As musicians, most of us at some point in our lives will have the opportunity to play his or her instrument onstage for an audience. This performance experience can be a rewarding one. Yet for many, this can be a very frightening thought. If you...
Read moreDo You Practice Effectively?
Many students do not practice effectively. When students learn to improve their practicing habits, they will make remarkable progress on a weekly basis. Below are practice techniques that can be used to increase the effectiveness of a student's...
Read moreOn Performing
Performing: some people love it. Some people hate it. The important thing to remember is that we all need to do it! Performing helps us become better musicians and gives us a goal to work toward when we practice.The main reason some students hate...
Read moreExpanding your Musical Library
Growing up, we tend to gravitate toward a particular style of music. While listening and learning one style can form a great foundation & love for music, it limits our musical library. Listening to other styles can have a profound effect on...
Read moreAlfredo Guzman on Listening
As long as I have been taking music lessons, one thing that my instructors have always stressed to me is the importance of LISTENING to music. There are two ways to listen to music; there is passive listening and intent listening. As musicians I...
Read more“Is My Child Making Progress?” – Jake Ramirez
As a teacher, throughout the year I tend to hear the same questions asked by many parents of young music students. One of them being, "Is my child making progress?" It makes me happy to see parents wanting their students to excel. It's safe to...
Read moreGoing Beyond the Notes – Diane House
Hello fellow SAMA members! I am curious; how do you view yourselves as musicians? Maybe you perceive yourself as a growing student or an emerging artist. Maybe you view your lessons as a simple, fun, pass-time activity. Whether your goals are to...
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