A Music Mom

What is the Impact of a Good Music Teacher?

What is the impact of a good music teacher? Can it be measured? All teachers have an impact on a student’s life. But I believe the relationship between a music teacher and a music student is unique. Music teachers have an incredible impact on the life of a student. Never underestimate that impact or the value of that connection.

I remember every private music teacher I ever had and all the ones my kids had. Each of those teachers had a different impact; each one was valuable in his own way to our musical advancement.

My Piano Teachers

The first piano teacher I ever had was my dad. While he was not an accomplished pianist, he knew enough to get me started on the piano and instill in me a love of good music. My dad started teaching me piano when I was six. We had an old, massive upright piano that he painted a pale pink. I used the old piano books he studied from when he was young. I may even still have a couple of those books!

My next piano teacher was a lady who lived across the street from my grade school when I was in 5^th grade. One day a week, I would take my piano books to school, and after school, I would walk across the street to her house for piano lessons.

When I was in high school, I switched piano teachers. This new teacher challenged me to push myself harder, to tackle more challenging music. Under her teaching, I mastered the art of playing duple against triple rhythm. (eighth-notes in one hand, against triplet eighth-notes with the other hand). I think some people figure it out by feel, but not me. I had to use math to conquer this one! Common denominators and counting it all out. (Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, 3^rd movement) I also remember her teaching me how to do glissandos. And scraping the skin off the back of some fingers in the process.

Mrs. Grubbe taught her lessons on an older upright piano in a small room in the back of her home. She always made me feel welcome. But when I was preparing for a competition or other special performance, she took me into her living room, walking across white carpeting (!) and allowed me to play my piece on her wonderful grand piano. I learned a lot about teaching piano from how she taught me.

My college piano teacher was wonderful. She was always calm and quiet but had a way of pushing me far beyond what I thought I could do. She understood about life sometimes conflicting with practicing, but she pushed me to practice in her own quiet way. And practice. And practice some more!

She mastered the art of reverse psychology, I think, and used that “against” me! I studied both flute and piano and had to decide which instrument to choose for my senior recital and major proficiency. At some point, she confronted me and told me I had to make a choice! And then, in her quiet way, she told me that I could do both, but that it would be very difficult. My choice was made. I did both. I appreciated Mrs. Barnes for the piano skills she taught me, for her role model as a wife, mother, and musician, and her sense of joy and humor.

As many children do, I started playing the flute in 5^th grade, when beginning band was offered to any interested student. I don’t think it was a conscious decision on my part. It was more like my day telling me this is what you are doing, so choose an instrument.

My Flute Teachers

My first flute teacher was my beginning band instructor. I worked with him, primarily in group classes for at least the 5^th and 6^th grades. Perhaps even 7^th and/or 8^th grades because he did the middle school band as well. Mr. Hawes gave me a good foundation for my future flute-playing.

Sometime during middle school (I think), I took private lessons from a college student. My mom drove me 30-45 minutes one-way every other Saturday morning to get to these lessons. Maybe that is why these lessons, and this teacher, are a little vague in my memory! This is the only one of my teachers who I don’t clearly remember.

But then we found a teacher much closer to home, and I studied with him throughout high school. His house was on my way home from school, so I would stop in once a week for my lessons. I enjoyed working with him – a couple of his children were in band with me. One of my closest friends in high school also took lessons from him, which was great when it came time to work on duets for competitions!

I learned so much from Mr. Bolman – technique, tone production, musicianship. He worked with me through the challenge of flute-playing with braces. To this day, I remember him encouraging me to work through the awful tone quality I was hearing while trying to adjust to all the changes in my embouchure because of the braces. I can still hear him telling me that all the work I was doing to get a good sound with the braces would pay off in a big way when I got the braces off! And he was right. It just took me two years or more to get to that point!

And then there was college. My flute instructor in college was a gem. While he was not a proficient flute player himself, he understood the flute and what I needed to do to get the sound I wanted. And more than that, he understood music and musicality and musicianship! I loved my flute lessons with Dr. Budahl. From him, I learned how difficult it is to get through everything in a 30- minute lesson. Always too much music!

Dr. Budahl taught me so much more than music, though. He taught me about life, about priorities, about graciousness, and about loving God. I met him first at music camp when I was in high school. He was always cheerful, always working on music, always with a smile. And even though he is officially retired, he is still the same! When I have occasion to see him, his face still lights up with his smile. I am so thankful for his impact on my life.

My Children’s Music Teachers

I won’t list for you all my kids’ music teachers – we would be here far longer than you would like! But each one of them was perfect for them at the time. The cello teacher whose cello case was painted like a cow. He was a computer tech guy by day and was perfect for my techy son who was a reluctant cello student at the time. And his next cello teacher taught him to think about what he was playing and why he played it the way he did. (And who always served snacks at his recitals!) Thank you, Mr. Moore.

And our Russian violin teacher, the one who kept relocating further and further away from us, but was so worth the longer drive! Ada Ignatov inspired my girls to practice and devote themselves to the violin. And my sister Brenda, who started my girls on their violins/viola. Even though we only saw her a few times a year, she gave me ideas to work with them as they started.

And the brass teacher who suffered through the excruciating sounds of beginning trumpet and French horn students. My son and his French horn – starting out sounding more like an elephant with a bad cold blowing his nose. Joe Pluth, Dan Askins, Mr. Riffel – thanks so much!

Never Underestimate the Impact of a Music Teacher on your Student!

A Unique One-On-One Relationship

All teachers have an impact on the lives of their students. There is a different teacher-student dynamic because of the unique one-on-one relationship between a music teacher and his students. The connection is on a much more personal basis.

Music Teachers See and Relate to Real Struggles

Music teachers are mind readers. Not really, but since there is that special connection between music teachers and their students, music teachers are often much more sensitive to possible problems a student might be facing. Music is an art form, and as such, it can be very emotional. The emotional aspects of music allow teachers an insight into struggles a student may be facing. A good teacher can help a child face problems or situations, offer solutions, or direct them to someone who can give them the help they need. We are all good at hiding problems most of the time, but music sometimes allows them to surface.

Visibility of Vulnerabilities

We all have hidden vulnerabilities. Kids especially try to hide their deepest vulnerabilities. Music teachers can often pick up on those things and help students confront and overcome them.

Choose your children’s music teachers carefully – they will have a big impact on your child’s life. Let that impact be for the good of your child. Someday they will think back on their music teachers as I did for you earlier. What will they remember? What impact will that teacher have on your child?

Think back and remember your music teachers or your child’s music teachers. What do you remember most about them? What impact did they make on your life? Share your stories in the comments!

Check out some other articles about music teachers:

Choosing a Music Teacher

Best Gifts for Music Teachers

I Don’t Know What to Practice!

I don’t know what to practice! How many times have you heard this phrase recently? Or maybe you are the one guilty of saying this. I get it – if you or your child hasn’t had a lesson in a while, you feel like you are sick of practicing everything your teacher assigned you. Here are some ideas for what your child can practice when he doesn’t know what to practice.

Scales

First and foremost – practice scales! I can’t emphasize this enough – practice scales! All you keyboard players, practice your scales hands apart and hands together. Make sure you use the correct fingering. Play scales in contrary motion and parallel motion. Other instrumentalists, you need to practice scales also! If you are going to continue in music, you must know your scales – major, minor (all three kinds!), chromatic scales. Scales in every key!

Past Pieces

Practice music you already learned, music from the past. How can you play it better? What can you do to make it more expressive and more musical? Learn to play something from memory. Go back and work on those tricky passages again to see if you can make them better, smoother, cleaner. Review pieces you played last month, or last year.

Something New

Try learning some new music on your own. Maybe you have a piece that you always wanted to learn but never got to it in lessons. Have you found an arrangement of your favorite song that you want to learn? Go for it! Approach this new piece the same way you would start new music from your teacher. Be sure to check the key signature, time signature, accidentals, tricky rhythms. Learn something new just for fun.

Arpeggios

Do you know what an arpeggio is? Think of a chord but played just one note at a time. That’s the basic idea of an arpeggio. You find arpeggios all over your music, so practicing them in advance will give you a head start on future music. Keyboardists, you need to be sure you practice arpeggios with correct fingering!

Compose Some Music

Try composing some original music. Wouldn’t your teacher be surprised if you come to your next lesson with some original music to play for her? Think of a little theme or melody, play around with it, add some variety to it – see what you can do! And then, take the challenge further and try to write it out with the correct notes and rhythm. Who knows – you might discover a new passion!

Did I Mention Scales?

Let me reiterate – practice your scales! Scales are foundational to all music! Did you know that most of those long tricky passages you see in more difficult music come from scales? So work on those scales until you no longer need to think how to play them, and you will be ready to face those complicated passages head-on.

OK – Go practice! No more excuses! I’ve just given you lots of ideas of what to practice.

Need some more help or ideas with practicing? Check these posts.

How to Help Your Child Practice

When Your Child Doesn’t Want to Practice

Practice Like a Pro

Why Clarinets Squeak and Other Instrument Oddities

Why do clarinets squeak? Why do trumpets have spit valves? What’s with all these instrument oddities? Musical instruments are strange things. Hollow tubes with holes in them. Long metal pipes bent into strange shapes. Boxes with hammers and strings. Holes where you don’t expect holes to be. What’s with all this? Here are the answers to some of those strange questions you always wanted to ask but never did.

Why Do Clarinets Squeak?

Have you ever been in beginning band? Have you had to attend a beginning band concert? It seems like the clarinets are always squeaking! Why does that happen? What can they do to stop the squeaking?

Many factors affect whether a clarinet squeaks. And all these are things that the clarinet player must learn and practice. Beginners are still learning – give them a break when they squeak.

Here is a list of some of the more common reasons for clarinet squeaks:

Biting down, or clamping down too hard on the mouthpiece
Having too much or too little of the mouthpiece in the mouth
Inconsistent airflow
Incorrect tonguing technique
Bad reed – old, chipped or dried out

Good news – the more a clarinet player practices, the less he will squeak. So practice away, my clarinet friends.

If you want more information about this, see here and here.

Why Does a Piano Have Three Pedals?

Almost all pianos have two pedals. Some pianos have three pedals. What’s the difference? Does it matter if your instrument has two or three pedals?

Right Pedal

The pedal on the right is the damper pedal. When pressed, this pedal raises all the dampers (or long felt-covered bars) from the strings inside the piano. The strings will then continue to vibrate and sound until the pedal is released and the dampers are reapplied to the strings. If you have a grand piano or open the top of your upright piano, you can see this happen.

Left Pedal

The left pedal on a piano is the soft pedal. Depending on the piano, this pedal works in one of two ways. Either the use of the pedal causes the hammers to strike fewer strings, or the hammers are moved closer to the strings so they cannot strike the strings as hard as usual.

Every key you see on your piano attaches to two or three strings inside the piano. When you strike a key, you activate a hammer inside the piano that strikes the strings related to that key. When you press the soft pedal the hammer slightly moves so it only strikes a portion of the related strings (two strings instead of three, or one string instead of two).

Other pianos use a slightly different system to get a similar result. In this system, the soft pedal causes the entire set of hammers to move slightly closer to the strings. This means that the hammer cannot strike the strings with as much force, resulting in a softer sound.

Center Pedal

And then there is the third pedal. Not every piano has a third pedal. This third pedal will do one of two things, but not both. On some pianos, the third pedal, called the sostenuto (sustaining) pedal, allows certain notes to sustain (or hold) without holding all the other notes at the same time. It is an interesting effect. However, unless you are playing advanced piano literature, you probably will not need to use this third pedal.

Some piano makers have taken that third pedal and given it a completely different purpose. Sometimes that third pedal performs as a “practice” pedal or a “silent” pedal. If you live in an apartment, perhaps the neighbors aren’t too excited to hear your late-night practicing. Or your early-morning arpeggios. What should you do? Put your piano in “silent” mode, by pressing that third pedal, and practice away.

What’s So French About a French Horn?

What’s so French about a French horn? Actually…not much. And it appears that the term “French horn” is only used in the US, Canada, and Britain. Everyone else just calls it a horn. So where did the term “French horn” come from? Guess what – no definite answers exist. But there are three theories about the use of that term.

Theory #1

Once upon a time, a long time ago, a German Count went to France, picked up some hunting horns, and brought them back to Germany. These horns were a bit different than the ones they already had in Germany. Because of that, the people may have referred to these as the French horns to differentiate them from the German horns that were already in the country.

Theory #2

Horn originally developed from hunting horns. The hunting horns in Britain were different than the French hunting horns. The French hunting horns were larger. When musicians began to use these new horns in Britain they reminded people of the larger French hunting horns, so they called them French horns.

Theory #3

In the late 1600s instrument makers crafted horns in Britain, Germany, and France. Each country made the horns slightly differently, and each country contributed different features in the development of the modern horn. Evidently, the best horns of the time came from French makers, so musicians called them French horns. (Not to be confused with the British horns, the German horns, etc.)

Is there a final answer to the question about the term “French” horn? Of course not. And if you are in a rehearsal and the conductor asks the horn section to play a section of music, does he mean just the French horns or the entire brass section? Play it safe, and assume he is just referring to the French horn section.

Looking for more info? Check here or here.

Why Do Trumpets Have Spit Valves?

Spit valves are just gross, right? Trumpet players get to some rests, and the first thing they do is blow spit all over the floor. What’s with that? Ewwww! Think about how trumpet players produce sound. They blow – directly into their instrument. And with all the air that blows, you also get saliva. The air blows out through the horn, but not the saliva. It stays in the horn and collects.

Pretty soon, our poor trumpet player begins to sound like he is playing underwater. Because he is – sort of. And since he is not playing “Under the Sea,” we don’t want it to sound like that. The spit valve on a trumpet (and all other brass instruments) is located where the saliva collects in the horn. The brass player can open the spit valve, blow through his horn without making a sound, and empty all the water from his horn. Then he can continue to play with a good sound. Just be glad you don’t have to clean the floor after the band concert!

Why Are There Holes in the Tops of Violins?

The reason for the holes in the top of a violin (or viola, or cello, or bass) is simple – to let the sound out! Imagine if you are in your bedroom with the door shut and you want to tell your brother or sister to bring you a snack. You yell, but they never bring your snack. They will say they never heard you. But if you open your door and yell, they will hear you and bring you your snack (you hope). That’s the idea behind the holes on the violin. They are called f-holes – because they look like fancy letter f’s. Or some might call them sound holes. Vibration inside the body of the violin causes the sound, but that sound needs a way to get out. The f-holes let the sound out.

If the idea of f-holes fascinates you, you can read more about it here.

So, now you know the answers to some of life’s perplexing questions. You can impress your friends with your vast musical knowledge!

What are some other questions you have about instruments? You know, those questions you have always wanted to ask, but thought everyone else already knew the answers to. Ask away, and I will try to find the answers.

Leave your questions in the comments!

And check out some of our posts about specific instruments!