One-Minute Music Lessons




Lesson #1

How To Connect With Your Musicality: A One-Minute Lesson



"Your first instrument is your voice so we'll start there.

    1.  Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth silently four times in a row.
    2.  Inhale through your nose and then sing one note on the vowel "EE" (rhymes with "see") four times in a row.
    3.  Inhale through your nose and then sing one note on the vowel "AH" (rhymes with "blah") four times in a row.
    4.  Inhale through your nose and then sing one note on the vowel "OH" (rhymes with "go") four times in a row.
    5.  Inhale through your nose and then sing one note on the vowel "OO" (rhymes with "shoe") four times in a row.
    6.  Now use these vowels and sing lots of different notes, creating your own melody."


Lesson #2

How to Improvise Music: A One-Minute Lesson



"One very easy technique for improvisation is to play whatever you play twice in a row.

    1.  When you use repetition like this, it makes you listen and think. And your audience will hear purpose, order, and skill.
    2.  Naturally, it is better to do this with short phrases instead of long, complicated statements.
    3.  And it is not crucial for your repeat to be perfectly exact. A close resemblance is fine."


Lesson #3

How To Compose Music: A One-Minute Lesson



"Here are two complementary exercises that will flex your composing muscles:

    1.  Take a melody -- one that you wrote or one that somebody else wrote -- and add chords to it; then do this a second time,
    but using different chords.
    2.  Take a chord progression -- one that you wrote or one that somebody else wrote -- and add a melody to it; then do this a
    second time, but using a different melody."


Lesson #4

How To Interpret Music: A One-Minute Lesson



"Here's a quick way to gain new perspective on the piece of music that you are interpreting: practice
without your instrument.

    1.  Remove the score from the music stand and take it with you to a comfortable chair.
    2.  Freed from dealing with technical difficulties, sit and read the score as you imagine hearing the music mentally.
    3.  Bring your interpretive intentions into focus as you look for the patterns and structure of the music.
    4.  Take all of this insight with you when you go back to the instrument to practice again."


Lesson #5

How to Encourage Musical Ability in Kids: A One-Minute Lesson





"Tell a story while your child creates a soundtrack for it by improvising music on an instrument.

    1.  The story can be either a classic or one that you make up.
    2.  While narrating, pause frequently instead of talking continuously, so that the child has time to provide musical commentary on what was said.

Example: 'Once upon a time there was a little girl named Red Riding Hood. (Allow time for some Red Riding Hood music.) And one day she went walking in the woods. (Allow time for some walking music.)' And so on."



Lesson #6

How To Teach Improvisation: A One-Minute Lesson



"This exercise is a piano duet.

    1.  You will play in the bass range and your student will play in the treble range.
    2.  In moderate 4/4 time, with your left hand play the chord progression of F# major, D# minor, B major, and G#
         minor, with each harmony sounding for one measure. This can be chords in quarter notes or arpeggios in eighth
         notes.
    3.  At the same time, with the right hand play a short phrase using only the black keys.
    4.  The student will copy the phrase by playing it an octave higher, waiting for you to finish before taking their turn.
    5.  Now play a different phrase which the student will copy, and then another and another.
    6.  After continuing this for a few minutes, say to the student, 'Okay, you go first now.'
    7.  Now copy what the student plays.
    8.  When it's over, verify that this music sounded good and that it was easy and fun to play."

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