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Contreras Music Blog Articles

May 2020

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How to produce your own music | Chrome Music Lab

6/1/2020

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Do you need technical know how and expensive software to produce your own music? Actually, no!

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That's right, the answer is no! 

Surprisingly many people think you need expensive software, technical know-how, or previous audio engineering experience to actually produce your own music. Whilst the latter won’t hurt, they are not actually essential. Today we will discuss how to create your own music for free in just four easy steps. This lesson, plus much more is thoroughly covered in Contrast Music’s online music production course, which is available now at Contreras music.com/online-courses.

Step one is to Google search “Chrome music lab”. This is Google’s free DAW software (Digital audio workstation), which allows you to edit music (actually MIDI) directly from your browser. The best part is that it’s easy to use and completely free. So, once you have found chrome music lab, click on song maker which is the main music editor.

Step two, we now look at the settings. The settings dictate the speed duration and tonality of your music. For those who don’t know much about music theory, don’t stress just copy my settings from either the picture on the right, or the custom video tutorial shown at the end of this article. 

Step three, let’s play. The Y or vertical axis is your relative pitch meaning up is higher and down is lower. so where ever you click relative to this axis is where Google Chrome Lab will create your note. For extreme beginners you can change the scale within the settings to pentatonic, that way whatever you click will sound great automatically. However, this is quite limiting especially for those who know a little about music. Hence, I highly recommend you play with pentatonic scale settings just for fun, but use the chromatic scales settings when creating your final projects.

The X or horizontal axis is for time. When you press play in the bottom left hand corner, chrome lab will begin playing from left to right across the horizontal axis. So use this to space out your notes and create the desired distances between them.

There is also a set of options at the bottom left hand corner of step 3. These controls change the instrument and the beat samples to whichever you to choose. This means instead of piano, you could have marimba, and instead of a drum kit, you could have an electronic sound kit. Step 4 is to unleash your inner producer by creating some music within your track!

There is really no absolute correct way to go about this. We simply recommend you play around, have some fun, and experiments with this amazing free tool. 

BONUS!!!
In the featured tutorial video shown here, we take you through an entire track creation from beginning to end. Additionally there is an entire music production course available from contrast music.com which clearly teaches you how to create beats, tracks and much more, all step-by-step. Be sure to check out all of our courses and remember to have fun along the way with your music making journey!

 by Cristian Contreras.
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Play like Beethoven in 3 minutes!

5/21/2020

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​Arguably the worlds most recognised, loved, yet at times hated, piano song - Fur Elise by Beethoven. Whilst severe eye-rolling syndrome occurs at just the mention of that song, particularly for most piano teachers, musicians and pianists alike; there is actually much more to this piece than meets the eye. Its actual name is Beethoven's Bagatelle, No.25 in A minor, and the dedication on the original manuscript actually states 'Für Therese' (classicfm.com). Composed in 1810, the actual identity of the mystery lady still remains a mystery down to this day. Published some 40 years after the composer's death, this piece remained relatively obscure and ignored by the general public, and even by Beethoven himself (www.jstor.org/stable/24615621). Amazingly, this composition was completed despite Beethoven's progressive hearing loss (abc.net.au/classic), an amazing feat which could be illustrated by a painter who still creates a masterpiece despite being legally blind! 
 
With all of that in mind, let's get on with the music. The iconic Bagatelle, or 'Fur Elise" piano piece is actually not as difficult to master as you might think; well, at least the sample melody isn’t. In fact, it is comprised of only three parts. Learn these three parts on the piano, and you will have yourself a new melody under your fingers, ready to show off the next time you play for someone. And since this is a Contreras music blitz piano lesson, I promise it's yours in under 3 minutes. For the full video tutorial, visit our Contreras music You Tube channel, and ContrerasMusic.Com to watch our online piano lessons for free!
 
Step one is correct hand positioning. This initial step is important since the correct fingering will either facilitate or hinder the melody. Start by placing your right hand one octave above middle C, then use finger five on E. Now prepare your fourth finger on the black key next to it, which is called D sharp. We will now practice a slow trill, which just means alternating between your fifth and fourth fingers on the D sharp and E. Practice this 10 to 20 times in order to get your fingers flowing smoothly with minimal wrist movement.
 
Next, place the second finger on B, the fourth finger on D, the third finger on C, and a thumb on A. Here is the order once again; B, D, C, A. Practice this movement over and over again, for at least 10 to 20 repetitions. Now put these two together. Start the trill on E and D sharp, repeat it twice, then play B, D, C and finish on an A. Repeat these two sections 10 to 20 times minimum.
 
Part two is based on ascending arpeggio shapes. This just means that the harmony is broken up into its chord tones which go up one after the other. The two cords or harmonies are A minor and E major. We begin by ascending on A minor using first finger on C, second finger on E, the fourth finger on A, and fifth finger on B. Next is the E Major shape. We go up starting from E with the first finger then G sharp using the second finger, then B with your fourth finger, and finish on C with your pinky.  We now play solitary E with the thumb to re-start section one all over again like before. Again, be sure to practice these first two parts over and over, 10 to 20 times minimum, until you gain fluency.
 
Section 3 is simply a variation to part 2. We slightly change the second harmony into a descending scale. So instead of ascending on E, G#, B, and C as we did before, we will play E with the first finger, then C with our pinky, B with our fourth, and C with our third. So all up, it goes part one the main melody, part two the ascending arpeggios on A minor and E major, part 1 again, and part three is the variation or outro.
 
Apply the 10 to 20 times principal for your practice between each section. Remember that it may take you a few more repetitions, so don’t be afraid to spend as much time as you need in this section. Once you are ready, put all three parts together and practise that 10-20 times minimum. Don’t rush it, just focus on technique, not speed.
 
Congratulations, you can now play just like Beethoven using the right hand. For a more detailed lesson, including sheet music and practise tracks, visit ContrerasMusic.Com and be sure to check out PREMIERE PIANO, the best premium piano course for beginners. Its the most fun, engaging and professionally designed course out there, guaranteed to fast track your results on the piano. 
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How to play ANY major chord on the piano easily!

5/11/2020

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Have you ever tried reading about chord scale theory, or tried working out chords by yourself and thought huh!? 

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Unless you know already know the relevant chord/scale diatonic harmony theory, don’t stress, you are NOT alone. In fact, it is estimated that as few as 5% of people on this earth can actually read music, and this is unfortunately still the case amongst most beginner guitar and drum kit students. But is reading formal music notation the be all and end all? Well, try telling that to Jimi Hendrix or the Beatles! Amongst many other celebrity musicians, they carved their own successful careers without ever needing to learn to decipher the above image. Yet how did they create and play such amazing music? That’ simple, they could easily play chords! You don’t need to be a theory genius, nor a classical pianist to learn how to play major chords on the piano! It’s actually quite simple if you know the right trick. Besides, you will need to know how to play chords since they appear in practically every song you have ever heard! I cover this topic thoroughly in my new E-Book, and online piano course, where I actually show you how it’s done step by step. For those who haven’t heard about my brand Contreras Music, here is your free gift lesson straight from my latest paid course. Today, I am going to show you how to master ANY Major chord in as easy as 4, 3, 2, 1.

The first part of the formula is 4 + 3. This is the intervallic relationship between the 3 notes you will need. In plain English, it means the size of the gaps between each note of the major Chord. So start on the bass note of the chord you want to figure out. In this case we will start off easy with a C, since we want to learn the C Major chord. From here, we go up 4 chromatic notes, (meaning 4 Steps without skipping any black or white note) which gives us E. From there we move up another 3 consecutive notes, which gives us G. So again, 4 + 3 = C, E G. Now play those three notes at the same time!

So that was 4, 3, now it’s time to finish with 2 + 1. You need to practise this using 2 hands, but start off one at a time. Now this is the crucial part, make sure that you press down firmly, mould that chord shape into your hand, and then lift your hand off the keys, continually maintaining that chord shape! Place it back down onto the same chord and repeat the process 10 times minimum. I like to add a few extra reps at the end with my eyes closed, just to be sure that I have really learnt the chord shape!

So let’s go through that one more time. 4,3,2,1. Target the bass note of the chord you want to play, we’ll try a G major this time. 4 + 3 means starting from G go up by 4 consecutive steps, which gives you a B, then go up by 3 more consecutive steps, which gives you a D. 4 + 3, should give you a G, B D. Play all three notes at the same time check the sound for a bright, happy tone. Then apply the 2 + 1 principle. You must practise using 2 hands, but always start out with just one. Complete 10 proper repetitions minimum, then add a few with your eyes closed for an extra fun challenge.

And that’s it. Any major chord is now yours using the simple 4,3,2,1 formula! Go ahead and learn some new chords yourself right now. The more you know the better! Help out a friend by sharing this article with someone who is also learning music. Want the full PDF lesson and summary cheat sheet, taken from my paid E- Book, absolutely free? Just click the link in the description below and I’ll personally send you a copy straight to your inbox. Don’t forget to also follow me on Instagram and Facebook to get in touch about anything music related. Visit my Youtube Channel, Contreras music for a free video tutorial on this lesson. Most importantly, visit http://www.contrerasmusic.com/online-courses.html
​ to check out my new Premiere Piano Course which is specifically designed to fast track your learning. Remember, knowledge is true value, so Invest in yourself today!

Aaron. Michael, 1999. The Michael Aaron Adult Piano Course, Book 2. Alfred Music Publishing. Accessed from: https://books.google.com.vn/books?id=wiKLcJPmj-YC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=statistics+on+piano+students+and+chord+practise&source=bl&ots=rWQ82bFbmz&sig=ACfU3U0it4bCbdKjLJV5LPXsUgrzHfyIXA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi544HwuaDpAhWMSJQKHR81BVIQ6AEwAHoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=statistics%20on%20piano%20students%20and%20chord%20practise&f=false

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May 11th, 2020

5/11/2020

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12 Easy Summertime Songs for Beginners

12/29/2017

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By J. Nicholls - Best guitar advisor 

If you have just started playing the guitar, you probably want to put in a lot of practice and get better at it. What better way to get ahead then than by practicing to songs you can easily play?
What all beginners should be looking for is a song that is easy to strum to. With a beginner guitar, you do not want a complex song that you cannot handle. Later on, as you advance, get an great acoustic guitar. Find a song that is easy to play. Also, get a song that will not give you such a hard time switching cords. Below is a compilation of songs you can easily strum to as you get in more guitar practice.

Song 1: Lazy Song By Bruno Mars
A simple, relaxed song that is perfect for guitar playing. It is slowly making it one of the best choices to start with. With its gentle rhythm, you will not have a hard time playing this one.

Song 2: Thinking Out Loud By Ed Sheeran
The best instrumental version you can come up with for this song is by guitar.
This is because the guitar is powerful and at the same time soft ensuring the vocals are not over-powered while still preserving the song's flow and rhythm.

Song 3: Love Yourself By Justin Bieber
The saxophone beats in this song can be easily replaced by a guitar. As you play this song you will find that it is quite enjoyable and fun to play.
It has an easy flow that will ensure you can comfortably and smoothly play it.
And of course being a Justin Bieber song this one is a must play for all beginner guitarists out there.

Song 4: All Of Me By John Legend
This is an amazing song which you can easily keep up with.
The slow jam gives you ample time to switch from one chord to another hence giving you the necessary playing field to better this skill.
The fact that I am a sucker for love too also earns this song more bonus points.

Song 5: Seven Years Old By Lucas Graham
Slow beats in this song makes it perfect for you, a beginner, to practice with. It gets a bit heavy at the climax but the only way to learn how to do something is by practicing.
This song allows you to explore playing different chords without taking you too far out of your comfort zone.

Song 6: Let Her Go By Passenger
This is a song with simple a tempo that any beginner can comfortably play. As you strum along you will realize that this particular song will give you a sense of ease and relaxation.
Why do you ask? Because the song is easy and slow to play thereby it does not bring along the pressure of playing an up-tempo song.

Song 7: Take Me Home, Country Road (West Virginia) By Somewhere Over The Rainbow
As a country music lover, I would personally recommend you to play this song.
This song is a classic and therefore quite easy to play. With a slow and steady rhythm, you will be able to strum along effortlessly as you endeavor to make your guitar playing that much better.

Song 8: Three Little Birds By Bob Marley
This is one of the few songs you can play and not worry about chord switching. The number of times you will have to switch chords is minimal.
You can, therefore, sit back, ease up and play this song for your family and friends at summer camp without fear of messing up.
This song is bound to lift their spirits up too!

Song 9: Stay With Me By Sam Smith
Yes, this song took everyone by storm so for those who would like to test it I strongly suggest you go for it. Everything about this song suggests that it is an easy song to play. It is slow, as most love songs are. The song has proven to be not challenging to the beginners who have tried playing the song.

Song 10: Need You Now By Lady Antebellum
A lot of folks love this song and for a good reason too. Everyone can sing along to it. A song that you can easily sing along to is also easy to play.
Apart from the love of the song I highly recommend this one to all beginners as a sure way of gaining guitar playing mastery.

Song 11: Chasing Cars By Snow Patrol
Despite what the name ‘chasing cars' may suggest this is, in fact, a laid-back song that you can jam to.
With right guitar for you playing this song will not be in the least bit difficult due to the nature of the song.

Song 12: Rude By Magic
With the rock and reggae fusion done to this song, it won the hearts of many.
As a beginner, you will want to play this song due to its simple nature. It is quite the groovy song and as a result, it gives you a tremendous time as you jam and rock to it.

Final Verdict
When starting out practice you need to begin with a song you know you can handle.
Do not pick out a song that you are a hundred percent sure you cannot play. If you do this you will encounter a lot of difficulties when playing and get discouraged. As a result, you may quit playing the guitar as most people have. Start small and as you keep getting better advance your music selection. Be careful not to bite more than you can chew. The list of songs above gives you a few options you can try when starting out. They will come in handy when you are not sure which songs will be suitable for you a beginner. You are not limited to them only. You can diversify your music list if you so wish to.

By J. Nicholls - http://bestguitaradvisor.com/ 
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The golden triangle of practice

10/18/2016

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Did you know that there are 3 equally important sides to your music practice?

The 3 sides
To improve your child’s musical abilities (or your own for that matter) you need to attack your practice from 3 angles. Each one plays an important role in motivating, informing and regulating the practice. Remember that you or your child will invest countless hours of practice over the months and years ahead. Hence you need to ensure that they are being spent wisely or else you will hit a plateau, become discouraged and eventually disengage from the art. If you have even been frustrated due to lack of progress, follow the golden triangle of attack to invigorate your music practice.

Side 1: The Teacher
To begin with, ensure that you have researched and found the best teacher for your current level and needs. Remember that its always best to invest in an experienced and accredited professional as this will yield much more results and enjoyment that trying to save money and ending up with an undergraduate teacher with next to no experience in teaching. True teachers have spent years developing their pedagogy, industry experience and personal practice. So ensure that your teacher matches the Contreras Music standard:
. Working with Children Check
. Minimum Bachelor of Music (or close to completion) and preferred Masters degree in music
. Both instrumental and educational experience
. Dedicated to quality teaching
 
Side 2: The Parents
You parents play an essential role in the development of your child’s musical abilities. Do not be misled by the misconception of talent, as even the most brilliant musicians needed to invest in countless hours of practice. Talent without discipline is no key to success and often results in lazy students who perform well under their potential. Parents should attend their children’s lessons where possible and ask questions of the teacher. These could include sharing concerns, asking for tips, asking something the child may be afraid to ask, or simply discussing strategies that may help with the home work component. Think of music lessons as a happy trip to the doctor. Your teacher examines, assists then prescribes a pattern of practice which should be followed strictly for ideal results. Would you let your child walk in to the doctor’s on their own whilst you perused Facebook until the session was over? Would you then just go home and expect the child to accurately apply the prescribed treatment on their own with no supervision or encouragement? Now parents, short of going ‘big brother’ and spying continually on your kids, you should think of this illustration as a team effort. By encouraging (not spying or tormenting) your children to practice, asking them about their goals, likes and dislikes; you are actually playing that essential support role in their music education. You will help ensure that the student is following the practice schedule in an effective manner, and this in turn will accelerate your child’s development by a significant degree. You do not need to be a musician or even know a lot about music, just ask the teacher what they are working on, and ensure that it is being followed. This is also important for keeping students motivated and on task. Unsupervised students may wonder off onto other songs, rush important sections, or even fall short of their minimum practice time goal. Having you present and involved in their music is the second and equally important aspect to their success.

Side 3: The Student
Of course, at the end of the day it all comes down to each individual person and their attitude towards a discipline. Whether that be sports, academics, arts, music or any other practice; they must enjoy it and be dedicated to their own improvement. Students should be informed that nothing worthwhile in life is easy or commitment free, hence they will need to put in some effort over a period of time in order for them to improve enough to enjoy playing the instrument. They need to commit to the practice schedule (even if it’s only a few days per week) so that they can advance and see value in their work. Each individual student will be good at something early on, however this does not dictate what they can do, or what they have the potential to accomplish. So if at first your child does not like the piano, try enrolling them into some guitar lessons. If they hate singing, why not try the drum kit? If they prefer team sports, then sign them up to the Contreras Music Band program which teams them up with other young musicians who also love music. Whatever the interest, whoever the student, at Contreras Music we have the right teacher for you. Why not refer a friend for a free trial lesson with our expert teachers today? It could be the start to a new musical career.
Enjoy your music and remember the golden triangle of practice!
 
© 2016 Cristian Contreras.
www.ContrerasMusic.com


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Buying or upgrading to the perfect instrument: Part 2

10/9/2016

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How do you know when it’s time to buy or upgrade to your new instrument? 

1. Do the shoes still fit?
Start by asking yourself if your current instrument is not keeping up with your level or needs. Is the range too small for your classical repertoire? Do you need more strings on that bass guitar? Are your current cymbals under performing at your jam sessions? Whatever the reason, ensure that you actually have one first. This will stop you from impulse buying, or simply purchasing the incorrect instrument for your specific needs.

 2. Save or Spend
Most stores will have special savings on offer at various times throughout the year. However be wary of advertised “savings” masquerading as bargains, as they may actually just be pushing out old or redundant stock. Suppose that you had a budget of $300 for a new guitar, however were shown a beautiful looking $450 guitar with a “saving” of $150 from the regular retail price. The salesman will tell you that this guitar was originally $600, but it is now on special and being offered to you for only $450, hence you are actually saving $150. This is actually quite the opposite. The seller has made you leap out of your established price range, and is influencing you to spend a further $150. So be aware of “sales and savings” or else you may get more that what you actually bargained for.

3. Returns and Guarantees?
Ensure that you ask the store about these two important aspects. There is nothing worse than getting home to your new instrument or upgrade, only to find out that it underperforms, or doesn’t sound the same as the in store demo, then be rudely shocked to find out that the store has a no exchange or returns policy. Ask the store what their policies are, then rephrase what they told you into your own words to ensure that there are no misunderstandings. Also, do your homework and know your rights as a consumer. Check out the NSW/Australian ombudsman website and read up on the conditions of selling goods in Australia. You may be surprised by what you find.
 
 4. Keep the packaging, tags and accessories in one place
An almost common sense statement, yet I have personally seen many students misplace essential levers, clamps, tuning keys, straps, cases, receipts, and even instruments themselves. You have just paid good money for your instrument and it’s accessories, so be organized with it and keep everything in a single safe location. The amount spent on unnecessarily replacing lost instruments and accessories will build over time, and it could mean your next upgrade if you are not careful.

5. Enjoy it!
Once you have brought home your new baby, make sure of the most important thing… enjoyment! Music is meant to be enjoyed, so never lock up your precious instrument in order to save it for a concert or a reward. Practice with it, experiment, play, try new techniques and songs. A diligent student will eventually wear out his or her instrument, hence ensure that yours gets its full use as often as possible. Finally, tell your teacher all about your new purchase and show them at your next lesson. If you are lucky enough to be learning with the teachers at Contreras Music, they may even take a snap of it and post it on our website for the world to see!
 
© 2016 Cristian Contreras.
www.ContrerasMusic.Com
 
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The 5 ideas to liven up your boring music lessons or practice!

6/20/2016

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                                                                                                                                         by Cristian Contreras

​We all know that practicing music can often fall into a boring routine similar to washing the car, mowing the lawn or cleaning the house. However Music is a unique art form which is meant to be enjoyed at all times. This includes the practice of music. So the next time you or your student is feeling bored about practicing, try the following 5 ideas for improved engagement.


1. Be Positive

Positive reinforcement all the way! Music is about making mistakes and learning from them, so encourage your students or yourself regularly by acknowledging the positives rather than focusing on the negatives. Look back at what you have accomplished thus far and how far you have come since that first lesson. Take pride in the repertoire you are working on and above all remember that not everyone has the dedication and discipline to learn the art of music, so value your special talent an gifts instead of giving up on them!

2. Self-Assess

I enjoy the traffic light system with my students. Green – Easy, yellow – medium, red – hard. Ask your students how they are finding their exercises or pieces in terms of easy, medium or hard. If they always answer easy green, then it is time to add more of a challenge to your practice so that it doesn’t get boring. Medium is a good place to be since it is not easy but still offers a level of comfort below difficult. When students constantly report back with hard red, then it may be time to differentiate the lesson and either slow it down, or work on a smaller section until confidence is achieved. The optimum level should be between medium and hard, however we all learn differently, so self-assess with the 3 levels and make adjustments to your practice. Don’t forget to reassure the student that they are improving and if they persevere, they will go on to achieve great things.

3. Songs Songs Songs

Focusing only on technique and exercises will eventually put anyone to sleep, myself included. It is important to apply that strong technique to actual repertoire. Hence, pick a song that you or your students enjoy then show them how to play it. Don’t be worried if your current level does not permit for you to play the song in its full glory, just differentiate to suit the purpose. For example, complete beginners can learn the bass notes to a chord progression in the chorus of their favorite song. As they advance, they can then learn the bass notes to the introduction and verse. Practice it at least 5-10 times before trying to play along with the recording. Intermediate musicians may learn some basic chords (easy non bar and triad versions) then perhaps combine a simple chord with a bass line or brief lick. Finally, advanced students should strum or pick away freely and play in time with the entire song. Pianists may learn melody in the right hand and chords in the left, whilst percussionists could learn all the fills within their piece.

4. Monkey see, Monkey do

Kids and adults alike love to copy. It’s much easier to copy someone else than to have to come up with everything on your own. So teachers, throw on a 12 bar blues track, then improvise using basic guide tones (b7, 1, b3) and start a simple call and response blues improvisation session where they listen then copy you. This is very easy and you can even accompany your students with your own instrument if you do not have tracks. Jamming along is one of the best experiences a teacher and pupil will ever have, so make the most of it. Play for them, start simple and ask them to copy some lines. Then up the ante if their abilities allow for it. If not, then just play and encourage them to follow along. Afterwards, commend them for their work and encourage them to improve.

5. Make goals relevant. Why should they care?!?!

Set relevant and meaningful goals then explicitly link them to set practice needs. Ensure that these goals mean something to the student, and for even better results, get the student to come up with their own goals for themselves. Here’s an example; Want to rock that sweet guitar solo from your favorite song? Then you need to master your pentatonic and major scales within the next 2 weeks. Here are 3 for you to try this week, remember to practice them each day for at least 5 days and use a metronome every time. Next week I will listen to you play, and if you have improved I will put on the track and you can play along to the first few bars. Keep this up and in 2 weeks time you will be able to play the entire solo! Now that’s a goal even I would want to achieve. Adjust the genre, level and practice requirements to suit you or your student’s individual needs.
 
These are my 5 tips for  Contreras Music article. I would love to hear yours, so please leave a comment below then share this with everyone you know!
 

 © 2016 Cristian Contreras.
www.ContrerasMusic.Com
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3 Easy tips to maximise your music practice

6/5/2016

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Now that you are aware of what effective practice actually is, it’s time to move onto the finer details. Remember, practice is a continual habit and over a lifetime you may waste countless hours and even days of your life if your routine is under par. Here are 3 tips to ensure that your practice is effective and time efficient.

Tip #1 – Be Time Conscious

Time is the most precious commodity we possess. Hence, it is a good idea to waste as little of it as possible, especially during practice sessions. So before you commence your next session, start by placing a clock within eyesight of your instrument. The reason for this is that you should segment your session to target specific areas which need strengthening. A good start would be 1/3 of your practice on technique, 1/3 on theory and sight reading, and the final 3rd on Repertoire. You are free to mic this up if you wish, however set a regular time goal per session and stick to the 1/3 rule. This will ensure you devote enough time to each of the essentials: theory, sight reading, technique and repertoire. Without a reference for time, you may find yourself straying into other areas, or spending too much time on a specific area. Maintaining a constant and organised routine will maximise your results over a considerable amount of time.

Tip #2 – Avoid Distractions
Life is always full of distractions, and this is especially true when you are trying to accomplish something important such as music practice. Murphy ’s Law will always kick in and ensure that your phone goes off, your holiday photo gets commented on; or the family interrupts with an urgent situation right when you are getting ready to start. To avoid this you should put aside all distractions and make your mind up to devote the following time to yourself, because you are seeking self-improvement and this important moment is for you alone. So turn off your mobile phone, stop checking social media, ignore all emails, calls; and close your door so that exterior noise will not cause you to lose focus. If your mind is concentrated on the task at hand, so will your other senses, and this is especially important for music which activated both hemispheres of the brain and demands high levels of dexterity as well as fine motor skills. Pick a time of the day that is relaxing for you and free from distractions or other responsibilities.
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Tip #2 – Keep Track
Music practice is a never ending journey of enjoyment and personal growth. However how can you accurately measure your growth or progress without any tangible parameters? Just like when you were little, you used to constantly check in the mirror waiting to see some new hair, or measuring yourself against the door post and comparing to last year’s growth measurements; your growth as a musician should be regularly measured. The best way to do this is to keep accurate track of where you are and where you are heading towards. As a general rule of thumb, buy yourself a quality notebook and start by putting the date, time and length of each practice session. Write some brief notes on what you practices, how hard you found it and what you were able to achieve in that session. Include names of songs, specific technical exercises and bar references so you know exactly what you are talking about. If this record is kept accurately and constantly, you will then be able to look back and see where you were 6 weeks ago, 6 months ago, and even 6 years ago. Countless milestones will be surpassed within these time frames and keeping an account of when these achievements were reached is of the upmost importance. You can also utilise this data to streamline and modify your practice, correct issues, and even identify useful habits.
 
Above all, never despair, give up or abandon your practice. Spending time to develop yourself as a person for intrinsic purposes is one of the very few things in life you will ever truly give yourself. Sure money, clothes, food, technology, holidays and possessions are memorable, however they do not last and are eventually forgotten, sold or even lost. However knowledge, skill and ability is something which is part of you, and as long as you continue your practice it can never be forgotten, sold or lost!
 
 © 2016 Cristian Contreras.
www.ContrerasMusic.Com
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Should I just play chords and tab, or actually learn to read music? 3 Easy steps to figuring it out!

5/28/2016

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For guitar, bass, keyboard and piano students, there has always been that lingering questions of whether to learn traditional notation or contemporary chords styles. Chords are faster to learn and provide you with a quick fix when learning new songs, however the detail and expression available in traditional notation is unsurpassed. So which method is the best for you?

1. Shortcuts vs Investment
Before we answer this you need to think about yourself and your unique needs. If you are a seasoned musician transitioning over to another instrument, you may need a quick fix to get you playing that song as fast as possible. Perhaps you are a total beginner and are wondering where to start? Or maybe you are an intermediate self-taught musician but would like to know what you are missing out on. All of these factors come into play when deciding where to go on your musical journey. Start by deciding if you really do need just a quick shortcut, or if you are actually serious about learning your instrument and wish to invest in your long term musical abilities. Tab and chords will provide a blueprint shortcut with the basic structure and harmonic changes in the piece, however you will be missing on a lot more such as dynamics, expressive techniques, meter, tempo changes etc. Learning to read requires much more time and effort, however it will ensure that you learn to play each piece just as the composer or artist intended.

2. Need vs Want
A common excuse is “I need to learn to play that song, but without the extra stuff”. This is mistaken as you don’t actually need to learn the piece, you want to learn the piece. A want will normally be based on extrinsic motivation, and if you are not a serious student, the novelty may soon fade away as your limited technique will leave every new song you learn with chords and tab sounding much the same. A need would be you filling in for a gig or studio recording and there is a part which you need to get perfect. This is when knowing how to read music will definitely pay off. However if the gig is not that important, or you have been asked to improvise and add your own interpretations then perhaps chords and tab will be fine. Like I previously mentioned, chords and tab are quicker to learn, however reading music provides much more detail and accuracy, so decide whether your situation is a need or a want.

3. The best of both worlds
A serious musician is driven my intrinsic motivation, that is to say the desire to pursue the practice of an instrument purely for its own purpose and not due to an external or meager reward. Hence all serious students should learn to read music as it forms the basis of your musical grammar. That being said, it is also important to understand the use of harmony in compositions, and to know how to improvise or ornament at any given moment. This is when a solid knowledge of chords and progressions is important, and hence, learning to read contemporary notation, graphs, chord charts and tab will be beneficial. My experience started with learning classical piano, then transitioning to notated jazz pieces, then jazz harmony and finally chord charts with an emphasis on improvisation. However if you are not planning to dedicate a lifetime to your instrument, the I simply recommend you get the best of both worlds by learning to read at a grade 2 or 3 level, then simultaneously learning to improvise over a set of simple progressions such as [2, 5, 1], [1, 6, 4, 5, 1] and [3, 6, 2, 5, 1] in all 12 keys.

Want to sample a bit of both? Then vcheck out IMSLP's extensive collection of traditionally notated sheet music. Then don't forget to visit the infamous Ultimate Guitar website which has hundreds of thousands of songs in simplified chord and lyrics charts. The best way to fast track your progress is always by seeking advice from a seasoned professional who has spent years developing their sight reading skills and knowledge of chords. At Contreras Music we pride ourselves on our teacher’s knowledge and experience of both the classical and contemporary arts. Why not come in for a free chat and see which method is the best for your individual needs? Visit ContrerasMusic.com and book in a free trial lesson today!
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    ​Crtistian Contreras

    An international music educator, performer, composer, and producer with over 2 decades of experience in the arts and education sector.

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