Category: Technology

My 5 Favorite Zoom Features for Online Teaching

3/29/2020

With so many teachers transitioning to online teaching for the first time, you’ve probably heard about the video-conferencing app Zoom.

Maybe you have already tried it for your lessons, or maybe you’ve read about it and wonder what all the fuss is about?

I’ve just started getting my feet wet with Zoom, and I really like it so far! So, if you are considering Zoom for your lessons, or if you are currently using it and looking for more creative ways to make it work for you, read on to learn about my top five favorite Zoom features!

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My Favorite Teaching Tools: Part Three

6/5/2019

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In my last two posts about my favorite teaching tools (HERE and HERE), I shared a couple of inexpensive teaching tools that I find myself using over and over with my students.

The teaching tool I will be sharing today was an investment...but I feel it has been worth every penny--and, don't forget: teaching tools are tax deductible!

Today's teaching tool is...the iPad!

I purchased a refurbished iPad several years ago and it has changed the way I teach. As a part-time travel teacher, my iPad provides me with maximum portability for my music and games, so I no longer need to carry notebooks full of materials to my travel lessons. Incorporating technology into my lessons has also engaged my students in a different way and made our lessons more fun.

(A note: many of these activities can also be done with a phone or tablet. However, I will be focusing on the iPad, since that is what I currently use with my students and what I have found that most of my students have access to at home. If you use an alternate device for any of these activities, please feel free to chime in and let us know what you use in the comments!)

Here are a few of the ways I use my iPad in piano lessons:

1. Apps, apps, and more apps!

For the most part, apps have replaced written theory books for my students. (Shocking, I know!) While I still supplement with composition activities and the occasional theory worksheet, I find that there is an iPad app for just about everything I want to cover theory-wise with my students. Note naming, rhythm drills, identifying key signatures and intervals, sight-reading, ear training...you can find apps for all of these, and more!

I find using apps makes it easy to choose an appropriate activity for a student on the fly during our lessons. Is a student having trouble counting dotted quarter note rhythms? I pull up "Rhythm Lab" and we do some drills. Are we learning intervals and need practice telling the difference between a fifth and a sixth? "Tenuto" has a great interval recognition exercise. Does a student need a refresher on the note names in the bass clef? "Note Rush" is a favorite app for this with my students.

Since many of my students (or their parents) have iPads at home, it also works well to have my students purchase their own apps to use at home. And, I have found that most of my students are more likely to want to practice with an app than to do a written theory assignment.

2. Watching YouTube videos.

The iPad is the perfect size for watching videos since it has a larger screen and fits nicely on the music rack of the piano. YouTube offers a wealth of material for activities such as:

Comparing performances of repertoire pieces. This is a great opportunity to teach your students about musical interpretation and to point out the range of quality you will find in recordings on YouTube.
Listening to songs for ear training. YouTube is a great place to look for recordings of your students' favorite pop songs for ear training purposes. You can do everything from analyzing the form and identifying the time signature of a song, to identifying the key and playing the melody by ear. Look for videos marked "official" or those offered on a "Vevo" channel to be sure you are getting a version of a song in the original key.
Playing along with recordings of duet pieces. Pro tip: you can slow down the speed of a video in the YouTube app by clicking on the three dots in the corner of the screen and selecting "playback speed." This is great for play-along practice!
Watching video tutorials for rote pieces. From computer-generated videos using software like Synthesia and Jellynote, to tutorials created by live people using overhead cameras--there is a wealth of tutorial materials on YouTube. If you choose material carefully and use it in moderation, these materials can definitely enhance piano lessons and get your students excited about learning piano in a different way. So don't be afraid to explore these options with your students!

3. Playing backing tracks.

Backing tracks are so much fun and can add a new dimension to your lessons! I wrote a three-part series on backing tracks and how I use them with my students: Part One, Part Two, Part Three.

In a nutshell, the iPad makes it super-easy to access and play backing tracks in your lessons. I store my backing tracks in Google Drive, then access them via my iPad and play them by connecting to a wireless Bluetooth speaker in my studio. I also use the app Audiostretch to slow down backing tracks as needed.

4. Storing digital sheet music.

Thanks to the iPad (and similar tablets) it is possible to digitize your sheet music collection and take it with you! This is so convenient for travel teachers, or for those of us who accompany or play gigs. Carrying one iPad or tablet is much easier (and lighter!) than lugging 10 or 15 large books around!

Full disclosure: I recently upgraded from my 9.5 inch iPad to a 12.3 inch Microsoft Surface Pro just for the purpose of storing and playing my digital sheet music for my own use. The larger screen size, coupled with the fact that the Surface Pro doubles as a laptop and is compatible with the Microsoft products I use on my PC, convinced me to take the plunge. So, while I still use my iPad in lessons with my students, I now use my Surface Pro, the MobileSheets app, and a PageFlip bluetooth pedal for my own personal use when I accompany or play gigs.

What do you think? Do you use an iPad, tablet, or other device in your lessons? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments!

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Backing Track 101: Part Three

9/30/2018

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Click HERE to read "Backing Track 101: Part One" on the benefits of using backing tracks and the technology you will need to get started.

Click HERE to read "Backing Track 101: Part Two" on where you can purchase backing tracks and some tips on how to integrate them into your lessons.

In today's post, I will be sharing a few of my own backing tracks! Since my students have been having so much fun using backing tracks in our lessons, I recently started the process of creating mp3 backing tracks to go along with my own publications. So far, I have backing tracks available for two of my collections, with more on the way:

First up is my "Easy Perfect Patterns" collection of pattern-based pieces at the mid- to late elementary level. These pieces are great for students who struggle with note reading; they can be taught through a combination of rote and reading, and they sound more difficult than they are.

The backing tracks are great for helping these easy pieces sound "big"--and as a bonus, they encourage students that might need to work on their reading fluency to keep playing without pausing!

Here are a few of my favorite tracks from this collection. These recordings feature both the backing track and the piano part for reference; if you purchase the tracks you will get both this version and the backing track without the piano part.

Next up is the first book from my popular "Rock On!" series. I was especially excited to create backing tracks for this series, because I really want the students playing these pieces to feel like rock stars. These pieces are at the late elementary to early intermediate level.

These tracks will be great for helping students to solidify their rhythm, and they will give students a taste of what it is like to play in a real band. I think these would be especially fun for recitals!

Here are a few of my favorites from the collection:

Click on the cover photos above to listen to all of the backing tracks in each collection, to see sample pages from the books, or to purchase!

What do you think? What are your favorite backing tracks to use with your students, and how do you use them? I would love to hear your ideas in the comments!

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Backing Track 101: Part Two

9/22/2018

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In my last post on backing tracks HERE, I discussed the benefits to using backing tracks and the technology you will need to get them up and running in your studio.

In today’s post, I’ll be sharing where to purchase backing tracks and the different formats you will find available.

What kinds of backing tracks are available?

There are a few different formats you will find for backing tracks:

Mp3 tracks: these are what you will find if you use a play-along accompaniment CD. You may also find this option if you purchase and download backing tracks from a website.
MIDI tracks: these are backing tracks designed to be used in high-end digital pianos such as Clavinovas. If you have an acoustic piano, like me, this is probably not the best option for you.
Apps that have built-in backing track technology: many method books now have dedicated apps that allow you to buy digital copies of the music as well as backing track packages that you can play directly in the app. Often these apps have other features, such as built-in metronomes, video demonstrations, or flashcard games.

Where do I go to purchase backing tracks?

There are tons of backing track options out there—however, they can sometimes be difficult to find unless you know where to look. They are often sold separately from method books, and some are available only online or as in-app purchases. Here are some good places to start looking for backing tracks:

First, check your preferred method series and see if it offers optional backing tracks or has an available app with backing track technology. You will find a range of options depending on the method, including digital downloads, physical accompaniment CDs, and online audio players. The popular Piano Maestro app also offers backing tracks for many different method and supplemental books as part of their subscription fee—I have made a note of the ones available at this time next to each method series below.

Here are a few of the most popular methods that I have found that offer backing tracks:

Alfred: backing tracks for Alfred Basic, Alfred Premier, and Music for Little Mozarts are available through the Piano Maestro app.
Bastien New Traditions: Kjos has a dedicated app for many of its products (including band and orchestra books, too). The Kjos Interactive Practice Studio (IPS) app is free, and features backing tracks, video demonstrations, flashcards, and more. You can purchase digital copies of your books in the app, or enter the code found on your hard copy book to access the app’s content.
Faber Piano Adventures: the Piano Adventures Player App has backing tracks and a built-in metronome. The app is free; backing tracks for each level can be purchased for $4.99. Digital sheet music at a variety of levels is also available.
Hal Leonard: backing tracks are available online as audio files or accompaniment CDs. Backing tracks are also available in the Piano Maestro app.
Piano Pronto: mp3 and MIDI backing tracks are available for many of the method books and supplemental books on the website. Backing tracks are also available in the Piano Maestro app.
Supersonics: backing tracks are available for the method books and supplemental material as part of the Supersonics Plus subscription. A dedicated Supersonics app is also in development. Backing tracks are also available in the Piano Maestro app.

Next, look for supplemental books that come with backing tracks and/or accompaniment CDs. (Remember, if you are using a CD, you can upload the tracks to your computer’s music library and then access them from your other devices, as well as change the tempo of the tracks using an app like AudioStretch.)

For example, I recently used Mike Springer’s “Not Just Another Praise Book” series with one of my students who wanted to play contemporary praise music. This series has 3 volumes, and each book comes with a CD that contains both recordings of the songs as well as a praise band-style accompaniment for students to practice along with.

In researching this article, I also found a few other play along series that I was unfamiliar with and wanted to share:

The Alfred Play-Along series (HERE) features music from The Doors, Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and more.
The Alfred "Sitting In" series (HERE) features backing tracks and improv lessons for blues, jazz, and rock styles.
The Hal Leonard Beginning Solo Piano Play Along Series (HERE) features music from Disney, The Beatles, Christmas, and Pop Standards.

Also, don’t forget about the demo recordings that are packaged with many method and supplemental books, too! Although these aren’t orchestrated backing tracks, it can still be helpful for your students to play along with these recordings for practice.

Finally, YouTube can also be a great resource! If you are like me, you probably already use YouTube to find demo videos of pieces your students may be learning. But you can also have students play along with the recordings, backing track-style!

A great tip I recently learned at a piano workshop—you can slow down the playback speed of YouTube videos without changing the pitch. If you are using the YouTube app on your phone or tablet, click on the 3 dots at the top right of your screen, then select “playback speed.” The teacher who shared this tip finds recordings of duets her students are working on and has her students practice their parts at home along with the YouTube video of the full piece. Isn’t that a great idea?

So, you have the technology ready to go in your studio, and you’ve purchased your first set of backing tracks. What next?

In my last blog post, I mentioned several ways I use backing tracks in my studio—for sight-reading practice, to gain ensemble experience, as a reward for mastering a piece. However, I would like to share one caveat I have found while implementing backing tracks in my studio: there may be a learning curve for your students. Since playing along with backing tracks requires listening to not only the beat, but other instruments as well, it might take a bit of time for your students to get the hang of playing along with backing tracks.

Here are a few tips I found helpful when incorporating backing tracks into my studio:

Start with simpler pieces that your students can play really well (with excellent rhythm) for their first backing track experience.
Have students start by first listening to the backing track and clapping along to the beat. If there is a demo of the piano part along with the backing track for students to listen to, that can be very helpful too.
Have students play hands separately with the backing track. This is a great way to ease into the full backing track experience.
Slow down the tempo of the backing track for students that struggle with rhythm. If you are using an app, there should be a way to slow down the tempo under the app settings. If you are using mp3 backing tracks, you can import tracks into an app like AudioStretch (which I mentioned in my previous blog post) or Amazing Slow Downer. If you are on a computer, a program such as Audacity can slow down mp3s without affecting pitch.

At the end of the day, I find that backing tracks are worth the extra effort! I tell my students that if they ever hope to play in a band or accompany other instruments, being able to play along with backing tracks is a great first step.

In my next post, "Backing Track 101: Part Three," I will be sharing some of the backing tracks I have created for my own compositions!

So, what do you think? Any tips or other resources you have found helpful for using backing tracks? I’d love to hear your comments!

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Backing Track 101: Part One

9/13/2018

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I must admit, I was slow to jump on the backing track train. Not because I thought backing tracks weren’t a great idea, but because I was a bit intimidated by the technology, and I wasn’t sure how I could make them work in my studio.

However, once I tried backing tracks with my students, I was kicking myself for not using them sooner! If you have been thinking about using backing tracks in your studio, but aren’t sure how to get started, this post is for you!

In today's post, I will be discussing the benefits to using backing tracks and the equipment you will need to get your studio backing track-ready.

Why use backing tracks?

So what is the big deal with backing tracks? Here are a few reasons I have found backing tracks to be so helpful in my studio:

They are a great alternative to using the metronome. Most of my students aren’t super-enthusiastic about the metronome, but they love playing with backing tracks.
They make even simple pieces sound “big.” Backing tracks are perfect for beginning students that want to play sophisticated-sounding music right away.
They provide valuable ensemble experience. Listening for introductions, playing along with a drum beat, not being distracting by other instrumental parts—these are all valuable skills your students can learn by using backing tracks.
They are extremely helpful for practicing sight-reading. Much like sight-reading duets, backing tracks encourage students not to stop, no matter what!
They provide a “carrot” to encourage students to learn a piece proficiently. Use the backing track experience as a reward for learning a piece well and up to tempo.
Did I mention they are fun?

What set-up is needed for backing tracks?

So, how do you incorporate backing tracks into your studio? The technology isn’t as intimidating as you might think! Many method books now offer backing track technology through dedicated apps (more on that in my next blog post). However, today I will focus on incorporating mp3 backing tracks, such as those found on an accompaniment CD or purchased online as a digital download.

To use mp3 backing tracks in your studio, you will need:

A device to play back your tracks. If you have a physical CD, of course you can use a stereo to play backing tracks. However, you can also use your laptop, phone, iPad or tablet—whatever works best for you. If you are using a phone, iPad, or tablet to play your tracks, you will want to download your tracks first onto your computer and import them into iTunes (or another music library) so you can access them easily from your other devices.
An external speaker. If you are using a phone, iPad, or tablet to play your tracks, you'll need an external speaker so your students can hear the tracks over the piano while they play. You can get a simple speaker that plugs into your device via an audio cable, or a Bluetooth speaker that you can connect to wirelessly (mine is shown in the picture above). You can find a decent quality Bluetooth speaker these days for around $25, and they are a great investment. I also use mine to listen to streaming music during the day when I am home and not teaching.
An app to slow down tracks (optional but very helpful). If you are using your phone, iPad, or tablet to play your tracks, there are several great apps out there that will allow you to slow down an mp3 backing track without affecting the pitch. This is helpful if you want to use your backing tracks as a practice tool and work at different tempos with your students. I use AudioStretch for iPad (the Lite version is free and works with tracks less than 3 minutes long; the full version is $9.99 and can play tracks up to 3 hours long). If you are playing backing tracks from your laptop, you can use Audacity, a free audio editing and recording software program, to slow down your mp3s without affecting the pitch.

Still have questions about the technology? HERE is a great FAQ from the Piano Pronto website, along with a link to a video tutorial about how to import mp3 backing tracks into iTunes.

In my next post,"Backing Track 101: Part Two," we will go shopping for backing tracks and look at the options that are available: from apps, to MIDI, to mp3s. (Spoiler: there are a ton of options!)

What do you think? Do you use backing tracks in your studio? What is your set-up? Any questions about using backing tracks? I'd love to hear from you!

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My 5 Favorite Zoom Features for Online Teaching

My Favorite Teaching Tools: Part Three

Backing Track 101: Part Three

Backing Track 101: Part Two

Backing Track 101: Part One

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