Video Shoot Behind the Scenes

My best  hint for videotaping is...use a tripod. You may think you have a steady hand, but believe me a tripod makes all the difference. I'm using a Canon T2i DSLR camera, which shoots in HD video.

Do the very best you can with audio. The camera's audio quality is just okay, so for special projects I try to record the audio from a separate source. This little Handy Recorder sits on top of my piano and records in stereo. I import the files into my computer and swap out the audio. The microphone in my camera picks up all the room noise, rain on the windows, trucks driving by and distorts the piano. This little Handy Recorder is a great solution.

The top of my piano is never this tidy! The trickiest thing for me is lighting. I love my big windows, but it's difficult shooting into the light. I bring in extra lamps for as much light on the keys as possible.

Then I take the video and audio files and transfer them into my computer. I use iMovie, the free software that comes with Apple computers to create each video. All I have to do is replace the audio, add some text and some nice transitions. If you have a YouTube account it is easy to export the video to YouTube. When all of my videos are complete, I will collect them into a DVD project and burn a master for duplication.

The Annual DVD Project Begins

As of today we are officially finished with scales, triads and such. Last week I had 12 students take RCM exams and 12 students take Musicianship Exams. We are done with skills and drills and now we are ready to have some fun!

So the next big project (which begins today) is videotaping for our annual Studio DVD. Everyone prepares a favorite piece and we record it during lesson time this week.

I will need to invest quite a few hours to prepare the videos for DVD. But it's easier than you might think using a combination of Garageband, iMovie and iDVD.  

The final project is a complete Studio DVD which everyone receives. Each family pays $10 to cover the cost of professional duplication. It is so nice for students to be able to look back and see how they have grown and improved with their music over time.

I also post my students' videos on YouTube for a period of about two months. They love being able to share it with friends and family who otherwise would never have the chance to hear them play piano. I keep these videos in my own YouTube account so I can watch and control comments. After two months I delete all the videos.

I find that this project is also a very good way to recruit new piano students. Spring is the time of year you want new families to contact you for Fall registration. The best form of advertising is word of mouth and the videos stir up interest and excitement for piano lessons.

The New April RCM Exam Session

This is a big day. I have twelve teenagers who are taking their RCM examinations today. Two grade 5, three grade 6, five grade 7 and three grade 8. I am feeling excited, nervous, hopeful and anxious for them.

I will go cheer them on, while quietly hoping they hear those major 6ths, play their scales musically, notice the key signature and try not to rush. 

Traditionally, students take their piano exams in June as an end of the year "goal". But when I found out that RCM was experimenting with a new April exam session I was quick to jump on board.

Yes, we probably could have used another two months of preparation, especially at these higher levels.  But the idea of enjoying the month of May instead of drilling technique, sight reading and ear training makes me a little giddy.

It is going to feel delightfully indulgent to have a whole month for composing, playing lead sheets and learning those Glee tunes they have been asking to play.

I will ask everyone to go off to the music store and find a book of songs they want to play.  I have been saying all along, "May is all about you". Secretly, I am simply trying to nurture a group of soon-to-be adults who will continue to make and enjoy music.

And the Winner Is...

My first giveaway event was a HUGE success! With 107 entries I used www.random.org to generate a random number this morning.

And the lucky winner is...

Leah from For Love of Piano. Congratulations, Leah!

That was fun everybody. Thanks for all the great comments, we'll do it again soon. Fine work, Farmer Fred!

I know you all love a good giveaway, so scoot off and visit Jenny at The Teaching Studio because she's hosting a draw for a free Ear Training Pro account. Off you go!

My Studio: A Trip Through Time

This post is inspired by Joy's question over at Color in My Piano, where she asks "what kind of piano do you have in your studio?"

I decided to take my own twist on the answer and thought I'd share pictures of my various studio spaces over the past years. Don't you love seeing other teachers' studios?

This is my current piano studio. I have a Yamaha C2 baby grand and three Yamaha Clavinovas. Can't believe I've been here for five years!

2006-2011

My husband and I renovated our basement for my piano studio in our first house.

2002-2005

I had a lot of fun teaching in my first house. I had a room for group lessons and computer time, and a second room for private lessons.

1997-2001

For a couple years I rented a separate studio space for my business. The name "Music Discoveries" has been with me for a long time. I loved this sign.

1995-1996

When students signed up for lessons I traced and painted their hands on my waiting room wall.

1995-1996

This was my very first teaching space. It was a tiny apartment with big, beautiful windows. I had a Baldwin piano, which I had just won from the D.H. Baldwin Fellowship award. See my Mac SE30 in the background? Even then I was a Mac fan.

1993-1994

I think it's interesting to see how my identity as IMT has changed over time and how it is reflected in my studio space. Hope you enjoyed the trip through time.

Jazz, Rags and Blues... a Classic!

Jazz, Rags And Blues, Book 1 by Martha Mier has got to be one of the most successful collections of fun elementary piano solos ever! It has been a staple in my studio since it first came out in 1993.

One of my favorite activities is to make up words to help with the jazzy rhythms. I'm sure many of you do the same and I'd love to hear all about it.

The left hand rhythm in "A Neat Beat" sure is neat, but it's also tricky. I use words for the opening 2-bar pattern: "I am going to a hockey game". It always does the trick for my 10 year old boys who love this piece.

My student, Sebastian and I had a ball creating lyrics for "Just Struttin' Along". For those of you who know the song, go ahead and sing.

Need some butter, need some butter
Need some butter right now (yum, yum, yum)
I need some butter
For my english muffin
I need some butter (butter), right now
Honey for my toast
For my english muffin
Need some butter right now!

 I don't think I'll ever be able to teach this piece again without the butter words.

look inside

Jazz, Rags & Blues - Book 1 (10 original pieces for the late elementary to early intermediate pianist). For solo piano. Piano Collection; Piano Supplemental. Jazz, Rags & Blues. Jazz. SMP Level 3 (Early Intermediate). Collection. Introductory text (does not include words to the songs). 23 pages. Published by Alfred Music Publishing (AP.6642) (14) ...more info

Making the Circle of Fifths Stick

Teaching so concepts stick is a big challenge. You can have the best presentation ever, but if you don't reinforce the material consistently those beautifully presented concepts get foggy. A good example is the circle of fifths. I've got my presentation down to a science, it is a beautiful thing. Last fall I taught the concept to a number of students with the help of one of my PianoAnne theory videos.

We followed up using my laminated Circle of Fifths board. We recited the Fluffy Cat chant, filled in the Major keys and practiced placing sharps and flats in order on the staff week after week.

By the way, don't you think it's time for Father Charles to retire? In my studio "Fluffy Cat Goes Down And Eats Breakfast", then "Breakfast Ends And Dogs Get Cat Food".

In later weeks I brought out my key signature flashcards. The students would name the major keys by referring to the circle of fifths. Then I showed them the quick tricks for naming any major key signature.

Now months later, this is one of the skills that I am testing during Musicianship Exams next week. We've moved on from the flashcards and now we use a website on my ipad that randomly quizzes key signatures. If you haven't discovered www.musictheory.net scoot off and check it out! I like the Key Signature Trainer.

So the great news is that my 8-12 year olds can name their major key signatures, fill in the circle of fifths and recite the order of sharps and flats. Awesome!

But even after all of that, just yesterday a student was getting ready to play a B Flat Major scale and I asked her to name the black keys. Her response was B Flat and D Sharp. Doh! My work is never done!

Giveaway! One Month Celebration!

I started my Pianoantics blog (now Pianoanne) on March 8 with the goal of writing a post every day for one month.

To thank everyone for making me feel welcome and sending along your kind comments, I am having my first giveaway. Oh you know this is going to be good!

Many of you already know my Barnyard Friends, which is the landmark reading strategy that I use with my young beginners. You can read all about it and watch the three videos on the Barnyard Friends page.

The video above is called "The Barnyard Friends and the Grand Staff". A few years ago I took a course in Flash animation as I was keen to learn how to animate cartoon characters. Yes, every blink and mouth movement was painstakingly created frame by frame. But the best part was recording voice overs for the characters. I hand-picked children from my studio to read the script. This has got to be one of my favorite projects ever!

So now to the giveaway details! The prize includes:

1. The Barnyard Friends Workbook
2. The Laminated Barnyard Board
3. A set of Barnyard Friends Flashcards and Characters

How to win:

1. Send me a comment on this post. End your comment with the phrase, "Fine work Farmer Fred!"
2. To enter again, be on my list of Followers. If you are already on my Followers list you are entered automatically.
3. To enter again, write a post about my giveaway on your blog (don't forget to tell me about it).

I will generate a draw for a random winner at 9 am on Thursday, April 14. I will contact the winner by email to get your mailing address. If I don't have your email, I will post the winning name and you can contact me. Be sure to visit Pianoantics next Thursday!

Good luck everyone!

Musicianship Exams

It has been interesting over the years to explore many different options for testing students. I grew up with the Royal Conservatory of Music, which is a grand tradition of student examination in Canada. I've also explored the Canadian National Conservatory of Music and Conservatory Canada who each have their own syllabus and unique requirements.

When I was studying in Michigan it was a surprise to see that each state seems to have it's own testing system. Our students participated in Student Achievement Testing Day each year. This made a big impact on me because it was so different from the traditional exam experience that I had known. Students moved from station to station to complete the various components of their test. It was actually fun!

I don't feel that I have yet found the perfect solution, and I still seem to change my mind every year. I do like the idea of students working toward the goal of an exam evaluation, but there are pros and cons to the experience.

In recent years I have been using the RCM system for only my older students (level 5 and higher) along with the required theory co-requisites.

For all younger students (ages 8-12) I have designed a Musicianship Exam curriculum. The test is done with me at my studio. In fact, next week is Musicianship Exam Week. I have prepared four levels of testing around the following skills:

1. Note naming flashcards - These include fingerings, accidentals and ledger lines. Older students are also identifying tones and semitones by reading pairs of notes.
2. Key Signatures - Everyone is able to identify all major key signatures.
3. Sight Reading - Includes playing a short piece and clapping a rhythm. I want all of my students to know how to "and" count out loud and choose an appropriate, steady tempo.
4. Ear Training - Includes interval recognition, scale recognition, melody playbacks and rhythm clapbacks.
5. Music Terminology - Everyone can whiz through a stack of music terms and signs.
6. Technique - I use the RCM technique curriculum, just to keep the door open for doing RCM exams in later years.

Did you notice... no repertoire, just skills.  I have other projects in mind for repertoire, like a DVD recording and spring recital. Everyone gets a nice certificate and a thorough evaluation to take home, plus awesome prizes for the top marks. I'm hoping for a big success next week.

Tax Time (doh)! Supplies or Expenses?

Oh my, it's tax season! Those of us north of the border are getting our receipts in order so we can fill out the T2125 Statement of Business Activities. It's not such a scary thing if you have done a good job keeping track of your receipts.

The one item that trips me up every year is the difference between "office expenses" and "supplies".

I'm heading upstairs shortly to sort out my receipts. So I'm going to take this opportunity to figure this out... again.

Office expenses: (line 8810)
This is where all the expenses pertaining to running your piano studio go, it includes small items such as:

• pens, pencils, paper and general office supplies
• stationery
• printing
• ink cartridges
• postage and delivery

Studio equipment or furniture, which cost less than $200 before tax, should also be included here. Items over $200 need to be claimed as a capital cost.

Supplies: (line 8811)
You can deduct the cost of items used indirectly to provide the service of piano teaching. Here I would include things like:

• music books
• games and activity supplies
• metronome...mmm, maybe that should be under expenses? Tricky.

Okay receipts... here I come. Are we having fun yet?