by Jamey Mann, Catoctin School of Music It is important to understand when learning an instrument that the teacher oversees the lesson. Unfortunately, too often students (children and adults) come in with a preconceived notion of how they should be learning and what they want to learn. This is an attitude that often leads to a bad experience and failure. Keeping the 5 C’s in mind...
Read More
by Alyssa Cowell, Catoctin School of Music Are you ready for a new school years’ worth of music making? Here are 5 things you can work on now as the summer winds down! Reevaluate your practice habits! Maybe you had a jam-packed summer full of fun activities and your practice has fallen to the bottom of your to-do list. Maybe you’re considering adding a bunch of new activities...
Read More
by Jamey Mann, Catoctin School of Music One of the most frustrating things I’ve noticed happening over the past few years is parents pulling students from lessons for not practicing. It’s not unusual for students to end lessons due to not practicing. However, when this is a young student between the age of 6 and 10, it is not the child’s fault for not practicing. Parents and...
Read More
By Alyssa Cowell, Catoctin School of Music Sight-reading is a fundamental tool that all musicians should take the time to develop. It involves interpreting musical notation, understanding the rhythm, tempo, and dynamics, and playing the music fluently. A student’s ability to read music quickly and accurately on the first (or maybe second) try can build confidence and musical versatility. The Benefits of Sight Reading Sight-reading equips musicians to...
Read More
by Jamey Mann, Catoctin School of Music A debated topic amongst guitar students and teachers is the use of tablature. Modern guitar tablature (tab) is a system of lines representing strings and numbers signaling which fret to push down. This is a system in which many self-taught guitar students use to start teaching themselves basic chords and riffs. I am in the middle when it comes to...
Read More