Discover, Learn, Play

We Can Use Your Help!

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 18:25:00 +0000

See these smiling faces? It's why we do what we do at DSM and dlp. And we are asking for your help to spread the word about our dlp Music Outreach program so these smiling faces can turn into thousands of other smiling faces all over the world.

The picture was taken at our 'Musicking' event on Saturday, March 2. It's where we invite adult students of DSM to perform in a relaxed, cafe-like atmosphere. There are no programs, 'concert attire' is not required, and each performer volunteers when they are ready. The wine and cheese table helps set the perfect casual mood for students to share their talents and personal stories with friends, family, and staff. We believe this falls right in line with philosopher Christopher Small's ideas and what 'music' is really all about:

"...that music is not a thing, but rather an activity. "Musicking" is a verb that encompasses all musical activity from composing to performing to listening to a Walkman to singing in the shower. "

The 'musicking' philosophy has been a mainstay at DSM and the online community at dlp as well. It is with this same spirit that we launched the dlp outreach program so that under-served people around the world can experience the joy of musicking for themselves. Here are some non-profit organizations who provide arts related programs for under-served families that we are currently working with. They are in areas close to home like Dallas and Austin Texas as well as far off places like Seattle, Los Angeles, Haiti, and the UK:

Youth Uprising, Bahama Village Music Program, First Note, Kids for Coltrane, Free Arts for Abused Kids, Dare to Dream Foundation, Little Kids Rock, BLUME Haiti, One World Theatre, Music Heals, Ear Candy and more.

So this is where YOU come in!

We'd love for you to share dlp with your friends, students, colleagues, and communities. Every new dlp membership allows us to continue our outreach work and in turn provides access to free music learning materials to those who's lives might benefit most. If you know of any non-profit groups that help change lives via the arts, please share our info with them or contact us here.

If we can

Move Along Mozart....

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:36:00 +0000

Can we just get on with it already? I'm here to argue that the Mozart Effect did more harm than good for music education. Rather than concentrating on real life examples of why music is good for everyone, we instead propped up the data as a reason to advocate for keeping music programs in our schools. Now that we know the study was misquoted and misconstrued pretty much from the get go, the back pedaling begins.

There were 2 articles regarding this subject that came to our attention this week. The first was a post by Chad Criswell at MusicedMagic called Music Advocacy - First Tell No Lies. To their credit they point out the "ambiguity of the findings" and conclude that this study carried "little or no scientific, data driven weight" but that it was "the popular media" that "grabbed at the headline of 'music makes you smarter' when in reality the study clearly says that no long term improvements were found." Kudos for a well written post.

The second was an article by Nick Collins published in the Telegraph (UK) Science section titled Learning instrument does not make children more intelligent, experts claim. The quick conclusion is that "kids who take music lessons have different personalities, and many or virtually all of the findings that have shown links between music and cognition may be an artifact of individual differences in personality." In short, "people with specific personalities and with higher levels of cognitive abilities and from more well-off families are more likely to take music lessons." Well, duh!

Let's stop kidding ourselves shall we? Do we really want to "save" music education? Then let's start by fostering music making opportunities in our own communities and making music learning fun, hip, and accessible to people of all ages. Let's also remember that's it's NOT about making kids better at math or spatial reasoning, it's about making better communities and more positive human connections through music.

Perhaps Dan Levitin a psychologist from McGill University in Montreal, said it best, "There are benefits to having a society where more people are engaged with the arts, so even if music instruction doesn't make you a better mathematician or a better athlete, even if it only gives you the enjoyment of music, I think that is a good end in and of itself." Amen brother!

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:36:00 +0000

We've loved Gary Marcus ever since we read and blogged about his book Guitar Zero around this time last year. A friend of ours sent along his January 1, 2013 article from the New Yorker called Happy New Year: Pick Up a New Skill and as usual, it did not disappoint.

In it he discusses the challenges and benefits of learning new things as an adult and in particular, debunking the long held scientific view called “critical-period effect”. Lucky for us old guys (and you too my dear readers!), Gary says "evidence for this belief was far weaker than widely supposed."

"The critical-period effect is the idea that you can’t do certain things—like learn a language, or learn an instrument—unless you start early in life. It’s a discouraging thought for anyone past adolescence. But, recently, the evidence for this idea had started to unwind."

When he decided to learn guitar at 40, Mr. Marcus said he did the best he could to "tackle the guitar bit-a-bit, keeping my expectations low and my persistence high." This should be the first commandment of music learning! And shortly after his book was published, he began finding new data that showed that the myth of critical periods itself had in fact kept people from even trying to learn new things.

By now we all know the power and far reaching benefits of learning music and casual music making - it's not just for 'school-kids' anymore. Folks of all ages are finding that learning music can "facilitate getting better at other things" with "results that last for decades." It's never too late to start and as Mr. Marcus says - the most important thing about learning something new is "...it can certainly make you happier." There's commandment #2!

Once again Gary Marcus sums things up perfectly; "We can’t all be rock stars. But, as the cliché goes, the journey can be every bit as rewarding as the destination." Amen to that brotha!

When you're ready to learn music, be sure to check out the DLP Program. You can read Gary's full New Yorker article here. Now go out and make this a very good year!

Intuition - a 6th Sense for Learning (and Teaching)

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 19:14:00 +0000

We've written about Annie Murphy Paul in the past - if you are learning or teaching anything - it's well worth following on twitter and reading her blog!

In her piece The Science of Intuition: An Eye-Opening Guide to Your Sixth Sense she encourages all of us to be more sensitive to the "body's signals and tap the inner powers of your mind."

For this article she presents results of studies that include almost every one of the senses; from sights, sounds, and even smells, to simple gut reactions. The findings are interesting to say the least, and sometimes even counter-intuitive.

"Our brains are processing information even when we're not paying attention", says Ken Paller, PhD. "and with the brain's analytical system occupied by another task, the intuitive system—which excels at picking up the gist of a scene or situation—is better able to do its work."

In one study, Ap Dijksterhuis, a psychologist at Radboud University in the Netherlands found that distraction can help us make better decisions. It seems that while focusing on something else, "the unconscious mind was processing information and integrating it into a valid selection." Leading Annie Murphy Paul to conclude, "Focus schmocus!"

As an educator I could really benefit from tapping into the clues I'm sending (and receiving). Intuitiveness in teaching is a two-way street, especially in our niche of one-on-one music instruction. I will try and be more sensitive to my "gut" and see if I can make use of my sixth sense throughout the day. Read the full article here and see if there may be some practical applications in your classroom, home, or workplace. I look forward to your feedback!

Meet DLP Member Sibylle P - Renaissance Woman and Determined Learner!

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 23:57:00 +0000

Sibylle P is a vocalist who is working through the DLP Music Program. She had contacted us with 2 very thoughtful, interesting, and almost philosophical music questions so we thought we'd try to learn a little more about her. Lucky for us (and you) she was happy to share her story. And her reply of "I totally understand your perspective on this" was music to our ears!

We hope you enjoy meeting Sibylle as much as we have:

"I moved to rural New Mexico in June, so I guess I'm currently from New Mexico. I am a Canadian citizen, and was born in Germany. I am a singer and I am doing the Kore Course for Soprano Voice. I intend to go on to the Jazz Course when I am done withKore. I don't hope to be a jazz artist, however I am well aware that if you can do jazz, you have the tools needed to connect with musicians working in many different musical styles.

My musical history...

I took piano lessons as a child and sang in the church choir. My piano lessons, frankly, were pretty horrific, and turned me off to such an extent that I didn't start up again with any kind of formal music studies till I was 30. I took singing lessons at a pace of one to two per month for almost 20 years, and also studied rudimentary composition one-on-one for several years. I have recorded music I have written, however it's not currently publicly available.

Over the course of my adult life, I never had the time or money needed to focus in a more concentrated way on music so I could get to what I consider a truly professional level. I was delighted to discover the DLP program because I've always wanted to methodically fill in the gaps in my knowledge. Returning to school in the regular sense of the word was out of the question for me... not only because of time and money restrictions, but because I did not have the solid music theory background needed to enter a college-level program. I'm currently able to spend three or four mornings a week working with the DLP materials and I'm finding the self-paced review and learning to be perfect for my needs.

I have been unable to download the Finale Notepad software (it's a long story but I expect to have the program up and running before October is over). I decided to take my lack of sheet music as an opportunity and with a little help here and there from my keyboard, I have been transcribing the melodic line to many of the songs so that I can improve my listening and notation skills, and really close the gap between what I know theoretically and what I know practically. I'm looking forward to installing the software soon so I can double-check my notations against the professionally prepared sheet music.

After I'm done transcribing, I sing the piece, and wow do I enjoy that! (Mike Finkel's ability to set simple melodic lines so that they sound like real music is teaching me a lot about composition!) I plan to continue transcribing about three songs per lesson even after I have Notepad because I consider that activity to be good for developing my fundamental musicianship.

"I consider music miraculous."

Music represents the most profound form of expression I am capable of, and for me it is primarily a spiritual experience when I'm really singing well. I truly love making music with others. I really enjoy "soloing" with the DLP songs because it gives me practice in improving my abilities to work with other musicians. I consider music miraculous. When I listen and watch people making music together, it reminds me that peace, co-operation, and harmony are all possible on our planet. To me, co-operative music making represents a creative, very pleasurable, and powerful alternative to war.

So to summarize, music is about my personal relationship to Source. It is a way to invite others into a deep connection with Source, and it is also about how social relationships could be modeled differently than they generally are."

Editor's Note: Wow, what an interesting lady! And there's more. Sibylle is an artist who will be contributing an installation "Guerilla Sprouting" at an upcoming art exhibit in Taos called "Seed 4." The installation will feature live sprouts, re-purposed plastic, and information on the 'whys' of my chosen title. She also writes about her passions on her blog Praise to Incarnation.

Music Educators - Seize the Day!

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 16:37:00 +0000

What an exciting time! This morning I checked my office and teaching schedule, twitter, and a few news feeds from my Samsung Galaxy phone before my feet even hit the floor. I am connected to and sharing information with students, teachers, and colleagues for hours each day. Never before have we had this much information and unprecedented connectivity available at our fingertips.

People of all ages are accessing data on the go; it's ready whenever and wherever they choose and younger generations not only expect but assume that the information they need and want will be available digitally. So, will music educators take note? (groan...) or will the profession continue to rely on outdated methods and models simply because it has 'worked in the past?' Technology in and of itself will not make a teacher 'better', but denying current trends may prove very costly to the profession.

A NY Times story from January, 2012 reports 'For the first time in history, digital music sales topped the physical sale of music'. This trend they say, will surely creep into other areas of the music business - no doubt making traditional print music publishers and record labels a bit uneasy. And how long before music educators feel the heat if they haven't all ready? Mike More of Headliner.fm says,

"I think you have a whole generation who doesn't care if they own anything. Accessibility has become paramount. This is what consumers want -- they want it everywhere and on all their devices."

Music learners (and by that I mean ALL music makers, not only El-Hi 12 to 18 year-olds, but enthusiasts and 'consumers' of all ages) are turning to digital outlets for their information and guidance. Interest in traditional print method books and current teaching models is waning as savvy students and teachers alike are finding that there's 'more than one way to skin a cat'. The challenge for our profession is to embrace new trends and at the same time produce quality materials, products, and services and deliver them in ways that meet the growing demands and expectations of current and future learners.

Brian Chesky of airbnb was recently featured on Nightline in a segment called New American Dream: Rent Not Own. The show addressed the growing trend toward renting vs.owning in categories from cars to houses, furniture, golf clubs, baby clothes, and more. But his quote "Access is more powerful than ownership, and more economically sustainable" really hit home with us.

As you might imagine, at DLP we choose to see these trends as a great opportunity. It's a chance for us and fellow music educators to reach new markets, to create more music makers, and in the end, a stronger profession over-all. So, let's seize the day, embrace change, and be open to new ideas and avenues for music teaching and learning. Our future and the future of music education may very well depend on it!

Editor's Note: This blog posted last week on the dlp website and since then we've gotten feedback from music educators the world over. The first was Heath Vercher who said:

As a music educator (and by proxy someone interested in the future of music education) I'd be very interested in reading and hearing more discourse on what the future could hold for music teachers, and how we can "seize the

day."

I see a lot of posts here on the DSM site and the DLP blog encouraging music educators to think outside, become more entrepreneurial, and embrace the use of technology and the advantages of the online world.
Now, granted I haven't had the time to read your entire archive of blog posts (though I am a regular reader) but I'd like to read about more concrete ideas about how it might be possible for music educators to "seize the day:"

Or, if you have more blog posts on these topics, point me to them!

- Heath

Here is our reply:

Heath - first of all thank you very much for being a reader and for taking the time to comment - much appreciated! We certainly don't have all the answers, but we have been thinking for more than 20 years about the very concept of 'what is a profession' and does teaching music (as it is currently perceived) even qualify. In fact, Dr. Bob Lawrence did his doctoral thesis on this very subject. I'd be happy to share some of his findings with you sometime.

We choose our words carefully as this is a delicate subject for many - but since you asked, here are just a few thoughts that puzzle my colleagues and I and maybe a few ideas about how we can 'seize the day'.

Music education exists almost entirely within academia. Our training of future teachers is almost 100% geared toward working with El-Hi aged folks (band, choir, orchestra students). Yet, study after study shows how music is great for the brain, its elasticity and memory, etc., how it can help the aging process and even trigger incredible results in Alzheimer patients. And what do we do with this data? We use it to try and 'save music in schools' by asking for donations so that music programs can make kids better at math. I know that's an over-simplification, but I imagine an outsider might have that perception and that's not good.

The actual number of people interested in music, playing learning writing etc is astounding - just look at the numbers from the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) shows, there is alot interest and $ spent on music and music related products. In fact, it may be at unprecedented highs, even in this economy.

So how about we fend for ourselves and CREATE music teaching firms outside of academia? What if some of us move outside of classrooms and set up professional shops within our communities to reach the HUGE market of people interested in music? People who by the way, have the ability to pay for our professional services.

To do this we'll need to include business classes as part of our training and teach college-aged kids that music teaching can be a successful and profitable venture (as well as a noble endeavor). PS -I welcome you to visit DSM for a day and see 4 year olds coming for lessons alongside 80 yr olds - it's a beautiful thing! I believe we can save music education from within if we open up to these ideas. I am not afraid this direction might take away from school programs, instead I feel it will strengthen them by getting more people involved and making a healthier profession over-all.

2. Embrace technology - the internet and web devices are perfect for information sharing and delivery. What is music teaching really? It's imparting our passion for music on to new folks and explaining the steps needed to move through a process to reach a goal. Current and future generations will not accept the current method book norm (as good or bad as some may be). We need music educators to accept and embrace technology not for technology's sake, but to assure that we remain relevant!

One of the main reasons we have been tinkering with DLP for almost 12 years is we realized more and more of our students had come to expect that this kind of program 'must exist somewhere'? But when we pitched it to 3 of the largest print music publishers in the world, they all passed...(lucky for us in hindsight).

3. (some short ones) Do not be pigeon-holed by the instrument you play.

3a. Remember that it's not about the music, it's about people.

3b. Make the process memorable for every learner.

3c. And, ....continue to be passionate about teaching (I know you will) or don't teach at all.

Speaking of, here comes an adult student! Gotta run...

PS - here is a link to a true story that you may find interesting.

DLP - Making More Music Makers!

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 20:15:00 +0000

What is DLP and how can we help you?

The Discover, Learn, and Play program is a FREE and comprehensive music education website.

If you are a teacher, congratulations! Your studio, classroom, lesson materials, quizzes, and play alongs have just been instantly updated and are now available online. Be sure to tell your students they can access the curriculum on any mobile device or tablet as well.

As an educator you can pick and choose the lesson concepts you want to assign, or you can simply follow the lessons sequentially as presented in either the Kore Series or the Jazz Series.

DLP is perfect for the band, orchestra, or choir director who wants to provide students a fun music learning option outside of class time or allowing students to 'catch up' on specific areas that may need improving. Our Table of Contents allows you to easily direct students to the concepts you want to introduce and our Quizzes can be printed and/or the results shared quickly via email or social media.

DLP is perfect for the individual learner as well. Simply select your instrument and choose a course! It's just that easy to get started. Lessons are presented sequentially and will take you from your very first notes through to complex musical concepts, building one upon the next as you move along at your own pace. On the way you'll be playing with amazing original and fully orchestrated backing tracks covering a wide array of musical styles.

If you need help at any time, we've harnessed the power of Evernote to amass an extensive library of resources compiled by the staff of DLP and the Dallas School of Music. And our forums allow you to interact with our staff and other members, or pose questions, follow topics, and even post your videos to share with our community.

So what are you waiting for? It's FREE and very cool. Let's make some music!

Jimmy Fallon 'Gets It'

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 17:03:00 +0000

Love him or hate him, (come on,

does anyone really hate him?) you've got

to give Jimmy Fallon some props for being

a talented raconteur. Here's a video of Jimmy

with Carly Rae Jepsen and the Roots playing

'classroom instruments' on Call Me Maybe.

This is MUSICIKING at its best!

Keep up the good work Mr. F - as a music educator I

really appreciate what you're doing and we look forward to

lots more of this kind of fun in the future. Rock on!

What is a Music Educator?

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:03:00 +0000

Ever see posters like the one here? They have headings like "Doctors" or "Lawyers" followed by pictures of what people think they do. I have been giving lots of thought to this idea from the music educator perspective - what is a "music educator?"

In my case, I work at the Dallas School of Music and have been here for almost all of its 20 year existence. It's a private music school. We don't sell instruments or sheet music, we don't have 'group classes', and we don't have scholarships for 'gifted' students. We don't have a "board of directors", fund-raising performances, or after school programs at local junior highs. We simply sell private music education to anyone who is interested in learning; all ages, and all levels of ability. We also sell music education via the web with an online curriculum that reaches learners around the globe (so in a large way, the picture above applies to us far more than picture #1 below).

I spend my days monitoring music-ed news, writing blogs, updating our social networks, developing curriculum with great colleagues and creating incredible relationships with students... as I teach music. I know that what I do on a daily basis is far different than what most music educators do, and that's just fine by me.

The idea of selling music education is difficult to imagine for many. DSM's history is full of examples of people 'not getting it', from both within our profession and from the outside as well. There are even people in our own families who, like folks in those posters, often struggle with our work and vision. The examples are numerous and range from the funny to frustrating, yet we persevere.

I interact with many passionate music teachers and advocates on twitter (#musiced) and I enjoy it immensely. I participate in #musiced chats, exchange ideas with some very important and influential educators/administrators from all over the world. I've even coordinated blog posts with contributors from near and far. I'm not sure many of these folks know exactly what I do, but that's ok - hopefully they will soon!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Are you a music educator? What is a music educator? What is the perception of our profession? I look forward to posting your responses and in the mean time - I thought I'd start the ball rolling with the following pictures:

WHAT SOCIETY THINKS I DO

WHAT I ACTUALLY DO

A Brief Lesson in Rock and Roll by the Boss

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:48:00 +0000

I was fortunate enough to catch Bruce Springsteen's keynote speech at SXSW live online thanks to a tip from my 'peeps' on Twitter. I've been a fan of Bruce for a long time. I am originally from Jersey and even played in a tribute band called Thunder Road when I was in college...lots of years ago. I've seen BRUUUCCE live many times beginning in 1978 at a small arena in Springfield, MA, then again in 1981 with a nearly front row seat in Hartford. I even had the chance to see him at the Meadowlands in Jersey - the local hero throwing a massive party in his own rock and roll backyard with 60,000 of his closest buddies.

Lately though as I have gotten older, I must admit I've grown tired of the political rhetoric attached to the music and tended to lean more toward the 'shut up and sing' camp when it came to the Boss. Don't get me wrong, some of the sounds I heard were great, I just hadn't waited in line to purchase a ticket or a CD, and frankly, hadn't really even sought out his new tunes like I once did. I have however, always been impressed with his speaking ability and very much enjoyed his induction of U2 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. So today when I knew he would be addressing the crowd in Austin just down Interstate 35, I tuned in.

As a long time teacher and outsider in my own profession (music education), I found myself emotionally drawn again to his call for us to find our soul and pour it into our work. I had grown so tired of the message that I could not hear the music. Now, his message was delivered so very clearly and simply that I found myself almost standing and applauding at my desk. He is every-man indeed, and spoke with a mix of conviction and honesty all wrapped in a naive and grand notion that music can still change the world.

He started off just as one might expect,

“Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Why are we up so —ing early? How important can this speech be if we’re giving it at noon? Every decent musician in town is asleep. Or they will be before I’m done with this thing, I guarantee you.”

I was hooked, and for the next half-hour or so I was schooled in rock and roll history, in what it means (or should mean) to be a musician, and what it's like to be passionate about your craft. Here are a few memorable quotes from his terrific speech:

On being the 'keynote' speaker and trying to sum up what's happening 'on the street': "No one hardly agrees on anything in pop anymore."

Upon hearing Elvis for the first time on Ed Sullivan 1958 "Once Elvis's music was heard AND seen, there was no putting the genie back in the bottle."

On musical creativity: "Purity of human expression and experience is not confined to guitars, to tubes, to turntables, to microchips. There is no right way of doing it, there'sjust doing it."

To up and coming artists on how he learned from history "Listen up youngsters, this is how successful theft is accomplished."

On what's important as a performer "At the end of the day, it's the power and purpose of your music that matters."

Watch the full speech here. If you have any rock and roll soul at all, you won't regret it

The (Wrong) "P" Word - Process vs Practice

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:21:00 +0000

We get lots of questions about practicing especially when new students begin at DSM or online at DLP. Parents want to know how long their kids should practice each day and adult learners are anxious to know "how much do I need to practice to be good enough to...uh, play?".

My answer is probably not what they expect and usually goes something like this;
To the parent - "If I'm doing my job then your child will enjoy playing music and the chances are he'll make time to explore our material and practice on his own."

To the adult - "How about we focus on learning these very first few basic concepts and see how it goes at our next lesson?"

Folks sometimes mention that mythical "half hour a day" rule, but I rarely budge. My reply usually goes something like; "Let's see, it's our first lesson, we learned how to put the instrument together and made a little noise. We introduced some musical concepts and there are a few things to review before next week. That shouldn't take too long."

Still, parents and adult students who have armed themselves with information like the Mozart Effect or the "10,000 hour rule" (attributed most recently to Malcolm Gladwell) sometimes put emphasis on the wrong P word. Read on...

In the book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell looks at the factors that contribute to high levels of success in a wide array of disciplines. He studies hockey stars, computer programmers, scientists, and musicians, among others, and boils down his findings to the much ballyhooed '10,000 hour' rule. i.e. "The key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours."

For his musical example, Gladwell cites the Beatles. He learned that the lads had performed live in Hamburg, Germany over 1,200 times between 1960 and 1964, and thus easily reached the mystical 10,000 hours of playing time before they returned to Liverpool (and ensuing critical acclaim). But hey, these are THE BEATLES for gosh sake! I reckon they may have been just as fun and 'good' on their 200th gig as they were by the time they reached the Ed Sullivan show.

It's tough to argue with the basic premise of Gladwell's findings, after-all, it's not rocket science.The more you work at a task, the better you will become at it.  But as one of my esteemed colleagues (Gary Feltner) said when I told him I was writing this blog, "Some students can get a ton accomplished in one short practice session while others labor on with little progress to show for their work." Besides, not every student aspires to play Carnegie Hall. Most just want to reach a level of proficiency and understanding of their chosen instrument and genre. If that's you, then here are 3 basic tips to keep you on your path.

1. Concentrate on the PROCESS not the end result.  This was one of the main points in Gary Marcus's book Guitar Zero. After having some success at the game Guitar Hero, he decided to see if his mad skills might translate over to 'real' guitar playing. His words of wisdom to other learners? "Enjoy the journey and don't fixate on the destination".

2. If you take lessons, attend them whether you practice during the week or not!  I can't tell you how many students (mostly adults) completely undermine their progress because they fear they are not prepared for their weekly lesson. A good educator knows what you need and will present ideas for you to review so that you can carry on. Of course it's great when students get some practice time on their instrument, but it should not be a determining factor as to whether a lesson is attended or not.

3. When you DO have time to practice, make it count!  A good instructor will provide you with a set of clear goals after each session (a really good instructor will document those goals for you after every lesson). I encourage students to keep their instrument out and 'in sight' at home, if it's visible you'll be more apt to tinker with it now and again. A few minutes of playing can really go a long way and there's no need to skip it altogether if you feel like you don't have a predetermined amount of time available. Every little bit helps!

Guitar Zero - Gary Marcus

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:26:00 +0000

Guitar Zero - Gary Marcus

0 Comments

Today is the official release of Guitar Zero by NYU Professor and 'deep thinker' Gary Marcus. It's the story of how an internationally renowned scientist decided to conquer music, something that had been elusive and mystifying for most of his life, at the age of 38.

"I had no musical talent whatsoever and at one point was gently told to stop taking recorder lessons when I was younger." That may be a sad commentary on poor teaching more than anything else, but Marcus wanted to know if musicality is something we are born with or can it be developed at any age?

His path included stops at Guitar Hero, Suzuki classes and even a summer camp for budding rockers where he jammed with 11 year-olds in a band called Rush Hour. He shares his personal challenges with rhythm, theory, and technique and wraps it all in a thoughtful, insightful, and mostly non-academic memoir.

It's a great read for anyone currently studying (and teaching!) music or wanting to. And Mr. Marcus' experiences should strike quite a chord with DSM and DLP students. The book also raises some interesting questions about the science of human pleasure and the more basic question, what counts as a life well lived?

“I might never be Jimi Hendrix... but for a brief moment I could sense what it was like to explore a new musical landscape.” His advice for future learners? Enjoy the journey and don't fixate on the destination.

Excerpted from the following:garymarcus.combostonglobe.com

A Look Back at 2011 Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:44:00 +0000

It has been an eventful year at DLP. I hope you enjoy this look back at some of the years most memorable blog posts!

Finding Inspiration in Unlikely Places - Part 1 January 6
One never knows where or when inspiration will strike, but if you keep your eyes, ears, mind, and heart open as you slog through every day life, you may just find inspiration in the most unusual of places...in this case, sports radio.

Finding Inspiration in Unlikely Places - Part 2 January 20
Between the Folds is a documentary about origami artists. This film inspired me to be better at explaining my thoughts and ideas as I teach and play music.

The Future of Music Education? BRIGHT! - February 17
This was one of the most read, most commented on, and most linked-to blog of the year. The optimistic outlook of our profession struck quite a chord on twitter too, and the blog was re-posted on many music education websites.

Magic Johnson's Instrument of Choice? Bass. - March 19
How awesome is it to live in this digital age where we have a chance to virtually 'sit-in' on live interviews and webinars? This live chat with Magic Johnson was promoted by Inc. Magazine on twitter and we were there!

Meet DLP User Patrick Kohalmi - April 20
The greatest thing about music is the people you meet through it. Patrick Oliver Kohalmi is a personal trainer, web- entrepreneur, and budding soprano sax player from Hune, Nordjyllan, Denmark. He is also a DLP user!

Be Well, Feel Good, and Make MUSIC! - July 11
Another person we met this year (via twitter) was Kat Fulton. She's a music therapist, drum circle facilitator, and a wonderful promoter of her profession. How could we not contact her?

Music Education + Business = Win Win - November 14
This one took the prize as our most read post. It was featured in many 'daily bests' from the #musiced twitter-verse and was reprinted on several sites including Entrepreneur the Arts. This post was prompted by our conversation with Marty Albertson the former CEO and current Chairman of Guitar Center.

Digital Learning is Here to Stay - December 5
I watched a regional TED Talk featuring Tom Vander Ark author of Getting Smart: How Digital Learning is Changing the World. I was intrigued enough to write Tom and share with him what we're doing at DLP. Lo and behold he wrote back with 'two thumbs up' and a promise to feature us on the Getting Smart website...we'll keep ya posted!

Digital Learning is Here to Stay

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:42:00 +0000

If music is truly a universal language then we

as music educators have an amazing opportunity

to reach learners of all levels according to

these 2011 statistics. This graph shows

percentages of internet usage per population

in various areas of the world.

With 488 million users in the America's alone,

it's no wonder why folks like Tom Vander Ark

are keen about investing in Digital Learning

programs. Tom's Getting Smart is a site focused

on innovations in learning with primary emphasis

at the K-12 learner, but they also explore

informal, early, and adult learning as well.

From the Getting Smart site: "We are optimistic

about the potential of connecting more young

people to the idea economy through personal

digital learning. Getting Smart is a community

of people passionate about learning and helping

others learn."

Music ed. programs take note. Our future music

teachers need more training in non-traditional

classroom teaching/learning with a special

emphasis on digital technologies. Reaching

this huge and growing market can provide

far-reaching support for musical arts organizations,

music retailers, performers, and yes, even in-school

music programs. The global educational landscape is

changing and we need to be proactive about the

future of our profession. This is an opportunity

that needs to be seized. Let's not be the last

profession to the dance!

Advice for Future Music Teachers

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:58:00 +0000

A former student of mine (and a very good player by the way) has

decided after several years of applied instrument classes to be a

music education major. I am not certain of his motives, but I have

no doubt that if he decides to go ahead with this decision, he can

be a super teacher. I thought I'd put down a few thoughts for him

and anyone else who might be considering music education as a career.

1. Don't choose music education as a 'fallback'.

I've seen first-hand what a huge mistake this can be. Most

successful music educators are passionate about teaching or feel

it is a calling. Those who 'back-in' to education are often disappointed or worse, burned out after a short time. If you want to be a performer, then be a performer. If you decide to teach, make it a career decision and jump in with both feet. Your performing career will most likely become secondary.

2. Be ready for anything!

Anything? Yep...anything. If you are in a school setting you may be asked

to monitor study halls and the lunch room. You may have only a handful of

colleagues on your team and you may be working with students who care as

much about music as they do math...which is to say about nil. I have taught

in a janitor's closet and a math classroom. And you may wind up outside of

your comfort zone when someone asks you to design a half-time show or cover

a French class. If you go the private practice route, be ready to learn book-

keeping and management skills, scheduling, and tuition collection. In fact,

you may very well spend more time on the business end of things than on

actual teaching. Who knows,you may be asked to write a blog.

3. Keep all of your options open.

The job market can be limited. Your ideal teaching gig may be at a small

private school working with a jazz quartet, or as an instrumental teacher

at a college. But those specific jobs are tough to get aside from being

few and far between. It's sort of like saying you'd like to coach basket-

ball... at Duke; it's probably not gonna happen for a while. However,

the future of music education is bright if you keep your options open.

Consider the private instruction studio or starting a small private

'practice' with colleagues. Innovations online have made this a tremendous

option in many communities and even globally. Lastly, do not be defined or

confined by your chosen instrument or area of expertise! Having a teaching degree

means you are the expert and should be able to work with students on

many levels, in many genres, and on any number of instruments.

Most of all have fun and enjoy the ride!

Music Education + Business = Win Win

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:52:00 +0000

Last week we were fortunate enough to be contacted by Marty Albertson the former CEO and current non-executive Chairman of Guitar Center. We decided to do a little research on him before our call and learned that his is a very cool story.

He started as a clerk and rose through the ranks all the way to CEO. He weathered through sales of the company, buy-outs of partners, and even led the company from public to private status (and back again?). He champions a 'slow-growth' strategy that he believes will benefit Guitar Center over the long run. This is all good stuff.

Marty's initial e-mail to us ended with a very interesting sentence that caught me just a tad off-guard. He said "I have spent a great deal of time over the past several years investing in the music ed world we depend on. I would look forward to seeing your program."

I'm not sure why I was surprised as it makes so much sense. Head of a company that sells instruments and gear is interested in music education success... so they can sell more instruments and gear! It's crystal clear and seems to be sound business logic as well (no pun intended). We were humbled that Marty contacted us and were pleasantly surprised to learn that he wanted to talk about music education with us 'outsiders'. But you see, as a businessman and passionate music fan, he understands the importance of music education on many levels.

For example, we are all familiar with the benefits of music education; how students of the arts continually outperform non-art peers on the SAT, how cognitive reasoning is elevated, and and how playing music can instill in students "the good habits of mind that can last a lifetime" among others. These are noble and just reasons for the existence of foundations like VH1-s Save the Music and The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation (of which Marty is a board member) but they are not the only reasons.

The basic premise that 'more music makers = more music SALES' is... in my humble opinion, no less of a reason to 'save the music' and for music educators to become more business savvy. This can and should be a win-win situation.

I know that each time a shop makes an instrument sale, there is a potential lesson for a teacher (whether it's here at DSM or online at DLP) and perhaps another potential member for a local band or orchestra program. And I know too that if the teacher does his job well, he will make a lifelong ambassador and purchaser of music and its related products or services. That's a Win-Win.

I suppose it was the word 'depend' in Marty's initial e-mail that struck me the most. I wondered to myself if music educators understood this?...Then I chuckled at how silly that sounded. Of course they don't. Music educators are trained to sight sing, read scores, transpose, and fix the occasionally bent octave key. These are wonderful attributes in the band room, not so useful in the real world. We are trained to do one thing, and do it well. But in most cases, a music ed. major's 'business hat' is most often only worn when dealing with local shops that provide (hopefully) quality rental instruments to their band and orchestra programs.

This leads to a disconnect between school music programs and the outside world, including the business world (and in many cases, the music world - but that's another story for another time). In short, this disconnect is a real and palpable one. If you don't believe me, read the account of our trip to the MENC (now called NAfME) National Conference or see for yourself by attending a NAMM show and making a note of who the majority of music merchandisers are courting. You might also try listening in on any of the national round-table discussions on music education and see how often they address 'the other 80%'.

So I believe it's time for a change. Let's try to...

...encourage future music educators to be more entrepreneurial minded by making business training part of their basic required curriculum.

...work with businesses to leverage the current interest in adult music education and start reaching that portion of 'the other 80%'.

...use technology to make music educators more accessible and to reach more people of all ages and all levels of ability interested in learning music.

And finally, let's not be afraid to become more entrepreneurial in spirit and to work with businesses of all kinds for a 'slow-growth' approach to creating more music makers. It can be good for everyone's business - a true win-win.

And the winner is.....

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:08:00 +0000

We have a winner!

The EasyEarTraining contest is over and we have a winner. After gathering names from our facebook, twitter, and blog pages, we decided to have a 'DSM bowl-a-thon' to find the last cup standing.

1. We printed the names off and sliced them into individual pieces.

2. Then placed each name in a paper cup.

3. Next, we set them up for 5 hotly contested rounds of elimination bowling.

4. First up, Eugene the "Big Bocce" Cantera...with sort of a Greco-Roman wrestler's approach.

5. Followed by Gary "Fleet Foot" Feltner. Those tango classes have sure come in handy.

...and finally,

6. Mike "Quisenberry" Finkel in smashing sidearm form sends a wicked slider down the lane.

7. We've reached the final 2 names as "Flames Finkel" fires one just wide...

8. ...but wait! On the carom, a single cup remains...

9...and the winner is... Kathey Woolsey Lites!

Commence Rocky Theme...

Congratulations Kathy!

We will be in touch to get your Free EasyEarTraining App on its way!

TEETH - 5 Things Every (Music) Teacher Should Know

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:50:00 +0000

I recently came across this post which ran in its original form at the beginning of the school year in 2008. I have made a few changes but in general I thought it has held up well. Enjoy!

TEETH

T=Take Charge

Your students are looking for guidance, they want direction; don't allow them to dictate the course of action, that's your job! Do not fall into the trap of teaching the way YOU were taught. As well as you did with whatever method your teacher used, it is probably boring and outdated by now.

E=Energy

Leave your problems at home. Your students (and colleagues) want you to be at your vibrant, upbeat best each day. If you're not happy or feeling 100%, then fake it. Help yourself to a cup of coffee and if you still need extra energy, see any one of your colleagues or administrators, they usually have plenty to go around.

E=Engage

Meet and get to know the families in your school - even if they do not belong to your students. Greet your students cheerfully, they want to know you are excited to see them. Engage your students in the learning process and ask about their 'day'. Perform for them, play along with them, share what you know with them.

T=Teach

Your students are not eager to show you how much they've practiced this week (and by the way, they haven't practiced very much if at all). They are in music because the like music and want to know more about it. They trust that you can help them learn.

If you thought the "T" might stand for 'talent', (as in the talent you display on your instrument) guess again. Just because you have a degree in music doesn't mean you can be successful teaching it. And your success will most likely not be judged by how well your students play or perform, but whether they like you or not.

H=Have Fun!

Fun after all, is what students really want. If you can make the connection between 'fun' and 'teaching moments', then you will be successful. So smile, show some teeth, and inspire!

Contest Give Away!

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:17:00 +0000

Are you a music learner? Are you an iPhone or iPod Touch user? Well, here's a chance to add a FREE, cool app. to your menu from DLP and our friends at EasyEarTraining. Its perfect for honing your listening skills on the go and a great compliment to the DLP Kore Series.

The RelativePitch App includes:

Training Mode: 14 lessons guide you from beginner to expert, teaching you all the intervals in the octave.

Testing Mode:Check your progress by trying to get the highest score in testing mode. If you distinguish intervals correctly, you’ll unlock new levels and new challenges in training

Custom Mode: If you’re having trouble with one specific piece of training, set up a custom training and testing session to target your problem spots.

So what is relative pitch? Unlike "perfect pitch", relative pitch is common among musicians, especially those who are used to "playing by ear", and a precise relative pitch is a constant characteristic among good musicians. Unlike perfect pitch however, relative pitch can be improved with practice! Thanks to EasyEarTraining this app can help do the trick!

3 ways to win. Enter as often as you like between October 6th and November 1st!

1. Comment on this blog
or
2. Like us on facebook
or
3. Re-post this link on twitter

Good luck - we look forward to announcing the winner on Thursday, November 3rd!

Why You Can't Sing

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0000

This post by Christopher Shea appeared in the WSJ on September 28, 2011.

Why do people sing badly? Usually NOT because they have tin ears, a study finds.

Twenty-five nonmusicians and 13 musicians attempted to match pitches, using either their voices or synthesized vocal-like sounds triggered by a moveable "slider." Musicians were nearly perfect using the slider and close to perfect using their voices. Nonmusicians were 97% accurate using the slider (although it took them longer), showing that most could recognize pitch. But when they sang, their pitch-accuracy rate fell to 59%.

To isolate possible causes, the researchers had 31 nonmusicians also match vocal tones that they themselves had recorded. Three types of bad singer emerged: those who couldn't match tones even using the slider (a very small group); those who could match pitches with the slider but not with their voices, suggesting that their problem was poor vocal-muscle control; and those who could match with the slider and self-match (vocal control was fine) but who couldn't vocally match the synthesized sound. For that group, the largest of the three by far, the problem appeared to be mentally translating the sound of the synthesizer tone (its "timbre").

If I’m reading the study correctly, this seems to offer hope to the bulk of us poor singers, since vocal control and timbre-translation could likely be improved through study and practice.

"A Frog in Your Throat or in Your Ear? Searching for the Causes of Poor Singing," Sean Hutchins and Isabelle Peretz, Journal of Experimental Psychology (forthcoming)

6 Things I've Learned WhileTeaching Music

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:15:00 +0000

I was recently discussing a typical day of teaching at DSM and DLP with my bestest friend Gracie. She thought it was funny that I spent more time telling her what I had learned from my students versus what I had taught them. She suggested I write a blog about this idea, and though it's probably not exactly what she had in mind...here goes:

6 Things I've Learned While Teaching Music

6. Teaching music is a calling... a much different calling than being a musician. If you are a great player but can't relate to people, then please go concentrate on your gigging career. And thank you in advance from our profession.

5. If you are teaching music and don't enjoy it, you should seriously consider choosing another line of work.Your students can tell if you like what you do or not. If you are lucky enough to teach music and enjoy it, congratulations and welcome to the club!

4. Teaching music requires interpersonal skills. If you are a 'people person' you might be a good music teacher. If your idea of a perfect day is being alone with your i-pod and the Oxford Companion to Music, you may want to seek out a library position.

3. "Liking music" and or "knowing music" have little to do with "teaching" music. Your students want to know that you care about them, not the music they are learning.

2. Having the best curriculum, the best 'chops', the best instrument, or the best facility does not guarantee that you will be a successful teacher. Good teachers will be successful without these things and conversely, they will not help a bad teacher very much... if at all.

1. Music is not important, people are.

Christopher Small - Musicking 1927 - 2011

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 19:50:00 +0000

Christopher Small, a New Zealand-born writer and musicologist who argued that music is above all an active ritual involving those who play and listen to it and only secondarily a matter of “black dots,” as he once called written music, died on September 7th in Sitges, Spain. He was 84.

He coined the term 'musicking' and argued that music is a verb rather than a noun. He wondered about the most basic questions of music: why we pick up instruments or raise our voices together in the first place and stressed that all people involved in a musical performance — the musicians, audience, roadies, publicists, cleaning crew — are part of its ritual.

Those of you who are familiar with the Dallas School of Music may remember that we call our adult student performances 'musicking' and that our original online music learning site was called MusickEd.com - both an homage to Small's work.

Read the full New York Times article here: http://goo.gl/f6hpn

DSM Celebrates 20 Years and Shares Some Learning Tips

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:28:00 +0000

As we begin the new school year (our 20th!) we thought we'd share with our readers a few words of wisdom from some of our staff. Hope you enjoy!

Eugene Cantera on new adult learners: Most adults starting music lessons come in with concerns about making 'practice time' and they are almost apologetic about it when they haven't had time to play during the week. I try to allay those thoughts at the first few lessons. Regardless of whether you practice or not, come to the lesson - believe me, we'll practice.

I also encourage adult students to leave their instrument out in a safe place at home, and when they have a moment, pick it up and play it - simple as that. There's no need to 'schedule' the mystical half hour of practice each day (especially at the beginning stages when there's simply not enough material to practice anyway).

Lastly, the DLP method is concept based so there is musical 'progress' that can be made without the instrument in hand. I encourage adult students to re-read our lesson information and take the quizzes. It's better to always have more information in your head than you can get out on the instrument.

Norm Wick on expressing yourself: When students start lessons they're usually interested in gaining the power to express themselves through their music, and they want that expression to just ooze with emotion and move people on a grand scale. But Tolstoy didn't write "War and Peace" on the first go around!

So use those short, simple songs that beginners play (or sing), to develop that ability by making everything you do become a tool of expression. Even warm-up exercises can be done with a beautiful sound, even tempo, and dynamic shaping to help sharpen those skills. You'll quickly go from the realm of musical "babbling" into the world of musical eloquence.

Mike Finkel on being overly critical: Don't be afraid to "fail". Many music students (both adults and children) stop 'musicking' for fear of being "bad at it". We all have to start at the beginning when we learn something new, so stay focused on "why" you wanted to play an instrument (or sing) in the first place.

Making music is something that is enjoyable and it can stay with you for the rest of your life. It's an activity with no finish line. Stick with it and you will always continue to grow and get better. Remember, you can make music at every level, even right at the start and enjoy the music you are making.

Gary Feltner on having fun: In our efforts to become better musicians everyday, we often use words like "practice", "work", and "technique", but sometimes we let the word "enjoy" fall by the wayside. Dont' forget why you got into music in the first place - to have fun! Even when I'm working on technique, I'm still having fun just spending time with my instrument.

We all have to work hard to get better, but it doesn't have to be a chore. If I think, "spending time working on this aspect of my playing now will allow me to enjoy playing at a higher level later", then no time spent playing music is drudgery.

Tamalyn Lawrence on practice time: With work and school schedules back in place for the fall, it can be difficult to find time to practice. Families are loaded with activities; school, after school clubs, sports, homework, dinner, bath time etc... Where do we find the time?

For beginning music students, especially youngsters, sometimes less is indeed more. Remember, our goal as educators (and your goal as a parent) should always be to encourage a love for music. Every child is different (even within the same family!) and some children will do better with a very structured practice routine, maybe right after school or before dinner time. Others do better with far less structure and succeed by grabbing just a few random minutes here and there.

Practicing does not need to be stressful (that goes for adults too!) . A few minutes can go a long way, especially at the beginning stages when notes and concepts are most basic. And don't make the mistake of confusing practicing with learning; learning can take place anywhere, even away from an instrument. Lesson material can be reviewed and quizzes can be taken on a handheld or pc. And spending a few minutes reviewing the material will pay big dividends when there's finally time to apply those concepts to the instrument. So don't sweat it, just try to add a few minutes several days a week and you'll begin to see loads of progress with very little stress!

A Visit from "The Reed Guy"

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 20:10:00 +0000

You've heard us say it before but it's worth repeating; "the greatest thing about music is the people you meet through it". We are fortunate at DSM and DLP to meet folks from all aspects of the music industry, from accountants to educators, instrument manufacturers, sheet music publishers, and retailers.

About once a year or so, Kurt Wilbur stops in to see us at DSM. Kurt is a larger than life character with a strong handshake and straight forward Midwestern appeal. He is a D'Addario representative and he's extremely knowledgeable and passionate about their products. I call him 'the reed guy'. His visits are always entertaining, informative, and sometimes sprinkled with samples of new reeds and reed related products. We dig Kurt!

I’ve often referred to reeds as 'the bane of our existence' to fellow woodwind players. I've lamented about reeds with teachers, students, colleagues, and even my alto hero Phil Woods. It fascinates me to learn of the rituals each person goes through to get a reed to sound 'just so' or in some cases, simply to sound.

My colleague Chiaki Hanafusa is a classical soloist and a reed aficionado. She will coax all she can out of each piece of cane. I am much more lazy and sort of a 'wet it and play it' type of guy. I do very little breaking in, curing, or filing, and if a reed doesn't feel right in a few seconds I'm pretty much done with it. I remember one extremely gig-happy year I spent nearly $1,000 on reeds. Luckily, I was self employed at the time and claimed most of that as a business expense (special props inserted here to music accountant extraordinaire Alan Friedman who just happened to be my college roommate and band-mate).

All that being said, I was anxious to learn about and try the new Rico Reserve and Rico Jazz reeds that Kurt and Kristen McKeon at D’Addario made available to us, and I promised to let them know what we thought.

I opened the box of Rico Select Jazz reeds (unfiled) and put one in a cup of water for a few minutes. The first few notes were so stuffy that I actually checked to see if my Francois Louis ligature was seated properly. I re-wet the reed, made a small adjustment on the mouthpiece (moving the reed a smidge lower), tightened the ligature, I tried the reed again. Better but it was still not the ‘lightning fast’ response I was hoping for. I placed the reed on a flat surface an noticed it was slightly bowed so I took some old reed rush to the back and made a few passes down the shoulder and vamp (basically the top sloping section of the reed) toward the tip.

Voila! Even though this was a bit more work than I would normally do on any given reed, I wanted to be fair to everyone at D’Addario. The reed is hearty and nicely responsive. I played it later in the evening during a faculty performance here at DSM and it seemed to get even better. Now, a few days later I am playing it again after being stored in my reed case. It’s holding up nicely and still sounds great. I chose this reed randomly out of the box of ten and if the rest are similar, I’d say they have a winner on their hands. I will sample the Reserves and more of the Jazz reeds then follow up with Chiaki and share our thoughts next time.

Thanks again to D'Addario's Kurt and Kristen!

Technology and the Music Educator

noreply@blogger.com (DiscoverLearnPlay) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 19:43:00 +0000

"I just invent. Then I wait until man comes around to needing what I've invented."

-R. Buckminster Fuller

Now more than ever before, music educators have the opportunity to expand the horizons of our profession.

The benefits of learning music have been widely publicized, and it seems new reports and statistics are released just about every week that prove studying music can help foster intellectual curiosity, stimulate creativity, and promote discipline. Most often, these studies are used as ammunition by organizations, teachers, and frustrated parent groups who are facing cuts to their local school band, choir, or orchestra programs. And it's no surprise that advances in technology that allow for unprecedented communication, file sharing, and information delivery may be seen as an impending threat to those who teach music in schools or in a private setting. But we do not agree.

I recently read a blog that argued 'technology in music education can never replace the care and nurturing of a great educator'. That's like saying 'the microwave oven can never replace the delicate palette of an executive chef'. It's an invalid argument and moot point at best. The microwave will not make anyone a great chef - but most all great chefs have one in their kitchen and know how to use it to their advantage. Technology is only as good as those plying it - it won't make a poor teacher any better.

But what technology can do is allow educators to reach new markets and encourage more learning at all levels - from the causal enthusiast to the most advanced performer. Educators can also use technology to create a sense of community among learners and allow for ideas to be shared between students, educators, and peers. Technology can also help make music teachers become better communicators and keep learning material, practice notes, and digital files neatly organized and accessible in one location.

The beauty of applying technology to music education is that we as educators have an opportunity to share our expertise with more potential music makers than ever before. And more people playing music and enjoying its benefits means a boost for instrument manufacturers, print music publishers, recording artists, concert halls and yes... teachers! We believe that more people (especially adults) becoming interested and involved in music making will undoubtedly lead to a more passionate concern for the importance of music in our schools.

Technology is here to stay. An entire generation now presumes and expects it to be part of nearly every aspect of their lives. As music educators, we need to be open to using technology to present our ideas in current and relative formats. Let's not be the last profession to 'come around'!