How to Drastically Improve Your Cognitive Skills With Singing Lessons

The study of the effect that taking singing lessons have on improving cognitive skills has been researched for many years. Singing success greatly improves most people's ability to learn. When young children are taught how to sing the alphabet song, they remember it for the rest of their lives. Older students in bands, orchestras, and choirs usually score higher than the national average on standardized tests when results are compared to the scores of students who have not had musical training.

The mastery of music requires multiple disciplines that involve most parts of the body. Singing lessons can be used to develop and enhance critical thinking, comprehension, language development and memorization. These things strengthen mental functions. Social skills are enhanced as learners focus on self-expression. Motor skills are also involved.

Several studies have concluded that vocal exercises increase performance in non-musical fields such as mathematics, comprehension and linguistics. Analyzing the time signature and number of counts per measure is directly related to mathematical concepts. If the time signature is 4/4, then each measure of the composition must be equal to but not greater than or less than four. The details may be studied and mastered without even mentioning the dreaded 'M' word (Math).

Vocal exercises also develop discipline and improve self-esteem. These are often stated as major concerns in today's society. A disciplined learner must show the dedication and concentration required to master all the concepts needed to successfully perform a musical composition. Many students who struggle to experience success in the academic field are able to feel confident in themselves after accomplishing this. Singing lessons engage the whole child.

Facilitating the singing success of children develops language and reasoning skills, introduces creativity and teaches them to solve problems by imagining various solutions. Singing lessons can certainly help children to score higher on standardized tests.

Many studies encourage some form of musical training in early childhood. However, research shows that even if singing lessons are not introduced until the later years, they still improve cognitive skills. Even though their exposure lasts a shorter time, the capacity for retention of positive influences is greater. The neural bridge that links the brain's hemispheres can be up to 15% larger in older children. An adult musician's brain has about 130% more gray matter in the auditory cortex than the brain of those who have not experienced singing success.

Cognitive skills can be improved by taking singing lessons. If you would like to learn more about the many options for everyone interested in this service, please visit us at http://www.singinglessonstoday.com.

Arnetta Thomas is a retired public school teacher with a degree in Performing Arts. While working in the classroom she has seen firsthand the positive effect music has on students. Cognitive skills can be improved by taking singing lessons. If you would like to learn more about the many options for everyone interested in this service, please visit us at http://www.singinglessonstoday.com/.

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Violin Lessons - The Best Way To Improve Your Child's Education?

Whether you would like your child to be the next Paganini, or are just looking for a way to give him or her the best possible start in life, taking violin lessons can be rewarding and fulfilling for both child and parent. Learning any musical instrument, and especially the violin, will give your child a head start in their learning skills. If you have heard of the Mozart Effect you will know that just listening to classical music, and Mozart in particular, produces astonishing results. So imagine the effect playing an instrument must have.

The first, and most important step is to find a good teacher. If you are considering violin lessons for a young child, I would recommend you try to find a qualified Suzuki teacher. Look on the internet for your nearest Suzuki organisation, which will be able to direct you to your nearest teacher.

Find out where the teacher gives their classes. Is it close enough for you to be able to make that journey, week in week out, for the next ten years? You are embarking on a big commitment, so practicalities count!

If you are lucky enough to find a trained Suzuki teacher, he or she will probably take very young children, starting at around the age of 3 or 4. Although progress is slow at the beginning, the Suzuki teacher will make it interesting and fun. These first years are fundamental to establishing a good technique. The self-discipline required for playing any musical instrument is also a crucial step towards achieving success in future life.

Suzuki teachers hold both individual classes and group lessons, so each child has the benefit of concentrated and technical attention in the private lesson, combined with the joy of sharing music with their friends and peers in the group lesson. It is so motivating seeing your friend doing something better than you, and realising that with a little more effort you could do it too!

The group lessons also teach important social skills - the children have to wait for their turn, to listen to each other with attention and respect, and to participate as a team effort when they play together in unison.

One of the important skills very young children acquire when they start to crawl is the cross-body co-ordination movement of opposite arm and leg - eg. right arm with left leg, etc. Playing the violin develops exactly the same connection as the right arm crosses in front of the body in the bowing movement. This has been proven to benefit right and left brain integration, and helps with concentration and emotional development.

Ideally, the teacher will allow you as the parent to be present in the lessons, in order that you can help with home practice, and to have an awareness of exactly what is being expected of your child. Once you realise how difficult it actually is, I am sure you will be patient and appreciative.

Another important part of parent participation is encouragement and praise. Even at the very early stages, try to arrange for your child to play to visitors, to relatives - in fact anyone who comes into the house should expect a little concert. This gives the child a great sense of achievement and gives value to the daily efforts in their practice.

It will also greatly lessen performance nerves when he or she has advanced enough to be participating in 'real' concerts.

It is difficult to imagine how learning to play the violin could be so beneficial to the growing child. Self-discipline and concentration, as well as the precise co-ordination skills acquired when learning to play any instrument, and especially the violin, have far-reaching benefits for later life. Learning to participate as a musician in an orchestra is a life skill in itself, and the journey to becoming a musician - amateur or professional - has hugely rich rewards.

Elizabeth Arnott

Elizabeth Arnott is English, and has lived in Mexico for the past ten years. Having spent most of her adult life as a violinist and Suzuki violin teacher in London, she now plays in the local professional orchestra in Merida, Yucatan, and gives a few lessons to individual students. Totally committed to the Suzuki method, she believes it is the best way to start beginners, be they young children, adolescents or adults, and to follow the Suzuki program using the repertoire which has been so thoroughly worked out as to provide the perfect foundation for violin technique.

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How to Improve Intonation

We've all been there. You listen to a recording of yourself playing and you just can't believe your ears. Or maybe your teacher finally gave you an ultimatum. Whatever your reason for realizing your intonation just isn't cutting it, you can take steps to make it better.

I had a teacher that gave me exercises and drilled my scales for intonation with such a nit-picky ear that I wanted to throw my violin against the wall and walk out. But, do not give up hope. While it is a long road to acceptable intonation, you can make leaps and bounds in a short time.

The key to developing your intonation is to use the open strings of the violin for reference notes. This means that if you are playing a 'C' on the 'A' string you will check it with the 'E' string. To apply this to your practice in an efficient way, use it on your scales. You can also buy a drone tuner and play the root of the scale and adjust every note to be in tune with it. Also play your piece at a very slow tempo and only do these checks for intonation. This is a tedious process, but the benefits are incredible. Check out Simon Fischer's "Basics" book for a great explanation of this process.

In the "Art of the Violin, Vol 1", Flesch talks about his experience of students being discouraged after using this method. After having played and listened to the pitches for so long in this manner, students think they are playing even more out of tune than before. The truth is that they are hearing how out of tune their technique is. They have not gotten worse, but the ear has developed.

Another great resource for this is "Sevcik's School of Violin, Op 1." I especially like the 2nd part, because it does the best exercises from Book 1 in every position from 2-7. If you really want to perfect your intonation, just spend a few minutes with Sevcik everyday.

The "Flesch Scale System" is also a good resource for scales. It takes you through every major and minor key with one string scales and arpeggios on every strings, three octave scale and arpeggios, broken thirds, stacked thirds, stacked sixths, stacked octaves, fingered octaves, stacked tenths, harmonics, and harmonic chords. I always tell my students that Flesch is one of the best investments you can make in your violin career, because it will last a lifetime.

Tim is a violinist who is pursuing his master's degree in Violin Performance. He has played in many high quality ensembles, recitals, and has written several compositions that have been performed. Besides learning about the performing side of music, he also has a big interest in the academic side such as Music History, Theory, and Literature. Tim has attended many workshops, clinics, and festivals specific to the violin, and has picked up on incredible advice that he would like to share with string players. For more tips and information for violin players, visit http://www.squidoo.com/all-things-musical. This site offers great information for any level of player.

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Discover How a Pianist Can Improve Their Sight-Reading With 10 Great Tips

Sight-Reading is one of those skills that you will develop over time as a pianist, and the longer you have played the better you will become at it. It requires discipline to improve your sight-reading, and you need to dedicate at least one practice session a week to doing this to develop your skills. In the long-term it will bring you lots of benefits, and could even open up job opportunities such as accompanying singers or Ballet classes. If you can pick up a piece of music and just play it, then it's an indispensable skill that will reward you in the long-term.

Below are ten useful tips on sight-reading: -

Get yourself a basic sight-reading book. The Associated Board of the Royal School of Music do them and have different abilities, ranging from Grade one which would be a beginner up to grade 8 which would be for the more advanced player.If you don't want to use a sight-reading book, then pick out some songs from song books you have that you haven't already learnt and ones that you are not familiar with.Set yourself a realistic time limit for each piece. If you are choosing songs from normal books, then just do a small section of the song. A suggestion would be half a page.If new to sight-reading, or if you want to improve, then A suggestion would be 2 minutes to look through your piece of music, try bits out and look for patterns e.t.c.When playing a sight-reading piece look out for the following:The Time Signature the piece of music is in, scroll your eyes through it and check for any changes in the rhythm.The Key Signature - Make sure you are familiar with this and how many Sharps or Flats are in the piece of music, look out for natural signs, as these can often be sneaked into songs and catch people out!Look for any reoccurring patterns, most songs are repetitive, so look out for these, play through a couple of these and get use to it.Look at the tempo the music suggests, if it's a fast song, then it's better to do it slowly and accurate than fast and make mistakes.Look at the start and ending of the song, or section you are sight-reading up too, and familiarise yourself with this, you will probably find they are very similar with the start and end on similar notes or chords.

There are some great free courses to teach anyone from complete beginners to advanced pianists to Learn How to Play Piano. A great way for beginners to learn is to start off with some really Easy Piano Songs which will get you started and help build that all important confidence.

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