January Music Thread

kutik

Ooh, I like the lucky dip idea, will try that one too to keep up the variety once they are all secure.

Amazing I think keeping a lot of repertoire going at the same time is awesome. Means you're always ready for an impromptu!

We do 'lucky dip' scales. They have a card for each scale / arpeggio and they pick a couple of cards each day to work on. We work our way through the pack then they get shuffled up and we start again. If there's one that needs more work, it goes straight back in the pack rather than waiting out for the re-shuffle.

waffle at Rara's number of pieces she's working on. Do you always keep that amount of repertoire going on with Goo and her?

Kutik, after finding my dh's old gr8 books I saw he had each day written with a list of scales for that day so have instigated this even though DS is only doing gr3. So we have a day each on major, minor, arpeggio, contrary motion/ chromatic, arpeggio s again as they are worst, a day in hand for any that need extra and the lesson day with none allocated. It means he hopefully doesn't get scunnered trying to do them all each day but actually only doing what he can already do. Would that work?

DS seems to run through all the scales he was given randomly. Should I ask him to master one before moving to the next? But how perfect is enough? If he takes a good few days or more to master one then move to another, wouldn't he forget what he mastered before by the time he completed the whole cycle?

Sorry I sound a complete beginner...

Kutik dd is only doing g5 scales on violin but was set a challenge of learning them all over Christmas. I'm not musical so also used a tuner to cheat. Every time one was played until really solid I'd ask her what the key signatures meant. Now she can play them all from memory although I also get told they are "fine" when playing at speed

He'll learn for himself in the end... he's pretty switched on x

I try to make sure the last repeat of any given task is as good as it can be, or their 'finger brains' just remember the last thing they did, which was the wrong way. However, this does result in some pretty tetchy moments and sometimes you just have to pick the battles.

I think they all have this optimistic view that it'll be ok next time! Moll in particular hates working on small passages or isolated issues, she just wants to go right back to the start and have another run at it. Then falls over at exactly the same place the next time! She won't accept that by doing this, she just gets better at the bit she can already do!!!!! Drives me BONKERS.

Siriusmuggle, welcome.

disorganised, folk and earling, thank you for sharing your wisdom!

DS plays them both slowly ans quickly. I can cheat by using a tuner when he does it slowly and usually it sounds fine, though not sure how perfect they are supposed to be. But then when he plays them faster, a tuner is not be of any use, and I also get lost! He says fine ALL THE TIME, but it shouldn't be perfect all the time really. I ask him to go back to practise the problematic bits (unfortunately I can't specify where!), he just plays all fast again rather than working the details like folk suggested. If I point out that he should work on the details, then he says, 'don't need to do it, because all is fine.'

I think he knows when it is not quite right, but he seems to choose to ignore it as he thinks it's a minor mistake therefore he can actually do it NEXT TIME. He would say 'fine', but when I manage to point out something more specific and my risky guess is luckily spot on, he may admit it, then says 'but it was just a careless mistake, so fine.' Shouldn't he go back to do it properly again even if it was a careless mistake??

I have no authority here as he knows I can't play instruments. I like his optimistic attitude but it's not great for a violinist. I think he needs to be bitten by reality at some points so he can realise working 60% doesn't take him where he likes to be!

Not one of the diligent ones here Kutik I'm afraid - I just let her get on with it. I may chip in if I don't think they sound controlled, in tune, or the bow position doesn't sound right. There's also a lot of silent playing now so I've had to be even more trusting that she really is attempting to get correct finger positioning before adding the sound!

P.s I'm pretty sure minikutik will know exactly when a scale isn't quite right, but if he's anything like minifolk, whether he chooses to go back and fix it will be a whole different matter....

Kutik Sorry I cant be of much help but wanted to say that I have the same issue! To a not especially musical person I have no idea how they should sound!! The only thing I can suggest is googling the relevant grade scales that he is doing and watch you tube videos which is what I do. Ds is doing grade 7 scales. He has a very good musical ear so knows instinctively what they should abound like but obv has to learn the finger patterns but his shifting can be a bit off sometimes.
If you find the answer, please let me know!!

That's a difficult one kutik... as a violinist it's very obvious to me when scales aren't right. I guess my advice would be to try and get him to do them slowly and carefully 'putting petrol in the tank' prior to taking off at top speed and to really focus in on tuning. Repetitive work on the tricky bits (shifts, bow changes and higher positions) to concentrate on quality of sound. Even if the scales are 'good', practicing like this is time well spent. If you find it hard to tell, I would suggest they are probably pretty good as scales played badly on a violin are particularly painful... 😘

Hi. I’ve got one child, he’s 13 and plays French horn. He’s in NCO this year which is very exciting.
His lessons start up again next week, he’s working for grade 8 but it’s not imminent. He’s doing grade 5 theory next month and grade 4 piano at some point this year.
January is generally a quiet month for him musically.

The parents of string players, how can you tell they are playing scales right or wrong? Scales are finally introduced to DS's diet, and I would like to help him like some of the diligent parents on this thread. But I have no clue if he is playing correctly, especially when he plays faster. So only thing I can do is to ask him if it was fine. DS is an eternal optimist and hugely lacking self-criticism so he always says 'fine!' and moves on. But I am sure it's not always fine! I don't want to make a fuss when actually he is doing fine as it won't be of any help. So, my choice is just to back off? He is a child who happily reports me he did very well when he couldn't answer plenty questions!

Wow! Rara is very busy! DS2 evaded scales tyranny last night so will have to make up for it today!

Thanks waffle, I have ordered her a new one. Fortunately they are vastly reduced on Amazon right now. She has been playing with it for a while, and seems to get on ok with it. Is Rara taking G3 this term or will she skip it?

Waffle/ clarinettists could you please tell me if this ligature can be repaired or whether I should just buy a new one. The tightening bit has been lost

doubleWe've had the photocopy and highlighter one you, particularly before shifting was conpletely natural- each position har a color .

horsey dd2 definitely has jazz leanings, luckily her flute teacher is a professional jazz musician and embraces her quirks... bass teacher is great too and i think they ll get on fine

DD2's music often has lots of pencil notes and sometimes she works from a photocopy of it that has highlighter applied liberally! Her current music has DYNAMICS! (written on - by her) and the other has "Blow out crook and reed!" as that was yesterday's second audition piece and she is prone to forget in a more stressed environment. Sounds like she's blowing air bubbles through water otherwise, with a series of pops.

I think my DS's music needs flashing lights, neon print and maybe blinkers. His teacher made him stop and open the book at the right page for the last school concert, I could have told her there was no point, he wasn't going to pay it the blindest bit of notice.