Saturday, September 6, 2008

How To Get The Most Out Of Music Lessons

By Jen Paterson

Congratulations! You have chosen music lessons for your child because you want the best for them. Now that you have made this important first step, we would like to assist you in defining and understanding your involvement. Here are a few of the basics to assist you in supporting your child's continuing musical education.

1.) Sit with them for the first few months of lessons, as often as possible. For those younger children, call it "Play Time" and not "Practice." Children need help in developing the discipline to practice on their own.

2.) If possible, choose the same time and duration each day. For example, each day immediately after school for a minimum of 20 - 30 minutes. (especially before everyone is too tired). If you miss a day here and there, don't be concerned. You could also try splitting the practice time into 2 equal sessions of 15 minutes - in the morning and afternoon.

3.) Positive feedback is very important. Help your child through the ups and downs. Be cheerful and encouraging always. At the end of your practice session, make sure the last thing you do is fun. Do not withhold lessons as a punishment especially for not practicing. Find an alternative if you must (withholding TV, video games, computer time, etc.)

4.) Years of Study. We know through years of experience that if a child stays with lessons for at least three years, he or she will have a foundation and appreciation of music that will last a lifetime. A priceless gift. The first year is fun. The second is more challenging. In the third year, interesting music is ready to be mastered, and your child will be considered a "musician."

5.) Your child may want to quit from time to time. This is normal. Music lessons can go through difficult stages at times. It is at these times, discontinuing lessons may seem to be the obvious solution. Children, who are allowed to quit, rarely return to lessons. Adults, who quit too early as children, often wish their parents had made them "stick with it." We have never heard a parent say, "I'm glad my parents let me quit."

It is often those children who frequently take lessons with us as adults. If the subject of quitting comes up, we recommend that you be the "decision maker." A child is not capable of seeing ahead and realizing the value of a music education. We make all kinds of decisions that we know are best for our children.

Jennifer Paterson is the President of California Music Studios in Carlsbad, CA. CMS has been helping provide home and studio music lessons since 1987.
http://www.californiamusicstudios.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jen_Paterson

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Music Education

By Eddie Tobey

The aim of education is to inculcate values in people, which will go a long way in creating a good society. In the same vein, music education refers to the field where educational methods are adopted for teaching music.

Sometimes, music education refers to the process and the activities undertaken to create awareness among people about music and its utility. Mostly, music education is still treated as a special education only. This situation needs to be changed, and music education has to be given due recognition.

Music Schools

Music education can be imparted through music schools, forums, academies, etc. Like other avenues, music education brings a person's creativity and his musical acumen to the limelight.

Since time immemorial, music education has been carried out through word of mouth and listening by ear. This is the reason why there are some forms of music even today, like folk music, which have no literary background. In other words, they cannot be annotated.

In some countries like India, music education has been an integral part of life and there were special lessons included in the educational system itself. Such was the popularity and significance of music.

Modern Trends

Music education can include vocal or instrumental lessons. These can be learnt either by practice or mere rote.

With huge advancements in information broadcasting and knowledge sharing, music education has witnessed tremendous changes both in quality and quantity. Today, online music lessons are available, which are explained by online tutors. This arrangement is called a virtual classroom. There are music forums where one can share his or her views and learn new concepts, too.

Music education plays an important role in shaping a person's personality. Music has a mellowing effect on our mind and soothes our soul. We forget all our worries once we are under the healing influence of music.

Music Education provides detailed information on Music Education, Benefits Of Music Education, Music Education Theory, Child Music Education and more. Music Education is affiliated with Piano Sheet Music.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eddie_Tobey

Monday, July 7, 2008

Finding A Toy Music Box For A Child

By Chok Leong Chai

Music boxes exist for just about any person and can cover almost any occasion. Most of all, a music box will celebrate a wedding, the birth of a child, or just a birthday in general. Many different brands sell music boxes and each has something good about it that would allow someone to choose that brand over anything else. Some brands make music boxes are designed just for children, whether it be a toy music box that the child can physically touch and play with or one that merely celebrates the child’s birth or his/her birthday much like a “Baby’s First Christmas” ornament would. Listed below are the two different ways of explaining a toy music box and how each would be beneficial to the child and the family.

The Different Types Of Toy Music Boxes

Just about any parent has heard of the brands Mattel and Fisher-Price. They are manufacturers of small children’s toys and at some point a parent will own a lot of these. Something that will keep a child occupied and enthralled for hours is the toy music box. When hearing that a child can be kept quiet and occupied for hours, it has to be music to a parent’s ears. These toys have some sort of button to push or lever to pull and the music starts playing. The music box has pictures of animals or cartoon characters and children have always seemed to like it as one can find toy music boxes for children from 30 or 40 years ago online.

Another type of toy music box is not one that a small child can play with. This type of music box is one celebrating a child’s memorable birthday or the actual birth of the child. The collectible music box will have toys on it and resemble something a child would actually play with, but it merely exists to commemorate a birthday or event. There are hundreds of different kinds out there that will have the child’s favorite cartoon characters on it or a television show liked by him/her. Some families share collectibles and perhaps each family member would have a music box depicting something the person likes. A toy music box is geared towards the child and will demonstrate to people what the child is interested in.

A toy music box can act as a wonderful toy for a child for years or as something celebrating his/her birth or first birthday. Whatever type of music box it is, it will be a great memory and keepsake of a child’s first few years.

For more information on this topic, please go to http://www.ownways.com/music_box/

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Benefits Of Music Education

By Kevin Tuck

Three Powerful Reasons why children benefit from music education as part of their Curriculum, especially at a young age. There has been plenty of research done about the benefits of music education for young children.

1. Playing music improves concentration, memory and self-expression

One two-year study in Switzerland run with 1200 children in more than 50 classes scientifically showed how playing music improved children's reading and verbal skills through improving concentration, memory and self-expression.(1) Younger children who had three more music classes per week and three fewer main curriculums made rapid developments in speech and learned to read with greater ease.

Other effects revealed by the study showed that children learned to like each other more, enjoyed school more (as did their teachers) and were less stressed during the various tests, indicating they were better able to handle performance pressure.

2. Playing music improves the ability to think

Ongoing research at the University of California-Irvine and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (2) demonstrate that learning and playing music builds or modifies Neural pathways related to spatial reasoning tasks, which are crucial for higher brain functions like complex maths, chess and science.

The first studies showed that listening to a Mozart sonata temporarily improved a child's spatial abilities. Further studies compared children who had computer lessons, children who had singing lessons, children who learned music using a Keyboard and children who did nothing additional. The children who had had the Music classes scored significantly higher - up to 35% higher - than the children did Who had computer classes or did nothing additional.(3)

3. Learning music helps under-performing students to improve

Researchers at Brown University in the US (4) discovered that children aged 5-7 years who had been lagging behind in their school performance had caught up with their peers in reading and were ahead of them in math's after seven months of music lessons. The children's classroom attitudes and behavior ratings had also Significantly improved, and after a year of music classes were rated as better than the children who had had no additional classes.

1. E W Weber, M Spychiger and J-L Patry, Musik macht Schule. Biografie und Ergebnisse eines Schulversuchs mit erweitertemMusikuntericcht. Padagogik in der Blauen Eule, Bd17. 1993.

2. Various studies by Dr. Gordon Shaw (University of California-Irvine) and Dr. Fran Rauscher (University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh), with others.Including those published in Nature 365:611 and Neuroscience Letters 185:44-47

3. E L Wright, W R Dennis & R L Newcomb. Neurological Res.19:2-8. 1997
4. M F Gardiner, A Fox, F Knowles & D Jeffrey. Learning improved by arts training. Nature 381:284. 1996.

About the Author

Kevin and Janice Tuck jointly own the Fun Music Company, an organization dedicated to providing fun, educational music resources for children and teachers. They also have a free music teachers resource collection at http://www.musicteachersblog.com/

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Educational Children's Songs

By Jennie Gandhi

From the moment a child is born, the child looks up to the mother for all the wants. The umbilical chord is cut once the child is out of the worm world outside the womb, but it is the beginning of the tough world outside. The only person who can teach a child to deal with life is the mother. She is the one who is responsible for the values, personality, morals, strengths, weaknesses, emotional development, mental development, et al of the child.

It is so wonderful how an infant is able to distinguish between mother and other woman the child comes across. If one observes a child, he knows when his mother is coming to his cradle just by her sound or even scent.

Motherhood in the first year is not just feeding the child when the child is hungry, or cleaning the child when the child has messed up. It is much more. It is being there. It is training the child for the later stages of life. The child begins to learn from conception. And for this reason mothers are encouraged to expose their babies to educational children's songs from the time they are born.

According to various studies being conducted, a child's conception is the beginning of the learning stage. In fact a pregnant mother is recommended to do a lot of reading, eat healthy food and listen to happy music during the nine months. It may sound unbelievable, but a lot of habits of the mother are inculcated in the child at this point.

Music is an important aspect of the learning process in life. It has been seen that children learn basic concepts better when set to tunes that they can dance to, sing along with and clap for. Their way of learning is the joyful way of learning. This is the reason why one of the highest sales in music has been the genre of children's music. This maybe the nursery rhymes, specially created songs, story narrations, etc. Various studies have proved that children learn faster when taught in a happy and musical environment. Whereas children taught the same concepts in a dull environment lose interest in wanting to learn what is being taught to them.

Now read your favourite nursery rhymes, or hindi songs lyrics and even download movie songs from our website.

Monday, May 26, 2008

5 Common Problems with Music Lessons (and how to avoid them!)

By Brian Eliason
5 Most Common Problems With Music Programs - And How to Avoid Them! -
Over the past 9 years we have talked with hundreds of students and families about their experiences with music programs and what they felt about these experiences. We found common complaints recurring over and over and have made it our mission to create a school offering whatever has been missing from these programs. This is a list of these common problems and what steps as a school we take to help students and families to avoid them.

Common problem #1: Students are instructed in a very strict manner with a heavy emphasis on note reading and theory. Students do exercises and theory homework but are not allowed to play songs. Students are only allowed to play a song when everything seems perfect and wait months or years to be allowed to play and enjoy their instrument. These students and parents usually feel defeated and begin to look at music as a chore with little payoff and lacking any real joy.
Solution: At our school we allow students to play their instruments and correct their technique as they go. Using the Suzuki method allows students to memorize songs by ear and focus their attention on proper posture and technique. Students get into the habit of playing correctly and sounding good on their instrument every day while they also get to experience the joy of playing songs. When strong habits of play are formed we then begin to take a look at note reading and theory.
Common problem #2: Students are allowed to play many songs daily with a focus on fun but without focusing on technique. Although in the beginning students will enjoy this approach it will not take long before students realize that they are not really progressing. In fact many students taught in this way learn bad habits that make it difficult or impossible to play more difficult pieces. When these students come to our program we have to work very hard at correcting these bad habits which may have been going on for years. Unfortunately these parents and students have wasted a lot of time and money which could have been prevented.
Solution: In addition to hiring highly skilled University trained teachers we offer instruction targeted towards building technique every day from the ground up. In lessons students receive practice charts daily that begin with the most basic exercises. As they go through their charts the songs and scales become progressively more challenging in a subtle way. Every level of the practice chart works to support the next level and creates positive momentum over the course of the practice. This system works because when students reach their most challenging piece they can play it comfortably because their technique has been supported throughout the practice.

Common problem #3: "My child won't practice and we fight over it!" Unfortunately many students do not want to practice and it causes tension between parents and students. Many of these parents know that music education is important but keep wondering, "is it worth all the trouble?"

Solution: As a music program we offer resources to help parents and teachers motivate students to practice. When students enroll we offer a free booklet "9 ways create successful practices at home". Younger students receive stickers every time they complete a part of their practice chart which makes the practices more fun. We also provide two free recitals twice per year to give students a goal to work towards. Finally, teachers discuss strategies in lessons to make students and parents create the habit of practicing at home.

Common problem #4: Students can play their instrument well, but they cannot read music. This is commonly seen in students who are kept in the Suzuki method for too long. Students who cannot read music will not be able to perform music in groups or an orchestra and will be shut off to a whole world of music. Learning new music beyond the intermediate stages will also be extremely difficult and will take a long time. When music becomes more complicated you simply cannot play it all by ear and you need help from the written page.

Solution: Teach students how to read music at the right time and in the right way. In our program our first goal is to have students in the strong habit of playing correctly and sounding good on their instrument every day. When this is achieved our teachers then gradually begin to teach note reading, music theory and implement some easy sight reading into student's practice charts. As students become confident and skilled in their reading a whole world of music is opened up to them. Not only do these students become excellent sight readers but we allow students to explore new music as part of their practice such as Celtic, Jazz, Fiddle, Ragtime, Movie Soundtracks and more. Now that these students are in the habit of sounding good, they can easily maintain that habit even when they are sight reading.

Common problem #5: Many students and parents have told us stories about teachers they have had that have turned them off to music. The instruction has been very rigid, strict and negative. These students were pushed to excel at music through fear motivation. Unfortunately many of these students quit, never to return to music, or they continue onward struggling with a loss of self confidence.

Solution: Lessons in our program are focused deeply on sharing a love for music. We believe students achieve their highest potential when they are positively reinforced and we work on building a student's confidence. We realize that some students will seek professional careers in music and others will not. We strive for our students to achieve excellence in their music and we encourage them to enjoy playing for a lifetime!

About the Author

Brian Eliason is a professional violinist and educator with over 28 years experience. He is also the founder of the Eliason School of Music in Portland, Oregon. For more information please contact the school at Piano Lessons in Portland

Saturday, May 17, 2008

The Benefits of Music for Young Children

By Kevin Tuck
Young children just love music and often it is through music that young children communicate for the first time, whether it be through gesture, smiling or action.

But is there more to it than that?

There is a growing amount of evidence to show that music enhances a childs ability to think, learn, reason and create and it is in the first five years of a child's life that all of the formative brain development and connections are being formed. Music brain researcher, Dr Gordon Shaw describes music as "a window into higher brain Function".

Here are three compelling reasons why we should be sending our children to music lessons while they are young.

Reason#1 - Music Makes Children Smarter

Neurologiacal Research indicates that because music involves ratio's, fractions, and thinking in space and in time that it provides learning not only for foundation musical learning,but also learning for foundation math learning being a pre requisite to learning both these subjects at higher levels.

In a study carried out by Debby Mitchell at the University Of Central Florida it was found that young children with developed rhythm skills perform better academically in early school years.

In a paper compiled at a Music Educators National Conference, 2001, it was noted that high school music students score higher verbal and math score than their peers and in research done by Phi Delta Kappan, 1994 and a paper prepared by Peter H Wood, It was found that Music Majors are the most likely group of college grads to be admitted to medical school.

Reason#2- Music is a recognised form of intelligence
In an article called " The Changing Workplace is changing our view of education", Business week, 1996 it was said "The nation's top business executives agree that arts education programs can help repair weeknesses in American education and better prepare workers for the 21st Century"
Howard Gardner, a renowned Professor of Cognition and Education wrote a book in 1983 called Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, suggests that there are many kinds of human intellegence and identifies musical intellegence to be one of them.

Reason#3 - Skills learned through music can transfer into skills which are useful in every part of a child's studies at school and can help with general well being.

As Senator Jeff Bingaman said "Music Education can be a positive force on all aspects of child's life, particularly on their academic success"

It was reported in a Texas Commission on drug and alcohol abuse that secondary students who were involved in band and orchestra reported the lowest life time and current use of all drugs.

Skills learned through the discipline can transfer into study skills, communication skills and cognitive skills useful in every part of a child's school life and a Harvard university study named the "Mozart Effect" found that spacial- temporal reasoning improves when children learn to make music.

As Michael Greene the Recording Academy President and CEO said at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards in February 2000, "Music is a magical gift we must nourish and cultivate in our children, especially now as scientific evidence proves that an education in the arts makes better math and science students, enhances spatial intelligence in newborns, and let's not forget that the arts are a compelling solution to teen violence, certainly not the cause of it!"

About the Author

Kevin Tuck, together with his wife Janice own and run The Fun Music Company, a business specializing in helping parents and teachers make music more enjoyable and fulfilling for young children. Parents can get useful information at the Parents Music Guide http://www.parentsmusicguide.com , while music teachers can contribute and learn more about solutions at the Music Teachers Blog http://www.musicteachersblog.com

Sunday, May 11, 2008

12 Points Advantage Of Music Studying

By Jack Vallieres

About the music learning it very have benefit for any part of your body such as heart, brain, body, temper, good team work and more benefit from the music this below is the music advantages you will received when you learn and play the right music.

1. Brain of first age child it will deliver still developing continuously for many years ago. The research result meet that with regard to a child has to train music side since still that tiny it will help to develop physical side of left brain section which be pertaining to language part and the analysis.

2. There is the connection between the music and the ability in size assessment and the area of all material. By this child skill will can see the association of all element such as can very what is the school bag has by oneself by know as for vacate day want to use? or even repairing problem in arithmetic difficult number etc.

3. Art students has will the development uses the imagination in all remedy the analysis outside the frame the analysis outside the frame and deny old criterion because of side arts problem it has no the right or wrong answer which be giving a chance gives a student can use the creativity extremely.

4. From the research result is late meet that a student who study art will tend to succeed in standard education all measurement and still tend have to upland education more than a child who no studies the art as well.

5. The art education that is are like a bridge to all culture as well, these thing will teach a child know to respect others person from differs culture and still pity development, the feeling sympathizes others as well.

6. Music training that can teach a child in about master craftsman skill because he must learn that. How much is all detail had cooperated altogether keep very thoroughly and what that make each works is good works in all work, these standard will help to push forward a child enlarge the capability within of oneself for step to next level of the excellence.

7. On music education a student will appreciate of devotion always for excellent result and a reward obviously seen from persistently work because of great show will can not can happen by without the beat heavily and exert.

8. The music playing still help a child is know the work is the team bing person play that good and is disciplinary in playing music are that everybody musician will must work conformly in order to achieve same. Which must devote oneself to oneself with music all education the beat accompanies with and the training heavily.

9. The music teach a person in temper show and the meaning of temper show such everybody has will the requirement to will appreciate the formed self and the feeling have of oneself which the feeling is proud and oneself that respect are the produce of the ability in way temper expression.

10. The music still help to develop all skill necessary in work, concern something playing that music emphasizes at starting to do more than only the observation see only and still help a child can communicate and work to cooperate the other well go up as well.

11. The concert help a child win the scare and will dare to risk in latency topmost development of that child the courage risks and the ability have in to manage with the excitement appropriately that regard important thing at most.

12. The music study that help to develop a child to incomparable excellence.

Can see that the music education or playing can make us valuable follow our requirement if we have the intention to study and serious to playing it will help us can succeed in the sense other of as well. Soon you will see that music is valuable very in the world now.

About the Author

Jack Vallieres is the professional freelance writer. He's also the webmaster of Entertainbox.com

Friday, May 2, 2008

How to benefit your children with singing

By Kevin Tuck

"Is it really true that there is benefits from singing to a baby?"
"I heard that music helps my child.... Is this True?"
"What sort of music should I sing to my baby?"

Increasingly it is thought that singing to a child, right from birth and even during pregnancy has significant benefits, both for your baby and for yourself.

In Adults singing strengthens the immune system, according to research by scientists at the University of Frankfurt in Germany, published in the latest edition of the US Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

The scientists tested the blood of people who sang in a professional choir in the city, before and after a 60 minute rehearsal of Mozart's Requiem. They found that concentrations of immunoglobin A - proteins in the immune system which function as antibodies - and hydrocortisone, an anti-stress hormone, increased significantly during the rehearsal.

A week later, when they asked members of the choir to listen to a recording of the Requiem without singing, they found the composition of their blood did not change significantly.

The researchers, who included Hans Guenther Bastian from the Institute of Musical Education at Frankfurt University, concluded singing not only strengthened the immune system but also notably improved the performer's mood.

A new mother could certainly benefit from an improved immune system, especially with the lack of sleep and everything else that goes along with being a parent of a young baby!

The benefits for the child are more basic. A mother or fathers calm voice is very soothing for babies, and singing has a natural calming effect for children.

There is a wide amount of research suggesting that music has a lot of other benefits in the brain, as Kidshealth.org, one of the most well known parenting websites says:

"Children who grow up hearing music, singing songs, and moving to the beat are enjoying what experts call "a rich sensory environment." That's just a way of expressing that a child is exposed to a wide variety of smells, tastes, colours and sounds. And kids who enjoy such a rich environment do more than have fun. Researchers believe they forge more pathways between the cells in their brains."

The Music also does not have to be complex, and you do not have to be a good singer! Your child will love you singing to them, even if you feel you are completely tone deaf.

So start singing, you don't have to do anything complex! You can sing any old nursery rhymes or songs, and you can even make up your own songs, to match what you are doing at the time.

For example, you can sing while you are getting them dressed:

I'm going to put...

One arm in, One arm in. The other arm in, the other arm in Now my head goes through the hole, Now my head goes through the hole Over my tummy, yes over the tummy And button Me up! Button Me Up!

It doesn't matter what tune you sing it to - anything will work! You will notice that I repeated nearly every line. This just makes it fall more naturally into rhythm. You can of course repeat every line as many times as you like. Just have fun, and your baby will have fun too!

About the Author

Kevin and Janice Tuck are Joint CEO's of the Fun Music Company, and they are passionate about making music learning fun for children and parents. One of the Fun Music Company's community websites is the parents music guide, where parents can ask questions about anything to do with Music Lessons for their children. You can find it at http://wwww.parentsmusicguide.com/

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Choosing The Best Audio Books For Children

By Victor Epand
Today television and video games are the norm in any household, not just in the United States, but throughout the world. To keep children engrossed with something constructive, audio books provide a very good option. Audio books have a large share of the music book industry.

They provide a very exciting and educational substitute. These audio books help a child to enhance their listening skills. Parents can build up an audio library for their children and find benefits for both. They can make learning and education more entertaining and achieve great benefits.

These books can extensively help those kids who are not avid readers. By making the book exciting for children, it is being insured that the children get at least some benefits from reading. If a child has difficulty in reading, you can help them develop that skill by having them recite the lines that are being narrated, with the same book in front of him.

Another benefit of the audio books is that the children can develop their vocabulary and understand the pronunciations of new and difficult words. If the books are made very interesting by good narration and interactive sessions, the child may develop a liking for the books and start reading them. If you choose a good audio book for nighttime reading, you can make the atmosphere very pleasant and calm. The effect of a good narration can be even more soothing than when parents read the book out loud.

You can also download the audio books from the Internet. They are available in MP3 formats and you can listen to them from the convenience of your home. There are some sites like www.playtime-books.com that offer you audio books in downloadable formats. There are also some sites like www.AudioBookOne.net, which offers you with reviews of books and audio books for children.

You can evaluate the book that you want for your children and then buy it for them. You can also take the advice of the librarians at your local library about the best audio books and titles for your children. You can also have your child choose the book along with you.

Before you buy the book for your child you could listen to the book. This will help you to decide, if the book is suitable for your child's age. You can also see, if it is interesting or scary, or if the story can be understood by the child, or if the book handles a mature subject and so on. You can get an idea, if the book is interesting to grip the child's imagination.

Audio books are a good option for the parents, who do not want their children to watch Television or play video games very often. They are friends to children as well as the parents in more ways than one. By organizing an audio book library, you can serve their tastes and needs.
You could also provide them with appropriate books to suit their moods. With the growing convenience of the Internet, parents have a good resource to collect as many books as possible.

About the Author

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about books. When shopping for books, we recommend you shop only at the best bookstores: http://www.usedbooksell.com , http://www.sellautographedbooks.com , and http://www.vedicbooks.info .

Friday, April 18, 2008

Benefits of Music Education


It would be easier to deduce the benefits of music education, once you are clear about the basic qualities of music.

Music Soothes

Music is an ever-expanding field. What do you do when we want to relax? An immediate reply would be: listen to good music. And why? Because you tend to forget that a world exists outside, especially when the music is soft, lilting, and melodious.

This has been proved through research too. Wondrous are the effects of music on the human mind. Music creates positive energy and releases it to the individuals. That is the reason why music therapies are being adopted in every field.

Multi-faceted Benefits

Music improves the efficiency and attitude of the people. Its effects are especially felt and useful in treating sick and afflicted persons, because both the young and the old like it.

Music education helps us to learn new concepts and forms of music. You can learn and enjoy the serenity of music while sitting in your living room. Music education can be complete only if the learner grasps it properly. Efficient tutors can simplify complicated concepts and present them in a suitable manner.

Music education helps in creating awareness, and develops a person's attitude by making him or her appreciate the finer things of life. Music is not merely an art, but a fine art too! By learning the basics, nuances, and forms of music through music education, you can enjoy the benefits bestowed by music in a holistic way.

Music Quotations

You can understand the benefits of music looking at some excellent quotations.

Music is God's gift to man, the only art of Heaven given to earth, the only art of earth we take to Heaven. -Walter Savage Landor

Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart.-Pablo Casals

Music is the soul of language.-Max Heindel

Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak. -William Congreve

Music Education provides detailed information on Music Education, Benefits Of Music Education, Music Education Theory, Child Music Education and more. Music Education is affiliated with Piano Sheet Music.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Kids Can Benefit From Making Music

By Susanne Myers

Do you ever wonder why so many elementary schools do what they can to include some sort of musical education into their programs? At first glance music education may not seem all that important compared to learning how to read and write, and is thus often one of the first programs to be cut. Fortunately more and more people start to realize how important making music is and that our kids can greatly benefit from it.

You don’t have to wait until first grade though to let your child start making music. Music can be used as a developmental tool from the time your child is just a few months old. For babies and toddlers, making music is a great way to learn about cause and effect. Think of the baby rattle, when your baby shakes it, it makes a sound. Toddlers will spend hours banging on pots and pans, or hammering on a piano. This kind of playing not only reinforces the cause and effect principal, but also builds your child’s confidence. He’s feeling all grown up and loves having the people he loves watch him “make music”.

As your child grows older, music and different musical instruments are a great way to explore different cultures and customs. Use music from a different country to start a conversation with your child about the culture and people of this region and how their music is affected by their surroundings.

Music also stimulates your child’s brain and helps in the development of areas of the brain that are also used for solving math problems. Children, who are exposed to playing music early on, tend to do better in math and science. Take a little time each week to make music with your child. When you travel, look for simple “native” instruments to bring back as souvenirs. They are a great interactive way for your child to remember the trip. Dig out some of your own old instruments, buy an inexpensive recorder or guitar and play around on it.

Of course you can also make simple instruments with your child. This can be as easy as dragging out a few pots and pans to create a drum set, or make your own guitar using these instructions http://www.kinderinfo.com/crafts/make-your-own-guitar.htm

This tambourine craft for children is another fun project for the two of you.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

How Music Can Make Your Child Smarter - Even Before Birth

By M. Kabel

While accepted more or less as innovative fact for decades, new medical research is beginning to verify the use of music in stimulating the growth process of unborn children.

Parents who play music for their child in utero or during early infancy encourage the child's early mental thought processes, giving the child's mind some gentle nurturing that begins even before conventional education is possible. Music stimulates the mind and encourages its abilities to predict and answer logical sequences. For children, this can translate directly into helping engender problem-solving skills.

What to play for your child

The music played for the child often represents the type of effect that parents desire. For example, playing classical music often has a soothing effect thanks to its gentle melodies and complex arrangements.

New evidence suggests babies remember and react positively to music played for them, too. A recent study by Britain's Leicester University showed children responded equally well to classical, pop, and reggae music styles. Expectant mothers were invited to choose a type of music to play in a comfortable setting. A year later, their babies responded more favorably to the songs they remembered, compared to similar pieces of music.

Researchers in the study also believe children react to the pace of the music more than its type. The music's complexity is important, too, since more complex pieces offer more challenging potential for the child's mind to understand.

When not to overdo it.

However, many child experts warn that playing too much music can cause the nursery child to become over stimulated and simply stop attempting to understand the music played for them. An over-stimulated, bored child will exhibit the same signs of impatience as adults - shiftless movements, looking around the room, and preoccupation with other things. That's when it's time, doctors say, to give the music a rest for a while.

How to find music for your child.

There are dozens of albums on the market that are specially designed for children, in many different musical styles. A number of combination speakers, night-light, and plush animal combinations are also available for the nursery.

Corner Stork Baby Gifts presents this article as part of our ongoing commitment to better family health. We proudly carry a complete selection of baby gift ideas including many musical baby gifts to continue your baby's brain development after birth such as musical baby socks, musical teddy bears, musical rockers and many more including hundreds of unique baby gifts. Visit us online at http://www.cornerstorkbabygifts.com.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Child Music Box - Great Help to Put Your Baby to Sleep

By Tanya Turner

Are you expecting a new member of the family and doing your entire baby shopping? One thing you should definitely get is a child music box. Baby music boxes can be life savers for a young mother.

A child music box is a must have for any new mother. Not only baby music boxes are beautiful and compliment the decor of the nursery, but it will also save you a lot of troubles putting your baby to sleep. Most baby music boxes are designed in a way that helps to calm your child, and make your son or daughter sleep soundly and quietly. And if your baby often wakes up at night a music box will put him or her back to sleep.

You can get more than one music box. To help your baby fall asleep you will need a box that plays some lullabies. While your child is awake you can amuse him or her with a more fun music box. Baby music box sound is very soothing for child's ears, it helps to calm kids down, make them stop crying. Calming music box will save you a lot of trouble trying to put your child asleep.

Types of child music boxes you can find

Since you are going to use your child music box often, select the one that plays more than one tune. This way your baby won't get bored with it. Some kid's music boxes play classic children’s songs; they will probably work the best. Note that babies respond differently to different music, so you will have to choose carefully.

Many kids music boxes are brightly colored, which will intrigue and amuse your child. Some have popular cartoon characters, which are also quite fun.

You can also find many Disney music boxes. They usually have figures of Cinderella, Snow White, Tinkerbelle or Anastasia. These child music boxes are excellent gifts for baby girls. Some of these music boxes are really well done, so it will make your child happy for many years after she stops being a baby.

Another idea is child music jewelry box. While your daughter is a baby she will enjoy the pleasant music, but when she grows up she can keep her little treasures in the box. This type of music box would be very practical.

Locating your baby music box

Most shops that sell baby stuff will have a good selection of child music boxes. But you can also look for baby music boxes online. Many internet shops that sell gifts have good selection of music boxes including children music boxes. And the best thing is that you can check out several music box sites without leaving home.

Ordering your child music box online will really save you a lot of time. It can save you money as well. Even though most Internet baby shops will have a shipping fee, their prices are usually much lower than in ordinary shops. So even including shipping, you will probably pay less than if you were buying you box in a local shop.

Tanya Turner is an owner of Music Box Planet. Find more information and a great collection of child music boxes at her site.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Music Education For Children

By Nicole Munoz

Studies have shown that music and music training provide a wealth of educational benefits to children. Early exposure to music has been proven to help develop areas of the brain responsible for language and reasoning skills. Music education also increases the spatial and temporal reasoning necessary for advanced mathematics. Children who study music typically score better on standardized testing as well.

Music education not only provides children with a terrific healthy outlet for self-expression, it enhances creativity and boosts self-esteem. There are a number of ways for parents to help their child receive quality education in music, starting as young as birth. The most important thing is to expose your child to a variety of music, including several different genres, not just classical or kid’s music.

Sing songs to your infant each day. Fun, repetitive songs with movements or motions are best and as your child gets older, you can encourage her to join in. By the toddler years, your little one can dance along with music. Continue to sing simple silly songs with your toddler and dance together to a variety of songs, both upbeat and slow. Toys, like the Baby Einstein Learning Sounds Piano, will allow your toddler to create her own beats and songs.

Preschool age children can begin to differentiate between tones and pitches. Play games to pick which note is higher and which is lower. Introduce your preschooler to the specific sounds made by various instruments as well. Continue to listen to many different types of music with your preschooler and discuss how various pieces make you and our child feel.

Make musical instruments with your preschooler and play them together. Shakers are easy to make out of ordinary household items. Attach two paper plates together with a hole puncher and yarn or cover the ends of a toilet paper tube with construction paper and fill either with dry beans or rice. A coffee can and lid can be used as a drum. Have fun and use your imagination to create your own family band.

You may want to start formal music education with music lessons at this age. Discuss how various instruments are played and allow your child to choose the one he would like to learn. Visit a symphony or orchestra performance to investigate the various instruments. Piano lessons are typically best for this age because your child will learn to read and play music without having to remember difficult fingering techniques.

Continue your child’s music education as she enters elementary school. As your child gets older, she may begin to prefer a certain genre of music, but keep exposing her to a variety of music. Allow her to start learning an instrument by this age and make practice a part of her daily routine. Provide your child with encouragement and support in her musical endeavors.

By the middle school and high school years, encourage your child to be a part of a band, symphony, or orchestra. Playing music as a group provides even more developmental benefits than playing alone and a teenager’s involvement in a quality music program is important for self-development.

Music, even without the educational benefits research has proven, is a fun and relaxing pastime. Start at a very young age to instill the love of music in your child and continue throughout her childhood to provide an excellent musical education that will drive her future success.

For more tips and information about 365 Days of Baby Einstein, check out http://www.thekidstoystore.com/.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Music Education Theory


Music education is a concept mainly dealing with the employment of education methods in teaching and learning music. There is a theory behind every concept, which underlines a principle.

Music education theory is the basis for either teaching or learning music. Basically, music education theory is a study of the elements or rudiments of music. As we know, music consists of certain basic elements, which should be studied before proceeding further. A pre-requisite to learning is that the matter of study should be interesting and any drabness associated with it should be alleviated first.

The music education theory helps in standardizing music as a field of study. This is useful to maintain a minimum standard for music so that it gains due recognition than just a hobby.

Moreover, music education theory explains the rudiments of music clearly so that the foundation is strong for a learner of music. Only if a learner is strong in the basics, will he or she be in a position to appreciate music.

Another utility of music education theory is that it guides a user to apply the correct form at the right place. The theory can be applied to any function, like composing, singing, playing an instrument, reviewing and more.

Audiation is an area of music where the listener does not listen to the music at the surface level. It refers to the function of grasping the exact meaning of the words and also analyzing what the music conveys and why the song written in such a way. It is a deep-rooted study, applying the music theory.

Prior to the establishment of a standard or theory, music was learned either by rote or listening by ear. The religious Psalms were among the first songs to be learned through these methods. Music theory helps you in understanding and appreciating the fineness of music by thoroughly learning its theoretical elements like sound, pitch, harmony, melody, notation, and rhythm.

Music Education provides detailed information on Music Education, Benefits Of Music Education, Music Education Theory, Child Music Education and more. Music Education is affiliated with Piano Sheet Music.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Child Music Education

By Eddie Tobey

Music is a great teacher and healer, too. Ever since human civilization evolved, music has been an integral part of life. Through music many things can be achieved.

Music is present in all walks of life on all occasions. Lullabies, birthday songs, wedding songs, religious prayers, solemn occasions like mourning, national anthems, etc.- there is a song for every occasion.

So, from birth till last breath, there is music present everywhere. Befitting to this, child music education is an important field. This simply means teaching music to children from a young age, the sooner the better. Children must be encouraged to develop hobbies.

Hobbies will improve children?s creativity, talents, intelligence, attitude and aptitude.

Among other hobbies, music is especially useful in developing these qualities in children. Parents need to encourage the talents latent in their children and help them to develop and utilize them.

Research has proved that music education has an almost astonishing effect, especially on children. Their young minds are ever-receptive and it is our duty to pass on the right message to them. Not only that, as elders, we need to cultivate culture among the children of today, who will be the citizens of tomorrow.

Music education develops self-confidence and a positive attitude in kids, so they can excel in school, life, their social circle and the society at large. Teenage violence, aggression, depression, psychic problems ? all these can be remarkably controlled and reduced through music education.

It is high time that conscientious efforts are made to recognize not only the melody of music, but also its intrinsic value in refining and fine-tuning our children?s character. In other words, music education should be included as a regular course of study, rather than being optional.

Music Education provides detailed information on Music Education, Benefits Of Music Education, Music Education Theory, Child Music Education and more. Music Education is affiliated with Piano Sheet Music.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Keeping Music Education In Our Schools

By George Phillips

Educating the parents of our children in the value of music education is equally important to the other educating we do in the the classroom. The value of music education is being questioned like never before.

Once considered dispensable, music education is back on the agenda at school board meetings in many communities. But, getting a music education is an option available to all. If you’re looking for a way to provide your child with a source of life-long joy, satisfaction, and accomplishment, childhood music education is an excellent first step.

Learning

Learning music in our schools is important because it develops skills needed by the 21st century workforce such as critical thinking, creative problem solving, effective communication and team work, keeps students engaged in school and makes them more likely to graduate, and helps students achieve in other academic subjects such as math, science and reading.

Whether it is band, orchestra, or students on their own learning the guitar or other instruments, it's a wonderful way to not only enjoy life but to enhance their skills. Learning to play an instrument may also keep children out of trouble by giving them something to do after school.
Learning about the value of notes, time signatures, and exits and entrances will help them to be a member of a team. No other single instrument matches the piano for its broad application of musical concepts.

The House passed a concurrent resolution stating that music instruction "is an important component of a well-rounded academic curriculum and should be available to every student in every school. National Association for Music Education, has seventy thousand music educators
working for the education of America's children; The Music Educators National Conference, and International Society for Music Education promotes music and argues for the inclusion of music as part of the early childhood curriculum; includes benefits of early music instruction and curriculum recommendations.

Music education is a critical element in a well balanced curriculum. Music education is an enjoyable experience and fills students with enthusiasm, nurtures their creativity and encourages their participation. Administrators with a background in music either through a school music program or an extracurricular program are more likely to agree that music education is extremely important to academic success... 23 percent, versus 11 percent for those who do not have a musical background. The most controversial issue when speaking of music education is whether or not music should be taught in schools. The importance of developing the imagination and creativity is recognized in many societies... research into how these may be fostered and how we recognize and evaluate such qualities in music education is needed.

George Phillips is the webmaster of The Better Home Living Guide Tips, information and resources to make your families live better and the Continuing Your Education Online website.