2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-16
SessionBand sale, PiaScore, Florian Schneider, How To Download Your Lesson Recordings, New Pieces From Wendy Stevens, Music Challenges...
and...
We’re back! In-Person lessons resume tomorrow!
Firstly, SessionBand Is Having A Rare Sale!
I love SessionBand! I use for so many things: composing , backings, exercises, improvising, rhythms - it’s awesome (and each new app just improves the quality and features).
They’re normally up to $18 each.
But for this weekend only, they’re around $1 each.
I don’t have shares in SessionBand, and I’m not getting a commission.
Last year I don’t think they had a sale at all. They had a sale two months ago, and only a few students were able to take advantage of the massive discounts.
I strongly encourage students to get SessionBand if you can.
You can read my review and suggestions for which ones to get here:
PiaScore
While you’re getting SessionBand, you should also get “PiaScore”.
In the past, I’ve recommended “ForScore”, which is still the best score app for iOS.
But PiaScore has 90% of the features (and a few of its own), and...
...it’s FREE!
You can get it here...
And Now, a MASSIVE “Thank You”!
I want to thank all the parents and students that have made online teaching such a wonderful experience.
I’ll admit I was stressed about teaching online. Just how do you teach a musical instrument in an online environment?
I listened to all the students that had started doing online lessons: the good points, and the many difficulties and problems. I read every blog I could from teachers that were already teaching online overseas. I asked questions of teaching professionals.
And so I drew up a plan.
I thought I was soooo smart, and that I had considered all the issues, and that I had a solution (or at least a work-around) for everything.
If you’re interested, you can read my original plan here:
Unfortunately...
By then end of the first day’s teaching, I realized just how wrong I was! I had several pages of issues to resolve.
Of course, many in the world had the same problems, and fortunately, I have many incredibly kind and clever students. I received so many creative, helpful and encouraging suggestions, that I was able to improve systems (and therefore the quality of my teaching services) almost every day.
A special extra thanks to Mandy and Anna, for all their advice and assistance.
Things like adding a scanner next to me so I could send documents at the end of the lessons, using a blog, making changes to online bookings, re-configuring lighting (several times), and custom tailoring software all made teaching easier for me, and better for students.
The studio changed, and grew... and grew! Eventually, most of the room became dedicated to providing the best possible online experience for students:
A big improvement came with finally taking the plunge and investing in a new microphone (an excellent Quad-capsule Blue Yeti-Pro-X), and software to enhance online audio ($600, but worth it).
So as I said, “Thank You!”
Here’s a reminder of some of the many online lessons students have had...
Which reminds me: thank you for taking the time to set up your own equipment! Look how good it looks! This made it so much easier for me to help you. Thanks again!
I’ve cropped these photos. Can you identify yourself by just seeing your fingers and keyboard?
Return To In-Person Lessons!
As of tomorrow, we can return on “In-Person” lessons!
Yippee!
I’m sorry for the short notice.
I’ve been at the mercy of having things supplied when they’ve been promised. I understand that the COVID crisis has made this difficult, so I’m sure everyone is in the same boat! I didn’t get one required delivery until last night, and I had to get another myself this morning.
But there here now, so we’re ready to go!
Return to the old timetable...
After much correspondence and many comments, we will simply be returning to the old timetable.
There may be the opportunity to change your lesson time, but I would ask your for patience.
I’ve lost my former naivety that I can predict and make allowances for every upcoming situation! I’ve done my best to prepare, but I’m sure that there will be myriad issues over the next week, so I will yet again ask for your understanding - thanks!
My offer for an alternative lesson in the first week of the holidays still stands...
Should you need an alternative lesson during the first week of the holidays, I will do my best to accommodate you, time permitting!
Safety Is A Concern
I want everyone to be safe!
It isn’t possible to be 100% contact free: door handles, chairs, and the piano (obviously!) will all have to be touched.
However, I would hate to think that I was responsible for any transfer of COVID, so I’ve removed many items that can’t be cleaned (goodbye leather chairs!), and I’ve set up little “Sanitizer Stations” for parents and students, as well as foot operated bins.
I’ve also fitted a paper towel dispenser in the bathroom, so washing hands can be very safe.
I’m also concerned about my own health.
Unfortunately during the last two months my health has declined, requiring X-Rays, CT-Scans, ECGS... turns out the family curse of heart problems did not skip me.
So I’m keen to minimize risk for everyone, including myself!
I spent overnight finishing rebuilding the downstairs studio with two beautiful, top model Roland digital pianos side by side, and a sneeze screen between them:
Maximum Visitors = 4 People
I’m blessed with a massive studio, large enough for 8 people under the 4m2 guidelines, but I think we’ll limit it to four visitors (for example, two students and two parents).
For years I’ve encouraged parents to ‘sit-in’ on lessons, and now this might need to be necessary, as the smaller waiting room is only rated for 4 people (on the 4m2 rule), so if the next family has arrived for their lessons, there might not be room in the waiting room. So come in and join the fun!
I’ve also replaced tea, coffee and sugar with single serve packets, although there’s not much I can do about the kettle or milk.
My suggestion, if you’re concerned, would be to bring your favourite brew from home in a small thermos!
Preparing For In-Person Lessons
1. Have a music bag.
Keep all your music things in one place, ready to go! Also, it keeps your gear from getting touched, so you don’t have to clean it!
2. Make sure you have a pen or pencil in the bag (so you don’t have to share).
It is polite to share, just not whilst COVID is about!
3. Have at least one clipboard (two or three might be better).
Normally I have several for students to use during lessons, but obviously in a zero-contact world, that’s not possible any more...
If you don’t have any at home, Officeworks have a cheap perspex clipboard that’s strong and super easy to disinfect (and, cheap!)
A better suggestion is to use a “RondoFile”, so you can write on your music without the music falling off the piano.
4. Wash your hands when you arrive!
You can use hand sanitizer (convenient), or anti-bacterial soap and paper towels (safer) when you arrive.
5. Sneeze into your elbow, then sanitize!
There’s a bin, tissues, and hand sanitizer next to the piano, and on the table for parents!
Online Lessons Will Continue
There are adult students, and several immunocompromised students who will want to continue online lessons.
Also, it’s foreseeable that people might get the flu (or “flu-like symptoms” and not be able to go to school or work (or music lessons!).
Rather than miss out, you can still do lessons online.
In order to do this, I’ve been ripping out all the furniture from my lounge room upstairs, and putting in a piano, controller keyboard, desk, table, stand, lighting, changing the roof lighting...
I will try my hardest to be ready to go Monday morning, but I will ask for your enduring patience and forgiveness if I am not...
Update:
I’ve finished the new online studio (and there’s still just room for a chair and my TV, so good work Stephen!)
Downloading Your Music Lessons!
I apologize for the not posting about this sooner, but the instructions on how to do this have been on the blog for a few weeks now.
One of the great advantages of the system that I use, is that it records each lesson and stores it in the cloud, so you can view it later.
This way you can ask “What did my crazy piano teacher tell me to do”, or “what did that new piece sound like again”, and you can just watch the video of the lesson!
You can follow the Step-By-Step guide here:
Music Challenges
I like challenges! They encourage you to stretch your skills, to aim a little further, and to learn something new! Cool!
This year there are several challenges: Note Rush; The 5 Second Challenge; the Three Pieces of Awesomeness Challenge...
But I’ve been able to start posting on two BIG challenges:
(1) The Beethoven Challenge
It’s Beethoven’s 250th Birthday this year, so time to learn at least one of his fabulous pieces. I’ve started uploading video links, but it takes a LOT of time to find a good easy piano arrangement, and a suitable video, and post both to a blog... so keep checking back to the blog as I add more pieces!
(2) The Blues Brothers Challenge
I love Bach, Beethoven, and many other classical composers.
But I also love Otis Redding, Hoagy Carmichael, Booker T and the MG’s, Areha Franklin... well, you get the idea! You can learn a lot about rhythm, chords, improvising, and just having fun by playing some cool blues pieces...
... and you get to wear a hat and dark sunglasses too!
click here to read about the Beethoven Challenge
click here to read about the Blues Brothers Challenge
New Pieces From Wendy Stevens
The lady that writes popular pieces like “Chased To The Edge” and “Unicorn Gliding” has been very busy writing a truckload of new pieces.
Wendy has a fabulous Studio Licence system: I pay a higher price for the piece, but then I can legally give it to students to play, FOR FREE!
I have purchased every single one of her new pieces.
So, feel free to pick a piece, and we can give it a go!
You can hear Wendy’s new pieces here:
Great New Music From Wendy Stevens And Compose Create
Florian Schneider
I’ll write more about what a huge influence Florian was on my life.
You might not know it, but his band (Kraftwerk) is the MOST sampled band in world history, and provided the building blocks for much 21st Century music, so he’s been a big influence on your life, too!
I’ll leave you with this for now...
BTW: many students would have heard me say “By pressing down a special key, it plays a little melody” - you have Kraftwerk to thank for that!
Please...
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call or email me!
Many, many thanks!
Yours,
Stephen Walter
