Hello Everybody! Our FarPlay.io test continues in April. You should now be using this on Mac, Windows PCs, and Chromebook (Linux version). Your teachers will be looking for you online here first, preferably not on Zoom. We will update you near the end of the month on further plans for this platform vs. Zoom. There is a new version out today [...]
Hello Saxophone Students! As you know we had suspended our lessons in March to search for a new teacher. As our standards for this are high and specific, and as we had a number of teachers over the last 18 months, we have been even more selective than usual. The result is that we are not likely to have [...]
Hi everyone, Here are your assignments for this week: Will Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 minutes per day What to practice: Review all the snare drum rhythm exercises that Chris and I have given you. How to practice it most effectively: Practice playing each exercise with the left hand while playing the jazz ride rhythm and a simple foot pattern. [...]
Welcome to what is hopefully truly Spring! Enjoy the sunshine folks :) Liam *New* Royal Procession - Play the melody louder than the accompaniment. Think of what chord you are playing as you go, I've written most of them in. A nice round robust sound is ideal for these "royal" pieces so play deep into the keys. *New* Microjazz 1 - Work on however [...]
Gerardo: Practice The Girl From Ipanema with the metronome (50 bpm). The idea is that you can keep going even in you make mistakes. Remember to think about what's next (the triplet, the chord change, or the count) when you have long notes. That will help you to keep pace between parts. For the A section of the song, try [...]
Francisco: Piano Adventures. Read p. 40 (and 41 if possible). If you need to circle or mark the notes to visually help you, do it. Mario Song: Choose a slow tempo and practice from beginning to end. Make sure you can play the notes without missing them, especially the thirds. Maria Ines: In the Name of Love: Figure out the [...]
Nova Good work today! We'll keep reading some new music in lessons but for practice just keep repeating the basic rock beat pattern and paradiddles. The book I was using today is called "tradition of excellence -- percussion" which would be good to purchase. It gives very good written instruction for basics and very simple exercises to start with. Another [...]
Welcome back !!! Thanks for your hard work over March break :) Sara When working on your technique this week (scales, triads etc.) focus on shaping them (start softly, crescendo to the top and then diminuendo on the way down). Record yourself for an objective view. Sunset at the Beach - Great rhythm fix. Get more explosive with your dynamics, tell [...]
Welcome back! Great to see you guys :) A reminder to online students to meet on FARPLAY, rather than Zoom moving forward. Contact Barnaby with any questions. Liam *New piece in Lesson book* Reveille. This piece uses the concept of triad inversions. C, G, A minor, and E are used in this piece. For the RH, pay attention to the articulation, [...]
Gerardo: Girl from Ipanema: Start practicing the whole chord sequence with your left hand. Count while doing it, and remember that just before going back to the A section (Am7-D7-Gm7-C7) they fall every two beats. When you feel confident with that, try those bars with both hands as practiced in class. Finally, play the whole song. Caedan: Read "Mozart's Five [...]