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Drumming is tons of fun – and it looks so straightforward too!. After all, you are simply hitting different drums with sticks, right?

Well, if you’ve ever given it a try, you’ll know that professional drummers make it appear like a piece of cake compared to how difficult it is to play drums well! What they do not show is the hundreds or thousands of hours of practice and hard work that goes into it. There are no shortcuts. What made these drummers great was their dedication, determination, and patience.

In this article, we’ll share a few of the best drum tips for beginner students who are learning the drums and get down to details on what a beginner drummer needs for their practice sessions. Hopefully, this will get you deeper in the process of learning how to play drums for beginners and develop good habits early on!

BEST DRUM TIPS FOR BEGINNER STUDENTS

Always go into a practice routine with a plan

Before you even sit down at your drums, plan out exactly what you are going to do. If you want to just play around for a bit, then at least plan that (not what you’re going to do, but the fact that you’re just going to experiment for a while).

The point of this isn’t to make your practice routine ultra rigid – and you can still be spontaneous if you’re feeling inspired – but you need to be more intentional with what you want to accomplish with your time behind the kit.

Get your lesson plan from a professional teacher

While self-learning from YouTube videos is all the hype today, getting your lesson plan from qualified teachers is still the way to go. You can get a private lesson with a school instructor, take a lesson from a music school or even go for an online drumming lesson.

Have a balance of technique and musicality

Practicing technique won’t make you a better musician. Playing music will make you a better musician. Technique is easy and fun to practice because it’s quantifiable, but it’s not the be-all-end-all with drumming. Try to balance your practice between technique and musicality.

Practice drums every day

Whether you’re actively listening to music, tapping on your legs, or just playing on the practice pad, do something every day. Even if it’s just 10 minutes each time, it’s better than nothing!

There are no excuses for not practicing. Don’t get into the mindset that the ‘stars have to be aligned’ for you to practice on the kit. Just do it!

DEVELOPING THE BEST DRUM PRACTICE HABITS

Set a schedule

It doesn’t matter whether you’re practicing drums or lifting weights — your ability to show progress depends entirely on building muscle memory. And the surest way to do that is to set a practice schedule and stick to it religiously. Keep in mind that 30 minutes a day will show results more quickly than three hours once a week.

It’s best if you can practice a little every day, but we know that it can be hard to slavishly stick to a daily schedule for much of anything besides eating and sleeping, so try to put in a minimum of five good practice sessions per week!

Tip: talk to your neighbours. Tell them that you plan to practice drums a certain number of times per week at a certain time of day, so that there is some degree of predictability. Be open to negotiations in order to accommodate their needs and schedules. The idea is to communicate openly and to avoid angry confrontations at all costs.

Plan ahead

Think of your practice sessions as stepping stones that lead to your drumming goals. Each stone represents a small step forward and should in itself accomplish a small goal. So at some point during the week, perhaps on Sunday, you need to set small goals that you want to accomplish during the week.

You know better than anyone what aspect of your drumming needs the most work, so plan to address it in your practice time. Let’s say your hands are more advanced than your feet. So create a schedule that gives greater emphasis to your feet during the upcoming week. Perhaps you can dedicate two out of five sessions to working exclusively on your feet. Or alternatively, plan to spend more time every day working on foot techniques.

Practice with a metronome

Metronomes may sound boring, but they are among the most crucial tools for a beginner drummer.  There are several great metronome apps for drummers online, but you can also opt for a standalone metronome. 

Timing in music is measured as Beats per Minute (BPM). Learn basic drum beats and rhythms and practice playing your regular drum fills and beats to a metronome. When you feel that you are not in sync with the beat, slow the BPM down.  Always practice playing slowly, and only accelerate when you feel comfy doing so. 

Feel like you’re not progressing with drum practice? Try one of the best drum classes in Singapore at CRISTOFORI

With CRISTOFORI, you’ll move beyond just the best drum tips for beginner students to launch your drumming skills with great drum lessons and world-class instructors.

We have prepared a curriculum that combines the instrumentation and technical components that are beneficial for every student that aims to hit that musical skill ceiling they always longed for.

It’s never too early or too late to learn how to play drums for beginners in Singapore, so click the “register button” and start training yourself to become a drumming genius!

The violin is a cornerstone string musical instrument. Contrary to other instruments, a violin is far more complex and needs a lot of extra effort. Becoming a perfectionist in the violin requires immense hard work, patience, and dedication, but the rewards are incredibly satisfying as well!

Once you begin learning the violin, young children and even adults often become fascinated with learning to play the violin and this needs to be encouraged. That said, there are plenty of physical, mental, and social benefits when you learn how to play the violin as a beginner.

In this article, we’ll explain the benefits of learning how to play violin for the first time or even step-by-step!

WHY DO PEOPLE WANT TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY THE VIOLIN?

Improved Memory and Attention Span

Many studies have been done on the benefits of playing the violin or some other musical instrument. A recent analysis discovered that musical coaching, even 1 year’s worth, positively impacts the memory and attention span.

Better Overall Mental Function and Health

Most experts agree that musical training improves reading abilities, speech processing, speech, and a number of brain functions. This includes improved brain development, and how playing a violin can help children battle psychological disorders.

Enjoy Enhanced Sensory Development

Long-term musical training has a wider impact than previously thought. Researchers found that artists have an improved ability to integrate sensory information in hearing, touch, and sight!

Improve Your Social Skills

The benefits of playing the violin are also social. Not only does this give a conversational stage, but young kids gain self-discipline from repeated practice. Learning how to play the violin can build self-reliance, self-esteem, and self-awareness – qualities which make them well-liked and well-adjusted.

Gain A Sense of Belonging

Many teens benefit from learning the violin because of the sense of social belonging it provides. Playing in an orchestra requires group coordination, attention, and being included in a social group.

Concerts and contests provide opportunities for accomplishment as well. There are also the physical advantages of playing the violin, including better posture, stronger upper body power, and improved motor skills are engendered through practice.

LEARN HOW TO PLAY THE VIOLIN AS A BEGINNER – KNOW THE BASICS

Warm Up Your Wrist and Fingers

Like a bass, cello, guitar, or any other stringed instrument, a violin will also make a great deal of work from your wrists and fingers. For example, if you are a right-handed person, the violin will make your left hand deal with the violin strings on the fingerboard; and if you are left-handed, your right hand will need to press the fingerboard strings. Your wrist is used to turn and spin next to your neck to get your fingers to move rightly. Warming up your fingers and wrists each time before holding the violin instrument will improve your ability to move your fingers more accurately and speedily. You can visit some online video sites to find out the best violin warm-up exercises.

Make Full Use of Violin Tabs

Violin tabs are the best alternative if you have never learned to read music theory. Some teachers also make use of tabs while teaching pieces of violin music to beginners who are unfamiliar with sight-reading or sheet music. The tabs will help you identify where exactly on your neck you should put your fingers to play a song correctly. Learning tabs will probably take away the time you may need to spend on studying music theory.

Reach Out to an Expert Violin Teacher

Some music exercises require periodic practicing to understand each piece and play them right. A violin teacher can help speed up your music learning process by making you practice some more advanced techniques like rhythm, improvisation, music theory, focusing on some more musical styles, training you to participate in concerts or auditions, learning and reading notes, and more.

CHOOSE CRISTOFORI FOR YOUR BEGINNER VIOLIN LESSONS

Violin lessons at CRISTOFORI is the best way to learn how to play the violin as a beginner in Singapore, hands down. With over 40 years of teaching and 200,000 successful students, we have created an education philosophy that takes the Whole Person Theory approach that focuses on three aspects: academic skills, learning skills and the awareness of the training process itself.

In other words, our students are trained not to be spoon-fed but to seek knowledge and help actively. They find out how to concentrate, learn and organise information into knowledge. As such, students will gain analytical skills, concentration, and abstract thinking skills.

Over the years, we also held firmly to our belief of producing quality musical instruments and selling them at the most reasonable prices.

Find out more about our violin lessons in Singapore!

Born in Hong Kong and based in Berlin, pianist Chiyan Wong’s audacity and vision have captivated listeners, in a repertoire ranging from the early Baroque to the 21st century. He completed and edited the transcriptions presented in his critically acclaimed debut album, Liszt Transfigured: Operatic Fantasies for Piano (LINN Records), which was awarded the 40th Franz Liszt International Grand Prix du Disque by the Franz Liszt Society in Hungary, and has recently completed his doctorate on Busoni at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

In Singapore, Chiyan Wong has stunned audiences with two outstanding recitals at the Singapore International Piano Festival (2012, 2017) and a stupendous performance of Prokofiev’s fiendish Piano Concerto No.2 with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in 2016.

In January of this year Chiyan released his second album “Goldberg Variations”, which features his combination of Bach’s Goldberg Variations with Busoni’s edition of the same work.

Bechstein Music world was honored to host his first Masterclass in Singapore on 30th October 2021. The session was broadcast on Facebook Live and viewers from all around the world joined the stream.

3 aspiring young pianists got the chance to perform for the Masterclass and receive feedback and instruction from Chiyan Wong: Kayserburg International Youth Piano Competition 2021-Intermediate Category Gold Winner Estelle Goh aged 14, Kayserburg International Youth Piano Competition 2021 – Open Category Bronze Winner Tan Jing Yang aged 17, and first-time masterclass participant Fang Jun Cheng age 13.

Each participant had a 45-minute one-on-one session with Chiyan Wong who gave them insightful advice into learning, re-learning, deconstructing, approaching and interpreting their pieces.

We certainly look forward to Chiyan Wong’s next visit to Singapore for more concerts and Masterclasses.

Once again, we would like to congratulate all the participants for their efforts.

We are very grateful to our partners Altenburg Arts for making the Piano Masterclass with Chiyan Wong possible.

For updates of upcoming events, remember to follow Bechstein Music World – Singapore on Facebook and Instagram.

Learning a new instrument is no easy feat. You’ll spend countless hours practicing, but the payoff is incredible when you can play for yourself or others, learn songs, or even write your own music.

If you want to get started with a musical instrument but aren’t sure where to start — or you’re ready to branch out and learn a second (or third!) instrument — consider learning ukulele as one of your main options. It’s an instrument with a rich history, that has relevance today more than ever! Let’s explore the different reasons why learning how to play the ukulele for beginners is incredibly beneficial and where to find the best ukulele for beginners.

Consider Learning Ukulele-What You Need to Know

It’s a great starter instrument

Many teachers and experienced musicians recommend ukulele for beginners. Its small frame fits snugly in the arms of almost anyone who holds it, making strumming a breeze and minimizing wrist tension. Plus, its soft nylon strings are easier on your fingertips than other stringed instruments.

They’re incredibly portable

Are you constantly on the move? The ukulele’s compact size makes it the perfect instrument for the traveling musician. This means you can take online lessons wherever you go — as long as there’s an internet connection. Whether you’re headed to the beach or a business conference across the country, your ukulele can be right there with you every step of the way. Make sure you read up on our guide for traveling with an instrument before you go on your next adventure.

The chords are easy

If there’s one thing beginner guitar players struggle with, it’s chords. It can be difficult to remember all of the necessary finger placements, especially with six strings. However, chords on the ukulele are quite easy to remember, since they only have four strings. Chords that normally require three or four fingers on guitar are often played with just one finger on ukulele, so you’ll master them in no time. Easier chords mean you’ll be spending less time worrying about finger placement and more time learning new songs! 

Songs of all genres can be easily translated

Here’s a fun challenge: type your favourite song into YouTube followed by “ukulele” and see how many results pop up. Chances are you’ll see at least a handful of bedroom musicians strumming along to a delightful rendition. Whether you’re into rock, pop, jazz, or anything in between, it’s incredibly easy to translate songs to the ukulele due to its four strings and simplified chords. If you’ve always wanted to jam along with to your favourite music but aren’t sure where to begin, consider picking up some ukulele lessons.

They’re incredibly affordable

Let’s face it, instruments can oftentimes cost you an arm and a leg. A decent guitar can easily reach the $500-$600 range, and that’s before factoring in cables, an amplifier, or pedals. On the other hand, it’s possible to find a decent quality ukulele for under $100. The average ukulele is much smaller than a standard guitar, which means less materials are required for building one. This creates a cheaper product for the curious musician, and offers potential learners a low cost of entry. Plus, you don’t need any cables or amplifiers; your only additional costs are a fresh set of strings every once in a while.

They’re incredibly fun

Everything about the ukulele just screams fun. Between its happy-sounding, upbeat tone and association with the gorgeous islands of Hawaii, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who won’t smile when your ukulele is brought out. No matter how sour your mood is, a few strums on your trusty four-string will be all it takes to lift your spirits.

They’re a great option for players of all ages

Ukuleles seem to be one of the only instruments perfectly designed for kids (second only to the triangle, of course). The instrument is the perfect size for small hands, meaning even young children can learn their chords. Older players will have an easy time as well, plus it’s a great way for them to build finger dexterity!

Choose CRISTOFORI As Your Go-To Place For Ukulele Lessons

Consider learning ukulele at the best music school in Singapore for strong and solid foundation in learning how to play the ukulele for beginners.

We have prepared a curriculum that combines the instrumentation and technical recording components, beneficial for every student that aims to hit that ukulele mastery they always longed for.

It’s never too early or too late to get that ukulele course in Singapore, so click the “register button” and start training yourself to become a Ukulele player.

In the world of music, the guitar is undoubtedly the most popular (and also most accessible) instrument out there. In fact, you would know quite a few guitarists who have taken lessons, and several others who have not. John Mayer, for example, started learning the guitar on his own before studying music!

While there are plenty of prodigies and rock stars out there who shun guitar lessons, they are still the best way to learn how to play guitar for beginners step-by-step of the way. Guitar lessons can turn a competent guitarist into an excellent one – so here are some reasons why guitar lessons are still the best for learning how to play the guitar!

Reasons Why You Should Take Guitar Lessons

You’ll Get A Good, Solid Foundation

Yes, you certainly can learn the basics by looking at books. But are you sure you are holding your guitar properly? Are you positive you are holding down the strings effectively? Is this book you’re using even the best kind for your learning style?

Nothing beats an in-person, tactile learning environment. An instructor can start you off on the right foot by demonstrating proper technique and help you get a good foundation without falling into bad habits, which can inhibit your playing and require extra work to “un-learn.” Better to have an instructor help you adjust your strap and help you with finger placement now rather than having to put in extra work later.

Playing in Your Preferred Style

It’s a sad, but true, fact that many instruction books and videos simply don’t have the types of songs you actually want to learn. “You Are My Sunshine” is all well and good, but what if you want to learn The Beatles or John Mayer instead? A good guitar teacher will be familiar with your preferred genre, and can actually help you find songs you want to play, at your current ability level. There’s even a good chance that he or she may have tabulature or sheet music that they themselves use when they perform. This personalization will keep you interested in playing and accelerate your progress.

Get Instant Gratification and Feedback

A book or a video cannot tell you how you are doing. An instructor can give you valuable information, praise and suggestions for improvement on the spot. Once again, this will help you avoid blocks in your learning that you would need to get rid of later. Plus, it’s always great to have a captive audience.

Keeping You Honest and Working

When you hit a snag in your learning (musical or otherwise), it’s tempting to simply let that learning go if it’s not mandatory. You can set a book down and not play music again for a few days – or forever. When you are taking lessons you know you are responsible for advancing yourself in the eyes of your teacher. In addition, putting your hard-earned money down for lessons puts some “skin in the game.” You want a return on your investment, so you are more likely to continue during those times when the going gets rough. (By the way, almost every student goes through this occasionally, and there is always the other side of it when you have a major breakthrough. Never give up!)

Rational and Continued Progression

No matter how good an instruction book or video is, there’s always an end. In the one-on-one learning process, a good instructor can take you to a new level of learning and playing seamlessly. They can help you connect concepts (chord progressions, notes, etc.) more quickly and easily than a book or a video ever could.

Learning How to Play Guitar Within Your Comfort Brings Many Benefits

Playing the guitar relives anxiety and stress. Even doctors recommend that you should find at least one hobby that you can have some fun and relieve stress with. Doing this leads to enhanced mental and physical health.

It increases your thought-process, exercises your mind, and protects it from future deterioration. Learning new things makes new connections in your brain, and the challenge of learning to play the guitar is great for better cognitive development. Doing so has been proven to be helpful for your long-term mental health!

Choose CRISTOFORI for Your Beginner Guitar Lessons

Guitar lessons at CRISTOFORI is the best way to learn how to play guitar for beginners step by step in Singapore, hands down. With over 40 years of teaching and 200,000 successful students, we have created an education philosophy that takes the Whole Person Theory approach that focuses on three aspects: academic skills, learning skills and the awareness of the training process itself.

In other words, our students are trained not to be spoon-fed but to seek knowledge and help actively. They find out how to concentrate, learn and organise information into knowledge. As such, students will gain analytical skills, concentration, and abstract thinking skills.

Over the years, we also held firmly to our belief of producing quality musical instruments and selling them at the most reasonable prices.

Find out more about our guitar lessons in Singapore!

If you’re thinking about buying your first piano, you’ve come to the right place. Shopping for a piano is comparable to shopping for a car. You’ll need to look for an instrument that can satisfy your individual needs while also meeting your budget!

Common things to consider will be the size of the instrument, how old it is, the condition it’s in, and ultimately how much of an additional investment needed for restoration efforts. Buying a piano for the first time can seem like a daunting task, however, it’s quite easy once you know what to look for.

In this article, we’ll provide you with all of the knowledge you need to confidently make a purchase at a trusted piano shop in Singapore. Whether it’s a Steinway, Yamaha, or even a keyboard, the same basic principles will apply. We’ll also show you where to buy a piano in Singapore as well as a second hand piano dealer.

Where to Find Trusted Piano Shop in Singapore

While there are plenty of piano shops in Singapore for you to consider, here are a few key reasons why you should only buy pianos from a reputable and trusted piano shop in Singapore.

• You can expect support and services from the shop

When you purchase a piano from a trusted piano shop in Singapore, you can expect services and benefits such as:

• Free transport of piano to location
• Tuning services
• Guarantees or warranties
• Buy-back schemes and etc
• You can choose from trusteed and well-made brands

A number of brands have consistently produced reliable acoustic pianos. These brands have earned themselves a good reputation and are generally considered as safer choices. If you have no idea where to look, start with these brands:

• Yamaha
• Steinway & Sons
• Kawai
• Baldwin
• Bösendorfer

Recommendations for First-time Piano Buyers

1. Decide Between An Upright, Grand or Digital Keyboard

Whether your kids are enrolled in piano lessons or perhaps you’re playing the piano as a fun hobby, it’s important to decide which instrument best fits your needs. To start this process you need to understand the 3 main instrument types, their positives, and drawbacks of each.

• Digital Keyboard

The lowest possible entry point for a piano is a digital keyboard. Ranging from $100 all the way to $3000, there’s plenty of options to choose from. These keyboards come in all shapes, sizes, number of keys and more.

Digital keyboards usually feature a kind of “hammer action” needed to replicate the touch, resistance and response of an acoustic piano. In addition to touch and feel, portability, and price, digital keyboards offer plenty of entertainment features.

While it’s true that these pianos offer a wealth of features, but they’ll never feel exactly like an acoustic piano. Sometimes technical issues can develop from practicing too much on synthetic keyboard hammer action which makes the transition to an acoustic piano difficult.

If you’re tight on space they are definitely more compact than an upright or grand. There’s also little to no maintenance cost associated with these, and depending what kind you purchase you can certainly travel with the instrument.

• Upright Piano

The upright piano is the median choice. It has a much lower investment point than a grand piano but still offers an authentic touch that keyboards often try to replicate

Upright pianos are designed to save space due to their vertical design. For a beginner or intermediate pianist, upright pianos get the job done. They use real hammer action, real copper strings, and are great developmental instruments leading to a grand piano.

The more you invest in an upright piano, the better the sound quality will be. High-end uprights by Yamaha and Steinway are known for their rich tone, responsive action, and durability even in humid climates.

• Grand Piano

Grand pianos are the cream of the crop, sporting the most cosmetically appealing look of the three options. One can expect to spend north of $10,000 for a low-end grand piano, but more budget options are being made available.

Used grand pianos are a great bargain, but often need to be inspected (more on this in a minute) to ensure their quality and authenticity. When purchasing a grand piano you should consider the amount of space needed.

As far as touch and tone are concerned, grand pianos are the best. Many are designed to allow for quick repetitious passagework and make piano playing more effortless.

Steinway and Yamaha are considered to be the leading piano manufacturers in the world, however, there is worthy competition out there. Kawaii, Brodmann, Young Chang, and Fazioli are all reputable piano makers.

Grand pianos are generally going to require more care and maintenance, but they are built tough. Due to their large size, they are also very expensive to move, so do keep this in mind if you’re living in temporary housing.

2. Understanding Your Budget

At this point in the piano buying process, you should have an idea of what you want. All of these pianos come in different sizes and have their own benefits. After considering how much noise you want to hear in the home, whether you can fit the piano into a room, and technical development, it’s time to look at what you can comfortably afford.

3. Consider the Maintenance Costs

Before making a piano purchase it’s important to understand the future maintenance costs. If it’s a new piano it may need less work done, but a used or rebuilt piano might need a few extra things done to it. Here’s a couple of common repairs pianos need.

• Tuning
• Voicing
• Pitch Regulation
• Lubrication
• Buffering
• Key Replacement
• Cleaning

That’s a big list, but most of what you’ll need to be done on a consistent basis is the tuning and voicing. Tuning is good practice because it helps maintain the pitch of the keys and gives your technician a chance to see what else is going on with the instrument. Tuning also keeps the parts firmly fastened so nothing loosens up or falls out of place.

4. Test Playing the Instrument Multiple Times

To help make the investment decision easier, it’s important to give your future piano a good test run. It is highly advised against purchasing a piano without first playing it. Not just once, but multiple times! Every acoustic piano has a unique character to it. Steinway, for example, is built by hand, so each piano they produce is completely different.

You Can Trust CRISTOFORI’S Range of Pianos for Sale

CRISTOFORI aims to supply a wide range of top quality and reliable instruments at reasonable prices so that everyone can gain access to musical instruments for learning and playing music. CRISTOFORI has grown to become one of the most trusted piano shop and music school in Singapore.

Over the years, we’ve satisfied 80,000 piano customers and taught over 200,000 students to play music. Here, you will find the finest quality pianos at some of the best piano prices in Singapore.

At CRISTOFORI, you will find pianos of very fine quality and affordable prices, which range from $699 and upwards depending on the functions and features.

Discover our range of pianos as one of the best piano shop Singapore has to offer.

Falling in love with music is a natural phenomenon for millions of people in the world – and the piano is one of the most popular ways that music is expressed. If you’ve got yourself a new piano, it’s time to learn how to make some beautiful music!

However, that’s often easier said than done – there are so many things to learn before you will be able to play a complete song on the piano! If you’ve ever wondered what is the best way to learn piano by yourself, or what is the best piano learning app for adults, this article has got you covered!

Piano Lessons: Still The Best Way to Learn Piano

You can learn a lot about the piano on your own. But this can limit your progress, and you’ll soon find that your learning curve is slow or even hindered. Sometimes it helps to find a teacher to help you learn!

Finding an expert will give you a partner in your learning. They know the tips and tricks that can help make your learning process easier.

You also have someone that can look over your shoulder to make sure you are doing things right. Sure, you may be producing the sound you’re going for when playing your music. But are you using the proper technique?

A teacher will be able to make sure you do things right, so you don’t have to correct yourself in the future. It’s easier to learn the right way to do things the first time around!

What are the Other Best Ways to Learn Piano?

Learn The Basics

It may seem obvious but start with the basics. Sometimes we want to jump straight in and try to see how far we can go in the beginning. But if you don’t start simple first, you can burn yourself out from failure or injure your hands because they don’t have the stamina to handle more complex music.

The first thing you need to focus on when playing is posture. You will be doing a lot of repetitive motions. Good posture will help reduce the strain on your hands and wrists when you are playing.

Once you are sitting correctly, focus on learning the basic techniques. You need to perfect your form in the beginning.

Once you have learned proper form, focus on learning the primary rhythms and cords that make up the songs you want to practice.

Set A Practice Schedule and Stick with It

Practice makes perfect. If you don’t invest the time to learn a skill, then you aren’t going to go anywhere with it.

If you want to become good, then you need to put in the hours. Try to practice the same amount of time every day and don’t stop.

The more work you do, the better you’re going to get.

Apply The 80/20 Principle

The 80/20 principle has become popular in business and skill development. It’s a simple principle when you take a look at it.

The idea is that 80% of your progress will come from 20% of the work you do. How does knowing this help though?

Don’t put all your efforts into learning every piano skill you can. Only focus on the skills that once you master will make everything else you learn easier.

You can also use this principle to play the music you want to focus on. Chances are what you want to play only uses a subset of the types of playing out there. Focus on what you need to know to play the music you enjoy.

Play In the Beginning

You aren’t a master musician yet. It’s okay if you don’t play your music fast.

Before you start working on speed, make sure you are accurate. Spend your time making sure you hit all the right notes.

As you rack of practice time, muscle memory will start kicking in. When this happens, you should see your speed begin to get better.

Until then, take things slow and do things right.

Practice with Music You Enjoy

You didn’t start to learn a new instrument to have a miserable time. You want to have fun. When you practice, make sure you are working towards progressing with the songs you love.

Pop is an easy genre of music to pick up. This music has simple melodies that aren’t hard to understand. They’re catchy too and won’t be too dull to keep playing.

There are also several beginner piano songs that are catchy and good for practice. Learn what these are and use them to practice your technique.

Choose CRISTOFORI for your beginner piano lessons

Piano lessons at CRISTOFORI is the best way to learn piano in Singapore, hands down. With over 40 years of teaching and 200,000 successful students, we have created an education philosophy that takes the Whole Person Theory approach that focuses on three aspects: academic skills, learning skills and the awareness of the training process itself.

In other words, our students are trained not to be spoon-fed but to seek knowledge and help actively. They find out how to concentrate, learn and organise information into knowledge. As such, students will gain analytical skills, concentration, and abstract thinking skills.

Over the years, we also held firmly to our belief of producing quality musical instruments and selling them at the most reasonable prices.

Find out more about our piano lessons in Singapore!

A piano is an acoustic, stringed musical apparatus that originated in Italy around 1700 by Bartolomeo Cristofori. Struck by wooden hammers coated with a softer material are their strings, while modern hammers are with dense wool felt. Some early pianos used leather. They played it on a keyboard, a row of keys (small levers) that the performer presses or strikes with their fingers and thumbs on both hands to cause the hammers to strike the strings.

Aside from the gift of listening to your young child plays a song that they’ve mastered from piano class for kids, there are numerous advantages to your young child learning piano. Playing the piano and taking lessons can certainly help you how to teach a child to play piano.

What Age Can A Child Start Piano Lessons

Typically, the best age to begin piano lessons is between age 5 and 9 years old. While older students may have an easier time learning to play, students as young as six years old can also go for piano class for kids because the piano keys are simple to use. Even very young children under the age of five can begin to explore the piano, depending on the student. After all, Mozart famously began playing the piano at the age of three!

Piano Lessons for Kids aged 3.5 to 5 Years Old in Singapore

Piano lessons are more than just an opportunity for children to learn about music; recent research has shown that learning to perform the piano has a significant impact on a child’s brain and provides them with various benefits that will last a lifetime. By learning how to teach a child to play piano, you can boost a child’s chances of success later in life.

Piano Lessons for Kids Singapore

New students begin with a foundational series of lesson books. Each book takes a student through another stage of learning how to read music, understand music theory, and play the piano. Additionally, for fun and variety, special music such as classical, jazz, and popular songs are interspersed. Introducing new music allows the teacher to learn more about the student’s musical interests in the class, Piano lessons for kids Singapore for future improvement and personal enjoyment.

In fact, CRISTOFORI uses the much-awarded Piano Adventures® lesson book for our children’s piano lessons! It is the teaching method of choice at leading university programs and music studios around the world. This student-centered approach uses analysis, creativity, and expression to develop a “musical mind and heart.”

The delightful, pianistic pieces and creative theory pages, combined with an outstanding technical approach encourage practice and progress—with adventure!

Transfer Lesson

Typically, it appears to be necessary to continue using the same lesson books from previous teachers simply. Then it is decided what It should add additional music, theory, exercise, and sight-reading materials to help student progress.

Adult Lesson

Adults can go through the same process as beginners and transfers. Furthermore, adults can have a more significant say in the pace of lessons and the types of music played. Adults are not required to join in performance classes or recitals unless they choose to do so. We encourage everyone to share the knowledge of music by performing recitals for family and friends, which can be very rewarding.

Virtual Class Lesson

To build a safe environment during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, all students will have access to virtual lessons. Online classes will continue for as long as it is necessary for the health and safety of all students and the instructor.

Once everything is back in the studio for in-person lessons, the piano teachers will use this teaching method to meet various needs, including lousy snow days, health issues, and attendance concerns.

This method of taking piano lessons has proven to be very effective and is relatively simple to set up and maintain for students. Participants will often be given a Student Set-Up Checklist along with preparation instructions for beginning their online lessons. It is critical to have the appropriate device, internet speed, and video calling system requirements met for the first lesson.

CRISTOFORI’s Graded Examination System and one-of-a-kind academic structure curriculum is designed for holistic well-being in body, heart, and soul, utilizing Cristofori’s 3-Step Learning.

CRISTOFORI hosts over 100 events per year, ranging from masterclasses to competitions to concerts. Every CRISTOFORI Music School student has the opportunity to perform in at least one Student’s Piano Recital each year. Cristofori also allows students to compete in competitions such as the Kayserburg International Youth Piano Competition and others.

Famous International Piano Competition for Youths

The regular piano practice provides players with a variety of physical and physiological benefits. It improves dexterity and hand-eye coordination while sharpening fine motor skills. Music has also shown lowering heart and respiratory rates and cardiac complications, lower blood pressure, and boost immune response. Aside from developing mental and physical capabilities, pianists also enjoy the most famous international piano competition made for them.

Japan Piara Piano Competition

The Hamamatsu International Piano Competition was started in 1991 in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the founding of Hamamatsu City. Since then this international cultural program has been held every three years to celebrate the history and tradition of the city of music and musical instruments!

This competition is open to all who are born after 1991!

Singapore Asia Youth Piano Competition

This is a competition that is suitable for all piano students. Fun tip – there are also categories based on ABRSM grades, not just ages!

Winners will often be given the chance to join the Finals of Japan’s PIARA Piano competition. Your child can perform their free choice of piano pieces, and/or the ABRSM category and showcase their exam pieces!

Online Popular Piano Competition

The Popular Piano Competition aims to bring together young aspiring piano players of all nationalities in a celebration of music and passion amid global hardships, and to spread joy and hope into the world!

The Online competition medium seeks to overcome all physical boundaries by utilizing technology to its purpose of connecting people around the globe.

The categories include Children (8 years and below), Junior (9 to 13 years) and youth (14 to 25 years)!

International Festival and Competition for Young Pianists and Piano Teachers “Bartolomeo Cristofori”

The festival competition included artists under the age of 25 (the age group up to 11 years, 12-15 years, 16-18 years, 19-22, 23-24, and “teachers” at the age of 26 and above with no age limit).

Kayserburg International Youth Piano Competition

https://www.rs-event.sg/main/2021-kayserburg-international-youth-piano-competition/

Compete against pianists from all over the world in the finals in Guangzhou. There are over SGD 75,000 in total prizes to be won! All ages and nationalities are welcome.

Sydney International Piano Competition

The Sydney Piano Competition is proudly ranked among the world’s best. The competition will return in 2021, with 32 incredibly talented young competitors worldwide, career-changing prizes and opportunities, and thrilling, rigorous competitive rounds – but this time online.

These competitions emphasize the academic rigor in a student-centered approach, focusing on theory, performance, and general musicianship. Through activities and personal exploration, they foster creativity. They tailor lessons to individual learning styles, monitor progress, and teach accordingly.

The Ukulele is a four-stringed wooden musical instrument that resembles a small classical guitar. Although English speakers pronounce it “you-ka-ley-ley,” the spelling is an anglicized version of the original Hawaiian pronunciation, “ju-ke-lei-li.”

The ukelele is a fun, light-weight, easy-to-learn instrument that can also serve as an excellent introduction to learning to play the guitar. The instrument has a long history and is regaining popularity. Ukelele is also popular with children—ideal for people with small hands.

Tips on How to Learn Ukulele

A good ukulele practice routine should be adequate, challenging, and fun, whether you’re a beginner or a pro. This CRISTOFORI ukulele practice schedule can help you master a wide range of ukulele skills, regardless of your level of ambition.

Start with stretching

Stretch your fingers on both hands before you even begin to warm up. Straighten your elbow and extend your left arm out in front of you, palm facing out. Your fingers should all be pointing straight up at the ceiling. For a good stretch, gently pull the tip of your index finger back toward you with your right hand. Hold the stretched area for 10 to 20 seconds before repeating with your middle, ring, pinkie, and thumb—switch, as well as the fingers on your right hand.

Warm-up with single-string exercises

Begin by playing the first string (the A string) open. Then, using your index finger, press the string down on the first fret and pluck it once more. Rep with your middle finger on the second fret, ring finger on the third fret, and ring finger and pinkie on the fourth fret. You just performed a chromatic line. Play the chromatic line backward. Repeat this with a metronome, gradually increasing the speed over time. Repeat the pattern on the second (E string), third (A-C string), and fourth strings (G string).

Work on strumming patterns

With your left hand, hold a single chord shape. Cycle through strumming techniques with that ukulele chord in place. Work on the following patterns: down-up-down-up, down-down-up, down-up-down, and down-down-up-up. You can practice these strumming patterns with both your fingers and a pick.

Go to ukulele Singapore to learn fingerpicking patterns

The best ukulele players are also masters of finger-picking in addition to strumming. Like a banjo or acoustic guitarist, a good ukulele player can hold chord shapes with their left hand and pick individual notes with their right hand, providing rhythmic momentum and variety. Begin with a simple learn ukulele Singapore course for beginners then move on to arpeggios, playing each chord note in ascending and descending order.

Practice chord changes with a metronome

Make a chord progression with a mix of major and minor chords, then add dominant seventh chords, diminished chords, and augmented chords. The goal isn’t to make beautiful music but to push yourself to improve your fretting and transitions. Set the metronome to a comfortable rate and begin by playing one chord every four metronome clicks. Cycle through the progression until you’re comfortable with it, then double your speed by changing chords every two clicks. Change chords on every click if you want to test your ukulele strumming abilities.

Perform a few songs

You’ve now progressed to the point in your practice routine where you can play through entire songs. You could work on songs you already know or start from scratch with a new song. You can use CRISTOFORI ukulele songbooks to follow chord charts or play along to recordings and learn the songs by ear. Playing new songs can assist you in mastering standard chord fingering, introducing you to new chords, and improving your strumming patterns.

Create a new ukulele song of your own

Finish your practice session with some songwriting if you want to create original music. The best songs take ideas from established music and add something new to them, whether melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, or structural.

It will take 3-6 months, so keep it in mind to become more comfortable playing songs, possibly less for more accessible tunes. You’ll also have plenty of room for improvement after that. To play this unique instrument, you must first master two skills: chord formation and strumming.

The Best Ukulele for Beginners

https://eshop.cristofori.asia/collections/ukulele

Soprano Colorful Ukulele

The Soprano Colourful Ukulele line is an excellent first ukulele to dive in with. They come in an assortment of colors with a classic look that sounds great.  An exceptional value to get anyone playing for the first time!

Suzuki-SUK4 w/ Case, Strap, Picks and Tuner

A trusted ukulele from the Suzuki brand, this is the most popular education musical instrument brand in Japan!

This well-known student model comes in soprano size with full sapele body, stylish black strings and is packaged with a tuner, strap, picks and a Suzuki original bag.

Moana Series Ukulele

Another well-known brand, whose name is now associated with a cartoon, is Moana. They make some of the best quality beginner models of ukuleles. Their ukulele are made from a combination of quality tone wood that expresses fuller, rich tones that’ll amaze most audiences!

Greg Bennett UK70 Ns Ukulele

Set up and strung with Premium Aquila strings, the Greg Bennett UK70 Concert Size Ukulele is an absolute joy to play! Designed in the USA by Greg Bennett, a renowned designer from Nashville, Tennessee, the UK70 not only looks great, it sounds fantastic and plays great!

Beautifully handcrafted from Select Spruce, Rosewood, Ivoroid and Abalone, the UK70 has the tonal quality and appearance of an instrument that should cost twice its modest asking price!

The Takeaway

At CRISTOFORI, as at other sites offering online CRISTOFORI ukulele instruction, we offer lessons to help beginners get started. Our ukulele school stands out for our technique, theory, play-along songs, and complete tabs for every song!

CRISTOFORI regularly runs ukulele lessons during the school holiday season – take the time to kickstart you or your child’s love for the ukulele! In fact, we provide ample perks such as free ukulele materials! Our ukulele group lessons are the perfect way to get started with playing the ukulele and fall in love with the unique music it makes. We offer both online and offline lessons – so get started at https://cristofori.asia/main/ !

The violin is a bowed stringed instrument that evolved during the Renaissance from earlier bowed instruments such as the medieval fiddle, the lira da braccio, and the rebec. The violin is most likely the most well-known and widely distributed musical instrument in the world.

Many adults want to learn to play the violin. However, there is always a preconceived notion that prevents them from doing so: I am too old to learn music. Learning music is frequently misunderstood as being only for children. In fact, adults can learn quickly and thoroughly too which is why it is recommended to learn violin Singapore.

Violin Lessons in Singapore for Adults

Violin class for adults improve memory and cognitive abilities. Many studies show that even a year of playing the violin (or other musical instruments) improves your brain’s memory capacity. It can also help you with your reading, language processing, speech, and attention span. Children and teenagers who play the violin have better verbal and visual pattern abilities than those who play other instruments.

Technique instruction

Another important aspect of playing music is a technique, or how you approach an instrument to produce high-quality sound. It is an essential part of learning to play. Look for video instruction where instructors take the time to demonstrate proper techniques for playing your instrument.

Bit by bit

Music elements are taught bit by bit in most traditional classrooms. An approach that allows you to grasp the elements by building as you go gradually. However, until you have studied for a long time, you will never get a big picture view of how all these points of the elements relate.

An approach for you

Violin instructors often designed the information presented at the workshop on essential music theory elements to give you a bigger picture of the studied component. You will begin with a big picture or overview of the element before delving into each component that makes it up.

Then you’ll begin applying your knowledge and putting it together in a way that allows you to assimilate the pieces quickly. It accelerates your understanding of these music theory elements.

Learning to play a musical instrument is always a rewarding experience. Playing an instrument can help you improve your memory and attention span, improve your posture, relieve stress, and develop your sensory abilities. You will be amused to know that there are many excellent, lifelong benefits to playing the violin and that learning to play it, like any other endeavor, requires the right tools and the correct instruction.

The first step in becoming a violin beginner is to obtain a violin. The violin is available in a variety of sizes, depending on the age of the student. When buying a violin, it usually comes with a violin bow, a violin case, and violin rosin. Other accessories, such as a violin shoulder rest, music stand, and violin mute, will also be helpful.

Learn Violin Singapore: The Basics

Due to the physical demands of the instruments, the violin has a steeper learning curve than all other instruments in the beginning, possibly even more so for young children. Below are a few essential tips to keep in mind that must master early on to ensure a smooth learning journey on the violin.

Posture

When learning the violin, it is critical to hold the instrument correctly. It is critical to have good posture when holding the violin and the bow because it is the foundation of a good violinist. Be sure your shoulders are relaxed and not raised. Tilt your head to the left slightly so that your violin rests on your left shoulder. Check that your right thumb is curved, your pinkie is on the bow, and the rest of your fingers are relaxed while holding the bow. If the weight is too heavy, use a pencil to practice the right-hand posture.

Pizzicato and Arco

The four strings are one of the fundamentals of violin playing that you will learn. When practicing holding the violin, you can do a few pizzicato exercises, which involve plucking the string with your right index finger to become acquainted with the four open strings on the violin. G D A E is the open strings on the violin (Left to Right). A mnemonic: Great Danes Are Enormous is an easy way to remember.

Fingerings

Following a series of lessons on the open strings (G, D, A, E), one of the next steps in violin playing will be some fingerboard exercises. Your teacher will mark your violin to help you identify where you place your fingers on the fingerboard. Placing your fingers incorrectly in the fingerboard can lead to poor pitching, so check frequently and try to memorize it by listening.

Finally, when learning to play the violin, it is critical to developing good practice habits. Developing good practice habits will speed up your learning process. It is critical to practice daily, even if only for 20 – 30 minutes a day if possible, rather than only once a week. Slowly perform your practices, recognizing the exercises and patterns that your teacher has assigned you to work on before playing them at a faster speed. Accuracy always takes precedence over speed.

Affordable Violin Lessons in Singapore

You will learn your violin technique faster if you begin with slow daily practice. Please pay close attention to what you want to achieve in practice, whether it’s sound, articulations, dynamics, or phrasings.

Beginner Level

This is recommended for people who have never played the violin before. The curriculum is to teach beginners how to play the violin. Typically, it is a one-on-one class. It is an effective learning method for both children and adults. These CRISTOFORI violin lessons fee cost between $45 and $65 per lesson.

Pre-Intermediate Level

These are lessons for the pre-intermediate level, and they are usually one-on-one lessons as well. It would help if you mastered scales such as C major, A minor, and G major. Aural assessments are included, as well as more information about arpeggios and scales. Students must practice scales in opposite motion (such as E- central) and scales in similar motion (like A majors).

Intermediate Level

These are intermediate-level classes. Adults and children should only apply if they have studied the foundation and basics of violin playing. Non-instrument-specific criteria are examined, with the emphasis placed on the musical outcome. It entails mastering all previous levels and a greater emphasis on aural tests and progressive music at an advanced level.

Advanced Level

Students would need to pass the intermediate course to take the advanced lessons. They must pass aural tests and must perform three piano compositions flawlessly. You need to expect precision and fine-tuning. It must master broken chords, arpeggios, and scales.

An advanced player is one that is able to play a complicated piece of play, mimicking its style with little to no technical errors. Also, an advanced violinist will be able to perform more pieces of music, possibly from numerous composers and that is why when facing a new piece they are better suited to perform it.

The Takeaway

CRISTOFORI offers a well-planned adult violin teaching program at our home violin lessons suitable for beginner and advanced adult violinists. With their knowledge and years of experience playing the instrument, our experienced team of private violin teachers will guide you.