders.
There is always extra work when you are starting something new. Once you get your first student, you have started a new business. That's right. Welcome to world of entrepreneurship. After you've settled into teaching, always approach what you do as a serious business. The world is your oyster and you can take this experience in a lot of useful directions in your music career.
When I started teaching piano lessons, I was able to take that financial responsibility away from my parents who had already invested 11 years in lessons for me. I didn't know when I started that I wanted to be a music professor, but that early teaching experience helped guide my career, put me through undergrad and graduate school (twice), and many of my students have gone on to build their own music careers.
Are you a high school or college music student, a recent music grad, professional musician, or life-long musician looking to start teaching? What are your main takeaways? Join the discussion 👇
Email me at musictheoryshop@gmail.com if there's a way I can support you.
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If you're a music teacher, you know that students coming unprepared is inevitable. This article is to help us music teachers not lose our minds when this happens, armed with a preplanned lesson that is ready to go.
When students are unprepared for their music lesson, use this as an opportunity to teach a lesson on a musical skill that fulfills student deficiencies due to the overall lack of time in music lessons. After reading this article, you may actually look forward to the days when students are unprepared!
In this article, I'm going to (1) provide 10 topic suggestions (which could also be used for a "play week" lesson); (2) suggest what to say and how to react to the unprepared students; (3) how to communicate effectively with the parent so that we all avoid shaming unprepared students, which is one of the main reasons for quitting music.
]]>If you're a music teacher, you know that students coming unprepared is inevitable. This article is to help us music teachers not lose our minds when this happens 😫 because we're armed with a preplanned lesson that is ready to go.
When students are unprepared for their music lesson, use this as an opportunity to teach a lesson on a musical skill that fulfills student deficiencies due to the overall lack of time in music lessons. After reading this article, you may actually look forward to the days when students are unprepared!
In this article, I'm going to (1) provide 10 topic suggestions (which could also be used for a "play week" lesson); (2) suggest what to say and how to react to the unprepared students; (3) how to communicate effectively with the parent so that we all avoid shaming unprepared students, which is one of the main reasons for quitting music.
"Sad pianist" from Peter Ibbetson, Etc published by J.R. Osgood & Co. (1892). Original from the British Library.
First, let's agree not to teach the same lesson. Unless there is a specific element from the assignment that a student does not understand, do not go over the entire assignment again. I've taught the exact same material again with unprepared students, and realize now, that it is a BIG mistake to do this. In the moment, I felt as though I needed to "keep us on track." But as a result, I was left completely frustrated, even resentful, because it felt like my time was wasted.
Instead we can say, "I understand this was not your regular practice week. It's okay. You have a one-week extension to complete this assignment and I'm excited to hear you play it for me next week. Today, we're going to..."
There must be an understanding between you and the student in regards to work completed. Every lesson should begin with something like this: "How did your music practice go this week? What was your favorite part? What was the most challenging part?" At this time, the student must be honest about what they accomplished and did not accomplish. It's possible that some items were completed, and some were not. The opening chat in a lesson must function as a student self-assessment so that the teacher can address any particular pain points from the assignment in that lesson.
Parents may be the first to blurt out,"Johnny didn't practice one minute!" This might be continued by some sort of shaming and disappointment. I believe that parents who guilt students do so because they know that our time as teachers is valuable. It might be coming from a place of respect, but in my experience, it only pushes students away. The result is that students start to lose joy in studying music, or worse, they begin to fear it.
I propose an alternative response. First, let the parents know that in case the student hasn't practiced, you have 10+ preplanned lessons ready to go. Non-musicians often don't understand that there are multiple skills to build in music, it's not just about playing an instrument. Assure them that this is not lost or wasted time, rather, "These bonus lessons provide an opportunity work on their musical training on an even deeper level. There is ALWAYS something to learn!"
Next, we should frame any incomplete work to the student as, "I understand. You have a one-week extension to complete X." This gives the student a chance to redeem themselves. Finally, spend 1-2 minutes helping them schedule out their practice plan, and make sure they commit to the plan.
1. Teach a lesson on improvisation and composition. If a student is learning scales, have them take the first tetrachord of that scale, and make up a melody (improvisation). Alternatively, you can sing a simple melody and have them try to "find the notes" (transcription). Once a student lands on a melody they like, notate it for them. You can then ask them to copy exactly what you wrote. This is a really important step in learning music notation, and even if there are note values and symbols that your student hasn't yet learned, the exercise is valuable because it triggers curiosity.
2. Teach Mixolydian and Lydian modes. Unless you're a jazz musician, modes often are neglected in traditional classical training. Since most students begin with the major scale, start with any major scale and then teach mixolydian as major with a flat-7. Next, teach lydian as major with a sharp-4. For most young and beginner students, I have found that an entire lesson on the derivation of ALL of the modes is too much. I would focus on just mixolydian, lydian, and major, and talk about the differences in sound. Which one do they like best? Can you come up with a melody for each?
3. Teach Dorian, Phrygian, and Locrian modes. Like mixolydian and lydian, teach one mode at a time using the natural minor scale as the base scale. If a student fully understands the natural minor scale, adding a sharp-6 makes it "dorian." Adding a flat-2 makes it "phrygian." And adding a flat-2 AND flat-5 makes it "locrian." Again, teaching the complete derivation of all of the modes might be useful at this time.
Modes are taught in this way in my book, Visualize Keyboard Scales & Modes.
4. Do an "error detection" exercise. Switch seats with the student so that THEY are the teacher. Take their current songs and pieces, and play them making intentional errors. Have the student spot the errors and explain what "you did wrong." I cannot tell you how much students LOVE this engaging exercise! You can really have fun, and the more absurd the "mistakes," the funnier it is.
5. Teach solfège hand symbols. This is really fun. Teach the solfège hand symbols for the major scale and sing! Find a simple, major-mode melody in your student's repertoire, and try to solfège that melody. It's always best to integrate new skills with your student's existing songs and pieces.
6. Teach conducting patterns. Take time to listen to music, and maybe watch a YouTube video of your favorite conductor. Talk about the role of the conductor. Show basic conducting patterns in 2, 3, and 4 (or maybe just in 4). In a listening exercise, can the student identify the conducting pattern (meter)?
7. Teach a lesson on how to use a DAW or other music technology. If teaching from your home and your DAW (digital audio workstation) is accessible, teach the basics on setting up a new session and producing music. This could be a lesson on recording, or, other applications that produce music.
We spend so much time on mastering the instrument, reading, and repertoire, that music technology often gets neglected. The truth is, music production is an art form in itself and like music theory and musicianship, deserves intensive study as its own skill. Since this isn't realistic for a lot of music students, it's beneficial to set aside lesson time to explore music technology.
8. Teach a lesson on how to use a music notation program. Again, this requires access to your personal notation set up, but this is an impactful lesson and gets students curious about writing music.
9. Teach a lesson on music history. There are so many ways to go about this, but one to consider is always to connect history to current repertoire. I didn't always have time to go into a detailed history lesson when starting a new piece of music, but when I did, the history helped to make the composer and musicians behind the sheet music, come alive.
10. Involve them in your current music work. If you play with an ensemble, direct, or teach at an institution, share your work! You might happen to have scores, assignments, or recordings on hand. Talk about your professional work and demonstrate what a fulfilling music career looks like. I guarantee they will have a lot of questions!
Sightread.
Analyze their music.
Play flash cards and other music learning games.
Listen to their favorite song and then try to play it (transcription).
Play for them and ask musical questions at their level.
Get ahead in their theory workbook.
Play duets.
Record music they already know.
Go to "the HARDEST" song in the book and try it out!
For the students that are habitually unprepared, there is likely a deeper problem occurring that is preventing work to get done, and that topic will be addressed in a later blog post.
For now, what would YOU add to this list? Join the conversation below. 👇
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In this article, I will address four main categories to set up your music teaching studio for success in 2023: (1) Housekeeping Tasks (updating website, studio policy, rates, etc.); Communication (email list, communicating with students & parents, surveys, etc.); (3) Suggestions for Additions to the Studio (more offerings to increase income and give students what they need); (4) Growing Your Business (social media strategies and ideas to think about moving forward).
The new year is the best time to implement new policies, procedures, and structures into your business. And for some, this is the time to begin a new music teaching business!
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The new year always attracts new students to begin music lessons. What is working in your music studio? What can be improved, or let go altogether in order to have a bigger impact on your students and grow your business?
Here are some considerations and tips for starting new in Q1. The new year is the best time to implement new policies, procedures, and structures into your business. And for some, this is the time to begin a new music teaching business!
It is also my hope that some of my readership includes parents of children enrolled in music lessons, in order to understand the depth of planning and effort that goes into running this kind of business.
In this article, I will address four main categories to set up your music teaching studio for success in 2023: (1) Housekeeping Tasks (updating website, studio policy, rates, etc.); Communication (email list, communicating with students & parents, surveys, etc.); (3) Suggestions for Additions to the Studio (more offerings to increase income and give students what they need); (4) Growing Your Business (social media strategies and ideas to think about moving forward).
Each one of the topics below deserves its very own post, but for now, take this as a list full of ideas worth considering for a prosperous and musically fulfilling 2023. I do not recommend trying to implement every, single idea and task in one week.
Consider what feels right for your business, and most importantly, your students' goals.
✅ 1. Update Studio Policy.
Read over your Studio Policy and put yourself in the shoes of the person enrolling themselves, or their child. Revise any clunky writing for clarity. Your Studio Policy is a contract of mutual understanding. Consider having all parties sign it before beginning with a new student, and consider having all parties sign it once a year when you update the policy.
✅ 2. Scheduling.
Questions to ask yourself: Are you batching lessons same day and avoiding multi-tasking? Are back-to-back lessons the most efficient for YOUR workflow? Are you extremely fatigued by your last lesson of the day? Do you drive to your students' homes and are lessons efficiently scheduled by neighborhood?
If you have control over scheduling, this is the time to evaluate what is working and what is not. If you teach for a school then you may not have much control, but you should be communicating your needs. If you have a private studio, evaluate if any scheduling changes would be more efficient and easier on your well-being.
a. Some teachers add a 15-30 min "breather" after every 3-4 back-to-back lessons.
b. Some teachers do not teach full hours, rather, lessons are 50 min so that there is a 10-min "prep or breather" between students.
c. Some teachers schedule several months in advance, while others schedule month-to-month. No matter how you schedule, be sure to think about "off weeks," as well as when you might schedule a Play Week.
c. Your well-being effects lesson quality. To be an effective educator, create a schedule that is realistic to your energy levels so that you can avoid burnout, yourself.
✅ 3. Raising Rates.
Raising rates is extremely unpopular with those paying for lessons, but it IS inevitable and should be done at least every 2-3 years, especially if you add to your credentials. I don't suggest raising rates with a week or even 30-days notice. If you plan to raise rates, make sure you do this in writing and give 90 days+ notice.
If there are students that you want to keep at your current rate, make sure to note in their letter, that "based on (student name)'s dedication and performance in lessons, it is my honor to SCHOLARSHIP them at X amount so that your lesson rate does not change."
There may be cases where you do not want to raise your rates for students that have been with you since the beginning, or for years. But, it's important that you frame it as a "scholarship" rather than, "I'm giving you a discount."
✅ 4. Payment System.
Evaluate your current payment system, especially any scenarios that result in loss income. Do students pay monthly, quarterly, or by semester? Do you offer "drop in" lessons (pay weekly as schedule)? What is your cancellation policy? What is your illness policy, and do you allow make ups? What happens when lessons are paid for, but YOU are sick?
The exchange of money is your livelihood. With strong communication and policies in place, it doesn't have to feel uncomfortable for either party.
✅ 5. Update Your Website, LinkTree, Social Media Profiles.
Take some time to update your bio and update pictures. If you don't have any professional images, book a quick photo session or get some help executing DIY "professional lifestyle" pictures. Use these updates for your website, LinkTree, social media profiles, email profile, and any other communication application.
Good photos and video are crucial for growing your business. Consider having a friend snap some photos while you teach (with student's permission, of course!). You can also crop pictures of just hands, get close ups of you leaning in on sheet music, and other teaching moments that would be great to use on your website and social media.
✅ 6. Update Your C.V./Resumè.
Did you earn a new degree, credential, or certificate? Did you publish, give or participate in a performance, pedagogy workshop, or give a conference paper? Did you earn an award, were you a guest speaker, did you attend conferences? Reflect on your professional progress over the past year and add to your C.V. You may even consider reformatting your document for clarity and style.
✅ 7. Write or Update Your Teaching Philosophy
A "Teaching Philosophy" is a required document for most academic positions. This is a good time to update that document. Even if you are not interested in applying for academic teaching positions, you should consider writing this or something similar, because the exercise brings clarity to your values and approach to teaching.
As a private music studio, the "Teaching Philosophy" can function as a Mission Statement and should be added to your Studio Policy and "About Me" page.
✅ 8. Take Inventory of Sheet Music, Instruments, Technology, and Gear.
PHYSICAL Assets - take stock of all books, instruments, gear, rentals, etc.
DIGITAL Assets - take stock of all music software, apps, and other programs that you use for your business.
Create a rough estimate of the value of your physical and digital assets. Make a Wish List of 2023 gear that you want to add to your studio.
You might consider subscribing to mymusicstaff.com (this post is not sponsored) which is a very helpful cloud management system that schedules, communicates by text and email, saves notes, sends invoices, and more. Look for my upcoming review on mymusicstaff in 2023!
✅ 9. Email List.
If you are offering products and services to the general public, you must begin or continue to build your email list. Use an email service like MailChimp or use the email service from your website provider. Otherwise, prepare a monthly or bi-weekly email newsletter sent directly to parents, guardians, and students. The email newsletter will promote student wins, announce and remind parents/students about events, make studio announcements, welcome new students, offer your recommendations (music-related content), and help establish your music studio culture.
If you have both a public-facing business with products and services, AND a private music studio, you can segment your audiences when necessary.
✅ 10. How to Communicate Effectively with Parents & Students.
Student success is a group effort. It is crucial that for young students, parents/guardians are involved in the music learning process. I don't recommend general communication by text. Use text for alerting about tardiness for same-day lessons, or, for emergencies.
I recommend using Slack, email, or private Facebook groups for communication. If you have more than 3 students, Slack is the most efficient form of communication as it works like a combination of gmail and texting.
What I like best about Slack and private Facebook groups, is their ability to cultivate and nurture community. No matter what platform you use, consider the importance of fostering community in your studio. This provides more student support, transparency, engagement, and building community will result in a more positive learning experience for your students.
✅ 11. Student Survey.
Consider writing a "Student Survey" for the new year. What do students want to accomplish this year? What new music are they interested in learning? What events would they enjoy attending and participating in? What was their proudest achievement this past year, and what needs the most improvement? Consider using a Practice Planner for intermediate and advanced students, which includes sections to create a "musical profile" of monthly, weekly, and daily goals, repertoire, and music likes.
Get feedback from your students to help shape their learning process and personal goals. A Student Survey benefits all parties in moving forward with lessons in the new year.
✅ 12. Student Learning Recommendations.
Consider writing a "Student Learning Recommendation" for each student. This would function much like an evaluation of the past year or months, but framing it as a "learning recommendation" makes this less about their past performance, and more about how they see their future musical selves.
A Student Learning Recommendation should include techniques that will help students reach their goals. For example, if a student wants to learn Dorian Marko's piano arrangement of Cornfield Chase (Interstellar, Hans Zimmer), they will need to work on arpeggios and other technique. Instead of an "evaluation" that reminds the student that they don't practice enough (most know they don't practice enough!), give them the specific steps needed to reach their personal goals. The Student Learning Recommendation functions more like a prescription from a doctor.
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Consider adding extra events in your studio to bring in more income and to give your students bonus opportunities to experience music in multiple ways, which is the goal of a holistic musical training. Bonus events also break up the monotony of weekly lessons. You may even consider substituting a workshop or masterclass for a weeks worth of lessons.
✅ 13. Add Workshops, Masterclasses, & Field Trips
Are students prepping for competition or certification? You may consider adding theory workshops and masterclasses to support them. Bonuses like this can bring in extra income (or these might be part of the "package" when studying with you), group work fosters community, and these events can have a significant impact on student learning.
Do not underestimate the value of your students building friendships within your studio, and give them opportunities to cultivate those relationships. Additionally, give your students as many opportunities to perform in a safe, encouraging space.
Field Trips: there are lots of FREE and low cost events for students. Consider researching some events and organizing a studio field trip. You can likely get some help organizing from some of the parents. Expose your students to music making in different forms: symphonic concerts, choral concerts, musical theater, etc. If you live in a college town, check out the free student recitals from their music program.
✅ 14. Add a Combined-Studio Event
Especially for smaller studios, consider organizing a combined-studio event. When I had less than five students, I combined with a violin teacher's small studio for our biannual recital. A combined event fosters community and supports other music teachers in your area. It could also be an opportunity for students to collaborate.
✅ 15. Add More Gamified Learning
ALL ages benefit from gamified learning (don't leave out your adult learners!). Quick, in-lesson games release tension from intense concentration for both student and teacher. A 3-5 min break shifts attention resulting in greater focus afterwards. Plus, it's just fun!
✅ 16. Upgrade instruments and teaching materials
Consider what investments you can make now and in the future, to upgrade instruments and teaching materials. If you use the same method books for most of your students, be sure they are part of your personal music library in case students forget books in their lessons, or, for lesson planning. Many music stores give teacher discounts, just ask!
You may also consider visiting TPT (Teachers Pay Teachers) or Etsy for supplemental teaching materials (links to Music Theory Shop pages). Some institutions (school, church, extra-curricular program) offer support, like a once-a-year or biannual stipend, to update learning materials.
✅ 17. Add Grading System
Some students benefit from a weekly graded evaluation. Sometimes, parents like to see this data, too, and it can be helpful to see the progress made across multiple months. You might consider using an LMS (Learning Management System) in your studio, just like a school. An LMS can create this data for you. I recommend CANVAS for teachers, which is free. There is a little bit of a learning curve, but this platform is well worth the few hours of learning to get it up and running.
✅ 18. Add More Rewards & Acknowledgement
Acknowledgement comes in many different packages, from a high-5 🖐 to a certificate. Acknowledgements go a long way to keep students motivated and to know that they are on the right track and progressing.
✅ 19. Add Music Technology
What programs, apps, and gear would be impactful investments into your business? Are there applications that will help gamify learning, or that students can use to practice at home?
I recommend that students start playing around with at least two kinds of music technology: a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), and a music notation program. Although many DAWs have a sheet music generator, they are often full of notation errors. It's best to learn one of the industry standards, Sibelius or Finale, but to get started, MuseScore is fine to begin.
Music notation programs are compositional tools and a crucial part of a holistic music education. Composition helps with a full integration of skills because it is about CREATING, which is the highest pedagogical goal in the Bloom Taxonomy Chart.
Encourage your students to compose. This exercise involves improvisation as the first step. Improvising with learned materials and then organizing them into a work of art (a finished composition), is one of the most meaningful and high-impact goals in musical training.
✅ 20. Marketing Your Business
The best way to market your music studio business, products, and services, is to create an environment where potential students can feel like they would enjoy participating. This could be using images and videos that highlight teaching/learning moments, events, and student wins. It is important to communicate your values and approach.
The best marketing I've seen by music educators, is to lead by example and to give others value. Share your musical journey, your wins, creations, and your process for getting there. Share your tips and values to help aspiring musicians.
✅ 21. Add More Tools to Your Tool Belt
Musicians are lifelong learners. What music skills need a refresher? Are there any new skills, or do you want to deepen existing skills? Is there new music technology that would benefit you and your students?
Do a little bit of research to see if there are conventions, conferences, masterclasses, and workshops that would inspire you pedagogically. Networking with other music professionals is a sure way to promote your music studio.
✅ 22. Take Stock of Your Personal Projects & Goals
Whether you teach full time or on the side, the act of teaching is time and energy consuming. One-on-one teaching can be especially emotionally taxing for those of us that are highly empathetic.
This is probably easier said than done, but don't lose sight of your personal musical ambitions, because as music teachers, we're modeling what a fulfilling music career can look like. Our students NEED to see us as professional musicians, and our success is their success.
Our successes can be even more impactful if we involve our students in some way. My students LOVE when I play piano for them, or I show them drafts of my latest chapter. Sometimes I ask them for feedback!
So, take the time to finish that track, write that song, learn that piece, write the book, etc. With each personal accomplishment, you become more of an authority, which results in becoming an in-demand educator.
✅ 23. Recitals & Community Outreach
Student recitals and concerts are milestones for musicians. These performances are high stakes benchmarks for both students and teachers and many studios host around two recitals per year.
No matter how much our students freak out about recitals, in my experience, they feel SO GOOD afterwards! I've asked them about these events and they always say that it was well worth it (the practicing, preparation, and nerves).
I see the recital as the space to honor our students' accomplishments. If you are a parent reading, know that organizing a recital is a huge and stressful job. But this is a tradition, and we do it for the students. The formality of actively listening to one performing music is an honor for all parties.
I invite teachers to think about hosting one of their recitals to benefit the community, which also teaches our students the lesson of giving back. Of course, the arrangement is mutually beneficial because community outreach also advertises your music studio.
Research retirement homes, Boys & Girls Clubs, schools, and community centers to see if a community outreach event is right for your studio. And don't hesitate to reach out to your local press to cover the event, because the press is always looking for "good news" content.
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]]>What if we allowed our weekly music students to plan one week of NOT PRACTICING?
"Okay, Harley. You've practiced consistently for 6 weeks straight and I'm proud of you. This week, your assignment is to NOT practice. That's right. I'm still going to write down everything I would normally write in your assignment book, but your job is to play music only for fun. Do whatever you want! See you next week."
Umm..if my piano teacher said this to me when I was taking lessons, I wouldn't believe it. But boy, this would have been a fun week! Of course I would still practice piano (I was THAT kind of kid), but psychologically, I would feel like I was still making progress and not losing a week from not practicing.
Introducing, the "Play Week." The "Play Week" is in contradistinction from the typical "Practice Week" where students practice, usually daily, all of the technique, theory, musicianship, and repertoire prescribed from the lesson.
A "Play Week" is one week off from structured practice. Students still must play their instruments, but they can choose what songs and pieces to play for fun.
]]>What if we allowed our weekly music students to plan one week of NOT PRACTICING?
"Okay, Harley. You've practiced consistently for 6 weeks straight and I'm proud of you. This week, your assignment is to NOT practice. That's right. I'm still going to write down everything I would normally write in your assignment book, but your job is to play music only for fun. Do whatever you want! See you next week."
Umm..if my piano teacher said this to me when I was taking lessons, I wouldn't believe it. But boy, this would have been a fun week! Of course I would still practice piano (I was THAT kind of kid), but psychologically, I would feel like I was still making progress and not losing a week from not practicing.
Introducing, the "Play Week." A "Play Week" is one week off from structured practice. Students still must play their instruments, but they can choose what songs and pieces to play for fun. The "Play Week" is in contradistinction from the typical "Practice Week" where students practice, usually daily, all of the technique, theory, musicianship, and repertoire prescribed from the lesson.
If you're a music teacher who has never implemented a "Play Week," I'm hoping you're intrigued by the idea, and that my arguments for a "Play Week" will be persuasive because I really believe this can make the music learning process a lot more fun. But feel free to push back in the comments with any downsides I haven't considered.
There was a time in my piano studio of over two dozen students and a 2-page long waiting list, that I would drop students who were consistently unprepared. There is really nothing more frustrating to a music teacher than having to reteach the same lesson week after week. It feels like our time is being disrespected. Our musical skillset that took us decades of consistent, dedicated practice, is being unappreciated by students who seem not to care. I felt it was a privilege to study with me, and quite frankly, I still do.
Whether or not to consider dropping a student from your studio is for another blog post, for now, here are the parameters and considerations for implementing a "Play Week:"
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Housekeeping: The Play Week must be communicated and implemented with consent from parent/guardian because, during and after this week, they will need to deliver some data to you. The student must understand the distinctions between a "practice week" and "play week." Teachers can modify the "play week" to accommodate their studio policies and teaching style.
1. How to communicate the "play week" to parents and what to teach.
The "play week" is an opportunity to give a lesson on another musical skill. In most music lessons, there is not ample time to cover all skills thoroughly; such as: musicianship and ear training, composition, improvisation, (music tech) using a DAW, recording, using a music notation program, and theory (written exercises). Use the "play week" to teach a planned lesson on other musical skills. See my post, "10 Lesson Ideas When Students Haven't Practiced," to help plan out "play weeks."
The "play week" is not a "week off" for the teacher and should not be a reason for cancelling a lesson or losing income in any way. It allows the teacher to fill in other music-related skills while giving the student a breather in an otherwise endless cadence of weekly lessons.
2. Data from parents.
Ask the parents to take note of the songs and pieces the student played for fun during "play week." Try to get an estimate of the time spent, as well as the overall emotional well being of the student, in comparison to a "practice week." I mean, it's obvious that the attitude of the student is likely to be more positive during the "play week" vs. the "practice week," but it helps to discuss what lit them up.
3. Students take ownership of their musical journey.
I admit there may be a bit of reverse psychology going on here. Will the student "rebel" against the "play week" by actually practicing?? One can hope, lol. The truth is, just like you need take a day off from lifting weights so that the muscles can recover, the same can be said about the artistic process. Everybody who plays a musical instrument at an advanced level knows that we hit a weird plateau with endless practicing (usually in preparation for performance). Our pieces actually become WORSE. Zero progress is happening, only frustration.
The reason is fatigue. Mental fatigue.
The solution is to simply take a break. Step away, change focus, switch gears, take time to recalibrate. A "play week" gives the student a chance to just be musical exactly where they're at in this moment, without the pressure to progress.
4. The "play week" could help prevent burnout and quitting.
We know that overwatering a plant can actually be bad. Sometimes to cultivate a growing being, we just need to leave it alone. Part of the music learning journey is to experiment and play. Trust me when I say, that after just a few months of lessons, a student knows enough to play around and experiment and as teachers, we need to provide that space of "play" for them.
One of the biggest complaints about classical training is the lack of improvisational skills. And I'm one of the biggest complainers as one who comes from this traditional training. I might not have the strongest improvisational skills, but I can read music like a book. There is always a trade off. For me, my lessons focused on repertoire and reading music. I am grateful for these skills, and I have worked on other musical skills on my own to fill my deficiencies.
It is up to the music teacher to decide in what proportions certain skills are developed. But, we shouldn't ignore any skills completely, because all musical skills are needed, music is a holistic practice.
Remember, "play" IS a musical skill.
5. How to implement a "play week."
Teachers should decide if a "play week" is earned after a set amount of weeks of consist practicing, or, if a "play week" is a studio event for all students. I recommend implementing a "play week" after 6 weeks of consistent lesson practicing and preparedness, but that could be shortened or lengthened. For me, 6 weeks is the sweet spot.
The "play week" isn't meant to be a spur-of-the-moment idea when a student comes unprepared. Plan how you will deliver this to the student, but do communicate the plan with parents because a "play week" is a bit out-of-the box in traditional classical training. I imagine that some cons to implementing it as an earned reward could be that the idea of "practicing" is further perpetuated as a "chore" and "not fun" as opposed to "free form play."
The "play week" may be slightly built into the 14-week semester by taking a week off before midterms and finals. Generally, students enrolled in music lessons have to prepare for studio classes (masterclasses), juries, and recitals. A "play week" is likely better suited to K-12, adult beginners/intermediate students, and advanced students in a private music studio. Music majors studying a rigorous music curriculum with severe deadlines may or may not benefit. Consider the needs of each student on a case by case basis.
Make expectations clear. Teachers can decide if they want the student to play anything after a "play week." In some cases, it might be great to just talk about it and if the student is excited to show you something, by all means! A student sharing their "play" is actually the goal of "play week."
6. I admit it. The truth about the "play week."
The truth is, "play week" IS a practice week (shhh....students aren't supposed to know this, that's why it's at the bottom, haha).
Essentially, the "play week" is a rebranding of "practice." Often, reframing an idea is the best way to change mindset. Practicing doesn't have to be dull, monotonous, and lifeless.
Practicing IS play. And the "play week" is a chance for students to discover this for themselves.
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Music Theory Staff Paper $10.99 - for all musicians. This is a hybrid music manuscript paper for music theory classes, music lessons, music rehearsal prep, and all music study. Great supplement for music students.
Deluxe Manuscript Paper $10.99 - for all musicians. If you want only the musical staff, I would get this manuscript notebook from my publisher, Hal Leonard. I like the cream paper (I don't like bright white manuscript and sheet music); it's spiral bound like my Music Theory Staff Paper; it has nice spacing between the staves. For kids, I would get the Wide Staff Manuscript $4.99.
Visualize Keyboard Scales & Modes $14.99 - for musicians with some experience, both readers and non-readers, piano students, and theory/aural skills music students. This book is a reference that helps students construct, sing, and play all Western scales and modes from one tonic. Unlike other scale method books, this one includes theory lessons and visual piano graphics for the non-reader and visual learner. It's best when used as a supplement to lessons or in class, but the determined self-learner will get a lot out of this book.
The Musician Artist Journal - $21.99 - for all creative types. This journal is full of famous fine art that is musically-themed, along with inspiration quotes by composers, artists, and creative thinkers. The journal lined pages are thinly spaced and every single page is different with lots of surprises throughout.
Music Lesson Assignment Book $19.99 - for music students taking lessons on any instrument, or voice. This assignment is not only vibrant and fun, but super functional with specific prompts for weekly practice: repertoire, scales/modes, theory, musicianship. It gives the student a chance to interact with a practice log and practice tracker. Your music teacher will really enjoy the organization of bonuses (likes scale charts and Circle of 5ths) included. These are KEEPSAKES and will be a joy to look at years from now. Comes in 3 colors!
The Piano Lesson Book $19.99 - for piano students of all levels. The difference between the Music Lesson Assignment Book is that the practice trackers use piano key graphics, and music of the book is piano-centered. This is a MUST-HAVE for piano students! Document and journal recitals, musical progress, and track scales.
Atomic Habits by James Clear $14.99 - for musicians to understand that slow and steady wins the race. I would recommend this to high school music students and above. Practicing is not always fun. But there are many lessons in this book that reference musicians, although it is not all about musicianship. I believe the life lessons in this book will fundamentally change how much progress you can make in music by just practicing and working with intention, rather than mindless drills that are timed.
Effortless Mastery $18.99 - Berklee instructor and renowned jazz pianist, Kenny Werner, writes about letting go and how to open up your mind when it comes to spontaneous musical creation: improvisation. I think this would be a great book for classical musicians who generally don't focus on the art of improv, but we should.
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert $19.99 - Anybody that is a creative should read this book by Eat, Pray, Love author, Elizabeth Gilbert. The process for a creative is just as
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So it's no surprise that in music education (pubic music theory, especially), I constantly see YouTube and Instagram videos promising to eliminate the need for intense focus: "instant chord progressions!" "learn music theory in 30 minutes!" "read music instantly!" "you don't need music theory, buy this program instead!"
I mean, these promises are pretty powerful. If 30 minutes was too long to learn theory, you could shave off one minute, or hey! This "Guy" is promising you can learn in just 16 MINUTES!
I have to admit that I've used some of these bait and click tactics myself in my early cringey YouTube videos that didn't do so well (I almost don't want to link my channel, but, oh well.. I'm still learning, too!).
(Note the "READ Music FAST!" But had my thumbnail promised "learn in 10 minutes," sadly, maybe I would have more views)
The demand for shortcuts will always be here, but I strongly believe that the musicians that "make it" and those that don't, is because they have come to terms with the truth: there are no short cuts in music.
I think as professional musicians we can understand why the longterm mindset works for us, and it's our responsibility to teach this mindset to the next generation. The "longterm" is built into our life and practice. We don't see much improvement day to day, but if you compare your musicianship today from 12 months ago, the growth is significant. If you studied music as a child, you had weekly goals (the lessons), biweekly or monthly goals (finish an entire piece of music) and then longterm goals (the recital performance). This structured routine starts to build the crucial life skill of a "longterm" mindset. Structured systems with multi-goal levels cultivates patience and honors the "future self" rather than the immediate gratification for the "present self." Insight = I believe the reason young music students do well in academics, as well, is because of the structured systems in place that reinforce multi-level goals, rather than the music itself.
It takes a great deal of patience to stay motivated for anything longterm, and don't listen to those that say, "if you want it badly enough, you'll just do it [insert habit here]." No you won't. This is a dismissive statement that results in mindless drills. It's like telling my piano students to "just go practice," which will not sustain students in the long run. How should I practice? What should I focus on? How do I break this down? How does this task improve my musicianship, theory, and sight reading? In our modern day when all information is available for free, you just have to know where to look for it, learning the how, why, when, where, and who + accountability, is why you have a teacher and why you will progress faster with a teacher than self-teaching (will save this topic for another blog post). Insight = mindful system is needed.
Systems require motivation to stick with it, and if you need ideas about how to stay engaged with your motivation, Atomic Habits is chock-full of systems and the logic behind them, which is motivating in itself. I'm going to talk about one of those systems: visual trackers. Clear talks about several different forms of the visual tracker, (he just calls it a "tracker," but what makes it effective is that it's visual, so I've added that word for emphasis), such as adding marbles to a jar - it's motivating to see it fill up. Clear emphasizes the need for very small changes; tweaks in our existing systems, but to focus on the system and not the goal. The system will get you to the goal.
I've created several types of visual trackers designed especially for the music student. As a former piano teacher of children, the biggest pain point was on the shoulders of the parents to get their child to practice. It is why decades ago I started making special practice charts for my students with a sticker reward system for each day practiced. It worked! There is a reason why my music lesson practice charts are my best seller on Etsy! Kids love to see the days fill up with stickers. A longterm tracker is my "30 Major & Minor Keys Tracker" with two "Write the Circle of 5ths" exercises. When you have a lot of students, the trackers are so helpful to teachers so that we can keep track of what scales are done, and make a plan for completing all. Insight = systems that reinforce identify, in this case, musical identity, and that are fun to use, will be a delight to use and therefore they will be used and progress will be made.
Quite honestly, and I'm not proud of this, but very few of my students have completed all 30 major and minor scales which would include chord progressions in all of those keys. I wasn't diligent enough to follow through on making sure each student completed every key. I think part of the reason was that we weren't using trackers. I have so many students, repertoire, and lessons that I couldn't keep track plus my students lost steam. Insight = missing system.
So all of my music theory books will include trackers. My new book "Visualize Scales & Modes," includes two practice trackers that are bright and colorful. Not only do they keep track of your progress, but it's easier to look at the chart, rather than the Table of Contents, to plan out your strategy.
For the ultimate practice tracker, see my new music journal-planner collection. I *wish* I had had these when I was studying piano. Here is my "Passacaglia Music Journal Planner," which is definitely the prettiest music journal I've ever seen!
Included are weekly practice trackers divided up into the many different skills that musicians study: music rep, scales, technique, theory, composition, and musicianship. Multi-goals are included so not only do students get to fill up their weekly trackers, but then fill up the monthly tracker. Insight = acknowledge all task types to reinforce that musicians must built multiple types of skills, and these are interrelated.
As a piano teacher, I would have loved to write down my students' weekly assignments in these beautiful lesson pages. This music journal-planner is just as fun to use for teachers as it is the student. Not only does the design meet function, but the overall journal is meant to Iast 12-weeks/3 months. In business, that's "Q1" or "Q2," and is just short of the length of an academic semester. It allows the student to bring closure, something I never thought about as a piano teacher. Music lessons are an endless stream, week after week, they just never stop and the only way to mark accomplishments is with a performance. So I believe my longterm system will help many musicians not only structure their practice, but visually excite them as they see daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly progress. Insight = bringing closure gives the student a sense of beginning, middle, and end, an important arc that acknowledges their achievement. A recital is not the only kind of achievement we should be celebrating with our students.
The promise of a quick fix is always enticing and these kinds of hooks are the heartbeat in a lot of marketing. So moving forward, I promise to do the opposite of clickbait marketing which promises the "quick fix." Marketing to musicians for making true, longterm musical progress is slow, and that's the truth. All of my books, journals, and study sheets (I refuse to call them "cheat sheets" which implies another short cut quick fix) will advocate for the longterm, slow burn. "Atomic Habits" are tiny shifts in our thinking, strategy, and actions that in the moment might be uncomfortable and not as fun, but in the longterm, is what makes your future self highly accomplished.
What are other disciplines that use systems to reinforce the longterm mindset?
(Blog Photo from Mary Clavieres, The Transitions Collective)
]]>The biggest pain point for most parents putting their children through music lessons, is getting them to practice. As teachers, we all want our students to reach their potential and develop a love for making music. But it’s up to parents to take over their musical progress once they leave our studios. So how do you get a child to want to practice? At what point will they instigate practice time? And will they ever stop resisting and arguing about it?
Everybody is different and strategies that might work for one child may not work for another. It's important to try as many strategies as possible. Below are some tips to try or to continue improving:
Musical inspiration comes from experiencing other people making music. Attending musical performances reminds one of the rewards of hard work. We appreciate musical performances because we know the many countless months that went into preparing a fine performance. We are especially moved by extremely virtuosic playing because we can empathize with the performer’s commitment to their craft.
Attend recitals in whatever instrument your child is studying. If your child is taking piano lessons, make it a point to attend piano recitals regularly. This doesn’t have to be an expensive event, in fact, check your local college or university for free student recitals. Many occur in March, April, and May. Check your local library or event center for public music recitals. While professional symphonies are a treat, you can find terrific larger-ensemble performances in many genres again at your local college or university.
Most music lessons are scheduled once a week. Practicing should also have an established schedule. Students should be practicing at least 1.5 to 2X the length of their lesson on a daily basis. If their lessons are 30 minutes, they should be practicing for 45 minutes per day, every day (30 min/day for beginners). This time commitment should be non-negotiable. Ideally, plan practice at same time every day. Generally, parents should be involved with that practice for the first 6-12 months of lessons.
Involve your child when creating her schedule, and when there’s a conflict with practice time, make up those minutes. Part of practice time can involve more than just practicing repertoire, it includes music theory (workbook, writing), technique (scales and chords), composition (writing music and improvisation), and listening (active listening to classical music or other genres). Practice time should never be exactly the same. Rotating the aforementioned list can help eliminate the drudgery of practice while making your child a well-rounded musician.
The group piano recital is an invaluable opportunity for a child to meet a measureable benchmark. We all need those benchmarks to bring closure to one project so we can open the door to a new one. These are big wins that need to be celebrated. Recitals feel like the end of a quarter or semester. It’s a bit like Finals Week and it’s stressful for all involved.
But, once it is over, there is nothing that rivals the feeling of that accomplishment.
I could write an entire essay about how participating in music recitals help students prep for the real world, which they do, but I’ll suffice it to say that all of that pain (for all those involved, let’s be honest), working toward this goal is very much worth it. By having a long-term goal like a music recital, students will be motivated to practice more due to the built-in outer accountability.
Structured lessons should focus on repertoire that progresses a student’s reading and technique, but that doesn’t mean every song or piece should be from one method book. Kids are inspired to practice especially with familiar music they know. I’ve seen kids spend hours trying to play the theme from Harry Potter. I’ve seen students actually surpass their musical level just because they were so committed to learning that anime piece. Incorporate music that is relevant to them!
You don’t have to wait for your music teacher to schedule a recital. Many retirement or assisted-living homes have recreation rooms with a piano. These facilities are always seeking experiences that will uplift their residents, not to mention, that music is used in many forms of therapy, especially, in patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Imagine how much joy a short musical performance would bring to such residents. Your child will learn many valuable lessons in giving, empathy, and compassion, by sharing their music with folks that really need it.
Some kids respond to having a chart so that they can visually track their progress. Create an art project out of this—make a month-long calendar and have your child decorate it any way they want. Let them add a sticker for each day they practice. Provide an incentive for a full week of regular practice. This could also be done on a special white board dedicated to your child's practice, but creating their own would allow you to collect the charts and track yearly progress.
Plan to visit your local music store (one that sells sheet music) once a month. These stores can be like visiting the library--you lose track of time looking through all of the books (at least I always did!). It’s really fun to look through all of the popular music single sheets which include the latest top 40, music from films and television shows. Gaming music is also becoming increasingly popular.
Music stores are full of inspiration. Make sure to make it an event so as not to be rushed while visiting.
Schedule monthly or bi-monthly informal home recitals with the family. Involve anybody who is studying in the performing arts to participate. The point is to celebrate music-making which shows your child that what they’re learning is important to you. Scheduling regular home recitals also helps kids grow comfortable for public performance.
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Have you tried any of these tips? Please let me know your own tips for keeping kids motivated to practice!
~Malia
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He is right, of course.
The annual NAMM Show (National Association of Music Merchants, founded 1901) held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA is the largest music trade show and showcases the latest products that will be used to create music for all forms of media and entertainment. The event is always an invaluable opportunity to gather information and strategize for working in the “hardest business in the world.”
Even a month later, the panels and conversational themes that floated around NAMM continue to make their way to my inbox.
NAMM reinforced the importance of three main issues for making money in music streaming today: metadata, algorithms, and superfans.
Metadata is how you get paid and get your team paid, but your metadata is much, much more than names of contributors.
Making money on music streaming platforms was a hot topic at NAMM and continues to dominate the music business discourse. Streaming platforms like Spotify have notoriously been known to underpay artists, the latest lawsuit brought on by Enrique Iglesias who is suing Universal Music Group for underpaying royalties on streaming.
To learn more about the distribution side of the business, I went to a lively panel discussion, “Trends in Distribution,” with speakers Jeff Price (founder and CEO, Tunecore), Kevin Breuner (VP of Marketing, CD Baby), and moderator Moses Avalon (author of the seminal music business text, “Confessions of Record Producer,” founder The Moses Avalon Company).
The members of the panel uniformly stressed the importance of including accurate and thorough metadata when uploading your music to streaming platforms to ensure that you, your mixer, producer, songwriter, et al. receive their fair percentages.
HOWEVER, this frustrated panel exclaimed, Spotify did not even have a place to input such additional credits! So even having the best intentions as a music creator (or third-party distributor like TuneCore who brings artists to Spotify), the system in place does not fully support the artists and therein lies much of the problem with getting people paid (of course, the music streaming business are being paid handsomely).
As if Spotify had planted a spy in the room that afternoon, just a week later Variety posted the article “Spotify (finally) Adds Songwriter and Producer Credits.”
But there is even more at stake by having complete metadata.
Metadata is not only a list of credited authors who have contributed to a song’s creation, it’s an exhaustive categorizing set of words used to describe your music in order to capitalize on that platform’s algorithmic search engines.
Nobody could really answer how the algorithms are set up, but they are used to expose more listeners to your music.
If you are using streaming platforms to distribute your music, you must nail down all of the possible genres, styles, moods, audiences, subcultures, catch phrases, trends, instrumentation, “sounds like,” functions and holidays, etc., with the intention that your music will land on relevant playlists or be suggested alongside other artists that are similarly categorized (these points were recently echoed by an article in Music Ally).
People will pay more for stuff that reflects their identity.
Notwithstanding thorough metadata, how do you make money from streaming music platforms whose users pay only $9.99/mo for the service?
That was the question asked by Digital Music Economic Researcher, Chris Golinski, who presented the engaging talk, “More Than $9.99 a Month: How to Increase Revenue in the Music Streaming Economy,” which focused on the spending habits of music fans on streaming platforms like Bandcamp and Patreon.
Golinski revealed what we had already suspected, a $9.99 subscription fee is not enough to make an artist anything significant (unless you are already a superstar). In his research on the Bandcamp streaming platform where fans are given the option to decide how much to pay for a song, Chris stated that consumers often pay more than the suggested price due to “superfan” psychology.
Fans will mostly playlist their music, but “superfans” will pay a premium because the music connects to their identity by reflecting their own personal style and worldview. These are the folks that spend beyond the monthly $9.99 fee.
When fans relate to artists on a deeper, identity-driven level, they will pay a lot more for music because that is fundamentally how they express themselves to the world. On a platform like Bandcamp, music consumers can spend big dollars on music because it is a public space for the world to see, psychologically, competing with other consumers in the same fandom.
Golinski proposed adding the “pay what you want” option (including the actual percentage given to the artist) to platforms like Spotify which would motivate fans and superfans to pay more.
And this circles back to selling “cool,” Mark Cuban’s third “hardest business in the world.”
This is old news in any business industry, but the talks at NAMM were a good reminder for music creators: the “cool” (aka “sell-able”) in music is tapping into something deeper than melody and harmony. It is about identity. The music must reveal something personal about the creator or process that invites such connection, which as a result, will raise the commercial value of the art.
SMT and AMS are great, but go to NAMM at least once.
February 20, 2018
(I originally wrote this article for NARIP, the National Association of Recording Industry Professionals, www.narip.com. You can see the article here.)
]]>The half-diminished seventh chord is one of those chords that work well at a poignant moment, perhaps highlighting a word of text, or the climax of a phrase. It has several possible tonal functions depending on the context, but it's tritone and minor 7th anatomy makes it a sparkling color chord that deserves exploration in your own compositional process.
Diatonic Function. Most commonly, the half-diminished seventh chord functions as a predominant, that is, a ii (supertonic chord) that comes before the dominant (V) which closes a progression in the minor mode. Most common is for the third of the chord to be in the bass.
any minor key: ii half-dim 6/5 - V7 - i
The half-diminished seventh chord can also function in the dominant area, preceding the dominant (V) in the major mode.
any major key: vii half-dim 7 - V7 - I
Chromatic functionality. In the 19th-century, composers began to rebel against the traditional V-I paradigm and started taking the predominant directly to the tonic (plagal cadence) therefore bypassing the dominant-tonic cliche. Its function is cadential, a sort of dominant-substitute although I wouldn’t call it a dominant.
any minor key: ii half-dim 6/5 - i
A common 20th-century variation of this plagal cadence uses modal mixture (borrowing chords from parallel major or minor). The “Hollywood Cadence,” as it is known in some theory texts, (see Steve Laitz, “The Complete Musician,” “modal mixture”) occurs in the major mode, borrowing the ii half-dim 6/5 from the parallel minor.
Try this at home. Here's a great trick! Try using this harmony in a MAJOR key, substituting a diatonic ii7 chord (supertonic) with the ii half-dim 7. This process is called modal mixture, which is borrowing harmonies from the parallel mode, a form of chromaticism. It's a common technique traced back to Bach with the Picardy 3rd (a MAJOR tonic at the end of a MINOR-mode piece), but used ubiquitously throughout the 19-century.
any major key: IV - ii half-dim 6/5 - I
Holiday harmony. Lastly, the half-dim 7th harmony is also the notorious chord that evidently makes Christmas music sound, er, "Christmassy," as described by Maddy Shaw Roberts.
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I would rather think of major and minor as “light” vs. “dark” (respectively) instead of “happy” vs. “sad,” which are subjective emotions no matter how "indoctrinated" we are. Although the major=happy and minor=sad are compositional tropes cultivated throughout musical history, the singular dimension of mode, major or minor, does not itself determine a piece of music's "happiness" vs. "sadness" effect.
The saddest melody of all time, to me, is in the MAJOR mode and only outlines the MAJOR triad throughout the tune. It is called Taps and is traditionally played by a solo bugle at a funeral. The social context of this piece of music surrounds death, is performed at a slow tempo, and by a lonely solo brass instrument, all of which contribute as to why this is such a sad melody to me. The example I present here is from John F. Kennedy's funeral in 1963. This particular rendition of Taps is infamous because the bugler, Keith Clark, missed a high note. The mistake was misconstrued by the media as an emotional moment by Clark, a musical realization of "choking up" underscoring the deep sadness felt by the country at that very moment. It was just a technical flaw, however, due to the cold weather and Clark's physical placement near the firing rifle party which deadened his ears.
There are many musical factors and contexts that Westerners are “indoctrinated” to during their childhood and adolescence that contribute to feelings of happiness and sadness, not just whether the mode is major or minor. As observed above, tempo, instrumentation, and social context, mark this major mode tune as one of the saddest.
You can read more about Keith Clark and this moment in history at "A Bugle Call Remembered: Taps at the Funeral of John F. Kennedy" by Jari Villanueva.
Can you think of any examples of an upbeat, "happy" tune in the minor mode? How about Hava Nagila? Again, social context, tempo, and instrumentation play an important role as to why this sounds 'happy."
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