Category: Instruments

Parent category for instrument-specific post categories. This is generally not used on its own, mainly used to aggregate all instrument content.

How much practise?

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trumpet lessons melbourne, how much to practise

As a Melbourne music teacher I am constantly asked how much practice should I do? The answer is as much as possible! As ambiguous as this sounds it actually holds true – what you put in to your instrument you get out. Everyones free time is not equal, some of us work long hours, others have social and sporting commitments that leaves little time for trumpet practise. If you are an aspiring musician I would suggest writing out your practice in a diary. This can be key to visualizing your practice in your week. Another great way of getting more quality time with your trumpet is to see unexpected spare time as free practice time. Unexpected spare time is when plans fall through or someone is running late, and you have a short window of time to fill however you like. How much more productive is practising your trumpet even for as little as ten minutes than just scrolling through Facebook for the twentieth time today. Also it beats getting up a little earlier, pushing away your partner or putting down the TV remote! There is no secret to becoming a great musician that we music teachers in Melbourne selfishly cling to – its just putting the time in. Perfect your art through practice and be present and focused. Perfect practice makes perfect!!

The human body

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the body guitar lessons melbourne

Recently I put my back out… again! It is something I deal with about twice a year- an old injury from my teens. As a guitarist it’s not surprising that I get back and neck issues due to the awkward position of playing the guitar. Each instrument has its own related body issues- saxophone and the forearms, drummers and almost all the body etc! I have been making yoga a daily practice in order to release the tension in my back and neck with the hope of getting some longevity on the guitar. I also would recommend floatation tanks to any Melbourne music student. It has properties in the water that I’m not smart enough to understand… something to do with 1000 pounds of Epsom salts. I do know that I feel as relaxed after an hours float as I do after an hours massage. For any Melbourne music teachers or Melbourne music students I highly recommend you consider your instrument and how it’s affecting your body- we want you playing until you are as old as Gandalf the Grey!!

Rhythm practise

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rhythm practise trumpet lesson melbourne

Rhythm! where would music be without it? Patterns in music have been the essence of rhythm and as human beings we are hard-wired to recognize patterns even when complex. Young minds are malleable and recent studies have shown that with proper application perfect pitch and recognition of complex rhythms are possible in the first few years of life. Trumpet, like all other musical instruments requires good aural skills and timing. By building these skills with a Melbourne trumpet teacher young musicians are able to hard wire their brains to excel in complex rhythms and pattern recognition. Try out a trumpet lesson with us at Music in mind and discover your child’s potential.

Take control of nerves

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take control of nerves singing lessons melbourne

One of the most nervous times I’ve ever had in my life was when I was nineteen years old and my singer hadn’t turned up to a gig. The responsibility of covering him fell to me! Sweat, nerves and impending doom quickly set upon me- I had sung in my bedroom before but never in front of a crowd (let alone a drunken Irish bar crowd!) I’m happy to report it wasn’t a complete disaster. However, the feeling of your voice quivering because of nerves is awful as it lets on to your crowd just how nervous you are – not a good look for a front man! Singing and extreme nerves go together like blue and yellow- something strange comes out. Unlike a lot of other instruments the voice is susceptible to nerves and causes depletion in tone and control. I know countless Melbourne singing students that suffer from crippling stage fright and I sympathize with them. What’s the answer to overcoming the nerves? The secret is in the soup – try and get some experience. We so often fear what might be and then get surprised when it’s done successfully. Nothing beats experience to build confidence so get out there and sing karaoke, busk, do a fill in gig, whatever gets you in the cage match with nerves it doesn’t really matter, your voice and your confidence will be the better for the experience. Our singing lessons equip you with the skills and then we offer performance opportunities throughout the year to sharpen those vocal skills.

Whats the right amount of practise?

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guitar lessons melbourne guitar practising

One of the most commonly discussed topics in our guitar lessons is practice. I often compare Music to sports because the analogy of 1% talent vs. 99% hard work is applicable. This is what I love about music – like sport no one is handed the keys to the kingdom without a lot of hard work and practice being put in. When a student asks me “how much practice should I do” the answer is “well how quickly do you want to advance?” Sometimes as a guitar teacher in Melbourne we are like personal trainers who see their client once a week and then write out a lesson plan for them to follow for the remaining weekdays. If followed you will see the most amount of gains and the goals set out will be met. So when it comes to your Melbourne guitar lessons, talk honestly with your teacher about what you want to achieve and than try and follow the practice schedule. Michael Jordan may have grown 6 inches in his senior year of high school but he  also put in countless hours of dedicated practice each day to become one of the great basket ballers of all time!

Learn to play the saxophone now!

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jazz sax melbourne saxophone lessons

The saxophone is a relatively young instrument, having been created by Belgian musician and inventor Adolphe Sax in the middle of the 19th century. Because of it’s late arrival on the musical scene, it didn’t feature in a lot of classical music and is not a standard member of most orchestras. However, the saxophone was included in the works of many 20th century composers as well as being integral to the evolution of jazz music. More famous than any other instrument in the history of jazz, the saxophone is synonymous with artists such as Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane.

The saxophone is made up of five main parts – the body, which is the main part of the saxophone, the neck, the mouthpiece, the ligature and the reed. The ligature is a round fastening device which slips over the mouthpiece and secures the reed to the mouthpiece. The reed is a wafer-thin wooden strip which when blown through vibrates against the mouthpiece and creates sound. Most saxophone students don’t realise that the reed and ligature have an enormous bearing on the sound of the sax, and not just that, but even the specific way in which you lay the reed over the mouthpiece affects the sound. For this reason and more there is no substitute for one-on-one music lessons with a proper saxophone teacher – A good teacher can show you all of these essential aspects and much, much more.

Our Melbourne saxophone teachers, Paul Carter and Ally Collingwood perform regularly around Melbourne on a regular basis in a variety of ensembles. Paul plays in several jazz groups himself, as well as doing alot of corporate functions and wedding gigs. Ally is currently furthering her studies with a Masters of Music Education from Monash University. Call us now to book a lesson with one of our fantastic teachers and get 20% off your first lesson.