It is a strange phenonium that careers in music aren’t often seen as “serious”. Music is all around us and thousands of people work in the industry. Whether as teachers, professional musicians, in film, tv, theatre or radio to agents, retailers, in youth organisations, the church or chapel, being a music therapist, or busking on […]
When your child signs up for music lessons you will probably presume that you will be dropping them off and then picking them up thirty minutes later hoping that they have learned something and will do some practice?! This isn’t always the case. There are several different styles of teaching and depending on your child
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="17376" img_size="full" alignment="center"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The trumpet is a popular brass instrument amongst children and adults. Brass instruments form one of the main sections of an orchestra alongside strings, woodwind and percussion. The trumpet is probably the most learned brass instrument due to it’s availability and size for anyone to learn. The cornet is very similar to
[vc_row][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text] The Basics To look at the two instruments together the cornet is smaller; however, the actual tubing (the pipe from the mouthpiece end all the way round to the bell) is the same length as the trumpet at 4.5'. If you look at the tubing on a cornet next to a trumpet you
It is argued that violin players’ brains are even better than a musician who plays a different instrument. This is due to the two hands doing very different things when playing the violin and the brain having to process these two different movements. Just the slightest adjustment on touching the strings or the way the
Caring for your acoustic or classical guitar is really very simple, but very important. It will protect the value of your investment, and ensure that it has a long playing life. The following article covers most of what you need to know, but is by no means exhaustive. I'd need to write a book for
The complete keyboard and digital piano glossary - Terms and explanations
Tim Minchin was famous before he wrote the music score and lyrics for Matilda, the musical. Many people hadn’t heard of Tim Minchin before they saw the credits on their programme in the West End. He was commissioned for the work by the Royal Shakespeare Company Matilda has won more than 85 awards since it
1. Faster Processing in the Brain: Cognitive Function & Neural Processing. To play an instrument, the child needs to learn the technique required and associate the playing action with it, and then execute both at once. Whilst reading music notation, the brain works at an advanced speed as he/she has to read, understand, remember and
Top Five Reasons For Children To Learn An Instrument Read More »
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 1. What is a saxophone? A saxophone is a musical instrument. It is a woodwind instrument despite being made from brass. It is played by blowing through a mouthpiece with a reed attached. 2. How many different types of saxophone are there? There are four main different types of saxophone. From smallest to biggest
20 Most Frequently Asked Questions about the Saxophone Read More »
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 1. How to you get a sound out of a trumpet? A trumpet is a brass instrument which is blown through to get a sound. It uses a mouthpiece which is attached to the trumpet and then the player puts this to their lips and blows. When learning the trumpet, a student will be
20 Most Frequently Asked Questions about the Trumpet Read More »
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Looking After Your Flute is Important! Looking after your flute ensures a lifetime of playing and enjoyment. As with anything mechanical, keeping your flute clean and treating it correctly alongside regular servicing by a trained technician your flute will play better and be more reliable in the long run. The player can follow some
When you are learning an instrument do you ever wonder whether you will become so good that you will one day be famous, or at least well known and sought after as a musician. What does it take to get this accolade? Being a famous musician is no different in practice to being a famous
What makes a flute player like James Galway famous? Read More »
El Sistema (The System) The founder of the renowned music programme El Sistema in Venezuela has died this week. Jose Abreu was 78 years old and died on 24 March 2018. Abreu began the project in 1975 with the aim of bringing free music to children who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access any form
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 1. How do you clean your flute? A flute player should only look to clean the inside and outside of the flute. Some websites will advise on cleaning separate parts of the flute which would necessitate taking parts of the flute apart. This isn’t advised for children or people who don’t know how technically
20 Most Frequently Asked Questions About The Flute Read More »
[vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] Where are cellos made? What is a cello bow made of? What is the clef for cello? What family does the cello belong to? Is it hard to learn to play the cello? What does a cello look like? How much does a good cello cost? What wood is a cello made out
Frequently Asked Questions Relating to the Cello - Top 20 Read More »
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As with all musical instruments, it is never quite as easy and straightforward as you would think! The clarinet is no exception. When you order your clarinet from Musical Instrument Hire it will arrive as a full ensemble and you won’t need to up-grade or replace any of the main components. However, if you have
Choosing the Right Clarinet Reed: A Beginner’s Guide Whether you are a student starting your first lesson or an adult returning to the instrument, the most important "small" piece of equipment you'll use is the clarinet reed. This tiny piece of cane is responsible for creating the vibration that produces your sound. In this
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Violin Strings Its amazing to think that stringed instruments have been around for over 3000 years. Some of the first instruments known are lyres which would have had strings which were either plucked or bowed. Their development really accelerated during medieval times, and in Europe we began to see some of the first pear
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text](This article is based on an adult choosing, or an adult helping a child to choose) This is a difficult question! Firstly, you need to consider if there is an instrument that you have “always” wanted to learn – and then go with this! Remember, nothing is forever – you can change if it doesn’t
How Do I Choose What Instrument I Want to Learn/My Child to Learn? Read More »
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It is very refreshing and relatively rare to have a new talent suddenly appear and inspire people in the music world. We are aware of musicians all the time but just now and again someone comes along who is fresh, a pure talent, and gives something back to the music world. Sheku Kanneh-Mason is from
[vc_row top_margin="0" bottom_margin="0" el_class="lineheight"][vc_column][vc_column_text]A Brief History of the Violin – Interesting Facts & Figures The violin originated from Italy in the early 1500s. Bowed instruments were used in the Medieval period and these would be the forerunners for the violin. Andrea Amati has been credited with being the developer of the violin as we
A Brief History of the Violin – Interesting Facts & Figures Read More »
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Buying Vs Hiring a Musical Instrument A real dilemma once you or your child decides they want to learn an instrument – do you buy, or do you hire? There is no obvious answer. The answer is, whatever suits you best? Is it easier on the pocket to have a small monthly outlay and
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] How to Play Your Flute Your new flute has arrived and you haven’t had a lesson yet – what a frustration that you can’t just put it together and play! This is a short guide to get you started. Your teacher will guide you through each step but will be impressed that you have
