Music Theory, Printables

30 FIVE-FINGER PATTERNS music images – Make your own Music Worksheets

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Also in this series:

  1. [Currently Viewing:] 30 FIVE-FINGER PATTERNS music images – Make your own Music Worksheets – includes the original tutorial.
  2. 60 CHORDS music images – Make your own Music Worksheets – click here

Ever find yourself wanting to make a music worksheet for your students, but don’t have easy access to any music notation software?  This tutorial will get you on your way to creating your own music worksheets using a word processor on your computer — without purchasing an expensive music notation software. Once you’ve created some worksheets, you can print as many worksheets as you need and send them home with your students.

Using Finale software, I have saved tons of image files of chords, five finger patterns, arpeggios, etc. on my computer over the last couple years.  I’d like to share them with you, so you can make your own music worksheets using just a simple word processor like Microsoft Word.

Here’s how it works: Continue reading “30 FIVE-FINGER PATTERNS music images – Make your own Music Worksheets”

Performances, Resources

Making Grab Bag Gifts for Music Students

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Need ideas for what to give all your music students this year for Christmas or to reward them after a performance?  Trying to stay within a budget?  How about making grab bags full of music goodies! Your students are bound to be thrilled with this music-themed gift.

First, buy a package of cellophane favor bags – music-themed ones if you can. They are usually located in the party favors/decorations section at the store. Dollar stores often carry them as well. A good deal will cost from $1.00 to $3.50 for a package of 20 bags. If you cannot find favor bags, you can also use small gift bags – but it will probably cost you a little more.   Continue reading “Making Grab Bag Gifts for Music Students”

Resources

Link: ClassicCat.net

Picture 3This site is a great place to send your students who are working on Classical repertoire.  Personally, I’ve been able to use the NAXOS site to listen to pieces I’m currently working on, but I’ve always had free access as a college student.  (Otherwise you have to pay to use it.)  But ClassicCat.net is free, plus it often allows you to not only listen to the mp3’s, but often to download them also! Continue reading “Link: ClassicCat.net”

General

Link: Pno-Ped-L Studio Policy Website

Yesterday, I came across this great resource for reading other teachers’ Studio Policies!  It’s called the Pno-Ped-L Studio Policy Website.  The website is not fancy, but there’s a lot of good information there.  

This site has a collection of Studio Policies submitted by teachers all across America and Canada.  (Names, tuition rates, and locations have been omitted for privacy.)  What a great way to see how other teachers handle absences, payment, cancellations, etc!  To see my other posts concerning Studio Policies, see here and here.  

In other areas of the site, they have examples of parents letters, game and camp ideas, and other teaching ideas.  Check it out!

Announcements, Games, Group Classes, Resources

Music Bingo

One of my favorite blogs I follow is Susan Paradis’ Piano Teacher Resources.  She does an amazing job creating colorful worksheets, games, etc. on her computer and she puts them up on her website to share with other teachers.  A couple months ago, I had the opportunity to try out her Music Bingo game (complete with boards and calling cards) with a group of my students.  This version is suitable for elementary level students.  For even younger students, Susan Paradis has created a simpler version, available here.

Continue reading “Music Bingo”

Announcements, Resources

Free Weekly iTunes Downloads

the iTunes storeDid you know that iTunes offers free downloads each week?  If you use iTunes on your computer (you can download it here) and if you have an account on iTunes that allows you to download, you can access free mp3’s to add to your music library.  They usually showcase a different genre of music each week (sorry, Classical music doesn’t come up very often) and often showcase a new up-and-coming artist.  

Here’s how:  Visit the iTunes Store (available right inside of iTunes) and scroll down to the box called, “FREE on iTunes.”  Click there.  You will see (usually) three songs near the top that you can click on, and listen to a 30-second clip of the song.  Decide if you like it, and then download it!  Happy listening.  🙂

Click here to visit my eHow article on this topic.

Studio Business

Studio Policies

As a fellow piano teacher, I can’t stress enough how important it is to have written Studio Policies.  They’re great for letting new students know about how your studio is run!   It will help improve the level of communication between you and the parent/student, because it becomes more clear what you each expect of each other.

Things to include in your Studio Policies handout:
  1. Studio name.  This may seem insignificant, but it’s surprising how much more professional you will look just by naming your studio.  It doesn’t have to be fancy; just try something like Piano Studio of Joy Morin or The Morin Music Studio.
  2. Yearly Calendar.  It doesn’t have to be detailed by any means.  Just state when lessons will be beginning and ending (e.g., September 1 – June 1) and when the holiday breaks will be Continue reading “Studio Policies”
Announcements

Welcome to the new colorinmypiano.com!

Welcome to colorinmypiano at the new url location!  What do you think of the new look?

I registered my domain name with Name.com and have bought a year of web hosting from HawkHost.com.  So far, I’m very pleased with the services I’m paying for.  And I absolutely love using WordPress for my blog.

I haven’t yet settled on a theme that I like for colorinmypiano.com, so my site might be changing appearances frequently over the next week or so.  Bear with me!  🙂

Printables, Studio Business

3 Printables for Interviewing New Students

Just added: THREE new printables on the Printables > Studio Business page:

  1. Beginner Student Interview Form
  2. Transfer Student Interview Form
  3. Student Information Form

These resources are useful for conducting student interviews at the first lesson with a new or transfer student.  The interview forms help evaluate the student’s musical aptitude and background, to help the teacher determine what level repertoire the student should be playing, as well as what technique exercises should be assigned.  The student information form is designed to gather basic contact information from the student — as well as some information from the parent regarding the child’s personality/learning style and musical background. Read on….

Continue reading “3 Printables for Interviewing New Students”

Announcements, Resources

How to Give the First Music Lesson: Interviewing the Student

eHow articleAre you a frequent eHow user?  My husband and I both have accounts on eHow, where you can write your own “How to” articles and make money.  The money you make is based on how many times your article is read by others, and the money is safely deposited into your linked PayPal account.  Don’t expect to make a ton of money, but if you keep up on it, it may be enough to cover your website hosting expenses each month.  (That’s my current goal!)  Below is a link to the article I wrote that summarizes the information from my most recent blog post, about conducting student interviews:  

eHow article:  How to Give the First Music Lesson: Interviewing the Student

If you haven’t tried using eHow before, give it a shot!  There’s lots of great articles to browse through, and it is fairly easy to write your own articles.

Studio Business

Conducting Student Interviews

Many teachers interview prospective students before accepting them into their studio.  While I haven’t yet felt the need to do so with my own studio, after reading James Bastien’s insight concerning interviews in his book Teaching Piano Successfully, I’m convinced that interviewing students is a great idea — even if you are planning to accept the student anyway.  

It’s difficult to know how to spend the first lesson: should you buy a book in advance for the student, and jump right in?  Should you hold off on the music books, and first teach them the musical alphabet, some simple tunes, and maybe some five-finger patterns?  Maybe.   Continue reading “Conducting Student Interviews”