A Community for Up and Coming Musicians
As an artist or performer it can be difficult to put yourself out there. There are so many talented artists and the Internet has millions of people who aren’t too shy when it comes to sharing their opinions on any material that ends up online. You can try to shield yourself by blocking comment features …
Continue reading “Performance Advice | No One Can Be a Better You”
Rhythm… Some people have it and some people don’t, but why? Research suggests that your parents may be to blame, or thank, depending on which end of the spectrum you ended up. In an article published by the Associated Press, research revealing that babies develop rhythm when they are bounced. The same went for singing …
Continue reading “Rhythm – Who Can You Blame?”
After studying music for several years, I have had the pleasure of being tutored by several talented musicians. In my opinion, it is important to study and learn from a variety of people [musicians and non-musicians alike]. By diversifying your education, you gain access to a multitude of information to learn, recreate, and make your …
Continue reading “How to Get the Most Out of Your Music Lessons”
1. Learn the melody of a tune. Really learn it. Listen to recordings and be able to play the melody the way it was meant to be played. Be able to play the melody from memory. 2. Make it your own. Develop your own interpretation of the melody – how you would like it to …
Continue reading “5 Easy Steps to Beginning Improvisation”
In the last article, the difference between a local musician and a touring musician was established. In this post, I’d like to discuss the different responsibilities side musicians (or a “sideman”) have versus the role of a bandleader. Although a side musician and a bandleader have specific duties as part of any group, each play …
Continue reading “Band Leader Versus Side Musician | Career Choices Part II”
This is a guest post from James Barrera, saxophone instructor at Cal State University Long Beach. Having been involved with younger sax players for well over a decade now, (yes, a few grey hairs have shown up) I think one of the most confusing, and important thing in a high school age musician’s life are …
Continue reading “College Auditions Preparation for Saxophonists”
When senior year in high school rolls around, you usually have a good idea of what you want to do after school. Having already been through this process myself, I feel that it would be beneficial to share it with other people who may be going through the stress of the same process. The most …
Continue reading “College Auditions and Applications for Musicians”
Some quick tips to help improve your ensemble playing: 1. Tune without vibrato 2. In music, especially classical, it is very important to have more “bottom” (bass instruments) to the sound, so make sure that the lower instruments are audible 3. Listen to the other musicians in the ensemble and try to match dynamics, intonation, …
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Festivals offer a wide variety of resources to the young musician if they are willing to take advantage of what is available to them. The most obvious thing about festivals is the opportunity to network with all the other students who are performing. The hundreds of other kids walking around are great to make connections …
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As a multi-instrumentalist, I have had the opportunity to perform in several musicals such as “Singing in the Rain”, “42nd Street”, “Hairspray”, “Cabaret”, “Honk”, “West Side Story”, “Sideshow”, “Bye Bye Birdie”, among others. Because I am a Woodwind Player, my emphasis will be on woodwinds; I am not really in a place to describe the …
Continue reading “Things Woodwind Players Should Know About Performing in a Musical”
