January 2012
23 posts
1 tag
Alex Marianyi: You Have To Just Feel It →
A good substitute for a metronome to establish tempo is to have a percussionist play eighth notes on the snare.
When it comes to getting people to “feel” time, you cannot explain it. Exercises created to help students internalize rhythm give students an opportunity to practice getting the ‘feel’ themselves.
If you really want an example to give someone, I like the...
3 tags
Why I Hate Metronomes
For those of you who accidentally stumbled upon this blog without any interest of googling for context, a metronome is an instrument of inanity. It mechanically beats out a tempo.
As far as music is concerned, they’re helpful as a starting point. They’re helpful as a practice tool. But they are not musical. They are machines, unwavering in their settings. There have been many...
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Define interesting-: Music quotes from MMEA... →
nowherebutserenity:
Too tired to write tonight- but I’ll leave you with this. Emphasis mine. “I am convinced that every student in every class can be positively affected by the music we develop. I find myself driven to pick songs that can meet the students where they are and take them somewhere they ever dreamed…
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kaminskiteacher: stealing ideas →
Like a composer friend of mine often says: Good composers borrow, GREAT composers steal.
kaminskiteacher:
I will elaborate a little more on this concept of needing to steal ideas from experienced teachers, but for now, let’s just get right into it.
If you have found a good website (other than tumblr of course) that gives you worthwhile ideas for lessons, let me know. I’ll compile a list and...
The Tuneables: Singing in the Key of D →
thetuneables:
The Tuneables recommends that young children first learn songs in the key of D. Why?
The key of D places the child’s voice in the optimal singing range, neither too high nor too low, for controlling pitch.
Here’s why the key of D allows children to sing in tune and enhances their music…
4 tags
Call For Submissions
Music Ed Ideas is a place for past, present, and future music educators to share ideas. Whether you have experience in band, choir, orchestra, or general music, we would love to hear from you! Click on the “Submit” link to send in your thoughts and ideas.
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Over 25 Links Uncovering Project Based Learning... →
world-shaker:
Well I think that title sums it up pretty well.
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kaminskiteacher: what I learned today #6 →
kaminskiteacher:
There’s only one way to learn how to break up a fight: Break up a fight.
Yup. Had a little incident in my 5th grade class today. I was just getting the class started and two boys popped up from their chairs and started shoving each other. Then one punched the other in the face, and I stepped…
1 tag
Musical Musings: What to do? →
withacento:
After school the AP came up to my room to ask if I’d like to earn a little extra money by having the students do something musical for one hour two days a week. Instinctively, I said, “Sure!” Now, I have no idea what to do! I have to start the after school program in two weeks. Here’s what I need…
2 tags
The Tuneables: Thirty Children's Songs For Young... →
thetuneables:
Introducing songs with both cultural and musical significance is a great way to introduce music to your tiny Tunie!
Children will associate the classical children’s compositions as part of daily routine, instilling musical appreciation and assisting in tonal and rhythmic learning.
Thirty…
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kaminskiteacher: what I learned today #5 →
kaminskiteacher:
Every day I have multiple failures and successes. It’s not always easy to judge if I’m moving forward or backwards; I suppose even when you fail it’s a form of progress because you learn something, right?
Anyway, what I’m finding is that sometimes, success can be subtle. In the way that a few…
1 tag
Music Ed Idea for the Day
musicahumana:
Find a “sister” band or choir across the world and have students write emails to members of an ensemble of the same size and type. Share videos of performances and choose a piece of music that both ensembles could learn in a semester or year.
How cool would that be!?!?!?
2 tags
Ray Sasaki, Trumpet Fundamentals (LIPS) →
Sample video from LIPs. Here, we look at the fundamentals of the trumpet.
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kaminskiteacher: instrument unit →
kaminskiteacher:
Looking for some suggestions for improving my current instruments unit with my 5th grade general music class. Here’s a little background…
I have 25 students in class; no desks/tables, just 3 rows of chairs
I don’t have any access to technology, other than Spotify on my iPod, and a typical…
3 tags
LIPs: Live Illustrations by Professionals →
Here is the description found on the home page (link above):
Live Illustrations by Professionals is designed to afford young musicians a close-up view of artists’ embouchures in action. Most students’ opportunities to observe the embouchures of experts are limited either to still photographs or to views from long distances. LIPs images illustrate the physical details of embouchures...
1 tag
Texas School Music Project →
Helpful articles for all music educators. Articles with great tips for band, choir, elementary music, keyboard, theory, and orchestra.
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Texas Band Masters →
Helpful articles for band directors
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"Music Commandments" →
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Singing Isn't Just For Vocalists
Singing isn’t just for vocalists. Singing something, even if you don’t do it well, improves something about the way you play (wind and string instruments). It serves as another way for students to practice their parts. Instrumentalists benefit from connecting music to breath movement. String players benefit from getting the pitches in their heads. It also serves as an opportunity to learn the...
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OMEA Conference 2012
Maximizing Rehearsal Time
Dr. Ike Nail, Western Oregon University
OMEA 2012
Plan the warm up time
Warming up is essential to the rehearsal time. It is a time to settle the ears and ‘rediscover’ the tone quality for the day. A standard for tone may be such that you work to get students to have a clear and steady sense of tone without blips or fading.
Warming up helps not only the mental...
“Music happens to be an art form that transcends language.”
– Herbie Hancock (via soundcloud)
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Call For Submissions
Hello Music Educators!
I’d like to announce the beginning of a new blog! It is my hope that this will be a forum for the spreading of ideas regarding music education. Whether you are a past, present, or future teacher or lover of music, we want to hear from you!
Have a great lesson plan? Send it in!
Just learned some spiffy new techniques for playing the french horn? Send it in!
We...
