There are many well-known benefits of encouraging singing in the instrumental classroom. It can improve intonation and help students develop their listening skills.
Free Ebook: Rethinking Your Warm Up
Opinions differ as to how to best start rehearsals.
One leading educator thinks we should strike “warm up” from our vocabularies.
A Mindful, Community-Building Choir Warm Up
For music educators and choir directors, the warm-up can become a stale part of the rehearsal. When you take a fresh look at it, it can become a time for excitement, community building, and music reading.
Blues-Based Warm Ups for the Jazz Ensemble
Blues represent a great way to warm up any jazz band. In addition to providing the foundation that jazz, rock, and rhythm and blues are built on, the blues progression is simple enough for beginners to explore.
Searching for a Unicorn: Balance and Blend in Middle School Band
When I was describing the content of this article to a friend, she inadvertently suggested the title in her response; “Balance and blend for middle schoolers?
Articulation – the Diction in Instrumental Music
According to the musical My Fair Lady, a proper lady always enunciates (articulates) with the greatest facility and clarity.
The Jazz Band That Sings Together Swings Together
Tight rhythm and phrasing are hallmarks of any successful jazz ensemble. Singing is a great way to develop a collective sense of articulation and playing “in the pocket.” Singing through parts allows students to develop an aural sense of the music without the struggle of making it sound on their instrument.
Tuning Technology, Listening, and the Ancient Secret to Intonation
In our previous intonation post we shared tips on building a strong foundation (with proper embouchure and air support), ideas on harmonic and melodic intonation, and ways to help kids remember how to tune.
Beginning Orchestra: Warm Up to Success
I believe that every part of the lesson is just as important as the other. If one part of the lesson is weaker than the others, it can affect the overall quality of the learning that day.
8 Ways to Use SmartMusic as a Classroom Teaching Tool
SmartMusic not only transforms home practice, it’s also a powerful classroom teaching tool.
In this archived webinar, Giovanna Cruz shares tips for using SmartMusic in class, including how to:
Display individual parts on-screen to demonstrate musical concepts Use SmartMusic as an accompanist during choir and other rehearsals Teach the rhythm of the day Play recordings to model exemplary performancesDiscover new ways you can use SmartMusic as a classroom teaching tool in this video:
As an added bonus, you can see Giovanna’s trusted associate (and music education services superstar) Leigh Kallestad, participating in the webinar from his seat on a commercial airline.