Professional Music Instruction at half the cost

If you’re looking for music instruction in denver but want to get professional lessons that don’t crimp your pocketbook then the Colorado School of Music is just for you.  They offer guitar lessons, voice traning, singing lessons, drum lessons, piano lessons, violin lessons, and much more all in one location in the Denver/metro area.

Rhythm Guitar Lessons

In this article I will be discussing different ways to move forward from any previous rhythm guitar lessons you have taken, how to develop, quicken and get you closer to playing like a rhythm guitarist pro.

Remember that with learning anything it takes time, practice and patience. This includes rhythm guitar lessons. If you’ve been practicing for a while and find yourself starting to become good at a certain riff, you can spend a little time and play around and have fun with it learning different alterations to that same riff letting your creative side take over can be a great way to beat the boredom of playing the same thing over and over.

You don’t particularly have to focus on one riff and only one riff. Choose a few that you really enjoy but don’t go overboard. Spreading yourself too thin, between too many, will make you unable to play any of them correctly or very well.

Sometimes group lessons can be a good way to improve your skill and help you keep the rhythm you need with your rhythm guitar lessons. Playing with people who enjoy the same hobby as you can also build great friendships and playing in a group will hold you a little more accountable to your practicing than if you taught yourself.

You can also listen and learn the rhythm guitar parts of your favorite songs which can help train your ear to learn which notes are which and the difference in chord progression. And of course it’s lots of fun to learn a song that you love to listen to.

Music Theory

Need to get better at an instrument but not sure where to start?  A great way to start this process would be get lessons and ask look around teacher.  A good guitar, piano, or drum teacher will know precisely how to get you started.  One of the best lesson providers in Denver is the Colorado School of music.  Their instructers have degrees and have worked in the music field for most of their lives.  

It’s really good to have an instructer so experienced in the study of music.  These guy’s have the teaching of music down pat!

The Colorado School of Music also tailors lessons to fit you.  If you want to play like Steve Vai, well, they may not be able to help you there, but they can give you the tools to get your chops to a better level.  If you want to just learn a couple of new songs the guitar lessons provided are great!

Check them out!

Benefits of Learning an Instrument Through Music Lessons

Most of us know that childhood is a good time to take music lessons to learn an instrument. Children usually have a limitless capacity to absorb information faster. Whether your child takes a music appreciation class or actual music lessons, they will benefit a great deal from being exposed to music lessons.

Music is a means of self-expression and a way to develop better coordination and fine motor skills. Furthermore, music lessons will give your child a positive outlook on life and a deeper appreciation of the arts. Music lessons teaches them the importance of focus, dedication and practice. Music lessons help them to set goals and forces them to pursue excellence.

Many researches show that students who are involved in music lessons, helps to improve their Science and Math grades because it enhances their abstract reasoning skills needed for learning these subjects.

There are many preschool programs that are available that will foster your child’s love for music. They will focus on cognitive and musical skills through song and activities

Ideally your child be five years old to begin formal music lessons. The reason being their hands are bigger and they’re more ready to sit still and concentrate on their music lesson. The best type of music lessons to start with at an early age is piano lessons because it is easier to play since the finger movements are less tricky. Violin lessons usually begin at the age of 7 to 8. Saxophone lessons and trumpet lessons are best to begin at the age of 10 to11.

Music lessons can be either a social or solitary activity, depending on instrument chosen and your child’s personality. For instance, music lessons like  violin lessons, cello lessons or trumpet lessons can be done with a band or ensemble whereas  piano lessons require a student to be comfortable spending stretches of time alone.

Music lessons give your child a sense of self-confidence that they will carry with them through life. But most importantly they will have fun while they are participating!

Viola lessons for the adult beginner

I have been surprised and impressed by the number of adults who will begin the challenge to learn to play the viola using viola lessons. In preparing for this article I requested email input from the adult beginners that I have had contact with and will be using their suggestions as well as giving you my own thoughts.

I have come to believe there is one great myth out there regarding the adult who takes up a new instrument: “It is harder for an adult than it is for a child.” There are many versions of this: “Children are more flexible;” “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks!” Well I don’t believe this is true at all. I believe the reason this myth persists is due to different expectations between adults and children.

Children want to play because they heard a viola somewhere; or a parent or grandparent plays and they want to be like them, or for many other reasons. But children are used to being on the beginning end of things, and are used to people teaching them and telling them how to do things. They go to their viola lesson every week, Mom or Dad helps them practice every day, and before they know it they’ve been at it for a couple of years and are sounding pretty good!

The adult on the other hand is by now very proficient at their chosen profession and in many cases is the teacher and not the student in their field. It is uncomfortable therefore, to be a beginning violaist and to play at a beginner level in front of someone who is proficient (his or her teacher). They look constantly for progress and measure themselves against a standard that they have chosen — often an unrealistic standard.

I had one student who said he’d always wanted to play viola. His wife gave him a viola and a month of viola lessons for his birthday, and he was very excited and very nervous. At work he was used to being in front of a boardroom full of executives and this is where he was most comfortable. When he came to viola lessons he was sweating and nervous and nothing I could do really calmed him down. I’m really not that intimidating! It was just too hard for him to be the beginner again. He lasted about a month and then was too busy with work to continue with viola lessons.

The adult students who stick with it have no pre-set expectations other than to play as well as they can. I asked adult beginners what their expectations were when they began viola lessons. Heather, who began viola lessons in her 40’s said she expected it to be difficult and expected to take as long as two years before she’d want to play for anyone. Bill, who began viola lessons in his 60’s said he had no real expectations, he just wanted to do as well as he could. Melody, who began viola lessons in her 30’s, said she just wanted to be able to share music with her son and husband. All of these students have been playing for more than a year now and are seeing great improvements in their tone and in their overall playing.

Staying motivated is particularly challenging for the adult student. I advise all my students to continue to play passed-off songs in their practice sessions. When you’ve finished a song and moved on to the next one, play the old songs in your practice sessions often. They can be good warm-up, and they are great encouragement. They get gradually easier and easier which lets you realize that this song that was once so hard is now easy! You have visible progress!

Bill stays motivated by listening to good players. He says it’s all difficult, but also fun “when sometimes I make real music.” A big help for Heather has been keeping a viola lessons journal. “About once a month I write in it,” she says. “It helps me sort out motivation hurdles. I try to make a record of it any time I have an A-ha moment. It helps me keep the bigger picture in mind.” Listening to really lovely music also motivates her. Having a goal she wants to meet by a specific time and preparing to play for others is a great motivator. “Because it is so difficult, the sense of accomplishment on mastering a new skill is absolutely thrilling,” says Heather.

Melody says, “Having the common interest [with my husband and son who both play violin] bonds us together in a very sweet way. This gives me lots of motivation to keep learning even though I improve very slowly. And as a role model, I want to show [my son] that I won’t quit even though it is not easy.”

I asked the adult students if they had advice for someone considering viola lessons as an adult. Bill said, “Go for it!” Heather advises, “Be very honest with yourself about your reasons for wanting to begin playing, and about the time and energy you will have available to invest. Having said that, I would still encourage almost anyone to at least give it a try. Learning something new, especially something as challenging as viola lessons, has been shown in scientific studies to be one of the best protectors against dementia in older age!”

Now a few words for the teachers. Teachers need to be aware of the different motivations and teaching approaches for adults versus children. Heather mentioned that it is important not to demand performance in recitals from adult students. I agree with this and always encourage my adult students to play, but let them have the final say. If they choose not to play in the recital, then they can come listen and support the other students. “Also,” says Heather, “Practice rules will be different. Stickers might make an adult feel kind of silly. Instead tell students about new skills presented in each song. Validate their sense of accomplishment by mentioning each thing they learned when they pass off each piece.

“Teachers can help [their adult students] best by tuning in to each student personally. Maybe even keep some notes on file, review them right before the viola lesson or once a month, especially if you have a large studio or an otherwise hectic schedule. Keep reminding us of the benefits of learning viola, tell us how courageous we are, (we are courageous, you know!) and help us to be reasonable in our expectations.”

Here are some further suggestions for other adult beginners:

Bill: “I have new questions every week and we deal with them. There is no substitute for a real live teacher.”

Heather: “A news story on TV talked about recent research showing that our brains record almost exclusively the last frame of mind or emotion associated with any experience. Here’s how this works: you could spend 30 minutes at the dentist getting your teeth drilled without anesthesia, and if you won a million dollars on the way out the door, you would look forward to returning to the dentist!

“Ok maybe that’s a bit exaggerated, but I decided to try it. For about a week, I ignored the timer and made sure to stop playing on a ‘high’. It worked, creating almost uncontrollable urges to play! Thoughts bordering on insanity would enter my mind that went something like this: ‘If I get up 20 minutes early tomorrow, I can play for 15 minutes before work.’

“I also remember clearly periods of time when I was working specifically on extending my stamina, and would be thoroughly worn out every day when I put down the viola. Soon I would begin thinking of a time to practice and think: ‘I am too tired to practice!’ And I really felt tired too. So with all the other things we have to think of and remember while practicing, we need to figure out how to end on a high note almost all of the time. For myself, playing viola is a treat and a pleasure. In my heart of hearts, I feel it is a sacred privilege.

“Teachers who are on their toes can help students feel this way too and send students out the door with a million dollars every week.”

Geanellen: “I have found out that my dear very old fashion tape recorder, (probably the 1st kind ever made way back when in my much ‘younger’ years) [is very useful]. I take that to class with me and I tape what the teacher says, and have her play the pieces she wants me to work on. If the piece is a fast Irish jig, she’ll play it the way it is suppose to sound up to tempo, but then she’ll slow it down. Sometimes she breaks it down into measures. Then all week at home during my practice sessions I turn on the tape recorder and play along with it. It also has helped me to learn where to place my fingers, so I’ll stay in tune with the music.

“I feel that this out of any suggestions is probably the best one for me. As a very active senior citizen, I have a gazillion things going on in my head, including helping my 90-year-old mother who is legally blind and still lives at home on a 10-acre farm with cattle. By the time I get home from a viola lesson, I don’t always, (well, OK hardly ever) remember whether the teacher said, ‘bow up’ or ‘bow down’ etc., so by having the tape recorder, she talks to me every time I practice, and we practice together. “

All these adult students have mentioned that playing the viola is quite a challenge. It reminds me of the movie “A League of Their Own.” Dotty tells her coach Jimmy that she’s quitting baseball because it just got too hard. He very wisely replies, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great!” All these adult students have tackled the challenge of the viola and are practicing right through the hard times. You inspire me!

Singing Tips For Beginners – How to Get the Best Voice Lessons

If you want a career in singing or simply want to have fun developing your voice, you’ll probably need to get voice lessons at some point in your development. You’d think this would be a simple matter of looking up names of teachers in a directory, right? Well, unfortunately, finding a great singing teacher is not quite that simple. Ending up with the wrong singing teacher could mean more than wasted time and money. A bad teacher could ruin your voice and your hopes. It’s with this rather scary thought in mind, that I’ve created the following list of tips on how to find good voice lessons.

1 Before you start looking for a vocal teacher, you need to decide want you want from your voice lessons. Do you want to develop your voice to its fullest potential or just learn songs? Do you want to be classically trained or learn a pop style? Knowing what you want will help you decide who’s right for you and how much you’re willing to spend, so sit down and write a list of want you want and what you don’t want. By the way, taking classical vocal lessons doesn’t mean you have to sing opera, but it is the most complete way to develop your voice, in my opinion.

2 So where do you start looking for voice lessons? There are are number of places you can look. A good place to start is your library where you should be able to find local ads, as well as music publications with classified sections. You can also try the internet with a search on “vocal lessons” plus the name of your area, such as vocal lessons in littleton.

3 A good singing teacher doesn’t make bold claims about what he can do for your voice. He knows that improvement takes consistent hard work and dedication on the part of his pupil.

4 Beware of a singing teacher who claims to have a brand new, never previously discovered technique. You don’t want to be his guinea pig, only to find that you haven’t made progress or worse still your voice has been damaged further down the line.

5 Even if everybody raves about a singing teacher, he may not be right for you. When I studied singing at the Royal Academy of Music in London, teachers would go in and out of fashion amongst the students. A singing teacher whose methods have stood the test of time is a much safer bet.

6 When you find a singing teacher you’re interested in, ask to sit in on a few voice lessons (with different students). If all the voice lessons are exactly the same and the teacher doesn’t tailor the voice lessons to suit the student, then look elsewhere. You need someone who teaches the voice lessons for what is right for you and your voice.

7 If you decide a singing teacher seems right for you, go ahead and book a consultation voice lesson. You might need a few voice lessons before you really know if it’s going to work, but don’t be afraid to move on if you decide the teacher isn’t what you are looking for.

So, you’ve found some great voice lessons and you’re beginning your journey to your goal. Remember that it’s going to take commitment and work on your part to get there. Don’t expect to make progress even with the best vocal teacher, if you’re not practising regularly. A good voice teacher and the best vocal lessons can guide you in the right direction, but the rest is up to you!

 

If you are interested in voice lessons in Denver, voice lessons in Westminster, or voice lessons in Arvada, contact the Colorado School of Music at http://www.coloradoschoolofmusic.com for available music lessons.

What age to start music lessons

I am often asked by parents of young children what is the best age to begin music lessons. Well, although I have seen children as young as four start to take music lessons it is a tall order for most so young to cope with the physical and mental demands.

I specialize in a course designed for very small children which uses a lot of singing and all round musical tuition, but there are the physical hold ups of tiny hands that just aren’t ready to use the fingers independently and most children will progress much faster and therefore enjoy the music lessons much more if they are around six.

It may appear obvious, but there is a marked difference between a five and six year old taking music lessons. It’s not just hand size to reach the piano notes but ability to concentrate too. Basic knowledge in other ways of the world makes a big difference too. For example, knowing the first seven letters of the alphabet.

A lot depends ‘though on the music lesson offered and the skill of the teacher. When I teach the very little ones I encourage their parents to sit in on the music lessons and help to guide their child. I can then lead from the front of the class whilst parents can help to guide their child’s hands in to place on the keyboards whilst I move around the class to check that all is well.

Music lessons for the very young need to be fast and flexible. Singing, and perhaps even dancing help to develop children’s musical skills. Even most adults will find it difficult to concentrate for long if the work is intense.

It not only takes skills in the movements that we produce with our fingers, but our brains have just such a lot to assimilate and analyze. It’s only when you think that you’re asking a very small child to read two languages at the same time, use their two hands in totally different directions and then put expression and feeling into the music that you begin to realize what a task it is.

I therefore have all praise and admiration whenever I see a six year old, who probably has difficulty reading English, make a success of playing the piano. There are lots of children of this age who cope very well, however. It’s wonderful to see a small child learning to sit comfortably at the piano and looking at ease as they play their simple but challenging pieces.

To summarize, therefore, I would say that, on average, seven would be the ideal time to start to take music lessons. The child is old enough and physically big enough to cope with the academic work and the size of the keys on the instrument but a keen, musical six year old from a supportive family would probably be far more successful than a sullen eleven year old who is being pushed into learning by eager parents.

Each child and each music lesson is different. Don’t worry too much if the first attempt of getting your child off to a musical start doesn’t seem to work out. They have plenty of time and opportunity ahead of them and if the door is left open they can return to and enjoy the experience of making music when their time is right.

Why Drum Lessons?

A problem for a large number of youngsters these days is that they don’t have a lot of hobbies to keep them occupied or out of trouble but finding a hobby for yourself or your children need not be hard. Being able to learn to play drums can offer a perfect opportunity to get some fitness and exercise work, give people a level of motivation and also occupy their time for a period of time. Anything that can keep people occupied or enjoying a new hobby or past time can be a great addition to their daily or weekly routine.

Playing an instrument is far more preferable to always playing computer games or perhaps running about causing trouble and it is easy to see why many parents are extremely happy to encourage their youngsters to take up a musical instrument. Simply picking up a few drumming tips may not seem like the biggest thing in the world to a youngster but you may be setting them on the right road to a lifetime of fun and enjoyment.

Take lessons and unleash the drummer in you

Many educational authorities and local community halls have been known to offer benefits to any musician who wants to take up drumming lessons. The drums have been known to encourage mental and physical development in a person and the effects of a young person picking up an instrument are known to be extremely positive. With so many benefits from starting this hobby and deciding to learn to play drums, there is a whole number of different and encouraging reasons to start playing drums and this will be agreed by the vast number of people who take up drums each and every year.

There is extremely large range of options for people considering taking up drums as an instrument and there is no doubt that many people are being swayed by the option of taking online drum lessons. The World Wide Web has had a lot of positive impact on a person’s life by providing them with new information and ideas about a whole range of many subjects, including drums. Being able to study at the pace you want and being able to revisit previous lessons or tutorials can help you ensure that your drumming tips are being taken on board. If you can do this, you will ensure you have the best opportunity of enjoying your drum sessions and improving your skills very quickly.

Take drumming lessons at your own pace

As well as learning new ideas and techniques, a great number of people want to play a new instrument because it is an extremely exciting hobby which can help make them a lot of new friends. This means that playing an instrument will mean that some people will think you’re cooler than if you didn’t and this is why many people choose to learn to play drums. This shouldn’t really be how it works but the world is a funny old place sometimes and this is the impact and effect a musical instrument can have on people.

If you are seriously interested in taking up drums, it can be useful to consider the different styles of music that you like and what you may wish to play. Drums is a lot more complicated than merely hitting things and knowing what style you would like to learn would help you make the best decision for your development. Taking some time at the start to weigh up your options is always wise and this can help you pick up the drumming tips that will help you learn very quickly.

Whether you are an experienced player looking for new tips or you are a novice wanting to learn, taking drumming lessons is the step to vastly improving your skills and talent. If you want to learn to play drums contact the Colorado School of Music and find out about the vast range of lessons we offer will enable you to drum in no time at all.

Acoustic Guitar Lessons

If you want to learn how to play the acoustic guitar to a high standard it is going to take many years of practice. In fact although there are plenty of acoustic guitar lessons to be found online there is no simple way for you to master the instrument. Certainly you won’t find after just one lesson that you can learn everything there is to know about this wonderful instrument. As well as practicing a lot you need the patience to remain focused on your studies as well.

Finding acoustic guitar lessons online can be difficult especially if you happen to be looking for high quality ones. As you will soon discover there are many thousands to choose from which you can either get for free or which you pay for. The problem is that quite a number of these contain poor quality material or their lessons are not of a very high standard. However below we offer some tips to help you when trying to find the right online acoustic guitar lessons for you.

Tip 1 – It is important that the lessons you select are ones which come with good quality images and videos either on a DVD or which you can download directly onto your computer. It is these lessons which will show you how to carry out the techniques when learning to play the acoustic guitar so you can master it.

Tip 2 – Next you need to find online lessons where they provide good quality audio files as well as jam along. Again these can either be in a downloadable format or sent out as CDs to you. What is so great about these is that you will hear just how the sound should be when you play it. No longer do you have to spend time reading books in order to understand and try to learn the notes.

Tip 3 – Look for those online acoustic guitar lessons where an audio commentary is providing with them. These will help you to understand the finer points of each technique you are learning and its feels as if you are having one on one lessons with your own personal tutor.

Tip 4 – Ideally the course should come with a book that helps you to learn how to read guitar TABs. Certainly if you want to be able to play your acoustic guitar well it is crucial that you know now to read TABs.

Tip 5 – If you can find online acoustic guitar lessons which come with good quality flash ones. These should also be interactive so you can learn more effectively about the fretboard and other parts of the guitar. Plus look for those that explain the theory in relation to the guitar you are learning to play. These kinds of lessons are very beneficial to those who are just learning how to play the acoustic guitar.

The great thing about online acoustic guitar lessons is you can do them at times which are convenient to you. Plus you have the chance to do them wherever you want as well. So if you find yourself unable to sleep at 3 in the morning and want a little practice then all you have to do is turn your PC on and away you go.

How to hold a Guitar Pick

No matter you have been learning guitar for a few months or you are just a guitar beginner, the below tips will be helpful to you. You will know the correct method to hold a pick. You may think that is something fundamental but doing this thing correctly will enhance your guitar music quickly.

Picks were originally made of animal bone or tortoise shell. They are now mainly made of plastic. There are different sizes and shapes. I recommend guitar beginners to choose to use medium size picks. They are easier to play with. Of course, it is not the rule of thumb. You should experiment different sizes and shapes of picks to find out the most suitable picks for yourself.

You may have more than 10 picks at home for playing guitar. It is common for many guitarists because picks are easy to lose and fray. And they are cheap as well.

Let me tell you the right way to hold a pick now. In the following tips, I assume that you are a right handed guitar player. You use your right hand to hold the pick.

First take out your right hand and extend the palm facing your left hand side. Slightly grip the fist and place the thumb alongside the right side of the first knuckle of your index finger. Then put the pick into the gap between your thumb and index finger. Do not insert too much or less. Just leave the tip which is enough for you to strum the strings. Also you need not hold the pick too firmly or too loosely.

Then try to slowly strum the string up and down. Your aim is to produce clear and sharp sound. The pick may easily slip off your fingers at the beginning. Do not be frustrated. You can acquire it with more practice.

For the rest of your fingers, there are two ways you can position them. You can either keep griping them or let them open. I am used to extend the fingers. There are several reasons. When you have advanced skills for playing guitar, you may need to strum the pick and use the other fingers to pluck the strings at the same time. Also, you can use the fingers to do tapping, play with the tremolo arm and change the volume of your electric guitar.

I would like to highlight other three ways to hold the picks. You may find those methods more comfortable but I personally do not recommend them.

Some people use the thumb and the middle finger to hold the pick. This method lets to hold the pick steadily but it is hard for you to strum strings fast in future. Some people may place the thumb on the second knuckle of the index finger. But the flexibility of picking will be decreased. The last is that some guitar learners may even use thumb, index finger and middle finger together to hold the pick. As you use one more finger for the pick, you will only have two remaining fingers to pluck the strings. It may hinder you from playing difficult guitar music.

I hope my tips for holding a pick will be helpful to you. Try to study this little thing. If you can do it in a correct way, you will find playing guitar easier.