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Extra-curricular activities

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November Music Thread

688 replies

Wafflenose · 30/10/2018 22:09

Welcome to all musicians/ parents of musicians, young and 'mature', beginners and advanced, plus everything in between. This is one of the nicest corners of Mumsnet and the music threads were started for my older daughter towards the beginning of her musical journey, 7 years ago. Everybody on the thread was a beginner once!

I have recently seen "we're not a musical family", "I'm not musical" on here quite a lot, and would like to gently challenge that... perhaps you may not have found the right instrument/ teacher yet, or have no desire to play, but I think that everyone is musical. It's not a special something that is limited to certain individuals, although of course everyone's aptitude and natural ceiling varies. I have had the pleasure of teaching almost 1000 people to read and play music now, ranging in age from 3 to 96 and incorporating a range of additional needs, and I think they all got something positive from their lessons! What our young musicians most need from us - whether we play ourselves or not - is lots of encouragement, time and space to practise, and of course the constant taxi service and financial support we give to their lessons and ensembles!

I have two DDs, Goo The Energy Conserver (flute and piano, lapsed recorder and picc player) who is pretty lazy and complacent at the moment and just wants to enjoy her life, and Rara The Awkward (clarinet, cello, recorder) who tries hard... when it suits her! We have nothing special lined up this term, but possibly piano and clarinet exams for next term. Goo claims she wants to dust off her recorders and theory books to get another couple of Grade 8s before she leaves school. I'll believe that when it happens.

Over to you.

OP posts:
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Knittinganewme · 05/11/2018 08:14

DS used Sibelus for GCSE and MuseScore for A level.

Violinboymum · 05/11/2018 08:29

Hi, can I join too? DS8 plays piano (doing grade 3 this term), passed violin (grade 4) last term, also getting ready for his singing grade 4 exam sometime in the future and theory grade 2 in the next term. So my hands are full and all I do is drive him between various lessons. He also hardly practices on his violin and it feels like a daily battle to make him practice scales or exercises. He only likes playing actual pieces on his instruments.

LooseAtTheSeams · 05/11/2018 08:43

I think DS1 is using Sibelius at A level but will ask if they have anything else. It was Logic at GCSE. DS2 likes using Logic for his own compositions at home when he's not using the computer to blast aliens, or whatever!

folkmamma · 05/11/2018 08:55

Fabulous to see so many new 'faces' already this month! Welcome @Violinboymum.

We have a few feisty 8/9yr olds on the thread, my own daughter (cellist/pianist) included. There is just no negotiating with her so I frequently have to just walk away... and then she still somehow makes progress and I get frustrated wondering what she might achieve if things were different!!!

DD1 (11, violinist) is generally more cooperative although certainly does not enjoy practice. She is more accepting of the fact she has to do it but it's vary rare that she does it willingly and I frequently have to deal with 'the face'. She's at JD now, and knows she has to work to stay there, so I'm hoping over time she will become more self motivated...

Charts and rewards definitely play a big part in our practice routines for both girls. Always have done. I award more rewards for good attitude and positive practice sessions. It doesn't eliminate the issues but does help!

hertsandessex · 05/11/2018 09:05

On the composition software I would guess have to tie in with what the school is using. Gone through it twice with different software and all has been done at school. There was a vague suggestion of buying LogicPro for use at home but we never did and in the end everything was done at school.

ealingwestmum · 05/11/2018 09:15

Loose: belated happy birthday to your DS1!

Violinboymum · 05/11/2018 09:19

Thank you Folkmamma! It’s such a struggle, unfortunately he is not responding well to charts (calls them blackmail) and recently started to accuse me of being a “tiger mum” after watching Twosetviolins videos on YouTube. His older siblings were never like that at his age, even now they are not as confrontational, I am truly at loss what to do with him. All practice usually happens on his terms, I am so tired of fighting over it.

Floottoot · 05/11/2018 09:58

Welcome, Violinboymum!
Your son sounds very musical and able, and seems to have lots going on, so I wouldn't worry too much about his attitude towards practising. It's very normal, as you'll see from the many posts here from parents pulling their hair out - me very definitely included!!
Could you reach a compromise, by suggesting your DS does 2 out of the 4 things each day, his choice which 2? So, singing and piano, or theory and violin etc, with the proviso that at least one has to change each day. Also, perhaps let him practice whatever he wants - just pieces, if that's what he chooses - until he gets back into the routine of practising regularly.

Grade 4 at 8 is pretty good going, so he's clearly doing something right, and he'll soon realise what he needs to change if he stops making such good progress.

Violinboymum · 05/11/2018 10:48

Floottoot, Thank you! To be honest he has so much going on, sometimes I feel sorry for him, he also plays football and rugby, swimming club and has lots of homework and extra work from his tutor, so it’s all a bit of a struggle. It’s very hard to find time to practice, though somehow he always manages to squeeze a few hours of minecraft into his day. He is refusing to give up on any activity and also asked for chello and clarinet lessons recently, which I quite frankly cant afford. Also having two teenagers going through various school exams and asking for lifts I feel like I am losing this battle.

Trumpetboysmum · 05/11/2018 11:51

Hi violinboy Smile he’s doing really well - sounds like my dd - she is so busy she hardly ever has time to practise though says she wants to keep playing . I think Floots idea sounds like a good plan Smile they simply can’t always fit it all in. To me as long as they keep playing that’s the main thing - mine only ever practise scales when they are made to by their teachers or for an exam ( though ds is better at just doing them now - but he’s much older !!)

KittyOSullivanKrauss · 05/11/2018 13:53

It's reassuring to hear that practise is an issue for lots of you. I completely agree that it can be hard when they're so busy. My DS also does quite a few other things as well as music. Thank you to all the posters for being so welcoming of a newbie. It turns out I didn't need at ask my question about cello case straps at all. DS was exploring the case when he got it out to practise yesterday and found the straps in one of the pockets! Phew! I'm very glad I hadn't ordered any (especially those super expensive ones!). Thanks to everyone who responded though and I'm glad I joined the thread.

Wiifitmama · 05/11/2018 14:02

My 10 year old is another with practising issues. He loves to practise but WHAT he practises can be a little selective! Technique is not his strong point - but he will happily play through his entire repertoire of folk pieces (without a thought to technique!) many times!

minisnowballs · 05/11/2018 14:33

I had such a row with my 11 year old over practice this morning. She has an exam next week (violin) and her sight reading is dire. This morning she informed me that it was 'all my fault for not having taught her better' (I'm not her teacher- nor do I play the violin). Reader, I lost my temper....

I do try to leave her to it to practise by herself, but she just calls me in anyway. Any tips for keeping calm much appreciated...

catkind · 05/11/2018 14:57

Don't know about blackmail, I'm finding bribery effective with DS. If he wants bonus screen time he needs to do decent practice. Either on his own or by letting me help. I have a low baseline but am trying to be tough about enforcing it - practice has to happen and something has to be improved so not just playing through.

DD at 6 is being positively angelic. She will take on board suggestions, she will also really pick things apart to improve on her own. And adds wacky similes into the mix. Early days but I'm watching with interest. Maybe she just hasn't hit stroppy age yet mind you, not counting any chickens!

I have no idea how you keep calm mini except... practice! Have a laugh at their more preposterous claims?

Floottoot · 05/11/2018 14:59

Phew, Kitty! Glad you don't have to fork out. ☺
M inisnowballs, I just laughed out loud at your, "Reader, I lost my temper"! 😂😂😂 I'm not surprised you did, given your DD's accusations! I think I'd call her bluff and say that, since you're such an awful (non) teacher, you feel it only fair to butt out of her practice until after the exam...

Violinboymum · 05/11/2018 15:22

It’s reassuring to hear that DS is not the only one. All my friends are football mums, it’s nice to be able to talk about it with someone who understands the struggle.

Nerdybeethoven · 05/11/2018 15:34

Thanks for the comments about composition technology: we bought a home version of Cubase which is what they use at school in Years 7-9 (don't know about thereafter). It was only £80. However, I spent 10 x that to buy a really good laptop that would support it properly....

Sibelius is the only other one I've heard of, as I had a personal brush with it in a job I had years ago, but never really got the hang of it, although thought it was rather clever (as you can tell, I'm not technically-minded).

A midi-keyboard would be cool. We'll be buying a new piano soon and I'm in conflict about whether to let the kids have a Clavinova that's enabled with all sorts of gadget-y things, or go for a new upright purely for my pleasure.

On the subject of composition: what do they actually compose at GCSE/A level / IB? Is it 'popular' stuff, or do they do kind of pastiche 'minuet in the style of Bach'? I have vague memories of being horrified by the idea of any composition when I did A level, but managed to swerve it by doing orchestration instead. Which was far more use to me in later life.

Violinboymum: I love Two Set Violin on You Tube. It's something that amuses us all. They're so funny. I particularly loved the 'types of mother' (ha, ha, ha - we had fun seeing which one I was) but also 'type of pupil'. So funny I had to send it to my son's violin teacher.

Loving this thread - I don't have many other musical mums to talk to.

horseymum · 05/11/2018 16:26

Nerdy, we went for a clavinova and love it. Even my husband who plays proper piano is coming round to it. You can change lots of the settings to get the sound you like. He can record himself playing the accompaniment for my DD to play along to when he's not there. My ideal is to get it to talk to my laptop so I can input with musescore but it's not working yet, laptop too old! Need to try work one next.

Nerdybeethoven · 05/11/2018 16:33

Horsey: ahhh, that sounds interesting (complicated, but interesting). Wish I could afford money and space for both types of piano. I do think the linking up of technology would be useful (for the kids, not for me).

I also want to buy a small digital drum kit so that the boys can host band practices. I realise I might regret it ….

hertsandessex · 05/11/2018 16:45

We have an upright but bought a digital as well for another room and I think the digital gets more use. DCs seem to like playing with headphones so nobody can hear them - my DCs are not the most support of eachother when they think one of the others is not playing correctly!

On GCSE composition I think it varies depending exam board and not sure of exact requirements but we have had classical marimba, full on rock band with vocals and something for piano/violin. There seems to be a lot of flexibility.

LooseAtTheSeams · 05/11/2018 17:24

Thanks ealing
DS is doing some kind of jazz composition for one of his A level ones but he was also working on something 'baroque' - not sure if that was just a practice piece though.

MomOfTwoGirls2 · 05/11/2018 20:04

I think some of the violin players here have GEWA air cases??

Can anyone tell me how to change the combination for the lock?
I misplaced the instructions and can’t find anything online.

Lotsofmilkonesugar · 05/11/2018 21:36

Hi to all the new posters! nerdy we have a clavinova and it’s great for the kids.. it’s quite an old one but has lots of different sounds, we use them to relieve the boredom of scales! .. they fiddle around and do say, minors on ‘harpsichord’ and majors on ‘church organ’. You can also record one hand and then practise the other one with it.

Crazygirlmama · 05/11/2018 21:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

owlm · 05/11/2018 21:46

Hi all, it's taken me a minute to catch up with the thread. Went to our first residential over the weekend. DD has just had her first practice since being back and the bowhold has improved!! I can't believe 2 and a half days of a workshop and it seems fixed! She has been battling with keeping it curly for - forever it seems. I'm sure it will need maintenance but I am just so surprised - and very relieved. I am now imagining what a week at pro corda or NCO would achieve.