August 21, 2024
Imagine that a gifted drummer, guitarist or pianist just started their freshman year at your school. The student’s middle-school teacher even passed along a note praising their abilities. As the band director, you’d love to get them involved in the music program. But so far, they haven’t shown any interest in joining. Most band and […]
August 20, 2024
You might look at a trumpet and think, “It only has three valves—what could go wrong?” Despite the relative simplicity and durability of trumpets, trombones and other brass instruments, many issues can pop up and threaten to derail your ensemble’s rehearsal, concert or field performance. As the band director, you’re the first responder for any […]
August 19, 2024
Lee Brice’s go-to drummer on Nashville, Neil Peart, Dave Weckl and the record-setting Stagecoach crowd that nearly made him cry.
August 14, 2024
Imagine you’re backstage, minutes before the curtain rises on your school’s biggest concert of the year. Amid the frenzied last-minute preparations, your clarinet player walks up to you in a near panic and utters the four words every music educator dreads most: “My instrument isn’t working.” You’ve probably been through similar situations before and know […]
August 9, 2024
Learn the pros and cons of renting vs. buying a musical instrument. Explore the benefits and costs to help you make the right choice.
August 7, 2024
At a Music & Arts repair facility, a technician wipes down an acoustic guitar’s strings and fretboard using a microfiber cloth. Imagine you’ve just purchased your first guitar. You spent hours looking at all the available options and finally chose the instrument that’s right for you—the perfect model, in just the right color. How can […]
August 6, 2024
Linguistics researcher Naomi Baron, Ph.D., on the meaningful advantages of handwritten annotations and scores you can smudge In recent decades, as our avenues for information have been transformed by technology, music-education resources have followed suit. Books and play-along cassettes became books and play-along CDs and software; VHS lessons became DVDs and then online tutorials. The […]
July 29, 2024
The revered shredder and dedicated Music & Arts instructor shares his favorite tips and techniques for aspiring rockers.
July 25, 2024
The former principal trumpeter for the New Jersey Symphony and current Music & Arts instructor talks foundational techniques, embouchure problems, practice routines and that time Leonard Bernstein thanked him personally. Equally warm and wise, the veteran trumpeter Lawrence Clemens — Larry, to his friends and students — is the kind of educator who always has […]
July 23, 2024
Double-reed instruments are some of the most unique members of the woodwinds family. Unlike the clarinet and saxophone, which utilize a single reed mounted on a mouthpiece, double-reed instruments feature—you guessed it—two reeds vibrating against each other to create an unmistakable sound. The most popular double-reed instruments are the oboe and bassoon, but the category […]
