April & May, 2018 Newsletter

Dream Big!

At the Carnegie Guitar Orchestra Rehearsal last Saturday I noticed something very strange: Several of the students were performing a difficult technique that nobody had taught them. I had briefly asked for a very staccato bass, but
then waved it off knowing that we they were too young to pull off the complicated thumb maneuver required to play and stop a bass note on guitar. But a few tries later every single one of them was doing it beautifully! That is the power
of setting a big goal. When the motivation to do something is high enough, you find a way.
 
And I have been seeing breakthroughs like this all around Orpheus lately. Not just from the students that are going to New York, but so many students that have set an amazing goal and are going for it: Frances Huffaker who composes something new every year for the Composition Book; Aaron Baldauf, who worked hard and got into every guitar program to which he applied (and will be going to UT!); The amazing performers who put in the extra rehearsals to prepare for the Friendship Concert this past April; Everyone who completed the 50 Days of Practice; Everyone who is giving a Musical Journey Concert or making a CD. All of you are changing who you are and inspiring others to do the same.
 
I want you to start thinking about what big project you can do next that will change your paying forever. Pick something you can pour your heart into. Something that is a stretch, but that, if you work hard, you can play with exceptional beauty and expression.
 
When we dream big, we push ourselves to grow in ways we could not have imagined otherwise. I have come to realize that it isn’t the achievement itself or even learning to enjoy the process of getting there (as we are often told): It is the
change we effect in ourselves by reaching, stretching, failing, getting back up and reaching again.

Dr. Klondike Steadman
 
A Review of Sight-Reading ipad apps from a student's perspective:
 
#1: Music Tutor

The reason why I think Music Tutor Is the best is because It gives you the 5 bar lines and it puts a note on any one of them and you have to look below at the letter options and see which letter it is. When you choose the right letter note, it plays the next note out loud. It shows you the letters of the scale and you put which letter it is. You are timed and you can see your score at any time. And after you are done you can review the ones you missed.
 
#2: B Flat

This app is very similar to Music Tutor. You can do all the same things but you can’t review what you missed. It still shows you what you missed but you can’t review the specifics.
 
You only know that you got it right or wrong. It my opinion it is a very good app, but not as good as Music Tuner.
 
#3: Treble Trainer

This app has 12 levels and each one has different piano key groups including sharps and flats. Each stage is timed and you get a point for each one you get right. You may drop down if you don’t win enough points. You advance forward
for winning a lot of points. There is an average and high score for each player. This app isn’t as fun because it is hard to improve a lot to advance. Also, the illustrations are limited to piano keys, not guitar strings.
  
#4: SRMachine
 
This app shows a piece of music and starts with an audible metronome beat. Then the music starts and you just have to follow along and play aloud. I could not figure out how to vary the difficulty or pieces offered.
 
#5: GuitarsightreadingWO

This app was the worst one I looked at. It has a guitar arm & string but the directions of how to do anything are not helpful. When you touch a spot on the guitar neck where it has a smiley face lit up, it will show you the name of the note with the tone and also how it is written on the treble clef. In my opinion, it is not very helpful.
 
- Griffin age 9