post

Functional Ear Training – A Great Way to Train Your Ears

Ludwig van Beethoven

You need to develop many essential skills to move forward as a musician. Skills like: good technique on your instrument a great rhythmic feel knowledge of stylistic interpretation improvising

Read more »

post

The Omstrument – Heaven or Hell?

The Omstrument - a unique mixture of Harp-Tanpura-Dulcimer-Guitar-Strumstick

Photo credit: Jack Haas (Omstrument inventor) – Thanks for the kind permission What do you get when you combine a harp, a tanpura, a dulcimer, a guitar and a strumstick? The Omstrument, of course. This is one of the most creative as well as beautiful instruments I’ve seen.

Read more »

post

The Challenge of the Month Concept

Looking down on a maze

You do have a practice plan, right? It’s one of the most important tools for any musician. But what do you put on your practice plan? Here’s the challenge: you list the important basics, the cool playing techniques, all the styles you’d like to get into, the tunes to master…

Read more »

post

3 Digital Ways for Distraction-Free Practicing

StayFocusd - Chrome Browser Blocking Extension

You’ve made it through your technique exercises and now it’s finally time to have some fun jamming along with some cool play-alongs. Somewhere on your computer there’s these really awesome Blues jam-tracks that would be perfect for right now. Nothing like the Blues as a reward at the end of a practicing session.

Read more »

post

Mind Mapping for Musicians

Mind mapping for musicians

Mind mapping is an extremely powerful tool. It’s easy to quickly capture your brainstorms and then to organize them and get a visual overview. The main idea and concept is to start from a central topic and branch out – grouping together all your associated ideas and thoughts.

Read more »