4 Reasons Why, Listening To Music, is an Important Part of Music Education

Is practice becoming constant or too monotonous? How can you break this monotony and yet improve your knowledge on music? The answer is quite simple. Listen to music. Discover as many artists as you can or listen to your favourite song again and again. Being connected with music motivates and inspires you which will make your practice sessions a little bit more exciting. You can even try to pick up some easy songs if you are a beginner which will give you a motive to practice. Here are the 4 reasons why listening to music is a must process in your learning.

1. Understanding Music Concepts

All the theory and techniques you are learning is useless if you can’t apply them in context. The best way to understand the use of them is to find songs that require you to apply the theory and technique you are practicing every day. It will give you the motivation to practice as you understand the importance of it and how it applies to making music. Also, try to understand the way they are using the theory in their playing which will help you to grow as a better musician.

2. Developing a habit

Yes, we all listen to music but as learners of musical instruments, are we doing enough of it. We should set a specific time which is assigned to listening music. You can even club it with some of your daily chores if you don’t have much free time. It is very important to develop a habit of listening to music , especially the young learners who can have the tendency to take up instruments as a daily chore. Yes, they should practice daily but should not be a mundane task which ends up with them losing interests. It should be fun, so parents should sit down with them and listen to music and have conversations about what they liked and what kind of music they would prefer to listen. You can even exchange your playlist with each other and discuss the differences in music of old and the music that comes out now. They should also be given freedom, though to discover their own music and develop their own taste for it.

3. Experiencing the Music Scene

The best way to experience the power of music is by attending live concerts. Try to attend as many live concerts as you can live the experience of performance and the joy that music brings. Listening and watching live shows can inspire you tremendously and you finally see what you are working for. Some of you might not be learning to take it up professionally but just the sight of being on stage or just being on a stage performing your instrument can boost your confidence which is very important to grow as a musician. Also, you meet people that are involved with music which can expand your knowledge of music immensely.

4. Ear Training

Ear training is a very important part of your music learning and there is nothing better than listening to songs. Train your ears to understand melodies and even try to identify the key or the chords they might be using. You won’t be accurate immediately but once you continue and keep at it, it will get better which will help you a long way if you choose to continue with music. There are times when you listen to songs just to enjoy and have a peace of mind but sometimes, sit down to break down the song with conscious concentration and see the depth of the music that is being played.

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.

3 Reasons Why Beginners should stick to Music Lessons for at least 3 months

No-one is born with a talent. Everyone acquires it along their way of growing up. Yes, some achieve it faster than others but they still had to put in work towards it. No one can gain any skills without the necessary preparatory work you need to do in order to be talented. Everyone processes information at different rates and the same thing applies when you are learning musical instruments. There is no way that someone can be very good at an instrument in his first try, it is just impossible. However, some people may already have a good sense of rhythm and melody if they already regularly listen to music (aural skills).

Musical instruments need time, practice, repetition to be able to achieve the necessary skills. However it is understandable that one can lose interest along the way as sometimes it can get frustrating playing the same thing over and over again , yet you are not getting the exercise to full speed. But do not worry, everyone goes through that and it is important as a beginner to stick to it for a small period of time.  Once you are through with the basics, it is going to be even more fun (and challenging) than you were looking for when opting to play the instruments.

1. Muscle Memory

Almost all musical instruments require a certain muscle workout. For example, Drummers need all their limbs, Guitarist and Keyboardist has to be flexible with both their hands, Vocalists has to stretch their vocal cords. These muscles need to be regularly experiencing the kind of movement required to play the instrument and make it a second nature for itself after you repeat the exercises again and again. In the beginning, your performance may feel a little  sloppy as your muscles are not accustomed to such movements and also, might not have gained the strength required. All of these can be acquired by practicing and repeating exercises over and over again. Once your muscles are familiar with the rigour and the rhythm you have to play in, it becomes much easier to showcase your skills in the instrument. As a beginner, it does take a certain time as your muscles and your mind are exposed to something new but once you gain the experience, it starts showing in your ease of performance.

2. Correct Understanding of Music

Rushing through things aren’t often helpful. Sometimes, shortcuts can be taken to reach the goal but in music you will always leave behind a lot of components that are needed in understanding music which, are areas you will have to come back to if you have the interest of learning your instrument further. A step-by-step process of all the basic theory and understanding of its application will help you towards your instrument in the long run. For example, you may play songs but have no idea what chords or notes are been played, then you will have no idea how to playing other songs nor will you be able to transpose or change to suitable rhythm. However, if you do have the knowledge, then you can take the ideas from these chords, rhythm and notes and use it in your own melodic ideas. Sometimes it may feel like it is taking a long time and it is sometimes frustrating not be able to execute things the way you want to, but have patience, commitment and the correct way to do your exercises, it will show in your playing after few months.

3. Basics are the Foundation

Like a building structure needs a solid foundation to stand strong for years and years, musician needs their basics to be done properly and lay down the foundation to add or improve all the techniques required to play the instrument. When your basic technique are done properly, advanced techniques will come into your skill set quicker and you will be able to achieve your sound more efficiently.

So be patient, realistic and believe in the system, as long as you do the work given to you, you will definitely see the results that you hoped for yourself and be the musician you always dreamt of. The next time you decide to enrol for music lesson for yourself or your child, invest a minimum of 3 months period to see the desired results.

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.

Ever Wonder if Instruments are Gender Specific?

In a world where we are technologically developed, open to every kind of ideas and where every gender get equal opportunities, there are still few stereotyped opinions that doesn't stand true. Are some music instruments only meant to be played by just one gender? It may be musical history that has played a small part in moulding these ideas but we are smart enough and have enough sources of information to know that it is not at all the reality. Let us get an idea of how these opinions have come to be and how it doesn’t hold true in this day and age.

History

In the 19th century, Musical Instruments were part of leisure for the upper classes mostly as lower classes were usually preoccupied with work. As population of that century had begun generating interest for musical instruments there was a huge gender biased notion about the instruments. Bluntly put, majority of the existing instruments were not considered feminine mainly because it wasn't considered moral for females to play it. For few instances, drums and trumpets were used in military were not considered lady-like. Also certain playing positions like distorting face while playing wind instruments, straddling the cello with your legs or making bodily movements while playing string instruments were considered immoral for the female gender. The Piano however was considered feminine in the earlier century, as you could sit gracefully and play the instrument without any unnatural movement of the body. Thus, very few men, opted to play the piano back then since the society considered it to be feminine although the trend soon began changing with geniuses like Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, etc.

Breaking the Norm

It is human nature to break away from the existing norms and rules which has been the case since a time immemorial. Even though few notions were well established in the tradition and society, there were always the 'odd ones out' breaking out of stereotypes and proving everyone wrong. As we discussed the names of few geniuses like Mozart and the Beethoven, can you name few female composers of 20th century who completely proved the notion that ‘female counterparts are not good composers’ a false statement. If you cant think of one, here are few you must check out: Clara Schumann, Fenny Hensel and if you are a jazz fan you must know Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. They have got lot less attraction than their male counterparts but if you listen closely, you will understand why they should earn the same respect and recognition.

Age of Free Will

Now, in these times where most of the common notions are broken and times where what you say, is heard by everyone, we should not be bound to old opinions and traditions. Yes, there has been a huge improvement of understanding that the gender bias is completely wrong when it comes to music, but it is time to completely eradicate it. If there is something you want to learn and play, only thing is stopping you is yourself. Want to learn the drums, get one and start practicing, it doesn’t matter which gender you belong to, the one with more commitment and practice will definitely be better than the other. In these times, if you have a will you have the choice to make it true and no instrument is either male dominated or should be considered feminine.

Modern Day Geniuses

Drums: Camille Bigeault, Sarah Thawer, Senri Kawaguchi, Jessica Burdeaux, Mercedes Lander, Meytal Cohen, Kristina Schiano, Anika Nilles

Stringed Instruments: Yvette Young, Mohini Dey, Felicia Collins, Joni Mitchell, Orianthi, Anoushka Shankar

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.

References:

• https://phys.org/news/2016-04-gender-based-social-conventions-musical-instruments.html
• https://rvanews.com/features/spacebomb-truth-lies-somewhere-in-between/49992
• http://www.womensmediacenter.com/fbomb/the-underlying-sexism-of-playing-an-instrument