Most people do not really realize what a huge impact that music from Memphis has had on the sounds that are heard on the radio today. Although many people have heard of Jay Z, Bruce Springsteen and various rhythm and blues artists, few know that without people like W.C. Handy, B.B. King and Memphis Minnie the modern music we know today would not be nearly the same. In fact, music from Memphis has arguably had more of an impact on popular music than any other genre.
This is because the soulful sounds that define music from Memphis were created by the founding fathers of the sound. Without W.C. Handy, it is possible that the syncopated rhythms that his music was comprised of would have never been created. Out of all of the music from Memphis that was created during the early to mid 20th century, W.C. Handy probably created the most important. This is probably why Bruce Springsteen mentioned him in the song Walking in Memphis, asking him to watch out over him as he walked along Beale Street. The fact that Springsteen wrote the song nearly 30 years after his music from Memphis giant died just goes to show how influential the artist really was.
Beale Street was where most of the music from Memphis was created. The musicians of the time used to sit along Beale Street, blowing into their jugs to make a sound similar to that of a bass guitar, strumming washboards to add a unique tone to the music from Memphis. People would walk by, sometimes throwing money into the open guitar cases (when the musicians could afford one).
It was not until Sun Records took notice of the music from Memphis that it really took off and became popular throughout the United States. Instead of being confined to Beale Street and the Memphis region, music from Memphis was being played at school dances and in the kitchens of housewives as they made dinner nationwide. Soon, everyone was familiar with music from Memphis and the musicians that made the music. Today, B.B. King is still alive and touring, just as popular as he has ever been. Pop artists fight to work with him in the studio; many want him as a mentor. New music from Memphis was highly sought after by the people at Sun Records, and many of the artists began to cut albums with Sun.
Most of us music teachers aim to offer the best services to our students and let them learn their chosen instruments in the most efficient manner. Having a good teaching strategy will not only give your students fun learning experience but it will also earn you respect in the field. Thus, I have listed some music teaching tips that will enable you to teach your students effectively.
* Target both your students’ minds and bodies – Especially if your students are still young, you must understand that they may need a combination of physical and mental exercises and activities in learning. Aside from the fun it may bring to them, the possibility of understanding and recalling the lesson you are teaching may also increase.
* Learn how to energize students during boring moments – there will always be some instances wherein you have to discuss some important topics that are somewhat uninteresting to your students. These may lead to an inattentive class or worse, a sleeping class. Being observant and flexible is important to bring back a lively discussion. Why not ask them to do some stretching or tell some old jokes. Detaching fro the lesson plan for some minutes is better that to teach a daydreaming class.
* Provide your students with the best facilities – this is not one of my music teaching tips but rather it is your key to attract more clients and students. If your students learn and practice their instruments comfortably, you may not need to explain some lessons further. Your students may have greater determination and urge to learn any lesson.
* Give commendations to well-doers – giving applause for those who excel and have positive attitudes in the class will even boost their moral. This might as well motivate all the others to exert their efforts in learning their instrument and join those who have earned commendations.
* Treat slow-learners and wacky students positively – a class includes students with a variety of learning capacities and attitudes. Slow-learners and problem students must not be treated differently. Always remember that music teaching does not only involve explaining music lessons but instilling positive personality to each of your students.
These music teaching tips may vary depending on the circumstances. Private music teachers with fewer students may have an easier time handling their students. But then again, for those who may find these tips effective, please do your part and let other music teachers know about it
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More and more people every day seem to enjoy it when they watch gospel and old music videos. Apparently, the gospel music industry has made their way out of the isolated communities and into the mainstream media, literally competing with other music genres when it comes to making a huge audience base worldwide. This is probably because most people who make gospel music have realized that the best way to forward their advocacies regarding religion and spirituality is to treat the music like any other, except these songs are all about the gospel and its related qualities that make it unique over others.
So many artists now are emerging over musicians that are almost atheist by origin, specifically grounding all their artistic inclinations to that certain spiritual characteristic that they possess with the intent of sharing them to their audience. If you watch gospel music videos you will know that they have become a source of inspiration for so many people because the songs and their themes have evolved in such a way that they can personally touch their audience in relation to their personal lives.
If you want to watch these music videos you will most likely find them on the internet. These videos through online streaming are for free, which means that you won’t have to worry about costs of membership fees. You will also have the liberty of being able to watch these videos anytime you want and as much as you want because these videos are just there available for streaming from any point worldwide.
On the other hand, old music videos include those that you may have missed in the past. Back then there was a problem because music videos can only be shown in channels like MTV so sometimes it gets frustrating having to put up with other videos that you might not like to watch. You can try requesting by emailing your favorite video jockey but there are so many people making requests that it is so hard to get in line in the first place.
But now music fans can watch old music videos of their favorite artists again and again through the internet with the help of online video streaming. For example, if you want to watch the music video of Mariah Carey’s latest single Touch My Body, you can do so with a series of points and clicks. Or if you do not have a specific music video to watch you can just name a specific artist or genre and search results will give you a wide range of choices for you to pick from.
This method is definitely more convenient when compared to waiting in front of your television all day for that one video that you want to watch.
Another perk that you can get out of online video streaming is that you can those really old clips of those artists that your mom and dad used to enjoy back when they were still kids. With a little creativity, this can actually be a great pastime, and is definitely worth trying. Who knows? You might just like it.
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Many people who put their heart into music, put their business into music teaching. There are many fields of music education and if you are proficient in one or more you will surely find work. The first thing that a music teacher has to do is choose what he or she will focus on, be it an instrument, voice coaching, music theory or even music history. Next comes the time to assess your own knowledge on the topic. If you have a degree of Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education or Master of Music, you are probably comfortable enough teaching at any level. However if your learning did no go that far, you should be teaching at a more basic level. In any case, be sure you are qualified and are honest about your qualifications with your clients.
Consider also who you want to teach. Maybe you would love to help young children take their first steps in music. Or maybe you want to work with older kids or adults on continuing or just starting their education. Be sure you adapt your teachings and, if you need to, talk to pedagogues so you know how to deal with a child. The planning of the classes can be tricky and do not think for a second that only adults can spot if you did not prepare the lesson. A kid will notice and can get bored and even give up if they feel you are not making an effort.
Scheduling can also be difficult. Whatever you do, do not book more than one student for a time slot and try not to extend the lesson pass its designated time. It just screams that you are unprofessional. Remember during which hours kids are in school and are not available. Moreover, keep in mind that a 6 year-old attention span is not the same as a 16 year-old’s so the time which lesson takes depends very much on the student. It also depends on you personally and on your teaching method.
On that topic, there are a lot of different music teaching methods out there. One of the most popular is the Suzuki Method, but others include the Dalcroze Method and the Yamaha Method. Even if you choose not to follow any of these, it is very interesting to learn a bit about each. It will open your eyes and you will see your work under a whole new prism. In the end, you probably will take some directions from these methods, even if subconsciously.
These are the basics you should take into account when setting up as a private music teacher. Others are simple, practical choices like the place you want to teach, the prices you will charge and how to keep your financial books. However, most of it comes from practice and time. You are a music teacher, so you know that everything does.
