Johnston and Lear Online Music Lessons 

Saturday, February 22, 2020 by Gary Johnston | 21-Day Challenge

Sorry for not blogging these past two days. WiFi issues.

Ear Training

So what is that?

Definition: Ear training or aural skills is a skill by which musicians learn to identify, solely by hearing, pitches, intervals, melody, chords, rhythms, and other basic elements of music. The application of this skill is analogous to taking dictation in written/spoken language.

So, just as we can determine colours by sight we can also ID musical sounds.

This is an amazing skill to master. When folks talk about playing "by ear" they are describing combining musical theory, technique and aural skills together. So today let's begin with some simple exercises.

1. Beginning anywhere on your instrument pick out the melody to "Baby Shark" - https://youtu.be/XqZsoesa55w
2. Again, beginning anywhere on your instrument pick out the melody to "Happy Birthday" - https://youtu.be/Mq0YrfeT90s
3. Now, play both 1 and 2 in every key you can by starting on every white and black key on the piano or on every fret up to fret #12 on C string on the ukulele (cross strings when you have to) You can also begin on the G string if you have a low G.

You've just begun a lifetime of aural training that will blast your musicianship into the stratosphere!

Questions? Ask at your next lesson.

Bye for now.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020 by Gary Johnston | 21-Day Challenge

DAY 4 of the 21-day Challenge!

Sight - read:

Sight-reading, also called a prima vista, is the reading and performing of a piece of music or song in music notation that the performer has not seen before. Sight-singing is used to describe a singer who is sight-reading. Both activities require the musician to play or sing the notated rhythms and pitches. Wikipedia

I can't stress enough how important it is to develop this skill. Whether you're playing a few sing along tunes at a party, leading a church service or auditioning for a symphony orchestra being able to read new music by sight without any preparation is gold. It also goes a long way to helping learn a new piece speedily and without wasting time painstakingly working out details.

Regardless of your instrument here are 10 tips from the folks at Musicnotes.com to help you excel.

https://www.musicnotes.com/now/tips/10-tips-tricks-sight-reading-music/

Tuesday, February 18, 2020 by Gary Johnston | 21-Day Challenge

Finger independence that is. ☺

Today I spent about 25 minutes working on independent fingers.

Here are some great exercises for beginners.

PIANO

https://www.pianotv.net/2018/04/5-exercises-for-finger-independence-early-intermediate/

UKULELE