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Thinking About Grad School?

Written by Dr. Justin Antos, Ph.D., NBCT on March 10, 2025. Posted in Teaching Tips.

We have all heard the platitude, “knowledge is power.” I vividly remember feeling the impact of this statement during my first semester of college. I was performing in the wind ensemble at my university’s winter commencement. Through each downbeat of “Pomp and Circumstance” on my snare drum, I watched the procession of the directors, professors and new graduates as they entered the arena with different colored hoods and regalia, their three-quarter sleeves and those with chevrons, and the various tam o’shanters and mortarboards. Witnessing hundreds of people ceremoniously being celebrated for their knowledge and wisdom left a lasting impression on me. At that time, I had no idea where my graduate school journey would take me, but I knew one thing for sure: I had to be part of that exclusive club.

Grad School Considerations

Regardless of what piqued your curiosity about the graduate school experience, the fact that you are considering graduate school is a victory worth celebrating. This article will offer some advice, but the overarching takeaway is this: YOU are in charge of YOUR life and YOUR professional career.

Pursuing a graduate degree (or a couple) should not be a means to an end, but rather a vehicle to help you achieve your professional goals more efficiently and effectively. This, of course, begs the question, “What opportunities exist for a music educator with a graduate degree?” If you are a novice teacher, you may not know what possibilities exist for you within your K-12 setting, so let’s unpack this question through three considerations.

Consideration #1: What do your long-term career plans look like?

Are you looking to remain a K-12 music teacher for the rest of your career and want the opportunity to hone your craft?
Are you looking to eventually move into another certification area like educational administration or technology?
Do you love your current teaching environment but fear your music program is in jeopardy and want to position yourself in a way where your job is more secure?
Do you want to eventually teach college?
Or, do you simply want to earn more money?

All of these scenarios are equally respectable and something most of us have considered throughout our careers. Really think about how you want to make the biggest impact in your career and seek graduate programs that will help you align to that trajectory. For example, if you want to be a K-12 music teacher for the rest of your career, pursuing a graduate degree in educational administration is not going to develop you as a music teacher. Conversely, if you want to become a school principal one day, earning something like a master’s degree in music education is not going to equip you with the skills that administrators need in order to support ALL students, like having working knowledge in school law, finance and special education.

Consideration #2: What does your timeframe look like?

Truth be told, there will never be a perfect time to pursue graduate school, but there are better times depending on what is happening in your life. For example, if you recently graduated with your bachelor’s degree and are already in high-octane school mode, it might be to your advantage to start your graduate studies right away since you are accustomed to the rigors of academia. However, if you choose this option, you don’t have much real-world experience that you might want in order to appreciate what you would learn in graduate school. It’s also important to note that depending on what degree program you want to pursue, there may be certain entrance requirements (e.g., minimum number of years of full-time teaching) that you will need before you could even qualify for admission.

On the other hand, if you wait too long to pursue your graduate degree from the time you earned your undergraduate degree, you might have to work much harder to recondition yourself to being a student and the transition to being a student again could be substantially more jarring than you might have anticipated.

The other detail to consider is how your school or district assesses RIF points and tenure. RIF is an acronym for “reduction in force.” In most public schools, licensed staff earn RIF points every year that are usually determined by some combination of years of teaching experience and evaluation rating, which results in a hierarchy of seniority. Generally, teachers who accumulate a greater number of RIF points have better job security.

Tenure, on the other hand, gives teachers the opportunity for due process if they are faced with termination. Tenure is normally granted to public educators once they have demonstrated successful teaching in their school district, as evidenced by their evaluations after four years of service, depending on their state laws. A school or district could theoretically dismiss a teacher for any reason without the need for much justification; that is, until a teacher receives tenure.

Most school districts pay their teachers more based on the number of years of experience (i.e., steps) they have and the number of graduate credits they have earned (i.e., lanes). If you decide to plow through graduate school as a new teacher, understand this risk: you will be earning a higher salary every year you teach BEFORE earning tenure that if you are let go from your job, you will be a far more expensive hire for a school district than someone fresh out of college despite your teaching experience. The same caveat applies to switching school districts. If you are not convinced that your current building will be your long-term home, be careful of earning too much graduate credit too soon before applying for a new position, as you might become significantly more expensive for a new school district to employ.

Consideration #3: Can you absorb the hit when it comes to time and money?

Like any major commitment, graduate study is something that needs to be prioritized. Graduate school will not usurp all your time and money, but your work/life balance will certainly change. The time you used to devote to score study, grading, lesson planning, etc., will soon be spent reading, writing and perhaps even recording or performing. Keep in mind that this does not consider your personal time. Are you in a committed relationship? Do you have young children at home? Are you in the process of moving? Graduate study can be stressful enough despite all of the external pressures life can throw your way.

Pursuing graduate study when you are in a good head space and during a time when you are not overcommitted to other endeavors will only improve your chances of success. Also consider the cost of tuition. How long will it take you to net the income you lose from going back to school after any potential pay increases? Depending on the modality of your program, you may be eligible for scholarships, graduate assistantships, grants or other incentives. You can also check to see if your school or district offers any type of tuition reimbursements for graduate studies. Some state boards of education will also cover some tuition costs for educators who teach in a low-income community. Chances are, graduate tuition will not become any cheaper than what it is at this very moment. While this may be a good motivator, only you can determine if you are personally and professionally ready for this journey.

woman at home sitting in front of computer and drinking from coffee mug

Master’s Degree Modalities: Traditional and Cohort

In recent years and especially since the pandemic, graduate school has become more accessible. Far removed are the days when going back to school for a master’s degree meant quitting our jobs, moving back into a dorm, and devoting the next two years to schoolwork full-time. While this scenario is still a viable option, it’s important to understand the different modalities that exist so you can determine which option best aligns to your learning style.

Master’s degrees are typically offered in two overarching formats: the traditional model and the cohort model. The traditional model of study is what I just alluded to earlier where teachers pursue full-time study with their primary responsibilities including completing their graduate coursework and immersing themselves in their research (or performance) interests in preparation for a successful defense of their capstone project (e.g., thesis, recital performance). These students may work in tandem with major professors within their department to teach undergraduate students. Depending on the major, most traditional master’s programs last two years and have entrance requirements that could include an audition or interview, a competency exam, a writing sample or a specific GRE score. While it requires full-time, on-campus study, one distinct advantage of pursuing a traditional master’s degree is that you can be fully immersed in your craft from day one. If you idolize a specific professor and want to soak up as much wisdom as possible from them, pursuing a master’s degree full-time and on-campus guarantees the most access to that resource.

Cohort models, on the other hand, provide an alternative to the rigid academic schedule and residency requirements associated with the traditional model. Designed with the working professional’s needs in mind, the cohort model allows teachers to earn a master’s degree without having to give up their jobs. Most colleges and universities that offer master’s cohorts provide flexible pathways to coursework that can include online study, in-person study at satellite locations and/or night and summer classes on-campus.

Online Classes: If you think you might be interested in earning a master’s degree online, understanding how coursework is delivered is essential. Online coursework can be offered synchronously (students log into class at a designated time each week and receive their instruction in real-time) or asynchronously (students access pre-recorded lectures at their convenience and complete assignments at their own pace before each due date). Online study’s convenience gives students access to courses and the professors who teach them. You can learn from content experts in your field from across the world! However, because of the limited access you have to your professors and other students because you are never in the same room together, online coursework requires learners to be self-motivated and independent.

Satellite Study: Students who pursue degrees at satellite locations still learn from professors employed by their college or university and have access to the same benefits as traditional students, but they attend some or all of their classes off-campus at a designated location, such as a community center or local K-12 school after hours. While satellite study allows in-person access to professors and a community of scholars, these courses are often taken in lockstep with everyone in the cohort; that is, there is generally a prescribed plan of study that allows for little to no deviation in course offerings or personnel. This means that for the entire duration of your master’s program, you will likely have the same classmates for every single course and will have to take the coursework, electives included, that you are told to take by the program administrator in order to graduate.

view from behind of someone writing in notebook while seated at a table

Night Classes and Summer Study: Occasionally, universities will offer night or evening courses on-campus during the academic year to degree-seeking students to offset the number of courses needed to complete a master’s program. While it is uncommon for there to be an entire master’s degree that could be completed exclusively in-person, on-campus, and over evenings, night classes can be an excellent way for students to earn elective coursework in their degree program and feel more connected to their university. More commonly however, colleges and universities will offer on-campus summer residencies for students looking to bridge the gap between the traditional and cohort models of graduate study.

Summer graduate programs often allow for a greater number of degree offerings. Summer music residencies are usually relegated to non-performance-based music degrees (e.g., music education, music technology), which do not require the same type of scheduling needed for rehearsals and performances found outside of regular class meetings. Additionally, summer study allows students to fully immerse themselves in the graduate school experience by enabling them to reside on campus and access places like libraries, practice rooms, or even the student union or quad while still being able to work as full-time teachers during the academic year.

However, there are some caveats of summer study. First, because summer semesters are shorter than a typical fall or spring semester, summer courses tend to be accelerated. This means that the content is delivered quickly and succinctly over longer stretches less frequently. In other words, a semester-long music theory course that traditionally would take place three days a week for 50-minutes each class over a full 16-week semester might instead be delivered in the summer as a one-day-a-week, four-hour class over a truncated 8-week semester. Also, because summers are generally the only time a student would engage with coursework over the calendar year, summer master’s degrees tend to take longer to complete. What might take a traditional master’s student two years of full-time study could take three or four summers to earn the same degree. Prospective graduate students must weigh all possibilities to determine the path that’s best for them.

What Should I Major In?

While this question seems to be the most obvious place to start when considering a graduate school for the first time, it is important to note that occasionally what we decide to major in as graduate students has only a peripheral effect on our jobs. In other words, our graduate majors sometimes do more to enhance our niche than they do to train us on a specific skillset required of our profession. For example, the undergraduate training you received in your music education major enabled you to earn a specific credential that legally allows you to teach music in a public school. Any music degree beyond that will certainly add value to your craft and give you a richer perspective that can enhance how you approach teaching, but it will likely not fulfill a requirement for you to maintain your teaching position. Fortunately, there are several meaningful graduate majors for practicing music educators.

Music Education: Many music teachers who are first-time graduate students tend to major in music education because it aligns to what they know best. When you become a teacher, you quickly become immersed in the minutiae of facilitating instruction and leading a music program. The music education major is naturally constructed around that experience and provides training in specific skills related to many of the duties found within that role. However, it is important to note that a master’s degree in music education can be either academic-based or practitioner-based, so knowing what you want to achieve from this degree path is crucial before enrolling in a program that might not benefit you the way that you had expected.

While any master’s degree in music education will come with its fair share of introductory research courses, some programs intentionally structure their curricula with an abundance of research-based coursework in an attempt to produce independent scholarly researchers. Teachers who pursue this type of music education master’s degree are usually those who go on to pursue a terminal degree in music education and contribute to the growing body of research in music teaching and learning. In this type of program, you will likely encounter more research methods courses as well as courses in music education philosophy, history, psychology and sociology. Capstone requirements for an academic-based degree are usually the writing of a traditional master’s thesis and a successful defense of that manuscript in a student’s research area of interest.

On the other hand, some music education master’s degrees frame their plans of study in ways that are practitioner-based and meant to develop specific skills related to day-to-day classroom instruction. Coursework in these master’s degree programs may include arranging and orchestration, classroom management and student engagement strategies, or even courses in instrumental methods and repair. Capstone requirements for practitioner-based programs are generally flexible and could include projects such as a curriculum analysis or action research in one’s own building. Despite the inherent differences, both academic-based and practitioner-based music education master’s degree programs are extremely valuable to our profession and contribute something of merit to the field. Just be mindful to select a program that aligns to your interests and sets you on a trajectory to be molded into the academic and/or practitioner you want to become.

Other Majors in Music: While pursuing a master’s degree in music education has the most relevancy to what practicing music teachers encounter on a daily basis, some teachers prefer to pursue a graduate music major that strengthens a particular component of their teaching or aligns more to their musical interests outside the classroom. For example, music teachers who primarily serve as ensemble directors may find substantial benefit in a master’s degree in conducting because of how much time they spend actually conducting as part of their job. Or, perhaps a music teacher’s true passion is composing or performing and they are looking to gain more training to bolster their side hustle.

Regardless of the motive to pursue a graduate music degree outside of music education, consider this: when you major in something in graduate school, the expectation is that you are there to get better at that one thing. In other words, if you are pursuing a master’s degree in conducting, expect to graduate as a better conductor. If you are a performance major, expect to graduate with greater skill as a singer or instrumentalist. Your newfound insight will provide you with new ways to consume and curate musical experiences for yourself, but that expertise may not be immediately transferrable to your daily teaching. Fortunately, if you build upon your niche and incorporate it into your teaching practice, your students could receive an inimitable learning experience because of who you are and the unique skillset you bring to the classroom.

One other aspect to consider when deciding on your graduate music major is whether you would ever want to teach college. The minimum educational requirement for nearly all college teaching positions is a master’s degree. However, due in part to academic inflation and saturation in the music field, most college teaching jobs in music are given to candidates with terminal degrees and years of successful college teaching experience. If you are lucky, there could be a local university or community college who might look to you to fill an adjunct position, but the position for which you would be considered is most likely going to be based on your graduate major and less on your K-12 classroom teaching experience. In short, if full-time college teaching is something that interests you, plan on earning a terminal degree like a Ph.D., Ed.D. or D.M.A. after spending a few years in the classroom; if you are interested in the possibility of one day becoming an adjunct professor as a way to earn some supplemental income while you teach in the K-12 setting, know that whatever your master’s degree is in will likely be the only domain in which you would be qualified to teach.

two students in band room looking at their phones

Non-Musical Education Majors: Despite the numerous benefits of a master’s degree in the music field, there are plenty of practicing music educators who have pursued graduate degrees outside of music. While a master’s degree in a non-musical field like educational technology, school leadership, or curriculum and instruction does nothing to develop musical knowledge, it would diversify your resume, which could make you more indispensable to your school and community. Similar to how majoring in a musical field outside of music education provides teachers with a way to carve out a musical niche in their practice, pursuing a graduate major in education outside of music altogether can carve out an educational niche, potentially with greater collateral for success.

Consider this: when we engage in discourse with our musical colleagues about concerns like music education advocacy, student retention or funding, it reinforces a sense of community and contextualizes how we face uphill battles. As therapeutic as some of these gripe sessions can be, these conversations can sometimes lead to deafening echo chambers where we assume we understand what our school and community expects of us without seeing our responsibilities through different stakeholders’ lenses. Pursuing an area of education as a graduate major outside of music could help inform us how other education professionals view music education. Studying educational leadership, for example, could help make us privy to the ways we can best position ourselves alongside – and not against – policymakers to better advocate for our music students.

Music teachers who hold a master’s degree in a specialized area of education could also use this credential to serve their school in broader capacities than could sole music specialists. Many schools, especially those most affected by our current teacher shortage, are often looking for teacher leaders, instructional coaches or department chairs. Music teachers who have training in these domains from their graduate work in education could draw upon these skills to be greater assets to their schools and help further advance their careers.

a graduate dressed in cap and gown from behind

One Final Thought

My intent with this article was to demystify some of the overarching concerns prospective master’s students have as they consider balancing graduate school and teaching music. And while the pursuit of a master’s degree is not the only way to improve one’s practice, embarking on a journey through graduate school demonstrates a special type of dedication and commitment to one’s craft that has the ability to transform the way you could approach teaching for the rest of your career.

When I was playing “Pomp and Circumstance” as an undergrad, little did I know that I would one day walk across the stage to receive my second doctorate. Being surrounded by content specialists, artist educators and hungry graduate students – figuratively and literally – helped me carve out my niche in my profession better than any other type of professional development and empowered me to become the best version of myself for my students and community. If you, like me, have ever thought that graduate school is something reserved for an exclusive club, please consider this your formal invitation to join us. I am sure you will master it!

AI in the Music Classroom

Written by Dr. Robert Bryant on February 28, 2025. Posted in Teaching Tips.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform the K-12 music classroom by offering new opportunities for personalized learning and creative exploration. The public release of Open AI’s ChatGPT 3.5 in November 2022 proved to be a game changer in AI capability.

Many of us are familiar with AI assistants like Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa, but the conversational nature and depth of ChatGPT’s responses (when accurate) are different and truly uncanny. ChatGPT, and the many AI chatbots that have come after, continue to blur the lines between human and machine. As such, AI will become more integrated into the field of education in general and music teaching and learning specifically.

AI introduces exciting possibilities for enhancing how students learn music, providing highly personalized educational experiences and fostering innovative ways of creating, performing, responding and connecting through music. However, these advancements come with significant challenges. Music educators must decide how — not if — to integrate AI into their classrooms in safe, thoughtful and interactive ways. To fully harness the potential of AI in music education, educators must carefully consider issues related to equity, bias and the potential overreliance on AI.

artwork of a silhouette of a head covered in eyes with AI written over it

A Tutor for Every Student

One of the key benefits of using generative AI in the classroom is its ability to personalize learning. In my general music methods classes at Tennessee State University, we have been experimenting with various AI systems such as Klangio, Poe and Magic School AI to create sheet music, build music theory AI tutors, and develop lessons. Through prompting and feedback, I have shown my students how we can better curate learning experiences to cater to each student’s unique skill level and interests.

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This personalized approach directly addresses the varying needs of students, making music education more accessible and engaging. When students receive instruction that is specifically designed to align with their abilities and interests, they are more likely to stay engaged and deepen their musical understanding. A bonus to this approach can also be seen in how students develop at their own pace. This can promote a more inclusive and supportive classroom environment for all students.

A Gateway to Unlocking Creativity

Generative AI also opens up new avenues for creative exploration. In June 2024, my institution’s AI For All Research Center hosted the inaugural AI for All Summit, which aimed to unite K-12 schools and higher education with AI industry leaders to discuss ways of leveraging AI in the most accessible and inclusive way possible. Many leaders across these areas showcased the potential of AI tools in multiple forms, and attendees were even able to receive group and individual trainings on several AI protoypes that were still in development. At this event, I learned about text-to-music AI apps like Udio and MusicLM, and I experimented with generating completely new musicals based solely on a text prompt. My mind was blown!

The capability, accuracy and creative authenticity of these tools helped me reflect on my own creative practice and expand what is musically possible with AI. The ability to instantly generate and manipulate musical ideas can allow our students to explore a wide range of musical styles and genres, pushing the boundaries of what they can achieve in the classroom. I am a strong believer that AI will be a companion to, and not a replacement for, our own creative processes.

man working at desk with several computers in front of him

Potential Challenges

Despite these benefits, there are considerable challenges to consider, particularly when it comes to equity and access. Not all students have equal access to the technology or the digital literacy skills needed to effectively use generative AI tools. This disparity could worsen existing inequalities in education, as students from under-resourced communities may be left behind. Furthermore, AI systems are trained on existing datasets, which inherently contain human biases. If these biases are not carefully addressed, they can be reflected in content generated by AI, potentially perpetuating stereotypes and limiting the possibilities of creative expression.

Another concern is the risk of overreliance on AI for music teaching and learning. While AI can be a valuable tool for generating ideas, it is essential that students also develop traditional musicianship skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving and independent learning. It is also critical that educators not lean on AI to think for us in an effort to streamline processes and increase efficiency. The overdependence on AI could have a reverse effect on the profession and lead to more and more “human-centered” academic tasks begin shifted to AI responsibility.

These initiatives are already being piloted on a small scale in places like the Alpha School. If effective, this could jeopardize numerous teachers’ livelihoods and effectively limit the potential growth needed for a thriving and diverse music teacher workforce. Also, a push for more AI interaction may actually stifle the development of students’ communicative and creative skills, as students may become accustomed to relying on technology rather than their own creativity and musical abilities. Striking a balance between leveraging AI as a tool and fostering independent musicianship will be critical for maintaining a well-rounded music education.

As music educators consider integrating generative AI into their classrooms, they must also navigate challenges related to teacher training, data privacy and ethical considerations. I know that no one wants another mandatory training, but teachers at all levels will need specialized training on how to effectively use these tools to enhance their pedagogy while ensuring that confidential student data is collected and used with fidelity. Moreover, questions regarding the ethical implications of using AI in areas such as ownership, creativity, composition, reproduction and distribution will need to be addressed.

child holding tablet with coding language is shown all around him

We Can Do This

In support of this movement toward integrating generative AI in education, institutions like the Tennessee State University SMART Innovation Center play a critical role. It is our goal to bridge access and equity gaps by providing training and hands-on learning experiences in AI for faculty, staff and students. It is my hope that all our communities will look for ways to collaborate with key stakeholders as we make strides in preparing future generations to navigate the quickly evolving landscape of AI-driven education.

While there are many more considerations we could delve into that go beyond the scope of what can be covered here, if we continue to carefully consider the pros, cons, opportunities and challenges of AI use in the music classroom, we can use AI to create a more inclusive, engaging and empowering music learning experience for all students.

A Bassist’s Guide to Chord Substitutions, Part 1

Written by E.E. Bradman on February 26, 2025. Posted in Bass.

Think of a song as a story in which the sentences (chord progressions) are made of words (chords). Chord substitutions, then, are like synonyms that can replace words without significantly changing the meaning of the sentence. And just as there’s an art to using the right word at the right time, there are several ways to skillfully exchange one chord for another. Let’s start with diatonic chord substitution, where all the chords are in the same key.

THREE-NOTE DNA

Diatonic substitution replaces one four-note chord with another four-note chord that shares three of the same notes. In a major key, the I chord shares three notes with both the iii chord and the vi chord; the IV chord shares three notes with the ii chord and the vi chord; and the V chord shares three notes with the vii chord. (Try using the mnemonic “136-426-57” to remember these relationships.)

In the key of C, for example, the I chord, Cma7 (C – E – G – B), shares triads with the iii chord, Emi7 (E – G – B – D) and the vi chord, Ami7 (A – C – E – G). The IV chord, Fma7 (F – A – C – E), has triads in common with the ii chord, Dmi7 (D – F – A – C) and the vi chord, Ami7 (A – C – E – G). The V chord, G7 (G – B – D – F), shares three notes with the vii chord, Bmi7b5 (B – D – F – A).

Let’s try substituting chords in a I-IV-V progression in E. The chords in the audio clip below are Ema7 for two bars, followed by Ama7 and B7 for one bar each, with the bass outlining each chord.

In this key, the I chord, Ema7 (E – G# – B – D#) shares three notes with the iii chord, G#mi (G# – B – D# – F#) and the vi chord, C#mi7 (C# – E – G# – B). The IV chord, Ama7 (A – C# – E – G#) shares three notes with the ii chord, F#mi7 (F# – A – C# – E) and the vi chord, C#mi7 (C# – E – G# – B). The V chord, B7 (B – D# – F# – A), shares three notes with the vii chord, D#mi7b5 (D# – F# – A – C#).

If we substitute the vi chord (C#mi7) for the I chord (Ema7), the progression becomes C#mi7 – Ama7 – B7, which sounds like this:

If we continue by substituting the ii chord (F#mi7) for the IV chord (Ama7), the progression becomes C#mi7 – F#mi7 – B7 and sounds like this:

And if we substitute the vii chord (D#mi7♭5) for the V chord (B7), we get C#mi7 – F#mi7 – D#mi7♭5:

Although the theory may take a moment to digest, listen to how the substitutions change the chord progressions, and think of them as colors and options at your disposal for soloing and songwriting, or for simply keeping things interesting.

THE ROLE OF THE BASS IN CHORD SUBSTITUTIONS

In most situations, the bassist’s job is to play the root of each chord, but if you’re playing improvisational music, you may have more room to try things out. Let’s take a common progression like a I-vi-ii-V (Cma7 – Ami7 – Dmi7 – G7 in the key of C).

Here’s what it would sound like if the bass substitutes the iii chord (Emi7) for the I chord (Cma7) while the keyboardist plays it straight:

If the bass also outlines the iii chord (Emi7) instead of the keyboardist’s vi chord (Ami7), it sounds like this:

We could take things further by playing the IV chord (Fma7) when the keyboardist plays the ii chord (Dmi7):

We could also play the vii chord (Bmi7♭5) when the keyboardist hits the V chord (G7).

It’s far more common, however, for other instruments to substitute chords while the bass plays the roots of the original progression. As an example, let’s use a minor key, where the chord qualities are different from a major key but the numerical relationships (“136-426-57”) stay the same. In A minor, for example, the I chord, Ami7 (A – C – E – G) shares three notes with both the III chord, Cma7 (C – E – G – B♭) and the VI chord, Emi7 (E – G – B♭ – D). The IV chord, Dmi7 (D – F – A – C) shares three notes with the ii chord, Bmi7♭5 (B – D – F – A) chord and the VI chord, Fma7 (F – A – C – E); and the v chord, Ebmi7 (E – G – B – D) shares three notes with the VII chord, Gma7.

Here’s a I-VI-III-VII groove in A minor (Ami7 – Fma7 – Cma7 – Gma7):

Listen to what happens when the keyboardist substitutes a III chord for the I chord …

… a I chord for the III …

… and a v chord for the VII.

NEW TOOLS

Chord substitutions make more colors available when soloing, give you the ability to switch things around when playing chorus after chorus of the blues (or any other progression) and prepare you for the inevitable moment when your guitarist or keyboardist changes things up. If you decide to use chord subs, though, make sure your choices don’t clash with the melody, which usually flows smoothly from chord to chord. The best way to learn is to experiment and see what works, preferably in the rehearsal room.

In Part 2, we’ll learn how to spice things up by using dominant chord substitutions, secondary dominant substitutions and tritone substitutions. Happy practicing!

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Tanner Olsen

Written by Bri Gonzales on February 24, 2025. Posted in Stories, Three440.

Wayfinding to the Spotlight: Emerging artist Tanner Olsen on discovering his voice and what drives his determination

Written by Lisa Battles

Internalizing the power of music, heartbreaking loss and resolute determination all stand as milestones along Tanner Olsen’s path from Chilliwack, BC to Nashville, Tennessee, by way of New York.

The emerging band leader has collected many life lessons from country-music-cranking bonfire parties along rural Canadian backroads to establishing himself in the epicenter of Music City’s live music scene. A decade in, his story has just begun.

Starting Points

While Olsen’s parents introduced him to piano lessons at age 5, and he went on to play in many school bands, his first love was for sports. A shared passion for lacrosse formed a bond with his father as he rose to become a star player.

“He would be at every practice, every late-night training session, whatever it was, he was always there,” Olsen says. “I fell in love with the sport just because I think it connected me with him the most.”

Olsen eventually earned a lacrosse scholarship to attend university in New York. During his two years there, he found his voice and discovered his true calling: music.

He and a teammate entered a talent contest “as a joke,” performing a Jason Mraz cover “to impress the girls.” Instead of laughter, they were met with awe — a reaction that set events in motion Olsen never expected.

“It just went crazy. People came up the stage, ogling over us, saying ‘Wow. That was so cool.’ We were just a couple of lacrosse guys. We didn’t know,” Olsen says. “Once I got a taste of that one little thing, I was like, ‘I think I want to do this as a career.’

“It just hit a spark in my brain that music can make people feel connected to words, feelings, emotions, a certain song … or whatever it is. It was seeing that people connected so hard with that and were genuinely passionate about what we were doing. That’s where I was like, ‘Okay, this is really cool. I love that.’”

Following the Signs

Around that time, another friend back in Canada urged Olsen to relocate to Edmonton, Alberta, and audition for a role as a music teacher. He dropped out of school, studied up on instruments beyond piano, and landed the job. After a while teaching, he moved back home to BC and launched what eventually became the Tanner Olsen Band.

Back home, a casual connection landed the band its first big appearance — a three-day, eight-show booking at the Abbotsford Agrifair in 2017. Once again, Olsen became a quick study and got a little help from his ever-supportive father, who stepped in as a prompter.

“I’m singing country music that I’ve heard on the radio and had just learned to play guitar. I was like, ‘I don’t know how to do this thing, man,’” Olsen says. “So he’s holding up these big poster board cue cards in the back of the stage. I was excessively reading them because I was like, ‘I don’t want to mess these words up.’ After that, we just kept getting booked and booked and booked,” he says.

Support to Change Course

Rock-solid backup came naturally for Olsen’s father, who he says chose intense jobs throughout his life, from serving on SWAT teams to providing personal security for high-profile musicians. That ethos for seizing opportunities and taking risks became a guiding principle.

“He tried things that he loved. When he got bored, he changed it,” Olsen says. “… I kind of always knew I didn’t just want to get a degree and work a job. I knew I wanted to be something bigger and different.”

Meanwhile, Olsen took a truck driving job while building his band’s local following, and talks with his dad often turned to Nashville. He wasn’t keen on giving up his comfortable lifestyle, making good money, driving a nice truck and paying for other toys, as he calls them. Even more, he also wasn’t all that confident in his abilities to make it in Nashville.

“[Dad] was like, ‘You have to do it. You gotta give everything you have and just try.’”

Not long after, Olsen’s father had a series of critical health scares, and in May 2023, passed away following a heart attack.

Eyes on the Road

After several months of working through the initial grief, Olsen carried through on those discussions about Nashville with his dad.

“I talked to that man every day of my life. He wouldn’t let me get off the phone without saying, ‘I love you.’ […] Losing him was the hardest thing ever,” Olsen says. “I got to a point where I just said, ‘You know what? Enough’s enough. Life’s too short.’ He would’ve wanted me to do this Nashville thing because he and I talked about it for so long.”

Olsen called his bandmates, who agreed to make the move despite having nothing lined up once they arrived—the first couple of months required relentless networking just to find the opportunity to secure their work visas. Soon after that, though, the Tanner Olsen Band was booking a dozen or more four-hour shows a week on Broadway.

“We’d play four hours at a bar, pack up our gear, run across the street, set it back up at a different bar, and play for another four hours,” Olsen says. “That’s the way that Broadway works. It’s chaos, amazing, tiring and a struggle most of the time to keep your voice from going.”

Olsen says the band’s living situation could be described in similar terms, which also wasn’t easy.

Staying the Course

Olsen’s father had left his kids some life insurance money, which he leveraged to make the move and support the group, especially in those first several months. They lived in a two-bedroom Airbnb, taking turns for who got stuck on the couch or floor.

“That was the only thing that allowed me to move. But that was like the sacrifice I knew my dad would’ve wanted me to make. I would rather risk literally everything I have to make this happen rather than play it safe. So it was really scary, but we just kept going,” Olsen says. “At the same time, I was grieving like crazy. It kind of felt like I just ran away from my life and my emotions. But it helped to have the guys with me.”

Steadfast in fulfilling his dreams, Olsen keeps his eyes trained on the horizon while his father’s memory lights the path. With each success, his command of the wheel becomes more confident. With any setback, he checks the rearview and tightens his grip.

Sometimes the compass points back to family time amid his hometown’s agricultural fields, massive trees and soaring mountain backdrops. At other times, it directs him back to that small stretch of towering, neon-emblazoned honky tonks in Tennessee or summertime festival crowds.

The next step for the Tanner Olsen Band is developing and recording more original material to make its mark far beyond Broadway. So far, though, Olsen says it’s been satisfying to set an example with all the band has accomplished so far, exemplifying his father’s passion for life and belief in taking chances.

“This stuff is possible, these weird, wild dreams. I am showing everyone back home and anywhere in the world that these things are possible. I think they can happen,” Olsen says. “You just have to try and even if you fail … that’s how you grow, how you learn — and what makes you who you are.”

The Three440 Artist Story Series takes you beyond the spotlight and into the real lives of Yamaha Performing Artists. Each story is a window into the creative process, pivotal moments, setbacks and victories that define an artist’s path.

Drums on the Go: Essential Travel Gear

Written by Dylan Soto on February 21, 2025. Posted in Stage Drums, Studio Drums.

For many musicians, there is often a need to take your instruments with you wherever you go, so you can practice, perform and enjoy your passion anytime, anywhere. While this can be challenging no matter what instrument you play, it’s especially difficult for drummers.

Finding gear that is both compact and portable, without sacrificing sound quality, can be a real struggle. Technically, any drum kit can be a “travel drum kit” whether it’s large or small. But in most cases, touring with lightweight, compact products is much more convenient.

Here’s a list of essential products for drummers looking to learn more about travel gear.

Travel Drums

Let’s start with a brief history of drums designed for travel.

In the early 1940s, with the rise of jazz and the growing need for portable instruments, drum manufacturers began to create more compact designs. Drum kits became more modular, and the idea of travel drums began taking shape.

Early compact kits, such as the so-called “Cocktail Kit” (sometimes referred to as “Combo,” “Jobber” or “Be-pop” kits) combined both bass drum and snare drum sounds into a single drum. These kits featured a vertical bass drum, a snare drum and a cymbal, along with various other percussion instruments. They offered a compact and lightweight solution, but this convenience came with a trade-off as playing these kits required a drummer to develop different skills, along with a loss of tones that are offered by a full-size drum kit.

Luckily, over the years, compact drum kits have significantly improved, without as many compromises in quality and performance. Yamaha offers several compact options that could be the perfect fit for your needs

Yamaha Compact Kits

A compact Yamaha drum kit set up outside a house.

The Yamaha Stage Custom Hip drum kit is available in four finishes and is in the same family as the larger Stage Custom Birch, made with the same six-ply birch wood and equipped with the same hardware. It provides a big sound in a compact design, making it an excellent choice for drummers on the go.

A compact Yamaha drum kit with labels showing the names of the various components.

When fully assembled, this kit fits comfortably within an area of about 3′ x 5′, making it ideal for gigs with tight stage layouts. The standout features of this kit include a compact yet full of tone 20″ x 8″ bass drum and a versatile 13’’ x 8″ SNOM (snare/tom) drum.

If you’re looking for even more compact drum kit options, be sure to check out the Yamaha Stage Custom Bop and Tour Custom kits. The latter can be configured in a variety of sizes, making it a versatile choice for drummers in need of a portable yet powerful setup for any gig.

Electronic Drums

What if you’re looking for a solution that offers even more versatility and convenience? This is where electronic drums come in.

These kinds of kits have become an increasingly popular choice for drummers who need a portable, flexible option. Unlike acoustic kits, electronic drums can be easily transported and set up without taking up much room, making them ideal for practice or performance on the go. Plus, with the ability to change sounds and adjust volume and tone, they offer a wide range of sonic possibilities.

Finger Drums

As a drummer, have you ever found yourself tapping rhythms on your lap or any nearby surface? We’ve all been there.

Luckily, Yamaha have just the thing you’re looking for: finger drums. The company’s FGDP line includes the FGDP-30 and FGDP-50 models, shown below.

Yamaha FGDP-30 finger drums with legends showing what sounds each pad triggers. — *FGDP-30.*

Yamaha FGDP-50 finger drums with legends showing what sounds each pad triggers. — *FGDP-50.*

These are not only fun products to play with, they give you the freedom to create and explore music wherever you are!

Accessories

Now that you’ve added a drum kit an electronic drum pad or FGDP pad to your arsenal, you’re probably eager to hit the road. But before you go, be sure to check out these essential accessories to complete your setup.

The Yamaha EAD10 is a highly versatile product designed to streamline the process of miking, recording and sharing drum performances. It eliminates the need for a complex setup involving multiple microphones, cables, mixers and a P.A. system.

Man playing a red drum kit with a sensor attached to the bass drum and a module mounted below the hi-hat cymbals. — *A drum kit outfitted with an EAD10.*

The EAD10 is made up of two units: a sensor and a module.

The sensor unit is comprised of an XY stereo microphone and a trigger sensor, which allows you to capture a balanced recording of an entire kit when placed at the center of the bass drum.

The module unit features large, easily adjustable knobs for quick control of volume, preset scenes, reverb and other effects. It includes high-quality Yamaha effects and PCM sound sources, along with trigger sensing technology that can transform acoustic drums into new musical instruments. In addition, its high-performance headphone amplifier ensures exceptional sound quality during practice sessions. It even offers built-in recording without the hassle.

Electronic drum module. — *EAD10 module.*

Hardware

The final essential item every touring drummer should have is a set of lightweight, reliable hardware. Yamaha offers several compact and portable hardware packs, including the HW-680W and the HW-3.

A snare drum stand, a bass drum pedal, a hi-hat stand and two cymbal stands. — *HW-680W.*

HW-680W hardware delivers dependable performance in one complete package. Designed for drummers seeking easy transport options, this pack features lightweight, single-braced hardware with a high-quality design for superior durability.

Two cymbal stands, a hi-hat stand, a snare drum stand and a soft carrying case. — *HW-3.*

The HW-3 pack is the result of thorough research and collaboration with artists and designers. It strikes an ideal balance between weight and strength, offering hardware that is extremely light while maintaining the durability and reliability drummers expect from Yamaha.

Good for both practice and performance, these hardware packs combine efficiency and quality to enhance your drumming experience.

Take Your Groove on The Move

A boom microphone, electronic keyboard, P.A. system, acoustic drum kit and acoustic guitar set up outside an office building.

With travel drum products, your passion for drumming never has to stop. Whether you’re a touring drummer, a session player or simply someone who loves to practice on the go, Yamaha offers a variety of compact high-performance products that fit your needs.

Click here for more information about these and other Yamaha drum products.

Percussion Rehearsal

Written by Brandon J. Duras on February 20, 2025. Posted in Percussion.

Welcome to part two of my rehearsal instruction series in which I will tackle percussion instruction. Even though they are in the back, we still need to work with them during our rehearsals. Hopefully some of these tips will give you some idea on how to continue to engage your percussionists. If they are not engaged, they often get into trouble.

Include Them

Duh, that is the most obvious statement ever. I believe that we are drawn to the instruments we are most comfortable with. This happens in score study and conducting, too. If we were to get lost in the score (never happens, right?), we often latch onto the most prominent part to our ears: the melody (likely at the top of the score) or our instrument. It’s difficult to latch onto percussion because the parts can often be sparse or complex to get us back on track.

Where am I going with this? In our score study, we must be more deliberate about studying the percussion parts and their subtleties so we can include them in our rehearsals. Because score study usually focuses on structure, melodic and harmonic analysis, etc., it often overlooks what exactly the percussionists are doing. As a result, we leave them out during rehearsals.

In a session about conducting an honor band, Director of Bands at UCLA and Yamaha Master Educator, Dr. Travis J. Cross, said to make sure to address percussionists within the first 30 minutes. Because rehearsal time in middle and high schools is far shorter than that of a multi-day honor band, band directors should do this much sooner than the 30-minute mark.

Download this Yamaha Instrument Care Guide – Marching Drums and Percussion guide.

Inventory

In my article on wind instruction, I talked about the importance of intonation charts for wind students. How can percussionists create an intonation chart? Well, they could try, but it would be really boring.

If you devote a whole rehearsal for your winds students to work on intonation charts, then what could your percussionists do? Have them take inventory of the instruments in your percussion section — what is in good shape, what’s broken, what mallets you have, what hardware you have, etc.

While they do this, have them look up the price of the equipment and what needs to be repaired or replaced. Yes, percussionists hit these instruments, but they are really expensive, so students cannot mishandle them. One benefit percussion students have is that generally the equipment is provided to them, but they should still treat it like they own it.

What a great use of time to educate and give a meaningful housekeeping task to get your percussionists ready for a successful year!

two percussion students looking at sheet music and holding drumsticks

Find the right timbre

One of the best parts of percussion is that there are so many different timbres and colors that can be achieved depending on the way the instrument is struck and what it is struck with. Hard or soft mallet, plastic or rubber, stick density, body of the snare drum — the possibilities are endless. And here’s the thing: Unless you are teaching high-level percussion students, this is pretty much a foreign idea. Sure, students understand that different materials create different timbres, but it is up to you to teach them how to use that knowledge to make the most informed decision on what equipment to use and when.

This is something you can teach during rehearsal and it all comes from your score study. For example, during rehearsal a student on bells has a part that doubles the melody, but it is too loud. Ask the student to find a mallet that makes the instrument less prominent. They might move from a brass mallet to a rubber mallet. Now the sound isn’t as “shimmery” as you’d like. Ask the student to find a mallet that is a bit brighter but doesn’t stick out in the timbre. Finally, the student settles on a plastic mallet.

If your percussion stick and mallet collection is anything like ours, there are many that often go unused because students aren’t thinking about the sound they are creating. Challenge your students to put the various mallets to use by giving them direction on how to find the right stick or mallet for the timbre that will make your performance the most effective it can be.

Utilize your percussionist to help with winds

This is not a novel idea, but one that is worth remembering. When working with winds on something that needs a metronome or some other constant beat, use the snare drummer or temple block player to provide a beat or subdivision. Not only are you keeping them engaged, but you are giving them a chance to flex their muscles on what everyone expects them to do best. Hope they don’t mess up!

While student teaching, I was working with a middle school band on “Loch Lomond” by Frank Ticheli. The students were having a lot of issues with time on their individual parts because of the flowing nature of the music. Something was just not clicking, so my cooperating teacher had an idea to lay down a fat rock beat over the music (don’t worry, it was only during rehearsal) and made “Loch Lomond” into “Rock Lomond.” We didn’t have a student play the rock beat, but we could have. The point is to show that percussionists can serve an extra and creative role in our rehearsal process.

Make your way back there

When was the last time you went back to your percussion section? If it was recently, good for you! Regardless of the last time you made your way back to the percussion section during rehearsal, do it again! If the excitement from the winds thinking the percussionists are in trouble isn’t enough, it breaks up rehearsal and can help you focus the whole group by being at the back of the room.

Similar to my article on wind instruments, just stepping off the podium is an engaging rehearsal tool. While you’re back there, take the opportunity to note some of the workings of your percussion section. Is it set up well? Why are they missing this entrance? Who is having trouble with their part? What is that smell?

two percussion students holding drumsticks — Photo by Shutterstock/Elcatso

Part assignments

Oh, the dreadful part assignments, especially when you must keep in mind the strengths of your percussionists so they can be successful and feel challenged with new skills. Easy, right? Don’t get me wrong, I do part assignments for my groups. I swear I know how to do it. However, another way to engage your students is to have them help. I have been lucky to have some exceptional percussionists who love the task of assigning parts, which can be really helpful when sight reading a piece. These students know their section’s strengths and provide parts to other students to challenge them a bit more. Perhaps they will assign a strong battery percussionist a less challenging mallet part instead of the snare part, and vice versa.

Students also can speak up and say, “I would like to work on my skills on marimba. Can I have a marimba part on this piece?”

My percussion leaders have done a great job of making sure parts are balanced and that all students are playing the same number of pieces in a concert. I will admit, sometimes this doesn’t go as planned. There might be that one wind chimes student who sits around for 182 measures before playing for the first time then won’t play for the last 206 measures. Have your students share a document with their part assignments so you can double check their work to avoid this. Even if you have to make these changes, you have saved yourself some time by designating tasks, and you have created leaders in the process!

Bonus: When you go into the sight-reading room at your large group adjudication, these percussion leaders are ready to distribute parts on their own!

Part doubles

If you have a large number of percussionists, you might have to double parts. This can be as simple as doubling a mallet part or adding another snare drum. However, you can be limited by the number of mallet instruments with the right or similar timbre, and you can only stand to listen to a finite number of snare drums. Some might suggest doubling a flute part on bells or similar, which might be effective on something like a march that doesn’t have a mallet part, but might be less effective on other pieces.

How is it possible to keep all your percussionists engaged if they are not playing on every piece? Let me offer a solution. Full disclosure: I learned it from someone else. When assigning parts, double up students on a part, but have them rotate — not a novel idea. However, don’t let the student who’s not playing go sit in the corner; they should be completely engaged, following along with their part and working with the student who is playing their part. What if you change a dynamic, or give an instruction to that part? Now they both know what to do next time! This is also a great way to pair a less experienced player with a more experienced one to create a sort of peer mentorship. They can help each other and remain engaged on every piece during rehearsal. As the concert gets closer, assign one to play the part. Now, if one of those students gets sick before the concert, the other can step in!

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Percussionists play a unique and important role in our bands. One thing that often gets lost on school-aged percussionists is that they are musicians, too! As meaningless as they might think that triangle hit is, or that tambourine or crash cymbal part, they need to play it like it is the most important part in the world because at that moment it just might be. Help your percussionists continue to grow into the artists that they are.

Top photo by Shutterstock/Fortseff

How to Hide the Wires in Your Home Theater

Written by Eric Thies on February 18, 2025. Posted in Audio How-to.

You’ve made up your mind: It’s finally time to build your home theater nirvana — a place where you can spend many happy hours binge-watching your favorite TV shows and movies. You have studied all of your hardware options and subscribed to every major streaming service, and now you are ready to be wowed with immersive sound and stunning 4K image quality.

There is only one problem: How do you actually interconnect all this stuff so that your home theater doesn’t look like a spaghetti factory?

Nobody wants to see their dreams come to a crashing halt because of clutter or objections from a significant other, so let us give you a helping hand.

Tools of the Trade

When it comes to hiding wiring, the main rule of thumb is this: Always look for the path of least resistance. If you have an attic above your home theater room or crawlspace below, take full advantage of these open spaces. If that’s not an option, you will either need to open your walls to run wire or hide wiring under your baseboard and/or carpeting as it travels around the room. There are lots of tools like these to help you fish wire under carpets and through walls. If you are not the handy type, plenty of companies make paintable wire covers to hide unsightly bundles of cables. These are super easy to install.

Here’s a summary of some of the creative techniques for making those pesky wires disappear:

– Take advantage of any gaps that may already be there. Since trim elements like crown molding and baseboards run around a room, take advantage of the small gaps they can provide (i.e., behind the molding or underneath the baseboard). If the room does not have either, you can install a foam crown molding or foam chair rail to create a raceway for wires. This is actually a pretty easy DIY project and adds to your décor to boot.

– Run wiring underneath carpets, throw rugs or runners. There are all sorts of options for flat wire that can be fished underneath a carpet so as to not create an annoying bump in your rug.

– Use wall-mounted flat speaker wire. There are speaker wires on the market that can be installed onto your wall almost like a drywall repair — you simply affix the very thin wire to the wall with adhesive, then apply some joint compound to integrate the tiny bump of wire into your wall for a smooth finish. A little sanding and paint, and voila! Bonus: This type of wire will even work under wallpaper.

– Add some cord concealers. These nifty rigid raceways are a great way to hide a bundle of cables in a neat conduit that can be stuck to a baseboard or wall with dual-sided tape. They are easy to install and paintable. There are also flexible cord concealers that can be used behind your gear as it travels between shelves.

– You can never have enough zip ties! Zip ties are the installer’s best friend — kind of like duct tape to a handyman. They provide a great way to neatly bundle and manage cables. You can also use zip ties creatively to route cables neatly behind cabinets and between shelves.

– Utilize coves and light strips. If your room has a lighting cove or some other kind of design element that houses strip lighting, take advantage of these spaces to hide wire. LED light strips are very low wattage and can be very close to low-voltage wire without fear of causing a fire.

– Break down the barriers. It may sound like a desperate measure, but as a professional installer, I can tell you this is often our only viable option for hiding wires. It doesn’t actually take a lot of effort to open up a wall or ceiling and fish wires around a room — something that becomes even easier if you have an attic above or crawlspace below. All you have to do then is find someone to come and patch the holes you needed to make.

Now let’s take a closer look at the specific kinds of wiring interconnections you’ll need to make in your home theater.

Video Wiring

Hopefully you have selected the perfect size TV and mounted it at the correct height on the wall, so that your line of vision when seated in your favorite chair lands smack dab in the middle of the screen. This is a good start! If you are not lucky enough to have a power outlet behind your TV, there are some great user-installable outlet relocation solutions such as this one.

Most modern-day TVs have built-in apps, but if you want some of the additional features offered by an Apple TV^®, Amazon Fire Stick or Roku^®, those connections are simple: just plug them into an available HDMI^® port on your TV (or use an HDMI extender cable if necessary). Most of these devices are small enough to slide behind a TV so that you don’t have to run wires anywhere, even if an HDMI cable is needed.

If you want the fastest speeds possible, it is best practice to use a hard-wired Ethernet connection from your router or network switch into the back of the streaming device — even if it means running cabling in your basement or ceiling, or going through a wall. (Ethernet cabling can be run for over 300 feet if necessary without signal degradation.) If a hard-wired connection is not possible, the device should work fine wirelessly, as long as it is paired correctly to your Wi-Fi network and you have a strong signal in your home theater. (Click here for some tips on optimizing Wi-Fi.)

For best video quality, DVD and Blu-ray Disc™ players should be connected to your TV with HDMI cables instead of analog ones. Bear in mind that HDMI cabling should be as short as necessary and should never exceed 50 feet in length or you run the risk of signal degradation.

Audio Wiring

As TV manufacturers strive to reduce the bezel around the screen, the biggest casualty is sound quality — you simply cannot fit good speakers into these new designs. So add a sound bar! Even the most basic sound bar will provide audio that’s miles above the speakers built into a TV, but if you’re looking for a great one, consider the Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400. This audio gem even comes with a wireless subwoofer to provide that magical low-end rumble of a rolling tank or the Millenium Falcon. The connections for these devices could not be easier: simply use a short cable to route the TV audio output into the sound bar input (and, from there, to a subwoofer, if you have one) and you’re ready to rock.

Yamaha BAR 400 sound bar with wireless subwoofer. — *Yamaha BAR 400 sound bar.*

If you are a home theater aficionado, you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the amazing surround tracks that accompany most modern movies and TV shows. This requires at least a pair of rear speakers for a basic 5.1-channel system (five main speakers and the “.1” subwoofer.) You will hear a lot of opinions on where rear speakers should be placed, but one thing is for sure: They should never be in front of you. Instead, they should be positioned off to the sides of your listening area or behind you, angled in. In a commercial cinema these are typically on the side walls but your particular room may not allow that. If you need to use ceiling speakers for the rears, this can be a pretty acceptable alternative.

*Yamaha MusicCast 20 wireless speakers.*

Of course, running wires around a room can be a hassle, despite all the great tools described above. An even better solution is to add a pair of wireless surround speakers such as the Yamaha MusicCast 20, which are compatible with all current MusicCast-enabled devices. Simply place a pair in the back of your room to get those amazing fly-over effects you crave. These speakers are available in black or white and are also compatible with music streaming services and your mobile phone so you can use them for music listening too. Bear in mind that even though you do not need speaker wire to connect these speakers, they will still need power, so you will need a power outlet somewhere in proximity. Failing that, you can always use one of the user-installable outlet relocation solutions mentioned earlier in this article.

Adding an AV Receiver

If your budget can stretch a bit further and you desire a higher level of audio performance, you should consider using a full-featured AV receiver like the MusicCast-enabled Yamaha RX-V6A. AV receivers (AVRs for short) act as both the central hub and “brains” of your system, though installing it will require a little planning.

First, determine where you will place the AVR. Even if it has some wireless capability (as the RX-V6A does), there will still be some video and/or audio wiring required … and since all your home theater wires will be connected to the AV receiver, its location needs to be carefully considered. For example, you’ll need to connect it to your TV with an HDMI cable — the shorter the better. In this kind of setup, your streaming devices will also have to move to the receiver location and will connect directly to the HDMI ports on the back of the receiver (instead of your TV).

Second, map out all of your endpoints. Your center channel dialogue speaker will go immediately below your TV. The left and right speakers will go on your TV wall or in your entertainment center, and your goal is to create an equilateral triangle between you (at your seated location) and each speaker. If you failed geometry in school, this just means that the distance between the left and right speakers should be the same as the distance between you and each speaker.

Placing the subwoofer is a lot easier since low frequencies are not very localized, meaning that it’s hard to hear where they come from. Your sub should simply go somewhere along the front (screen) wall of your room, preferably in a corner so you can take advantage of the energy those adjacent walls help create. For a truly chest-pounding audio experience, consider using two subwoofers and place one in each corner.

If you want to ratchet up the immersion factor, you might want to make the move to a 7.2-channel system, which requires two additional speakers mounted in the ceiling or on the rear wall of your room. (The “.2” is just an indication that there are two subwoofers in the system, although you can actually run a 7.1 system with a single subwoofer … but .2 is definitely recommended.)

The ultimate surround set-up is Dolby Atmos^® — the holy grail of movie sound. This adds two or four speakers in the ceiling to a 7.2 channel setup to fill the gap between the side and rear surround speakers. If you use two ceiling speakers, these are typically slightly forward of the seating area. If you choose four speakers, then you would mount an additional pair in the ceiling between your seating area and the back wall.

Once you’ve decided on all your speaker locations, you need to choose the wire you’ll be using to connect them. I recommend a minimum of 16-gauge, but 14-gauge or 12-gauge wire will perform better. (Bear in mind that if you intend to run the wire through walls or in the ceiling, you will need wiring that is CL-rated for safety.) In addition, unless you’re using wireless subwoofers, you’ll need to run line-level cables from the AV receiver to each sub.

Now it’s time to start unboxing your AV goodies and get your room wired up for an amazing home theater experience … without any unsightly clutter!

Check out these related blog articles:

Home Theater Basics

How to Recreate the Movie Theater Experience at Home

Building the Ideal Home Theater

Top Five Things You Should Know When Hiring an AV Installer

Click here for more information about Yamaha AV products.

Stealth Exercise

Written by Kathryn Drury Wagner on February 15, 2025. Posted in Self-Care.

As spring approaches, many of us set new health goals. But for a busy music educator, trying to squeeze in a workout before or after a day of work can be tricky. There are concerts, classes, rehearsals, administrative obligations and performances. Who has time to exercise?

Thankfully, recent research demonstrates that brief bouts of activity, also known as “exercise snacks,” can sharpen focus, improve circulation, boost your mood and deliver many of the same benefits of a longer workout. In other words, if you don’t have time for a symphony, how about an interlude? Exercise snacks are ideal for crazy-busy teachers, as they help preserve and boost your health and energy. Here are a few to try.

Cop a Squat

Few exercises are as beneficial and easy to do —literally anywhere — as the humble squat. Squats improve lower-body strength, stability and bone density. They also help strengthen the core muscles that support your spine, according to Healthline, and they even improve circulation. You don’t need any equipment — just make the most of a short break and do 5 to 10 squats at a time, sprinkled throughout the day.

Restroom Ballet

As you wash your hands or brush your teeth post-coffee, make like a ballet dancer and do some calf raises. This low-impact exercise tones the lower leg muscles and can help with the body’s overall balance and stability.

Monitor Posture

Good posture has been a mainstay of musical performance since … forever. Choirmasters, maestros and prima donna all understand that how you stand influences how you sound. It’s also great exercise. Straighten up, engage that core and attend to your stance. If you’ve been hunched over, do a counter-stretch. If your back has arched (perhaps from holding a heavy instrument), tuck in your tailbone and re-stack your spine. These small adjustments contribute to improved tone and circulation, and they help prevent injury.

Wall-sit

As your students tune-up, do a wall-sit in the back of the room — or the front of the room if you’re looking to acquire a reputation as an eccentric. By the time they find their perfect A, you’ll have fired up your quads, hamstrings and glutes.

One Small Step…

Are you constantly walking from your office to your classroom, practice rooms and performance spaces? Let’s leverage that commute in the name of fitness: Take the stairs instead of elevators and move briskly. If your walk is super short, that is fine, too. Walks as brief as two minutes have been linked to improved cardiovascular health and mental acuity, and are especially important after you eat, helping balance blood sugar, according to research published in the journal Sports Medicine.

Snack Stash

You can probably find room to store a few items that will make your “fitness snacks” more productive: A yoga mat stowed in the corner, fitness bands tucked into a drawer, small hand weights under the desk — none of these take up much room, but they open up possibilities for a midday tune-up. With a yoga mat and 60 seconds of free time, you’ve got the makings of a challenging plank hold. On a call? Sneak in 20 curls with a light weight. Or use resistance bands under your desk to do some hip abductor work while you catch up on email.

Enlist the Troupe

Teaching a group of student musicians can sometimes feel like trying to direct the weather — but remember, you’re in charge, so bring them along on your new fitness regimen. Once or twice per class, instruct them to set down their instruments, stand up and do some shoulder stretches, lunges or neck rotations. Regular breaks to work and loosen muscles will help reinforce the importance of physical health in the life of any well-rounded musician. (Want more in-depth stretches? Check out our story “Ouch! Easy Fixes for 5 Common Teacher Pains.” )

Chair Yoga

If your job keeps you seated for most of the day, make the best of it with chair yoga. Twists, seated forward folds and shoulder stretches can combat stiffness and keep your blood moving. Over time, a little bit of yoga will reduce tension in the neck and shoulders, familiar issues for music educators who conduct for long periods or lean over sheet music. Good posture may have the happy side effects of fewer headaches, less fatigue and a more commanding presence in the classroom. There are tons of free YouTube videos featuring chair yoga, so you can mix up the routine.

Get Rhythm

As a music educator, you have a secret weapon at your disposal: rhythm. Set a metronome at a moderate tempo and do a 60-second set of squats, lunges or even gentle jumping jacks in time with the beat. Consider inviting students to join in a quick “body percussion” break — claps, snaps and stomps — to get everyone moving without missing a beat.

Add It Up

Sneaking in these micro-workouts really can help with your overall fitness goals. Five or 10 minutes here and there can help you get closer to the recommended 150 minutes a week of physical activity. And during for a busy music educator, that’s a total win.

NAMM 2025 Yamaha Guitars Recap

Written by E.E. Bradman on February 14, 2025. Posted in Gearguide, Trade Shows.

It’s no surprise that some folks wonder if NAMM is still viable. Competition from other trade events, the high cost to exhibit and book hotels, and the fact that some major manufacturers no longer appear at the show have all contributed to concerns that the storied National Association of Music Merchants shindig, now in its 123rd year, is no longer relevant. This year, poor air quality caused by fierce Los Angeles wildfires, which continued to burn during the show, also gave would-be travelers pause.

But those who took the plunge and came to Anaheim, California for the three-day show last month were rewarded with enthusiastic crowds and plenty to experience. While attendance hasn’t fully bounced back to the pre-pandemic high of 115,000, organizers noted that more than 63,000 people attended the show — up 16 percent from 2024 — including 11,000 visitors from 125 countries, 1,850 exhibitors representing 4,400 brands, and 8,700 artists demonstrating and endorsing products. For me personally, it was a thrill to discover that walking into the Anaheim Convention Center and onto the show floor still inspired a familiar tingle of anticipation, even after attending a dozen NAMM shows.

TWO EXHIBIT AREAS

A huge part of that excitement was inspired by Yamaha’s massive space on the third floor of the convention center, which included a giant room with guitars, keyboards, drums and percussion, wind and string instruments, pro audio gear and a large main stage.

An overhead view of the main Yamaha booth at NAMM 2025.

Directly across from the big room was a smaller Yamaha Guitar Group room with its own stage, as well as Ampeg, Line 6 products, along with those from the newer members of the Yamaha family, Cordoba and Guild.

Two young men wearing headphones and playing electric guitars in a small room at 2025 NAMM.

PRODUCTS

Yamaha showed off a few new finishes in the BB and TRBX lines, but even with no new bass launches this year, there was still plenty of fun to be had. It was especially awesome to get quality time with the Billy Sheehan Attitude Limited 3, Nathan East BBNE2 and John Patitucci TRBJP2 signature basses!

Four basses hanging on a wall display at 2025 NAMM. — *Signature basses ready to be tried out.*

A few feet away, attendees tried out a wide range of guitars, from the TAG3 C TransAcoustic and the recently unveiled FG9 X and FS9 X acoustic-electrics to the full line of the new generation of Pacificas.

A smiling young man wearing headphones playing an acoustic guitar at 2025 NAMM. — *Taking the TAG3 C for a test drive.*

Eleven electric guitars hanging on a wall display at 2025 NAMM. — *The Wall of Pacificas.*

Across the room, young musicians created a symphony of sound on Yamaha acoustic and electronic drums — including the new DTX6K5-M — while others test-drove Steinberg software products like Cubase and Dorico, checked out the SEQTRAK Mobile Music Ideastation and played YEV Pro Electric Violins. The Clavinova line of digital pianos on display — especially the CSP-295 and the new CLP-845, which were a joy to play. (Fans of Yamaha’s CP88 Stage Piano, take note: The CPOS 2.0 update is now available.)

People walking by the main stage in the Yamaha exhibit at 2025 NAMM, some of them blurred. — *The hustle and bustle of the main room.*

The numerous BB, TRBX and signature-model basses in the main room were all plugged into Ampeg amps, but the smaller Yamaha Guitar Group room was home to gems like the Ampeg SGT-DI, which brings old-school SVT and B-15 tone to a road-ready preamp/DI box with overdrive, EQ, compression and the ability to load virtual cabs with the Ampeg IR Loader app. The main attraction in the Ampeg area was the Venture Series of bass heads and cabinets, comprised of the 1200-watt Venture V12, the 700-watt V7 and 300-watt V3 heads, paired with Venture VB-112, VB-115, VB-210, VB-212 and VB-410 cabs. The largest Venture cab, the VB-88, features eight 8-inch speakers, but it’s only 67 pounds, less than half the weight of an old-school 140 lb. SVT-810E. As someone whose heavy-amp days are behind him, I was intrigued by the Rocket Bass Series — a 500-watt 2×10 with classic looks, a DI and an extension speaker output that only weighs 39 lbs. Yes, please! Oh, and happy 75th birthday, Ampeg!

Several people gathered around a small stage on which a man is playing an electric guitar. — *The stage area in the small room.*

The small room was also the place to dig into Line 6’s impressive POD Express Bass effects processor, which boasts seven amps, seven cabs and 17 effects, including a looper. But it was hard to flip through presets while standing near Guild’s gorgeous Starfire 4-string electric basses, their acoustic bass guitar cousins and Cordoba’s cute Mini II Bass MH-E. Although few would consider the hustle and bustle of NAMM an ideal place to audition acoustic instruments, that didn’t stop plenty of would-be soloists from trying!

Make yourself heard! Get inspired with Yamaha at NAMM 2025:

A Guitarist’s Guide to Chord Substitutions, Part 1: Diatonics

Written by Robbie Calvo on February 12, 2025. Posted in Guitars How-to.

A great song doesn’t need to be complex rhythmically, harmonically, musically or lyrically; it just needs to be relatable to the masses and touch a nerve in the listener.

I’m pretty sure most of us have listened to a hit and said “I could’ve written that.” The fact of the matter is that most Top 40 songs are not especially intricate, but what they all have in common is that certain something that connects with an audience.

I lived in Nashville for 17 years and co-wrote with some of the worlds’ best songwriters. Those amazing people knew their craft inside and out, and trust me, songwriting is a craft that can be learned by almost anyone. Writing a great song, however, is a whole other matter.

Of course there are a million ways to get started. Some people begin with a groove, others a chord progression, many with a melodic hook, and more often than not (at least in Music City), a song title.

Whether you’re new to songwriting and instrumental composition or are simply trying to develop your playing chops, there are harmonic tools and techniques that will help you make more of your chord progressions and add emotional interest. In this posting, we’ll focus on one of the simplest of these tools: diatonic chord substitutions.

Diatonic Chord Substitution

Let’s start by breaking that sentence down. “Diatonic” simply means from the same scale. “Substitution” means you are going to swap certain chords for other chords based on their harmonic composition (i.e., the notes they are made up of).

In this posting, we are going to learn which chords can be swapped for other chords within the same scale. The reason chords can be substituted is that they contain some of the same notes. Within three-note chords (triads), two of the notes will be the same; within four-note chords (seventh chords), three of the notes will be the same. (For more information on triads and seventh chords, read this blog posting.)

Three-Note Chords (Triads)

Here are the seven triads (three-note chords) built from the C major scale (C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C):

I II III IV V VI VII

C – Dmi – Emi – F – G – Ami – Bdim

The general formulas for diatonic three-note chord substitution are as follows:

The root chord (the I) can be interchanged with the III and VI chords.

In the key of C, that means you can play Emi or Ami instead of the C major chord (CEG). As you can see, both Emi (EGB) and Ami (ACE) contain two of the notes also found in the C major chord: E and G in the case of Emi, and C and E in the case of Ami. So just remember I – III – VI.

The IV chord can be interchanged with the II chord.

In the key of C, that means you can play Dmi (DFA) instead of F (FAC). As you can see, Dmi contains two of the notes found in the Fma chord (F and A). All you have to remember is II – IV.

The V chord can be interchanged with the VII chord.

In the key of C, that means you can play Bdim (BDF) instead of G (GBD). Bdim contains two of the notes found in the G chord (B and D). Just remember V – VII.

Four-Note (Seventh) Chords

The same chord substitution formulas work for four-note seventh chords. In this case, the substituted chords will contain three of the same tones.

In the key of C, Emi7 and Ami7 can substitute for the Cma7 chord:

I III VI

Cma7 Emi7 Ami7

C – E – G – B E – G – B– D A – C – E – G

Dmi7 can substitute for the Fma7 chord:

IV II

Fma7 Dmi7

F – A – C – E D – F – A – C

… and Bmi7(♭5) can substitute for the G7 chord:

V VII

G7 Bmi7(♭5)

G – B – D – F B – D – F – A

Try It for Yourself

Chord substitutions are a powerful harmonic tool that can expand your songwriting and playing skills — even melodic improvisations.

Let’s put it to the test. Start by playing this chord progression:

IV I V I

II: Fma7 / C / G / C :II

Now try swapping Ami (VI) for the first C chord (I):

IV VI V I

II: F / Ami / G / C :II

Then try swapping Dmi (II) for the Fma7 (IV), Bmi7(♭5) (VII) for the G (V), and Ami (VI) for the C (I):

II I VII VI

II: Dmi / C / Bmi7(♭5) / Ami :II

To hear how effective this is, return to the original progression. Note that you could use any or all of these substitutions as separate sections of a song, or as an eight-bar progression.

Melodic Substitutions

If you enjoy playing single-note arpeggios when you improvise, you may want to try using diatonic chord substitution to expand those melodic chops as well. Here’s a simple example to get you thinking about this in more detail:

Over the following Cma7 chord progression, try using an Emi7 or Ami7 arpeggio as your single- note melody:

Cma7 – C – E – G – B

Emi7 arpeggio: Emi7 – E – G – B – D

(The D note will sound as a second or a ninth against the Cma7 chord.)

Ami7 arpeggio: Ami7 – A – C – E – G

(The A note will sound as a sixth or thirteenth against the Cma7 chord.)

The Video

In this video, I’ve recorded an eight-bar chord progression that utilizes the chord substitution ideas described above, over which I add a nice melodic line and slide parts.

Note how the changes in the harmonic structures (i.e., the chord substitutions) affect the way the melodies I play relate to the progression. In other words, your chord choices will give your melodies more variation and musical mileage.

The Guitars

I’m using Yamaha Pacifica Professional PACP12M and Revstar RSS20 Standard guitars for the above video. Rhythm and lead guitar tones were all recorded using the Line 6 HX Stomp modeling processor.

Pacifica Professional

Man playing a solid-body black electric guitar with a maple fretboard.

The Rupert Neve and Yamaha-co-designed Reflectone pickups (shown below) allow complex chordal passages to translate cleanly, even when used with a little overdrive. The tremolo bar is super-smooth for chordal shimmers, and the guitar stays perfectly in tune even on those single-note lines. The satin-finished maple neck is a fast and easy-to-navigate slim C-shape, which pairs musically and resonantly with the acoustic design technology-contoured alder body.

Close-up of three electric guitar pickups.

The Pacifica Professional is an extremely versatile guitar that can be used for any style and almost any musical application, making it perfect for the studio as well as live performance.

Revstar RSS20 Standard

Man playing slide guitar on a chambered-body black electric guitar with a rosewood fretboard.

The chambered mahogany body and neck-through body construction really add sustain to the entire range of Revstar guitars. The two Alnico V humbucking pickups, five-way switching and focus switch found on Professional and Standard models allow for ten musically inspiring pickup configurations.

These well-balanced guitars can provide all the necessary subtlety for jazz chordal passages yet add rock’n’roll grit and soaring blues too. As you can hear in the video, they also sound completely different from the Pacifica Professional on those solo lines.

The Wrap-Up

Chord substitution can be used to expand your songwriting chops, playing and compositional skills, and even improvisations.

When you think about the number of possible chord-progression permutations using just the seven diatonic chords, it’s quite astounding. Add in the ability to interchange some of those chords, and you are opening up your creativity to a whole new universe.

In Part 2, we’ll dive into the vast ocean of tritone substitutions, secondary dominants and modal interchange.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR.

notebook on top of computer keyboard with the words "Things to Know" written in it

Requisite Recommendations for First-Year Music Teachers

Written by Yamaha Staff on February 11, 2025. Posted in Teaching Tips.

Starting your first “real” job as a music educator is exciting and nerve-wracking. As you embark on establishing your own program and connecting with your students, heed the advice from some top music educators — the Yamaha “40 Under 40” class of 2025.

Dr. Gene Butler, Director of Bands at Smith Station High School in Alabama, is passionate about helping and supporting new music educators. He says:

Tip 1: Relationships are the most important because they form the foundation for a positive and productive music program.
Tip 2: Be the best advocate for your students and program.
Tip 3: Organizational skills are vital because they help ensure that lessons, rehearsals, events, and administrative tasks are executed efficiently and effectively.
Tip 4: Student leadership matters all year because it fosters a sense of responsibility, accountability and teamwork that extends beyond just rehearsal time.
Tip 5: Prioritize your personal time outside of school hours and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Being a music educator is demanding and can be all-consuming, so it’s important to recharge mentally, emotionally and physically to avoid burnout.

Kim Webb, Director of Bands at Greene County Tech School District in Arkansas, offers these tips:

Tip 1: Don’t quit. It’s hard, but it’s hard because the work we do is important. It will get better, but that first year it will feel like you’re drowning.
Tip 2: Your students are people. Treat them like people. Have conversations with them. Laugh with them. Give them grace. You don’t have to be serious all the time.
Tip 3: Reach out to other band directors. If they are good educators, they will want to help you!! Visit their classes. Have them visit yours. Get feedback — and not just from a principal. If you don’t think your band is “ready” to have a clinician out, have them out anyways. That’s the best time to get feedback.

Erin Bara, the Executive Director of We Make Noise and the Assistant Professor and Director of the Popular Music Program at Arizona State University, recommends:

Tip 1: Be as organized as possible!!!
Tip 2: Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know.” No one knows everything, and it’s good to model to your students that learning is a lifelong adventure.
Tip 3: Hang in there — the first year is the hardest and things get easier, I promise!!

Nicholas Popovich, Music Technology Teacher at Shadow Mountain High School in Arizona, says:

Tip 1: Embrace flexibility and continuous learning. Education and music industries constantly evolve, so stay adaptable, open to new approaches and techniques. Encourage growth mindset and be willing to explore new technologies alongside students. Foster a collaborative, innovative environment.
Tip 2: Focus on project-based learning. Design curriculum around hands-on, collaborative experiences. Students must create original music, experience real-world projects and engage peer-to-peer across disciplines. Build technical skills while enhancing creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Tip 3: Build relationships and connections. Establish a supportive environment by meaningfully connecting with students. Forge partnerships with organizations, professionals and institutions. Provide real-world experiences, networking opportunities and broader perspectives or pathways.

Joshua Race, Director of Bands at Fountain-Fort Carson High School in Colorado, offers these tips:

Tip 1: Don’t put yourself on an island. Ask questions and don’t isolate yourself. You learn more about teaching your first few years of teaching than your time spent in school.
Tip 2: Find a mentor or two or three! Invite them to your room and be open to constructive feedback on how you approach your teaching. Keep doing this forever.
Tip 3: Reflect on your teaching day to day and class by class. Debrief with yourself and ask yourself if you’re reaching every student equally both as musicians and as people.

Dr. Aaron J. Witek, Assistant Professor of Trumpet and Coordinator of Brass and Percussion at Stetson University in Florida, recommends:

Tip 1: The first year is always the toughest, but it’s one you’ll never forget. Embrace the challenges as they lay the foundation for your future as an educator. Make sure to take time for yourself — understand your own needs and prioritize them. It’s easy to get caught up in the pressure and feel like everything is urgent. While pushing yourself may bring outside recognition, it’s not sustainable in the long run. Focus on your trajectory and work on building healthy habits that will support you throughout your career.
Tip 2: Don’t give up — remember your “why.” Stay curious and fascinated by figuring out how to solve each challenge that comes your way. Problem-solving will help you grow.
Tip 3: Remember that you never know what’s going on in someone’s life, and the way you treat them can make a huge difference. Teaching is a people-centered profession, so take care of your students so they can thrive and learn.

Kevin Morrison, Director of Bands at Lambert High School in Georgia, says:

Tip 1: Talk less, play more. I wish I had learned this when I first started out. Learning to play music involves many different skill sets that all need to be developed by doing. Young educators often look for “the golden comment” that will change how everyone thinks about everything, and really all the students needed was to do it again.
Tip 2: Know what you want then seek out people who know how to do that. What kind of program do you want to have? What do you want your band to sound like? Seek out people who have made their bands sound/look/operate the way that you want yours to and ASK FOR HELP!
Tip 3: Let students do things, and let them fail at it. I am still working on this one, but the goal is to show students how to create and grow! Our job as educators is help guide them through that process, not carry them. When they realize that no one is going to do it for them, they have it to do it themselves, they will! And you get to watch in real time as they become more self-assured and proud of all the things they can do.

Lindsay Cummings wears many hats, including Artist Faculty for Musical Theatre Voice at The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, Professor of Musical Theatre Voice at Loyola University Chicago, Owner of Chicago Music & Acting Academy, and Executive Director and Founder of Downstage Arts. She says:

Tip 1: Remember that you are training professional make believers. You are in the business of fun, of stories and of magic. In doing so, you will create more thoughtful and emotionally intelligent humans.
Tip 2: Do assessments with your students — quarterly, bi-annually or annually. Have them set goals for themselves and use that time to reflect on their progress and their goals.
Tip 3: Give them a safe space to make mistakes. Patience is truly the key to teaching any age but teaching someone to sing who’s never sang before REALLY takes patience. It’s so important to create a learning environment that supports, encourages and lifts up your students. That also means leading by example and owning YOUR mistakes. When I’m playing piano and mess up badly enough that my student doesn’t come in for their entrance, I say, “Whoops, my mistake! I need to practice that part! Let’s try it again.” Seeing their teacher own their mistakes will dismantle the shame students often feel around not getting it right immediately. How boring would it be if we got it right every time?!

Bob Habersat, Commercial Music Teacher at Oak Lawn Community High School in Illinois and Director of Shedthemusic.com, offers these suggestions:

Tip 1: Plan more than you think you need to. I still create daily lesson plans and map out my sequences thoroughly. Having a plan helps me adapt on the fly without losing focus.
Tip 2: Continue developing your own musicianship and creativity. If you’ve never recorded or written a song, do it — and share that process with your students.
Tip 3: Keep open communication with your students. Ask for their feedback and let them see what you’re working on.
Bonus Tip: Never feel like an imposter. Keep learning and trust that you have valuable skills to offer your students.

Shan Kazmi, Director of Bands, Zion-Benton Township High School in Illinois, recommends:

Tip 1: Find the joy in the grind. This job is hard, but all jobs are hard if you want to do them well. A lot of teachers hear “Find your Why” at some point in their careers, but I believe you should find your “Why Not?” instead. Teaching is one of the most influential things you can do for others in this world. It really is the best job. The juice is worth the squeeze.
Tip 2: Don’t make everything about you. I made a lot of foolish mistakes in my early years because I wanted to either stay within my comfort zone or say, “Look what I did.” I didn’t really stop to ask myself if it was best for my students. Remember that we (music educators) are wired a little differently, so things that make perfect sense to us, may not be as widely accepted to our student populations.
Tip 3: Build a network. It’s very easy for music teachers to feel isolated in their roles. Make sure you have a mentor whether it is someone in your building/district or someone from the outside who you trust. Start in your own building by making it into the teachers’ lounge at lunch or join a committee to meet other teachers. Outside of school, try to join a community ensemble. I have made so many connections through the community bands I have performed in and many have helped my program be successful in some way.

Lilly Streich, 5-12 Vocal Music Teacher at Galena Unit School District in Illinois, offers these tips:

Tip 1: Don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and put in hard work to make your music program great.
Tip 2: Support all students and meet them where they are at instead of trying to push them to where you think they need to be.
Tip 3: Take a look at your current (or new) program and see where the gaps are to get more students interested and engaged in music in new ways, such as music theory, adaptive music, electronic music, modern band or music appreciation.

Dr. Cordara X. Harper, Assistant Professor of Music Education/Choir Director, Music Education Coordinator and Vocal Music Coordinator at Grambling State University in Louisiana, recommends:

Tip 1: Be a source of inspiration for all you get to encounter.
Tip 2: Foster an environment where everyone feels seen, heard, valued and welcomed.
Tip 3: Never stop learning and seek mentorship at every stage of your journey.

Zane Kaiser, Band and Orchestra Teacher at Justice Page Middle School in Minnesota, offers these suggestions:

Tip 1: Set boundaries for yourself when you can, but also know that it is okay to be not okay.
Tip 2: Don’t quit mid-year. Resiliency is one of the strongest skills you can have in education.
Tip 3: There are so many things you don’t know early on. I am still learning more every day! Finding people to support your learning will help you grow not only as a music educator, but as a whole person, too.

Leah Motl, Orchestra Teacher at IJ Holton Intermediate School in Minnesota, says:

Tip 1: Connect with teachers in your building (not just other specialists). All teachers in your building are on the same team — for the students. Take the time to build trust and community with other teams and departments. Whether you are re-building a program, making changes or simply need to pull students from a class for lessons, positive relationships between teachers can make a huge difference in the implementation and support of your ideas or asks.
Tip 2: Learn to prioritize (your time). The learning curve in years 1 to 5 is intense, and some things will have to take a backseat, but that shouldn’t include your well-being. Focus on tasks that directly deal with students and teaching first. Make it a goal to leave at contract time and leave work at work as often as possible, even if that means one day/week to start.
Tip 3: Learn to negotiate. This is essential to our profession. Whether you are advocating for a student, schedule change or your job, advocacy and negotiation go hand in hand. Behind every ask is a “give-and-take” situation. Approach hard conversations with empathy, data (quantitative and qualitative) and aim for long-term solutions by chipping away at issues through negotiation.

Michael Blanco, the Assistant Director of Mariachi at Las Vegas High School, offers these tips:

Tip 1: Never give up! Push through every day, even the hard ones.
Tip 2: You are good enough — some days it’s hard to believe that you are in your position and it is easy to doubt myself. Watch your students perform — it’ll inspire you.
Tip 3: Meet students where they are at. Be patient and understanding.

Evan Aguilar, the Director of Choral and Piano Activities at Cibola High School and Albuquerque Public Schools in New Mexico, recommends:

Tip 1: Your challenges are portals to making you unique and your artistry interesting. Perfection is boring and unattainable, so embrace ALL the qualities of your life, program and experience as a way to connect, inspire and help others.
Tip 2: This profession is a marathon, not a race. Choose how and where you can be consistent with your students and hunker down and take care of yourself. You have years to develop your mastery.
Tip 3: Find time to do something that fills you with joy to keep you inspired.

Cody Jackson, Band Director at Heights Middle School in New Mexico, says:

Tip 1: Never be afraid to ask for help! Our greatest moments of growth as an educator can just be one question away. Master teachers are lifelong learners.
Tip 2: Never be afraid to experiment! Keep trying things until you find your unique style of teaching in all the concepts you’ll eventually teach.
Tip 3: Never be afraid to model for students! Our students deserve to see what it is to be a musician through us as their teacher. Get down on their level and learn right along with them.

Liam Keller, Director of Orchestras at Chatham High School and Lafayette Avenue School in New Jersey, recommends:

Tip 1: Learn to love failure, it’s the best way to grow.
Tip 2: Never be afraid to try something. No matter how small it may seem, it may be what helps a student develop a lifelong love of music.
Tip 3: Rely on people around you. Surround yourself with people who you look up to, and pick their brain any chance you can.

Tanatchaya “Tanya” Chanphanitpornkit, Director of Orchestras at Nyack High School in New York and Lecturer at Brooklyn College, says:

Tip 1: We are teaching humans, and we are teaching them through teaching music. Every student in your classroom is a whole person with their own story, struggles and dreams. Music is our tool to help them grow, but their well-being always comes first.
Tip 2: Be intentional about access and equity in everything you do. Whether it’s a field trip, a concert opportunity or private instruction, always ask yourself, “Can every student fully participate?” Then work creatively and relentlessly to remove any barriers that might hold students back from these experiences.
Tip 3: You have the power to uplift voices. Choose your repertoire with purpose. You have the power to shape whose voices get heard and what stories get told through music. Your choices send powerful messages about what music matters and whose artistry we value.

Laura Del Rosso, Modern Band Teacher at Lower Manhattan Community Middle School and New York City Public Schools, offers these suggestions:

Tip 1: Let your students lead the way. You create a positive rapport with your students when you ask them what kind of music they want to play and engage with the music they listen to on a daily basis. Student choice is everything!
Tip 2: Eat your lunch and drink water. I’m serious. Self-care is so important. You can’t pour from an empty glass.
Tip 3: Seek out a mentor. Invite them into your classroom and be open to feedback. This is the best way to receive support and improve your practice in the early years of your career.

Alex Hitrick, 7-12 Music Teacher at Broadalbin-Perth Jr./Sr. High School in New York, says:

Tip 1: Be yourself! You’re a human first, musician second. You’ve gotten this far not only because of your musical literacy, but your heart.
Tip 2: Give yourself time to breathe and relax. It’s easy to never sit down for the day and accidentally skip lunch. You can only be the best for your students if you’re taking care of yourself.
Tip 3: Every day will bring new challenges. Expect them and face them to the best of your abilities. Be comfortable improvising and adapting to every situation, because it will not go the way you plan. And that’s okay.

Kate Phillips, PK-5 Music Teacher at Grant Avenue Elementary School in New York, recommends:

Tip 1: In Year 1 you are in SURVIVAL MODE — count every small success as a major accomplishment, and take lesson planning one week at a time. Big picture and long-term planning is a luxury of Year 2 and beyond.
Tip 2: Dedicate blocks of time during your off hours SOLELY to self-care and for personal hobbies (yoga, crafting, making music for yourself!). It’s really easy to spend every free hour lesson planning, but it’s also really easy to burn out this way!
Tip 3: Get into colleague’s classrooms, both in your school and in other schools’ music programs, as often as possible. You will learn SO MUCH about teaching and about kids, and every visit will expand your own instructional toolkit.

Dr. Sarah Fabian, Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina, says that the foundation you lay in the first year as a music educator will shape your teaching philosophy and approach for years to come. Her top three recommendations:

Tip 1: Build relationships first. Music education is as much about fostering connection and trust as it is about teaching musical skills. Students will learn best in an environment where they feel respected, supported and valued. Building relationships with your students should be your priority, not just in terms of their musical growth but in terms of their overall well-being. Spend time getting to know each of your students. Learn their interests, and what motivates them. Don’t just teach the music; teach the students. When students feel connected to you and each other, they are more likely to be engaged and invested in your class.
Tip 2: Be flexible and adaptable. The first year of teaching is full of surprises. Things won’t always go as planned — whether it’s a challenging rehearsal, unexpected changes to schedules or unforeseen difficulties in the classroom. Your ability to adapt will determine how well you manage these challenges and keep your students on track. Always have a backup plan or two. Whether it’s an alternative teaching method or a change in rehearsal format, being flexible will help you remain calm and maintain control of the classroom.
Tip 3: Remember to just be yourself. There’s a tendency to feel like you need to conform to some ideal of what a “perfect” educator is supposed to be — whether that’s being overly strict, overly polished or emulating others’ teaching styles. But the truth is, students respond to authenticity more than anything else. When you’re comfortable being yourself, you not only create a more relaxed, positive classroom environment but you also allow your students to be themselves. Embrace your personality, own your mistakes, be relatable and trust in yourself.

Dr. Marissa Guarriello, Visiting Assistant Professor of String Music Education at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, offers these tips:

Tip 1: Be a sponge — soak up everything you can and analyze how it may or may not fit into your classroom and teaching. There are few times in your life when you are able to go places, do things, and meet people. Make connections, observe classrooms, be messy in your classroom. Over time, these things will shape you and your classroom in ways you never thought possible.
Tip 2: Adjust expectations. I fear that many educators enter their first year of teaching with a romanticized idea of what being a music teacher is, even after student teaching. Teaching, if you’re doing it right, is hard. It takes a lot of time (more than you’re paid for), work (more than what’s on your contract) and patience (more than you’ve ever had before). Big concerts full of pomp and flare are the exceptions not the norm. The everyday of teaching is anything but flare —- there’s paperwork and classroom management and budget restrictions and so much more. The reality of working with people is that it is super messy. Give it your all everyday anyway, especially on the less-than-exciting days. It’s so, so worth it.
Tip 3: Ask questions. Of course, ask the easy questions like “Where is the copier” or “Can you help me with…” But also questions about the people in front of you, the material you teach, how you teach and why you do what you do (in every sense of the question). You’ll learn so much, grow so much and you’ll also remember why you stepped into such an amazing career.

Lee B. Gibson, Assistant Director of Bands at Barberton City Schools in Ohio, says:

Tip 1: Be Passionate about what you are doing. If the kids see that you are passionate about what you do, they will buy in. They might think you are nerdy at first, but just keep being genuine and they will come around.
Tip 2: When things get hard, you will feel like you are failing. That is okay. A Lot of times that is what growth feels like. Just keep going and it will get easier, you will be more successful as you go
Tip 3: Realize that there is way more that you don’t know than what you do know. Always keep learning and growing!

Paul Glader, Band and Choir Director at Bethel-Tate Middle School in Ohio, offers these suggestions:

Tip 1: Go into teaching with wide-open expectations for job placement. Just because you may have an idea of what you may like to do, be open to other doors that may open because it just may surprise you.
Tip 2: Don’t be hard-headed. Ask for help…ask for help…ask for help. Other directors, teachers and administrators have gone through what you are about to experience, and they can help you avoid pitfalls.
Tip 3: Be true to yourself. Don’t try to be like anyone else. The students will respond positively to your authentic self and can see through you if you try to be something/someone you are not.

Christopher McCurdy, Band Director at Ulysses S. Grant High School in Oregon, recommends:

Tip 1: Remember that 99% of teaching is pacing, passion and empathy.
Tip 2: Meet students where they are as your authentic self. Treat them like humans, not cogs in a machine.
Tip 3: Your students will achieve whatever the internal image of their capabilities are. It is your job to support them where they are, have a mental picture of them that’s a few steps ahead, and be their biggest champion as they strive to achieve what they think is out of reach.

Coty Raven Morris, Hinckley Assistant Professor of Choir, Music Education, and Social Justice at Portland State University in Oregon, offers these tips:

Tip 1: If something isn’t going well, start over. Seriously. If it’s a question of teaching particular content, don’t beat yourself up for trying something! Teaching, like all things, is constantly evolving, and we are attempting to cater to so many different types of learners. Our goal is to find more creative ways to repeat our lessons and reach as many students as possible. If something isn’t working out, tell yourself, “Congrats! You now know what won’t work.” Take time to reflect and ask yourself why and what did you learn from the process. And then try something new! If classroom structure isn’t going seamlessly, and your class is disruptive, do not put energy into reprimanding students. That just ruins the rapport built during class. It’s better to have students line up in the hallway as if it’s the first day of school and go through all the first-day procedures. Remind them that your expectations aren’t just academic, but they are also rooted in them being the best versions of themselves. If that wasn’t clearly outlined, give them an opportunity to begin again!
Tip 2: Teaching students about your boundaries can be one of the best ways to create opportunities to establish respectful rapport in and outside of your classroom! I love getting to know my students and investing in them as individual creatives. That used to look like making myself available for every after-school, before-school and lunch activity. I personally enjoy getting work done with lots of people in my office or classroom, but sometimes, I need to have time on my own to knock out paperwork or just enjoy a quiet lunch alone. There’s nothing wrong with telling your students that you’re unavailable. Teach them that it’s not a rejection of who they are, but the desire to fuel your own well-being so that when you see them again, you can give them your all.
Tip 3: Be a thimble that makes thimbles. My high school choir teacher told us, “Everyone thinks that you have to give a well of yourself — an ocean of your energy — to others. But if you do that, what is left for you? All you have to give is a sewing thimble. If we all pour this much into the collective well, then when someone is in need, they can take some. One day when we ourselves are in need, we can do the same.” This lesson has always stuck with me because it reminds me about BALANCE, highlighting your gifts and recognizing opportunities to ask for help. It can be very easy in this profession to lose yourself in pouring out to the young people in front of you. The thing is, there will always be more to worry about and more problems that arise. When we practice the thimble rule, we are reminded that our job is not to fix every single problem, but to provide our students with the tools to address issues on their own or with others. The thimble rule also reminds us that sometimes we’re not meant to have the answer to everything, and this is when reaching out to our community — whether that’s administration, parents or empowering students — to find creative solutions is necessary. We are reminded that none of us have to do any of this alone.

Dr. Cassandra Eisenreich, Associate Professor of Music Education and Flute at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, says:

Tip 1: Build strong relationships with everyone in your school community — students, colleagues, administrators and parents. Establishing a supportive network will help you navigate challenges, gain new insights and create a positive, collaborative atmosphere. Fostering trust and open communication with your students encourages a respectful and engaging learning environment, while connecting with colleagues can provide valuable professional support and ideas. Gratitude can have a powerful impact on your relationships and professional growth. Take time to express appreciation for the help, support and effort of those around you — whether it’s thanking a student for their hard work, a colleague for their collaboration or a parent for their involvement. Sending follow-up notes or messages after meetings, performances or events shows that you value people’s time and contributions. Not only does this foster a positive, encouraging atmosphere, but it also strengthens connections and builds a sense of community and trust. Regularly showing gratitude can enhance morale, motivate others, and create a culture of respect and mutual support.
Tip 2: Embrace flexibility and be ready to adjust your lesson plans on the fly to meet the varying needs, energy levels and interests of your students. Although thorough preparation is essential, things do not always go as planned — students may need additional time to grasp a concept or they may bring new ideas that can actually guide and help to shape the direction of the lesson. By observing and facilitating, adjusting your pacing and allowing for spontaneous bursts of creativity, you can keep students engaged and enthusiastic about the content of the class, fostering an environment where learning can thrive despite the unexpected.
Tip 3: Keep learning and creating. Nurturing your own growth and creativity as an educator is essential because it not only fuels your passion for teaching, but it also sets an example for your students. When you embrace your own creative process, it allows you to better recognize and encourage the creativity in your students. By observing their unique ideas and expressions, you can provide the support and guidance they need to explore new depths in their creativity. This mutual exchange of creativity helps to support a dynamic learning environment where both you and your students continue to evolve, fostering an atmosphere of exploration and growth.

Jacob Abbott, the Performing Arts Director at Dresden High School in Tennessee, offers these tips:

Tip 1: Lean into your strengths and use them to improve your weaknesses.
Tip 2: Treat your students like you would your own children.
Tip 3: You are the expert in the room — act like it.

Nick Blue, Assistant Director of Bands at Franklin High School in Tennessee, says:

Tip 1: Don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and work hard! It takes a lot of time and hard work to move the needle and achieve goals.
Tip 2: Find a respected music educator in your community and invite them to your classroom for feedback and advice. Develop a relationship with them and pick their brain on teaching strategies and how to effectively organize a music program. Ask for help!
Tip 3: Take care of yourself. Stay hydrated, eat healthy and make time for exercise. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be at your best for your students.

Dr. Liliana Guerrero, Assistant Professor of Voice at the Butler School of Music, University of Texas – Austin, recommends:

Tip 1: What you model to your students is what they will reflect back to you. If you are compassionate with them, they will be compassionate with you.
Tip 2: You can do it all, but you don’t have to do it all at once. When you’re juggling a lot of things, know which balls are made of glass and which are made of rubber.
Tip 3: The best gift you can give your students is a teacher who takes care of themselves.

Dr. Andrew Stetson, Professor and Director of the School of Music at Texas Tech University School of Music, offers these tips:

Tip 1: First of all, enjoy it. You’ll only be a first-year teacher once, and before you know it, you’ll have been on the job a long time. Learn everything you can and enjoy these pivotal few years that will help shape your entire career.
Tip 2: Trust yourself and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. There are a lot of lessons and experiences that got you to this point, and a lot more lessons and experiences to come.
Tip 3: Don’t forget your mentors. Great mentors will be in your corner your entire career. Reach out to them. Check in often.

Riley Warren, Director of Percussion and Assistant Band Director at Forney High School in Texas, says:

Tip 1: Don’t be afraid to take risks! I had no idea when I started the Forney ISD Middle School Indoor Drumline how beneficial it would end up being for our program as a whole. It was a lot of hard work to get it off the ground, but now I can’t imagine our program without it.
Tip 2: Stick to your guns and see your ideas through. In my first year as Director of Percussion at Forney High School, I implemented an All-Region pass-off system that wasn’t the most popular in its first few years, but is now one of the main reasons for our program’s success, with almost every student participating every year. Some ideas aren’t meant to last, but you’ll never know until you give them an honest go.
Tip 3: Don’t be afraid to change it up every once in a while. For many years, we were stuck in the rut of learning music for the sole purpose of getting a great recording and submitting for festivals. When I realized that this formula was losing its luster, I pivoted to have our annual percussion concert include a guest artist, which has provided a renewed sense of “fun” in the concert preparation process.

Dr. Rachel Woolf, Assistant Professor of Flute at The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, suggests:

Tip 1: Allow yourself to continue to grow and learn with your students. You won’t have all the answers nor should you expect to! Use your mentors and friends who are experts in particular areas and ask for help!
Tip 2: Give yourself grace as you develop your teaching style and methodologies. This will take time, which is exciting! Stay open minded to new ideas as you continue to discover what is best for you and your students. Have faith in time to figure things out.
Tip 3: Teaching is a marathon, not a sprint, so pace yourself! Balance giving your best with preserving energy for yourself. Take guilt-free time to rest and unplug; recharging will boost your productivity. Find a grounding activity outside of music that brings you joy and helps sustain your well-being.

Orien Landis, Director of Bands at American Fork High School in Utah, takes a page out of the John Wooden playbook on this one. He says:

Tip 1: Ask questions.
Tip 2: Ask questions.
Tip 3: Ask questions.

Find someone smarter than you and ask them questions. This has made all the difference in my career. Seeking advice on music selection, structuring leadership, teaching various pedagogy concepts and more is essential. Someone has likely already been where you are, made the mistakes and figured out the solutions. Asking questions can save you a lot of heartache. The real trick is finding someone you trust to give thoughtful advice. For me, it’s always been wiser or more experienced directors. It can be intimidating to reach out to an older director, but they’re often the ones who can provide truly valuable and sage advice.

Dr. Catheryn Shaw Foster, Assistant Professor of Practice of Music Education at Virginia Tech, offers these suggestions:

Tip 1: Find a mentor — someone who is older, wiser and has experienced success. Ask them ALL the questions. LISTEN to them. Be receptive to their feedback.
Tip 2: Never stop learning. Your diploma gives you permission to teach. The first five years of your career is where the real education happens. Learn from your colleagues, learn from your students and learn from your mistakes (I promise, we’ve all made a few).
Tip 3: Take care of yourself mentally and physically. Exercise, don’t eat junk (all the time), talk to a therapist, find a hobby. Work shouldn’t be your hobby. Don’t let your job consume you — it will always be there, but time with your family and friends won’t.

Adam Odenwelder, Guitar Teacher at Belmont Ridge Middle School in Virginia, suggests:

Tip 1: Think about why your teachers did things the way they did. Just because we grew up being taught a certain way doesn’t mean it’s the right way. Don’t be afraid to do things differently than everyone else.
Tip 2: Don’t value “cross curricular” stuff over the joy of music-making. We live in an era where music educators have to justify their jobs by supporting literacy through the arts, or teaching math through the arts, etc. However, our job is valuable on its own. I’m not saying reading music isn’t a skill worth having, but don’t become so wrapped up in music literacy that you forget to let the kids play. At the end of the day, the most important thing you can do to make a student a life-long learner of music is to make sure they’re having a good time when interacting with music.
Tip 3: Don’t forget what your job is. At the risk of sounding like I’m saying, “Remember your why,” it is important to remember that you decided to be a music teacher because as a kid, you loved singing or playing your instrument. Remember that your students are there for the same reasons. Guide them in making music, and don’t accidentally gatekeep opportunities for them to make music

Annie Ray, Orchestra Director and Performing Arts Department Chair at Annandale High School in Virginia, recommends:

Tip 1: Go watch your colleagues teach — music and non-music alike!
Tip 2: Be careful of being accidentally with your approach – from unnecessary after-school rehearsals creating real world conflicts for students to not picking repertoire and learning targets that are representative (or the appropriate ability level) of the students in your classroom: “We mistakenly use the arts to divide us. By deeming those that are worth arts education and those that are not.” – Dr. Veronica Morgan-Lee
Tip 3: Comparison is the thief of joy.

Michael Schnell, Middle School Band Teacher at Oostburg School District in Wisconsin, says:

Tip 1: Keep a journal at school and write in it first thing Monday morning and last thing before you leave on Friday. I find that this is a great way to reflect on what your mindset is for the week, what you are thankful for, and what you want to focus on. It helps center myself, appreciate the joy in what we do and also stay in the present in the moment.
Tip 2: Remember that you are a person who teaches, not just a teacher. It is easy to wrap up your identity behind your career or hobbies and define yourself by what you do. However, the small distinction between “I am a musician” and “I am a person who plays music,” can help you realize that there are many parts that go into your identity. It is easy as teachers and musicians to put our all into our careers, but it is important to take a step back and care for yourself as well.
Tip 3: Always be learning and curious. I think back to how much I have learned in my first seven years of teaching about so many different things — instrumental skills, live sound, lighting design, music production, musical theater, technology and more. One of my favorite aspects of my job is that it allows me to explore so many areas that I find interesting or want to learn more about. Don’t be afraid to ask music colleagues or other school staff members for help, advice or guidance.

Check out tips for first-year music teachers from the 2024 “40 Under 40,” 2023 “40 Under 40, 2022 “40 Under 40,” and 2021 “40 Under 40” educators for more invaluable advice!

Top photo: Shutterstock/Andrei Askirka

Meet Yamaha Master Educator Dana Sedatole

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on February 3, 2025. Posted in Master Educator Collective.

From serving as a head band director teaching beginning 6th grade instrumentalists to addressing the needs of over 20,000 music educators as president of the Texas Music Educators Association, Dana Pradervand-Sedatole has done it all! Her methodology of keeping fundamentals at the core of her teaching has led her students to become more responsible for finding their own solutions to challenges. She has found that this type of self-assessment has resulted in a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the repertoire being performed and the ensemble as a whole.

Sedatole has a soft spot for new teachers due to her experience supervising her first student teacher. The fact that young educators are often ill-equipped to handle the challenges of the classroom is not lost on Sedatole. Many of these educators were the best musicians in their high school programs and among the best in their collegiate programs. Ironically, they are freshmen all over again, and their level of self-confidence is, understandably, low, as is their level of knowledge in this new realm. Sedatole believes, “It’s O.K. to not know everything, but it’s not O.K. to not know and do nothing about it.”

In addition to providing pedagogical strategies on how to plan and conduct effective rehearsals, Sedatole has much to offer when it comes to the “other stuff,” such as planning a first band trip, purchasing a first set of uniforms, and choosing appropriate literature for the unbalanced ensemble.

With her tenet of investing in the teaching of fundamentals along with her drive to help new educators discover their passion for working with young people, Sedatole is steadfast in her belief that “if you want to be a great high school band director, you’ve got to be a great beginning band director.”

After engaging with Sedatole, educators leave with a renewed sense of purpose and a profound belief in their ability to make a difference. Her impactful thought leadership not only challenges directors to uncover the passion for artistry in music-making from their students, but also instills a spirit of “I can” in teachers of all levels of experience and expertise.

Some of Ms. Sedatole’s session titles are:

Mapping Musicianship
Right from the Start: Putting the “FUN” into Daily Fundamentals
Let’s Talk Band! Building Your Toolbox

To learn more about clinics by Dana Sedatole, please contact Jalissa Gascho at jgascho@yamaha.com.

Meet Yamaha Master Educator Dr. Sarah McKoin

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on February 3, 2025. Posted in Master Educator Collective.

Dr. Sarah McKoin is a passionate educator dedicated to discovering art at any level of performance. She serves as the Director of Bands and Division Chair of Conducting and Ensembles at Texas Tech where she oversees all facets of the University band program, including four concert bands and two athletic bands as well as mentoring the graduate conducting program.

As early as she can remember, McKoin wanted to be a teacher and has spent her career inspiring students to find their own musical voices. From her days as a beginning clarinetist, she discovered that music touched her emotionally and that those early playing experiences made her “feel different.” Her passion is to inspire the same sensitivities in others.

Educators who work with McKoin quickly embrace her infectious enthusiasm for making a difference in the lives of others. Her instructional approach enables students to self-discover the techniques and nuance required to perform at the highest level. In addition to supporting the musical journey of the individual, this also encourages a collective trust in the ensemble itself, allowing for a more honest, evocative, and impactful connection to the music. Discovering the “why” in a score over the “how” is integral to her pedagogy.

To say that McKoin is intently curious is an understatement. She is interested in what “could” be, so her enthusiasm for discovering new music compositions is not surprising. She lights up at the mention of contemporary classical music, how the medium is evolving, and where wind literature is going.

Working with people and encouraging artistic expression while promoting excellence and deep connections to music make Sarah the ideal professional clinician.

McKoin is a “doer,” and her curiosity extends to her varied activities outside her responsibilities at Texas Tech. A confessed “foodie,” McKoin also finds that painting, tennis, pickleball, and travel provide a balance to her busy conducting career.

McKoin embodies a supportive philosophy: “How would you play if you weren’t worried about being wrong?” She models to students a pursuit of personal and professional growth. As she says, “We all strive to grow for a lifetime — it is what keeps every day fresh and full of possibility!”

Some of Dr. Sarah McKoin’s session title include:

Score Study: Ready, Set, Discover!
Don’t Forget the Music!
We Are What We Program: Ways to reconsider your musical diet• Conducting and Gesture

To learn more about clinics by Dr. Sarah McKoin, please contact Jalissa Gascho at jgascho@yamaha.com.

Meet Yamaha Master Educator Dr. Dennis Llinas

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on February 3, 2025. Posted in Master Educator Collective.

Vitality! Fervor! Passion! Understanding! Dr. Dennis Llinás doesn’t hide his emotional investment in anything that he does. As an educator, conductor, and composer, Dennis deems music to enrich the lives of everyone involved in the music-making experience … not only the music-makers but the audience members through inventive and engaging programming. He approaches his life’s endeavors by asking, “How can I make the lives of others better?”

Llinás is a proponent of the flipped classroom model and enjoys working with educators to help them discover how they might work with their own instrumentalists to better equip them to discern and solve musical issues independently. He regards each of his students as an extra set of ears in the rehearsal, resulting in his musicians emerging as leaders within the ensemble. As they become more than simply the “receivers” of his direction, they
transition to “decision-makers” of their own artistic direction. Consequently, they become more invested in delivering an enhanced and meaningful performance for everyone.

Llinás pursues the highest sense of musical awareness and development from his students so that they have a profound understanding of the works being studied and the responsibility of each in their own musical contribution to the piece. They are inspired to explore the reasons for the myriad of challenges in a given composition and discover how their individual part contributes to the whole to further advance the composer’s intent. In an innovative instructional approach that seeks to connect directors and students from across the country with the experiences of the young musicians of the University of Oregon Wind Ensemble, Llinás created a video series entitled “The Workshop.” Through a series of private lesson videos, this free hub offers a variety of episodes delivered by the student instrumentalists on the specific works being studied. Llinás wholeheartedly encourages directors and their students to use, share, and grow from this resource that “connects us all through music.”

With his compassion for making music more accessible and meaningful to an increasingly larger audience, Llinás is driven to find the holes in our profession and to fill them appropriately. His literature choices reflect diversity and are one avenue for bringing the audience closer to the art form. He sincerely desires to create a better relationship with music-making for all and will consider any new opportunity to achieve this goal. Llinás holds himself to a strict standard of excellence and lives John Wooden’s mantra to “Discipline yourself before others do it for you.”

Aside from his many music projects, Dennis also has a yen for cooking (especially Cuban fare) and hiking. He even took up day trading to learn something new as a beginner. However, it doesn’t take long to discover that he is passionate about his two rescue dogs, Griffin and Neptune, and his wife Sarah.

Students and directors alike discover that working with Llinás empowers them to view music-making as a more holistic experience, one that creates a profound desire to seek an emotional relationship with the music and those it serves.

Some of Dr. Llinás’ session titles include:

No More Guess What I’m Thinking – Promoting Student Leadership in the Concert & Jazz Ensembles
Getting Past the Right Notes & Rhythms and Into the Music
Programming and Creating an Experience for the Audience and Students
Combining Great Conducting with Great Pedagogy to Maximize Time Management

To learn more about clinics by Dr. Dennis Llinás, please contact Jalissa Gascho at jgascho@yamaha.com.

Liam Keller

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

2025 Yamaha

Liam Keller

Director of Orchestras
Chatham High School, Lafayette Avenue School
Chatham, New Jersey

Liam Keller, Director of Orchestras at Chatham High School in New Jersey, credits his students’ “dedication, thirst for knowledge and constant chase of that next level of playing” as his driving forces. He’s always finding ways to challenge them to become better musicians. For example, Keller advises a senior and a freshman quartet. “These ensembles allow some of our most ambitious string musicians to focus their skills on a style that often is not approached in the typical classroom setting,” he says. “The communication skills that they learn help bring their school ensembles to a higher level.”

Keller also reaches out to feeder schools, parents and the community on a regular basis to keep them abreast of what’s going on with his program. The annual Instrument Sizing Day is “to ensure that students are set up for success from the beginning, and to offer older students the opportunity to upgrade their instruments and try the next level of instrument,” Keller explains. “This event also gives me time to build connections with current students, reconnect with past students and meet incoming beginners.

Keller started Parent Orchestra Night after hearing from parents who wanted to help their children but didn’t know where to start. “These beginner boot camps teach parents to read music, set up an instrument and even learn beginner skills to help reinforce what we do in class at home,” he says.

He started a similar program for the community called Community Open House. “Local residents can come and explore what makes our program so wonderful,” he says. “People can experience being a musician. No experience is required and it is a low-stress exploration of string instruments to give them an appreciation of what the students do every day.”

In 2023, Keller was approached by the New Jersey Symphony about a partnership for symphony musicians to work with Chatham students. “What began as a once-a-month group lesson has grown to include four coaches who work with all orchestra and band students grades 3-12. This program exposes them to the highest levels of playing and musical education,” Keller exclaims.

Keller is grateful that his district celebrates the arts. “Our students can experience professional musical experiences in an educational setting so that they are fully prepared to thrive in the real world,” he says

Lilly Streich

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

2025 Yamaha

Lilly Streich

5-12 Vocal Music Teacher
Galena Unit School District
Galena, Illinois

Lilly Streich always knew she wanted to pursue music. She basically grew up in her father’s drum store, The Drum Pad, and remembers clinics at the store that featured some of the greatest drummers in the area. “I began taking my first music classes at Kindermusik before I could walk,” she exclaims.

The value of music is embedded in her, and Streich is dedicated to making music accessible to all students at Galena Unit School District. An example of this commitment is when she helped to create adaptive music classes for special education students. “With lower elementary students, we worked on basic steady beat, taking turns playing instruments, moving our bodies to the music, instrument exploration and vocal exploration,” she explains. “With middle school students, we worked on rhythm reading by playing African drums and bucket drums, boomwhackers to learn note names, and one-hand piano songs. These students were able to play Christmas carols at the holiday assembly at the end of the semester, and it was such a joy to see them perform in front of their peers!”

The general music curriculum for grades 5-7 that she developed focuses on fun. “We only have 12 weeks with each homeroom, so I prioritized 1) learning an instrument that students could continue to play outside of the classroom, 2) showing students how music relates to other content areas, and 3) exposing students to new music genres,” Streich says.

Another program she started is the choir mentorship program to make the transition from middle school choir to high school smooth and less intimating. “High school students meet with their middle schooler about once a month, and then we would have larger group gatherings,” Streich explains. “The hope was that when middle school students engage with high school students, they are meeting their future peers and can feel confident in their transition to high school.”

Streich also seeks new opportunities for her students, such as singing in festivals around the Midwest, taking them to music camps, and offering private lessons. Her efforts have paid off! Enrollment in her music ensembles have tripled and her choirs have experienced rapid growth in the last two years. “When students say that music and choir are the best part of their day, I know that music education is where I am meant to be,” she says with a smile.

Dr. Aaron J. Witek

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

2025 Yamaha

Dr. Aaron J. Witek

Assistant Professor of Trumpet,
Coordinator of Brass and Percussion
Stetson University
DeLand, Florida

Since Dr. Aaron J. Witek’s arrival at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, the trumpet studio has tripled in size and has attracted top-tier talent, including all-state-level musicians. The Assistant Professor of Trumpet and Coordinator of Brass and Percussion started the Stetson Trumpet Ensemble, which has consistently advanced in the National Trumpet Competition, reaching new milestones, including live rounds for the first time in school history.

“The Stetson Trumpet Studio is more than just a class — it’s a community,” Witek says. “We’ve worked hard to build a culture of dedication, but also one where we help, encourage and celebrate one another, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and connected.”

Witek is known for his ability to sense when a concept or musical idea isn’t resonating with students and how to help them. “I believe there are many ways to solve a problem, and I just don’t give up,” he explains. “For example, with air support, if one method doesn’t work with a student, I’ll try another. Maybe an analogy like ‘cooling soup air’ will help, or a simple cue word or sensation like ‘feel the air on the lip.’ Sometimes it’s a combination of visualization and the feeling of blowing forward air while keeping a pinwheel spinning. I might even increase the demand of air by having the student play flutter tongues or with a mute in. Often, it’s a blend of different approaches that leads to success.”

His students have achieved notable successes, such as winning the Stetson in New York Solo Competition, earning International Trumpet Guild scholarships, and advancing in Army Band auditions. “These accomplishments, alongside a supportive and structured learning environment, have elevated the studio’s reputation and performance standards to unprecedented heights,” he says. “I’m also proud of the curiosity they develop, working together and becoming a close-knit community. Seeing them teach others and pass on the love of music and helping others has been a truly fulfilling part of this journey.”

In addition to his role at Stetson University, Witek is an active performer and a sought-after clinician. He is also the Brass Captain Supervisor for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps. “The leadership role I hold in DCI has greatly enhanced my skills, which I apply in academia, particularly as the Brass and Percussion Area Coordinator,” he says. “This experience also supports my involvement in committees and advocacy for students and faculty. On the flip side, my academic expertise in teaching brass mechanics and musicality has influenced my approach in DCI, encouraging a fresh perspective in teaching the activity.”

Witek adds that leading large rehearsals with spectators at DCI has “bolstered my confidence in teaching those who plan to become educators. The expertise I’ve gained in ‘cleaning’ an ensemble and improving clarity in performance at DCI has also proven invaluable in guiding our trumpet ensemble at Stetson.”

Dr. Rachel Woolf

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Dr. Rachel Woolf

Assistant Professor of Flute
The University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas

Thanks to Dr. Rachel Woolf’s enthusiasm and creative approach to teaching, the flute students at The University of Texas at San Antonio are described as being “on fire.” Woolf fosters student success by building a supportive community rooted in excellence and artistic growth. “I balance lessons with a focus on tone, technique, etudes and repertoire, while cultivating body awareness,” she explains.

In her Flute Studio classes, Woolf and her students sit in a circle to create an equal, collaborative environment. “To cover a wider range of concepts most efficiently, I developed a tone/technique warm-up packet over the last few years, which includes all major and minor scales, raga-inspired melodies and a variety of interval exercises — all designed to be played with a drone,” she explains. “Drawing from my interest and background in North Indian classical music, I introduce students to the tanpura drone, which can easily be found on YouTube. I have observed significant progress in students who practice a different key area each week using the drone, as it helps them focus on tone, pitch, intervals, finger work and theory skills, while encouraging improvisation, deep listening and thinking beyond the measure lines. I am working towards publishing this soon!”

Each year in late summer/early fall, Woolf holds the UTSA Flute Day, a time when Texas Flutists can jump start their all-state etude learning with a day focused on tone, technique and a flute choir reading session to build community.

In the summer of 2024, The National Flute Association’s Convention (NFA) was held in San Antonio, so Woolf founded the San Antonio Youth Flute Choir to perform at the convention. The choir participated in the final performance of the NFA Youth Flute Day. “We welcomed talented middle school and high school flutists from all over the San Antonio metro area and showcased the rich musical heritage of our city,” Woolf says proudly. “I commissioned a piece by UTSA composition alum Dominic Valadez, who also arranged three works by Chicana artists — Selena, Azul Barrientos and Eydie Gormé — and co-directed the ensemble with me. It was truly an unforgettable experience.”

Woolf traveled to South America to perform and teach at the World Flutes Festival in Mendoza, Argentina, as well as at Universidad de Talca and Universidad Alberto Hurtado in Chile. “During this life-changing experience, I had the opportunity to meet, teach and perform alongside many beautiful flutists and musicians from around the world,” she says.

She taught multiple five-hour masterclasses to flutists in Argentina and Chile, both with and without translator. “This experience gave me a profound appreciation for the true universality of music and the flute, as well as the immense positive impact music educators have within their communities worldwide. Music is a universal language,” she exclaims.

Kim Webb

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Kim Webb

Director of Bands
Greene County Tech School District
Paragould, Arkansas

As Director of Bands at Greene County Tech School District in Paragould, Arkansas, Kim Webb promotes the motto “Belong, Believe, Become” with her students. “Make everyone feel like they belong. Believe in yourself and in each other. Become the best version of yourself. Become the best band we can be. We stick by this motto,” she says proudly.

In order to live by this creed, some tough decisions had to be made. For example, in her first year as director, Webb said that it was clear that the budget allocated to the music program wasn’t sufficient. “We went over several options and decided to cut the 6th-grade program. This allowed us to open up some funds to add high school jazz band as a class period,” she explains.

The jazz class was so popular that the following hear, a junior high jazz class was added. The lesson? “We weren’t able to add money to our budget, so we got really creative about how to maximize the money we did have and add opportunities for our students,” Webb says. “It hurt to lose the 6^th grade band, and we worried about how it would affect our program as a whole. We did have lower recruitment numbers for 7^th grade, but twice the retention rate, and our high school numbers remained about the same.”

Over the next decade, Webb fought to increase her budget. Armed with data about the program’s statistics, costs, comparisons to other schools and more, Webb was vocal about her program’s needs — not wants — to all the stakeholders, in particular, the superintendent, at numerous meetings. “Advocacy is one of the largest parts of being a music educator because no one recognizes your needs except you and your students,” she exclaims. “You must make your voice be heard!”

Webb improved and expanded the program using the increased budget and fundraising dollars. She added an indoor percussion program as well as winter guard. “We knew our program was ready to add these groups, and they were crucial in the success of our marching band,” she explains. “They helped our students retain skills through spring, and the students who followed the original group were exponentially stronger.”

After years of attending the same competitions, Webb chose a more competitive route that took her band outside of Northeast Arkansas. “We started attending a few prelims/finals competitions and saw how judging at a higher level was different that what we were used to,” Webb says. “This helped us step up our game, and in 2023, we attended our first BOA competition. What a game changer! Exposure to higher level bands gave my kids a higher sense of motivation.”

In 2023, Webb split the high school concert band. Her top musicians tackle challenging repertoire, while the second band focuses on “building fundamentals so they can improve their skills so that when they join the full band, there isn’t a huge learning gap,” she says.

Webb often presents clinics on challenges facing women in music education. “There are a lot of states — mine included — where the majority of band directors are men,” she explains. “It’s important to not let people intimidate women into thinking that their place is in junior high, middle school or elementary school. There is a place for women in every single music education job, including being the head director. If that’s your goal, do it!”

She recalls marching competitions when the males on her staff or band dads were approached because people assumed they were the director. Webb’s advice? “As a woman, you have to teach them how to treat women. Ditch the polos. Wear your pink and your dresses and cute business wear. And, most importantly, be vocal and be adamant! They won’t know how you feel unless you say something.”

Riley Warren

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Riley Warren

Director of Percussion, Assistant Band Director
Forney High School
Forney, Texas

Several years after joining the Forney High School Band staff as Director of Percussion and Assistant Band Director, Riley Warren started the Forney ISD Middle School Indoor Drumline. “The beauty of this group is that it creates opportunities for our middle school students to perform together and advance their percussive skills, while also providing leadership roles for our high school students, who serve as the primary instructional staff members of the ensemble,” he explains.

“At any given rehearsal, we will have 10 or more high school students instructing the middle schoolers. This helps foster a positive relationship between our high school and middle school programs, and gets our middle schoolers even more excited to join band and percussion in the future,” he says.

Warren’s well-structured teaching approach “starts with the development of the individual musician. Great programs are made up of great individual musicians,” he explains. “We spend a lot of time year-round developing specific skill sets in each student.”

In the fall, his students are given a 12-week pass-off sheet that guides them in learning the Texas All-State Etudes. They receive feedback on the etudes from Warren, their private lesson teachers, or virtually through video submissions. The spring semester focuses on solos, with students preparing a snare drum and mallet solo of their choosing. At the end of the year, they perform their solos for a judge.

This approach has proven to be successful because Warren’s percussion ensemble performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) in 2022 and at the Midwest International Band & Orchestra Clinic in 2023.

Outside of his work at Forney High School, Warren started Rhythmic Wavelengths, a percussion arranging and consulting business. “Working with other percussion directors and their students has become one of the greatest joys of my life,” he exclaims. “Throughout the year, I visit clients for a full day or just a morning or after-school rehearsal. At these consulting sessions, I am able to work one-on-one with students or even run an entire rehearsal. Afterward, I meet with the director to debrief and make a plan to help them accomplish their goals.”

In 2023, Warren started the “Dream Job” podcast with his colleague Shannon Jacobs. “To me, teaching music is a dream job,” he says with a smile. “Despite the many challenges prevalent in the education field, at the end of the day, how lucky are we to be able to help young people become great musicians?”

During the pandemic, Warren noticed that more and more music educators were leaving their teaching positions. “This made me think of how I would feel if I were a high school or college student considering music as my career, which motivated me to start the podcast,” he explains.

Warren and Jacobs have interviewed over a dozen notable high school music educators, college professors, fine arts directors and industry professionals on “Dream Job.” “Our hope is that these conversations will inspire young — and even seasoned — music educators to continue teaching music in a world that seems to value education less and less,” he says.

Dr. Andrew Stetson

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Dr. Andrew Stetson

Director, School of Music
Texas Tech University School of Music
Lubbock, Texas

Dr. Andrew Stetson, the Director of the School of Music at Texas Tech University, pioneered the Music Humanities program to engage students from diverse academic backgrounds and to highlight the importance of music as an essential tool for fostering critical thinking and creativity. “With the advances in technology, it’s clear that creative thought is going to be a commodity in the future, and music is the best way to access creativity,” Stetson explains. “With that as our foundational thought, we are embarking on a plan that opens our doorways to students from across the university so they can experience music and creative activity firsthand. We think it will change their lives and help build a better future for all of us!”

Change is something that Stetson has embraced. He transformed the reputation of the School of Music into one based on cohesiveness, forward-looking vision and trust. How did he accomplish this? “Two words: Open Door,” he says matter-of-factly. “I make a point of being available to everyone and try to make sure I’m accessible for questions, etc. We also post all information from meetings so everyone can see how decisions are developed. That blend of accessibility and transparency help us build a more cohesive unit.”

Stetson applied this same productive attitude to enrollment practices and growing the school’s donor base. ”Communication is always number one. One of the strengths of our program, and something I try to embody, is that we over communicate with everyone,” he says. “Our potential students hear from us constantly, our donors know what we’re up to every day. In this way, we let people know what’s going on, but we also let them know that we care about them and that we want them to join us and be a part of what we are doing.”

Through outreach, Stetson was able to connect Texas Tech with the surrounding community. “The best part about our community program is that it didn’t need any kind of launch,” he says with a smile. “Lubbock is a thriving arts community, and many of the programs already existed. All I did was reach out to the people in charge and look for ways Texas Tech could help.”

Many of these programs simply needed a home or a space to perform that was affordable, and Texas Tech was in a position to provide that. “After a few years, we moved from an existing community chorale program to now partnering with a local civic orchestra and a community concert band,” Stetson explains. “I love seeing the community come to our building to attend our concerts and engage with music in a more direct way.”

Michael Schnell

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Michael Schnell

Middle School Band Teacher
Oostburg School District
Oostburg, Wisconsin

Because Oostburg High School and Oostburg Middle School share the same building, Michael Schnell, the Middle School Band Teacher, proposed starting a Music Production course for high school students. “One of my favorite classes when I was in high school was Music Theory. I also enjoy songwriting and incorporating technology in my classes,” he says. “I wanted a class that included these topics in a relatable way, so with some funds from our music department, we created a small music production lab.”

In the last few years, the class has grown and now the students release class albums on streaming services at the end of the year. “This class has allowed us to explore the creative process and the importance of creativity. It has become a major creative outlet for many students,” Schnell says proudly.

He introduces music production at the middle school level as well — in studio classes that each grade attends for one quarte. Schnell uses this class to teach his students piano, basic beats, music production with GarageBand, and performance skills. “Using popular music that students recognize and enjoy helps connect them with the music-making process,” he explains. “We also discuss how all these different skillsets build off of each other to help us grow as musicians.”

Under his direction, the middle school band program has grown with about 65% of the student population participating in band. Between band and choir, a whopping 90% of middle schoolers are enrolled in a music class. Schnell keeps recruitment numbers high by taking his middle school band to visit Oostburg Elementary, located across the street from the combined middle and high school.

The 8th-grade band plays holiday music during the elementary school lunch on the day before winter break. The 7th-grade band visits 5th-grade classrooms for one week in the spring, each day focusing on a different instrument section. The 6th-grade band performs for incoming 5th-graders when they come to tour the campus on move-up day. “We tell them that in one year they will be playing for the new incoming 5th graders themselves,” Schnell says. “With the size of our community, we are lucky to have the opportunity to really get to know the families of our students.”

The Oostburg School District and the community place a high value on the arts. In 2022, a referendum was passed that included remodeling the theater, doubling its capacity as well as providing state-of-the-art audio and video technology. In 2023, with funding from the Oostburg Community Education Foundation (OCEF), the Bruce Krier Charitable Foundation and community donations, “we purchased a Yamaha Grand Piano for our theater, which has increased the level of musicianship for students during concerts, events and lessons,” Schnell exclaims. “Everyone from our superintendent, building principals, staff and community are advocates for the importance of arts education.”

Annie Ray

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Annie Ray

Orchestra Director and Performing Arts Department Chair
Annandale High School,
Annandale,Virginia

Orchestra Director and Performing Arts Department Chair Annie Ray launched the Crescendo Orchestra for students with significant and severe disabilities at Annandale High School in Virginia. The seeds of the orchestra started in 2017, when twin brothers with significant disabilities were in her general elementary strings class that met once a week for 30 minutes. She struck up a friendship and collaboration with their mother and began modifying materials.

Ray started her job at Annandale High when COVID hit and was splitting her time between the high school and elementary school. Special education students came back to school first, and she invited them to her classroom to make music. “Alongside their special education teachers, paraprofessionals, occupational therapists and instructional assistants, we spent an entire year breaking down traditional string education until we had a fully written-out curriculum. We’ve been able to run it as a dedicated course since then,” she says proudly.

“Our approach is framed around students with disabilities having the right to truly learn how to play a musical instrument, and not just be socially included,” Ray explains. “The students perform at every concert, just like their general education peers.”

Like Ray, other educators have developed their own programs for working with students with disabilities, while others work with organizations like United Sound and Giving Bach. “I encourage all programs to look into prioritizing inclusion either on their own or with these organizations, which are a fantastic resource,” Ray says.

Outreach to parents is another concept that Ray has embraced. In 2018, she co-founded the Fairfax Arts Coalition for Education Parent Orchestra to provide parents and caregivers with some understanding of what happens in the music classrooms. The idea of a parent orchestra came from Ray’s mentor Brian Coatney, the Director of Orchestras at Wylie High School in Texas. “The Fairfax Parent Orchestra started with about 30 caregivers and have grown to 225 participants with four levels of ensembles — from adults who have never touched a musical instrument to those revisiting a forgotten-about violin in the back of their closet,” Ray says with a smile. “We meet twice a month and have been fortunate to perform at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic!”

Parents can see what is actually happening between the notes and rhythms on the page and the resultant increase in parent involvement in the booster organizations is beneficial. However, Ray explains that there is so much more that comes from educating parents on the process their students go through as a new musician. The Parent Orchestra is an advocacy and educational tool used by parents and administrators. It’s also an experiential professional development opportunity and an mentorship avenue. Most of all, it bridges divides, Rey says.

Connecting is the underlying theme for Ray’s approach to teaching. “I am honored to teach at a school where students come from 66 different countries, speak 59 different languages, and our programs are made up of a vibrant mix of backgrounds, perspectives and strengths,” she exclaims. “For 81% of our students, a language other than English is spoken at home, and over 70% fall below the poverty line. In a world where that diversity can sometimes lead to conflict, investing in the whole student and meeting every student where they are at has been our foundation for understanding, community and progress.”

Ray considers herself lucky to have taught at the elementary, middle and high school levels in this community. “I am fortunate to have had my entire perspective shift on ‘why music education matters’ because of what they taught me,” she says. “To have grown alongside these students and watch them learn to take ownership of this program is one of the greatest gifts of my life.”

Joshua Race

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Joshua Race

Director of Bands
Fountain-Fort Carson High School,
Fountain, Colorado

In Joshua Race’s classes at Fountain-Fort Carson High School in Colorado, students learn more than music — they become more aware of their own thought processes. The Director of Bands uses metacognitive strategies to help students reflect on their learning and musical performance. By setting individual and group goals, students assess and adjust their approach as both individuals and ensemble members. “I model my thought processes and ask guiding questions to encourage critical thinking and self-reflection,” Race explains. “This helps students become more aware of how they think, problem-solve and improve during rehearsals. As they understand their own learning better, they become more engaged, leading to deeper growth and a stronger connection to both the music and the ensemble.”

His strategy works because enrollment in the Fountain-Fort Carson band program has more than doubled. Race credits teamwork with the feeder schools so students have a smooth, connected experience from middle school through high school. “The band program has become what students call their ‘huge family,’ a place where they feel accepted and appreciated,” he says with a smile. “We’re focused on creating a positive, supportive environment while striving for musical excellence and making sure every student has the best experience they can during their time in the program.”

The program’s growth is impressive, especially when you realize that many students come from military families. “Some are with us for just a year or two, while others stay all four years,” Race explains. “It’s a reminder of how powerful music can be — providing a sense of stability and belonging for students, no matter where they come from. Whether they’re adjusting to a new school or community, music offers a consistent, welcoming place where they can connect, grow and find a sense of home in their education.”

Outside of FFCHS, Race founded the Fountain Valley Community Band to bring together community musicians and to offer music teachers a space to reconnect with their passion for performing. “Joining a community band as a freshman in high school had a lasting impact on me,” he recalls. “Community bands bring together people of all ages and skill levels, from seasoned professionals to students who are just beginning their musical journey. The real value lies in the shared joy of making music together.”

Race also actively connects with directors in the area to offer support. He’s even visited several schools, worked with bands and offered mentorship to younger directors. “We’re all in this together,” he says.

Nicholas Popovich

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Nicholas Popovich

Music Technology Teacher
Shadow Mountain High School
Phoenix, Arizona

Paradise Valley Unified District in Arizona offers an arts academy, North Valley Arts Academies (NVAA), where K-12 students at Desert Cove Elementary School, Shea Middle School and Shadow Mountain High School can take courses in dance, theater, visual art and music technology. Nicholas Popovich designed NVAA’s music tech program, which is built on a foundation of exploring sound creation and production. He maximized the available tools that provide deep engagement with all aspects of making music using technology, innovative use of hardware, software, equipment and instruments. “This holistic, project-based learning environment allows students to use Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) to compose, edit and produce original music while learning to think creatively,” Popovich explains. “Students collaborate and pool individual strengths and resources, which enhance the learning process through peer-to-peer interaction,” Popovich explains.

The program incorporate the latest hardware and software, which ensures that student experiences meet industry standards. Popovich also broadens learning through innovative interdisciplinary projects where music tech students work alongside their art, dance and theater counterparts. Academy students also visit cultural institutions and meet guest artists from the fine arts community.

“Music Technology graduates are well-prepared for various pathways,” Popovich explains. “Many pursue careers in the industry upon graduation. Moreover, students gain the skills necessary to continue making music as a lifelong endeavor, offering a constant creative outlet for self-expression.”

Through a partnership with the Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) Music Industries program, Popovich’s students can earn college credits through dual enrollment courses. PVCC faculty provide presentations, workshops and master classes on advanced topics, and students collaborate on live performances and multimedia productions, which gives them a glimpse into the college experience.

Beyond PVCC, the community has been remarkably supportive of Shadow Mountain’s music tech program. “Partnerships thrive with local organizations, providing students with invaluable real-world experiences,” Popovich explains. “These partnerships enrich the program and offer valuable networking opportunities.”

Grants from organizations like Intel, Arizona Educational Foundation, Give A Note and the Grammy Signature Schools Enterprise Awards ensure that students have access to the latest technology and trends. “The focus on developing not only technical skills, but also critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork and creativity prepares my students for any pathway they choose. Plus, we ensure inclusivity and accessibility for all students, regardless of their background or prior music experience,” Popovich proudly says.

Kate Phillips

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Kate Phillips

PK-5 Music Teacher
Grant Avenue Elementary School
Bronx, New York

Before it was popular, Kate Phillips, Grant Avenue Elementary School’s PK-5 Music Teacher, was implementing culturally responsive lessons in her classroom. “As a white teacher originally from a suburban Midwest community, it is essential that my Bronx students engage with their own musical cultures in authentic ways,” she exclaims. “I rely on resources from culture bearers — Carnegie Hall’s Musical Explorers video lessons, for example, are great — and input from students on the artists, knowledge and skills that they want to learn about in a given unit, whether we are studying hip hop, Freedom Songs, bomba and plena, or any other music with which students already have expertise and home experience.”

In addition to emphasizing students’ music cultures, Phillips also teaches her students leadership skills. “Each year, our school dance and music programs engage a select group of 5th-grade students to participate in an Arts Council,” she says.

The members of the council meet throughout the year to help guide concert theme selection and repertoire choices. They also assist with performance logistics like decorations and ushering. “Our school concerts have transformed for the better thanks to their contributions, energy and creative artistic visions,” Phillips says proudly.

She encourages all students to bring her ideas for repertoire, activities, units, anything. “The spark for many concert performances or classroom instrumental pieces have come from students sharing an obsession with a particular viral TikTok dance or YouTube artist, which tends to inspire the whole class to engage enthusiastically in music learning,” Philips says with a smile. “I’m grateful for my students’ constant well of ideas and suggestions.”

Phillips herself has used her creativity in different ways at Grant Avenue Elementary — she wrote an original musical for the 5th-grade production. “The educator and musical theater nerd in me was inspired to reimagine the folktale ‘Stone Soup’ in a Bronx block-party setting,” she explains.

She elicited feedback on plot points, lyrics and other story elements from students and then wrote the songs and libretto with a colleague, drawing on past production successes for structure, songs and staging. “We saw an incredible jump in student buy-in and commitment on this production, and we replicated the success with a second original musical in 2018,” Phillips says. “The process provides a fantastic creative outlet for my artist-self and strengthens my relationships and insights with my students — truly a win-win!”

At this phase of her career, Phillips says that one of her greatest passions is collaborating with colleagues through workshops, mentoring and professional development. As a New York City Public Schools professional development facilitator and team leader, she has hosted two student teachers and acted as a new teacher mentor for two arts educators in her school community. “In each instance, the process of mentoring and sharing expertise has strengthened my own teaching and awareness of my craft,” she explains. “It has built strong bonds between myself and fellow educators. These ongoing relationships continue to nourish me and my practice.”

Adam Odenwelder

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Adam Odenwelder

Guitar Teacher
Belmont Ridge Middle School
Leesburg, Virginia

There is no status quo for the guitar program at Belmont Ridge Middle School in Leesburg, Virginia, led by Adam Odenwelder. “I’m constantly changing things in order to meet the needs of my students in new and exciting ways,” he says proudly. “Every year that I’ve taught guitar looks wildly different from the previous year, and I hope that I never lose the willingness to mix things up!”

A major part of Odenwelder’s program is student-centered. He doesn’t rely on staid teaching materials that have been around for a long time. His students request most of the songs the guitar ensembles perform, and Odenwelder arranges them. “Because I make myself available as the arranger, my students frequently request songs that may be too difficult for the entire 30+ member ensemble, but a group of three or four students can take the initiative to learn it. I then allow these small chamber groups to be highlighted during our concerts,” he says.

Over the years, students have asked Odenwelder to arrange music from popular TV shows and video games for guitar ensembles, as well as for chamber groups that consist of multiple different instruments. “Last year, one of my students asked me to arrange a song by a popular artist for guitar, violin, flute and vocals,” he recalls. “They performed at a concert and legitimately sounded like a professional cover band! I was so proud that they had the opportunity to showcase their skills.”

Odenwelder’s students have the opportunity to play a variety of electric instruments — from electric guitars and basses to different modelling amps and footswitches that allow them to quickly change from one effect to another. “Using electric instruments in guitar class definitely engages students because they live in a technological world,” he says.

He also encourages students to play written guitar solos in a variety of styles and programs one piece per concert that allows any student the opportunity to improvise a solo on electric guitar.

During COVID, Odenwelder implemented a “flipped” classroom model out of necessity where students watched instructional videos on their own so class time could focus on hands-on practice and personalized guidance. He continues to use this model because it helps build student confidence and achievement.

“When I hand students new music, I make sure to record videos to help guide them through the songs,” he explains. “My students can take directions from videos because they are used to the medium, and because it allows them to take in information at their own pace. They can make the most of their individual practice time, which makes the large ensemble rehearsal much more fruitful.”

Leah Motl

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Leah Motl

Orchestra Teacher
IJ Holton Intermediate School
Austin, Minnesota

The orchestra program at IJ Holton Intermediate School in Austin, Minnesota, has grown in numbers and, more importantly, in students’ passion for music. That’s because Orchestra Teacher Leah Motl encourages and motivates her students in several ways. “Praise progress often,” she exclaims. “When students make even a smidge of growth, I show them what they did or how they did it and encourage them to push just a little bit further!”

Motl also emphasizes that everyone is a valued member of the ensemble. “Everyone brings their own personal strengths to the group, and we learn to combine those strengths and lean on one another to grow together,” she says.

When learning gets tough, Motl will share her experience as a beginner/middle school musician when she struggled with note reading. “I support students where they are successful, and I know that the hard things will ‘click’ in their own time,” she explains. “My goal at the 5-6 level is for students to enjoy their learning. If they find their instrument/ensemble fun and exciting and a place where they can build on their strengths, they will become motivated to do the hard work.”

Motl has a knack for selecting pieces that her students will enjoy, but that will challenge them at the same time. “I choose music that helps students learn the skills needed to enter the next grade level,” she explains. “Sometimes going outside of the ensemble’s comfort zone can motivate students to rise to the challenge. Choosing the right piece with a new technique, rhythm, note(s) or other advanced musical element can be a game changer.”

When students succeed in playing these more difficult pieces, “I give my students bragging rights that they learned or performed something that wouldn’t be taught until 7th or 8th grade,” she says with a smile.

Motl’s supportive teaching style has led to growth in enrollment. Her 5th grade ensemble has about 120 students, and her 6th grade, about 90 to 100. Her retention rate over the last five years from IJ Holton to the middle school is 75%. Some of Motl’s most successful recruitment and retention strategies include one-on-one check-ins with students and a co-teaching model that was started four years ago between the intermediate and middle schools to help students transition to a new building in 7th grade.

Motl also invites community music educators and musicians to teach sectionals or lessons to her students. She makes sure to have frequent communication with the decisions-makers at IJ Holton and the middle school so she can advocate for the needs of her students and program.

Because IJ Holton is a Title 1 school, Motl works hard to ensure that her students have good-quality instruments. “We are fortunate that the world continues to buy and eat Spam and Hormel lunch meat because the Hormel Foundation, which is based here in Austin, is the primary source of funding each year to purchase instruments for our rapidly growing program,” she says.

Articles in the local paper about the district music programs keep the community informed, and Motl includes information about building and maintaining an equitable music program at IJ Holton in all conversations, grant applications and other asks.

Kevin Morrison

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Kevin Morrison

Director of Bands
Lambert High School
Suwanee, Georgia

Kevin Morrison, the Director of Bands at Lambert High School in Suwanee, Georgia, goes above and beyond to educate the community — especially potential band parents — about the school’s band program. “We use a variety of tools since most of our families did not grow up with the traditional American structure of band programs,” he says.

Morrison and the rest of the director team send out many invitations through various platforms and hold information nights. Most importantly, they let families know the positive impact of making music at a high level has on their children. “We spend a lot of time and energy teaching our students the soft skills that will help them be successful once they leave our band room,” he explains. “We teach them how to manage themselves, care for each other, how and when to lead and when to follow.”

By playing music together, students have the opportunity to learn and practice these life skills, including how to be successful as an individual and as a team. Morrison adds, “Once the parents see the growth in their children, it snowballs from there!”

And snowball it has! Lambert’s band program enrollment has grown by nearly 40% since Morrison came on board. Some of the boost in numbers came from the middle school bands recovering from the COVID shutdown, but Morrison attributes most of the growth to retention. “Students who come into the program stay in the program,” he says proudly. “We prioritize music playing and growth throughout each concert cycle, class period and rep so that students feel successful. The staff spends time developing relationships with students, which allows us to coach them in meaningful ways.”

Morrison has incorporated diversity into the program by linking music selections to his students’ cultural and ethnic backgrounds. He recognizes that his role is to provide guidance as students navigates their musical experience “because ultimately, it is their experience,” he says. That’s why he involves students in selecting repertoire for concerts and performances.

For Lambert’s performance at the 77th Midwest Clinic, Morrison wanted to commission a piece that was authentic and relevant to the student population. He connected with Minoo Dixon, an American-Korean composer who wrote a piece that incorporated traditional Korean folk tunes and percussion! “We try to make sure that while we are exposing students to standard literature, we are also regularly programming underrepresented communities in each concert,” Morrison explains. “Programming like this gives us an avenue to talk about the importance of these communities, their impact on the world and the arts, and to make our students from diverse backgrounds feel like they belong in the world of music-making.”

One of Morrison’s favorite teaching moment was a recording session in May 2024. The only day that the recording engineer and studio were available was the day after graduation. “Every single senior showed up, had a great attitude and gave their best for a lengthy recording session that we planned to submit for festivals that they wouldn’t even get to play at,” he fondly recalls. “They did it because they loved playing together, they loved each other, and they loved the program.”

Coty Raven Morris

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Coty Raven Morris

Hinckley Assistant Professor of Choir,
Music Education and Social Justice
Portland State University
Portland, Oregon

As the Hinckley Assistant Professor of Choir, Music Education and Social Justice at Portland State University in Oregon, Coty Raven Morris says that she “has the privilege of teaching and working with a multitude of ensembles and future music educators to prepare them for the field through the lens of social justice.”

Her position was designed to ensure that concepts of equity in the classroom are interwoven into the pedagogy. Morris wants to practice what music education could look like outside the traditional classroom. “One of the main objectives of my position is designing a houseless choir for our neighbors on the street in the Portland area,” she explains. “Throughout the past three years, we have test piloted a series of connections with different organizations to see what helped the community best, and what allowed our students at PSU to teach and pour back into the city.”

This collaboration between choirs in the area and the university’s community choir concerts will continue. And in 2026, a new partnership with Path Home, a community for houseless families, will begin. “Portland State students under my supervision will serve as teachers and leaders for youth and parent ensembles in a community that helps houseless families with resources and finding permanent homes,” Morris says proudly.

Connecting people is the underlying theme of many of Morris’ endeavors. For example, Being Human Together, started as a community rooted in music educators striving to normalize difficult topics they encounter. Through the practice of conversation, people discuss traditionally taboo subjects like mental health, systemic oppression, diversity and inclusivity. “Everyone wants to talk about heavy stuff, but what if we also practice community and being human with each other?” Morris asks rhetorically. “What if we consider the perspectives of other people and practice sitting with thoughts as our own mindset and theories evolve? Growth in a community does not only come with action, but with patience for evolution in ourselves and others.”

Morris emphasizes this same message of well-being and social-emotional learning (SEL) at clinics she presents. “SEL is something that is interwoven throughout music lessons. When educators prioritize those same elements for themselves, it’s easier to notice the needs of the students in front of us,” she explains. “Whether it’s healing-centered or trauma-informed, these practices ask that educators be flexible with the destination of their plans so that we can care for students along the journey. The key to doing this right involves utilizing the materials and the repertoire as agents of learning and character development.”

Morris started a vlog called “Car Thoughts with Coty” as a fun way to process some of the silly things that happened in her classroom. In her 15- to 60-second clips, she would broadly talk out scenarios that she heard from her students — she never shared student names —such as peer-to-peer conflicts, romantic relationships, academic struggles and successes. “I would have these tiny social media therapy sessions where I shared my thoughts of how to handle different situations,” she said with a smile. “To my surprise, not only would my students grow from watching these videos, but my colleagues at other schools would use them for discussion topics and SEL moments in their own classes!”

She realized that people were in need of talking out problems, so she is evolving her vlog to a new platform called “Coty’s Classroom.” “I’m partnering with Music Workshop to provide teaching videos for free on social media and other platforms that will take the same format as ‘Car Thoughts with Coty’ to make these conversations more accessible,” she says.

Christopher McCurdy

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Christopher McCurdy

Band Director
Ulysses S. Grant High School
Portland, Oregon

Band Director Christopher McCurdy believes in a group-first mindset, and he vigorously advocates for it at Ulysses S. Grant High School in Portland, Oregon. “Every student deserves an accessible and comprehensive music education no matter where or when they start,” he says. “I do my best to make my non-auditioned classes as accessible as possible to every student, even those with no musical experience.”

Jazz is one area that McCurdy has expanded since his arrival at Grant four years ago. He impressed upon students, parents and administrators that jazz should be on the same tier as a concert band. “In so many schools, jazz is an afterthought or the ‘fun’ class,” he explains. “I believe that it is the best avenue to develop students’ personal musical ownership, and it is our duty as educators to preserve the authenticity and beauty of America’s music through mindful and skilled jazz education.”

Because McCurdy did not require students to be members of a concert band to join the jazz band, enrollment grew quickly. Currently, the number of students in jazz is on par with concert band. “I teach the same fundamentals with my jazz students that I developed in concert band,” he says. “The jazz lab course focuses on jazz history, improvisation and combo work. It’s an ‘all-comers’ course with no audition. We’ve had some of our best kids start in jazz, which is a strong reminder that we sometimes miss reaching many eager students due to audition or scheduling requirements.”

Last year, McCurdy and a group of motivated female students started a female jazz ensemble. It started as a jazz-intensive day camp for middle school girls where they learned jazz from local female jazz professionals, but the attendees also realized that they were in a safe space and could share lived experiences about music and gender. Currently the female jazz program, which encompasses all the girls and gender minorities in the overall jazz program at Grant, has 22 students, but the members are committed to grow this number.

“After the day camp, a small group of five to seven students began gigging around town as the combo JazzChangesPDX,” McCurdy exclaims. “The need was clear, and watching so many freshman girls and gender minorities flock to the program this fall has been the proof of concept. If you carve out a place for everyone, it can fundamentally change the space around you in a beautiful way.”

McCurdy and the parent booster organization work diligently at fundraising to make sure that every student has the ability to go to honor bands, festivals and solo/ensemble free of charge. “Our job is to knock down any walls standing in the way of a motivated and willing student,” McCurdy says proudly. “I am constantly advocating for arts funding in our district and while it’s often difficult, I believe that if your voice isn’t in the room, you can’t expect any real change to land in your lap.”

One of McCurdy’s favorite aspects of his music program is the positive, student-led culture of kindness and accountability. All freshmen are paired with an older student mentor who is their point person as they get started in the music program. “This has led to some really beautiful peer-to-peer moments that help drive us to continue the tradition of excellence that we work so hard to accomplish,” McCurdy says.

Orien Landis

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Orien Landis

Director of Bands
American Fork High School
American Fork, Utah

Many people describe their programs as student-led, but at American Fork High School in Utah, the marching band is just that. According to Director of Bands Orien Landis, “Our student leadership team essentially runs the band program. During the marching band season, the leadership team organizes and trains students in everything from music to marching fundamentals.”

Landis and his team created several training sessions to help students understand how to run sectionals, rehearse music effectively and communicate well with their peers. He acknowledges that training for leadership requires a lot of time at the start of the season, but “it pays dividends throughout the year. During leadership meetings, students report on progress, which helps hold everyone accountable. When staff and director availability is limited, empowering students is essential to their success,” Landis exclaims.

He took student leadership training even further with the Mountain West Leadership Institute. “During COVID, we needed a way to continue training our student leadership,” Landis explains. “We partnered with Utah Bandmasters and have run the leadership institute for four years now. Last year, we served over 250 students with leadership training from Utah, Idaho, Colorado and Nevada. We see this program continuing for years to come as a way to provide an affordable opportunity for leadership training for students.”

For marching fundamentals, Landis and American Fork’s visual caption head, Peter Bates, developed a seven-week course that all first-year marching students are required to take. This course includes a series of progressively detailed videos, along with questions and video assignments. “Students come to the first rehearsal with a solid understanding of how we want them to move,” he explains. ”This means rehearsals focus more on reviewing the material from the videos rather than teaching it from scratch.”

This approach empowers first-year students and provides a more rewarding experience for older students because the band can progress faster at the start of the season. “We began this process about five years ago and have refined it over time. I believe the results speak for themselves, as the program as a whole has seen significant improvements during this period,” he says proudly.

Surround yourself with good people, and you will learn and grow from the best — Landis takes this principle to heart. He credits the other directors in the program — Director of Percussion Dana Slabaugh, Junior High Director of Bands McKayla Wolf and Administrative Assistant Allison Dean — who work tirelessly to ensure the success of the program and students “I truly believe that we’re in the business of helping students develop attributes that will benefit them throughout life,” Landis says. “Music is simply the medium we use to teach them how to become amazing adults.”

Shan Kazmi

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Shan Kazmi

Director of Bands
Zion-Benton Township High School
Zion, Illinois

Working at a Title I school like Zion-Benton Township High School can be challenging, but Director of Bands Shan Kazmi only sees the positives. “Our students are great. I know people will say that kids are the same everywhere, but the choir director and I believe that our students at Zion-Benton are the best around,” he says with a smile. “Every single guest who has interacted with our band and choir students have commented on how polite and nice they are. Our performing arts students take so much pride in what they do.”

Kazmi goes on to say, “The other reward is just the joy of the grind. I have to work hard here, but it’s not really work when you love what you do. It does challenge me to do things differently than what I learned in college and student teaching, but as a result, I feel like I am a pretty versatile teacher and can adapt on the fly.”

His versatility and adaptability came in handy as he grew the Zion-Benton Township Band program. “We started with two bands, three choirs and a guitar class. Now, we offer four choirs, four bands, AP Music Theory, a music production course and two levels of class piano,” he says proudly. “I wrote the proposals and curriculum for our two additional band classes, our music production course and the AP Music Theory course. We also expanded our faculty to three full-time teachers.”

One of the bands Kazmi started is Beginning Band for high school students with no prior music experience. “When we looked at courses in our building, we realized there was an entry-level class for literally everything except band,” he said. “Post COVID, there were a lot of students who missed the opportunity to join band in middle school, and we weren’t doing them justice by placing them in a freshman-level band with students who had played for 3+ years.”

In Beginning Band, Kazmi starts from scratch with students and teaches them to play and read music. By the end of the course, they are prepared to continue on with Intermediate Band, the school’s entry-level ensemble for students with experience. “Beginning band has gained a lot of traction,” Kazmi exclaims. “Each week, I have at least one student ask me how they can join!”

In addition to extra ensembles and courses, enrollment has skyrocketed from 50 to more than 140 students “It takes a village,” Kazmi says humbly. “The first place I looked was the middle school programs who sent students to us. There was no shortage of students in middle school band — they just weren’t making it to high school. As a high school program, your middle school program is your lifeline.”

Kazmi immediately forged relationships with his middle school colleagues and attended nearly every event they had — 5th-grade recruitment, concerts, booster meetings, summer camps. He brought middle school students to the high school to perform alongside the marching band. “This alleviated some of the ‘scariness’ of high school band,” he explains.

Kazmi also focused on fundraising. “I have always operated with a ‘something-is-better-than-nothing’ philosophy when it comes to fundraising,” he says. “The little things add up over time, whether it’s a car wash here, a restaurant night or even running a concession stand for an event at school. Our most lucrative fundraiser is selling World’s Finest Chocolate Bars. They sell for a dollar and most people have a dollar to spend. Plus, it’s chocolate!”

Fun fact: In 1939, the Zion-Benton band program was the first program to have a commercial product fundraiser. It was with the World’s Finest Chocolate because the plant is located in Zion.

Most of the early fundraising efforts during Kazmi’s tenure went to purchasing instruments and equipment. “When I started teaching at Zion-Benton, most of our instrument inventory was 30+ years old,” he says. “Now, funds go toward student travel and working with guest artists and clinicians.”

Zane Kaiser

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Zane Kaiser

Band and Orchestra Teacher
Justice Page Middle School, Minneapolis Public Schools
Minneapolis, Minnesota

When Zane Kaiser started as the Band and Orchestra Teacher at Justice Page Middle School in Minneapolis, the music program had no budget allocated to it. In the seven years since, Kaiser has built the program and budget slowly and methodically. “Our school community is deeply passionate about music education,” he explains. “Through the continued support from parents and community leaders, I have been able to provide instruments and supplies to any student who wants to be in band and orchestra. I often find ways to share instruments, rehearsal spaces and resources to keep everyone afloat. Grants and donations really make a difference each and every day.”

His efforts have worked — the program has increased from 250 to 450 students. To attract new students and keep current ones in the program, Kaiser says “rehearsals must dance an engaging line between high expectations around musicianship and good old fun. I strive to get students to laugh at least once during class, which pushes them to be more willing to try new and often difficult musical things.”

Kaiser believes that it’s crucial to challenge students at all levels, even beginners, which will lead to high retention numbers. “When you regularly present new goals for students to reach, they will work together and they will stay in the program,” he says. “They also keep their friends and neighbors in, too!”

Lastly, kids are in band and orchestra to perform, so “we get our students out in front of people,” Kaiser exclaims. “From morning ‘informances’ as students arrive to school to local music festivals, we want people to hear our students play!

With larger enrollment in the music program, Kaiser has expanded the ensembles at Justice Page to differentiate the ability levels of the students. The school currently has three levels of band and orchestra, a jazz band course, two levels of choir and two levels of guitar — a full menu of offerings for a middle school. “After school, we work with student rock bands, musicals and songwriting,” Kaiser says. “I am always trying to see who is missing from the music program and how we can get them in the door, even with our large numbers. The more, the better!”

Kaiser also spearheaded a sensory-friendly concert series so special education students could enjoy watching the band perform without being overwhelmed by the sounds and sights of the show. “During my first year of teaching, I saw that many special ed students were excluded from daytime school concerts,” he explains. “So, I worked with my wonderful music therapy and special education colleagues to create a social story around a school concert and prepared student musicians to perform for and alongside their peers. I still have a lot to learn, but it has been a really humbling and rewarding experience.”

Kaiser sees Justice Page as a large neighborhood school. “As a resident of the same community my students come from, I feel extra connected,” he says with a smile. “I want families to know that our music program is more than just growing musical skills, it is about growing a network of peers who can rely on each other beyond their ensembles.”

Outside of his work at Justice Page, Kaiser is also involved in the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies and conducts an orchestra of upper middle and high school musicians. “The GTCYS provides financially responsive opportunities for students to not only join an ensemble but to be supported in private lessons, concert attire, audition preparation, and it also takes care of the complicated costs of being an instrumental musician,” Kaiser says. “Working with the youth orchestra has leveled up my teaching and provided insights that I use in my day-to-day instruction.”

Cody Jackson

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Cody Jackson

Band Director
Heights Middle School
Farmington, New Mexico

Band Director Cody Jackson began his tenure at Heights Middle School in Farmington, New Mexico, in the fall of 2020, when the pandemic was at its height and all classes were virtual. He inherited a program of approximately 84 students, all of whom he met via computer screen. Just two years after the pandemic, the band has over 200 students. “To commemorate this remarkable growth, we commissioned a work by Kirk Vogel, a composer from Northern Colorado,” Jackson says.

The song, “Soring to New Heights,” was written specially for his students. “This opportunity provided a unique and unforgettable experience for the students,” he says with pride. “They were part of a world-premiere work written expressly for them, and they were able to engage directly with the composer, who visited in person to collaborate with them. The applause and collective energy on stage following the performance was electrifying!”

To facilitate growth within his ensembles, Jackson reorganized the bands, which were categorized by grade levels — beginning band was for 6th graders, concert band for 7th graders and symphonic band for 8th grade students. Over the next few years, the ensembles became multi-grade and ability-based. Jackson also took this opportunity to connect older and younger students. For each concert, he asked older students to perform alongside younger musicians if they chose to do so. “This initiative led to students collaborating in my after-school program called B.A.S.H. (Band After School Help), where older students have the chance to mentor younger students with musical skills and deepen their understanding of their craft,” he explains.

Jackson and his students also reach out to the elementary feeder schools. Each spring, the middle school band, choir and orchestra have an “informance,” and elementary students for each feeder school can observe and hear firsthand what the music electives at Heights Middle School entail.

To show students that music-making extends beyond the confines of the classroom, Jackson actively seeks opportunities for unique performances where students can engage with the community. Last year, he invited the San Juan College Symphonic Band, a local community ensemble, to collaborate with his students in a side-by-side performance. “My students performed alongside adult musicians, some as old as 84 years, and established meaningful musical connections,” Jackson says.

This year, Heights Middle School’s symphonic band will travel to Albuquerque in May, where they will partner with James Monroe Middle School to perform the national anthem at an Albuquerque Isotopes baseball game.

Fundraising is a part of every music educator’s life, and Jackson has secured about $10,000 in grants and donations. Several local businesses have provided equipment like a sound system and percussion equipment. Others have provided funds to commission music and to expand the band’s music library.

A unique event for the Heights’ band program is the annual mattress fundraiser. An Albuquerque-based company brings several mattresses to the school and sets up a showroom in the gym. “My band students have so much fun each year selling mattresses for the band,” Jackson explains with a smile. “Just ask the students who get to dress up as mattresses and wave signs — it’s a middle school boy’s dream!“

Alex Hitrick

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Alex Hitrick

7-12 Music Teacher
Broadalbin-Perth Jr./Sr. High School
Broadalbin, New York

Alex Hitrick began teaching at Broadalbin-Perth Jr./Sr. High School, during the attempt to return to normalcy post-COVID in September 2020. The enrollment numbers were pretty dismal. “I had about 20 students in middle school chorus and 12 in high school, and my first concert was edited on a computer,” he says.

Today, the middle school chorus has almost tripled to 56 singers, and the high school stands at 70. “I like to believe the numbers rose because I was able to bring a fresh approach to how music can be explored, and the students ran with it,” Hitrick says.

His fresh approach included adding courses like Songwriting & Production, AP Music Theory and a new piano lab. He also started a cover band club called “From the Top,” and students perform with live equipment at real venues.

Hitrick also started an Advanced Choir ensemble for “students who wanted a little more — more whos, whats, whens, wheres and, of course, whys,” he explains. “As we began to increase the difficulty of repertoire performed, their knowledge of music needed to expand, and they wanted to go all in.”

In addition to performing the music, the class analyzes the time the songs were written, why they were written, and students use a variety of theory skills and techniques to better understand how it all works.

Every March, Broadalbin-Perth hosts a PRISM Concert for Music in Our Schools Month that features all the performing ensembles in the district, grades 4 through 12. The concert follows a theme, and every group chooses a song or piece to perform. “At the end, we come together to perform a final song as one giant ensemble,” Hitrick says proudly. “Each year, we raise money for a community member, family or organization in need based on events of that year.”

An exciting and unique performance opportunity was when Hitrick’s students entered a contest for a chance to sing “I Want to Know What Love Is” with the legendary rock band Foreigner at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. “As a class, we arranged the harmonies of the song then submitted a video of us performing the song,” he says. “It was an electric moment seeing them sing their hearts out on stage with Foreigner!”

Hitrick is the first to acknowledge that the success of the Broadalbin-Perth Jr./Sr. High School music program is not a lone effort. The administration supports the arts, and “I am fortunate to have great colleagues,” he says. “We bounce ideas off of each other, inspire each other and are on the same page together. We know that our main goal is to give these students the greatest opportunities in music possible, but we are also there to help our students be the best humans possible.”

Dr. Cordara X. Harper

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Dr. Cordara X. Harper

Assistant Professor of Music Education, Choir Director, Music Education Coordinator, Vocal Music Coordinator
Grambling State University
Grambling, Louisiana

The Grambling State University Concert Choir was founded in 1947 as a glee club. Over its 78-year history, the choir has released two acclaimed albums and garnered significant recognition. Its rich history, diverse repertoire and unwavering commitment to choral excellence were honored when it was named the Best University Choir at the Sound Awards in 2023.

When Dr. Cordara X. Harper, Assistant Professor of Music Education and Choir Director, first arrived at Grambling, the choir consisted of about 18 students. “I entered the choir room on day one with a message of optimism, singing with the belief that we could create a space where every student felt welcome,” he says.

Harper worked to connect with singers across campus. Today, the choir has grown threefold to over 60 students. “Our success came from improving visibility by consistently delivering exceptional music, both on campus and within the community,” he exclaims. “We spread the joy of choir wherever we go, inviting others to experience the power of music with us.”

He integrates Kodály-, Orff– and Dalcroze-inspired approaches, which provides him the freedom to create and improvise while guiding his students through the “vocabulary of music.” Harper has completed Level 2 training in the Kodály Methodology and all levels of Orff-Schulwerk. “I have the unique opportunity to engage students through movement, making the learning process dynamic and immersive,” Harper explains. “As a natural storyteller, it brings me so much joy to watch the story of their musical journey unfold through intentional, hands-on engagement with these integrated teaching methods.”

At Grambling, the choir consists mostly of non-music majors and is not a traditional, auditioned ensemble. Harper says, “It’s a welcoming space where everyone can belong. This means some students join the University Concert Choir with little to no prior music-making experience, and as their professor, I’m committed to meeting them where they are.”

Harper also stared a Choir Leadership Council to give students a voice and gather valuable insights from them. The choir maintains an active performance schedule, showcasing its talent on campus, in the local community and across the United States.

Bob Habersat

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

Bob Habersat

Director, Shedthemusic
Commercial Music Teacher
Oak Lawn Community High School
Oak Lawn, Illinois

Bob Habersat, the Commercial Music Teacher at Oak Lawn Community High School in Illinois, first started recording instructional videos to help his piano students grasp concepts like the bass clef when they missed class. “This allowed them to learn independently, freeing me up to focus on individualized or advanced instruction,” he explains.

Over time, those resources grew into a larger online platform that Habersat runs called Shedthemusic.com, which now includes full-course sequences for guitar, music technology and music theory. “Students can log in to review missed lessons, reinforce challenging concepts, or explore enrichment materials — the platform meets a variety of learning needs while fostering autonomy. The standardization of musical concepts like rhythm and pitch reading has really helped students who take multiple music classes as well,” he says.

The primary goal of Shedthemusic is to reach the 80% of students who aren’t in traditional band, choir or orchestra programs. “We want to provide comprehensive curricular for teachers so they can confidently provide students meaningful pathways to create music in genres that truly interest them,” Habersat says proudly.

The website’s offerings mirror many of the courses he developed for Oak Lawn, which has a diverse student population. “I want educators to feel comfortable running student-centered, project-based classrooms in subjects like music technology, guitar, modern band, piano and theory,” Habersat says.

He also wants to legitimize the study of popular music and foster better continuity across elementary, middle school, high school and college programs through the pedagogical approaches offered on the site.

Habersat travels to music education conferences across the country to present Shedthemusic courses and methodologies and highlight the available resources. He also hosts free online professional development sessions and offers a newsletter that shares updates and new opportunities. “There’s also a dedicated community for anyone using our Electronic Music Elements curriculum, allowing educators to connect, collaborate and support each other throughout the year as well,” he says.

Oak Lawn Community High School hosted the Illinois Music Education Association’s first Commercial Music Festival last year where teachers attended sessions on commercial music and technology. Students were invited to submit compositions which were reviewed by a committee of music tech teachers, and student- or teacher-led pop ensembles performed for a panel of judges.

In addition to the commercial music program, Oak Lawn has strong band and choir programs, as well as multiple guitar courses. “Our top-level guitar ensemble performs a range of music — classical, jazz, pop and orchestral — throughout the year,” Habersat explains. “We emphasize collaboration, particularly through our student-led entertainment label, Morning Show Media. Every Friday, they host a concert in our media center, handling everything from promotion on social media to running sound and lights, recording the events and sharing them online. This has significantly increased student engagement and visibility for our music department.”

Dr. Liliana Guerrero

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Dr. Liliana Guerrero

Assistant Professor of Voice
Butler School of Music.
University of Texas, Austin
Austin, Texas

During Dr. Liliana Guerrero’s year as a Teaching Artist for the Austin Opera, she went to local elementary schools to introduce students to the concept of opera by telling them stories, singing some arias and explaining the artform. The program was well-received, but she wanted to make it available to a larger audience. “Austin is known as the ‘live music capital of the world,’ but we have what I call ‘arts deserts,” she explains. “Some communities in our larger metropolitan area don’t have access to quality children’s music programming.”

Guerrero and a colleague wrote a grant proposal and secured over $14,000 in funding to start Meet the Opera, a free six-week series of workshops for kids, presented at local libraries, that teach them about opera. “We were able to serve hundreds of children by bringing the magic of opera from downtown to right around the corner,” she says.

Kids were able to make sounds on tubas, create props, and learn choreographed songs and dances. “As a child of immigrants, I didn’t know what opera was, and I didn’t have access to it as a child,” she explains. “I knew that if kids could see someone who looked like them doing this type of music, they would fall in love. And they did! We’ll be back at the library this summer, and I can’t wait.”

The University of Texas — Austin is a Hispanic-serving institution, and Guerrero takes her mentoring responsibilities very seriously. “Latinas make up 1% of all full-time college faculty in the United States,” the Assistant Professor of Voice says. “I am often the only in the room – the only woman, the only Latina, the only young person. It is my duty to show my students how to move in spaces they’ve never been in with dignity, grace and compassion. I am honored to connect with my students who have similar backgrounds, especially those of us who are ‘culture straddlers,’ known in Spanish as ‘ni de aquí, ni de allá.’”

Guerrero is passionate about the intersection of music and social justice. Around 2017, she co-founded a grassroots performing arts collective in Chicago that focused on themed fundraising concerts. “We raised money for organizations including Chicago Books to Women in Prison, Chicago NOW and Girl Forward. I believe in the power of music to affect change, and I believe that the music of our time tells us the story of who we are,” she says proudly.

She regularly commissions and premieres works by marginalized composers so her students can feel seen and heard in their music education curriculum. “My students are Black and brown and queer and trans, and I want them to see that they have a place in this story,” she exclaims. “It’s essential to me that I lead by example, that I lift while I climb, and that my students feel empowered by the stories we highlight in the classroom.”

As a result, Guerrero has presented clinics nationally on how to use music to create civic engagement opportunities for students. “This spring I will be recording my debut album and the repertoire is all music by Latinas, including a commission for my grandmother,” she says. “You can’t be what you can’t see!”

Marissa Guarriello

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Dr. Marissa Guarriello

Visiting Assistant Professor of String Music Education
University of North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina

Last summer, as the Director of Music Programming for ArtsQuest, Dr. Marissa Guarriello helped organize a new conference for music educators. “Some of the senior leadership at ArtsQuest was interested in starting a conference for educators, potentially similar to SXSW, that ran concurrently with Musikfest, the largest free music festival in the country hosted by ArtsQuest,” she says.

The result was the Musikfest Education and Industry Conference, a two-day event in Pennsylvania that focused on music education, popular music and business leadership. “ArtsQuest did charge a nominal fee for the event, but not enough to cover the costs because we wanted it to remain accessible to anyone who wanted to attend,” Guarriello explains. “They ended up absorbing most of the costs, and we also received sponsorship from Zeswitz Music, a local instrument supplier that supports music education professional development.”

Guarriello was well prepared to help put on the Musikfest Education and Industry Conference because one of her current research projects explores the intersection of the music industry and music education. She is also studying and researching creativity in secondary classrooms and reframing uncertainty/failure in music classrooms.

As a Visiting Assistant Professor of String Music Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Guarriello integrates creativity in her teaching, and many of her approaches are presented in a book she co-authored, “The Creative String Orchestra. “Start by introducing creativity in fun and accessible ways,” she recommends. “Often, people think of jazz as being the creative/improvisatory music genre, but in reality, creativity is useful in all music contexts. I like to get students to be creative in a classroom without them realizing it, then I’m able to tell them what they just did. It becomes a lot more fun because they’re already successful!”

Activities she suggests include trying to play what a color sounds like or trying to arrange a composition with the entire ensemble in the moment — what she describes as “being messy in the classroom.”

Guarriello has established a growing network of educators and musicians who embrace creative approaches to music and music education. “My time spent with musicians and educators have shown me that people learn and teach music in completely different ways,” she exclaims. “It’s fascinating to work and talk with these people. They have opened up a whole new world of what music education is and could be.”

For the 2025-2026 academic year, Guarriello will be joining the Department of Music and Human Learning at The University of Texas — Austin as an Assistant Professor.

Paul Glader

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Paul Glader

Band and Choir Director
Bethel-Tate Middle School
Bethel, Ohio

Band and Choir Director Paul Glader put his classroom motto on the wall for all his students at Bethel-Tate Middle School in Ohio to see: 1) be kind, 2) strive to be better and 3) love music. “That means having the ability to create, make decisions and understand the ‘why’ behind the music,” he says. “I try to convey that it is positive to always look for ways to improve yourself.”

When Glader started at Bethel-Tate, the music program was relatively unknown and an afterthought to the student body and the community. Student participation was at about 25%. This year, the participation rate has grown to 55% of the school population, and the school has received three national awards (two from NAMM and one from Music for All).

Glader played a large part in getting the program what it needed. He wrote a 12-page proposal to use $50,000 of ESSER funds to address the learning gap created by the pandemic in 2020 when students did not receive band/choir instruction during the curricular school hour. The funding was used to purchase equipment — choir risers, sound equipment and instruments (tuba, bass clarinet, percussion equipment) — which has set up the program for long-term, sustained success.

Many of his students come from low- to middle-class, rural families, and parents recognize and appreciate when quality education and effort are put into their children. “Because of this, I describe our program as ‘meaningful,’” Glader explains. “Our program may never be the highest echelon in the state in terms of accomplishments, but we are a meaningful part of these student’s lives and educational experience.”

He goes on to say that the culture in the building in regards to music is “amazing, not only in terms of the increased participation rates, but also amongst the collaboration with teachers, support from the administration, and pride among the students.”

In 2022, Glader’s students encouraged him to create a TikTok account. “I started with no agenda other than connecting with my students at their level,” he explains. “It has grown organically through examples of student achievements, warmups, attention-getters, skits, performance content, dances, teacher tips and more.”

Glader currently has almost 250,000 followers/subscribers across TikTok, YouTube and Instagram (all @TheDarthGlader) with over 100 million views and millions of likes.

Lee B. Gibson

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Lee B. Gibson

Assistant Director of Bands
Barberton CIty Schools,
Barberton, Ohio

Lee B. Gibson, the Assistant Director of Bands at Barberton City Schools in Ohio, knows how music education can transform lives. Something as basic as putting instruments in the hands of students can seem to be an insurmountable obstacle. Luckily, Gibson’s music program provides high-quality instruments to every student who signs up for band at no charge to them. The Barberton Band Boosters have purchased instruments throughout the years, and the district covers the cost of repairs.

Gibson himself secured a grant to purchase trumpets and to bring guest trumpet clinicians to a beginning band class he started. “We have a full range of instruments for students from beginning up to professional quality instruments for our upper-level kids at the high school,” he says.

Gibson goes above and beyond for his students, which include 6th-, 7th- and 8th-grade bands as well as the high school marching band and pep band. He also oversees several small ensembles — saxophone quartets, clarinet quintets, brass quintets, etc. “Woodwinds and brass instruments produce beautiful and unique sounds, and more people should be exposed to them,” Gibson explains.

He also created TheBandRoom YouTube channel to provide interesting and exciting ways for his winds students to practice materials that otherwise are monotonous and boring. Videos cover a range of topics including rhythm, breathing, lip slurs, tone development, articulation and scales.

After attending several Piccolo Christmas events started by Lynn Stukart Ogden in Iowa, Gibson started an Akron version. Flute players come together and play Christmas music on a one-day practice and performance basis. “It involves all types of flutes from piccolo to concert flutes, alto flues, bass flutes and contrabass flutes,” Gibson proudly says. “There are over 100 musicians who participate every year. It offers a way for professionals to network in a fun way, and it also gives local students the opportunity to see, hear and play with our area’s top musicians.”

Dr. Catheryn Shaw Foster

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Dr. Catheryn Shaw Foster

Assistant Professor of Practice of Music Education
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Dr. Catheryn Shaw Foster, Assistant Professor of Practice of Music Education at Virginia Tech, saw a need to help and coalesce music teachers in rural areas, so she co-founded the Rural Band Director Alliance (RBDA). “It started as a way to create a safe space for rural music educators to seek out help and share ideas,” Foster explains. “We want to provide resources and opportunities for rural directors and their students. We also want to spotlight the hard work they do in their communities. Many times, they are a one-person show who runs everything, and they should be celebrated!”

Foster also hosts the “Rural Band Reflections” podcast that highlights rural directors and provides them with access to people like college directors and composers who they might not have a chance to meet and work with. The podcast also elevates minorities — women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+ — in the music profession. “Composers and rural directors have shared their stories, successes and advice,” Foster says proudly. “My hope is that directors will be inspired by the podcast guests and that it will offer a glimpse of the hard work rural directors do every day.”

A sought-after clinician, Foster often presents information from her book, “Developing Error Detection Skills in the Wind Band Educator.” Three key points she emphasizes on this topic are: 1) when young directors step up on the podium, it is easy to become overwhelmed with a “wall of sound.” The book details a process for learning how to detect errors in the rehearsal setting. 2) Error detection is a learned skill. It is absolutely possible to get better – IF you work toward it. The book allows learners to work on one musical element at a time (i.e., rhythm, pitch, articulation, dynamics) before combining everything. 3) In addition to providing a process for learning this skill, the book also includes 400+ recordings to practice as you go – recordings range from solos, duets and quartets to full band examples.

At Virginia Tech, Foster broadens her students’ perspective beyond field experience and student teaching. She brings in local K-12 music educators to speak to her students about their experiences. “For example, we have a local middle school band director who specializes in ELL (English Language Learners), so she shares resources with my students to help prepare them for the classroom,” she says.

Foster tailors her program to meet each student’s goals. “It is not a one-size fits all model,” she explains. “If a student wants to be an elementary general music teacher, I make sure their experiences are crafted to meet that goal.”

Job placement rates among her graduates are near 100% because Foster helps her students navigate the job market as well as the application/interview process. “We do interview preparation in class, I share job postings, I connect them with potential employers. I want them to know that they are not alone,” she says.

Foster wants her program to have the reputation of being practical and well-rounded. She ensures that her students learn from master educators and receive real-world experiences. “You can talk about teaching music all day long, but until you get out there and do it, it’s just talk,” Foster exclaims. “Yes, our graduates can rehearse an ensemble, but they can also plan a trip, create a budget and write a purchase order, all while working to be a culturally responsive and inclusive educator. Even when student teaching days are long and the work is piling on, I always try to bring my students back to their why.”

Dr. Sarah Fabian

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Dr. Sarah Fabian

Director of Bands, Assistant Professor of Music
Gardner-Webb University
Boiling Springs, North Carolina

When Dr. Sarah Fabian, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Bands, arrived at Gardner-Webb University in Bolling Springs, North Carolina, she revamped the recruitment strategy. She visited high schools, attended music festivals and met with music educators to promote the music program at Gardner-Webb. She also made a conscious effort to personally connect with prospective students. “Whether through phone calls, emails, lessons, meetings or Zoom, I aimed to show potential students what Gardner-Webb offered in terms of personalized education, performance opportunities and mentorship,” Fabian says.

Her strategic, multifaceted approach focused on increasing visibility and creating a culture of excellence and excitement around the music ensembles — and she achieved significant growth in the number of music majors, and members of the marching band, pep band and symphonic band. “I emphasized that the marching band was not just a musical group, but a community where students could find belonging, develop leadership skills and build lasting relationships,” Fabian explains.

High schoolers were invited to band day events and were able to experience game day at GWU. The band performed at more school events, exhibitions and sports games, so students saw the value of joining a group that had a wide range of opportunities.

“The pep band became a more inclusive group by broadening the type of instruments we included, allowing nontraditional band students to join,” Fabian explains. “The pep band was moved down to the court for more visibility, and they sure bring the energy!”

A key to all of these initiatives was instilling a sense of excellence, pride, fun and a sense of belonging. Fabian continued, “I made sure my students understood the value of their hard work, and I’m proud to say that faculty, staff, students and community members often reach out to share their praise!”

In addition to attracting prospective students and engaging current students, Fabian also rebuilt alumni relations and reestablished connections with the local community. She used multiple channels — emails, phone calls, social media — to reach out to alumni and created personalized invitations to concerts and sporting events. The program’s social media pages were redesigned so people could easily stay connected.

Fabian also strengthened and rebuilt ties with the local community — and continues to do so. “Gardner-Webb has been reestablished as a resource and a positive presence in the area. We’ve hosted numerous concerts, events, clinics, masterclasses and more where we invite local residents and schools to attend,” she explains. “I continue to adjudicate in the area to meet new band directors and put Gardner-Webb’s name back out there.”

This same level of commitment is brought into her classroom and rehearsals. By maintaining high expectations while also creating a supportive, energetic environment, Fabian’s students reach their potential and enjoy the journey along the way. Her approach focuses on five areas: 1) a sense of community, 2) an engaging process, 3) tailored approach for each student, 4) a love of performance, 5) be passionate and present.

Dr. Cassandra Eisenreich

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Dr. Cassandra Eisenreich

Associate Professor of Music Education and Flute
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

Dr. Cassandra Eisenreich, Associate Professor of Music Education and Flute, founded a win-win initiative at Slippery Rock University (SRU) in Pennsylvania that bridges the gap between the school and the surrounding community. SRU’s Early Childhood and Elementary Music Community Engagement program provides young children with enriching musical experiences while offering SRU students invaluable hands-on teaching practice. It creates meaningful, community-centered learning opportunities and is tailored to foster a love of music in early childhood and elementary-aged students.

Eisenreich designs and oversees the initiative that “emphasizes active participation through singing, movement, instrumental exploration and creative expression — all rooted in play-based learning and developmentally appropriate practices,” she explains. “The initiative aims to make music education accessible, engaging and culturally inclusive, ensuring that all children feel welcomed and represented.”

Under Eisenreich’s guidance, SRU music education majors plan and facilitate these community-based sessions, and they develop teaching skills, explore innovative pedagogical methods, and learn to adapt lessons to meet the diverse needs of young learners. “This hands-on experience prepares future educators to lead classrooms with confidence and creativity while emphasizing the importance of community engagement in education,” she says.

Eisenreich also collaborates with local schools, community organizations and families to build partnerships that support music education as a vital component of early childhood development. Ongoing partnerships with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Fiddlesticks Concerts, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and more, enrich the initiative’s offerings and ensure a lasting impact on the community.

Another innovative SRU program is the certificate in Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Music Education, designed to equip educators with the tools and knowledge to create inclusive, equitable and culturally responsive music classrooms. The music education faculty collectively worked on creating the certificate’s coursework, which “prepares educators to teach in ways that sustain and celebrate cultural identities, encourage social-emotional growth and reflect the dynamic realities of today’s music students,” Eisenreich says.

A cornerstone of the certificate program is Eisenreich’s Popular Music Pedagogy class. “This course empowers educators to embrace popular music as a vital element of contemporary music education,” she explains. “Students explore songwriting, production, improvisation and performance within popular music genres while developing skills in technology, such as digital audio workstations and recording software. The course also emphasizes student-centered learning strategies, encouraging educators to guide students in discovering and expressing their unique musical voices.”

Other Modern Band offerings at SRU include the Music Education for Diverse Learners: Modern Band Unit that emphasizes inclusive strategies and differentiated instruction; General Music Modern Band Teaching that integrates modern band techniques into general music classrooms; and Popular Music Ensembles that offer students the opportunity to perform in student-led groups that explore popular music styles. All provide a contemporary approach to music education, preparing students to teach popular music genres while embracing diverse learners and environments.

Eisenreich also directs the SRU Flute Ensemble that performs a diverse repertoire that spans classical to contemporary works, often highlighting global music traditions and modern genres. The Honors Flute Ensemble, which she leads, provides young flute students with advanced performance opportunities.

In addition to her work at SRU, Eisenreich is the principal flutist with the Butler County Symphony Orchestra and performs with the award-winning Beta Quartet, a chamber ensemble known for innovative and socially conscious programming.

Laura Del Rosso

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Laura Del Rosso

Modern Band Teacher
Lower Manhattan Community Middle School,
New York City Public Schools
New York, New York

“My program is fueled on community and joy,” says Laura Del Rosso, Modern Band Teacher at Lower Manhattan Community Middle School in New York. “I believe that music-making should be FUN, from process to product, and I strive to make each and every day in music class fun and engaging,” she says. “For me, that has been the key to creating a vibrant program where my students feel safe, joyful and loved every day.”

The two components of popular music pedagogy that Del Rosso emphasizes are student choice and equity. “In a popular music classroom, students choose the music they play, the instruments they use and the method through which they learn music,” she explains.

These choices can be through technology, various types of iconic notation or standard (Western) notation. “Making all these choices allows students to be successful in their musical endeavors quickly, and does not restrain them to one type of music-making.” Del Rosso says. “This makes the classroom highly equitable because everyone is able to access success using the tools and methods that work best for them.”

To foster creativity, Del Rosso sprinkles songwriting activities into her curriculum throughout the school year. “I get mixed reactions to the process,” she says with a smile. “Some students have a lot to say and like to get their thoughts out through lyrics. Others can conceptualize an arrangement with more ease. We’ve performed one of my student’s original tunes at a concert, and I hope to have many more of those in the future!”

Del Rosso is always seeking ways to expand access for her modern band students, which often means advocating for the addition of a modern band ensemble to existing programming. “That was the genesis for the Salute to Music Modern Band program,” Del Rosso explains.

The program, which is in its third year, provides popular music education to students across all five boroughs on Saturday mornings. “In many cases, these students do not have modern band programs at their middle schools, and this is their only chance to play in a rock band with their peers,” she says. “I love seeing students from all over the city make music together and develop friendships. I’m thankful to the DOE Arts Office and to my co-director, Dawn Sotello, for making it happen with me every Saturday!”

Somehow, Del Rosso finds time to help other music educators as an Arts Office Lead Music Teacher and NYC Music Will Ambassador. She hosts professional development opportunities and meet-ups for music teachers to be in community with one another and connect with resources. “One of the best ways to improve your personal practice is to ‘talk shop’ with other educators,” Del Rosso explains. “At every meet-up, PD and event, I learn something from one of my colleagues that I bring back to my classroom and use to make myself a better educator. I feel so lucky to be a part of the vibrant music education community in NYC!”

Lindsay Cummings

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Lindsay Cummings

Artist Faculty, Musical Theatre Voice, The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University
Professor of Musical Theatre Voice, Loyola University Chicago.
Owner of Chicago Music & Acting Academy
Executive Director and Founder of Downstage Art

Expressing artistry is at the core of the teaching philosophy of Lindsay Cummings, who teaches musical theatre voice at The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and at Loyola University Chicago. “A lot of teachers get hung up on teaching technique, which is great — don’t get me wrong! But, we must encourage students to show up as their full self, and tell stories that they are passionate about,” she exclaims. “I encourage storytelling immediately in the voice studio, at all ages, to create thoughtful and curious artists.”

Cummings does this by teaching students how to listen to musical phrases, the melody line, the accompaniment and the spaces between the singing, and how they all work together to tell the story. She also developed a program along with her team called Storybuilders, which uses theater to build confidence, collaboration and communication skills in students. “Through a series of teacher-led games, writing activities, prompts and creative play, students write and perform their own original material throughout a semester,” Cummings says.

In addition to her work in higher education, Cummings offers two outlets for younger students interested in music and acting. She started Chicago Music & Acting Academy in response to a need of after-school music and theater programs. “When I worked for other programs in the city, companies would try to make kids memorize 50-page scripts and complicated songs after a seven-hour school day,” she explains. “The kids were not having fun -— they were stressed! My team and I developed programming that allowed students to take the lead in the creative process and write their own stories and songs. This turned into a much more fun and creative outlet for the students.”

Currently, Chicago Music & Acting Academy serves over 200 students in its after-school programs and 100 students in the studio programs.

The second outreach program that Cummings co-founded is Downstage Arts, a performing arts nonprofit organization that provides free college audition prep to high school juniors and seniors. This program provides students with voice lessons, acting coaching, dance classes, professional mentorship, financial aid coaching, and all the information and guidance they need to prepare for the college audition process. “Downstage Arts is in its fifth year and has admitted 100% of its participants to higher education programs throughout the country,” Cummings says proudly.

Tanatchaya “Tanya” Chanphanitpornkit

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Tanatchaya Chanphanitpornkit

Director of Orchestras
Nyack High School, New York
Lecturer of Music Education, Brooklyn College
Music Director, Crescendo Orchestra of New York Youth Symphony

According to Tanatchaya “Tanya” Chanphanitpornkit, the Director of Orchestras at Nyack High School in New York, her main goal with her students is building more than just musical skills. “We’re creating a supportive community where students inspire each other to excel and find deeper meaning in their artistry,” she says.

Her Mentorship for Musicians program does just that. Chanphanitpornkit says that there was a “critical need in our diverse Nyack community because many talented young musicians face financial barriers to accessing private music instruction, which often serves as a gateway to prestigious opportunities like All-County ensembles.”

High school students step in to help younger musicians, and they in turn discover profound meaning in their musical journey through teaching. “These relationships transform music from an individual pursuit into a shared journey of growth, where both mentor and mentee find joy and purpose in their musical development,” Chanphanitpornkit proudly says.

Another way that her program stands out is in the repertoire she chooses. “I approach repertoire selection with the same intentionality as an art curator designing an exhibition,” she explains. “I recognize that my choices have the power to either reinforce or challenge the traditional canon, and I deliberately use this platform to amplify historically underrepresented voices.”

Some of her favorite pieces that her students have played include Chin’s “In the Dreams of Zhou,” Sung’s “Chorale for String Orchestra” and Newbold’s “Orion and the Scorpion.” “Through these programming choices, I create performances that showcase our students’ musical abilities while broadening their understanding of what constitutes ‘important’ music,” Chanphanitpornkit says. “By introducing works outside the traditional canon, students recognize that musical excellence exists in many forms.”

Her teaching approach is as unique as her musical choices. Instead of treating music as an isolated subject, she weaves storytelling throughout the learning to help students understand how music reflects and enriches our daily lives. “When we explore a piece of music, we often pause to share stories about the emotions it evokes, the memories it connects to, or the way it mirrors experiences in our own lives,” she explains. “These conversations help students understand that music isn’t just notes on a page, but a way of expressing and understanding our human experience.”

She tells many stories and hopes that her students will learn that their own stories and voices matter.

Nyack High School Chamber Orchestra collaborated with EcoTones, an innovative ensemble that weaves together live instrumental music and natural spaces. Chanphanitpornkit’s students experienced how music creates connections between performers, audiences and the environment. “Students performed alongside professional musicians in one of Nyack’s public nature spaces,” she says. “The experience transformed their understanding of composition — they saw firsthand how music could respond to and enhance a specific place, creating intimate connections between performers and audience members.”

Last year, every student in her orchestra program also performed at a memorable and historic performance space — Carnegie Hall. “While the performance was exceptional, what moved me most deeply was seeing our students step onto that prestigious stage with confidence, knowing that they had earned their place there – not just as visitors, but as artists who had worked tirelessly to achieve the highest level of musical excellence,” Chanphanitpornkit says with pride.

Chanphanitpornkit is also a Lecturer of Music Education at Brooklyn College, the Music Director of Crescendo Orchestra of New York Youth Symphony and co-founder of Girls Who Conduct.

Dr. Gene Butler

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Dr. Gene Butler

Director of Bands
Smiths Station High School
Smiths Station, Alabama

Dr. Gene Butler is only the third Director of Bands at Smiths Station High School in Alabama since 1972. The other two — Mr. Rick Teel and Dr. Rusty Courson — were Butler’s band directors during his middle school and high school years. As the first SSHS alumnus to serve as Director of Bands, Butler, along with his colleagues, has focused on growing the music program, which serves students in grades 7 through 12. These recruitment efforts have increased enrollment by over 50% — from 316 students to 478 — and the marching band is expected to exceed 200 members next year. “When I arrived at Smiths Station, there was no elementary music program, so we began working with our elementary school teachers, visiting their classrooms multiple times a year to engage with elementary students,” Butler explains.

A successful strategy was having students take an informal music assessment test followed by contacting individual parents about their child’s music potential. “This personal contact proved valuable because it gave us the opportunity not only to discuss the value of band participation but also to address any questions parents had, particularly about conflicts between band and athletics in middle school,” he says.

Butler also spearheaded the creation of summer music camps for all Lee County Schools. Prior to COVID-19, there was limited collaboration among the four band programs in the district. The challenges of virtual learning prompted the band directors to work together. “In the summer of 2023, we partnered with our central office to offer band-specific camps for all students across the county,” Butler says proudly. “These camps were held alongside summer school, providing students with access to free meals and transportation.”

Building on the success of the summer band camps, Butler and his colleagues continued to collaborate, creating the Lee County Honor Band in January 2024. In its first year, the district had a middle school and high school honor bands with about 150 students participating. This year, a choir component was added, and more than 200 students from all attendance zones in Lee County Schools took part. “While the events have the title of honor band and honor choir, we welcome any student who chooses to apply. The primary goal is to help every student learn and be successful,” Butler states.

The district band directors collaborated again to create a plan for ESSER funding. The first time they submitted their proposal, they received no response. About a year later, when the administration had remaining funds to allocate, Butler and the other band directors resubmitted the plan. “We requested the purchase of $900,000 worth of instruments and $300,000 for additional support services,” he explains. “Our request was fully approved!”

In addition to recruitment and funding, Butler has also started several new ensembles at SSHS. “Being a well-rounded musician involves three key components: large ensemble, small group and individual practice or lessons. To be a complete musician, participation in all three is important,” Butler says.

The SSHS band program offers large ensemble opportunities through concert bands and marching band. Initially, the only small group was jazz band, but Butler has since expanded. “The development of our chamber ensembles began through partnerships with local universities, where music education students volunteered to teach after school once a week,” Butler explains.

Students participate in a masterclass for the first hour, followed by chamber music rehearsal for the second hour. “This initiative significantly improved our students’ musical knowledge and performance skills,” Butler says proudly.

Currently, Smiths Station offers eight chamber ensembles during late fall. These groups perform regularly at the Alabama State Department of Education, the Alabama State Capitol Building and for the Alabama Music Educators Association.

During the 2020-2021 school year, students had the option to attend school virtually or in person. Remote students were not allowed on campus during the school day, but they could participate in after-school activities. “One of our biggest concerns for virtual band students was how they could continue in an ensemble after marching band season ended.,” Butler says “To address this, we created the Extracurricular Concert Band, which met once a week after school. This band included virtual students on their primary instruments and in-person students on a secondary instrument.”

Seeing the success of students on secondary instruments, Butler wanted to continue this idea and proposed transitioning the group into the Smiths Station Community Band. “We opened this band up to anyone within driving distance who could play an instrument, and the group now has around 70 members, ranging in age from 14 to 81. The community band puts on several concerts each year, bringing music to our local area,” Butler says proudly.

Nick Blue

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Nick Blue

Assistant Director of Bands
Franklin High School
Franklin, Tennessee

Nick Blue was recently named the Assistant Director of Bands at Franklin High School in Tennessee. The school’s band is a seven-time Tennessee State Marching Band Champion and has marched in the Tournament of Roses Parade, twice in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and in the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Blue would like to grow the band program at Franklin High by continuing to engage with the schools in the cluster, and to provide students with opportunities and instruction that will allow them to experience musical excellence.

This is exactly what he did during his time at Grassland Middle School, one of the high school’s feeder schools. He grew the program there from 120 to over 230 students. “Recruiting is all about relationships and enthusiasm,” Blue explains.

He visits all 4th- and 5th-grade music classes, and when these students come to Grassland to tour the campus, they’re already familiar with what the band and orchestra offer. “When students recognize you and know ahead of time how awesome playing an instrument is, it’s a no brainer for them to join your program,” Blue explains. “Students remain in music when they experience magic in the classroom every day, and when they feel celebrated for their successes. I try to do that for every student, every day.”

When Blue started teaching in Williamson County, he realized that while there were numerous summer opportunities for high school band students, almost none existed for middle school students. So, he created one! “I partnered with several band directors across the county to advertise the camp and developed an experience that would be beneficial for students and fulfilling for the instructors,” Blue says proudly. “The camp has become a great way for students to keep their playing chops up over the summer, for our band programs and students to develop closer ties, and for the staff to fellowship with one another and make connections with even more students.”

Blue also worked closely with Susan Abell, the Orchestra Director at Grassland. “We developed a method of collaboration that allowed all stakeholders to know that we were a team, and we wanted every child to be in the music ensemble that is best for them,” he says.

Both Blue and Abell were intentional advocates for each other’s students and even swapped classes on occasion. “We always presented a united front to parents and administration, and were always highly visible at community events. We found that we had more interest from the community, more enthusiasm from students, and a bigger seat at the table with school administration,” he says.

Blue acknowledges that teaching music is a great joy and privilege. “I would be content for my work to remain anonymous, but to be recognized for my efforts is very rewarding,” he humbly says. “This is a great reminder that what we do is absolutely worth it and really does make a difference to so many.”

Michael Blanco

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

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Michael Blanco

Assistant Director of Mariachi
Las Vegas High School
Las Vegas, Nevada

Imagine being invited to perform at the White House with your ensemble! That’s what happened to Michael Blanco, Assistant Director of Mariachi at Las Vegas High School. In the fall of 2024, Mariachi Joya, the school’s award-winning group, was invited by President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, at the recommendation of Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto, to perform at the White House Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. “Mariachi Joya was the first school mariachi to ever receive an honor such as this,” Blanco explains. “It was a surreal experience, and I am grateful to the community, the rest of the team I work with, and our administration of their support.”

In addition to their once-in-a-lifetime performance, the students toured the West Wing and saw the Oval Office and the Situation Room.

Blanco is not one to rest on the laurels of Mariachi Joya’s success and popularity. He saw that the bow placement and technique of the violinists in the group needed to improve. “Students can easily develop bad habits in their personal practice,” he explains. “When I joined the team at LVHS, I made it my mission to go back to the basics in terms of violin bow technique. We worked on exactly what ‘hinges’ to use (wrist, then elbow, then shoulder). I brought in my interpretation of mariachi violin playing, being extremely picky about how each style of mariachi song should be played.”

Along with the mariachi teaching staff, Blanco created a new warm-up sequence for all instruments and vocals. “There aren’t a ton of method books for mariachi education. So, we developed new routines. Now, scales and arpeggios are part of everyday rehearsal as well as a rigorous vocal warm-up,” he says.

Outside of his work at Las Vegas High, Blanco is the director of Mariachi Paloma Azteca, a community mariachi group. “It has been a privilege to lead these musicians and give back to the community that raised me,” he says proudly. “While helping lead a school group is a big passion, it is wonderful to lead a community group as well. We perform every weekend at parties and events, and we also go on tour once or twice a year for large competitions and shows.”

Erin Barra

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

2025 Yamaha

Erin Barra

Executive Director, We Make Noise
Assistant Professor and Director of the Popular Music Program
Arizona State University

Empowerment is a core value for Erin Barra, the Executive Director of We Make Noise and an Assistant Professor and Director of the Popular Music Program at Arizona State University.

“Empowerment seeps into all facets of my life — it’s why I gravitate toward education and advocacy work, it’s how I parent, and it’s the foundation of my relationship to music,” she says. “My parents always reinforced that I could do and be whatever I wanted, so whenever I’m confronted with the opposite sentiment, my impulse is to rage against the machine. As my career has evolved, I’ve learned to harness that energy and use it to empower people and change systems.”

Her teaching philosophy is built on three pillars:

Education — giving people the skills and information they need in order to do work.
Community Building — creating social networks and support systems since they are necessary for success in any industry.
Professional Development — giving people real opportunities to work and get their foot in the door.

“I believe that when we focus on these outcomes and create the right environments for them to exist, then the rest falls into place,” Barra says.

In 2013, Barra founded We Make Noise, an organization that blends music creation, technology training, community building and career development to advance global gender equity and equip communities with tools that cultivate limitless potential. “There came a point in my career as a woman in music tech where I felt like I was one of one,” she recalls. “The more visible I became, the more othered and isolated I was. However, in the same breath, the more visible I became, the more people who shared my story and experiences were reaching out to me for support.”

We Make Noise started with a single classroom on the outskirts of Manhattan. Now, it operates in over 55 cities across six continents, in partnership with many regional leaders and collaborators. “There are a lot of people who have come through We Make Noise who are now working as engineers, producers, writers, playback engineers, educators, etc. Their success is what I’m most proud of,” Barra exclaims.

Evan Aguilar

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

Meet the 2024 “40 Under 40” Educators

2025 Yamaha

Evan Aguilar

Director of Choral and Piano Activities
Cibola High School
Albuquerque Public Schools
New Mexico

Collaboration is a key component of Evan Aguilar’s music program at Cibola High School in New Mexico. As the Director of Choral and Piano Activities at Cibola as well as at Albuquerque Public Schools, Aguilar has worked with people at the school and in the community to provide more opportunities for his students.

Last year, the drama and choir departments worked together on “Mamma Mia,” and the production was awarded Best Production at New Mexico’s Enchantment Awards. “This process involved hours of rehearsals, auditions, training students in their stagecraft and giving kids the tools to unleash their artistry on stage,” he proudly says.

This year, Quintessence, a group Aguilar sings with, brought their composer-in-residence to talk with his students about composing. Aguilar also invited the University of New Mexico Concert Choir, which gave him his wings to sing when he was in college, to perform with his students.

Another collaboration was with Dr. Jisook Park, a visiting professor at Eastern New Mexico University. Together Park and Aguilar performed a four-hands music recital of Brahms, Mozart and Pizaolla, after which Park presented a masterclass to the students at Cibola and another district high school. “We wanted to show how fun piano literature can be and how much fun performers can have collaborating,” Aguilar explains.

Creativity is another key element in Aguilar’s program. He spearheaded a piano orchestra where students were assigned parts and played on different voice settings on keyboards to create an ensemble. “Kids were overjoyed to play synth strings, woodwinds and world instruments. We performed arrangements I made of Taylor Swift songs, Disney tunes and pieces written by my former piano teacher, Dennis Alexander, for piano ensemble,” Aguilar explains. “We performed our works, and students were engaged with one another, accountable to the ensemble, and they had a group effort that was unique — especially for a pianist. I am doing my best to develop piano orchestras into a movement!”

Aguilar also uses an innovative recruitment tool to build interest in his program. On its Instagram page, @CHS_A2Studio, students brainstorm video concepts and then post them. “It has turned into a fun, off-the-wall way to assess playing and singing, and it provides students the chance to shine in a way they are not normally used to. I have seen so much excitement build for my program through ventures like these,” he says.

As the Elementary Festival Choir Conductor for Albuquerque Public Schools, Aguilar connects with students at Cibola’s feeder schools. He has his high school students work with elementary students across the district to model positive behavior, vocal technique and the importance of singing throughout their lives. “My high schoolers get the chance to remember just how important music advocacy is, how much they’ve grown since elementary school, and how their volunteering can better local music,” he explains. “More locally, we’ve done an ‘informance’ at the elementary school up the street, and we’ve done tours and joint performances with our middle schools to vertically align our programs.”

According to Aguilar. “Cibola’s music program is a hub of developing young artists who are kind, motivated and self-sufficient in their learning. Community is key here, and we’ve got an amazing one!”

40 Under 40 – 2025

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

2025 Yamaha “40 Under 40” — Music Education Excellence

Yamaha launched the “40 Under 40” music education advocacy program in 2021 to celebrate and recognize outstanding young music educators who are making a difference by growing and strengthening their music programs. Now, we celebrate our fifth group of remarkable educators whose classrooms are safe spaces where musicality, creativity and innovation thrive.

These 40 educators — all under the age of 40 — showcase the following characteristics: action (anticipate what needs to be done and proactively take the necessary steps that lead to a stronger music program), courage (propose and implement new or bold ideas), creativity (show innovation and imagination in achieving plans and objectives) and growth (establish, grow or improve music education in their schools and communities).

We received hundreds of nominations from students and parents, teachers and administrators, local instrument dealers and mentors. The 40 educators below emphasize care and compassion with their students above all else as they elevate music and music-making in their schools and communities — like Dr. Liliana Guerrero, who introduces opera to elementary school students; Annie Ray, who started an orchestra for students with significant and severe disabilities; Michael Blanco, who took his award-winning mariachi ensemble to the White House to perform for President Joe Biden; Coty Raven Morris, who designed a houseless choir in her community; and Laura Del Rosso, who started a Saturday program to introduce middle school students to popular music education.

All the “40 Under 40” educators have remarkable stories , and you’ll be inspired by all of them.

Join us in applauding the 2025 class of “40 Under 40” educators.

Meet the 2023 “40 Under 40” Educators

Meet the 2022 “40 Under 40” Educators

Meet the 2021 “40 Under 40” Educators

Top Photo by Shutterstock/Malikova Nina

2025 Yamaha

Jacob Abbott

Performing Arts Director
Dresden High School
Dresden, Tennessee

2025 Yamaha

Evan Aguilar

Director of Choral and Piano Activities
Cibola High School
Albuquerque Public Schools
New Mexico

2025 Yamaha

Erin Barra

Executive Director, We Make Noise
Assistant Professor and Director of the Popular Music Program
Arizona State University

2025 Yamaha

Michael Blanco

Assistant Director of Mariachi
Las Vegas High School
Las Vegas, Nevada

2025 Yamaha

Nick Blue

Assistant Director of Bands
Franklin High School
Franklin, Tennessee

2025 Yamaha

Dr. Gene Butler

Director of Bands
Smiths Station High School
Smiths Station, Alabama

2025 Yamaha

Tanatchaya Chanphanit-
pornkit

Director of Orchestras
Nyack High School, New York
Lecturer of Music Education, Brooklyn College
Music Director, Crescendo Orchestra of NYYS

2025 Yamaha

Lindsay Cummings

Professor of Musical Theatre Voice, The Chicago College of Performing Arts and Loyola University, Chicago
Owner, Chicago Music & Acting Academy
Executive Director and Founder, Downstage Arts

cummings-lindsay

2025 Yamaha

Laura Del Rosso

Modern Band Teacher
Lower Manhattan Community Middle School, New York City Public Schools
New York, New York

2025 Yamaha

Dr. Cassandra Eisenreich

Associate Professor of Music Education and Flute
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

2025 Yamaha

Dr. Sarah Fabian

Director of Bands, Assistant Professor of Music
Gardner-Webb University
Boiling Springs, North Carolina

2025 Yamaha

Dr. Catheryn Shaw Foster

Assistant Professor of Practice of Music Education
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

2025 Yamaha

Lee B. Gibson

Assistant Director of Bands
Barberton CIty Schools,
Barberton, Ohio

2025 Yamaha

Paul Glader

Band and Choir Director
Bethel-Tate Middle School
Bethel, Ohio

2025 Yamaha

Dr. Marissa Guarriello

Visiting Assistant Professor of String Music Education
University of North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina

2025 Yamaha

Dr. Liliana Guerrero

Assistant Professor of Voice
Butler School of Music. University of Texas, Austin
Austin, Texas

2025 Yamaha

Bob Habersat

Director, Shedthemusic
Commercial Music Teacher
Oak Lawn Community High School
Oak Lawn, Illinois

2025 Yamaha

Dr. Cordara X. Harper

Assistant Professor of Music Education, Choir Director, Music Education Coordinator, Vocal Music Coordinator
Grambling State University
Grambling, Louisiana

2025 Yamaha

Alex Hitrick

7-12 Music Teacher
Broadalbin-Perth Jr./Sr. High School
Broadalbin, New York

2025 Yamaha

Cody Jackson

Band Director
Heights Middle School
Farmington, New Mexico

2025 Yamaha

Zane Kaiser

Band and Orchestra Teacher
Justice Page Middle School, Minneapolis Public Schools
Minneapolis, Minnesota

2025 Yamaha

Shan Kazmi

Director of Bands
Zion-Benton Township High School
Zion, Illinois

2025 Yamaha

Liam Keller

Director of Orchestras
Chatham High School, Lafayette Avenue School
Chatham, New Jersey

2025 Yamaha

Orien Landis

Director of Bands
American Fork High School
American Fork, Utah

2025 Yamaha

Christopher McCurdy

Band Director
Ulysses S. Grant High School
Portland, Oregon

2025 Yamaha

Coty Raven Morris

Hinckley Assistant Professor of Choir, Music Education and Social Justice
Portland State University
Portland, Oregon

2025 Yamaha

Kevin Morrison

Director of Bands
Lambert High School
Suwanee, Georgia

2025 Yamaha

Leah Motl

Orchestra Teacher
IJ Holton Intermediate School
Austin, Minnesota

2025 Yamaha

Adam Odenwelder

Guitar Teacher
Belmont Ridge Middle School
Leesburg, Virginia

2025 Yamaha

Kate Phillips

PK-5 Music Teacher
Grant Avenue Elementary School
Bronx, New York

2025 Yamaha

Nicholas Popovich

Music Technology Teacher
Shadow Mountain High School
Phoenix, Arizona

2025 Yamaha

Joshua Race

Director of Bands
Fountain-Fort Carson High School,
Fountain, Colorado

2025 Yamaha

Annie Ray

Orchestra Director and Performing Arts Department Chair
Annandale High School,
Annandale,Virginia

2025 Yamaha

Michael Schnell

Middle School Band Teacher
Oostburg School District
Oostburg, Wisconsin

2025 Yamaha

Dr. Andrew Stetson

Director, School of Music
Texas Tech University School of Music
Lubbock, Texas

2025 Yamaha

Lilly Streich

5-12 Vocal Music Teacher
Galena Unit School District
Galena, Illinois

2025 Yamaha

Riley Warren

Director of Percussion, Assistant Band Director
Forney High School
Forney, Texas

2025 Yamaha

Kim Webb

Director of Bands
Greene County Tech School District
Paragould, Arkansas

2025 Yamaha

Dr. Aaron J. Witek

Assistant Professor of Trumpet, Coordinator of Brass and Percussion
Stetson University
DeLand, Florida

2025 Yamaha

Dr. Rachel Woolf

Assistant Professor of Flute
The University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas

Jacob Abbott

Written by jkikuchi@yamaha.com on January 30, 2025. Posted in 2025.

2025 Yamaha

Jacob Abbott

Performing Arts Director
Dresden High School
Dresden, Tennessee

The music program at Dresden High School in Tennessee went from “zero to hero” in the time that Jacob Abbott has served as its Performing Arts Director. Before Abbott came to Dresden, there was only one Music Appreciation class offered. Now, there are several General Music classes, Contemporary Music (ROAR), Choir and the resurrection of the concert band (The Pride of Dresden).

The lack of opportunities for his students was Abbott’s greatest motivator in transforming the program. “Growing up, I had access to a traditional band program and the ability to play in garage bands with my friends. The students at Dresden didn’t have that when I started. Regardless of their ultimate level of achievement, all schools should provide the opportunity for students to explore music,” he explains.

Abbott built the General Music curriculum to cater to students who had no musical experience. “Over the course of the school year, I build complete musicians. These students learn basic rhythm through body percussion and bucket drumming, pitch through boom whackers, piano, ukulele and guitar, and finish the year with various ensemble configurations,” he says.

The sum of their learning is showcased at a performance in the theater in front of a packed crowd of their peers.

In his Contemporary Music class, students are part of ROAR, a cover band, and learn guitar, bass, keys, and drum set through popular styles of music. ROAR serves as the pep band for multiple home basketball games, performing between quarters and during halftime. “This year, we began learning how to record both full group and individual tracks with a DAW [digital audio workstation], and many students have begun writing their own songs,” Abbott says proudly.

Outside of basketball games, ROAR performs at multiple local events each semester, such as the amateur wrestling fundraiser at Dresden Middle School. “Anywhere I can find a crowd who likes rock and pop music, we show up,” Abbott says with a smile

The idea of bringing back the traditional band started at the middle school level. Rebecca Steele, the Assistant Band Director, was initially hired as a general music teacher for Dresden Middle School. Her class numbers exploded over the first few years, which prompted discussions about bringing back the traditional program. “Initially, we were going to offer it exclusively at the middle school and let the students trickle up to me,” Abbott explains. “However, the 8th graders that year were very vocal about not missing out on the opportunity, so we scheduled both the middle school and high school concert bands simultaneously in 2023. Currently, we have 35 to 40 students in our middle school program, and I have 20 at the high school.”

According to Abbott, the school district provided the necessary funding for his plans for growth, including and materials to get started. “The district purchased a tuba, euphonium and various percussion instruments for each building and created a budget that we have used to overhaul the older instruments left from the original band program,” he says. “Most of our students are renting their horns through Amro Music, but many need a school-owned instrument. Without the district’s support, this band program would not exist.”

The community has also been a source of funding and support. Every public concert has a large crowd, and many local organizations have made donations, which Abbott has used for instruments and materials. “The local paper covers our events regularly, and many individuals and businesses have come forward wanting to support our efforts,” he says. “We are starting to see community members with no direct connection to the schools show up and support the students!”

One of Abbott’s proudest moments happened with his choir. Every December, the choir spends a day caroling at nursing home facilities. “A few years ago, we sang ‘White Christmas’ for a man who was recovering from a stroke. He couldn’t speak, but as we sang, tears started running down his face,” Abbott recalls. “I don’t know how we were able to finish the song because eventually, we were all crying. I found out a few weeks later that the man had passed away right after Christmas, and I am beyond proud that my students made one of his last days so special.”

A Bassist’s Guide to Turnarounds

Written by E.E. Bradman on January 29, 2025. Posted in Bass.

A turnaround, also called a “turnback,” is a sequence of chords or notes (usually two to four bars in length) that leads back to the beginning of the main chord progression, or sometimes to a new section of the tune. Think of it as a musical way to say, “Here we go again!” Turnarounds are a key part of many styles of music, especially jazz and blues, and they’re a great way to keep your bass playing interesting and connected to the harmony.

Here are some tips for constructing effective turnarounds.

GOING TO THE FIVE

The best way to get back to the I (the root chord of a song) is by going to the fifth chord of the key —“the V” or the dominant — first. The tension and release of going from V to I is called a perfect cadence in classical music, and you’ll hear it at the end of many pieces of music, from the crashing end chords of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 to Prince’s “Starfish and Coffee,” where the third and fourth chords in the repeating four-chord progression are V-I. The perfect cadence has such a strong sense of completion that even when you tamper with it by using inversions, suspensions, substitutions or chromatic alterations, it still works.

Basic turnarounds are simply various ways to get to the V. Without a turnaround, for example, a 12-bar blues in E looks and sounds like this:

E7 (I) → E7 → E7 → E7 → A7 (iv) → A7 → E7 (I) → E7 → B7 (V) → A7 (iv) → E7 (I) → E7

This sounds fine, but we can make things interesting by replacing the last two bars of E7 with a I–vi–ii–V turnaround, with each chord lasting for two beats. Listen to how bars 11 and 12 now set us up to get back to the top of the form:

E7 (I) → C#m7 (vi) → F#m7 (ii) → B7 (V)

Another option, the iii–vi–ii–V-I turnaround replaces the I with the iii chord, G#m7:

G#m7 (iii) → C#m7 (vi) → F#m7 (ii) → B7 (V)

You can also take two bars to walk down from the vii (D) to the V (in the key of E, that’s B)…

… or walk up from the iii (G#) to the V (B):

POP TURNAROUNDS

Classic pop music uses turnarounds too. One great example is in Stevie Wonder’s “I Was Made to Love Her,” where James Jamerson doubles a guitar part for the vocal-less break in bar 4 of every verse. Some might consider Jamerson’s part a fill, but fills can function as turnarounds too, if they happen during a return to the top (or next section). Check out Verdine White’s cool line at the end of choruses in Earth Wind & Fire’s “Sing a Song” and Thundercat’s juicy turnback at the 1:00 mark in Mac Miller’s “Five Dollar Pony Rides.”

Many of today’s pop songs have the same four changes for both verse and chorus, but there’s still usually some way to discern between the two sections, even if it’s with production, like a band break, a new synth, a specific accent or a rhythmic phrase (think Bad Bunny’s “NUEVAYoL”). When bassists step up their turnaround game, as did this unidentified player on Otis Kane’s “Breathe,” the results can be spectacular.

HOW TO PRACTICE TURNAROUNDS

Start by playing the root of each chord. Keep it simple so you can lock in with the drummer and feel the pulse. Once you’re comfortable with root notes, try connecting them by walking up or down the scale to the next root or using chromatic passing tones (like E → D → Db → C when moving from E7 to Cm7). Play with rhythm; instead of just playing straight quarter notes, experiment with syncopation or different rhythms that add some personality. The best way to learn, of course, is to loop the end of a section and experiment with various approaches.

Now that you’re tuned into turnarounds, you may find yourself noticing how bass players end sections and signal the upcoming ones. Next time, we’ll talk about chord substitutions, which will add spice, variety and so many more options to your bag of turnaround tricks.

Adding Atmosfeel™ to the Equation: FG9 X and FS9 X Acoustic/Electric Guitars

Written by Robbie Calvo on January 21, 2025. Posted in Acoustic Guitars.

In 2023, Yamaha launched their flagship line of FG9 dreadnought acoustic guitars, followed in 2024 with the smaller concert-body FS9.

Both guitars represent the pinnacle of Japanese craftsmanship and acoustic tone. They feature a solid Adirondack spruce tops, with the option of either solid Indian rosewood or solid African mahogany back and sides.

These lightweight, handcrafted instruments quickly found favor with the acoustic guitar elite, professional player and serious semi-pro looking for the absolute best in acoustic tone. I have had both guitars in my studio, and can validate just how beautiful they sound in front of a microphone.

But what happens when you’re playing live and the microphones available are of less than optimum quality? (This sometimes happens even in home studios.) Enter the just-released FG9 X and FS9 X, both of which enable you to amplify that great tone onstage without the need for microphones at all.

That’s because the FG9 X and FS9 X are identical to their all-acoustic siblings, but come equipped with the amazing Atmosfeel™ pickup system. Intrigued? Read on …

What is Atmosfeel?

Anyone who’s been following my postings on a regular basis will know that I often rave about FSX and FGX Red Label Series acoustic guitars (particularly the FSX3 — a workhorse both in my studio and onstage), which also come equipped with Atmosfeel — the name Yamaha gives to their proprietary three-way pickup system.

Here’s how Atmosfeel works:

Under the bridge, there’s a piezo sensor to capture the low frequencies
There’s also a small built-in microphone to capture the midrange frequencies, as well as some of the lows
Finally, there’s a thin sheet sensor to capture the high frequencies coming from the guitar’s Adirondack spruce top

Three rotary dials on the top of an acoustic guitar.

There are three Atmosfeel rotary dial controls, all located on the upper side of the guitar (facing the player). The first allows you to blend the microphone signal with the output of the two sensors. This way, you can choose to not engage the microphone at all, or to blend in as much microphone as you want.

The second rotary dial is the master volume. A green LED lights up on this control when you plug a jack into the end-pin socket.

The third rotary dial governs the bass frequency. This is a set bass frequency that you can choose to cut or boost from its center detent.

All Atmosfeel controls are super intuitive and easy to access during live performance. All you need to do is adjust them based on what you’re hearing from your guitar amp, monitoring system and/or P.A.

Atmosfeel Isn’t Just for Live Performance

I’m lucky in that I have a selection of microphones that I can use to capture the sound of acoustic instruments and vocals in my studio, but sometimes I just want to capture ideas quickly and add other instruments later.

I think most people would agree that, in general, pickups don’t always do a good job of translating the natural sounds of acoustic guitars. Well, let me tell you, the Atmosfeel system in FG9 X and FS9 X guitars sounds absolutely incredible both onstage and when directly recorded to my laptop DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).

It literally takes seconds to dial exactly what you are hearing acoustically into the sound you’re hearing on my studio playback system. In my case, all I had to do was set the bass control to around 11 o’clock (thus cutting the low frequencies slightly); this allowed strumming and picking parts to sit better in the mix. I also like more of the microphone blended into the mix, so I set that at around 2 o’clock on the rotary dial.

Remember that if you opt to use the microphone in your recorded signal, you should monitor it over headphones, as the built-in FG9 X / FS9 X mic is sensitive enough to capture other acoustic sounds in the room and/or the sound of instruments coming from your speakers. On stage you may choose to use less of the microphone, especially at higher volumes, as it may cause feedback problems. (Yamaha provides a sound hole cover to rectify this, if needed.) Also, if you’re an accompanist who plays solo lines, you may find that boosting the bass frequency helps single notes stand out.

Tonewoods

Like their all-acoustic cousins, FG9 X and FS9 X guitars feature solid Adirondack spruce tops. The FG9 MX / FS9 MX models have a solid African mahogany back and sides, while the FG9 RX / FS9 RX has a solid Indian rosewood back and sides. (The X indicates the onboard Atmosfeel pickup system.)

A man playing an acoustic guitar with medium brown sides. — *FG9 MX.*

A man playing an acoustic guitar with dark brown sides. — *FS9 RX.*

The necks are bolt-on and glued one-piece mahogany with ebony fingerboards, bone nuts and open-gear tuners. The headstock facing on both guitars is ebony with a spruce inlay for the Yamaha logo.

The bridges are also ebony, with a compensated bone bridge saddle.

Playability

The solid mahogany neck on all “X” models is finished with a satin nitrocellulose, which makes transitions along the fretboard smooth and stick-free. The fretwork is impeccable, as is the intonation in every position: open, mid-way along the fretboard, and in the upper regions.

The neck dimensions are comfortable for even the newbie guitar player, as well as the electric player making transitions between electric and acoustic guitar onstage or in the studio.

Aesthetics

Yamaha has kept the “bling factor” to a minimum on these understated yet stunning guitars. The tonewoods have something of a natural illumination due to their premium quality, and the thin nitrocellulose finishes not only look great but allow the guitars to resonate fully. All models have highly figured straight grain on their tops, which is visually striking in person and on camera.

The sound hole and purfling are adorned with a traditional Japanese rope-shaped motif, while the fingerboard inlays resemble Kumiki woodworking for each of the fretboard position markers.

An acoustic guitar soundhole with purling around the edges.

In addition, the mahogany neck on the “R” (rosewood) models has been shaded to transition between the two tonewoods, which is a really lovely touch.

Rear view of an acoustic guitar showing how the neck color blends with the color of the back.

Finally, all FG9 X and FS9 X guitars come standard with a tweed hardshell case — the first I’ve seen from Yamaha. Very nice indeed!

An acoustic guitar in a hardshell tweed case.

Tonality

The larger FG models exude more bass frequencies than their smaller FS concert-body brethren regardless of the body tonewood being used. I also found that FG X guitars were warmer for both picking and strumming passages than their equivalent FS X models, although the latter cut through a little better.

Of course, everyone’s tonal preferences are subjective, so I think you’ll be able to draw your own conclusions from the music and isolated sound samples in the video below.

The Video

To give you a solid comparison between the two guitars, I created this video, with me playing the exact same parts on an FS9 RX and an FG9 MX, including all overdubs and solo lines.

First up is the FS9 RX. I start with a fingerstyle passage, followed by a strumming part and solo slide lines with an added harmony a third above. Next, I play the same exact parts on an FG9 MX. The pickup settings on both guitars were exactly the same, and weren’t changed for any of the parts played.

Later in the video you’ll hear the main rhythm parts isolated for further comparison.

The Wrap-Up

I’ve been lucky enough to play and own some very nice acoustic guitars. The downside to every one of them was the quality of the amplified tone.

With the original FG9 and FS9, Yamaha crafted amazing guitars for the discerning player. The new “X” models add the ability to translate their extraordinary acoustic tones faithfully, either directly through a guitar amp, P.A. system or audio interface using the Atmosfeel pickup system.

If you value and demand playability, acoustic tone and ultimate flexibility from your acoustic guitar, the FG9 X and FS9 X should be very high on your list.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR.

Will Wells

Written by Cesar Garcia on January 20, 2025. Posted in Stories, Three440.

Living in Purpose, Making Room for More Magic

Will Wells on the second movement of his career and the intermission that’s made it so meaningful

Written by Lisa Battles

Following his studies in film scoring, music production and engineering at Berklee College of Music, Will Wells established a relatively astonishing list of credits over a decade.

He served as the electronic music producer for “Hamilton.” He was the executive producer and co-writer for Cynthia Erivo’s debut album, and Anthony Ramos’ first EP and subsequent first two full albums. He’s music directed the Heisman Trophy ceremony live broadcasts for years and composed its first theme song. He’s also held many musical direction, performance and production roles touring with artists such as LMFAO, Nikki Yanofsky, Imagine Dragons and Logic. These highlights scratch the surface.

Then Wells took a long beat. From August 2022 to the following summer, he stepped away for an intermission that set up the second movement of his career, now underway and progressing beautifully. While there are times when the pace is as rigorous as ever, he’s established a more deliberate dynamic and tone – fully living in his purpose and bringing more thought and intention to every moment.

Wells recently shared insights from then to now in a talk that followed eight days of nearly nonstop work. He’d been in the studio for a yet-to-be-announced album, separately reviving another exciting collaboration with Ramos, and directing music for the 2024 Heisman Trophy Ceremony – all during unexpected and emotional circumstances impacting him and his family. He says the demands of the week reminded him of how his life used to be and also revealed how his mindset shift prepared him for things he never expected.

“What I can say with every fiber of my being is that it was 100 percent worth it,” Wells says. “ […] There’s a moment in the second movement of ‘Karelia Suite [Op. 11]’ by Sibelius where the ensemble just holds a note and lets it sit and lets it breathe. You have to wait for it. And then it opens up and swells into the most gorgeous chorale. I am in a place in my life where I’m just letting the notes breathe a little bit more. I’m letting myself breathe a little bit more.”

Enchanted trajectory

It took keen self-awareness and a lot of inward work to get to this place, not to mention a fair amount of courage to pause when he did. Most would agree Wells’ early career seemed almost charmed by a series of fortunate events.

Within one week of moving to LA after graduating college, Wells landed a job working for Alex Lacamoire as a music department assistant on “Bring It On: The Musical” at the Ahmanson Theatre. His work on that production introduced him to writer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda and choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler – and ultimately the opportunity to work on “Hamilton.”

“It felt like an enchanted trajectory,” Wells says. “Imagine that, literally within a week after arriving in Los Angeles, these are the people I was so fortunate to be in a room with day after day, which led to some incredible opportunities later in life.”

More opportunities opened while working for and being mentored by Richard Gibbs at Woodshed Recording, where he forged working relationships with some of the world’s most celebrated artists. Those connections often led to touring gigs, songwriting collaborations and production projects.

Meanwhile, having made a fast friend and collaborator in Ramos during their work on “Hamilton,” Wells executive produced the artist’s first EP and two subsequent albums. He also co-produced the highly acclaimed song, “Stand Up,” performed by Cynthia Erivo in her leading role in “Harriet,” the 2019 biographical film about Harriet Tubman. That same year, former ESPN Vice President of Production Kate Jackson (now Netflix Director of Sports) extended the opportunity to compose the first-ever theme music for the Heisman Trophy Presentation, which he seized and directed live with a flourish. He then executive produced Erivo’s debut album, “Ch. 1 Vs. 1,” released in 2021.

While the successes kept coming, Wells’ finely tuned ear eventually turned inward to notice something was off.

Following the feeling

The Eureka moment came when he was en route to direct music for the 2021 ESPN Sports Humanitarian Awards, he says. Wells called his mother in tears and said he missed his friends and family.

“The irony being that my band was some of my closest friends, and they were all flown out to perform for this ceremony,” Wells says. He adds that when these types of performances ended, allowing everyone time to relax, he’d skip socializing and head back to the studio to write more music.

“Leading up to some of these really incredible and special moments is that my internal dialogue would be saying ‘I have the Heisman ceremony on Saturday. I can’t wait for Sunday.’ You know, what a profound way to disrespect the beauty that is that moment. That I get to contribute music to a night that will be so important not just for the finalist who wins but for all the people around him,” Wells says. “I want to be there. I want to feel that energy and that celebration, as well. I don’t want to be drained. I want to be fully there. I want the ensemble I am so fortunate to have committing time to performing with me to feel that from the top down: I am excited about what we’re about to do, and that I honor these gifts that we have been blessed with.”

Wells adds that he equates not being present in that way to “abusing his blessing” and in some regards was “teetering on abuse and self-abuse” for the latter part of those first 10 years of work.

“That was really the catalyst for taking a moment, taking an intermission, to think about my intentions for every single thing I did next,” Wells says. “There is always room for magic, but [I realized] if I can be intentional about what I accept, what I don’t accept, what the sacrifice is, it would help me understand what is and what is not worth it.”

Stating his purpose

Wells says he immediately paid more attention to his mental and physical health, including starting therapy. Another first step was to call and book a meeting with a mentor, renowned organizational consultant Pat Richie of The Table Group, a former longtime chaplain to the San Francisco 49ers.

“He is just an incredible thinker and leader. The first question he asked me while in his backyard in Houston was, ‘So Will, what’s your purpose?’ And I was like, ‘Oh, that’s where we’re starting? That’s a huge question!’” Wells says.

The work to arrive at a clear purpose statement called upon him to inventory his life highlights and consider when he felt most alive and satisfied. Wells recalls several:

On creating an impromptu string arrangement of the Heisman Trophy theme’s second movement: “I will never forget at that moment, I thought ‘This is it!’

On co-producing Erivo on “Stand Up”: “The wave of energy that we shared while making that record, was so palpable, it was almost tangible. I remember putting everything I had in that moment into bringing that record to completion with our collaborators.”

On his time with students at Berklee: “There were some really incredible moments with the students when I thought, ‘Okay, I understand why people dedicate their life to this work.’”

On approaching Ramos to collaborate back in 2015: “Every time he would sing that simple line in ‘Hamilton,’ … ‘Raise a glass to freedom, something they can never take away!’ there was something so honest about it.”

Wells found that honesty was the common thread between these moments. It’s a quality he’s tuned to receive, what most strongly resonates within him and ignites his collaborative talents to yield the most satisfying results.

His purpose statement?

Amplifying honest voices and touching the soul.

Honoring the energy

To stay true to his purpose, Wells frequently asks himself a favorite question he learned in therapy: “How can you honor yourself right now?”

That can mean deciding whether to continue spending time with someone or simply acknowledging he’s tired and catching some sleep instead of staying up three more hours to finish a project. This particular week it meant going to dinner after the Heisman Trophy broadcast and enjoying quality time with the friend who initially gave him that opportunity. It also meant being present with his family at a difficult time, even while writing some music in the quiet moments.

“This has all been patience plus lessons and an even greater amount of faith, and I believe it’s faith that is the biggest and most important ingredient here. No matter what anybody believes, this is [important] for everyone,” Wells says. “It’s that thing that can’t quite be harnessed. There’s an intangibility to it, and you need it. It’s that belief that you are doing all of this for a reason, and it will lead somewhere. […] It’s been important to have that faith that it is all leading me in the direction that I am supposed to go and that all of these things are ultimately allowing me to live in and act out my purpose.”

Wells is incredibly excited about a new adventure with Ramos – a project they recently revived since its inception in 2018.

“We have been working on a musical, and it feels like one of the most important – if not the most important – things I have ever done, musically and just all around. What I have noticed is, again, I have paid attention to how I feel as I am doing it. It feels profoundly different from anything I have ever done. As we sometimes say, ‘This one feels different.’ […] This one checks every box for ‘Yes, this is something that is important to me to put my energy into because of how I feel while I do it.’”

Resonating notes

Wells offers a thought to anyone on a creative journey: “Pay attention to how you feel and don’t be afraid to check in. Your instincts are powerful. A lot of times we condition ourselves to use logic or reason over those instincts. I just encourage people to not forget the magic of those instincts because oftentimes, great things happen when people follow those instincts.”

The Alicia Keys Pianos At NAMM

Written by Yamaha Corporation of America on January 15, 2025. Posted in Artists.

Alicia Keys is jazzed. “This might be one of my favorite pianos ever!” she enthuses.

The piano she is referring to was created by Yamaha for her 2023 Keys To The Summer tour. In fact, two pianos were built for that tour — a custom Yamaha grand, which Keys used on the main stage, and a custom Yamaha upright, used on the B-stage at the halfway point in the concert, where she would perform several intimate piano solo pieces. Both pianos allowed her to make herself heard, whether commanding the spotlight with power and grace or connecting with the audience in moments of quiet vulnerability.

A grand piano with a silver metallic finish. — *The Alicia Keys grand piano.*

An upright piano in a clear casing. — *The Alicia Keys upright piano.*

Alicia had long wanted an acrylic piano. She had played on many around the world, but she wanted one that she could call her own, and she wanted it to be unique. Accordingly, she and her team reached out to Chris Gero, Vice President and Chief Artist Relations Executive of the Yamaha Entertainment Group, who brought in the Florida-based custom design firm J. Elliott & Co., with whom they had collaborated on many high-profile projects over the years, including the famed Yamaha Prince purple piano.

THE PROCESS

Remarkably, the total process from inception to final delivery took less than six months, during which time Keys decided to have Yamaha create a second piano, this one an upright.

Justin Elliott, who serves as chief designer at J. Elliott & Co. along with his wife Jina, describes how the project moved forward. “I met with Alicia at one of her rehearsals, where we talked over the many different things she wanted in the piano,” he says. “Alicia knows exactly what she wants. It’s great to work with someone who has that mindset instead of having to show them a thousand renderings before they finally pick one.

“We had to consider a lot of different elements,” he continues, “including logistics for shows. For example, the pianos have to travel safely, so we have to think through all the process of how are they being handled off and on stages to make sure they stay in pristine condition and so that the artist can perform on them every single night without a problem.”

KEEPING THE YAMAHA SOUND AND TONE

Other than the exterior Lucite^™casing, the interiors of both Alicia Keys pianos are Yamaha wood and steel construction. The core of the grand is a stock Yamaha C6X with an integrated SILENT^™ system; the core of the upright is a Yamaha b1 with an SC3 SILENT system. “Alicia wanted to keep the Yamaha sound and tone,” says Justin, “because that’s what she loves. She has a great ear, with her own preferences about voicing, touch weight and action regulation. Every instrument has its own characteristics, and we dial into how the artist likes it.”

As Elton John was when it came to designing his million-dollar piano (another Yamaha innovation), Keys was also focused on how her pianos would look onstage — and since the tour was going to be in the round, it was critical that she have good line of sight. “But then sonically you also have to make that work because Lucite doesn’t carry that much resonance,” Justin explains. “So you have to make sure it is still a pure acoustic instrument and you have to make it sing. There was the balancing of those two aspects.”

Tonally, both pianos match well with the original wood versions. “Every piano has its own unique characteristics, so they all sound slightly different,” Justin says, “but these pianos we made for Alicia, they sing, they’re lively. When I build pianos, tonality is the thing that comes first and foremost. Design comes second. That’s my approach with every instrument I build because if the design element ruins the sound, I’m not going to do it. But you can make anything beautiful if you spend enough time on it.”

The SILENT mechanisms, as with the Prince piano, also played a role since her audio engineers were going to feed the P.A. system a blend of the acoustic sound of the piano and the silent voices being triggered — a major reason why many touring artists are drawn to Yamaha SILENT instruments. Elliott reports that the Alicia Keys pianos were not miked any differently than their wooden equivalents. “That’s why she selected a C6X,” he says, “because normally she uses a C6 or C7 on tour, so her audio people know exactly what they’re getting. Obviously they spend time to figure out the sweet spots to put the microphones and whatnot, but Alicia had her trusted audio team, led by longtime engineer Ann Mincieli, on tour with her, and they know the drill with those pianos well, so they were able to dial in the sound she wanted very quickly. Ann was a big part of this entire project, from concept to reality. She always knocks it out of the park!”

UNIQUE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS AND CHALLENGES

Acrylic instruments weigh significantly more than all-wood ones, and that was another aspect Justin had to factor in. “Lucite is much denser than wood,” he explains, “and it’s a solid-state resin so you do not have fibers imparting a grain and space.” A normal C6X weighs approximately 900 pounds, but Elliott estimates that he probably added a good 300 more pounds to it, making for a whopping 1,200 lbs. “Because the grand piano was in the center of things and was on a rotating platform, Alicia’s production team had to lift it up every single night by hand,” says Justin.

There were other technical challenges as well. For one thing, internal fasteners are required to attach the acrylic casings to the wooden body of the pianos. “As a designer, you have to think about things differently,” Justin explains. “The way it bonds, the hardware you’re using, it’s all going to show because it’s completely transparent. Even the glues you use to attach the casings are totally different than those you would use with a wooden instrument.”

EASTER EGGS

In addition to all the other design specifications, Alicia Keys wanted “Easter eggs” on the pianos — special elements to inspire both her and the audience as she rehearsed and performed. One of these was having see-through acrylic sharps and flats on the keyboard so she could feel like she was elevated and soaring as she played in the center of a 360-degree soundstage. This had the added benefit of making it look like her fingers were dancing on top of the keys. To achieve this goal, the design team made those keys out of full transparent acrylic with just a thin 2mm layer of ebony on top. “That way,” Justin explains, “if you have a camera angle that’s looking down the keys, which they always have for a concert, it looks like her fingers are floating because you see right through those keys.”

Piano keys where the black keys appear to float above the white keys. — *“Floating” sharps and flats.*

A view of a coverless grand piano from above. — *The view from above.*

“This piano — you and me — we’re going crazy,” Keys tells all her fans as she wraps up the video below. “Big love to Yamaha!”

Coming to NAMM? Be sure to visit the Alicia Keys pianos (both the grand and the upright) at the Yamaha exhibit on the third floor of the Anaheim Convention Center.

Learn more about Alicia Keys here.

Yamaha Products at 2025 NAMM

Written by Yamaha Corporation of America on January 7, 2025. Posted in Gearguide.

It’s NAMM time again! Can’t make this year’s show in person? Here are some of the hottest products that Yamaha will be displaying on the show floor or online — all of which offer intriguing new ways to make yourself heard!

TAG3 C TransAcoustic Guitar

The newly released second-generation Yamaha TAG3 C TransAcoustic guitar integrates the entire process of playing, creating and listening to music in one instrument. Merging technology with tradition, this revolutionary guitar offers built-in reverb, chorus and delay effects that radiate organically from the instrument itself — with no need for pedals or an amplifier. Bluetooth^® support allows you to wirelessly connect your smart devices and play your favorite songs directly through the guitar, and a built-in looper enables you to effortlessly record and play back your performances, layer melodies over backing tracks and even create percussive beats by tapping the guitar. Pair it with the free TAG Remote app (compatible with both iOS and Android) to fine-tune effects and manage loop phrases directly from your smart device, putting total control at your fingertips. With the TAG3 C, the creative possibilities are endless.

SEQTRAK Music Creation Station

A small gray and orange music creation station. — *SEQTRAK.*

SEQTRAK is a groundbreaking music creation station that empowers you to unlock your creativity from wherever you happen to be. Capture ideas quickly through its lightning-fast, all-in-one system that includes drums, synths, sampling and sequencing, all packed into a compact, lightweight design. Create original music with two versatile sound engines, then refine with deep editing, custom samples and video creation using the intuitive SEQTRAK app. When you’re ready, share your sounds, collaborate with other artists, and connect with fans around the world using its powerful performance features and video creator. And with the recent release of OS v1.2 software (available as a free download), workflow is improved even further, with autosave and new loop and mute modes that allow you to create a more unique and personalized sound. In addition, a count-in function during real-time MIDI recording has been added so you can achieve the perfect take with ease. You can also quickly shift octaves while playing, perform quantized transitions and extend pattern length while automatically copying the existing content — even use external MIDI devices to trigger animations, adding dynamic visuals to your performances.

9600 SERIES Marching Drum Carriers

Yamaha has been crafting industry-standard drum set hardware for more than half a century and empowering top-tier ensembles with exceptional marching instruments. MC-9600 Series Field Corps marching drum carriers are the culmination of that vast experience. They offer a form-fit design, with wedged shoulder and back bar padding that comfortably sink inward and lock into place, allowing complex body movements and choreography. The high-performance padding is made from athletic moisture-wicking fabric that promotes airflow to keep players cool while resisting odors, and recessed drum key bolts protect uniforms from excessive wear and tear. Each component can be adjusted with a standard drum key while wearing the carrier, making customization quick and easy. Torso height and tilt are adjustable to provide a comfortable fit for a wide variety of body types and allow the carrier to serve as a tilted or flat playing surface for snare drums.

YEV Pro Electric Violins

YEV Pro electric violins are newly developed high-end instruments that strive to achieve authentic acoustic violin sound and playability, combined with an elegant design for impressive on-stage presence, whether performing solo or with an ensemble. Like traditional acoustic violins, they feature a hollow chamber body with a spruce top and maple back, resulting in rich resonance that is roughly equivalent to that of an acoustic violin, along with a similar weight. The bridge offers improved sound and response, thanks to A.R.E. (Acoustic Resonance Enhancement), an innovative wood-reforming technology developed by Yamaha. Both the four-string YEV104PRO and five-string YEV105PRO models are outfitted with a built-in piezo-electric pickup for connection to any standard amplifier or P.A. system, and are available in three different colors: Deep Red, Natural and Brown, and Natural and Black. They also come equipped with Wittner Finetune Pegs, which have internal gears for precise and quick tuning.

YX-2035PR Xylophone

A xylophone on a stand with wheels. — *YX-2035PR.*

YX-2035PR xylophones offer premium features in a compact instrument that’s perfect for students deepening their involvement in the world of percussion playing at school or at home. The three-and-a-half-octave playing surface is outfitted with premium Pao Rosa bars that provide bright tones similar to that of Yamaha professional rosewood xylophones, while wider 1.5″ bars improve playability for beginners and intermediate students. In addition, a gas spring height adjustment system promotes player comfort and proper technique, while also making the instrument easier to transport.

DHR15M Powered Loudspeaker

A wedge stage monitor speaker. — *DHR15M.*

The DHR15M two-way powered loudspeaker is perfect for use as an onstage monitor. It pairs a 15″ woofer with a 1.75″ high frequency driver in a compact, low profile plywood enclosure with a polyurea coating for a robust, scratch-resistant surface. The custom-designed coaxial driver delivers precise, smooth phase and frequency response, and the powerful built-in 1000-watt amplifier and high performance DSP ensures best-in-class sound quality. While typically placed on the floor, the DHR15M also comes equipped with a pole socket for use on a stand.

NS-800A Bookshelf Speaker

NS-800A bookshelf speakers fuse rich aesthetics with the latest advanced technology. The unique diaphragm material produces exceptionally unified tone, while the large-capacity cabinet delivers spacious sound — all topped off with a beautiful grand piano-like finish for an even more luxurious music listening experience. This uncompromising two-way system pairs a 6-1/2″ woofer with a 1-1/4″ dome tweeter, enclosed within a chamber designed to suppress unwanted resonance, with a patented Acoustic Absorber that eliminates standing waves so that the original realism of music is reproduced with full energy and dynamics. Solid brass speaker terminals provide secure connection and a luxurious feel, and the crossover circuitry utilizes high-quality componentry for faithful reproduction of all musical instruments. The NS-800A also incorporates a Twisted Flare Port that reduces air flow noise, providing accurate frequency response with clear, tight bass reproduction.

R-N2000A Network Receiver

A silver audio/video receiver. — *R-N2000A.*

The R-N2000A is a next-generation network Hi-Fi receiver that’s compatible with all lossless and high-resolution music sources, including streaming services. It offers breathtakingly beautiful sound thanks to an innovative design that incorporates a floating, balanced power amplifier and a Toroidal power transformer, along with an ESS Ultra DAC for high-performance digital-to-analog conversion. In addition, symmetrical construction and the utilization of mechanical ground maximizes rigidity for expressive and rhythmic bass. A rear panel HDMI ARC terminal assures excellent TV sound, and the speaker terminals are cut from pure brass for highly secure connection. Precision EQ and YPAO^®-R.S.C. (Yamaha Parametric room Acoustic Optimizer with Reflected Sound Control) allow you to customize the frequency response for your particular listening environment, and front-panel level meters convey dynamics and music pulse with a nostalgic Hi-Fi era look. The R-N2000A is also Yamaha MusicCast-compatible for interfacing with other devices in your home, as well as easy access to a variety of streaming services such as Amazon Music HD and Spotify^®.

62 SERIES Limited Edition Saxophones

YAS-62SK.

YTS-62ASK.

The limited edition 62 Series alto and tenor saxophones combine stunning visual aesthetics with the iconic sound of the New 62 models. These special saxes feature a gorgeous contrast between the player’s choice of gold (SK models) or amber lacquer (ASK models) and silver-plated keys. The addition of the Yamaha Atelier Special ASP neck screw adds comfortable ergonomics and an increased stability to the playing feel. Combine these features with the unique “Kangakki” engraving on the bell with the legendary Yamaha 62 series sound, and you have an instrument designed for any sax player to take their performance to the next level.

DTX6K5-M Electronic Drum Kit

The latest addition to the Yamaha DTX electronic drum lineup is the DTX6K5-M. This kit combines the power of the DTX-PRO module with the larger mesh and cymbal pads found on the DTX8. The tunable REMO 2-Ply mesh heads offer snare and tom playing surface sizes of 12″ / 10″ / 10″ / 10″ respectively, with outstanding noise reduction, durability and feel when hit, as well as exceptional rebound. The snare pad is equipped with three sensors that precisely respond to delicate stick work, and the 3-zone PCY155 ride cymbal pad offers independent edge, bow and bell triggering, as well as choke and mute functionality. The included DTX-PRO module is packed with hundreds of studio-quality acoustic and electronic voices and easy-to-use kit modifier knobs for a wide range of tonal possibilities. The DTX6K-5 is also fully compatible with the free DTX Touch app, which allows the adjustment of parameters such as muffling, pad layering, trigger levels/velocity, mix EQ, modify panning and other effects, all in real time.

Rio3224-D3 / Rio1608-D3 Third Generation I/O Racks

A rack unit with many connectors, two knobs and a mini-LCD display. — *Rio3224-D3.*

These third-generation R Series I/O rack units deliver outstanding sonic transparency and built-in Dante networking. Compatible with all Yamaha Rivage digital mixing systems as well as DM7 Series and DM3 Series consoles, they offer freedom of placement and the ability to create multi-unit combinations, with dual internal power supply units for high reliability, and primary and secondary connectors for redundancy. The Rio3224-D3 model adds 32 analog inputs and 16 outputs, along with 8 AES/EBU digital outputs, while the Rio1608-D3 adds 16 analog inputs and 8 outputs. Both provide a mini-LCD display with setup functions to simplify workflow and provide local control of gain and other parameters. New features include a Delay/Polarity/Gain function on the Output port, a dedicated Network port, and a headphone jack that allows soundcheck directly from the rack.

We hope to see you at NAMM — and remember, if you can’t make the show in person, you can always catch the highlights here!

For more information about these and other great Yamaha products shown at NAMM, click here.

Best New Year’s Day Movies to Watch on Your Home Theater

Written by Rich Tozzoli on December 31, 2024. Posted in TV & Movies.

After the noise and excitement from your New Year’s Eve celebration quiets down, it’s a great time to kick back and watch a film or two in your home theater. Here are eight selections with an Auld Lang Syne twist, perfect for curling up with a warm blanket and enjoying on your big-screen TV and extra speakers.

Forrest Gump

This multiple Academy Award^® winner is a great-looking and great-sounding film that will have you smiling broadly from start to finish. In one sequence, Gump (played by Tom Hanks) spends the 1972 holiday season and New Year’s Day with his lieutenant Dan Taylor, whom he saved during the Vietnam War. They later run a shrimp boat together and create the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, after which they invest in Apple^® Computer and become millionaires … and those are just a couple of the plot twists and turns in this powerfully moving film. Check out the trailer here.

Trading Places

In this 1983 comedy, Eddie Murphy is a homeless street hustler and Dan Akroyd is an upper-class commodities broker who are unwittingly involved in an elaborate experiment that entwines their lives. One particularly hilarious scene takes place onboard a Philadelphia-bound train on New Year’s Eve. It involves a gorilla — and that’s all I’ll say about it for now. Check out the trailer here.

Ghostbusters II

There’s nothing like having the likes of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver and Harold Ramis entertain you with some ghostly high-decibel adventure. When slime rises from the streets of New York City on New Year’s Eve and chaos ensues, the Ghostbusters intervene. They even get the Statue of Liberty into the action and drive it through the streets of the city! Check out the trailer here.

Dick Tracy

Based upon the comic strip sleuth of the same name, this visually stunning film is set in the 1930s and features a slew of colorful mobsters, kidnappings, card games and investigations, with a star-studded cast that includes Warren Beatty (as Tracy), Madonna, Dick Van Dyke, Dustin Hoffman, Mandy Patinkin, Paul Sorvino and James Caan. In one memorable New Year’s Eve scene, Tracy faces gun battles and action galore after interrogating the bizarre criminal called Mumbles (Hoffman). Check out the trailer here.

The Godfather Part II

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, this sprawling 1974 classic covers a span of more than half a century. Interestingly, the film was both a sequel and prequel to the original Godfather. In 1997, the American Film Institute ranked it as the 32nd greatest film in American film history. (The Godfather ranked 3rd.) New Year’s Eve celebrations feature prominently during the mesmerizing scene where Michael Corleone (Pacino) finds out that his brother Fredo (John Cazale) betrayed him. Check out the trailer here.

New Year’s Eve

This 2011 romantic comedy takes place — you guessed it— on New Year’s Eve, with a series of intertwining stories and an all-star cast that includes Halle Berry, Jon Bon Jovi, Robert De Niro, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ludacris and Zac Efron. Directed by Garry Marshall, it’s a feel-good film with a driving New York City energy that will leave you hungry for more popcorn. Check out the trailer here.

The Poseidon Adventure

This 1972 multiple award-winner is considered by many to be the mother of all disaster films. It takes place on an aged luxury liner on her final voyage from New York City to Athens before being sent to the scrapyard. As the ship’s band rehearses for a New Year’s Day celebration, the captain gets word that an undersea earthquake has triggered a tsunami. The vessel is hit by the wave and capsizes, leading to a saga of survival … and the need for more oxygen. Check out the trailer here.

The Horn Blows at Midnight

This black-and-white 1945 chestnut features Jack Benny as the character Athanael, who plays third trumpet in a late-night radio show orchestra. One night, as the announcer drones on, he falls asleep and dreams he is a junior grade angel and trumpeter in the orchestra of Heaven, with the mission of destroying an over-indulging Earth by blowing his trumpet at exactly midnight on New Year’s Eve. With a doomsday plot like that, it may not sound like a comedy, but it’s actually hilarious! Check out the trailer here.

Full-length versions of all the movies listed here are available on YouTube™ and Amazon Prime except “The Horn Blows At Midnight,” which is available for streaming on Max.

Seven Ways to Become a Better Bass Player

Written by E.E. Bradman on December 26, 2024. Posted in Bass.

One of the main differences between a novice and a pro is confidence. Putting in the work will help you lose the aura of a beginner, and the more you practice and play with others, the more confident you’ll become. Here are a few tips to take your bass playing to the next level.

1. KEEP IT SIMPLE

Fills can be cool, but a bassist who plays too many of them is either nervous or prioritizing ego over the song. It takes confidence to play only what’s needed, and executing foundational lines well is our #1 job. Simple and strong is better than tentative and fiddly any day.

2. LEARN TO LISTEN

Experienced players are expert listeners. Aim to support the story the singer is telling, and even if you don’t double guitar parts, understand how your basslines work with them. Ask whether the keyboardist is playing chord voicings with or without roots (and notice whether they’re playing down in the bass register, in which case you should place your notes elsewhere). Our primary task is to lock in with the drummer, but the best bass players are all-around musicians who are aware of everything happening around them.

3. FOCUS ON TIME AND GROOVE

Even the simplest basslines sound great if your timing is solid, so practice with a metronome and/or backing tracks to get better at not speeding up or slowing down. That said, at the end of the day, it’s not about metronomic perfection — it’s about breathing with the ensemble. Developing your groove and your familiarity with different types of feels enables you to interact effectively with the rest of the band.

A small metronome. — *Yamaha MP-90 metronome.*

4. PLAY DYNAMICALLY

In conversation, it’s normal to raise or lower your voice, pause for dramatic effect, and add extra sounds to get your point across. Playing bass is a conversation with your bandmates, so pay attention to the dynamic possibilities of each moment. Try keeping things simple in the intro, bringing up the energy in the verses and adding drama during pre-choruses or bridges … and be sure to get things pumping when you play the chorus. You should also consider dropping out strategically and changing the position of your picking hand when doing so enhances the song.

5. GET TECHNICAL

Buzzing notes make you sound less confident, and timid plucking can make even the right notes sound weak, so put a microscope on your technique. Get your fingers in shape. Press just behind the fret, not on top or too far back. Practice consistency in your two-finger plucking technique. If you play with a pick, keep your upstrokes and downstrokes clean. Analyze your slapping to make sure it’s efficient and on-time. Use your plucking hand to mute unused strings so that you don’t get unwanted string noise. Your approach should convey confidence in the notes you’re playing. Mistakes are inevitable, but knowing how to quickly and smoothly recover makes you a pro.

6. BE A PRO

Dial in the bass tone that’s right for the gig. Practice effectively. Record yourself, then listen back and adjust accordingly. Show up early for rehearsals and gigs, and communicate conflicts as early as possible. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that rehearsal is for learning songs: Learn your parts before getting together with the rest of the band and be ready to record and/or take notes during band practice. At a gig, making noise between songs or playing unnecessarily during soundcheck are also dead giveaways that you’re just starting out.

Being able to read and write music, as well as having a rudimentary understanding of harmony, quickly lifts you out of the newbie zone. Speaking of which, nothing says “I’m new here” like scrambling to find the right notes, so learn the fretboard inside out so that when it’s time to fly, you can make great choices (or at least safe ones). And although it seems over the top to practice things in all 12 keys, it’ll go a long way toward making you feel like you truly know where the notes are.

7. HAVE THE RIGHT GEAR

Investing in a well-built, dependable instrument like the Yamaha BB435 is an important part of elevating your bass playing. And once you have the right bass, get it set up so you don’t have to fight it; if you have a “dirty” volume knob that crackles when you turn it or a jack that’s intermittent, get it fixed.

Always be sure to have a tuner and extra strings on hand, as well as working cables that are the right length; in addition, try to carry a backup bass if you can. On the road, a hardshell case is a must; around town, a good gig bag will do. You may also be expected to show up with a reliable, durable amp that’s loud enough and right for the gig. (Learning to be comfortable with unfamiliar amps is part of the job, too.) If you use effects pedals, get them in the right order — and be prepared to continue playing if they decide not to work.

A black five-string Yamaha bass guitar. — *The Yamaha BB435.*

Brown and white dog with antler headband in front of green background.

The Twelve Most Loved Holiday Songs

Written by Yamaha Corporation of America on December 25, 2024. Posted in History, Music, Music and Streaming.

It’s that special time of year again when holiday music dominates the airwaves, stores, elevators and just about any other place you can think of — all to get us in the proper spirit to enjoy friends and family (not to mention shopping!). Here are the stories behind a dozen of the best-loved songs of the season:

1. Deck the Halls

One of the first Christmas carols, this is based on a Welsh melody from the sixteenth century, with lyrics added in 1862. Check it out here.

2. O Come All Ye Faithful

No one is really sure who wrote this! The oldest known manuscript is dated 1751 but the song may have been written as much as a century earlier. Check it out here.

3. Silent Night

This was composed by an Austrian schoolmaster in 1818. The melody that is used today differs slightly from the original rhythmically, and is also played at a slower tempo. Check it out here.

4. Jingle Bells

Written in 1857, this was actually intended as a Thanksgiving song but became associated with Christmas music in the late 19th century, when it was often used as a drinking song at parties: people would jingle the ice in their glasses as they sang. Check it out here.

5. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

First sung on Eddie Cantor’s radio show in November 1934, this song found instant success, with half a million copies of the sheet music and more than 30,000 records sold within 24 hours. Check it out here.

6. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

This 1949 hit by Gene Autry was based on the 1939 story of the same name popularized in a booklet distributed by the Montgomery Ward department store. Check it out here.

7. Little Drummer Boy

Originally known as “Carol of the Drum,” this was written in 1941 by composer and teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis. The most well-known recording of the song was made in 1958 by the Harry Simeone Chorale … but perhaps the most unusual was Jimi Hendrix’s cover version — his last recording prior to his tragic death in 1970. Check it out here.

8. White Christmas

Think the best-selling single of all time is a Beatles song, or perhaps something by Michael Jackson? Think again. This classic, written by iconic American songwriter Irving Berlin, has sold over 100 million copies worldwide, half of them the Bing Crosby rendition … although he had to re-record it in 1947 when the original 1942 master was found to be damaged due to frequent use. Check it out here.

9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

First introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 movie Meet Me in St. Louis, but the Frank Sinatra version we all know and love was recorded in 1950, with slightly modified lyrics that changed the song’s focus from anticipation of a better future to a celebration of present happiness. Check it out here.

10. Blue Christmas

This was a hit for various country artists in 1950, but it was Elvis Presley’s iconic 1957 recording that cemented the song’s status as a rock’n’roll holiday classic. The King’s version is notable musicologically in that the backing vocals utilize numerous minor thirds (so-called “blue” notes) that act as a musical play on words. Check it out here.

11. Do You Hear What I Hear?

Twenty years after “White Christmas,” this was another holiday hit for Bing Crosby, even though it was actually written as a protest song in the midst of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Check it out here.

12. Feliz Navidad

Written and recorded by José Feliciano, this not only charted when it was first released back in 1970 but then proceeded to re-enter the Billboard Top 100 in 1998, and again in 2017 — a rare hat trick! Check it out here.

Closeup of sheet music with a graphic of a silhouette of snowy hills, a deer and trees in foreground.

Holiday Sheet Music and Software Buying Guide

Written by Yamaha Corporation of America on December 24, 2024. Posted in Gearguide.

It’s that time of year… so the song goes. Music plays such an important part in the holiday spirit, and Yamaha has all of your favorite songs ready for download today.

Looking for a gift for a Disklavier owner? Yamaha offers numerous Christmas-themed PianoSoft music titles in our online store. If they’re a Disklavier Radio subscriber, we have special channels on for the entire holiday season, including “Holiday Party,” “Holiday Favorites,” “Christmas Eve” and “New Year’s Eve Party.” In addition, ENSPIRE owners can tune into a special “Original Artist Holiday Favorites” channel featuring recordings from holiday legends like Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.

We’ve also got lots of holiday MIDI Songs available for download, including classics like “Jingle Bells,” “Silent Night” and “Blue Christmas” by Elvis Presley.

Last but not least, if you need a backing band to play along, or would like to lead your friends and family in a holiday sing-along, choose from the dozens of Christmas Style Files we have available for downloading. Here are descriptions of a few of them:

– Christmas Style Files contains several holiday Styles with a dynamic mix of genres.

– Christmas Blue lets you play “Blue Christmas” in the style of Elvis Presley. A solid backbeat with added layers of orchestration, guitar and flute make the somber Christmas classic come alive.

– Christmas Swing 2 provides a perfect country swing style for songs like “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” or a mellow version of “Jingle Bell Rock” a la Hall & Oates.

– Ready to try mixing up your holiday songfest with a little tropical inspiration and reggae flair? Check out Jamaican Christmas.

May your holiday season be filled with music and cheer!

For more information, visit the online Yamaha PianoSoft store.

Young boy jumping in air while playing electric guitar.

Buying Your Child’s First Guitar Amplifier

Written by Mac Randall on December 23, 2024. Posted in Gearguide, Parents. 1 Comment on Buying Your Child’s First Guitar Amplifier

Here’s an indisputable fact for which I can personally vouch: Electric guitars make great holiday gifts. And here’s a second indisputable fact: Recipients of electric guitars won’t fully appreciate the gift unless they’ve got an amplifier to plug into. Granted, you can kind of hear the sound of unamplified electric guitar strings as they thwack against the frets, but how much fun is that, really?

If you’re just coming to this realization the hard way — i.e., you bought your loved one an electric guitar but neglected to get an amp to go along with it — don’t worry. You’re not the first person to make such an error, and it can be easily remedied. All you have to do is find a good amplifier to add to the equation.

Doing this may seem a little intimidating if you’re a newbie, but choosing a suitable amp is actually not all that difficult. The main reason is the rise of something called “digital modeling technology,” which convincingly imitates the tonal properties of a wide variety of amp types. In other words, these days, pretty much any guitar amp can sound like pretty much any other guitar amp.

So really, the main questions you need to ask yourself concern size and power output (the latter is measured in wattage). Your principal choice will be between smaller “desktop” amps and larger (but not necessarily huge) “traditional” models — though in many cases the most traditional thing about those will be their size and shape.

Desktop Amps

Just to be clear, a desktop amp has nothing to do with the virtual desktop on your computer; it’s not a piece of software and in fact there’s nothing virtual about it. These are actual amplifiers that are small enough to fit on an actual desktop. Take the Yamaha THR10II, for example. It’s just over 7 inches high, 14½ inches wide and 5½ inches deep. There are two different varieties of the THR10II (one has a built-in wireless receiver) but both come with dual 3-inch speakers and put out 20 watts of power — more than enough for learning purposes. Perhaps even more importantly, both have auxiliary inputs and Bluetooth^® capability (so they can be used with smartphones, tablets and other music players) as well as headphone outputs so your child can practice to their favorite music in complete privacy … and without disturbing you, other family members, or the neighbors.

Several small desktop amplifiers. — *Yamaha THR-II Series desktop amps.*

Obviously, desktop amps are perfect for practicing at home, but with the THR10II Wireless and larger, 30-watt THR30II Wireless models in particular, your child can practice pretty much anywhere, since they run both on AC power and on batteries. What’s more, their use of VCM (Virtual Circuitry Modeling) means that they can produce a range of sounds much bigger than they are. There are multiple amp tones to choose from, each offering a different amount and/or type of distortion — plus settings for bass, acoustic guitar and other instruments. Add two distinct effects circuits, one for modulation effects (chorus, flanging, etc.) and one for delays and reverbs, and you’ve got an amp that sounds great right out of the box. But if your child is not satisfied with the presets, he or she can download free THR Remote editor software (available for both iOS and Android^® devices) which will allow them to tweak those amp tones and effects to their heart’s content.

Another nifty feature of THR-II amps is that they provide an integrated USB port and come with a bundled copy of Cubase AI software, making it easy to take the sound coming out of the amp and turn it into digital audio — going from an actual desktop to a virtual one.

“Traditional” Amps

Rectangular guitar amplifier with row of knobs and inputs along top front edge. — *Line 6 Spider V 20 MkII.*

You wouldn’t want to try putting most traditional guitar amplifiers on a typical desktop, and none of them run on batteries. But just as modeling technology has raised the potential of desktop amps, it’s also made a huge difference in what the so-called “traditional” amp can do. Line 6 is a company that has long been a leader in the development of modeling amplifiers, and they’re continuing their pioneering ways with the Spider V MkII Series.

There are five combo amps in the Spider V MkII line, each including a speaker and each classified principally by its wattage, from the 20-watt 20 MkII to the 120-watt 120 Mk II. As the wattage grows, so do the number of features that the amps offer. For example, the 30-watt V 30 MkII has 128 presets to the 16 in the V 20 MkII, while the V 60 MkII and the V 120 MkII have a 60-second looping device built in, allowing users to play along with parts they’ve created themselves. But no matter which size and power level you choose, every Spider V Mk II model provides more than 200 types of modeled amplifiers, cabinets and effects — meaning that your child can shift from a chiming, delay-heavy sound à la U2’s The Edge to a gritty Stevie Ray Vaughan-style blues tone with just a few button pushes. As a bonus, they also offer both a “classic” speaker mode for a traditional amp sound and a “full range” mode that lets the user plug in an acoustic-electric guitar or jam track playback.

Although desktop amps are more easily portable than traditional ones, the traditional style tends to work better in more professional settings, including the stage and recording studio. So if your loved one is planning on joining a band or is really taking his or her music seriously, you may be better off investing in a traditional amp right at the outset.

The bottom line is that today’s entry-level amps are way less cumbersome and far more versatile than ever before, making them adaptable to all kinds uses … and good for years of enjoyment to come.

Click here for more information about Yamaha guitar amplifiers, cabinets and accessories.

Click here for more information about Line 6 guitar amplifiers.

Woman watches as two young children play the keyboard.

Top Gifts to Encourage Your Child’s Love of Music

Written by Mac Randall on December 20, 2024. Posted in Gearguide, Parents.

When my daughter was in preschool, she took piano lessons, which she appeared to enjoy — until she figured out where all the notes were on the keyboard and came to the conclusion that she didn’t need to learn anything else. A little later on, we bought her a half-size guitar. She liked to plink around on it occasionally but wasn’t motivated to go any further than that. Violin was a total non-starter. And despite having a beautiful voice and a good sense of pitch, she was reluctant to sing in front of people.

Then, in fourth grade, something clicked, and she discovered that she loved being in a chorus. Two years later, her shyness about singing has gone away, even when she’s doing it solo, and her confidence as a performer has grown by leaps and bounds.

All of this is just to say that there’s no sure way for parents or grandparents to predict what’s going to engage a child musically. For every kid who’s pulled like a magnet toward every instrument he or she encounters, there are many others (like my daughter) who aren’t certain what excites them most. But the fact that they are excited about music is something to support, and often that support requires trying out several options, until one clicks. When it does, a lifetime of pleasure awaits. With that in mind, here are some gift suggestions that could help spur your child on to new musical heights.

A Starter Keyboard

You can’t go wrong with an entry-level digital keyboard, especially if it’s designed to make playing simple and fun. The Yamaha PSR-E383 falls squarely into this category, with 650 sounds — enough to fuel countless hours of experimentation — plus touch-responsive keys, onboard lessons, a downloadable songbook and 260 styles of auto accompaniment. It also offers a personal favorite feature: a central display screen that shows the staff position of every note being played, along with the location of middle C — a lifeline that can really help beginners when they get lost on the keyboard.

An electronic keyboard musical instrument. — *Yamaha PSR-E383.*

A Bigger Keyboard

The PSR-E383 has a lot going for it, but it only has 61 keys. If you feel your child is ready to move up to something that’s closer to a standard piano, but still has the flexibility and portability of an electronic keyboard, consider a model like the Yamaha PSR-EW425. It’s got a great feature set and it offers 76 keys, making it possible for budding virtuosi to play more demanding and far-ranging pieces.

A Starter Acoustic Guitar

Keyboards are nice, but what if the child on your gift list seems more like the pickin’-and-grinnin’ type? Based on my past experience as both a guitar student and guitar teacher, I strongly recommend that beginners start off using nylon-string acoustic models. Electric guitars require amplification, which adds an extra layer of hassle that beginners shouldn’t have to deal with, and nylon strings are much easier on the fingers than steel ones, leading to a kinder, gentler callus buildup. Your child should also play a guitar that matches his or her size. I once tried to teach basic chords to a seven-year-old boy on a full-size electric guitar, only to realize that his arms were too short to reach the frets. (It wasn’t a fun experience for either of us.)

Luckily, finding half-size or 3/4-size models shouldn’t be much of a challenge. The Yamaha CGS line of nylon-string acoustic guitars offers both, as well as a full-size model. Or you might consider a Yamaha APXT2, which is a 3/4-size version of the company’s APX500II — the world’s best-selling acoustic-electric guitar. It’s available in a variety of finishes and has a built-in pickup so its sound can be amplified; it also comes with a tuner and a soft “gig bag” carrying case. In general, half-size guitars are best for ages 5 to 8, while 3/4-size is ideal for 9- to 12-year-olds, but you may want to see how the different sizes actually fit your child before making a commitment.

Yamaha CGS guitars.

Yamaha APXT2 guitars.

Essential Beatkeepers

Four metronomes in use. — *Yamaha MP-90 metronomes.*

Compared to a keyboard or guitar, a metronome may not seem like such an exciting gift. But if your child has been struggling to play a piece of music without speeding up or slowing down, a metronome can help him or her reach that goal. Old-school pendulum metronomes like the Yamaha MP-90 continue to be a fine choice: they’re simple and durable and are available in a variety of colors, plus they have the added advantage of never needing a battery or a wall socket. Alternatively, you can go higher-tech and pick from a number of excellent apps for smartphones and tablets.

The Joy of Being (and Staying) in Tune

Electronic tuner with clip. — *Yamaha GCT1 tuner.*

Although being able to keep their instruments in tune may or may not contribute to your child’s love of music, it will definitely contribute to others’ appreciation of the music he or she makes. Clip-on digital tuners like the Yamaha GCT1 tuner make the tuning process easy and convenient. What’s more, although it has specific settings for guitar, bass, viola, cello, and ukulele, the GCT1 can be used with any instrument.

Starting on Winds

It’s just as customary for aspiring wind players to start on the recorder as it is for guitarists to start out on nylon string instruments … and in the right hands, recorders can actually sound pretty terrific. They’re also a lot easier to get a grip on — both literally and figuratively — than any other wind instrument, and for sheer portability, they’re hard to beat. The Yamaha YRS-24B recorder, made of ABS resin, is a school standard. My daughter owns one, and playing it in elementary school definitely helped her develop a better sense of pitch and overall musicality.

Recorder made of resin. — *Yamaha YRS-24B recorder.*

Another great beginner instrument for kids is the Pianica. This small, portable keyboard is super easy to play—all that’s required is to simply blow air into it while pressing down on the keys. While the resultant sound is similar to an accordion or a harmonica, it uses the same notes and familiar black-and-white keys as a piano. This makes it easy to get started right away, since your child can choose from thousands of easily available piano book and sheet music titles to learn the notes to their favorite songs. Yamaha offers a variety of Pianica models, from the small P-25F, with its two-octave range, to the slightly larger P-32D, to the three-octave P-37D. Each comes with an extension pipe that allows it to be played on a tabletop, as well as a durable lightweight plastic case that can double as a music stand. The top-of-the-line P-37E2 also has a three-octave range but a somewhat richer tone due to its being made from plant-based materials.

Woman playing Yamaha Pianica flat on a table. — *Yamaha P-37E Pianica.*

Drums with a Volume Control

Kids love banging on things, and eventually some become very good at it. But a lot of parents can have a hard time with the concept of supporting a family percussionist’s development, for fairly obvious reasons like noise, noise and noise. That’s where a set of compact digital drums like the Yamaha DD75AD comes in. It’s got eight touch-sensitive pads and two assignable foot pedals that can be used to play 75 pre-programmed kits and 10 custom ones your child can create from scratch. And there’s a headphone jack! Will wonders never cease?

Electronic drum pad with 9 heads and controls. — *Yamaha DD75AD compact digital drums.*

If your child shows a real propensity for drumming, you can take things a step further by buying him or her a full electronic drum kit like the Yamaha DTX402K. Not only does this provide everything they need to play along with their favorite tunes and jam with their friends, it comes with 10 built-in training exercises that make learning fun, which is always a good thing. Plus, like the aforementioned DD75AD, the 402K has a headphone jack, so you can enjoy peace and quiet while your young drummer unleashes their creativity.

Better Ways to Listen

Black studio headphones. — *Yamaha HPH-MT5 headphones.*

If your child is like most kids, they probably do most of their listening on ear buds or computer speakers. Unfortunately, the audio quality of those kinds of products leaves a lot to be desired. You can help your kids appreciate the rich sound tapestry of music — and perhaps even encourage a budding composer, producer or audio engineer — by buying them good-quality headphones or speakers. Yamaha HPH-MT5 headphones deliver a balanced sound that is faithful to the source, plus they’re lightweight and comfortable, with an extended frequency range that will allow your child to hear the entire sound, from the lowest lows to the highest highs. These headphones also include a carrying bag and a 1/4″ stereo adapter.

Small vertical oval shaped audio speaker. The touchscreen controls on top are displayed. — *Yamaha MusicCast 20 wireless speaker.*

The Yamaha MusicCast 20 is a wireless speaker that’s great on its own or as a part of a stereo setup. Its compact size means that it can fit in even the smallest bedroom (it’s wall-mountable too), plus it offers a variety of connection choices, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth^®, AirPlay 2^® and Spotify^® Connect. It provides excellent sound quality, and because it can be voice-controlled from Alexa and Google Assistant devices, or with Siri^® via AirPlay 2, it’s definitely got the cool factor too.

Songs to Play

Okay, so your gift recipient’s got an instrument — maybe one of those mentioned above. Now what’s he or she going to do with it? Hint: Make sure there’s some sheet music handy. This is good advice whether the player in question is a beginner, intermediate or advanced; everybody enjoys learning a new tune or figuring out how to play an old favorite. It just so happens that Yamaha offers a wide selection of sheet music for immediate downloading. There are well over 30,000 items available, covering just about every genre imaginable, so you’re sure to find something for even the most finicky performer.

The App Zone

If your young musician is into tech, there’s certainly no shortage of apps and software out there. Sequencers, synthesizers, notation programs, digital audio workstations, you name it — these products just continue to become more powerful and easier to use. And they’re not just for the pros, either. In fact, there are a wide range of apps specifically designed for beginners. For example, Playground Sessions is a piano learning program developed in association with legendary producer Quincy Jones. The free Yamaha Chord Tracker app (available for iOS^® 15.2 or higher and Android™ smart devices) helps players figure songs out by analyzing the chord progressions of recordings, and Kittar (also from Yamaha, and also free) breaks music down into phrases based on a given song’s structure. All three are remarkable in the way they approach the various pieces of the music-making puzzle.

Learning with Lenny

Watching my daughter progress through school has been further confirmation of a venerable truism: Great teachers make all the difference in a child’s life. The teachers she likes best are thrilled to do what they do, and they pass that feeling on to their students. So if your child is interested in learning more about music, its history, and all its many wonders, you should consider exploring DVD options that present that kind of information in a simple, easy-to-digest fashion …and you couldn’t find a better teacher than Leonard Bernstein.

From 1958 to 1972, the famous conductor conveyed his immense knowledge of and passion for music to millions of television viewers through his series of Young People’s Concerts with the New York Philharmonic. The inspirational spirit of these programs shows no signs of diminishing over time. You can find 25 of them on a nine-DVD set titled simply Leonard Bernstein: Young People’s Concerts with the New York Philharmonic. There are few better ways to pass an abiding love of music on to the next generation.

How to Shop for a Sound Bar

Written by Joy Frye on December 18, 2024. Posted in Audio Gear Guides.

You’ve finally decided to improve the sound coming from your TV — or you know someone who’d really appreciate better sound too — and you’ve decided that a new sound bar will make the perfect gift for them… or for yourself.

But which one to get? Here’s a quick overview of the key factors and features you should consider when buying a sound bar.

Surround Sound Capability

Despite their small form factor, sound bars can deliver immersive audio experiences. Advanced models like Yamaha True X sound bars with Dolby Atmos^® provide multi-dimensional sound that surrounds you from every angle, creating a theater-like experience at home.

Virtual surround sound and true 7.1.2-channel surround sound visualization.

Signal processing is often used to generate virtual surround sound, while premium options such as True X sound bars deliver a true 5.1.2-channel audio experience for Dolby Atmos content. Before choosing, consider your room layout — closed spaces tend to enhance the effect of surround sound, while wide open layouts may require more powerful solutions.

Will It Fit?

Decide where you want to put the sound bar and check the dimensions to make sure it will fit there. Keep in mind that some sound bars can be mounted on a wall (normally below the TV), and some are meant to sit on a tabletop below the TV. If the sound bar will be sitting on a surface, make sure it is not tall enough to block the TV.

Sound bar mounted on a wall.

Sound bar placed on a tabletop.

For smaller spaces or minimalist setups, compact models like the Yamaha SR-C20A offer a great solution without compromising audio quality.

What Can I Connect To It?

HDMI^®

If your TV supports the eARC or ARC function, you only need one HDMI cable to output TV audio to the sound bar. To use the ARC function, you have to turn on the HDMI Control function.

CEC (Consumer Electronics Control)

Allows control of TV and sound bar with a single remote; adds convenience and reduces clutter.

Optical

Reliable digital audio connection for TVs without HDMI ARC; supports high-quality sound but no advanced features like volume sync.

Connectivity

A sound bar is more than a speaker for a TV – it can be an entertainment source. Many come equipped with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth^® or even AirPlay 2^®, so you can play music from a phone or computer and listen to streaming services and internet radio through the sound bar. If enjoying music through your sound bar is key, check for connectivity options like these:

Subwoofer: Built-in or Stand-alone?

A subwoofer is a speaker that reproduces only the lowest bass frequencies. In other words, it puts the oomph in explosions and those low rumbles you can feel in your chest. It’s an integral part of any home theater system.

Some sound bars have subwoofers built in, while others come with separate subwoofers. Stand-alone subwoofers are often more powerful and effective than the built-in variety, but if there isn’t a lot of floor space where the sound bar is going to be positioned, you might want to go with one that has a built-in subwoofer. Built-in subwoofers can still sound great!

Built-in subwoofer in sound bar. — *Sound bars can use built-in subwoofers or external stand-alone subwoofers.*

App Control

If you’re not comfortable with voice control, but you don’t like looking between the couch cushions for your remote control, many sound bars can be controlled with an app from your smartphone or tablet. Apps are especially handy if you’re playing music from a streaming service through your sound bar and scrolling through your playlists. For example, with the free Yamaha MusicCast Controller app, you can link MusicCast wireless speakers, sound bars and receivers in other rooms and control playback throughout your home from your smartphone or tablet.

Warranty

You hope you never have to use it, but it’s good to know how the manufacturer stands behind its product. The most common warranty period is one year, with premium brands like Yamaha offering two years.

How / Where / Features

The main thing to consider when shopping for a sound bar is how and where it will be used. In addition, when doing your research and reading reviews, identify the features that are most important to you. These are the factors that will enable you to choose the sound bar that is the best fit.

Click here for more information about Yamaha sound bars.

Seven Ways to Become a Better Guitar Player

Written by Robbie Calvo on December 11, 2024. Posted in Guitars How-to.

Regardless of the level of playing you’ve attained so far, there will always be periods of time when you feel like your progression as a musician is on hold, or that you’re simply coasting on the same plateau of achievement.

This may be particularly frustrating for the beginner who’s passionately trying hard to sound like a professional in a short space of time. But, unless you are exceptionally gifted, improvement will take time … and quite often, a lot of study and hard work.

In addition, you can’t buy experience, so every challenge you take on — regardless of its outcome — becomes a notch in the fretboard that you can use to attain seasoned-guitarist status. This is called “paying your dues.”

That said, there are some simple techniques and approaches you can implement to elevate your playing rapidly. In this posting, we’ll explore seven of those ideas — ways of getting extra “mileage” out of what you already know.

1. SET YOUR INTENTION

I’m a huge advocate of setting your intention before every practice session. In other words, decide what you are going to practice before you even pick up your guitar. After all, you can only arrive at a destination if there is a pathway towards it, a roadmap of sorts.

One way to implement this plan is to make a list for each practice session. Here’s an example.

Today’s practice routine is:

- Five minutes playing the seven chords of the C major scale in sequence. As you are playing them, name all seven chords and the notes in each one.
- Five minutes playing one major scale pattern. This time, name and sing the notes while playing them.
- Five minutes creating a chord progression from the seven major scale chords, then sing a melody over the chord progression and learn the melody on the guitar.

Obviously, you’d tailor this sample routine to fit your own personal goals. The important thing to keep in mind is that when you set your intentions and stick to them, you get results. Take this initiative daily, and you’ll progress faster than you could have ever imagined.

2. EXPAND ON SIMPLE TONALITIES

In general, guitar players learn chords in open position (i.e., those that contain one or more unfretted strings) first, but rarely expand upon the values of those shapes in other positions … or manipulate them by adding or subtracting fingers to and from those initial shapes.

For example, a C major chord becomes a C major seventh (Cma7) chord by simply lifting your index finger off the B string, as shown in the illustration below. It becomes a Cadd2 chord by placing your pinky on the third fret of the second string, and it becomes a C6/9 by moving your finger from the fourth string on the second fret to the third string on that same fret (leaving the D string open):

These simple finger movements create melodic shifts within your chords and can sometimes change the harmonic value too … which means your guitar and vocal melodies now have new, exciting resolutions to target within the chords. Not only that, but you are improving the dexterity of your fretting hand!

3. EVEN EXOTIC CHORDS CAN BE EASY

Guitarists use a series of chord and scale shapes to create music. Those standard shapes can sound incredible as is, but what if you want them to sound more “expensive” — you know, like the ones the professionals use?

Playing exotic-sounding chords doesn’t have to be hard. Here are a couple of shapes that give you that “wow” factor … without the “ow” (hurt) factor.

First, shift a D major chord up to the fifth fret and simply lift the second finger off the top string:

This simple two-fingered shape sounds amazing, especially if you arpeggiate the top four strings. What kind of chord is it? It’s a Dmi9, or you could think of it as an Fma7/D. Try replacing a standard Dmi or Fma chord with this instead, and watch your bandmates fist-bump you at rehearsal!

Here’s another top-shelf “fifty-dollar chord”:

To achieve this, play an Fma7 chord at the third fret, put your pinky on the third string, fifth fret, and use the open A string as your bass note. The end result is a very fancy Ami11. Try using this shape instead of a standard Ami or Ami7.

Chord shape alternatives like these can always be used to bring spice and flavor to standard overused chord progressions.

4. FINESSE THE STRINGS

The difference between an average player and a world-class player is that the dynamics, finesse, tonality and musicality are on two completely different levels.

We guitarists pretty much all have the same shapes and tools at our disposal, but we’re talking about the difference between an apprentice and an artisan. The artisan uses experience, skill and finesse to stroke, guide and intentionally place notes with the dynamic precision needed to evoke the ideal emotional response.

If you find yourself strumming away on the chords that you know without giving any thought to the dynamic attack of your rhythms, the clean, articulate placement of your fingers, or the emotional effect your playing may (or may not) have, take the time to record yourself playing.

As you listen back to your performance, adjudicate whether you’d enjoy what you hear if you were a member of the audience.

The key to developing a high level of sophistication is learning how to dynamically spread the downbeat of your chords, practice the light and shade of volume in the picking hand, and the chord-tone resolution of your melodies. (Even practice implementing vibrato on the top note of your chords.) As an apprentice, sure, you want to learn from the master sensei, but you should also understand that you yourself can be your own best teacher. Listen, and advise yourself accordingly.

5. DON’T BE AFRAID TO TURN THE KNOBS

Like everyone else, most guitar players are turned on by the flashing lights, array of dials and bright shiny products that flash across our media screens every day. Of course, we are all looking for the next best thing — or in our case, that one guitar that will be the lightsaber in the darkness — the one device that will promote us to guitar godliness with the tap of a finger.

In some cases, that may be true. New products can bring us enlightenment, inspiration and enhanced musicality, but I’ve also witnessed knob-turning paralysis in many guitar players, too. What I mean by that is the unwillingness to try new settings on the gear they already own. This often leads to contempt for the gear without even trying to get better results.

Amplifiers are pretty simple pieces of equipment, really. If you don’t hear enough bass, maybe try lowering the treble instead … or blend the mids to meet the desired level of bass somewhere in the middle.

I’ve always looked at tone controls as the architectural design of frequencies. The bass is the foundation; it should support the structures above. The mid frequencies add warmth and body, and should cross over somewhere above the bass in a very pleasing way. Treble controls are there to either boost or cut the high frequencies. If your tone is too piercing, reduce the treble so that it sits better on top of the middle ground. If that means your amp knobs are dialed completely off-center, that’s fine. After all, your amp’s tone shouldn’t be based on the symmetry of the rotary dials.

Take the same approach to effects settings, and don’t be afraid to crack the manual open or watch a YouTube video when you get stuck.

6. IF SOMETHING ISN’T WORKING … FIX IT!

Let’s face it, we’ve all had a cable that cuts in and out, a volume or tone pot that “scratches” when we turn it, a pedal we keep using even though we hate how it sounds, or a chord change we “fluff” every time we play it … and yet we never do anything about it!

If any of those things happen to you, it’s time for change. Toss that bad cable snake into the trash. Go to the hardware store and buy some pot cleaner spray and lubricant. Take a photo of the pedal you hate and list it for sale.

Similarly, isolate the chord change that you have problems with. Identify what makes it difficult to pull off, and slowly re-program your fingering. Use visualization to see the change you want to make in your mind’s eye, and your fingers will eventually follow your commands.

7. BE KIND TO YOURSELF

Last but by no means least, it’s important to note that we aren’t machines, and as humans, our performances will fluctuate on a daily basis. Always refer to yourself kindly, knowing that you are always improving, one practice session or gig at a time. I’ve had amazing gigs, and ones that I never want to re-live again. Trust me, beating yourself up won’t fix the notes or the outcome, so just move on and laugh about it over coffee with friends.

When you practice, listen intently, identify problem areas, and make the adjustments needed until you are happy with the results. Practicing mistakes just solidifies the problem, so identify and eradicate them before they become untameable monsters.

THE VIDEO

This video shows both of the excellent Yamaha FG9 models being used in a full-blown production. Listen to how well these acoustic guitars sit in the mix with the other instrumentation and vocals, and take note of how I finesse the strings with my picking hand, use dynamics in each of the song sections, and articulate the single-note melodies with a harmony above the original melody.

THE GUITAR

The FG9 dreadnought is the flagship handmade acoustic guitar in the Yamaha FG family.

Dark-colored back of an acoustic guitar. — *FG9 R back.*

The solid Adirondack spruce top pairs beautifully with either a solid rosewood (FG9 R) or mahogany (FG9 M) back and sides. These guitars resonate beautifully thanks to their internal scalloped bracing, are super light-weight and a dream to play. The FG9 embodies everything a top-notch acoustic guitar should be.

THE WRAP-UP

When we pay attention intently, employ musical discipline and truly love what we do, ascension to the next level of performance happens as a matter of course.

What’s more, the early identification of problems allows you to circumnavigate years of hurdles, and a focused drive towards a destination or desire allows you to climb that mountain one step at a time.

Top 10 Gift Ideas for Bassists

Written by E.E. Bradman on November 20, 2024. Posted in Bass.

It’s the time of the year when bass players, like everyone else, look forward to holiday parties, New Year’s gigs, and cool new gear under the Christmas tree. With that in mind, here’s a list of 10 recommendations for bassists of all stripes: the beginner, the intermediate player and the pro alike.

1. A NEW BASS

Entry level

If there’s someone on your gift list who’s ready for their first bass, Yamaha TRBX models are a great choice. The TRBX174EW is lightweight (less than 9 lbs.), and its 34″ scale length, ergonomic body design and 19 mm string spacing make it easy to play. To top it off, the exotic mango top sets this one apart from the pack with its beautiful wood grain.

An electric bass guitar with a dark wood finish. — *Yamaha TRBX174EW.*

Intermediate

Selected Yamaha TRBX basses offer upgraded body tonewoods (alder/maple and mahogany), maple/mahogany necks and fancier tops, plus more colors, more body-design options, and superior pickups and EQ options, as well as the ability to switch between active and passive modes. With its alder/maple body, flame maple top, maple/mahogany five-piece neck, three-band EQ and battery alert LED, the TRBX604FM four-string is a great option for the bass player whose beginner days are in the rearview mirror.

An electric bass guitar with a brown finish. — *Yamaha TRBX604FM.*

Professional

Yamaha BB basses are the first choice for many pros. These solid alder- and alder/maple/alder-bodied basses, available in several cool finishes, stand out from the crowd thanks to their distinctive look, 5-piece necks, and six-bolt neck joints. The BBP34 four-string model boasts a wide variety of tones, and thanks to Yamaha I.R.A. (Initial Response Acceleration) technology, it feels “played-in” right out of the box.

An electric bass guitar with a black finish and a white pickguard. — *Yamaha BBP34.*

Professional Plus

What about the bass pro who’s got everything? Consider one of the signature models inspired by four longtime Yamaha endorsers. Fans of punk and Peter Hook’s singular tone will love the BBPH; rock legend Billy Sheehan has created the Attitude 30th and the Attitude Limited 3; jazz maven John Patitucci, a six-string inspiration for over four decades, plays the TRBJP2; and studio icon Nathan East’s BBNE2 has everything it takes to support a band at the highest level. Each of these basses pulls off the neat trick of being distinctive but versatile.

An electric bass guitar with a white finish. — *Yamaha BBNE2.*

2. AN ACOUSTIC BASS GUITAR

Guild’s fretted, fretless and jumbo models of its acoustic bass guitars are great for songwriting, acoustic jams and solos around the campfire. With a solid Sitka spruce top, an arched flame maple back and an ebony fingerboard, the Jumbo Junior Bass aims for tone that’s both deep and clear. It can be played using the onboard preamp or completely unplugged — either way, this 23 3/4″-scale beauty will come in handy.

An acoustic bass guitar with a natural wood finish. — *Guild Jumbo Junior Bass.*

3. A MINI-BASS

Full-size basses usually take up more space than a guitar, but if you need something that fits into the overhead compartment of a plane, look no further. The 22 7/8″ scale length Cordoba Mini II Bass MH-E, which could easily be mistaken for a ukulele, is strung with phosphor-bronze strings, tunes to standard E, and just might inspire something completely different from the bass player in your life.

An acoustic mini-bass guitar with a dark wood finish. — *Cordoba Mini II Bass MH-E.*

4. STRINGS

Choosing the right strings is so important that we’ve devoted a whole blog posting to it, and to make matters more interesting, it’s common for different bassists to have completely opposite experiences with the same set of strings! If you aren’t sure what strings to buy for your favorite electric bass player, my recommendation is that you head over to the Dunlop bass strings website, which has something for everyone. Their Hybrid Nickel set is my favorite; it manages to be warm and direct, with juicy mids and just the right string tension.

A set of bass strings. — *Dunlop Hybrid Nickel bass strings.*

5. A STRAP

Beyond being a fashion statement, a good strap doesn’t slip, is adjustable to your ideal height, and helps cushion your shoulder instead of digging in. Levy’s Leathers offers many options, from itty-bitty skinnies to ultra-wides; their cool 3 1/4″-wide Signature Legacy Series strap, a perennial favorite, features leather-wrapped 1/4″ foam padding, and it’s adjustable from 38″ to 52″.

A black leather guitar strap. — *Levy’s Leather Signature Legacy Series strap in black.*

6. A NEW BASS AMP

Ampeg is one of the original kings of the bass-amp jungle, and the SVT just might be the most famous bass amp on earth. The SVT-CL, a standout from the company’s Classic line, delivers 300 watts of juicy tube tone that’ll (almost) make you forget that it weighs 80 lbs. Need the perfect matching speaker cabinet? The SVT-410HLF is a 4×10 that’s deep, powerful … and 74 lbs all by itself. You might need a little extra help getting this amp stack under the Christmas tree, but your hard work will not be in vain.

A bass amplifier head. — *Ampeg SVT-CL head.*

A bass speaker cabinet. — *Ampeg SVT-410HLF cabinet.*

7. A MULTI-EFFECTS PROCESSOR

Bassists who want to dive deep into the world of effects will appreciate the Line 6 HX Stomp’s 14 bass amp models, 37 cabinet models, 16 microphone models and 200 effects. Other similar products from Line 6 include the HX Stomp XL, which offers even more options, and the Helix Effects (HX-FX), with just effects, no cab models.

A multi-effects processor with three footswitches and a number of knobs on the top panel. — *Line 6 HX Stomp.*

8. A BASS PEDAL

If the bassist in your life is into portability, he or she will love the Line 6 POD Express Bass, which offers seven amp models, seven cab models, four compressors, four synths, four distortions, three modulation effects and a delay — all in a box that weighs less than a pound and runs on three AA batteries. In short essential sounds that are easy to find and use, in a single compact device that fits in any backpack.

A bass pedal with two footswitches and five dials. — *Line 6 POD Express Bass.*

9. HEADPHONES

Everyone appreciates a good pair of headphones, and bassists are no exception. A good gift choice would be the Yamaha HPH-MT7. Inspired by the classic Yamaha NS-10 studio monitors, these closed-back headphones offer clinical, pro-level reference sound with low end that is solid but not exaggerated, making them ideal for practicing, recording and mixing bass.

A pair of closed-back headphones. — *Yamaha HPH-MT7.*

10. A KEYBOARD

As discussed in a previous posting, playing keys makes you a better bass player. Yamaha offers plenty of ways to get started. One of the most accessible options is the reface CS, a 37-key polyphonic mini-keyboard that’s flexible and fun yet non-threatening to newbies. Playing a reface CS is an easy way to develop any bassist’s knowledge of chords and work on their synth bass chops, too.

A small electronic keyboard with mini-keys. — *Yamaha reface CS.*

No matter what you choose to give the bass player in your life, here’s hoping that it’s received in the spirit of the season — with good will, joy, gratitude and optimism. Happy Holidays!

student looking bored with face in both hands

It’s OK to be Bored

Written by Jarrett Lipman on November 14, 2024. Posted in Self-Care.

As we near the halfway point of the school year, the day-to-day interactions with students can become a bit mundane, even tedious. We’re past the celebration of a fresh start and beyond the excitement of the initial sights and sounds of our seasons.

This is what I call “ordinary time” — the days when there’s nothing to do but show up and go to work. For both students and teachers, it’s OK to be bored. While we love the idea that every day will be one of growth, change, joy and triumph, in reality, many days are routine, uneventful, status quo, challenging and even a bit dull.

It’s up to us to recognize that some of our most routine, predictable days will lead to some of our finest moments in teaching. Consistency and predictability are key ingredients to growth. Repetition, repetition and more repetition are powerful tools for students to improve at their craft. Oftentimes, we are not teaching, rather, we are “supervisors of organized practice sessions.” These ordinary days, if put to their best use, will lead us and our students toward the most extraordinary results.

Everyone is a Champion on August 1

One of my favorite quotes that I learned early on in my teaching career was from Manny Maldonado, my colleague at Claudia Taylor Johnson High School in San Antonio, Texas. He would say to our band, “Everyone is a champion on August 1st. What are you going to be like on October 1st?”

His message was simple. August 1 is known as “Drill Day” in Texas. It marks the start of band camp for many groups and the first day of a new season. Manny’s point is that it’s easy to start strong when there’s excitement about a new year and lots of energy surrounding dreams and goals for the season. However, when the mid-season slump rolls around, how many students will still have the same excitement about finishing strong during those later “laps of the race”?

While teaching The Cadets, we talked to the members often about the difference between interest and commitment. We explained that commitment meant following through long after the initial interest and joy subsided. We see the same issues with abandoned New Year’s resolutions, fitness goals or the challenge of pursuing any new habit. We see it on Christmas and Easter at church when the pews are full, but on June 1 or September 1 during “ordinary time,” church attendance is thinner. In our world of band or drum corps, the challenge of pushing through the day-to-day can be daunting.

silhouette of a group of students jumping for joy at sunset

Finding Joy in Consistency

We see pictures on social media of people who look joyful in their classrooms and attend in-service sessions in hopes of finding motivation and rejuvenation. When I’m in the middle of the grind, I wonder, “Am I the only one who isn’t enjoying this right now? I’m bored, grumpy and over it.”

Cue another of my mentors, Joe Dixon, who wisely preached, “Children need to learn to be bored.” Learning to work through boredom is a powerful skillset for young musicians in their quest to become excellent at their craft. I often must remind myself, “I need to get better at being bored.”

Of course, music isn’t boring. It’s our passion — that’s why we teach and share our gifts. I go back to “ordinary time” and think about how these often boring, typical days are the ones that can lead us to extraordinary results … if we use them correctly. How often have we reached the end of a season and wished we had used time differently? Or, after the final contest, we promised ourselves, “Next year, I am going to be sure to …”

Here’s the best part about the moment we are in — it’s not too late to be the best version of ourselves. And it starts with accepting that it’s okay to be bored sometimes.

engaged students raising hands in classroom — photo by MonkeyBusiness/Adobe Stock

You Don’t Have to Do the Same Thing to Do the Same Thing

We’ve all told our students that “consistency is key” to achieve the desired result. But here’s the thing: You don’t have to do the same thing to do the same thing. Take daily drills — as a euphonium player or brass instructor, I think a daily diet of breathing, a long tone, a lip slur and a tonguing drill are really important for musicians. Long tones to develop sonority and endurance, lip slurs to build flexibility and range, and a tonguing drill to work articulation. Of course, air is our fuel — how many of us really practice breathing every day in our individual practice? Or with our bands? We know we should, but that’s easier said than done.

The truth is you don’t have to practice the same Remington the same way every day to practice Remington. You can change up the key, the starting note, the length of each note, the speed of the exercise, or even the articulation. You don’t have to do the same slur every day to practice lip slurs, and you don’t have to practice the same tonguing drill the same way every day to practice tonguing. Of course, if you have the patience and discipline to do it the same things every day and train your students to work through the monotony, then you have mastered a special level of discipline.

Play different chorales instead of perfecting the same one. It’s OK to mix up the process or the routine as long as you’re still covering the basis. Your fundamentals are your foundation, and they need daily attention. Don’t give up on them because you’re bored or pressured to work on music or drills.

Boston Crusaders practicing under a tree — The Boston Crusaders baritones rehearsing.

Develop Discipline

Consistency and predictability are key for continued growth. Repetition, repetition and more repetition can be powerful tools for students to improve their skillset. Often, we are not teaching in the traditional sense. Rather, we are supervisors of “organized practice sessions,” to borrow a term from Gino Cipriani, the Assistant Director of the Boston Crusaders.

Teachers who spend class time, rehearsals or sectionals turning on a metronome and practicing for students over days and weeks may find that students learn how to practice correctly through that process. Often, the best work gets done with fewer words and more reps, slow and then fast.

Think about your own individual practicing on your instrument, of an etude, a jury piece, a solo or any technical excerpt — it’s hard work. And it’s solitary work that may not involve many words or motivational speeches, just a lot of grinding it out. As coaches, we should consider practicing etudes or band music with our students. Pace their practice. Help them learn how to break things down. And then do it over and over again — day after day. Doing so may give students a chance to develop the discipline to do the things that must be done when they need to be done.

Delayed Gratification

Progress in band is incremental. Growing up in a cranberry farmer family, I’m prone to agricultural references. The most obvious is if we think of a cornfield, we don’t see corn grow 6 feet high in a week. It starts with clearing the field, planting the seed, careful maintenance and patience. Over time, we see the tiny sprout grow into mature corn that is eventually ready for harvest.

Too often, crop failure occurs when we miss a step in the process — not enough water or fertilizer or extreme temperatures. In other words, if you neglect the basics or the temperature is too hot or cold in your band hall — your “crop” is toast.

Your students won’t necessarily notice their increase in range, flexibility or speed of technique in a single day or week. Still, they will see incremental gains with patience, going slowly and repeating the process repeatedly. As a coach, I patiently guide them through their boredom and frustration to achieve the desired results. I often think about delayed gratification and the idea of teaching students to “rest” when they are tired, rather than quit.

Vandegrift band at BOA — The Vandegrift High School band at BOA.

Ordinary Days Can Lead to Extraordinary Results

On my first day of spring training with the Boston Crusaders this year, I vividly remember thinking:

“Finals is so long from now.”
“I wonder when we will be good?”
“How am I going to get through the next week of doing the same thing every day?”
“How will the students get through 12 weeks of it?”

All normal thoughts at the beginning of a long journey. Of course, summer went by in the blink of an eye, and on finals night, watching the corps was its usual emotionally charged experience filled with smiles, some tears and many celebratory hugs. The day after finals, as I sat on my flight home, I reflected on the many hours during our spring training, breaking down the same technique and warmups day after day, feeling like we would never get away from the monotony.

The longer I have taught, the more I have learned to find joy in those dull, long days that have become a key ingredient in our success. While I don’t always look forward to them, the knowledge of what’s to come reminds me that those ordinary days can lead us toward the most extraordinary results when put to their best use.

Top 10 Gift Ideas for Guitarists

Written by Robbie Calvo on November 13, 2024. Posted in Gearguide.

Musicians are constantly looking for inspiration, new sounds, and devices that expand their sonic palette, technique or personal performance. Guitar players, in particular, have lots of options when it comes to the types of instruments available, plus we arguably live in the greatest era for amplifiers and effects processors.

So when it comes to holiday gift ideas for guitarists, it should be pretty easy to find something to widen the eyes and broaden the smile of your favorite axe slinger. Here are my top 10 suggestions.

1. A NEW GUITAR

Entry level

When it comes to acoustic guitars, a great choice for beginners is the Yamaha STORIA line, which was created with first-timers in mind. These cost-effective yet aesthetically pleasing concert-body guitars offer ease of playability, a thinner body width and a nice low action for the fingers, and also come in three stylish finishes. There are three models, each equipped with a passive undersaddle piezo pickup so they can be connected to an amplifier, as well as played acoustically. STORIA I has an off-white solid spruce top and a mahogany back and sides; STORIA II has a natural solid mahogany top, back and sides; and STORIA III has a chocolate brown solid mahogany top, back and sides. Here’s a video that shows them in action.

Three acoustic guitars, one white, one light brown, one dark brown.

When it comes to entry-level electric guitars, my gift suggestion would be the Yamaha Revstar RSE20, which features a double-cutaway mahogany body and a mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard, and comes outfitted with two humbucking pickups for extra versatility. (There’s even a left-handed model for southpaws.)

Its tone control can also be pulled out to engage a “dry switch” feature that essentially reduces some of the bass response of the pickups — useful when you are looking for extra brightness. Newbies may also find the RSE20 easier to play than many other electric guitars, due to its shorter 24 3/4” scale length and a satin-finished neck that allows for smooth position changes along the entire fretboard. Here’s a video of me putting the RSE20 through its paces.

Intermediate

The parlor-sized Yamaha CSF-TA TransAcoustic guitar is one of my favorite acoustic guitars for travel, recording and songwriting sessions. Its solid spruce top is paired with a solid mahogany back and sides for a warm, full tone, and its short scale length helps with ease of string tension. One of the most amazing things about this instrument (and all Yamaha TransAcoustic guitars) is that hall and room reverb, plus a lush chorus can be blended with the natural acoustic tone without needing an effects pedal or amp, although all of the effects and acoustic tones can also be amplified through a P.A. system using the built-in piezo pickup. Here’s a video of me doing a live performance in Australia on my CSF-TA.

In terms of an intermediate-level electric guitar, you can’t go wrong with the Yamaha Pacifica Standard Plus. Its unique coil-tappable single-coil pickups were co-designed with Rupert Neve Designs for a crisp, tuneful tone that sits perfectly in any musical genre or composition. In addition, the locking tuners keep everything nicely in tune, even when using the floating tremolo bridge for chordal shimmers and dive bombs alike. The slim c-shaped neck and carved heel joint make for exceptional playability, and the delicious tones and color palettes that can be coaxed from this beautiful instrument are sure to stimulate the senses of any discerning musician. Here’s a video of me playing one of these superb guitars.

Professional

The newly released Yamaha TAG3 C is a groundbreaking acoustic guitar that features an onboard looper, delays, choruses, reverbs and a chromatic tuner — all without needing an effects pedal or amplifier. This all-solid tonewood acoustic sounds amazing (even without the effects engaged), plays like a dream, and offers portable, performance-ready tones just about anywhere you want to play music. In addition, a dedicated app allows for detailed editing of effects and the storage of up to ten user-created loops. The TAG3 C should be very high on your list of options, for any guitarist at any level of proficiency, whether playing for fun or doing professional recording or live performance. You can read my first take on this amazing instrument here, and be sure to check out this video of me demonstrating the TAG3 C’s onboard looper.

Finally, if you’re looking to gift a professional-level electric guitar, the SA2200 is, in my opinion, the finest one that Yamaha makes, although it’s currently somewhat hard to find. Handcrafted in Japan, this semi-hollow body double-cutaway instrument features a sycamore top, back and sides, along with jumbo frets and dual Alnico V humbucking pickups. What’s more, the SA2200’s short scale length, slim neck and ebony fingerboard make chordal passages easy to navigate, even for smaller hands. As you might expect from a semi-hollow body guitar, jazz passages sound smooth and perfectly intonated, but rock, blues and pop solos also soar thanks to the coil-tappable humbucking pickups. As a bonus, the stunning sunburst finish also looks amazing onstage and under the camera lights. Here’s a video of me demonstrating the extraordinary sonic capabilities of this extraordinary instrument.

A hollow-body electric guitar with a double cutaway body and a sunburst finish.

2. STRINGS

A guitarist can never have too many strings. It’s not just about changing strings every so often: Guitarists should always carry a couple of spare sets or single strings in their case or gig bag, just in case one breaks in the middle of a live performance or recording session. (The top three strings are the most likely to break, so have a few of each available should that happen.) While the specific choice is very much subjective, I suggest you consider gifting a variety of Savarez strings, available for both acoustic and electric guitars.

18 sets of guitar strings in brightly colored packaging.

Wiping down your strings after each practice session, jam or gig will also prolong their life, so an additional gift suggestion is a string cleaner/lubricant like the D’Addario XLR8.

A can of string clearner / lubricant on top of an acoustic guitar.

3. A CAPO

Although extremely inexpensive, a capo is pretty much a must-have for any guitarist. It allows guitar players to quickly change the pitch of chords, scales and arpeggios without retuning. Here’s a video of me demonstrating how one of these handy add-ons can be used to create a complex arrangement.

A guitar headstock and top of guitar fretboard with a capo attached.

4. A SLIDE

Slide guitar playing is a very distinctive technique used for blues, country and rock styles, and it can be done on both acoustic and electric guitars. The smooth sound of a glass or steel slide against the strings allows for long legato lines, double-stops and even chords to resonate in a very unique way. Here’s a video in which I show how clean and precise passages can be played with a slide.

A black and white photo of an electric guitar being played with a slide.

5. A CLIP-ON TUNER

The importance of having your guitar in pitch and in tune cannot be overstated. There are pedal-based guitar tuners that run on batteries or pedalboard power supplies; however, these require you to plug a cable into your guitar. The easier way is to use a headstock (clip-on) tuner such as the Yamaha GCT1. These small, inexpensive devices need no AC power and allow you to tune both acoustic and electric guitars without plugging in; you simply clamp the tuner onto the instrument’s headstock. It then picks up the vibrations of each string and indicates the pitch on a brightly colored screen.

A clip-on tuner attached to an electric guitar headstock.

6. A DESKTOP AMPLIFIER

The desktop amplifier is a concept originated by Yamaha some years ago and exemplified in the company’s current THR-II Series. This kind of amp has nothing to do with the virtual desktop on your computer; it’s not a piece of software, and in fact there’s nothing virtual about it. These are actual amplifiers that are small enough to fit on an actual desktop.

My personal choice for gift-giving is the THR30IIA WL model, which offers 30 watts of power — plenty for home practice, band rehearsal and even small club gigs — and boasts features like acoustic mic modeling, Hi-Fi audio playback and stereo imaging; there’s even an input for a vocal microphone. You can edit and save your favorite tones via a free mobile app, then recall those saved presets via five buttons on the amp’s top panel. It comes with a rechargeable battery for up to five hours of performance time, and it also has a built-in chromatic tuner and a tap tempo feature for the onboard effects. As a bonus, you can even play your favorite playlist through the THR30IIA in stereo via either wireless Bluetooth pairing or a wired cable from your mobile device. This makes playing along to tracks super-easy, facilitating learning. Best of all, the THR30IIA sounds absolutely amazing whether you use it with acoustic or electric guitars.

A small cream-colored desktop guitar amplifier.

7. A MULTI-EFFECTS PROCESSOR/MODELER

As their name implies, multi-effects processors are capable of generating many different effects such as reverb, delay, chorusing, flanging, phasing, etc. Those that offer modeling capabilities are also able to emulate the sounds of various popular amplifiers and/or microphones. My nomination in this category is the flagship Helix^® Floor from the company Line 6. This innovative device utilizes dual-SHARC^® processing and HX^® Modeling to deliver the authentic sound and feel of analog amps and effects, and its player-friendly interface sets the industry standard for ease of use. Features include a large color LCD, built-in looping, capacitive-touch footswitches, customizable scribble strips, extensive analog and digital I/O, and an onboard expression pedal. You can think of it as a programmable stereo digital guitar rig for the semi-pro or working professional guitar player. I’ve been using Helix products in my studio for electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass and nylon-string tones for nearly a decade, and it’s still my “go-to” rig. Here’s a video showing Helix Floor being put through its paces.

A guitar pedalboard with multiple switches and knobs and a footpedal.

8. A STOMP BOX

A stomp box like the one I’m recommending here — the Line 6 HX One — allows you to access one effect in a single pedal that can be easily incorporated into a custom pedalboard. The HX One differs from most in that it offers options for more than 250 effects taken from the company’s HX^® family of multi-effects processors, such as delay, chorus, tremolo, flanger, overdrive and pitch shifting. You can also initiate patch and program changes via MIDI — a great help during live performance. Here’s a video showing the HX One in action.

9. HUMIDITY CONTROL PRODUCTS

Humidity is the enemy of every guitar — in fact, of every instrument made of wood. If the air is too dry or too moist, the neck could warp, the finish could crack … or worse. For that reason, it’s important to have the ability to regulate and control the humidity of the environment in which guitars are stored. D’Addario Humidipaks are an excellent choice for both electric and acoustic guitars: Simply place one in the sound hole of your acoustic guitar or in your guitar case to automatically absorb, maintain or restore moisture to ensure the ideal humidity level for your guitar.

A black piece of fabric draped over the soundhole of an acoustic guitar.

Another excellent gift option in this category would be a Cordoba HumiCase guitar case. These are designed specifically for acoustic guitars of various body types.

An open guitar case with an acoustic guitar inside.

10. NEW PICKUPS

Replacement guitar pickups are a an excellent way to upgrade an electric guitar, especially if a guitarist loves the instrument’s playability and look, but feels the tone is lacking in punch, clarity or warmth. There are multiple manufacturers offering industry-standard pickup sizes and shapes, like humbuckers, single-coils and P90s, so a direct replacement should be available, without the need to drill larger holes in the guitar.

Do some research for the type of sound these pickups impart. Listen to audio clips on manufacturer websites and watch YouTube videos before making this kind of investment. I’d also highly recommend that a qualified luthier (a craftsperson who builds and repairs guitars and other stringed instruments) install the new pickups, unless you’re sure that the gift recipient is confident with a soldering iron.

The Wrap-Up

Every one of the gifts listed here will provide the guitarist in your life with top-notch tones, inspiration, and decades of performance satisfaction. All the acoustic and electric guitars highlighted here can be paired with any multi-effects processor, modeler or stomp box to create a nearly infinite variety of lush sonic soundscapes, and then played back in stereo from a desktop amplifier.

There’s something here for everyone who loves playing the guitar! I’d definitely be happy to receive any one of these items as a gift this holiday season.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR.

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Engaging Wind Rehearsals

Written by Brandon J. Duras on November 9, 2024. Posted in Winds.

Differentiating instruction for a variety of instruments all in one group can be tricky because you must keep all students engaged. I use a number of rehearsal techniques that apply to all instruments, therefore engaging everyone.

Start with the Warmup

The warmup is when most of our instruction on fundamentals takes place. My warmups vary depending on things like how much time we have, where we are, who is missing, etc. Most of the time we work out of a warm-up book. I encourage you to look for two things in a warm up book: 1) it should have more exercises than just scales for everyone, and 2) it should have chorales in various keys. If your book does not have those, supplement to make sure your students are getting what they need.

For example, the book we use includes lip slurs for brass that are harmonized by the woodwinds and vice versa when the woodwinds are playing embouchure studies. Chorales provide a fundamental understanding of tone, balance, blend, tuning, etc. We make sure to do a chorale every day during warmup.

Use flexibility in your warmup. If you have an exercise that is a major scale in eighth notes that goes up to the ninth scale degree, but it doesn’t include articulations, make up your own! If it has articulations written in, play those. Then make up your own! Try slur two, tongue two. Slur three, tongue one. Tongue one, slur two, tongue one. Slur up, tongue down. The possibilities are endless. Now you have introduced articulation into your warmups and demonstrated your students’ ability to be versatile in their articulation abilities, which will come in handy when it comes to the repertoire.

Sometimes, I don’t even use a warm-up packet or book. When choirs warm up, I have never seen them use a prescribed book of warmups to find their sound. Some exercises I use I stole from my colleague’s vocal warm-ups! My hope in doing this is that students are thinking about what they are doing. Especially if you are doing the same warmups from the book every rehearsal (or even if you don’t, they are bound to repeat soon!) students can go on autopilot and ignore important aspects of the warmup. By describing the warmup to them (usually using solfege syllables), students now are thinking about what key they are playing in and how they are playing it. How is my balance? How is my blend? Am I matching articulation? Teaching a handful of warmups to students can come in handy when you are at a festival or an away performance and you need to warm up quickly as a group. You can very easily say “let’s play (insert warm up here) in (insert key here)” and everyone (well, let’s hope everyone) is on the same page.

student playing trumpet — Photo by GRZEGORA.jp/Adobe Stock

Breathing

The breath is the most important component of playing a wind instrument. Breathing is something humans do so naturally that we think we know how to do it, but when it comes to playing an instrument, we somehow do it poorly. When something like breathing happens instinctually, it is very easy to ignore it when playing an instrument. The No. 1 issue I need to address in my wind students is breathing through their nose. When I see this happen, I stop and explain why we need to breathe through our mouths. When it continues, I simply remind them. It’s a very easy thing to see students doing wrong. It is also very easy to hear! The difference in sound when students breathe correctly is night and day!

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Incorporate breathing into your warmup! I have found that this positively impacts students’ performance in two ways. First, they start thinking about their breath and are training their lungs and muscles related to breathing. This improves their breath support, and as a result improves their playing. After a break from breathing exercises in our warm-up, a student came to me and asked if we could add them back in because of how much he felt it helped his playing! Remember how important the breath is! Second, I have found that it improves focus during rehearsal. Breathing exercises are great for mindfulness and focus. Even if students aren’t aware of it, there are days their incorrect breathing could make or break me…err, I mean, the rehearsal. By having all students focus and regulating their breathing, we start rehearsal from a place of silence, not chaos.

Pitch Tendency Charts

One of the things I take time to do at the beginning of the year is to create pitch tendency charts. Each student will fill out a chart for every pitch on their instrument that indicates if a note is sharp or flat and how sharp or flat that note is. This becomes a resource for students for tuning their instrument. Now, when you tell the clarinets that the note they’re playing is sharp, they will (hopefully) know that the answer is not to pull out your barrel. Guess what, now that the note is in tune, the others are not! Students will need to work with a partner and a tuner. What is important is that the student playing cannot see the tuner. If they do — even though they may not think they are — they will adjust naturally to move the needle. That is what we want them to do when they hear, not see, that they’re out of tune!

I have done this lesson in a couple of ways. First, you can have students pair up. They don’t even need to be the same instrument! Hopefully, they won’t mess around. They take turns completing the task. Another option is to have one student (let’s call them the “tuner watcher”) work with all the members of their section. Then there are two students away from a section at a time and the other students can run a sectional or remain in your rehearsal. The “tuner watcher” will need someone else to become the tuner watcher for them to complete their chart. If you’re like me and hate wasting time with a study hall when you are absent, this is a great lesson plan. Now you can waste their time by helping them play in tune.

I’m sure you’re thinking, “Wait, what will my percussionists do? They play in tune.” You’ll have to wait until my next article.

Rehearse Like They Will Practice

This is one of the most important things I emphasize in rehearsals. Like all music educators, I find that my students need to practice more. Mind. Blown. If this isn’t an issue for you because you have the answer, please let me know.

I believe the biggest issue students have with practicing is that they don’t know how to practice, or how to do it efficiently. If they are anything like me when I was young, they just play their music over and over again, top to bottom, and call it a day. I have (and by that I mean I stole or maybe borrowed) a list of practice tips and techniques. These are strategies that I use in rehearsal, and I’m sure many of you do, too. These strategies will hopefully help students slowly understand how to practice. They can make the connection from “when I’m having trouble with this, I can do that to make it better.”

Here are some (but not all) of my favorites:

Work backward: Start with a measure or half a measure or even a beat and slowly add to it until you have a full phrase. We sometimes focus too much at the beginning and somehow forget that the audience will also hear the end. Ignore the middle because if the beginning and end are good that’s all they’ll remember. I’m kidding — fix it all.
Eliminate rhythm: This is a great way to ensure that you can hear harmonies for tuning. This is also very valuable for brass instruments that might be playing wrong partials.
Eliminate pitch: This helps with rhythmic alignment and articulation. Isolating music is great, but far too often, we isolate a measure to fix it, when we can also isolate components like pitch and rhythm.
Looping: I do this a lot in rehearsal. This is great for technical passages. Isolate the measure and keep doing it over and over, slowly increasing tempo.
Hold a note: This is great for rhythmic alignment and, at times, intonation. Play a passage and choose a note to stop on. Hope you arrive together. Pick a trouble note in this passage, too. Hope it’s in tune.

It’s like the old saying “give a man a fish, he lies on his practice logs; teach a man to fish, he might actually practice.”

Use Analogy

This is a hot-topic debate. Depending on your students’ age and grade level, using analogy to explain what you are hearing or how you want them to play can be hit or miss. Perhaps they are too young to understand, or maybe they feel they’re too mature to buy into what you are saying. I hope the latter is not the case. Some players prefer being told directly how you want the music played. Louder, softer, shorter, longer. Being direct with my instruction like this is generally how I fix things in rehearsals. However, at times I like to use analogies to explain what I am hearing. This can be effective to get the students listening to how it sounds and thinking about why it sounds that way. “How is my playing making the music sound the way he described it?” From there I will explain how it should sound and include direct instruction that explains how to achieve that.

For example, we were working on a piece where the melody was very exposed in one or two instruments with a chordal accompaniment with long note values. Having played exposed parts like that, I know how important it is to feel supported by the sound of that foundation. They were playing sort of timidly and unsupported and as a result it sounded very thin. I asked them “if the way you just played was a blanket, would that blanket keep you warm? Is it a weighted blanket, or is it one of those blankets your grandmother knitted that has gaping holes in it?” Here I might say, “now play it like a weighted blanket” or “use more air and play 10% stronger to give the melody support.” Either way can work. Students will either make the decision on how to achieve that on their own or take the direct instruction and apply it. Regardless of how they achieved the sound, at that part of the music, they will have better connection to that moment. They will remember that that part should sound like a warm blanket. They are less likely to make that connection if I simply said, “That needs to be louder.”

I see using analogies as an important tool to connect students to the music on a more personal level. Especially in a school setting, it is part of our job to help students create a sonic image for the music they are playing. Giving them examples can help them develop their own image. Sometimes telling them every answer isn’t the answer. And sometimes just saying “do it better,” does the trick. I’m serious, it does.

Rely on Your Students

I will be the first to admit that I don’t know everything. Now, if I admitted that at the beginning of this article, you might not have made it this far. As a trumpet player who picked the trumpet because there were too many buttons on a saxophone, I still feel that way. When it comes to things like alternate fingerings, trill fingerings, etc., I get lost sometimes. Okay, most of the time.

This is one example of when I rely on my students to help each other. They are the ones playing the part, and on most instruments, they are doing it at a higher level than I can (you do not want to hear me play clarinet). I trust that they can make decisions on the best way to be successful playing their instrument. Additionally, giving students a chance to teach and learn from their peers is beneficial.

At times throughout rehearsal, we might get to a part where I tell students, “Take 30 seconds and work that out on your own.”

Students might play it a few times to get it under their fingers, but they can also use that time to help others in their section. This can work for a variety of issues, including fixing notes, finding best fingerings, picking places to breathe, etc. You can even ask students to do this quietly while you work with another section.

We have all dealt with students having side conversations. Again, if this isn’t an issue for you because you have the answer, please let me know. By asking students to work together quietly, I am giving them a chance to have a brief side conversation about the music. They all say they’re talking about the music, but now they actually have to!

______________________

This is far from a comprehensive list of how to work with your winds. I will keep adding to this list as time goes on. Hopefully this article gives you a place to start in your rehearsals that will help improve your students and their engagement. As always, feel free to take some or all my tips, or ignore everything I said. Disagreeing with me is just as valuable in developing your own rehearsal techniques as listening to me is! I’m always open to chatting about my always-evolving rehearsal process!

bucket drumming class at Johansen High School

Creatively Reach Special Needs Students

Written by Savy Leiser on November 5, 2024. Posted in DEI.

When Brad Hart, instrumental music teacher at Peter Johansen High School in Modesto, California, noticed that the school has a large portion of students in special education classes, he also realized how little accommodation most music programs — including the ones he participated in as a student — have for students with special needs. Because the school has three full-time special ed classes, Hart decided to find ways to get those students engaged with music. “Every student deserves a quality music education,” says Hart.

While many schools have inclusion as a goal, Hart noticed a lack of tangible solutions. “In terms of inclusion, it was very much like, ‘You should include people!’ But then there are no tips, no tricks, no real way to do it, no process to do it,” he says.

Now in his 13th year of teaching, Hart has created a process for including special needs students in his music program at Johanson in two unique ways: 1) through creating accommodations for special needs students in his concert band class and 2) through pioneering a bucket drumming ensemble for special education classes.

State Standards, Student Standards

The plan to commit to inclusion in music classes first came to Hart during a school faculty meeting. An administrator explained that the state of California was requiring special education students to complete a certain number of minutes in general classes, which included music.

Hart realized that including new students in his classes was going to require some adjustments and accommodations. “We couldn’t just throw a kid into a band or guitar class and pretend that just putting them in the class means that they’re learning music in an appropriate way,” Hart says.

If students have a physical disability that limits their hand mobility, Hart could not teach them to pluck a guitar the way he could with an able-bodied student. If students have a developmental disability that prevents them from focusing on fast-paced changes, then they may not thrive with traditional ensemble instruction.

Without accommodations, these students would be left behind. “That means that we have a kid who’s enjoying the music, which is nice, but not meeting any standard,” Hart says. “It’s not really allowing them to express themselves through music. It’s been a joy to find more ways to get students to express through music.”

Bucket Beats

One of the ways that Hart has helped disabled and special education students learn to express themselves through music has been a bucket drum class, which meets once a week during his prep period. This class has a substantial population of students from Johansen’s severely handicapped classes and has taught students how to understand rhythms, perform rhythms and even create their own rhythms. “They end up finding grooves and combinations of rhythms that they like,” Hart says.

The 2023-2024 school year marks the third year of the bucket drum class, which includes all three classes of severely handicapped students, plus their paraprofessionals and special ed teachers. “They gave me that support system,” Hart says.

The bucket drum class meets for about 30 minutes once a week, and Hart has been able to make the most of this limited time. He keeps the class fast-paced, focusing less on theory and more on practice time. “It’s a lot more kinesthetic repetition,” he says. “I make sure there’s enough repetition of a singular concept in multiple ways so that students are likely to retain it.”

Hart is always finding new ways to modify his instruction to meet students where they are. “Last year for the drum class, we instituted holding up a stop sign,” Hart says. “It helped some of the more visual students, especially from a farther distance, know that we were stopping.”

Musical Modifications

In addition to the bucket drum class, some special education students are involved in the concert band ensemble as well. Regardless of where they perform, students always have access to accommodations for their specific needs.

In the concert band class, these accommodations come from a mentorship program set up by the organization United Sound, which provides educational resources like books, games, flash cards and more to reach music students with special needs.

Johansen High School follows United Sound’s program, which allows band students to volunteer as “peer mentors.” Each peer mentor is paired with a “new musician,” often a student with special needs who is new to the music program.

Hart explains that this mentorship program has the added benefit of allowing more students to gain leadership experience. He prefers to assign peer mentor roles to students who have shown interest in leadership but aren’t already holding another role, like drum major or section leader.

In concert band, mentor musicians help new musicians gain necessary modifications. For example, a trombone players with mobility had difficulty when trying to move the slide fast enough. Hart says that the peer mentor helped rewrite this student’s parts to “make sure that his note changes happen with enough time in between so he can safely move the slide.”

Some peer mentors help students with mobility issues through a practice called “hand over hand,” where mentors put their hands on the new musicians’ hands to play piano keys, move a trombone slide, or any other movements that the new musicians might need assistance with.

New Performance Opportunities

Accommodations aren’t just for class periods and practice time; with more special education students in his music classes, Hart, who was recognized as a 2024 Yamaha “40 Under 40” music educator, is finding ways to make sure every student gets as many performance opportunities as possible.

At Johansen, band students perform at a winter and a spring concert. The band is also planning a trip to perform at Disneyland in June 2024. Because Hart wants to take as many students along as possible, he is already thinking about accessibility considerations. “Making sure a charter bus can accommodate a student in a wheelchair is a little different; it takes a different set of expectations and work,” he says. “We’re doing to give these are students and families performance experiences … [all] students and families deserve that same experience.”

Last year, Hart’s bucket drum class performed the song “Sweet Caroline” at Johansen’s homecoming pep rally. “The marching band played behind them, and it was a lot of fun,” Hart says. “You have all these kids who normally might observe the rally, who now had the opportunity to be part of the rally in a meaningful way.”

Feedback from students in the audience showed Hart that the bucket drummers were a valuable part of the rally. This year, the bucket drummers did not perform at the homecoming rally, and the Johansen student body was disappointed. “Kids came to me and asked, ‘Mr. Hart, where were the bucket drums? It was my favorite part of the rally last year!’” Hart says.

The Importance of Inclusion

Transitioning to an inclusive environment wasn’t difficult for Hart, because the focus for him is always on student fulfillment in music education itself, rather than on winning awards or competitions. Still, he emphasizes the importance of keeping the focus on the individual student’s educational needs, rather than on numerical grades or scores, for a truly inclusive environment. “So much of it is just changing your viewpoint,” he says.

For Hart, success in music is not about grades or ensemble ratings; it’s about how much each individual student can progress. “It’s a matter of, ‘How can we get them to learn as much as possible?’” Hart says.

Most important is remembering that inclusion means all students, not just the ones who show musical aptitude from the beginning. “It really is a long-term philosophy — the idea that every student deserves a quality music education means everybody,” Hart says.

Douglas Brown with digital music production student

The Nontraditional “Non-Semble”

Written by Savy Leiser on November 1, 2024. Posted in Case Studies.

Douglas Brown, Middleton High School — Douglas Brown

Most high school music programs contain a variety of ensembles, from concert band, to jazz band, to orchestra, to choir. At Middleton High School in Wisconsin, in addition to having a variety of ensembles, the music department also features what Director of Bands Douglas Brown affectionately calls “non-sembles” — opportunities for music education that fall outside the norm.

These non-traditional music classes include three levels of digital music production, plus a class focused on hip-hop music. By offering these options, Middleton High School has seen its music program nearly double; in addition to the 300 students in traditional concert band and 150 in orchestra, Middleton also has 130 students in hip-hop and about 170 in digital music. “Through all these classes that are nontraditional, we have seen a substantial growth in our program,” Brown says.

While studies have found that many high schools only have about 20 to 30% of the student body in the music program, Brown estimates that about 65 to 70% of the Middleton student population is involved, in part due to diverse music options. “In my mind, everyone can learn to love music,” he says. “We just have to find the right outlet for them.”

Teens Already Love Music

Brown spent much of his early career playing drum set as a gig musician. “The mindset as a drummer helped me realize that there are a lot of other art forms that can inspire people to make and engage with music,” Brown says. “They’re all equally valuable.”

When observing students around his school, Brown saw that students everywhere were already engaging with music in many different ways, both inside and outside of the school curriculum. For example, at his first teaching job, students brought their own guitars from home to practice in the school courtyard during breaks. At Middleton, he’s noticed kids showing an interest in rap and wanting to make their own beats.

One of his inspirations was the article, “Reaching the other 80%: Using technology to engage ‘non-traditional music students’ in creative activities” by Dr. David Brian Williams. This idea, presented at the 2007 University of Minnesota Technology Symposium, explains that most high schools are only reaching about 20% of their student population with in-school music options.

After reading Williams’ article, Brown asked himself: “What are we doing as music educators to capture that other 70 to 80% to help them engage in music?”

Because the research presented in the article indicated that many students who stop participating in music by high school likely won’t pick up music again in their adult life, Brown wanted to intervene and capture that other 80%. His solution was to create classes that matched the interests students were already displaying. “One of my goals has been to try to find creative ways to engage students, instead of forcing them into our boxes,” Brown says. “What boxes can we create that they already want to participate in?”

Mixing Genres

After introducing digital music and hip-hop classes, Brown noticed that, once kids are interested in music classes, their minds begin to open to even more possibilities. While students may originally join a wind ensemble or a hip-hop class depending on their initial interests, many students end up trying out more than one style. “We found that a lot of kids might take two or three years of hip-hop, and then they’ll join the band, or they’ll come play in the jazz band,” he says.

Brown doesn’t feel the need to keep the ensembles and non-sembles separate. In fact, a lot of their performances are collaborative. For example, the orchestra will record loops for hip-hop students to use in their songs. Often, band and orchestra concerts will include digital and hip-hop elements. “You bring the walls down when the jazz band does a funk hip-hop collaboration,” Brown says.

One of Middleton’s largest cross-department collaborations was a halftime marching band show that incorporated electronic elements. The show’s was about the evolution of music from acoustic to electric, and it featured a student DJ at center field. A wall of speakers was set up behind the DJ, and the marching band’s drill moved around the DJ setup. The show also included a hip-hop student as a vocalist rapping along with the band.

”There were times when the wind instruments would play, and that sound would be captured by the DJ, and then looped, sampled and put through the DJ system,” Brown says. “The opposite would happen, too. A DJ would play a loop that would then get picked up by the woodwind section, and they would play live loops on the instruments.”

Brown explains that, by having a speaker system in front of the ensemble, plus a speaker wall behind the DJ, the audience was forced to question if they were hearing acoustic or electric music throughout the show. “It was a creative amalgamation from students’ work,” says Brown, who was recognized as a 2024 Yamaha “40 Under 40” music educator. “I was proud of it, and it was unique.”

Real-Life Lessons

Middleton’s nontraditional classes have also expanded students’ performance opportunities, many of which translate to real-life work experience. For example, instead of hiring professional DJs for school dances, a student from the digital music classes was selected and paid a stipend. “They get to display their learning in front of all their peers,” says Brown. “And they get to look super cool!”

Similarly, students can gain work experience through a paid internship at Middleton’s Performing Arts Center, which has a recording studio that is booked by local musicians. Digital music students can work at the studio and help out with the recordings — and they gain work experience and earn a little extra money.

These real-world work opportunities have translated to success in students’ lives beyond high school. “We have kids who have gone on to [receive] degrees in recording engineering at some of premiere colleges,” Brown says.

Digital music has been a way to get hundreds of students involved with music as both educational enrichment and as a career possibility. “I think we should have far more digital music and hip-hop music programs throughout the country,” Brown says. “We should be responsive and make sure that everyone can engage in music, no matter what their interests are.”

Discover the New and Improved Marching Hardware from Yamaha

Written by Dylan Soto on October 30, 2024. Posted in Percussion.

Joel Tetzlaff, Product Marketing Manager for the Yamaha drums and percussion department, discusses the exciting world of marching percussion as well as the cutting-edge Yamaha marching hardware products, scheduled to hit the market in early 2025 (they will be showcased at the 2024 Percussive Arts Society International Conference in Indianapolis). Tetzlaff unveiled the innovative design and manufacturing processes behind these game-changing products, revealing how they will elevate the experience for both marching performers and educators.

Download this Yamaha Field Corps Marching Hardware Brochure now!

Q. How does this new line of marching hardware from Yamaha differentiate itself from existing products in the market?

A. This new line of products will include both carriers and stands for marching snare drums, marching tenor drums and marching bass drums.

In this new line, we focused on developing hardware specifically for the marching arts. Marching hardware has evolved significantly over the years, and we aimed to take it a step further by focusing on simplicity and durability.

We gather continuous feedback from educators, and some of their suggestions have been incorporated into our new designs. For example, after hearing from band directors, we minimized the number of components on the hardware to ensure quick and efficient adjustments. We also focused on the reliability of these carriers and stands so that performers can focus more on music rather than worrying about the efficiency of the hardware.

Q: Tell us about the MC-9600 Field Corps Carriers.

A: Our previous models of carriers did a good job of being dynamic with body styles and offering a range of adjustments. However, we recognized that too many adjustments can detract from the player experience, so, the MC-9600 Field Corps Carriers are both adjustable and comfortable. We reduced the number of components with only four player-side main adjustments, making set up a lot more straightforward and customizable. The flexible shoulders and wedge-shaped back bar provides confident movement.

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We also reimagined the padding on our carriers. Understanding that they’re worn during long practices and performances, we developed a breathable fabric for the padding that dries quickly, enhances airflow, and resists moisture and odors, thanks to its plastic core. The padding is also removable and washable and features a C core inner padding that provides comfortable compression. This attention to detail ensures that we get our customers the best experience.

Q: Can you provide specifics about the MS-8200 Field Corps Marching Stands?

A; In developing these stands, we took shared elements from our drums department, but we didn’t just take the base of a drum stand and put marching configurations on top. We designed these stands specifically for the marching arts.

The hexrack core incorporates a slotted rail that perfectly balances lightweight construction with sturdiness, providing a stable foundation that’s easy to transport. The wide body legs and front leg adjustment are specifically sized to accommodate all terrains. And the twist-lock mounting system and height adjustment memory lock allows players to set their drum angles independently from the carriers, allowing them to “set and forget” their adjustments, which makes our stands ideal for marching.

We’re really proud of the seamless integration of our carriers and stands. Overall, we view these carriers and stands as integral to the instrument. Our carriers feature a more athletic approach while our stands provide a solid and lightweight foundation that meets the needs of modern marching performers. Rather than being another accessory, our new line of hardware products is designed to effortlessly integrate with the instrument itself.

innovation of percussion equipment development

Q: How do these new products contribute to the company’s history of innovation?

A: We took a lot of shared knowledge we have between the different divisions of Yamaha, from racing to our music departments. What sets our company apart is our diverse manufacturing capabilities, specifically with metal. This allows us to create a shared database of our experiences, highlighting what has worked and what hasn’t.

For example, Yamaha Racing creates products designed for optimal performance in motorsports, reaching speeds of hundreds of miles per hour on a track. This brings up important considerations like the sturdiness and durability of materials, as well as their tensile strengths. I won’t dive too deep into the technical details, but this is what makes our manufacturing process truly incredible. We have resources at our fingertips, so we can ask questions like: “Do you think these two metals would work well together?” “Do these materials work well in this environment?”

This shared knowledge is what makes our hardware not just an accessory we import. Instead, all the products we design and build go through extensive research to help the make our instruments easier to use. As I mentioned before, this new line is built on the philosophy that our products are designed with a focus on simplicity and durability, which makes them reliable.

Yamaha Instrument Care Guide for Drums and Percussion

Download this Yamaha Drums and Percussion Care Checklist for Students now!

Q: Tell us about the extensive field research you did on these products.

A: Our new carriers and stands were taken out this summer for testing. Our first pretest was with Pulse Percussion, a Yamaha-sponsored indoor group. Our research was focused on adapting the carriers to various body types and determining how the carriers could be adjusted to comfortably accommodate a range of performers. After finding the middle ground, we took the carriers to the Cavaliers to be tested.

I accompanied our research and development team to visit the Cavaliers, and we focused on how these products would perform during the intense drum corps season. I believe that if a product can last through one drum corps season, it should hold up for five to seven years in a band room. The drum corps rehearse for six to eight hours a day in the heat and often perform that same evening, using the same products for both practices and shows. This intense schedule allowed us to put our new products to the test. We referred to this as our “Formula One test,” and I’m proud to say that we were very successful with the Cavaliers.

The performers reported that the carriers were comfortable, and they provided positive feedback throughout the season. Our team from Japan and I assisted with sizing the carriers, and we walked the Cavaliers through the different functions of the stands. We also checked up on them every two to three weeks, which helped me connect with many of the performers throughout the season.

According to the drum corps members, the standout feature was the padding. Some performers said it dried quickly during water breaks. Others were impressed that the carriers didn’t retain odors and provided enough comfort that they didn’t feel the metal. They also felt that the lightweight stands were easy to carry around their different stations.

Overall, our educators had a positive response to the tests as well. Many expressed relief and asked, “What took so long?” Educators said that the new carriers and stands were the finishing pieces to their Yamaha marching gear.

After testing, we identified a few areas for improvement — and we made about five to eight minor tweaks. None of these issues were major, but we felt that addressing them was crucial so we could get the best products out to our educators and performers. Part of our philosophy at Yamaha is that we don’t want to have one-time customers, we want to have them for a lifetime.

Q: What can educators do to ensure longevity and optimal performance?

A: Percussion is something that sits in the back of the room. What’s interesting is that the carriers or stands used by players is often specifically assigned to them for the season, but they don’t own them — unlike a saxophone that a musician uses to practice daily. So, it’s crucial for educators to instill a sense of ownership of these products in their students by emphasizing the idea: “This is my carrier. There are many like it, but this one is mine.” This helps students take responsibility for their equipment, ensuring that they report any loose parts or issues.

I always tell educators to conduct an inventory check at the end of each season. Maybe designate a responsible student or drum instructor to handle this task. It’s important to review the equipment and note any missing parts or issues that arose during the season. This way you can order any replacement parts ahead of time like lugs or bolts for the carrier, or wing nuts for the stands so the equipment is ready for summer. By taking inventory after each season, you can ensure that you are prepared for the next one. Also, if you anticipate needing new equipment or if you’re planning on adding a few more students to the roster, make sure to order it in advance.

Q: How can this new line enhance student development, performance, practicality and comfort?

A: An important step in using the new carriers is ensuring that they are sized correctly for the performers. It’s crucial that the carriers are comfortable. Students and educators must keep in mind that when you first put on a carrier without a drum, it will feel different once the weight of the drum is added. So, make sure to revisit the sizing and make necessary adjustments after the drum is added. Don’t hesitate to adjust aspects like the belly plate height or the shoulder fit. These small tweaks can significantly enhance the performers’ experience.

It’s one thing to wear a carrier for a few minutes as opposed to hours. This summer, I observed the Cavaliers, and they were in their carriers most of the time. I believe the comfort of our carriers played a significant role in this.

MC-9600 Series Field Corps Marching Carriers Built to Withstand the Rigors of Drum Corps

The new padding plays a key role in providing this comfort. As I said earlier, we really took a more athletic approach in developing this new line. Also, our new shoulder design securely locks the back bar in place, which allows movement to originate from the core, meaning that when the performer turns, the drum moves with them. Lastly, the simplicity of the products highlights a crucial aspect of supporting student development. With fewer moving parts, there’s less risk of things getting loose during rehearsals or performances. Once everything is tightened and locked in place, minimal maintenance is needed.

At the end of the day, it’s all about kids having fun while playing music. I get into the specifics of the gear because I love the gear, but the more time students can spend practicing, rehearsing and enjoying these products, the better it is for everyone.

Q: What sets Yamaha marching products apart?

A: What sets Yamaha apart is how we create our products. When you choose a Yamaha, you can expect a level of consistency and quality that truly stands out.

There are other great options for hardware, but I think what makes our new products special is that they’re designed for exceptional durability, fit and finish. We’ve put a lot of thought into this new line of hardware, from the comfort and practicality of our carriers to how our stands are specifically built for the marching arts.

We believe in leading by example. Our focus is on creating high-quality products that elevate the experience of the performers and educators using our gear day in and day out.

How to Construct Walking Basslines

Written by E.E. Bradman on October 25, 2024. Posted in Bass.

Walking basslines create a sense of forward motion, or “walking,” by outlining chord changes in a smooth, connected way, usually one note per beat in a 4/4 time signature. A steady, flowing bassline helps drive the rhythm section, gives soloists a strong harmonic structure to improvise over and ties the whole band together.

Understanding chord progressions is essential to learning how to play walking bass lines. There are many common chord progressions used in different musical genres — including the ii-V-I, circle of fifths and minor ii-V-I that are often used in jazz — but learning to play a basic 12-bar blues is a great way to get started.

12-BAR BLUES

A 12-bar blues progression is based on the I, IV and V chords of a key. In the key of E, these chords are E7 (the I), A7 (the IV) and B7 (the V). Notice that they’re all seventh chords, which is why this progression is also known as I7-IV7-V7 blues; however, these are all dominant 7th chords instead of major 7ths.

The basic 12-bar blues structure is broken down into three four-bar sections. Bars 1 – 4 are E7, the root chord; bars 5 and 6 go to A7, the IV chord; bars 7 and 8 return to E7; bar 9 goes to the V chord, B7; bar 10 returns to A7; bar 11 is E7 again; and bar 12 is back to B7. Here’s what that chord progression sounds like on piano:

START WITH ROOTS

Begin by playing just the root of each chord on every beat, which will give you a sense of how to connect the harmony with the rhythm. Here’s what that looks like on a chart:

Sheet music showing the bass roots in a twelve-bar blues progression in the key of E.

On a four-string bass, you can play the E at the seventh fret of the A string, the A at the fifth fret of the E string, and the B at the seventh fret of the E string. On a five-string bass, as shown in the video below, you can play the E at the fifth fret of the B string (or the open E).

Here’s what it looks and sounds like when you play just those roots on each bar:

ADD FIFTHS AND OCTAVES

When you’re comfortable with roots, try adding fifths. (You can actually get a lot done with just roots, fifths and octaves). On an E7 chord, this means playing E (the root) and B (the 5th); on an A chord, play both A and E; and on a B chord, play B and F#.

On a four-string bass, you can play the E at the seventh fret of the A string, the A at the fifth fret of the E string, and the B at the seventh fret of the E string. On a five-string bass, as used in the video below, you can play the E at the fifth fret of the B string (or the open E).

Start by hitting the root on beats 1 and 2 and the fifth on beats 3 and 4, as shown in the chart and video below.

Sheet music showing the bass roots and fifths in a twelve-bar blues progression in the key of E.

ADD OTHER CHORD TONES

Besides the E and B, an E7 chord also includes G# (the 3rd) and D (the flatted 7th). Similarly, an A7 also contains C# and G, while the B7 chord has a D# and an A#:

Sheet music showing the bass roots, fifths, thirds and flatted sevenths in a twelve-bar blues progression in the key of E.

Playing these chord tones as ascending arpeggios up to the 6th nicely outlines the harmony, as demonstrated in the video below:

USE PASSING TONES

Playing passing tones — the notes between chord tones — helps create smoother transitions between chords. Once you have your quarter notes down, play with rhythm and rests; approaching chord tones a half-step or whole step above and below can sound great, too.

Most bass players choose which techniques they want to use from moment to moment, mixing it up to keep it fresh for themselves, the other musicians, and the listeners. Here’s a video that shows a combination of several approaches:

PLAY ALONG

One of the best ways to learn walking is to listen to bassists you admire. In addition to listening to classic recordings, check out duo performances — bass and guitar, for example, or bass and piano — to hear great bass players clearly outline chord changes.

In addition, experiment with note length and explore different chord types, chord progressions, feels, tempos, and time signatures. Practicing with a metronome (as well as apps, loops or a minus-one backing track like this, with drums and guitar but no bass) — will help keep your time steady.

CHORD SUBSTITUTIONS AND TURNAROUNDS

You’ll notice that some play-along tracks (like this one and this one) substitute the IV chord instead of staying on the I chord in bar 2; others, like this one, also substitute chords in bars 8 and 9 before ending with a two-bar figure known as the turnaround, which takes us back to the beginning. Having a good knowledge of chord substitutions and learning turnarounds are crucial skills for every bass player, and although it may be more prevalent in jazz than in blues or other genres, understanding the concept will allow you to be comfortable in every situation that calls for you to confidently connect chords.

Happy walking!

For more information on creating walking basslines, check out this blog.

Check out E.E.’s other postings.

First Look: TAG3 C TransAcoustic

Written by Robbie Calvo on October 9, 2024. Posted in Acoustic Guitars.

Yamaha TransAcoustic guitars are acoustic guitars that come with onboard reverb and chorus effects that are added to the natural tone of the instrument without the need of an amplifier. (Want to know how the magic is achieved? Click here.) The immersive sound these guitars produce is so astonishing that when most people try one for the first time, they can’t believe what they’re hearing!

The first TransAcoustic guitar was the LL-TA, a dreadnought model introduced back in 2016. Since then, Yamaha has released a full range of TransAcoustic guitars, including several steel-string models and a nylon-string classical, in a variety of body sizes. I’ve played every one of them, and they never cease to impress me (and my audiences!). What’s more, I have found these instruments to be inspirational to my songwriting, live performances and recording.

Now Yamaha has taken TransAcoustic technology to a whole new level with the debut of the TAG3 C cutaway dreadnought guitar. The TAG3 C offers two onboard chorus effects, three reverbs, two delay types and a chromatic tuner, plus a built-in looper … and it sounds absolutely incredible.

To give you even more customization options, there’s a dedicated (and free) TAG Remote app that wirelessly connects your mobile device to the guitar via Bluetooth^®. The app also provides extra loop storage and allows you to play the songs, backing tracks and playlists in your smartphone through the TAG3 C’s sound hole, enabling you to jam along literally anywhere, even at the beach or outdoor barbecue … again, without the need for an external amplifier.

In this posting, we’ll take a first look at this extraordinary instrument and all these incredible features … and yes, there’s a video of me performing a nine-layer loop all in one take so you can see and hear how it all works.

Physical Attributes

An acoustic guitar with a sunburst finish.

The TAG3 C has a dreadnought body with a solid mahogany back and sides; a solid Sitka spruce top with a beautiful sunburst finish and a clear pick guard; an ebony fingerboard and bridge, with a cutaway for easy access to the upper region of the fretboard; and a satin-finished mahogany neck. The neck profile is super comfortable, and the satin finish really makes a big difference to fast articulations.

The sound hole rosette, in particular, is quite stunning, with lovely tonewood inlays and blue accents. Inside the sound hole resides a micro rotary dial for the output volume of the built-in piezo pickup and preamp when connecting the TAG3 C to an amplifier — a nice touch for live performance.

As a bonus, the guitar comes with a hard bag for protection and transportation. From my own personal experience, these gig bags hold up well for extensive travel.

An acoustic guitar sound hole surrounded by a multi-color wood inlay.

Sound Quality

Not only is this a great-sounding guitar, Yamaha has also done an amazing job with the audio quality of the effects, as well as the clarity of the loop playback. If you orchestrate your parts with care, the separation is exceptional — maybe even better than I’ve heard from any looper pedal.

Careful blending of the effects will also reward you with incredible-sounding guitar parts for singer-songwriter performances with vocals. Again, no pedals needed!

Looper

The onboard TAG3 C looper works much the same as many pedal-based loopers, except you’re using your hands to activate it instead of your feet. To arm it, simply tap the circular inlay below the sound hole (this serves as the looper sensor) and start playing. When you’ve completed your idea, just tap the sensor again to put the looper into playback mode. You can also arm and complete a loop by pressing the reverb knob in the control panel. (See below.)

To add further overdubs, just tap the sensor again (or you can press the reverb button). The TAG3 C will save your loop even after powering down the guitar. You can also save and recall up to ten of your favorite loops with the use of the app. Brilliant!

Control Panel

A series of small knobs on the top of an acoustic guitar.

To activate the main control panel located along the top of the guitar (facing the player), simply press and hold the center power button for three seconds, causing the unit to light up for action.

Each of the four rotary knobs in the control panel have multiple functions, as follows:

Chorus Knob

This sets the mix output of the chorus you’ve selected in the app. When this knob is pressed, the last loop part is erased. (Think of this as your undo function on the looper.)

Loop Knob

Pressing this starts the looper recording; a white LED will illuminate when the looper is active. This dial also controls the output volume of the loop. I suggest experimenting with this for a while to perfect your looping playback volumes between parts. Pressing and holding the loop button also allows the TAG3 C to connect to the app via Bluetooth.

Reverb Knob

This sets the output mix of the reverb you’ve selected in the app. Pressing the knob activates the looper “ready” mode, causing the lights around the power button to flash red. You can also press it to end recording instead of touching the looper sensor.

Delay Knob

This sets the mix level of the delay you’ve selected in the app (or the default setting if not connected).

Chromatic Tuner

Pressing and holding the delay knob for three seconds activates the onboard chromatic tuner. All you have to do is watch the LEDs around the center power button: Red indicates that the note is out of pitch (either sharp or flat); when the green center LED is lit, the string being played is at the correct pitch.

Onboard Effects

There are seven onboard effects in three different categories, as follows:

Chorus

The TAG3 C offers two chorus types: Double Detune and 4-Voice. Double Detune allows you to create mild to wide fluctuations of pitch above and below the original notes or chords. 4-Voice provides an extremely musical and smooth modulation effect.

You can freely select and audition each, dialing-in to taste using the depth, speed, tone and number of voices parameters in the app. The chorus knob in the control panel can then be used to blend the effect into the acoustic guitar sound.

Reverb

There are three reverb types available: room, hall and plate. Reverbs replicate the size of an ambient space and the reflection of sound created in those spaces. Room reverb creates the ambient sound created in a small space like a room, while hall reverb replicates the ambient sound in a large space like a concert hall. Plate reverbs replicate the sound created when audio vibrates a large steel plate. Think of room and hall reverbs as an emulation of natural spaces, while plate reverbs are contrived with mechanical components.

The TAG Remote app allows you to modify the selected reverb’s decay, tone and pre-delay. As described above, the master mix output for the reverb is in the guitar’s control panel.

Delay

There are two onboard delay types: simple and analog. Delay times can be dialed in using the time control or via Tap Tempo. To use Tap Tempo, all you have to do is depress the delay knob a few times in time with your loop (or at the tempo you’ll be playing your parts), and the TAG3 C delay will sync quarter notes to the tempo of the tap.

The simple delay provides a standard mono digital delay with tonal shaping via high and low frequency damping controls, while analog delay provides a nice replication of a tape echo delay. This kind of delay tends to have a warm tone with a characteristic (and sonically pleasing) degradation of audio quality as the repeats fade away.

In the app, feedback controls the amount of repeats, and the high damping/low damping and treble and bass controls fine-tune the brightness or warmth of the delay tones. As mentioned above, the delay knob in the guitar’s control panel determines the delay mix level.

TAG Remote App

The ultimate way to use the TAG3 C is to harness the full power of editing and loop storage (up to ten loops) provided by the free downloadable TAG Remote app. If that isn’t enough, you can also play your backing tracks, favorite songs and playlists through the guitar sound hole using your mobile device. This means that you can take your TAG3 C literally anywhere — even to the park or a bonfire jam — and when the playing is over, you can amplify your playlist through the guitar for background ambience.

Charging

A magnetic charger on the top of an acoustic guitar.

Yamaha has chosen not to use batteries to power the TAG3 C effects, looper and preamp. (You can, of course, always simply opt to play the TAG3 C as a purely acoustic guitar too.) I’d imagine this amount of horsepower in one guitar would drain regular batteries pretty quickly and thus become very expensive.

Instead, there’s a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery, with a magnetic power connector on the upper shoulder of the guitar. This should give the player five plus hours of play time without recharging — long enough for a gig or gathering.

The Video

This video provides a one-take looping performance with multiple layers to demonstrate the TAG3 C audio quality and ease of use, as well as the way in which the onboard effects seamlessly blend together.

I’m using a basic microphone to capture the acoustic sound coming from the sound hole, and blending that with the output of the pickup system direct to my DAW. You’ll notice that I’m leaving space between parts and thinking about the frequency range of each.

Timing is everything, so make sure your initial part and loop is perfectly in time before building the layers!

The Wrap-Up

Especially considering all the advanced features, the TAG3 C may well be the best guitar I’ve played in a long time. The acoustic tones are superb, the playability, build quality and finishes are excellent, and the effects, looper and tuner add a delicious frosting on an already masterful cake.

This guitar basically replaces multiple pedals, along with being an inspirational instrument for writing in the hotel or playing to an audience. The TAG3 C is simply exceptional in every way!

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR.

Download this Yamaha Drums and Percussion Care Checklist for Students now!

Concert Chairs to Marching Squares

Written by Don Stinson on October 6, 2024. Posted in Teaching Tips.

Have you ever gone to a musical or play, and read in the playbill that “tonight, the role of Mr. Brooks will be performed by another actor”? An understudy or another performer comes in to save the day when the star is unable to make the performance. They are just as professional, just as talented, and the show goes off without a hitch.

What about our situations with bands? We can do the same thing in band, just with a little more planning.

Why Switch?

“And tonight, the role of marching mellophone will be performed by flute one.”

We may promote a switch in instruments for students for many reasons. For example, some students may be stronger on another instrument, we may not have enough instruments in one area, etc.

I’m always about practicality, so if we think about switching instruments to help outdoor ensembles out, our reasons become pretty simple: compositions and volume.

Compositions: We should switch some students to different instruments to perform musical arrangements for an outside venue (football field, stadium, town square, etc.)
Volume: We want to think about projection. In other words, we want the band to be heard outside

In short, we want to be able to perform the written compositions as close to the intentions of the composer, and we want the kids to be heard outside.

How To Switch

I won’t go into a whole lot of methodology of how to select students to switch instruments or the proper methods, etc. There is a lot of information out there about this. Search the Yamaha Education blog for more or attend sessions at your state’s MEA.

However, here are eight tips to help you.

marching band trumpets — Photo by Adobe Stock/5Kfoto

Tip 1: Consider Your Ensembles and Program Structure

For our purposes, let’s say that your band program consists of the following:

Concert ensemble (also called symphonic band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, etc.)
Marching band
Jazz band
Pep band

If I have an extracurricular marching band, I would consider my concert ensemble instrument first, and then I would focus on making my marching band instrumentation focused on projection (sorry, flutes, this is why we see a lot of flute players switch to different instruments or color guard).

However, if my marching band is curricular and is the focus of my program during most of the first semester, then I would have to be practical and think of the marching instrumentation first.

You know your program best!

Tip 2: Consider Your Music/Arrangements

Your music selections can really help you determine where your instrument need is. If you are performing some marching arrangements for a show band or collegiate style band, you’ll find that most of the melody is written for trumpets, clarinets and flutes. If I’m lacking in trumpets, I may ask some flute players to consider taking up trumpet for marching band as it will help project the sound a little more.

We also want to consider the difficulty of the music. If you have a lot of students who are playing different instruments for an ensemble, consider programming music a grade or half-grade below what you normally program. You can also adapt some parts if necessary, provided you aren’t changing the overall piece.

Tip 3: Have a Set of Beginner Books

Find a set of beginning books and videos and stick with these. We typically use the books the students are already familiar with, such as Essential Elements. Also look at The Yamaha Advantage and the Hal Leonard Methods series. The students and I read the embouchure and instrument carriage information together as we go through one of these beginning books.

Videos: I am a fan of the Bravo Wind Training Series. There is a DVD for every instrument, and these DVDs/videos have been great resources for students on how to create a professional tone.

Tip 4: Have Some Instruments Available

“Hey, Bobby, can you switch to trombone?”

“Yes, I’d love to!”

“Great, that will be fifty bucks a month for the rental!”

If you are asking (or voluntelling) some kids to switch instruments, try to have an instrument for them to play. If there is a rental fee, consider waiving this fee. It can be difficult to say, “I really need this from you, and now you have to pay more!”

Tip 5: Give Student an Initial Lesson

The student switching to a new instrument should have an initial lesson with either the band director or a trusted teacher in your area. This can help get the student started with the right habits and routines, and it allow you to address any concerns.

You may not have the time or resources to continue providing individual lessons, but there is another way…

Tip 6: Use Your Teaching Assistants

I am the only director in my program. Yet, I have over 100 teaching assistants.

Don’t be afraid to have some of your stronger players work with someone who is switching an instrument. I often find that students enjoy this work, do a good job and even end up forming some new friendships and bonds.

I mention above that the student switching instruments should have an initial lesson with the band director or lesson teacher. Consider having any student helpers sit in on this lesson as well so everyone can be on the same page.

Tip 7: Be Careful of Too Much Too Soon

Often students learning a new instrument can fly through a beginning book. However, it is on the teachers to ensure that they are developing good habits. We do constant reinforcement of instrument position, embouchure development and making a quality tone. Some students want to rush to perform similar music that they perform on their primary instrument. There is no rush, and a quality tone will trump technical facility.

Tip 8: Work On Including Students in the Large Ensemble

When a student begins a new instrument in the fall during marching season, it can be difficult for them to feel like they can catch up to play with the ensemble. We work with these students as much as we can to make them feel comfortable. If the student can only play a portion of the marching show but is showing signs of progress, we do what we can to get them on the field as soon as possible.

We often find, not only with new performers, but even younger students, that proximity helps. A lesser-musically-skilled student between two strong musicians will often progress very quickly.

Close up of man playing saxophone in a band — Photo by Adobe Stock/Naomichi

Plan Ahead: Use Jazz Band and Chamber Ensembles

My best personal method to switch instruments for outdoor ensembles? The jazz band.

If you have a jazz program or chamber group that meets in the spring, this can be a perfect example of how all musical groups can work in tandem. Besides being a great educational opportunity for the music, the jazz band can be an incredible tool to help students learn a new instrument.

Many of our flute and clarinet players perform on saxophone, trumpet and trombone in the jazz band. We perform music that is challenging enough for the ensemble but also meets the students where they are. By the end of the school year, these students can then naturally transition into performing this instrument for marching band, and the added plus is that we often need more trumpets, saxes and trombones in our outdoor performance.

Another option is to create some lab-based group. For example, you may run a jazz band that is auditioned, but then you would have a second group called jazz lab. This group would be open to anyone, but students who are in the auditioned jazz group must play a secondary instrument to be in jazz lab. This may fit in line better with a program that has a fairly competitive or high-tier jazz program.

Debunking Myths

I hear a lot of myths ¬about switching instruments. Below are the four I hear the most — and they are simply not true!

Myth 1: This will screw up their embouchure! I often hear this, but I’ve never met a kid who got worse when they started to play another instrument. Sure, there’s a transition period if they are going back and forth between clarinet and trombone (which can be a difficult switch to pull off due to the embouchure change), but I don’t recall seeing any permanent or even short-term damage.
Myth 2: You need to stick to one instrument to actually get good at something! This depends. Is the student looking at a career in music teaching or performance? Then I may say to stick to one instrument and get really good on that. This helps the student focus more on their audition, helps them build resiliency, and makes sure they are in it for the long haul. But most students? I think this depends on their goals. We typically have a handful of kids who just want to learn every instrument imaginable and several who really focus on their primary instrument and maybe one additional instrument in pep, jazz or marching.
Myth 3: Now they’ll just want to switch instruments all the time. Maybe, maybe not. But it’s important that the director has a system in place, and that they are comfortable with saying yes or no. We always have an abundance of percussionists, so students who want to switch to this do get a pretty clear “no.” But we, of course, have other options!
Myth 4: If the kids play jazz or mariachi, it’s going to screw up their tone or embouchure! Again, there is a transition period sometimes, but we have many students involved in mariachi and jazz, and they have become much stronger members of our concert and marching bands. Plus, they really enjoy being a part of these ensembles, and that’s not a bad thing at all for music teachers to consider. If you notice any difference of tone or style, this is yet another opportunity to teach! Plus, wouldn’t it be great if our kids could perform in a variety of styles?

Top photo by Shutterstock/Ex-Artist

Teaching Mallet Percussion with the YX-1030PR Tabletop Xylophone

Written by Michael Huestis on October 3, 2024. Posted in Percussion.

In the realm of percussion, the goal for every music educator is to create a percussionist who is also a well-rounded musician. As teachers, we dream of a highly disciplined group of students in the back of the band hall who are every bit as accomplished as their brass, woodwind or string counterparts.

Yet all too often we are roused from this wonderful dream by the eardrum-shattering sounds of the dreaded bell kit. Many of us experience the sound of a dozen or more first year percussionists playing on these tiny hearing-loss creating devices and say, “There has to be a better way.”

Now there is. The tabletop xylophone has taken the place of the bell kit and has become a useful tool to help create young percussionist-musicians. Here’s why:

Sound Quality

A wood xylophone on a stand. — *Yamaha XY-1030PR with optional stand.*

Because bell kits have such a high-pitched and displeasing sound, some students (and their parents!) have been so turned off that they have been discouraged from practicing altogether. And even if they do persevere, students often strike the bars in a very timid fashion — a stroke that doesn’t create the correct technique or muscle memory. Designed specifically for easy playability and handling, the Yamaha YX-1030 tabletop xylophone offers full-size bars made of real Pao rosa wood for a true characteristic tone. As a result, students using the proper stroke with this instrument will create the desired sound from day one. Proper strokes are analogous to tone production in wind instruments. If students are practicing on a beginning instrument that does not promote this, they will be creating poor performance habits. The YX-1030PR can be played with a full stroke since it produces a superior sound to other alternatives.

A Boon to Technique

Mallet percussion reading and technique is vital to the development of every young percussionist-musician. For beginning players, the ability to keep their eyes on the music and be able to hit the bars accurately is enhanced by full-sized bars. Bell kits, with their tiny bars and mounting screws, are very difficult to hit with any consistency or exactness. The larger bars of a tabletop xylophone such as the Yamaha YX-1030PR more closely imitate the peripheral vision playing situation of a full-sized instrument and create the proper muscle memory, vital for accuracy. Students who practice playing scale patterns on a tabletop xylophone will have little or no trouble transferring to a performance instrument. This cannot be said of a student who practices on a bell kit.

Because most tabletop xylophones (including the Yamaha YX-1030PR) are three-octave instruments, students in their second or third year of instruction can perform virtually all of the études found in band method books, concert band literature and District Honor Band audition music. Students can practice all of their major scales in two-octave patterns, as is often required of auditions. Even beginning four mallet technique can be started on a tabletop xylophone.

Home Use

The ability to give students an instrument that enables them to do focused, deliberate and accurate practice at home is an immeasurable advantage to any alternative currently available.

Any beginning student with a tabletop xylophone under his or her bed or stored in the closet has a fully functioning tool for high-quality practice in just seconds. The YX-1030PR has a frame with rubber feet that can be stored upright in a limited space and set up just about anywhere. (There’s even an included drop cover.) The advantage of this favorable at-home scenario over the bell kit option — or attempting to find practice time on a school owned instrument before or after school — is profound. Students will become self-reliant with their practice habits and excuses for not practicing will be eliminated.

Use in the Classroom and Practice Room

In addition to being a useful tool for beginning students, the tabletop xylophone is also a huge asset in the classroom. A few additional sets of instruments such as the YX-1030PR in the classroom can allow entire classes of percussionists to perform at the same time — a cost-effective way to have enough mallet resources for every student. In addition, small practice rooms that may not be able to fit a full-sized instrument can certainly fit a three-octave xylophone. A school outfitted with these instruments creates even more opportunities for their young percussionists to hone their skills.

Click here for more information about the Yamaha YX-1030PR tabletop xylophone.

Click here to read about and download the Yamaha Mallet Resource Guide, which provides information about music fundamentals, along with exercises, scales and études for students.

Spooky Sound Mysteries

Written by Kathryn Drury Wagner on October 2, 2024. Posted in Teaching Tips.

The light starts to change in the fall — the sun’s rays become more slanted as they peek through the changing leaves, the sunsets creep up earlier and earlier. It signals the start of spooky season, and for those of us who place Halloween at the pinnacle of our holiday traditions, we delight in the longer shadows.

Make the most of this liminal season with your music students, by creating lessons that delve into some of the world’s greatest sound mysteries. Mystery sounds can be used to teach pitch, tone, frequency, perception of sound, how acoustical waves move, and other interesting topics. Plus, it gives music educators an opportunity to play with humor and history, weaving them into music curriculum. Here are a few ideas to get you inspired.

The Groaning Mummy

The staggering, bandage-draped mummy that lurches at kids has been a familiar trope for generations. Learning about real-life mummies can be memorable too, although most mummies are, well, quiet.

Not so with the mummy of Nesyamun, an Egyptian priest who lived 3,000 years ago and first unwrapped in England in 1824. Also called the Leeds Mummy for the museum that houses the mummified remains, Nesyamun has contributed to science in a rather unusual way.

Using CT scans of the mummy’s mouth and throat, scientists created a 3D printed larynx, then used computer software and a loudspeaker to recreate what Nesyamun’s voice sounded like during his lifetime.

The results were a less-than-enthused sound: “Ehhh.” Who knew the ancient world was populated with Larry David types?

The sound bite is so small because “this acoustic output is for the single sound for the extant vocal tract shape; it does not provide a basis for synthesizing running speech,” explain the researchers. Still, this is an excellent opportunity to discuss the human vocal tract and how air and movements cause the sounds that we call speech and singing.

Here’s a video from LiveScience that has Nesyamun’s sound repeated, as well as slowed down, making it easier to hear it clearly.

The Death Whistle

Another archaeological dig, this one in 1999 in Mexico, brought to surface an unusual ceramic, palm-sized instrument, clutched in the hand of a male skeleton.

It was dubbed an “Aztec Death Whistle” because it is shaped like a skull. Was this ancient Mexican sound generator used in warfare to terrify opponents with its shrill noise? Maybe. Or was it used for other purposes, such as religious ceremonies, since it was discovered at a temple associated with Ehecatl, the wind god?

Research continues, but many replica “Aztec Death Whistles” have made the rounds on Amazon and social media, with 3D printed or ceramic models popular, so your students may be aware of them. Here are some materials for creating a music lesson about this intriguing pre-Hispanic instrument:

Watch this good explainer video by Gizmodo on the Aztec Death Whistle.
Learn more about the frequencies produced by the whistle and how researchers created experimental models to study the sound.
Work with students on a DIY project to make their own “screaming” whistles.
Read about how a contemporary musician reinterpreted the whistle into the composition “Death Whistle,” for the piccolo.

Ghostly Seneca Drums

If mummies and death whistles are a little too intense, here’s an idea for younger students.

For hundreds of years, residents and visitors of Seneca Lake, one of the Finger Lakes in western New York, have been reporting strange sounds. Sometimes called the Seneca Drums, or the Lake Drum, the Lake Gun or the Seneca Guns, this auditory phenomenon is a “deep, hollow, distant, and imposing sound” like a cannon going off in the distance, reported the famous author James Fenimore Cooper in 1850.

The indigenous population of the area chalked it up to the voice of Manitou, or Great Spirit, and incorporated the sound into some of their mythology. Modern scientists have proposed that the sound may be a bursting of natural gas bubbles that were previously trapped in the glacial lake’s bottom.

Ask students, what ghostly drums would sound like? Have them create their own patterns and tempos.

Seneca Drums can also be a jumping off point to talk about the drums, flutes and rattles used by native Americans from that region, including the Iroquois nations of the Seneca and Cayuga. PBS has a learning module featuring renowned Iroquois flute maker and musician Tsa ne Do ‘se that includes a nine-minute video, background reading suggestions and support materials for students.

Spooky Animal Sounds

Another fun sound exploration for younger students is to delve into the bizarre sounds found in the animal kingdom.

The wedge-tailed shearwater bird, for example, has a nocturnal call that has been likened to that of a baby crying. Humpback whales moan like they’re auditioning for an episode of Scooby-Doo. Barn owls and red foxes scream. And who knew that giraffes hum at night?

Weird animal sounds offer up ways to talk about topics like pitch, volume and timing. Can your students mimic the sound? Can they create a movement that accompanies the sound? Can they draw a picture of an imaginary monster that could be associated with the sound?

Hopefully these ideas have inspired you to make the most of spooky season and conjure up some fall sound mysteries for your students.

female teacher looking over musical score

Score Study Comes First!

Written by Don Stinson on October 1, 2024. Posted in Teaching Tips.

Music directors often lament that they wish they had more time for score study. This usually means that they wish they could get away from administrative tasks and the non-musical items of their job. At a recent clinic, a student asked a college band director what the hardest part of being a music educator was. The professor said, hands down, taking time away from teaching and getting into the music because of administrative tasks. Many people feel like these administrative tasks are never-ending.

I am here to tell you that they are correct. These tasks are never-ending, and you’ll never completely finish that to-do list. This is good news! If these tasks are never-ending, then you know that they’ll always be there when you need to get back to them.

Yes, of course, I know that these items are necessary to our job, but so is preparing our lessons by score studying. My advice on these items is simple and direct: Put the needs of you and your ensemble before the other tasks get attention.

So, let’s put score study first and make sure that we are more prepared for our students than ever before!

Student and Intermediate Flutes Crafted for Learning and Performance

Step 1: Prepare Your Space for Score Study

Set the stage for the next day: Unless you have considerable time today, prepare your materials for tomorrow. Ensure a clean workspace.
Gather your materials: Set out your scores, pencils, highlighters and small Post-Its. Have access to fingering charts or diction guides, a metronome and a physical musical dictionary.
Duplicate scores: Purchase two original copies of scores. Keep one at school and one in your bag or use one as a mark-up copy. This benefits you if you have guest clinicians.
Optional equipment: If you have a small keyboard, have it available. If not, consider using a Yamaha Harmony Director.

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Step 2: Initial Score Preparation

Number measures: If the score is not numbered, write in measure numbers for the complete score. You can pay students a dollar a score to number them if you’re short on time (district policies permitting).
Identify keys: Identify and write the keys below the score.
Check for errata: Search for any errors in the score and parts using the search term “NAME OF PIECE errata.” Mark in these changes if applicable.

music educator writing notes on musical score

Step 3: Define Musical Terms

Translate terms: Go through your score and pencil in every translation that you don’t immediately remember.
Teaching considerations: Think about how you would define and teach these terms to your students. Consider how to manipulate instruments or voice to ensure proper tone and intonation, and how articulation or diction may need to be altered.

Step 4: Plan for the Next Day

Set up your workspace: Close your score and set it in the middle of your desk, on top of your keyboard or mouse. Congratulations, you’ve just done a little bit of score study today.

two educators looking at score on computer — Photo credit: Adobe Stock/Anthony Brown

The Next Day: Score Study Session

1. Enter Your Workspace:

Time allocation: Enter with enough time to study, starting with just five to seven minutes.
Minimize distractions: Do not turn on your computer, put your phone on do not disturb, and potentially put your phone away in a drawer.

2. Tasks for Day One:

Read program notes: Read through the program notes in the score and underline or highlight important items. Summarize the piece in two sentences or less.
Play or sing one line: Using your keyboard or humming along, play, hum or sing the entire first line of the score. Place a small checkmark next to this line at the beginning.

3. Continued Study:

Daily practice: If you have more time, continue to the next line of music. Keep going through the piece, plunking out or singing/humming the notes.
Sectional study: For long pieces, break them up into sections and study them progressively.

Step 5: Observe and Mark

Identify similar lines: Note similar lines across different instruments or voices.
Highlight melodies: Use highlighters or pencils to mark melodies, countermelodies and other significant parts. Be consistent with your system.

male teacher looking at score while working on laptop

Step 6: Harmonic Analysis

I thought harmonic analysis went away after college. Turns out, it can bring an ensemble to the next level!

Start simple: Identify tonic (I) and dominant (V) chords. Mark them either underneath the score or in the middle if it’s a larger score.
Accidental sections: Pay extra attention to sections with accidentals as they may indicate modulations or unique chords.

Step 7: Rinse and Repeat!

For tougher pieces, I go back and do this process again. The nice part about starting it again is that it usually becomes quicker the second and third time. This also allows you to check your work and make sure those chords are analyzed correctly.

I often find new musical ideas I missed the first time!

________________________________________

Summary Checklist

Prepare your space: Clear your desk and have all your materials available. A good score study session begins the day before.
Protect your time: Schedule score study sessions, and do not allow interruptions. If necessary, find a quiet place away from your usual workspace.
Number measures and check errata: Ensure your score is numbered and any errata are marked.
Play or sing through lines: Go through each line of the score multiple times.
Harmonic analysis: Identify tonic and dominant chords on the first pass.

Score studying is important for being a good music educator. I don’t know of anything else that helps you really understand the music you’re teaching. By following these steps, you can make sure you’re using your time well and balancing the admin stuff with the crucial practice of score study. Remember, small and consistent efforts lead to big improvements in your teaching and your ensemble’s performance. Embrace these strategies, and you’ll find yourself more prepared and less stressed, which is a win-win for both you and your students.

Abington School District student working on sound equipment

The Power of Problem-Solving

Written by Savy Leiser on September 30, 2024. Posted in Case Studies.

Above all else, the music students in the Abington School District in Pennsylvania, love to perform, wherever and whenever they can. When COVID lockdowns threatened their performance opportunities, music industry teacher Kevin Longwill found a solution that grew into even bigger and better performance opportunities than anyone could have imagined.

Longwill, who teaches music classes for Abington’s middle and high schools, originally taught students digital recording as a way to keep them engaged in music while school was virtual in 2020. During the years since, digital music instruction has grown into a program called Modern Music Makers, also known as M3. This co-curricular music program for middle and high school students has four total divisions: management, media, marketing and mentorship. Through M3, students develop a variety of skills in performance, songwriting, technical production, show development and other facets of the professional music industry.

Abington School District's M3 students perform

A Process of Adaptation

When COVID lockdowns began in the spring of 2020, Longwill noticed the impact virtual schooling had on his music students. “A lot of our kids were losing one of the things that makes music fun — playing music with their friends,” he says.

After watching videos of virtual music ensemble performances, Longwill was inspired “to bring back the ensemble experience, whether or not you’re in the same room.”

Longwill then approached the Abington administrators, explained he had a background working in technology, and asked if he could start teaching his students how to record. “Not only did this provide the opportunity for kids to make music together again, but it also would teach them a new form of digital literacy,” Longwill explains.

After receiving administrative approval, Longwill began a project where each student recorded a part of a song, then passed the file onto another student, who would then add their own recording to the mix, and then continue down the chain. During that first year, 25 students participated in the collaborative recording. The following year, that number grew to 60.

Longwill used this opportunity to teach students how to work with a digital audio workstation, or DAW, and give them the basics of editing individual tracks.

A second round of adaptation was necessary when school came back to being in person full-time. Some students started to lose interest in the recording project because they no longer needed to record their parts in order to perform together. Longwill, who was recognized as a 2024 Yamaha “40 Under 40” music educator, still saw the benefit to music technology, so he decided to pivot the program’s focus: The program evolved to incorporate live performance and the production skills which align to its development, while also retaining the original focus of create music in digital platforms.

Abington School District student playing the guitar

There’s More to Music

During the past four years, these digital music classes became the M3 program, which has expanded to include different areas of music industry experience — from a show’s lighting, video, and sound design, to the logistics behind booking your own gigs as a musician. Additionally, the program continues to help students develop their individual and small group projects through recording, mixing and editing, and ultimately distribution through their record label, M3 Records.

Longwill describes M3 as a co-curricular program, meaning that certain pieces are offered as elective classes students can take for a grade, while the program also offers pieces outside of school. Many students participate in both.

Curricular pieces of the program include four music technology classes: Music Tech 1, Music Tech 2, Honors Music Technology 3 and a class called AMPD, which stands for Advanced Music Production and Design.

Longwill describes the AMPD class as intense, with students producing work equivalent to a thesis. “It’s like a capstone class,” he says. “We really dig deep into music technology and literacy plus songwriting, the music business and preparing students for the real world.”

Even students who aren’t interested in music performance can participate in M3, which includes instruction on the multimedia parts behind a concert. Longwill cites big stadium concerts as his inspiration; one of his goals is to teach students how to put on an entire show, operating every element from the lights to on-stage visual and audio effects.

School music programs have the potential to be as varied as athletic departments. Longwill compares the kids in his M3 program to student athletes: “You can be on the basketball team, the soccer team, the tennis team. There are so many options,” he says. “But with school music programs, there’s band, chorus or orchestra — it’s very much one big group.”

He explains that with M3, “There’s a huge portion of kids who like playing guitar or making beats. There are even kids who don’t want to do any of these things but are interested in being a part of the show or the studio.”

Longwill’s goal is to make sure all these students are equally involved with the music department. “Everyone can be part of our school music community,” he says. “Everyone is welcome to have a seat at the table.”

Learning Leadership

To prepare students for life after high school, the M3 program fosters skills that help ease students into more adult leadership positions. For example, some students have begun booking their own shows, both for ensembles they’ve formed with other M3 kids, and for their own solo performances. “We supervise them in doing that and provide them with whatever they need to be successful,” Longwill says.

Students also work at M3 fundraisers to help pay their own expenses, such as the cost of renting a performance facility. Longwill recalls that one of his student groups scheduled a performance at a local pizza spot. “Aside from just confirming the venue, they ran the whole thing themselves,” he says. “Once you start to develop these skills, you can further expand on them.”

Another student booked a performance at a local music hall with 150 seats, which she sold out. Longwill supervised the process, but the student took the lead in reserving the venue and finding other students to collaborate with as supplemental acts in her show.

Having different M3 teams — like marketing, media and mentorship — allows Longwill to play to each student’s strengths. “We have some kids who are super invested in social media,” he says. “Working on the marketing team gives them a chance to do something constructive with it, instead of doom-scrolling.”

M3’s mentorship program connects high school and middle school musicians in a mutually beneficial partnership. “If you’re a 6th-grade guitarist, and you have a senior coming down to work with you, you have someone to look up to,” Longwill says. “The high schooler can see that this is where they were four or five years ago, and then they can bring that focus back when they’re working with their peers.”

Giving high school students extra leadership roles has helped them improve focus during their own rehearsals. “If you’re the one running a rehearsal for someone else, and you see someone goofing off, you take things a little more seriously,” Longwill says.

One Big Happy Concert

Whenever Longwill asks his students what kind of high school music experiences they want, the answer is always simple: They want as many opportunities to perform as possible.

Longwill has considered taking students on a Disney trip to perform, but he’s found that M3 students prefer more of a “touring lifestyle” — they want to attend events where they can perform every night.

Longwill noticed that a lack of performance opportunities was a widespread problem for teen musicians. “You can play in your school auditorium. You can play in front of your parents and friends,” he says. “But you’re not really going to get a chance to expand your audience.”

Similar to his approach during COVID, Longwill had to get innovative once again to solve this problem. His solution was the Modern Music Invitational, an event that brings multiple high schools together so students can perform for one another.

The Modern Music Invitational combines the nightly performances of a tour with daytime clinics and speaker sessions of an educational conference. Both Friday and Saturday nights give students opportunities to perform. On Friday night, students in solo and small groups can sign up to perform, while Saturday features masterclasses from professional musicians, studio engineers, and others actively engaged and working in the industry, while Saturday night features a massive band concert where all participating schools get to perform for one another.

The MMI, which takes place on the Abington High School campus, is in its second year. During the first year, eight schools participated, with a total of about 350 students. So far, the 2024 invitational has 15 schools registered, totaling more than 500 students. “At the conclusion of every show, I sit back awestruck at what the kids just did,” Longwill says.

Longwill hopes the M3 Invitational will continue expanding, even if it means looking for larger venues to host it in future years. “The invitational is a thousand percent the highlight of my career so far,” Longwill says. “Just to see that many kids playing for and with each other … that is as authentic as it can get with what they want to do.”

A Bassist’s Guide to Playing Jazz, Part 2

Written by E.E. Bradman on September 26, 2024. Posted in Bass.

As we saw in Part 1 of this two-part posting, knowing how to play jazz on bass involves many of the same steps as mastering a new language: Knowing the basics, learning to express yourself, consistent practice, improvisation, conversation and putting yourself out there.

Here in Part 2, we’ll discuss what it takes to achieve true proficiency in the practice room, rehearsal hall, studio and onstage.

LEARN THE STANDARDS

As you play with other musicians, you’ll develop a repertoire in much the same way a frequent traveler gathers knowledge about the cities and countries they visit. Great musicians know a wide range of standards and many ways to approach them; listening closely to the way other bass players have handled these tunes is an illuminating (and often humbling) experience. Although there are hundreds of standards in the jazz canon, being familiar with jazz harmony, common chord progressions like ii-V-I, and common turnarounds will help you see how many tunes are related to other tunes.

DEVELOP TECHNIQUE

The goal of learning any new language is to be able to express yourself as fluently as you do in your native tongue. Becoming a serious jazz bassist requires holding up a magnifying glass to your fingering, picking hand and fretting hand, as well as your control of dynamics so you can use various playing techniques appropriately. Paying close attention to the economy and ergonomics of your hands will help you play what you hear in your head.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Taking a language class can add structure and regularity to your learning experience, but you have to do the homework too. In a previous posting, we discussed how to get the most out of your bass practice sessions, but if you’re planning to learn how to play jazz (which is one of the more challenging genres), the slow and steady climb has just begun. Trying an ironclad “twenty focused minutes a day, seven days a week” practice routine might seem daunting at first, but doing it for six months can be incredibly rewarding.

SOLO

Collective improvisation is the heart of jazz, and taking a solo is your chance to comment on the main melody of the song. In jazz, soloing is the rule, not the exception. It’s not unusual, in fact, for bass players to solo on every tune. “Trading fours,” in which you dialogue with the other musicians in a four-bar back-and-forth, is both conversational and fun. Depending on the situation, it could be a show-stopping spotlight where everything else fades away, or as casual as an off-hand comment over dinner with friends. Get inspired by planning your solo and analyzing great jazz bass solos to hear how technique, improvisation and expression come together.

SIT IN AND JAM

Testing your language skills by talking to native speakers is one of the best ways to get better, and sitting in at a jazz jam session gives you the feeling of playing in a band without actually being in one. One caveat, though: If you get up the nerve to join a band onstage, make sure to observe the proper etiquette. If all goes well, you might meet future bandmates too.

JOIN A BAND

If you’ve done your language-studies homework, you’ll be improvising as soon as you land at your foreign destination, greeting strangers, checking into your hotel, hailing cabs and finding restaurants. In the same way, playing with a band shows you how far you’ve come … and what to work on next. Ideas that might have seemed abstract in the practice room — such as navigating charts, transposing songs to a new key and following song structure — will come into sharp focus. You’ll also get practice in communicating your ideas, supporting the rest of the ensemble, effectively using dynamics, rehearsing with purpose, choosing the right instrument, and eventually gigging.

GIG

For many jazz musicians, playing live is what it’s all about. Although knowing the setlist and having good group communication are crucial, there’s nothing like the full-body experience of playing for jazz fans, many of whom harbor a deep love and encyclopedic knowledge of the genre.

RECORD

If you’ve already been recording yourself during practice sessions, you’ll have a head start on this one. Going to a recording session is its own kind of gig, but without the audience reaction (unless it’s a live recording), and with a microscope on your fills, your technique, your relationship to time and your tone.

PLAY OTHER INSTRUMENTS

A Yamaha Silent Bass. — *The Yamaha SLB300 SILENT Bass* *boasts excellent upright tone.*

The acoustic bass, also known as an upright, is central to the sound of classic jazz. Many players play both acoustic and electric, but even if you only play electric, you may be asked to emulate the sound and feel of an upright bass. If you can, take an upright for a spin — the sheer physical effort of playing acoustic may inspire you to play just the essential notes, which is a useful perspective to bring to electric.

In addition, we bassists are constantly interacting with the drummer, so spending even a little bit of time behind a drum set can secure that bond, and it can also help you get rhythms, “odd” times and syncopation in your body and in your ear.

If you only have time to spend on one instrument, make it keyboard or piano. Jazz harmony (music theory that applies specifically to jazz) and concepts like the circle of fifths, voice-leading and chord substitution make a lot more sense on keyboard. You don’t have to be a virtuoso, but being able to spell out chords and play basic progressions on piano or other kinds of keyboards expands your ears and dramatically increases your chances of playing harmonically interesting bass lines.

If you can get around on bass, drums and keyboards, you’ll be in great company: Drummer Jack DeJohnette also plays piano; pianist Chick Corea knew his way around drums; and besides being one of the all-time great jazz bassists, Jaco Pastorius also wrote and arranged at the piano (that’s him playing both bass and drums on Weather Report’s recording of his tune “Teen Town”).

STAY OPEN

Like mastering a new language, truly understanding jazz is a lifelong pursuit. Taking these steps on your own and with other musicians will give you the tools to be able to play jazz on bass, but keeping your ears open to your own unique pathway is crucial to becoming expert. Welcome to the journey!

Essential Guitar Maintenance

Written by Robbie Calvo on September 23, 2024. Posted in Guitars How-to.

Although guitars are inanimate, silent objects, without our physical touch, their appearance and playability may shift over time due to changes in heat, humidity, and general wear and tear. These changes may be so subtle that you don’t notice them in the short term, but you will almost certainly hear and feel them over a long period of time.

In this posting, we’ll explore some of the maintenance protocols that can be employed to keep your beloved guitar(s) sounding, looking and playing just the way you like. As a bonus, when you keep a close eye on your six-stringed counterparts, you connect with them on a higher level, but if they are not firing on all four cylinders, your playing may suffer too.

General Maintenance Tips

Keep guitars out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources. Sunlight can fade and bleach your guitar’s finish. The direct heat may cause glue between components to soften and can also dry out the moisture content of your guitar, which may result in cracks in the wood.
Try to maintain a constant temperature between 66 – 77° F (19 – 25° C) and ideal humidity levels between 40-50 percent. I know we can’t all have humidity-controlled rooms, but just be aware that extreme temperatures and geographical climates will affect wood instruments. (Check out this blog posting for more information.)
Place your guitars on stands or hanging wall brackets that have a neck support and rubber retainer, as shown below. Leaning a guitar against a sofa, amp or wall can be disastrous! Keeping your instrument in eye-view will also inspire you to pick it up more often.

A guitar in a guitar stand with a rubber retainer holding it in place.

Keep guitars in tune and at a concert pitch of A440Hz to maintain the correct string tension. If they are tuned too low or high, it can put unnecessary strain on the neck, bridge, and top of your guitar.
Replace broken or rusty strings immediately and trim excess string lengths at the tuning peg with wire clippers.
Use string cleaner, pre- and post-practice sessions or rehearsals. Cleaning strings will remove oil, sweat and acidity placed on them by your fingers. This will also prolong string life and facilitate smooth articulation.
Regularly apply a small amount of guitar polish with a soft lint-free cloth to the back of the neck, body, top and headstock and rub gently. I always feel more inclined, and inspired, to play a nice, clean guitar.
Re-string your guitars with a full set of new coated strings (these last a lot longer than uncoated strings) on a regular basis. Stretch the strings and tune to concert (A440Hz) pitch. How often you re-string your guitar will depend on how much you play, the type of strings you use, hand strength, pick dynamic and the makeup of your bodily secretions. (Some people destroy strings daily!)

Several sets of guitar strings on top of an acoustic guitar.

Quarterly Maintenance

Place guitars in their cases with a Humidipak sachet for a few days to reduce, increase or maintain correct humidity levels. D’Addario manufactures three Humidipak products (Restore, Absorb and Maintain) that you can place in your guitar case or the sound hole of an acoustic guitar. Gauge your need for this based on how dry or humid your playing environment is.

Several guitar Humidipaks. — *D’Addario Humidipaks.*

A Humidipak hanging over an acoustic guitar sound hole. — *Placing a Humidipak in the sound hole.*

Inspect your guitars for any cracks or disfiguration in the form of swelling on the top, back and/or sides. Guitars that are too dry may crack, split along the seams and permanently disfigure due to failing glue joints. Guitars that contain too much humidity may start to sound dull and lifeless. In addition, tonewoods may swell up due to excess moisture, causing problems between the instrument’s main components.
Sight down the neck from the headstock and ascertain if the neck relief is within your preferred parameters. These changes can happen so gradually you don’t notice it for a while. If you work with a luthier, have them take specific measurements of your perfect setup. That way you can have them dialed back in if the playing action changes.
Tune any guitars that you haven’t been playing regularly and check their intonation using open chord voicings, and by fretting each of the six strings at the twelfth fret (one octave higher). Neck relief will definitely affect the intonation of your strings, as can worn frets, especially in the areas of the fretboard you play in most. Using different string gauges or a worn nut and saddle can also have an adverse effect on tuning stability and overall intonation. If you are hearing tuning discrepancies, even with new strings that are in tune, have a luthier check the open string intonation and fretted notes.

Semi-Annual / Annual Maintenance

Apply a fretboard conditioner or lemon oil to the fretboard, and let it soak in. Remove the excess conditioner or oil with a soft, lint-free cloth. Unless you have an electric guitar with a maple fingerboard, it’s highly likely your fretboard will be unfinished rosewood, ebony or other hardwood species. These close-grained hardwoods are extremely resilient to atmospherics and other contaminants like finger sweat, grease and oils, which is why they are used so often. However, a semi-annual, or annual application of a fretboard conditioner and/or string lubricant will keep your fingerboard in tip-top shape … and feel good under your fingers too.

A can of string lubricant and cleaner on top of an acoustic guitar.

Restring the guitar and make sure all the strings are holding their pitch. If any of the strings are getting caught in the nut or bridge, have a luthier recut the nut slots. Strings will wear down the bridge and nut slots over time, so it’s worth keeping an eye on those coupling points to maintain smooth, resistance-free movement for all six strings.
Check the neck relief for minimal neck bow, and, if necessary carefully (and slowly!) adjust the truss rod using the Allen wrench that came supplied with your guitar. (You’ll usually find the truss rod adjuster underneath the headstock plate cover, as shown below.) Turning it clockwise reduces a concave bow; counterclockwise reduces a convex bowed neck. Go just a quarter turn at a time, and re-check until set. If you are unsure on how to adjust the neck relief, have a qualified repair shop or luthier do this for you. It’s well worth having your guitar checked once a year anyway.

A guitar headstock showing the truss rod cover plate.

The Video

This video features the Yamaha FSX3 Red Label acoustic guitar, played through the company’s innovative THR30IIA desktop amplifier, designed especially for acoustic guitars. Maintaining your guitar as described above will allow you to articulate the arpeggios, chord spreads and the nice clean slide guitar parts I play in the video. Note that the complex finger moves further up the fretboard could also run the risk of intonation problems if the strings are old or rusty. In addition, all the parts become harder to play if the action is set too high at the nut or bridge, or if the guitar has an exaggerated neck relief.

The Guitar

The Yamaha FSX3 is a concert body-sized acoustic guitar that sports a mahogany back and sides, along with a solid spruce top. When I initially received this guitar, I had it set up to my exacting specifications, substituting a slightly lighter set of strings than those that come standard with the instrument.

My FSX3’s playability has remained constant since that setup, which I think is partly due to the solid tonewoods used in the instrument, along with regular string changes and humidity maintenance.

The Wrap-Up

Modern instruments have usually undergone rigorous quality-control checks before they leave the manufacturer, and may undergo even further adjustments at the guitar store before you purchase it. But regardless of those initial setups, personal alterations may still need to be made to get your guitar playing just the way you like.

It’s definitely worth taking the time to assess and do some routine maintenance of each of your guitars on a regular basis. A well-maintained instrument will last a lifetime, or at the very least will protect your investment for years of playing pleasure.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR.

Download this Yamaha Strings Care Checklist for Students now!

Music educator Julie Anne Russell and her son

Make Concerts Memorable and Fun

Written by Kellie B. Gormly on September 23, 2024. Posted in Case Studies.

Julie Anne Russell is known for her off-the-wall concert ideas and her playful methods of teaching music, which she says, result from dreaming really big.

“I make it fun,” Russell says, describing her teaching philosophy. “If it is fun, I can teach the nitty-gritty.”

Russell, who has been the orchestra director at Blythewood High School in South Carolina for about six years, says, “The music is real. It’s just done in a more lighthearted way.”

Skip Ad Concert

Russell’s zaniest idea was the “Skip Ad” concert, which she put on two years ago. The idea came to her when she was sitting in her office and listening to music on YouTube, which was interrupted by a forced ad break. Viewers must watch these ads for a few seconds before they can click on “skip” and return to their video.

Russell had an epiphany: Why not create a concert that feels like watching YouTube for the audience? She and some students learned to play songs that the kids’ parents loved when they were young like “Ghostbusters” and “The Final Countdown.” Students painted a tall, skinny poster and decorated it like the recommended video stills on YouTube.

During the concert, audience members could choose what happened next. In order to the next piece, they had to watch an ad or donate money to the school’s music program and skip the ad. Students studied ads like those for Liberty Mutual insurance and medications, and made up their own funny ads. They even created an ad for a make-believe musical medicine called “Orchestrina,” which could help if you were feeling blue, needed a tune-up or were feeling out of sync with friends. The side effects of Orchestrina? Better posture, better test scores and friends that will last forever.

“We tried to make it as weirdly accurate as possible,” Russell says with a chuckle at the memory. “The kids just loved it!”

Family members did, too, including little brothers and sisters who usually have a hard time sitting through 90 minutes of classical music; they welcomed the novelty breaks.

Choose Your Own Adventure

Another unique concert was based on the classic book series where readers create different stories by choosing plot options. This suited Russell because she likes to give students and even audiences choices.

“I’m a big ideas person,” Russell says. “I love having a very small idea and having students in my office, saying ‘Why don’t we do this?’ Students will throw out ideas, and we end up with this interesting idea.”

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In December, Russell, who was recognized as a 2024 Yamaha “40 Under 40” music educator, invited Blythewood alumni to perform at a concert. She had her students hold up signs after each piece; one said “Circus” and the other sign said “High Seas.” An audience member would choose a sign, and the orchestra would comply and play the type of music the sign represented. Then, the alumni would talk to current students about the adventures they had chosen for their lives after high school. This inspired Russell’s students, she says.

“We have a great time in orchestra; we have a really phenomenal program,” Russell says. “However, my main goal is to shape musicians who are appreciators of music. These kids are not necessarily going to conservatory, but they can hear about how music played such an important role in the lives of alumni. The concert was really fun, and at the end, we had all 91 students plus graduates circle around the auditorium.”

Childrens’ Book Literacy

Russell’s dedication became even more evident during the pandemic, when daily life was upended in 2020. Teaching a subject that doesn’t do remote learning as well as some other subjects, Russell realized how hard she would have to work to retain students in the orchestra. “How do I convince parents to have their kids stay the course?” Russell asked herself.

She wanted parents to tell their children who wanted to quit orchestra to say, “No, this is a good thing for you.”

“I have never met an adult in my life who says, ‘I am so glad my mom let me quit playing the cello,’” says Russell. She repeats this comment at every concert.

Russell wanted to get all of her students into the same place at the same time playing the same piece of music, and for them to work with a professional. How would she accomplish this? Russell and a teacher friend wrote a grant and brought in Netta Hadari, a renowned violinist and conductor from Connecticut, who worked with the kids as they each composed their own short pieces based on a children’s book. Each student wrote out the music by hand.

“We were able to tie in literacy — not just musical literacy, but how well were they able to understand the book and the literature side of it,” Russell says. “It was a huge undertaking.”

Through this project, Russell showed parents the progression their children will experience if they keep playing an instrument.

“Students were able to schmooze with some professionals,” she says. “All around, it was probably one of the most exciting things I’ve done in my life.”

plywood fiddles painted for the Painted Fiddle Project

Giving Back

Russell carries on the school’s Painted Fiddle Project, which began in 2009 when one of the orchestra parents, who is an artist, made wooden fiddles and sold them at concerts. In 2018, one of her students asked if she could revive the program as a senior project, and Russell enthusiastically agreed.

Russell and her father, Jim Wilson, cut out fiddles from maple plywood and members of the school’s National Honor Society painted the fiddles and auctioned them off at each concert. The proceeds support the orchestra program, and at the end of the year, the school donates money to the University of South Carolina’s string projects as a way to give back to the community.

Thanks to grant money, Russell’s students also had the privilege of participating in a workshop and enjoying a concert by Violins of Hope, a group that collected violins, violas, and cellos after World War II. Many of the instruments belonged to Jewish people before and during the war, and families of Holocaust survivors donated many of the instruments. Learning about this period of history was moving for Russell’s students.

Beyond These Walls

Russell’s motto is “beyond these walls,” because of the ubiquitous nature of music. “Music is not just something we do during my 40-minute class; music is all around us,” she says. “Past the walls of our building, there is so much more.”

Her passion for music goes back to her teen years, when a teacher play a record by the band They Might Be Giants. “It just stuck with me my entire life,” Russell says. “He said, ‘Everything in music theory is happening here.’”

Now, Russell gets to teach the next generation, with kids who are consuming so much music ranging from Taylor Swift to Kanye West. The variety is wonderful, as many people think of music education as limited to Bach, Beethoven and other classical composers.

“They have their AirPods in all day long,” Russell says. “They really want to show that that there is so much more than Top 40 and dead white guys.”

Guitar Maintenance

Written by Robbie Calvo on September 10, 2024. Posted in Guitars.

Anyone who owns a guitar knows how much joy this beautiful and functional work of art can bring to us through music. Learning to play the guitar is not only a serious investment in your development as a musician, but it is also a commitment to take proper care of the instrument itself.

Think of yourself as an artisan whose tools — your instruments — are an extension of the hands that use them. A well-maintained instrument will provide the potential for flawless performances and a lifetime of service, as long as you employ a few regular maintenance checks and guidelines.

If you’re a guitar educator, you are responsible for the health and safety of multiple instruments in your classroom. I’d suggest taking stock of each instrument in the breaks between each school quarter, so that any repairs, string changes and adjustments can be made before classes resume.

Most of the maintenance tips below can be implemented by the instructor, parent or student, however, it’s a good idea to find a local luthier or guitar store for help with detailed repairs or adjustments.

Download this Yamaha Guitar Care Checklist for Students now!

General Care

I always recommend keeping your guitar on a guitar stand that supports the neck of your guitar. A stand with a rubber neck retainer is also useful to prevent the guitar from falling from the cradle. I advocate a guitar being out of its case for a couple of reasons.

You’re more likely to practice if the guitar is visible, and easy to pick up and play, plus the guitar will gradually adjust to the room temperature, and naturally acclimate to its environment. A well-acclimated guitar will generally afford better long-term tuning stability.

Never leave instruments in direct sunlight or near heating sources like radiators. Extreme heat can weaken the glues used in construction, dry out the tone woods, and cause premature color fading of the finishes.

It’s important to note that an extremely dry guitar may start to show signs of cracking along the top, back and sides.

Conversely, a guitar with high levels of moisture content may start to sound less resonant, swell and disfigure, causing glue joints to fail, and protective finishes to lift away from the tone woods. This can leave the guitar permanently damaged, even after repair.

a guitar with humiidipak in the sound hole

Humidification

Generally speaking, the perfect environment for a guitar is 66-77 °F (19-25 °C) and the ideal humidity levels between 40-50%.

Unless you have a dedicated studio, these ranges are harder to achieve, especially in classroom located in states with extreme weather patterns and seasonal challenges.

The good news is that guitar humidification is available for individual guitars by way of D’Addario Humidipaks. These small humidification bags can be placed in your guitar case or hung inside the guitar sound-hole of an acoustic guitar when it’s not in use.

Humidipaks are two-way humidity-control packs that automatically maintain the ideal humidity level for your guitar.
There are three types of Humidipak.

Use Humidipak Restore if your instrument is dry and needs additional moisture,
Use Humidipak Absorb if you are in a high-humidity environment and need to reduce the relative humidity of your instrument.
Use Humidipak Maintain if you are looking to sustain the proper levels of relative humidity within your instruments.

I recommend putting your guitars in their cases with the appropriate Humidipaks for a couple of days to correct any imbalances. Do this on a regular basis, and you should achieve stable humidity levels within all your instruments.

various string packages on top of guitar

Strings

String maintenance is critical. I recommend coated strings because they last longer, provide resistance to oil and acidity from the player’s sweat, and prevent premature rusting of the unwound strings.

As strings age, three very important aspects to playability — intonation, tuning stability and clarity — diminish.

Elixir and D’Addario both provide excellent coated strings for acoustic and electric guitars. They may cost a little more than regular strings, but they’ll last five times longer and sound consistently better during that time.

String lubricant and cleaners like the D’Addario XLR8 are excellent for wiping down guitar strings before and after a practice session. They also provide smooth, squeak-free glissandi during position changes along the fretboard.

Keep some on hand at all times.

Classical guitars equipped with nylon strings require regular cleaning, and string changes. Nylon strings won’t rust, but the wound strings (E, A, D) may start to deteriorate after the windings become worn.

Fretboard Care

Fretboard tone-woods, such as rosewood and ebony, can be found on most acoustic, electric and nylon-stringed guitars. These close-grained hardwoods are usually left unfinished and will require moistening with a hydrating oil on a semi-annual basis to prevent them from drying out.

Many guitar manufacturers recommend lemon oil for this purpose. You can also use D’Addario Hydrate fretboard conditioner.

I recommend applying a small amount of this fretboard conditioner every other time you change strings. Simply apply the conditioning oil with a soft cloth, let it sit for a few minutes and remove any residue. Buff to finish.

Electric guitars with maple fretboards are usually finished with polyurethane or nitrocellulose lacquer. These fretboards can be cleaned with a good quality furniture polish during every string change.

If you use lemon oil to condition your fretboards, avoid making contact with the other finishes, as this may damage them.

Intonation

Ensemble guitar teachers always stress the importance of stable tuning within a classroom environment. There are many factors that contribute to stable tuning, such as perfectly tuned, clean strings; well-installed strings that don’t slip or get caught in the nut; and the intonation of the instrument itself.

New strings can be lightly stretched before use to reduce detuning while being played. Nylon strings will take longer than steel strings to settle in. If a particular string or multiple strings consistently go out of tune, check for a few things.

close up of guitar headstock to show proper winding of strings around the tuning posts

Check that the string is seated properly on the saddle and in the correct nut slots. Strings may also get stuck in a poorly cut nut slot, and then release, which detunes the guitar while it’s being played. Have a luthier cut the nut slots cleanly, allowing the strings to pass through them without sticking.
Make sure the strings have been installed with a suitable winding around the tuning post. I recommend winding the string around the tuning post three times.
If the nut slots are cut too high, it may cause students to push down too hard on the strings to obtain clean, buzz-free chords. This will make the strings go sharp, especially the B string. Have a luthier re-cut the nut slots so that they are closer to the top of the first fret. Also, check that the overall string action (height of the strings from the fretboard) from the nut to the saddle is playable. Reducing the playing action can dramatically improve a student’s progress and the overall intonation of the instrument.
Check that the neck relief on each guitar only provides enough “relief” (a tiny concave bow away from the strings) to allow for the strings to resonate without buzzing. You can check this relief by sighting down the fretboard from the nut to the bridge. Hold down the low E string at the first fret and last fret. Sight down to the middle of the string and make sure there’s a small gap between the bottom of the string and the top of the fret wire. The truss rod on your guitar will allow you to reduce or increase the neck relief using a small Allen, or hex, wrench. If you aren’t used to making these adjustments, have the guitar serviced by a professional.

Cleaning the Finish

I clean my guitar finishes every couple of weeks to remove the daily dust, finger grease and sweat that may build up on the surfaces during regular practice sessions. There are many proprietary guitar polishes on the market, but you can also use a good quality wood and furniture polish. Cleaning your guitar will bring you closer to loving it and keep you aware of any other issues or maintenance concerns that may arise.

The Wrap-Up

Modern instruments have usually undergone rigorous checks before they leave the manufacturer, and they may receive more adjustments at the guitar store.

Personal alterations on a per student basis may still need to be made. Keep a keen eye and ear out for student struggles, ensemble tonality, tuning stability, and the overall playing environment in which your guitars reside.

Take the time to assess each guitar on a regular basis, and pair that with some simple routine maintenance checks within the school holidays.

A well-maintained instrument will last a lifetime, and so will the joy and academic benefits of a music education.

Photographs courtesy of Robbie Calvo

Check out Robbie Calvo’s other posts.

Four Tips For Getting Your Child Started On Piano

Written by Jerry Kovarsky on September 5, 2024. Posted in Piano How-to. 1 Comment on Four Tips For Getting Your Child Started On Piano

As a parent, you want to help your child to grow and develop into a well-rounded person. And when many parents think about preparing their kids to excel in school, they tend to focus on how to advance their reading, math and science aptitude, or on getting them involved in sports and gymnastics to help develop their strength, coordination and team building. Often overlooked are the arts, and specifically playing a musical instrument.

But research shows that playing an instrument has many benefits for your child, from good posture and eye-to-hand coordination to better cognition. Students that take an interest in music also do better at reading, spelling, math and science — they even develop improved language skills. Music also helps the child express their feelings, leading to better and more balanced emotional development. The bottom line is this: Playing an instrument benefits a child in many different ways.

Which instrument to start with is largely a matter of personal taste; certainly, if your child shows an affinity for one particular instrument, it’s good to encourage that interest because it makes it more likely they will accept music lessons with enthusiasm. But if there’s no particular leaning, piano is a great choice for kids, as it is easy to produce a satisfying sound right away: No having to figure out how to blow properly into a wind instrument, or learning to bow a stringed instrument. (While drums are certainly a fun activity, not every family wants to endure the tumult of a kid bashing on a drum set every day!) In addition, piano is a part of many styles of music, so your child will be able to participate in lots of musical activities as they grow and develop.

Here are four things parents can do to help support their child in starting to learn piano.

1. Create a Musical Environment

This one’s easy: listen to piano music in your home, and talk about how much you enjoy it. All the major music streaming services have playlists of piano music. You can search for them by using terms like “classical piano,” “pop piano,” “jazzy piano,” etc., or simply enter the name of your favorite pianist. Making piano music part of your everyday life shows your child that it is a cool and positive activity.

Similarly, make it a point to watch films and TV shows that feature the piano. Baby boomer parents likely remember watching this classic Bugs Bunny piano performance. The inimitable Chico Marx often got a piano feature in Marx Brothers films, and many pianists cherish his visually playful technique. And everyone enjoys this classic scene from the movie Big. Clips like these help to associate piano playing with fun.

2. Introduce Your Child to Musical Games

A great way to bring music into a child’s home life is through the use of musical toys and software games. Who hasn’t had fun as a kid playing Simon^®? Be sure to focus on the notes, not just the colors, so your child will try to listen to and follow them.

There are some excellent software titles that let children get involved in making sounds as they play, and this can nurture their creativity and enjoyment of music-making. A few that I like are:

iOS

– Musical Me!
– Bandimal
– Loopimal
– Musical Paint

iOS, Android, Google

– Music Box

Web-based

Chrome Music Lab has some great “experiments” (small applications) that allow your child to interact with musical elements, such as:

– Melody Maker
– Kandinsky
– Rhythm

3. Get Your Child Piano Lessons

The next logical step is getting your child lessons. For small children (younger than eight), it is very important to find a teacher that specializes in teaching young kids. As every parent knows, youngsters have short attention spans, so a teacher needs to be skilled in dealing with that age group. At this stage of a child’s development, the most important thing is to stimulate their interest and enjoyment of music, not just try to teach them notes and fingerings. Ask at your child’s school for recommendations, visit your local music store and/or ask other parents to find someone proven within your community.

It’s important that you be involved in the lessons as well. You’ll need to know what the teacher is teaching, and what the assignments are so you can act as a surrogate to guide your child through their activities. This is actually a great thing — you are sharing precious time with your child focused on a creative activity! Just bear in mind that most kids — especially the young ones — can’t be depended upon to put in the necessary practice time, so you’ll need to actively encourage them. (20 minutes or so each day is plenty.)

4. Help Design Creative Lesson Activities

Kids need positive reinforcement and fun stimulation during both their lessons and practice time. When they play a piece well, give them lots of praise! Some teachers like to give stickers, stars or small gifts for good work. A young child will only practice a piece a few times before getting bored, so it’s important to find ways to keep things interesting. Have them move to different ranges of the piano to hear how it sounds higher or lower. Ask them to play the phrase very slowly, and then a little faster; as quiet as they can, then loudly. If you have a digital piano, you can also change the sound to that of another instrument to let them hear how different it sounds. (This is usually a surefire way to hold their attention!) And remember: Your child’s practice doesn’t have to involve only playing the piano. Have them stand up and play games like clapping different rhythms, marching in rhythm, or singing to help to vary their activities and keep them from being bored.

When I gave lessons to small children I would make up accompaniments to their pieces so they could hear the song sounding like rock and roll, boogie-woogie or other styles of music. I would ask them what their favorite song was, and I would teach it to them in a simplified fashion so they got direct and relevant involvement with playing music. What is most important in the first year of lessons is to create a positive, fun and rewarding experience for the child so they want to continue playing piano. More technical aspects, such as learning to read music, along with proper hand position and fingering, can come later, after the teacher (and you!) have made playing and lessons a positive experience in your child’s life.

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General Care for Your Stringed Instrument

Written by Yamaha Staff on September 3, 2024. Posted in Strings.

Each violin, viola, cello and bass is crafted using parts that are able to fail in a particular way that, if caught quickly, can be easily repaired by a qualified luthier (stringed instrument repair person).

Tuning

Most skilled players will begin tuning their instrument by loosening the fine tuners as far as they can, allowing them to utilize the pegs to their fullest advantage and then fine tuning the instrument to true pitch and keeping the player from over-tuning and possibly breaking the strings. (read the blog post, “How to Restring a Violin”).

Tuning also gives the player a great opportunity to assess the instrument!

Check that the pegs are turning smoothly and fit properly.
Are the strings wound on the legs properly (evenly spaced with no overlap)? Are any strings dented or frayed?
Ensure that the fine tuners and the tailpiece are working properly.

Download this Yamaha Strings Care Checklist for Students now!

Cracks and Open Seams

Cracks and open seams are relatively common on stringed instruments. Changes in humidity and temperature effect both the tonewood and the adhesive used to connect the front, back and sides. Catching these issues early is vital to repairing them effectively.

Be sure to check over all glued contact points. This includes all seams, the fingerboard, nut and saddle.
Look for splits and cracks along the wood grain surrounding the soundpost contact points (front and back of the instrument).
Check pegs and neck for warping, twisting or splintering wood.
Using a clean, untreated microfiber cloth to gently remove rosin from your instrument after each use can greatly improve instrument health and allow you to regularly check for any issues that may arise.

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Bridge

Orchestral stringed instruments utilize maple bridges that are made to fit each individual instrument. An improper bridge fit can cause serious damage! The inside of the instruments are hollow, with only the soundpost distributing the pressure of the strings pushing on the bridge to keep the violin (or viola, cello or bass) from collapsing in on itself! Check to make sure the bridge is well-maintained and positioned properly on the top of your instrument to ensure pure tone and longevity.

Check to make sure your bridge is positioned properly. The bridge should be set along the arched top in the middle of the fingerboard, with the “feet” centered between the notches of the “f” holes.
Look for any visible decay in the wood of the bridge. Is the coloring nice, bright and flamed? Is the wood holding its shape or is it warping/curving on the top or sides? Is the maple firm and not soft and squishy?
Make sure the feet of the bridge fit flush against the top of the instrument. Any gaps can create a difference in pressure, affecting not only tone but structural integrity.
Look at the height of the bridge. Does it look too high or too low? Are the strings really hard to push down the closer you get to the bridge? Do the strings buzz when you press them against the fingerboard?

Soundpost

The soundpost is a small, carefully crafted maple dowel located on the inside of the instrument close to the bridge. The soundpost has two functions; it works as a support for the top of the instrument and it also controls sound! Having a properly fit and placed soundpost is integral for the stability and tone of your stringed instrument.

Always check that your soundpost is upright and in its proper position just behind the treble foot of the bridge.
In the case of a fallen soundpost, you may hear or see it rolling around the inside of the instrument. Immediately loosen all the strings and remove the bridge from the instrument to prevent cracks and visit a qualified luthier to refit the soundpost.

Bow

Stringed instrument bows are just as important to care for as the instrument itself! Bows should be thought of as an extension of the instrument, not an accessory. Keeping your bow in good working order will ensure easy playing and good technique.

Tighten the hair on the bow to playing tension using the screw at the bottom, making sure the hair tightens and loosens smoothly.
When tightened, look straight down the stick from the screw to the tip. There should be a slight curve upward toward the tip. Any side to side curvature or warping should be checked by a luthier.
The hair on the bow should be full and light colored (unless using black hair on a bass bow). Look for any frayed or missing hair and discoloration (usually rosin build-up) near the frog and tip.
Check the tip plate. Is it cracked or missing?
Check the frog for cracks and dings.
Always loosen the bow hair when not in use. Leaving the hair tightened can cause hair breakage, over-stretching, stick warping, frog and tip damage, or even cracking in wooden bows.

________________________________________________________

Stringed instruments should be evaluated by a luthier twice per year even if no problems are apparent. The general rule is to have this done in June and January as playing habits, temperature and humidity levels can affect these sensitive instruments. Remember, happy instruments make happy players!

music teacher speaking in front of group of students

How to Effectively Partner with School Administration

Written by Dr. Richard Hutton on August 30, 2024. Posted in Teaching Tips.

I routinely witness music educators taking to social media to vent about a lack of support from school administrators. I have been there. Early in my career at an independent college-preparatory school, a newly hired headmaster attended my first choral concert of the semester and slept through a good deal of it. Much to my surprise, he called me into his office the following school day to tell me that the hour-long concert was “too long and too religious.” There was no conversation or space to provide rationale, only directives about what would be different moving forward.

The concert was in fact dominated by secular music and none of the sacred selections were devotional in nature (the only sacred repertoire on the program was a Mozart motet in Latin, a Mendelssohn anthem in German and an African-American spiritual), so I was not anticipating a need to defend my curriculum to a disapproving employer that morning! After stomaching the criticism, which was opposed to every measure of success that I had been taught, I left the meeting feeling frustrated and at an impasse.

Whether the particular frustration is regarding course offerings, scheduling, budget, administrative red tape, district-wide initiatives, program expectations, enforcement of policy and procedures, or teacher evaluations, music educators will undoubtedly experience some of these vexing encounters. The good news is: There is much that can be done to ensure a thriving relationship with your administration and mitigate unsupportive encounters!

Though the tenure of the administrator in my example was short-lived, I learned a valuable lesson. Quality teaching alone is no guarantee of administrative support. This particular interaction could have been averted if I had done some intentional advocacy work on the front end. Now, I’m in higher education, and I encourage my music education students to foster a close-knit relationship with their future administrators in several ways.

performance on stage — Dr. Hutton conducts a performance of Handel’s Israel in Egypt oratorio.

VISIBILITY

Because educators in the performing arts teach content that is specialized with methods that also require a specific set of skills, they are too frequently left alone and trusted to “do their thing” — particularly if they are well-qualified and well-liked. Early on in my career, I perceived this hands-off approach of my administration to be an indicator that things were going well. No news is good news! Also, who wants a micromanager for a boss? However, I learned that this approach can create several hurdles:

Educators in the performing arts can often feel isolated without colleagues in the building who truly understand their needs, their curriculum or their approach.
With distant leadership, successes may go unnoticed while challenges may linger.
When issues arise, a trusting relationship based on direct experience is not established.

As I matured in my career, I realized the importance of keeping my instruction visible to administrators in a proactive, almost pestering, manner. At that independent school, I had never been observed in my music instruction, not a single lesson after my initial interview. As a result, my evaluators knew nothing of what I was doing apart from secondhand accounts or attending performances.

Inviting administrators into the classroom became a cornerstone of my advocacy strategy. Rather than waiting for required observations, I extended personalized invitations on a regular basis, encouraging them to witness firsthand the dynamic interactions and learning experiences taking place within the music program. And I asked that it be documented (which would become wonderful artifacts for future employers). In this way administrators will track growth, not only the final product. This proactive approach not only provided leadership with direct insight into the curriculum and pedagogy, but it also fostered a sense of investment and appreciation for the work being done.

Sharing the achievements and successes of my students became another vital component of my advocacy efforts. From simply announcing every student honor and recognition to highlighting every milestone of our choral program, great and small. I made a concerted effort to keep administrators informed and engaged. Do not be afraid to brag on your accomplishments and celebrate them publicly to demonstrate the tangible impact you are making. Flood your administrators’ email inboxes with the amazing things you and your students are doing and take-over the school announcements with kudos for your music students.

music teacher awarding certificate to student — Outstanding choral student receiving an achievement award.

INVOLVEMENT

In addition to classroom engagement, I seized opportunities to involve administrators in my program’s special events, such as serving as chaperones for a choir tour that included attending a performance of “Hamilton” (my principal jumped at the opportunity). Personally invite them, and provide comp tickets, to the honor choir concert. Take your choir to their office to serenade them with “Happy Birthday!” Ask them to be a “practice audience.” These experiences will not only allow principals, assistant principals and deans to witness the passion and dedication of your students, but they will also foster personal connections and emotional ties to the music program. And if it so happens that on the bus to the choral festival you have an opportunity to highlight a tangible need — so be it! By bridging the gap between the administrative office and the music room, I was able to cultivate a supportive relationship that championed the success and growth of our program.

EDUCATION

Over time, I recognized the importance of taking initiative to educate administrators about the rationale for my curriculum and pedagogical approach. Before the year gets going, request a meeting to talk through any areas that could potentially cause heartburn. Why is it of value to learn and perform a mass movement by Franz Schubert? Why is a retreat for my Advanced Choir worth the investment? How will a subscription to a sight-reading technology impact the musical literacy of the 9th graders? Why might a co-curricular concert take priority over an extra-curricular sports practice? I worked to debunk some of the misconceptions regarding music education and, at the same time, garner their support and understanding. Through intentional dialogue, I was able to convey my expertise as well as the value and impact of music education on student development.

music teacher session at conference — An ACDA reading session geared toward future choral educators.

ALIGNMENT

I initiated annual conversations with administrators to discuss their goals and expectations for the music program, aligning them with my own objectives and aspirations. This collaborative approach not only ensured alignment of priorities but also provided a platform for mutual understanding and accountability. By actively involving administrators in the planning and decision-making, I fostered a sense of ownership and investment in the success of the music program. It is incredibly valuable to sit down, dream and visioncast. I proactively highlighted opportunities for growth and development, drawing attention to initiatives implemented in other schools that weren’t yet an opportunity at my school but could be adapted or adopted to enhance our program. By keeping leadership abreast of emerging trends and best practices in music education, I positioned myself as a proactive and forward-thinking educator, dedicated to continuous improvement and advancement.

In reflecting on my journey as a choral director, I have come to appreciate the transformative power of advocacy in building strong and supportive relationships with school administration. For me, advocacy meant keeping music education visible, involving administrators in every way I could, proactively educating them and aligning their goals with mine. Make the administrator’s office a space you frequent often — 90% of this time should be on your own initiative and 10% on theirs. In this way, I have experienced success cultivating a culture of support and collaboration that has enriched the educational experiences of my students. As music educators, we must recognize the importance of advocating for our students, our programs and our profession. And we must strive to foster meaningful partnerships with school administration that will ultimately strengthen the fabric of our school community.

A Bassist’s Guide to Playing Jazz, Part 1

Written by E.E. Bradman on August 29, 2024. Posted in Bass.

Imagine that you are moving to a new country and want to learn the language. You might watch videos to absorb the country’s history, culture and current events or take a course that connects you with other students. With regular practice and guidance, you’d eventually be reading, writing and having conversations with native speakers, well on your way toward true proficiency.

Jazz is a language, and learning it requires many of the same methods. In this first of a two-part series, we’ll explore several important steps bassists should take if they want to master this challenging musical genre.

LISTEN

There are many branches of the jazz tree, from bebop and big band to free jazz and fusion, so exploring different styles and eras will help you decide what appeals to you. Get to know the history of blues and jazz (blues was the foundation for jazz). Make playlists of the artists and songs you like, and listen closely to your favorite rhythm sections. Even in the same subgenre, bass players can take vastly different approaches to tone, timekeeping and harmony. If you’re already knowledgeable about a particular bassist or school of jazz, begin to articulate what inspires you and what skills you’d like to develop.

EXPERIENCE IT IN PERSON

You can learn a lot by watching videos and reading books, but there’s nothing like experiencing jazz in a live setting. Go to shows and jam sessions so you can hear local players work on their craft, and make it a priority to catch touring jazz musicians who swing through town. Check out the audience at any jazz club, and you’ll most likely see students like yourself learning about improvisation (the cornerstone of jazz) in real time.

FIND A TEACHER

Another benefit of going to see live jazz is that you radically increase your chances of meeting an experienced bass teacher. Not every great musician knows how to teach, but if someone makes a strong impression on you, they probably have knowledge to share.

Teaching yourself to play jazz on bass is possible (especially if you avail yourself of the many online resources out there), but if you’re on the fence about taking lessons, remember that a good teacher can support you when things get tough, keep you accountable, steer you away from bad habits, and introduce you to concepts you might not have otherwise encountered. In addition, a good curriculum will pace your learning with well-planned structure, which is the surest way to progress.

WALK BEFORE YOU RUN

Once you’ve begun studying, it can be tempting to shoot for the stars, but as any experienced teacher will tell you, it’s important to have a solid grasp of the basics like roots, fifths and octaves. Understanding notes, intervals, scales, chords and chord progressions will strengthen your foundation as you learn to read, play walking basslines, solo, and become familiar with the jazz repertoire.

KNOW YOUR ROLE

Being in a rhythm section is an important task. We bass players serve as the bridge between harmony (most clearly defined by chordal instruments like guitar and piano) and rhythm (drums and percussion). Doing our job well means outlining the harmony with chord tones and laying the foundation, usually by playing the root of each chord (in addition to related notes to form an interesting bassline). We’re also intimately connected to the kick drum, where you and the drummer are partners in keeping time.

LEARN TO READ MUSIC

Reading music is a crucial part of being a jazz bassist. You may not always be expected to instantly read and play complex figures at fast tempos, but knowing how to quickly scan a lead sheet, or, more specifically, a jazz chart for essential information — things like the key signature, the “head” (main melody), unison lines, modulations, turnarounds, repeats and the overall form — is a must. Charts are the most basic way jazz musicians communicate the shape of a tune, and if you don’t know how to swiftly get all the info you need, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Sure, if you have “big ears,” or if you closely watch the pianist’s hands, you might be able to fake it (which is another ability entirely), but reading a chart is beyond useful when it comes to playing jazz; in many ways, it’s the price of entry.

In addition, developing your sight-singing, a skill frequently mentioned alongside sight-reading and ear-training, will allow you to look at a chart and hear the melody in your head; knowing common chord progressions (like the ii-V-I), song forms (like AABA, ABAC, and 12-bar blues) and common phrases goes a long way too.

PLAY LICKS

If you were learning a new language, you might start with short phrases like “please,” “thank you” and “where’s the restroom” before working your way up to, “I’m looking for the best inexpensive vegan pizza place near my hotel that’s open after midnight.”

Similarly, learning jazz licks — bite-sized melodies, intros or phrases that connect chord changes — will sharpen your ears while helping you get jazz phrasing under your fingers. A technically challenging lick can inspire you to practice until you get it, which can be quite satisfying; learn to play it in all twelve keys, and you’ll have a new addition to your solo tool bag.

TRANSCRIBE

Just as important as figuring out the notes being played is taking the time to decipher how and why a bass player took a particular approach. In the old days, this process involved repeatedly playing a short section of a record until you could hear all the details, but software has made it easy to slow down and loop a piece of music while amplifying the bass part. Learning to hear all the elements of a performance is perhaps the best way to deeply absorb jazz basslines played by the greats and add those skills to your musical vocabulary.

TRAIN YOUR EARS

Like reading music, ear training is an essential skill for jazz musicians. Learning to identify song structures, intervals (the space between notes), chord qualities and harmony and chord progressions will make all the difference to you as a performer, accompanist and soloist. There are many ways to train your ears, so find a method that works for you and stick with it.

In Part 2, we’ll continue the journey with some more helpful tips for learning to play jazz on bass.

Piano Lessons Can Improve Your Child’s Language Skills

Connecting Music and Peace

Written by Kellie B. Gormly on August 23, 2024. Posted in Case Studies.

Benjamin Bergey’s brand-new degree program — the hybrid major called Music and Peacebuilding, offered at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, since 2021 — will graduate its first student this year, with four more students nearing completion. Yet as word has spread, more and more students are interested in this unique degree program that combines a traditional music education with elements of diplomacy, facilitating dialogue and conflict transformation.

“The hardest part is getting people to know that it’s here,” says Bergey, an Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Orchestra and Choirs at EMU. “Once people are aware of it, they say, ‘Hey, that’s awesome.’”

A Tool for Intercultural Competence

The program, which Bergey started and built, combines two areas of study to form a powerful tool for intercultural competence. Music and Peacebuilding can prepare students for a variety of careers, as many organizations are using music to help people in high-conflict areas, he says.

“It can be useful in any scenario where there’s people,” Bergey says. “And where there’s people, there’s conflict. That’s not inherently a bad thing, but it’s just a fact.

“I’ve found that this is actually an emerging field,” says Bergey, who was recognized as a Yamaha “40 Under 40” music educator in 2024. “On the peacebuilder side, people who have already done this have long known the benefits of using the arts in their work. But musicians haven’t necessarily had similar training to see how peacebuilding theories and frameworks can benefit our work as well.”

Finding Common Ground in High-Conflict Areas

Seeing a need there, Bergey became interested in incorporating peacebuilding training into music education. While working on his doctoral degree at James Madison University, he researched the subject for his dissertation while spending time in Jerusalem during 2017; he also went to the Middle East to study abroad in 2010 during his undergrad years.

Bergey studied groups in Israel and Palestine that used music to bring together Arabs and Jews by making, learning and sharing music as well as engaging in professionally facilitated dialogue. In particular, Bergey spent time observing the Jerusalem Youth Chorus, which has both Jewish and Arab teenagers from different parts of the city who meet together at the YMCA in downtown.

Choir members first sing together, then have dialogue about a variety of topics and then end their sessions with more music. This provides a bonding experience for these kids, whose cultures have major clashes.

group of students from EMU with Dr. Benjamin Bergey

“They find humanity in each other and realize: We like similar things, and some words in our languages are more similar than we realize,” Bergey says. “It’s a really fascinating experience that they have, and they turn out to be quite formative.”

According to Bergey, music provides a fun common ground for kids, and it helps soften the conflict in heated discussions. “They want to learn about each other and why one might feel a certain way about something,” he says. “Some sessions are not all happy and butterflies.

Making music together can help break perceptions of dissimilarity because of a shared experience, which can build empathy. “With this act of music-making, people at least have a better shot at more fruitful dialogue and creative collaboration,” he says.

two student singing accompanied by music teacher on drums

The Social Aspect of Music-Making

Bergey now practices what he learned in the Middle East by leading retreats and meetings where people combine music with peacebuilding. One common activity is hosting a drum circle, where Bergey and students go into a community park and set up buckets to serve as drums. They invite anyone to come and participate, with or without a music background. People sit in the circle, talk to each other, and play the buckets like drums, which is a cathartic, fulfilling experience, he says. Even just realizing that there are other humans in the circle promotes empathy.

“Seeing a bunch of random people come together like this is pretty awesome,” Bergey says. “It’s musical empathy and preventive peacebuilding, pre-conflict. It’s the ability to build human connections or social capital prior to any conflict.”

Students who get a Music and Peacebuilding degree at EMU can use these relational and music skills in a variety of jobs, Bergey says. Some work for nonprofits, while others work in education. Some might go on to graduate school for music therapy, he says. Whatever Music and Peacebuilding graduates do, they are “able to use these theories and to understand the social aspect about how people work and how to mitigate conflict,” Bergey says.

small choir performing — EMU Chamber Singers at the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

The Impact of Belonging and Philosophy

For Bergey, his faith has influenced his career significantly. It is important to create a sense of belonging at the school, and Bergey brings that into his classrooms.

“For me, it’s important to have a space where people feel they can bring themselves and have their voices heard — and in choir, it’s literal voices,” he says. “It’s a very vulnerable act to let others hear your voice. Creating that space where people can do that is a very human, moral and kind thing. And I feel it leaves the world better than we found it.”

Bergey echoes this sentiment in his philosophy about music education. “For me, teaching music is about providing opportunities for everyone to contribute and learn and be a part of that expression. To do that, we need to be able to recreate space for each person to bring their authentic self and to realize how we together are creating something that is better than any individual part,” he says. “That’s the beauty.”

Photos courtesy of Eastern Mennonite University

The Benefits of Playing Piano … At Any Age

Written by Rich Tozzoli on August 22, 2024. Posted in Acoustic Pianos. 3 Comments on The Benefits of Playing Piano … At Any Age

Whether you’re looking to have your child start a new learning-enriching activity or you’re a retiree who is up for a new challenge, here are some amazing benefits that come from playing piano.

It Can Make Your Child a Better Student

Young child playing an upright piano in her living room.

Parents take note: When your child learns a musical instrument, they become a better student all around. There are numerous studies that have verified this astonishing fact. For example, a Psychology Today article citing research done at the University of British Columbia in 2019 states that “Students who learned to play a musical instrument in elementary [school] and continued playing in high school not only score significantly higher but were about one academic year ahead of their non-music peers with regard to their English, mathematics and science skills … These exam-based statistics were consistent across the board, regardless of socioeconomic background, gender, ethnicity, or prior learning in science, math, and English.”

This extends to language skills too. “It appears that some of the auditory skills learned from piano playing enhance specific aspects of the perception of spoken language, even beyond that gained from additional experience in reading,” writes renowned cognitive neuroscientist Dr. John Gabrieli in this blog posting. “The benefits from music (which has no direct relation to language) [are] similar to those from reading (which relates directly to language).”

You Can Start Learning It At Any Age

Unlike some other musical instruments, piano is something you can learn — and learn well — at any age. In his blog posting “Express Yourself,” musician, bestselling author and cognitive psychologist Daniel Levitin says that, “For older adults, the instrument I recommend is the piano (or any similar keyboard, such as organ or synthesizer). The reason is that getting a good tone out of a keyboard is not at all difficult: anyone can sit down at a piano and play a C-sharp as well as a Rubinstein, an Alicia de Larrocha or an Elton John. Putting the notes together is the challenge, but it’s a challenge you can start addressing right away. The other advantage of the piano is that it’s easy to visualize scales and chords — they’re all there in front of you, laid out linearly.”

Learning piano as an adult actually has some distinct advantages. For one thing, even simple piano lessons for beginner adults can help you deal with stress. In fact, I’ve found playing piano to be the ultimate stress reliever. And when I say “play,” I mean simply playing, with no particular end goal in mind — in other words, just enjoying the process of “noodling around.” I find that by allowing my fingers to glide over the keys without the pressure of having to create something or improve my technique, I can let the instrument take me somewhere for the musical joy of it.

Playing Piano Can Make You Healthier

“As humans, we are hard-wired for music,” says Barry Bittman, MD, Chairman and CEO of the Yamaha Music and Wellness Institute, a non-profit organization engaged in education and research, “Music gets through where words do not pass. Recreational music-making reduces the impact of stress on many levels and allows healing to begin. It actually alters gene expression pathways in patients with coronary heart disease.”

In addition, learning to play an instrument as an adult stimulates your brain; your neuroplasticity can see some significant improvements, meaning that your brain starts making new connections and remapping the old patterns. Whenever I sit down at the piano, it feels as if my brain does indeed light up with excitement. I simply feel better after playing, even if I only idle over the keys for a short period of time. That may be because I only started to learn to play piano a few years ago (I’m a lifelong guitarist); my training on the instrument is minimal enough that I don’t know exactly what I’m doing. As Zen Master Shunaryu Suzuik once said, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities. In the expert’s mind there are few.”

So whether you want to learn a single song for your own pleasure or go deep into performance technique, playing the piano has healing benefits for your (or your child’s) mind, body, spirit and soul. Best of all, it’s fun!

Check out these related blogs:

Express Yourself

Sounds Of Resilience: An Interview With Dr. Barry Bittman

Music Makes You Happier, Smarter … And Healthier Too

Teach Your Children Well

Six Ways Music Can Improve Your Life

Click here for more information about Yamaha pianos.

The Art of Using a Capo

Written by Robbie Calvo on August 21, 2024. Posted in Guitars How-to.

Anyone who’s ever seen me perform live knows that I often use a capo. If you’ve watched any of the acoustic video performances on my YouTube channel, it’s likely you have seen me employ a capo there too.

Why do I favor this simple device so much, and why do I think you should know how to use one? The answer is multi-faceted, and there are some surprising uses that you may not have even thought of!

In this posting, I’ll share some basic applications and best practices for using a capo, and also explore the different types of capos available.

Origin of the Name “Capo”

The Italian phrase “Da Capo” means “from the beginning”; it also can mean “the head.” When used in sheet music, it’s a verbal signpost instructing the player to go back to the beginning of the piece and start all over again.

In physical terms, a capo temporarily replaces the nut of your guitar, allowing you to raise the pitch of your open strings without retuning them.

From low to high, the open strings on your guitar are normally tuned E-A-D-G-B-E. Place a capo at the first fret, and you take all those tones up in pitch one semitone, to E#-A#-D#-G#-B#-E#. It’s like moving the nut of your guitar up one fret.

Now let’s explore the many amazing uses for this powerhouse guitar accessory.

Open Chords

We’ll employ the following simple chord progression to illustrate what a capo does to chords played in open position (that is, those containing open strings):

II: C G/B I Ami7 Fma7 :II

Diagram showing various open guitar chords in the key of C.

Let’s say you’re learning a song that uses these chords, but the original pitch is too low for your voice. Place a capo at the first fret, and the same chord shapes are now one semitone higher in pitch, changing the key from C to C#, which may be a much better fit for your voice:

II: C# G#/B# I A#mi7 F#ma7 :II

Now take the capo away and try to learn and play the new chords without it. As you can see from the illustration below, it’s not impossible, but also not practical, or even attainable for a novice that only knows a handful of basic chords. What’s more, two of those new chords require a barre technique (i.e., laying your index finger across a fret), making them much harder to play … and why would you do that if you can simply use a capo to achieve better results within seconds?

Diagram showing various open guitar chords in the key of C. sharp

In essence, then, a capo allows you to play any series of chords in multiple keys without needing to know how to transpose or learn new chord shapes. Using a capo will often affect the sound of your guitar too, since open strings tend to ring out differently (usually becoming more “jangly”) when raised in pitch.

The Importance of a Capo in Live Performance

Most guitar players who sing will agree that playing and singing is much easier when the chords are all in open position.

When we sing in live performance, we face the audience, and our mouths are faced towards the microphone. This means you can’t always look at your guitar’s fretboard. Try playing an Ami7 as a barre chord at the fifth fret without looking at the fretboard. Not easy, is it?

Here’s another scenario to ponder: You’re at your gig, and a female singer asks if she can sit in and sing a song with you. You have no objection, but the female voice is generally pitched a fourth above where male vocalists sing. No problem: Simply take your capo and place it at the fifth fret, and you’ll now have the same chord shapes pitched a fourth above the original key … without having to transpose in your head to new and possibly unfamiliar shapes.

Open Tunings

As noted earlier in this posting, the open strings on guitar are normally tuned E-A-D-G-B-E (from low to high). Open tunings are those where open strings are tuned to a specific chord, which creates a lovely drone of complementary tones. Popular open tunings for guitar are drop D, open G and open E. These all require detuning several strings to another pitch.

Drop D

Here, you detune the first (lowest) and sixth (highest) strings down a whole tone, from E to D, yielding the following notes:

D-A-D-G-B-D

Open G

This is similar to drop D tuning, but with the fifth (A) string also lowered a whole tone (to G):

D-G-D-G-B-D

Open E

In this tuning, the fifth (A) string is raised a tone (to B), and the third (G) string is raised a semitone (to G#):

E-B-D-G#-B-E

Any of these open tunings can easily be changed to another open tuning by using a capo. For example, if you place a capo at the third fret on a guitar in open G tuning, you’re now in open B♭ tuning, as shown below, but still with all the wonderful open-string drones. Try tuning to open B♭ without a capo!

Open B♭

F-B♭-F-B♭-E♭-F

Playing New Chord Shapes With a Capo

Using a capo is a great way to create alternative, second, or even third guitar parts with a series of new chord shapes. For example, start with this chord progression, played in open position. (I’ve denoted the scale position those chords occupy within the C major scale below the progression using roman numerals, where I = the tonic [root] chord, V = the fifth [in this case played over the seventh degree of the scale], VI = the sixth, and IV = the fourth.)

II: C G/B I Ami7 Fma7 :II

( I V/VII VI IV)

You’ll need to play different chord shapes to maintain the I – V/VII – VI – IV relationship. For example, if you place a capo at the third fret, you’ll need to play these chord shapes to attain the same pitch as the original chords:

II: A E/G# I F#mi7 Dma7 :II

If you move the capo up to the fifth fret, you’ll need to play these chord shapes to attain the same pitch as the original chords:

II: G D/F# I Emi7 Cma7 :II

The diagrams that follow show how the capo raises the pitch of those new chord shapes; below each are the chord name and the new pitch it represents when using the capo at the indicated fret location. For example, when the capo is at the third fret, I’m employing an A major shape for the I chord. That’s because the capo raises the pitch of both the open and fretted strings to create a C major chord when the A major shape is used. (Essentially. the capo is playing the barre of this chord shape.) Similarly, when the capo is at the fifth fret, I’m using a G major shape for the I chord; the capo raises the pitch of both the open and fretted strings to once again create a C major chord, this time when the G major shape is used.

Various chord diagrams showing capo positioning.

Why is this worth doing? Well, the new shapes provide a higher pitch, as well as different chord voicings to the original sequence, which creates very musical results. (“Voicing” refers to the order of notes from low to high within a chord.) This is a great way to separate frequencies in a dense mix, add interest to two-guitar parts and capitalize on alternate techniques — for example, strumming the original chords and fingerpicking the higher voicing, or vice-versa.

By the way, guitar parts can be layered multiple times using this capo technique giving you many different sonic options to choose from. The three options shown above are used in the video later in this posting, so you can hear how these alternate shapes, used in combination with a capo, affect the overall sound.

Nut Height

The more you press down on guitar strings, the higher the pitch goes up, so you should always check your guitar’s nut height and intonation to make sure all notes are in tune when fretted.

I prefer to have the string height at the nut cut as low as possible so that it takes less pressure to fret the notes while still allowing for a clean buzz-free tone in open position. Often, the reason your acoustic guitar is out of tune when using a capo is because the nut height has been set too high.

Adjustable Tension Capos

The capos a lot of singer-songwriters use on their guitars during live performance are spring-loaded and have a set tension, which means you have no control over the amount of pressure applied to the strings. I always cringe when a performer places one of these types of capos on the desired fret location and starts to play their song … even though the guitar is now way out of tune.

Instead, I suggest purchasing a capo that allows you to adjust its tension. Typically, it will feature a rotary dial that you turn to increase or decrease the tension of the capo without compromising tuning stability. These adjustable capos are great for multiple guitars too, including electric, and you’ll soon acclimate to the amount of tension needed to keep your personal guitars in tune.

There are also partial capos that only depress specific strings (chosen by you). These allow the player to create interesting tunings. They’re great for experimenting, but I’d recommend first getting used to a capo that transverses all six strings.

Different Capos for Different Guitars

The capo is usually associated with steel-string acoustic guitar applications, but it can also be used on electric guitars, nylon-string guitars, banjo, mandolin and even ukuleles. However, it’s important to take into account the fretboard radius of the instrument on which it will be employed.

Vintage electric guitars often have 7″ or 9″ radius fretboards, which means there is a pronounced curve to the fretboard. So, if you are using a capo designed for an acoustic guitar with a flatter radius, you’ll have to tighten it to depress the low and high strings. This can cause tuning problems on the middle strings. Once the outer strings are in tune without rattling, the middle strings are often too tight, causing their pitch to go sharp.

That’s why you should try and find a capo that matches the radius of your guitar(s). This means you may need to use one capo for acoustic guitars and a different one for electric guitars.

In addition, electric guitar strings are usually thinner (i.e., they have lower string gauges) than acoustic guitar strings. You’ll find that the B string, in particular, has the lowest tension compared to the other five strings. Over-tightening the capo may sharpen the B string to the point where it’s noticeably out of tune with the other strings. If this happens, try detuning the B string back to pitch without loosening the capo.

It’s also worth noting that, in contrast to electric and steel-string acoustic guitars, nylon-string guitars have an almost flat radius. If you plan on using a capo on your classical or nylon-string guitar, purchase one designed specifically for a flat radius. These kinds of capos are readily available.

Two kinds of guitar capos, one designed for classical nylon-string guitars and the other designed for steel-string guitars. — *The capo on the left is designed for nylon-string guitars; the one on the right is designed for steel-string guitars.*

The Video

In this video, I play the chord progression using the two capo positions described in the “Playing New Shapes With a Capo” section above.

I start by strumming the progression on a Yamaha FSX3 acoustic guitar using open position chord voicings:

II: C G/B I Ami7 Fma7 :II

I then move the capo to the fifth fret and fingerpick the chords on the FSX3 using the new shapes described above.

II: G D/F# I Emi7 Cma7 :II

Next, I place the capo at the third fret and pluck the new chord shapes, this time using a Yamaha SA2200 semi-acoustic electric guitar.

II: A E I F#mi11 Dma9 :II

Finally, I add a simple but melodic solo motif (played on the SA2200) for a complete arrangement. I coil-tapped the humbucking bridge pickup for the chords and solo lines to provide extra clarity and punch.

The Guitars

The FSX3 has a really well-balanced low-end response, so overdubs stay clean and tight. Its three-way Atmosfeel pickup system also translates well when recording direct to a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), as I did in the video above.

The excellent SA2200 semi-acoustic electric is one of my favorite guitars. Not only is it a pleasure to play, it imparts a warm, “woody” tone thanks to its design, large body dimensions and acoustic chambers, along with its soft maple center-block construction and Alnico V (coil-splittable) humbucking pickups.

A Yamaha SA2200 semi-hollow body electric guitar. — *Yamaha SA2200.*

The Wrap-Up

A capo allows for instant key changes while using the same chord shapes, or retaining the same key using new and exciting chord shape substitutes further up the fretboard. There are also chord voicings and open-string tunings that aren’t available without the use of a capo, plus it can subtly alter the sound of your guitar by making it more “jangly.”

A capo can be used to inspire great musical effects when you understand how to transpose harmonic structures using the major scale formula. Personally, I’m never without a capo at a recording session, gig, or when I travel. It truly is an essential part of my guitar-playing toolkit … and it should be part of yours too!

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR.