Current Music Lesson Art Prints and Greeting Cards
Music Lesson Prints and Greeting Cards
Catalog of Available Music Lesson Prints for Reference
Violin lessons, music lesson, music art
Contact Becky at Becky@MusicTeacherGif. ts.comBecause we are having a fundraiser for Knox County Schools Music Department, below is a reference to all our original music lesson art available as Note Cards and 11 by 17 or 16 by 24 prints. Don't forget we LOVE requests. Don't hesitate to email or call with questions. (RMChaffee1@comcast.net)Before we start, I will show several of our currently popular prints. Please note that what is popular is tied to what audience we are dealing with - general public, music lovers, music genre, students or parents, piano teachers, general music teachers...Also note that many musicians, most local, but not all have contributed to this list. Most of contributors listed at end.
General Instrument Practice Tips
No. 1: Practice Slowly. No. 2: Warm Up with Long Tones. No. 3: Practice with the Metronome. No. 4: Only Practice on Days that You Eat. (Cat in the Fiddle Print) No. 5: Warm Up with Scales and Arpeggios. No. 6: Love Your Axe. No. 7: Practice Before the Dog Eats Your Music.No. 8 Just Do It. No. 9: Play Music You Love (Used to be No. 10)No. 10: Train Your Ear
With Intentional Listening
Mimic (or Copy Cat) what You Hear.
Play It in Different Keys
No. 11: Record Yourself. No. 12: Practicing Difficult Passages (when just practicing slowly isn’t enough) – vary the rhythm patterns of the passage. No. 13: Practice Backwards For a difficult passage, start with the end of the phrase and add previous note, one at a time. No. 14: Sleep On It. No. 15: Listen to Yourself for Tone and Intention-Know what makes your tone.-Know which notes on your instrument are sharp or flat and how to adjust. Perhaps reshape your embouchure, change your wind speed or finger pressure (depending on your instrument); even learn alternate fingerings. No. 16: Mindful repetition is more effective than mindless repetition. Leave a small space between repeated phrases. Set your intention before you play. Submitted by cellist Alicia Randisi-Hooker.No. 17: For Flute Players: Space in the Face (Attributed to Jill Bartine)Don’t be sharp on high notes: Aim the airstream to the floor. Drop jaw, open teeth, and open the mouth cavity as much as possible. Practice Tip No. 18: Practice BEFORE Performing in Public Places (not While)
Xmas Practice Tip: Hoard Cookies Before Practicing.
Chanukah: Practice Because Your Mother Tells You To, Oy Vey!
Practice Tip 21: When Practicing a Phrase Repeatedly, slow down enough to play it correctly 5 times in a row before speeding up. (You don't want to learn it wrong.) Practice Tip 22: Express Yourself (Wild West) Practice Tips: No. 23 “Have Foam with Your Music!” caption from Ian McClure; Practice Tip No. 24 Resolve Your Blues In the Final Four Bars Practice Tip No. 25: Relax – Piano Teachers say “Drop Your Shoulders”, relax arms wrists, fingers. But if thumbs or wrists droop, watch out for alligator bites! Other Instruments: Recognize body stress points – shake out muscles when they tense, hold instrument ergonomically; perhaps learn yoga or meditation. Practice Tip No. 26: More Cowbell Music Lesson No. 27: Practice Makes Permanent, Practice Perfectly28: Push Music Phrases Like Spreading Frosting – continuous…Music Lesson No. 29 Bone Tone Tah, Too, Toh, Not Tuh (says 27, change to 29)Music Lesson 30 Shape Your Phrases: Interpret Phrases and shape Them.(ML 31 Flute angel below in excuses)ML 32: Set Practice Time Goals (from Mary Ann Fennel)ML 33: Revert to the Masters; ML 34 (Below in excuses)
Music Lesson Excuses
Music Lesson No. 31: Flute Angel, “I Played It Perfectly at Home”. ML 34 Excuse No. 12 “My Grandmother Died Dyed. ”ML 35 Excuse No. 2 “I should have practiced scales!” (from Stacy Nickell)ML 36 Excuse No. 11 “My Mother Drained the Bacon on it.” (from Brenda Goslee) ML 37 Excuse No. 3: “My Mother Forgot it.” ML 38 Excuse No. 4: “I didn’t Practice because my Father was sleeping. ”ML 39 Excuse No. 5: “I tried to practice. My brother was playing video games.” ML 40 Excuse No. 2: “I did practice. I practiced in Virtual Reality”.-----------------------------------------------------ML 41: Trumpet Lip Slurs: Keep the air constantly flowing. Change speeds, but the flow must never stop. Always produce the most beautiful sound that you can create.----------------------------------------------------
Tips for Playing in an Orchestra
Orchestra Playing Tip No. 1: Put Your Ears out on Stalks Orchestra Tip No. 2: After an erroneous note, DO NOT make a face. It’s best to make it obvious that it came from your neighbor. Orchestra Tip No. 3: Listen to recordings and live performances of your orchestra music. Notice how your part fits and blends with other parts. Color me Card Orchestra Tip No. 4: Be Ready to Play when the Conductor Lifts the Baton Orchestra Tip No. 5: Play for the team. Always be mindful that you’re part of a collective sound. Never try to stick out. Listen to the players around you and blend in terms of sound and intonation.
From New York Musician and Education, Timothy Judd
Orchestra Tip No. 6: Only Leave Your Cell Phone on if its in the Right Key. Orchestra Tip No. 7: Feel the Rhythm. Don’t Rush Fast Passages - Note subdivisions within main beats. Metronomes are good. Metronomes are fun. Orchestra Tip No. 8: Practice as if You are Performing. (Every note should have good tone, dynamics and phrasing.)---------------------------------------------------------------------Adult Practice Tip Series (currently sold separately)Pick Banjos, Not Fights Crazy for Dulcimers Brown beer guitar cards: “Have Foam with Your Music ”Blue Beer Bass Guitar: “ Resolve Your Blues in the Final Four Bars”. More Cowbell Winolin: When You just Need to Unwind (with Saint-Saens Syrahpy Red). Winolin 2: “How does a Violin Player Pour Wine?” (Sarasate Red Zigeunfandel, made from Gypsy Wine)
Seize the Opportunity to Play, "Gift Set" of 8 cards (plus several extra available):
Watch out for the “Bana..” Banana in Bassoon on elephant Rain Song Gone Awry; Cloud Conjurers; Chickens Chillin' with Chopsticks;Tea Anyone? Bird Yoga Play and Bear It Garden Ensemble Additional Seize Opportunity: Mockingbird Air Guitar Singing Lesson Series:
Sing with Resonance (1A).
Sing with Resonance (1B).
Sing with Joy (adult)
Sing with Joy (children)
Know Your Range.
Break a Lip.
Send Your Voice to the Back Wall.
Relax and Plant Your Feet Solidly.
Use a Natural Volume when Singing Just Like Speaking.
Sing songs “on the Vowel” –maintain the vowel as long as possible and just touch the consonant.
Find a comfortable vowel to vocalize on, and sing a simple song on a vowel that makes your voice feel good….
Try to comfortably expand your ribs from the back of the sides. Keep shoulders and abs relaxed. Think “No work”.
TIps for Playing in a Band
Medleys have a lot of Tempo Changes. Be Prepared for them.
Play Musically, Not Mechanically
When Caught in a Whirlwind of Notes, Don’t overlook Dynamics.
Know who has the Melody and Play under the Melody unless it is You.
When Playing Fast Rhythmic and/or Syncopated Music, take extra care to hit Notes Precisely on Time.
Interpret Phrased and give them Shape.
Tips for Playing in an Ensemble:
Keeping in Tune is Key
Familiarize Yourself with all Parts.
Communicate with Your Audience (Verbally or/and Nonverbally) in progress.
Communicate with fellow musicians.
For Elementary School Teachers (this is a link) - IN Progress
Criss-Cross Applesauce.
For Recorder – “Use Your Paws, Not Your Claws” from Sarah Davis
“Put the Beat in Your Feet” from Tracy Doty Ward
Also see “Voice Tip” Series Music is the food of Love Series:
Music is the Food of Love, Feed Your Puppy 2
Music is the Food of Love, Feed Your Friends- “If its lentil soup, we’ll have bass.”
Flutist Yogini Series Flutist Yogini 2 – Downward facing Dog Just Do It SeriesJust Do It 2 Ukulele Moon Cats Asian Instruments (10 cards)Musical Animals
Catchamouse Tango
“Raising Cool Cats”
“Times, They-are–a–Changing”
“What does a Cat Sing in the Shower?”
“Stayin’ Awake”
”You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks, But You Can Teach Him New Songs.”
Many, but not all folks who contributed are listed here: Jill Bartine, Flautist, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (KSO) Judy Bartine, Flordia Voice Teacher (Jill's Mother-in-Law)Robert Bonham, Maryville Piano Professor Emeritus, Trillium Trio Paul Brody, Composer, Trumpet Player, Writer, BerlinSarah Davis, Retired Knox County General Music Teacher Mary Ann Fennel, Violinist, KSO Brenda Goslee, Piano and Organ teacher Denise Griffin, Amazing Brainstorming Non-musician Friend Kelle Jolly, Knoxville Jazz Singer Ian McClure, Colorful Cellist Stacy Nickell, Cellist, KSO Alicia Randisi-Hooker, Cellist, Trillium Trio Pam Robertson, Composer and Piano Accompanist Susan Shor, Violist, Oak Ridge Symphony Tracy Ward, Sequoyah Elementary School Music Specialist Sandy Wells, Tennessee Valley Ensemble Band Conductor (and a couple teachers I met at state music teacher convention)