TakeLessons, the nation’s fastest growing music lessons provider, shares an important tool for music students to use during practice sessions.
/EINPresswire.com/ This Sunday, February 26th, marks what would have been the 80th birthday of Johnny Cash. To commemorate, several projects and events are scheduled throughout the year to remember the country legend’s contribution to music. A project to preserve Cash’s childhood home in Arkansas, for example, will officially begin on Sunday, and later this year a new Cash museum will open in Nashville.
His legend still lives on, and his raw talent is beneficial for any musician to study. TakeLessons (http://takelessons.com), the nation’s fastest growing music lessons provider, took the opportunity to share practice tips with students who may have trouble with keeping rhythm like the American icon.
The following is an excerpt from the TakeLessons blog post:
“Practice at a Tempo Out of your Comfort Zone
Good listening skills are something musicians strive for their whole careers. Adapting to others’ tempo is an important part of ear training. Playing faster or slower than you normally do will teach you to listen and adapt to what others are doing. In this case, it’s a machine you are adapting to, but these skills translate well to ensemble playing, and especially following section leaders.
Set the Metronome to NOT Play on Every Beat
Get bored quickly with metronome practice? This is an easy way to mix things up, and test that you are maintaining your tempo without having to rely on a machine to keep the beat.
Jazz musicians, try to practice with the beat on 2 and 4, which is where the hi-hats would be in a swing beat. Do this for your scales and etudes, not just when practicing a tune. Classical musicians can try the metronome only on beat 1. Practice the same thing over and over with the metronome on random beat settings to keep you on your toes.
Use the Metronome to Help you Gain Speed
Musicians can especially benefit from metronome use when doing tonguing and lip slurring exercises. Try to go through your normal etude books, one exercise or page at a time, gradually increasing the tempo. It takes some serious practice time, but the result is well worth the effort. Tech savvy musicians can keep a spreadsheet of the exercise and tempo as they go along.”
By sharing the tips with blog readers, TakeLessons aims to continue engaging current students and teachers. Readers are invited to share their thoughts by commenting on the TakeLessons blog, where they can also learn the steps for learning a song, and comments are also welcomed on Facebook (http://facebook.com/takelessons).
About TakeLessons
Headquartered in San Diego, CA, TakeLessons is America’s full-service music and voice lessons provider. With private lessons taught by TakeLessons Certified™ instructors in cities nationwide, students of all ages can start living their dreams through music. Founded in 2006 to help people discover their creativity and pursue their passions, TakeLessons also offers turnkey music programs for schools and community centers.
Mary Brooks
TakeLessons
877-231-8505
http://takelessons.com
PR Courtesy of Online PR Media: http://bit.ly/AxVVsk
