June 16, 2019
Scott Johnson is the director of percussion for the Concord Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. He first joined the Blue Devils in 1976 and became the organization’s Director of Percussion and Percussion Arranger in 1994. As part of the Promark “Built to Compete” campaign and for the 2019-2020 master educator catalog, Director of Marketing […]
June 14, 2019
How ukulele and guitar benefits children The guitar and ukulele are two of the world’s most popular instruments for a reason. In addition to being a blast to play, they’re also some of music’s most friendly instruments for beginners. If you’re looking for a great way to introduce your students to rock-solid music fundamentals like […]
June 13, 2019
You have the saxophone; you have the drive to learn; now you need to actually put that instrument to your mouth and make some music. When you get to this point it may suddenly occur to you that you don’t really know how to blow into a saxophone! Here are a few details to keep […]
June 8, 2019
You’ve probably spent years admiring those ultra-cool saxophone players. They make the whole process look so effortless, but until you actually pick one up, you never quite know how to hold a saxophone. If you’re just learning to play, there are a few basics to keep in mind when holding a saxophone: Always wear the […]
Filed and Unfiled Reeds Explained Reeds are used in many woodwind instruments, including the clarinet, saxophone, oboe and bassoon. In reed instruments, the sounds or vibrations are made when air is blown across a thin piece of material called a reed. The reed vibrates, making the sound, which is then amplified by the air in the […]
June 6, 2019
Make Music Day, an annual international celebration of music that’s marked by free events and concerts around the globe, is held annually on June 21st. This year, 80 cities across the U.S. are taking part in the festivities, including Nashville, Chicago, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Miami. From DJs and producers performing on the […]
June 1, 2019
Depending on how long you’ve been a music educator, it’s probably been years or maybe even decades since you first learned how to read rhythm notation. Something like clapping a measure of 8th notes probably feels as natural as breathing does to you at this point, but to a child learning music for the first […]
April 11, 2019
While it’s easy to make a sound on a clarinet, it takes the right mix of skill and equipment to truly learn how to play the clarinet the right way. The sound you want might vary a little bit depending on the type of music you’re playing, but there are tips you can apply across […]
April 8, 2019
Flute vs Piccolo You (or your child) want to play an instrument and you have narrowed the choices down to the flute or the piccolo. The following considerations may help you with your decision. The flute and the piccolo are both part of the woodwind family of instruments. They are reedless and sound is produced by the player’s air […]
Playing the piccolo The piccolo may be the instrument that a young musician starts playing, but it’s more likely an additional instrument for a flutist. Playing the piccolo isn’t easy – but it is fun! In high school and college orchestras and marching bands, it offers musicians an opportunity to play and be heard. For professional musicians, […]
