Page 4 | November Music Thread

Wafflenose · 2017-11-01T21:58:34+00:00

New month, new thread! This is a place for musicians and parents of musicians, from complete beginners to experienced and everything in between, to talk about everything to do with music! Previous threads have covered exams, practice, scales, instrument hire and purchase, theory, composition, aural woes, auditions, scholarship preparation and much more. I started these threads when my 12 year old daughter Goo was 6 and preparing for Grade 1. I never thought we'd still be going, 6 years later! I appreciated all the advice I was given back then, and try to repay that when I can. Goo plays the flute and piano (she has been learning the piano for 18 months but has yet to perform - ever) and has no exams lined up at the moment. I also have Rara who is 9, and working towards her third Grade 3, on the clarinet. The other two were on the cello and recorder. She's more interested in art and reading, and currently swims five times a week. I am a teacher of woodwind, and Wednesday is my day from you-know-where... full-on from 6.30 am until 10 pm, and about to get worse!!

Doubleup · 04/11/2017 09:53

A link to the benefits of playing music to learning.

Trumpetboysmum · 04/11/2017 11:46

Opinions please . DS is learning piano really so that he has the keyboard skills to help with composition etc ( plus I think you need to be grade 5 standard to do music at uni should he decide to do that later on) . He isn't trying to become a pianist ! he's only been learning about 18 months and is doing fine but seems to have the same piece for weeks and weeks until it is totally polished . He will do his best to do what he's asked but there always then seems to be something else to work on and so he gets the same piece again. Is this normal for piano ? He always has lots on the go for the trumpet and then it all sort of comes together . He's getting really frustrated ( and bored so then he practices less ). He's not preparing for exams . I guess the pieces are around grade 3 to 4 standard. I just don't know if I should go along with his teacher even if it's putting him off or say something/ beg her to set him another piece as well and explain that this approach isn't working . Ds's trumpet teacher has always been really good at adapting what he gets ds to work on if I let him know that ds is struggling with something that he's set.

Trumpetboysmum · 04/11/2017 11:48

Opinions please . DS is learning piano really so that he has the keyboard skills to help with composition etc ( plus I think you need to be grade 5 standard to do music at uni should he decide to do that later on) . He isn't trying to become a pianist ! he's only been learning about 18 months and is doing fine but seems to have the same piece for weeks and weeks until it is totally polished . He will do his best to do what he's asked but there always then seems to be something else to work on and so he gets the same piece again. Is this normal for piano ? He always has lots on the go for the trumpet and then it all sort of comes together . He's getting really frustrated ( and bored so then he practices less ). He's not preparing for exams . I guess the pieces are around grade 3 to 4 standard. I just don't know if I should go along with his teacher even if it's putting him off or say something/ beg her to set him another piece as well and explain that this approach isn't working . Ds's trumpet teacher has always been really good at adapting what he gets ds to work on if I let him know that ds is struggling with something that he's set.

Minimusiciansmama · 04/11/2017 13:10

trumpet I would have a word. My piano teacher is a big believer in me having "project pieces" that I work on for several weeks until they're really polished, one or two at the same time, but alongside she likes me to have a slightly easier piece that I knuckle down with and learn well in a week and move on from. The combination works well for me, I don't get fed up with the challenging stuff and I see progress with the easier stuff. Generally I have a couple of challenging pieces, an easier piece and some duet work. I'm playing similar standard to your boy.
My girl absolutely hates not getting new repertoire- she'll gladly carry on knuckling down with polishing something so long as she also has new stuff. Her new piano teacher hasn't learnt that yet. Her clarinet teacher has got a really good understanding of her and she's made loads of progress this half term.

LooseAtTheSeams · 04/11/2017 13:19

Totally agree with Minimusician - it will put him off of he only has one piece for weeks.
DS1 is 16 today. I’m making chocolate brownies this afternoon. He’s now the proud owner of a bass effects machine and is spending the afternoon on the computer. Easily pleased!

Mistigri · 04/11/2017 13:27

Fitter what a horrible thing to happen, I am so sorry :( I hope the auditions go OK for your son, perhaps once the initial shock is over having an external focus will be helpful for him.

Trumpets I think having a single piece to work on is fine when more advanced because pieces are longer and naturally fall into parts, but at grade 3/4 I think more variety would work better. I have one hour lessons and during that time we would typically do some work on technique and studies, then work on one or two pieces that I am fairly advanced with, then look at a piece I've just started, and finally some work on duets. For eg at the moment I am learning a Scarlatti sonata which has been quite quick and easy to learn, a Bach prelude and fugue which are more long term (even the prelude is going to be quite a struggle), and some Brahms waltzes arranged as duets which are pretty easy. I also have two older pieces that I am still polishing.

Trumpetboysmum · 04/11/2017 13:38

Thank you . Certainly many moons ago when I learnt guitar that was how I worked and its how he learns the trumpet. I think his teacher is trying to be kind because he has a lot of other music going on but he definitely needs variety too. And again a bit like with the trumpet because he gets it musically and so can just work it out sometimes his technique suffers as a consequence ( or he hasn't got all the building blocks in place) so he can only go so far and then needs to unpick stuff- but I think he needs to do that over a few pieces . Happy to hear different opinions too!!

Icouldbeknitting · 04/11/2017 15:21

Trumpet where is it that asks for G5 piano for uni entry because it is nowhere that DS has looked at. I know that when I was looking last year (in an attempt to get him moving) there wasn't anywhere that I had to discount because of his piano aversion. I don't know whether it's one of those things that everyone knows but that is no longer true or whether it just happened that the places DS fancied didn't ask for it.

Trumpetboysmum · 04/11/2017 15:25

I can't remember ( and its ages off for ds) maybe the music colleges - at the minute he wants to study trumpet !! Though that may well change over the next few years

AlexandraLeaving · 04/11/2017 15:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Icouldbeknitting · 04/11/2017 15:36

Trumpet I've got two of the conservatoires covered too, neither Birmingham nor the RNCM ask for piano grades. It may be another of those facts such as only ABRSM exams are acceptable, people believe it
and repeat it but that doesn't mean that it's true today.

I'd agree that the skills will help him with composition but that's not the same as needing the exam.

Trumpetboysmum · 04/11/2017 16:15

I think you are probably right Icould. His trumpet teacher plus a teacher at his primary school I think suggested it realising that it might be better to start sooner rather than later. I've had a quick look on a couple of websites and couldn't find anything about piano. RAM suggested that being of grade 5 standard would be helpful ( but not essential) . Which makes me think that really ds just needs to enjoy his piano playing ( even if it is a bit unpolished at times !!) last year he was playing much harder pieces out of choice and really enjoyed this but he didn't have the skills to really polish them .

Kutik73 · 04/11/2017 17:03

As soon as we got back from jd, DH snatched DS away for a quick swim (we live in front of a gym). Then we’re gonna go to a bonfire. DH helped built it with other local dads while we were at jd. We’ll have a bonfire, fireworks, malt wine and hotdogs (and kids get muddy running around in dark...). It’s our lovely annual event...

Kutik73 · 04/11/2017 17:08

We would have a small bonfire on the following day at our allotment usually, but we have the NCO concert tomorrow so it’ll be postponed to next Sunday. DH is still taking DS for footy in the morning so it’ll be a busy day for DS. I don’t really like DH’s hectic manner. But it may be a good thing that DS has time to run around in flesh air before the long day of the rehearsal and concert.

Kutik73 · 04/11/2017 17:10

And I start to realise that musicians need a strong body with good stamina.

Doubleup · 04/11/2017 18:41

Kutik, is your DH going to the concert tomorrow? You weren't entirely sure a few weeks ago.

Kutik73 · 04/11/2017 22:00

Double, yes, DH offered a lift, so assume he is coming! See you there?

ealingwestmum · 05/11/2017 07:37

loosehappy belated 16th to your boy for yesterday! Hope he had a great day and appreciated your brownies (I know, not quite right)

LooseAtTheSeams · 05/11/2017 08:14

Thanks ealing! Yes he did and the brownies were definitely appreciated!

drummersmum · 05/11/2017 11:24

Loose Happy Bday to DS1... Both our boys are Scorpios!! Strong willed and mysterious

drummersmum · 05/11/2017 11:36

Kutik when DS was sitting the 11plus, we were late for the only grammar exam he took because it was really far. The traffic was dead still. We had to jump from the car and run several blocks. When we got there the exam was about to start. DS was breathless and needed the toilet. This was the most difficult exam he sat, as there were over 1600 applicants for 120 places and in case of a tie they then factored in distance which in our case was huge. He got a place. Up to this day I know it was the run. I just know it. It was the rush of oxygen into his brain, early morning, that made the difference. Your DH is absolutely on the right track.

Original poster

Wafflenose · 05/11/2017 12:57

I applied to Bristol, Cardiff, Royal Holloway, Exeter, Surrey and Southampton. All of them wanted Grade 5 piano by the time I got there (tall order, as I started at 15) and Exeter wanted Grade 6 piano. They don't run undergraduate music any more though, as far as I'm aware.

OP posts:

Mendingfences · 05/11/2017 13:18

I thought i should share this mornings amusing moment. Ds (7) has drums as his first instrument but has also started piano. Today he was looking at some Christmas piano music and it sounded 'wrong' - it was i g major and this f Sharp so i explained about the key signature. Oh said ds, so thats what the hashtag does 😂

Original poster

Wafflenose · 05/11/2017 13:21

Ha ha! When my Year 4-5 children miss one of their sharps (usually when playing in D or A major) I do get them to "look at the hashtags and which notes they belong to" - just to get it in there before they do. I'm so cool! Not.

OP posts:

ealingwestmum · 05/11/2017 13:23

Drummers; we had exactly the same scenario with DD's G5 theory when she was 10....abandoned the car in some random road in Isleworth, ran to this catholic massive school that was like Fort Knox to get into (no signs, not one) and got there with a minute to spare with her being led to a desk with massive kids in a room of 200+. A teacher then approached me in corridor to say DD was in the toilet throwing up "worrying about your car"?. Was allowed to wave at her from a window...big smile and all was good. These mad moments hey, but they do get the adrenaline running!