Latest News

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.

A drum is a musical instrument whose sound is by the vibration of a stretched membrane. It is a membranophone within the larger category of percussion instruments. A drum is essentially a tube or a bowl of wood, metal, or pottery covered at one or both ends by a membrane, and the person will be playing it with a hand or a stick.

Drum Lesson Singapore: The Basics

You can improve skills that will help you become a better drummer by practicing. Drumming will also help you excel in many other areas of your life that require rhythm, memorization, and hand-eye coordination. Drumming can improve your performance as a student, partner, and employee.

Timing

When a drummer lacks timing, he throws off his entire band, and no matter how good his bandmates are, they sound terrible.

Consistency

Apart from playing a beat, a drummer must also play that same beat consistently throughout the song because the repetitive nature makes a song catchy unless you’re playing progressive music.

Dedication

Because dedication brings a drummer or any musician to the level he or she desires, there are no shortcuts. You can’t just hold a pair of sticks and expect to be Mike Portnoy; practice makes perfect. Set aside at minimum an hour per day to get started, and you’ll be rockin’ in no time.

Learning how to count music can help your child’s math skills. You should spend two hours on your drum pad for every hour spent in drum lessons. With dedication, aptitude, and hard work, you will be able to learn and play the drums properly – which is a duration of 10 months to 1 year, and to become skillful in 18 months to 2 years to become truly proficient.

High-Quality Drum Lessons in Singapore

If you’re not sure how to properly establish your drumming journey, then this article will help. To make things easier for you, dear beginner drummer, looking for advice and tips in a step-by-step tutorial. Follow these steps, and you’ll be able to play the drums in no time.

Learn how to hold drumsticks

It’s time to start practicing. To do that properly, you must first understand how to hold your drum sticks (don’t worry, it’s a simple one):

1. Start by raising your hands at your edge and placing one stick in your right hand with your left hand.
2. Next, press the stick with the flat part of your thumb and wrap the rest of your fingers around it. You can now proceed to place the next drumstick in your hand.
3. It would help if you gripped the drumsticks behind the balance point or in the middle of the stick. Although there are a few different methods to use your sticks to execute your drums, you’ll have enough time to experiment and figure out what works best for you as a beginner!

Understand rudiments

You’ll be ready to play your first essential rhythm as a drummer at this point. Don’t worry; it’s not difficult; it just takes some time to adjust. Also, don’t dismiss this fundamental. While you’re only performing the snare drum – or your practice pad or cushion – right now, you can later make this one simple rhythmic pattern sound like this.

Get to know your drum kit

Once you’ve purchased your first drum kit, become acquainted with its various components. It is required both to play them like a pro and to care for them.

CRISTOFORI is having an offer where if any of their customers purchased a Digital Drum, it comes with a complimentary 45 minutes product coaching where their staff educate on the uses and functions of the digital drum itself.

Find a good teacher

Finding a good drum teacher is perhaps the most critical step in learning to play the drums for beginners. 

Seek out friends to play with together

As a beginning drummer, it is essential to surround yourself with other drummers. It will not only allow you to share your thoughts and opinions on your progress, but it will also encourage you to play together and improve your skillset. Plus, you’ll meet new people in the process.

So look for a community drumming group, a school or community orchestra, or a brass band in your neighborhood. Then come together and let the magic happen.

Practice reading drum sheets

It is the final and optional step, as technically, you do not need to know sheet music to play the drums. On the other hand, you learned to read sheet music. Most music groups, for example, essential that every musician knows their part – and this is much effortless to achieve if every player can read what’s on their sheets. It saves you from memorizing the songs of a local band, which can take several weeks before you can even begin to play together.

Drum Lessons and Music Tutorials

CRISTOFORI’s music programs provide a supportive environment in which students of all skill levels can feel at ease while learning to play the drums. In CRISTOFORI, the drums lessons here are conducted accordingly to Rockschool (UK Accredited) Music Exam Board Syllabus, which they are focused on helping out all students from Beginner to Grade 8, to prepare for their Rockschool Graded Music Exam.

To immerse all students into the full experience of fun and learning of playing a drum, CRISTOFORI’s drum lessons provide students with the full opportunity to learn by using the 5-piece drum set, instead of simply just playing on a hand drum or drum percussion which limits the learning capability.

Beginner

It provides beginners with simple yet effective drum lessons that skip entry-level pad training. Students get backing a drum kit during their first lesson to begin learning how to play the drums. Students will learn drum fills and solos fundamentals through private drum lessons, group rehearsals, and live performances.

Intermediate to Advanced

When a student advances beyond beginner drum lessons, they will enroll in one of the intermediate to advanced drum lessons programs setting them on the path to mastery. CRISTOFORI’s expert drum teachers usher students through advanced drumming techniques and training approaches during weekly private drum lessons for adults and group rehearsals to make them more skilled drummers. Intermediate grooves, shifts, and meters are taught and drilled until they master them. Drummers will eventually be assigned to bands and perform in live shows at the end of each session.

To further your drumming skills, CRISTOFORI believes that it is essential for their students to take part in recitals and competitions as this helps them to enhance their learning. They provide the opportunities for all their drum students where they can take part in drum competitions and Got Talent, which they can all showcase their drumming talents and skills.

Online

CRISTOFORI’s student’s health and safety are their highest priorities. In addition to in-person socially-distanced classes, CRISTOFORI offers online music lessons. Students who choose to take drum lessons online use the same well-known, patent-protected curriculum.

Primary Students

It is never too early to establish learning to play music. It provides a tried-and-true method for teaching even the youngest students in CRISTOFORI’s program musical proficiency. These introductory lessons teach preschoolers how to play the drums and other instruments using hand percussion and tools that stimulate their imagination.

Kids

It is the world’s most popular program for teaching children to play the drums. Children learn to perform the drums and eventually play their favorite songs in a fun, supportive, and comfortable environment through private drum lessons for kids and group rehearsals.

Teens

Learning to play the drums gives teenagers a creative outlet, making it fun, quick, and rewarding. Students learn to play the drums in CRISTOFORI’s innovative programs through private lessons, group rehearsals, and live band performances of famous pop songs.

Adults

By drumming to popular rock favorites, you learn to play the drums for adults as effectively.  CRISTOFORI’s adult program also provides the learning options of their students participating in band or solo practice, which comes along with backing track accompaniment on stage.

The Bottom Line

Learning a new skill is difficult enough. It should not be an enigma as to WHAT to practice. CRISTOFORI delivers the proper lesson at the right time, every time, thanks to an organized 10-level curriculum that takes you from your first lesson to playing anything you want!

Learning the anatomy of the guitar, the names of the guitar strings, how to tune a guitar, and the secrets of guitar posture to help improve your rhythm and musicality. Guitar scales, chords, and songs are essential—and serves as the number one secret to learning to play the guitar quickly.

Regardless of what they do, learning an instrument can boost one’s confidence and help develop an open mind to try new things! When your child first begins lessons, he or she will learn the mechanics of the instrument, basic song structure, and technical details about the type of music produced by the guitar.

5 Common Mistakes to Avoid for Beginners

Learning to play the guitar, like learning to play any other instrument, is gratifying and challenging. As a newbie, you will make mistakes. However, the key to transforming this into a positive is to ensure that you can recognize your mistakes and learn from them.

1. Not getting a professional guitar setup

The second frequent error is similar to the first in that acquiring a professional setup typically results in an instrument that is simpler to play and takes far less effort to produce nice-sounding notes. It would take around five years before you will learn what a professional guitar setup is.

For the first five years, playing the guitar will cause pain to your fingers, and that being exhausted after only a few minutes is typical. Typically, your progress will be modest since you will become fatigued quickly. As you may be aware, more incredible practice time indeed equates to faster progress.

2. Going too fast

Another typical mistake is playing too quickly. Mastering solid technique takes time, and attempting to play a song at pace after you’ve learned the notes can frequently result in the development of very undesirable habits. Build up to quicker tempos gradually, starting at 50% of your maximum. Slower rates allow you to focus and ensure your technique is on target, rather than merely blasting out at full speed with sloppy technique.

One thing to keep in mind is that practice makes perfect. If you practice sloppy technique, you will always have sloppy technique. Flawless practice leads to perfect technique.

3. Inconsistent practice

A large part of learning to play an instrument is muscle memory. Consistent repetition is the most excellent approach to make complicated motor abilities feel natural and automatic while performing music and many other activities that involve complex motor abilities.

Your playing will develop more if you practice consistently for 15 minutes every day, rather than cramming all of your practice into a single 10-hour period every week. Consistency is the key to muscle memory! It’s the same reason troops go through the same training every day for months on end.

4. Trying to learn too much at once

Another error committed by new guitar players is attempting to handle too many things at once. It is especially true for kids, who are highly driven and eager to learn. Being extremely motivated is not a bad thing. Still, difficulties occur when many of us decide to move on to something new before we’ve even perfected the music we were working on earlier.

Learning all of your scale shapes and modes is a terrific goal, and if you study hard and are disciplined enough, you will ultimately be able to learn them all. However, it is preferable to excel in one or two things rather than mediocre at a hundred.

5. Getting too caught up with perfection

Only machines can play music flawlessly, yet even then, would you prefer to listen to a human or a machine play the piano? Our imperfections and the little peculiarities we pick up while training is what makes us human. It explains why everyone sounds so different; we all have our eccentricities.

During performances, we frequently get overly focused on performing everything flawlessly, which tenses our entire body. If you constrain your mind by the need to perform flawlessly, your body will be constrained as well. Because you are unable to liberate your thoughts, you will be unable to move freely while playing.

Things to Consider During Guitar Lessons

It’s time to try out some chords now that your guitar is in tune and you’re holding it correctly. To begin, you should start with simple chords; the simpler, the better.

Start with learning easy songs

There’s a reason you need to learn how to tune your guitars. In addition to holding and strumming chords correctly, learning a song with a guitar is what makes it easy for us to sing songs. You don’t want to move on to anything more difficult until you’re completely confident that you can play easy songs.

Understand guitar scales

The guitar is more than a tool for strumming chords. You can also hear melodies, riffs, and solos. It would be best if you started learning more about scales are for this. A scale is a string of notes that complement one another. Scales with open strings are the best for beginners to start with.

Practice the guitar effectively

If you’re learning to play the guitar, you’ll need to practice. The best strategy is to eat little and often. Don’t try to cram all of your practice into a single day of the week. For one thing, you’ll be putting yourself through a lot of work. Furthermore, if you only practice once a week, you will most likely forget everything between practices. Set aside a few times once a day to pick up your guitar and practice your basic chords, easy songs, scales, or whatever else you’re supposed to be practicing that week.

The Takeaway

Spend more time strumming your guitar. You’ve covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time if you’ve made it this far. There are countless possible chords and strums, and now that you know how to form chords and strum, you genuinely have the fundamental skills to play hundreds of songs.

Best Guitar School in Singapore

Cristofori Music School is one of Singapore’s most prominent music schools, with a qualified team of 500 teachers providing first-rate music instruction. Our school is adamant about producing high-quality musical instruments at reasonable prices and we have served over 60,000 piano customers and taught over a million students to play music over the years.

All of our teachers are dedicated and skilled to train young children as young as six and even adults as well. Over here in Cristofori, we have guitar courses of different levels (beginner and advanced level) dedicated for you to hone your guitar skills to becoming a great guitar player!

In Cristofori, our goal is to provide a wide range of high-quality and dependable musical instruments at the most affordable prices possible so that everyone could own a musical tool to learn and play music. If you are looking for a best suited guitar for yourself, you can come down to any of our music schools to test out our guitars yourself.

SPECIALTIES:
Pre-School Music Academy, Electric Guitar, Drum, Piano, Violin, Guitar, Ukulele, and Cajon Ensemble Course

Getting serious about learning how to play the piano is a good sign that you want to advance your music career. However, if you really are ready to embark on your new musical journey, you have to choose the best German piano in Singapore to buy. There aren’t many authentic German piano brands that you could choose from internationally, which makes it harder for you to choose one. 

But if you are one of those musicians who have a deep love for classical music, choosing a German piano is best for you. However, it would be best to consider essential factors when looking for a German piano in a piano shop Singapore offers. First, determine the piano’s sound, whether you want a bright tone, mellow tone, or round and full sound. Also, consider the overall quality of its tonal quality, length of its warranty, and of course, the brand.  

What is A German Piano?

You might be wondering why there’s this thing called “German Piano.” What difference does it have compared to other pianos? Well, German Pianos have better qualities than other brands.

Western music had been the home of pianos since 1685, when Johann Sebastian Bach influenced music history in the West. Bartolomeo Cristofori, an Italian musical instrument maker, advanced the piano’s development in Western music. Zumpe, Stein in Augsburg, Friederici in Gera, Gottfried Silbermann in Freiberg, and many others are among the German pioneers in piano construction.

Different Types of Piano Brands

There are different types of piano brands made by German instrument makers today that you can purchase through various piano shops in Singapore near you. The European Piano Store or manufacturers regarded as the “big four” are just some of the world’s most renowned manufacturers. They are Bosendorfer, Bluthner, Bechstein, and Steinway.

Things You Need to Know About German Piano

There are certain things that you need to know about the German Piano in Singapore. Most pianos made from Germany should always have the logo, “Made in Germany.” If you are looking for a Piano Store in Singapore, it is always recommended to look for this official stamp and authentication certificate.

Some brands pose as authentic retailers and dealers of a German Piano without this special seal, so you need to be wary. This certificate of quality would be your assurance in having a high-quality German piano. All German shops associated with this seal are distinguished by centuries of experience and tradition and a high proportion of manual craftsmanship. They also assure prestige, successful design, and excellent sound and playing quality of the musical instrument they manufacture.

Examples of German Piano Makers

German pianos used to have over 80 brands, but it’s getting fewer and fewer internationally. Behind the success of German Pianos are the master of crafts and first-rate manufacturers. Here are some examples of German piano makers that offer high-quality grand pianos at best Piano Price.

• Bechstein

Carl Bechstein founded the Bechstein piano manufacturing company on October 1, 1853. Bechstein had worked in France and England as a renowned piano craftsman before finally hitting it with his piano manufacturing company.

His primary aim in building his company was to build strikingly robust instruments to withstand Franz Liszt’s force, a famous musician. The first-ever person to give a recital on a Bechstein piano was Hans von Bülow, a renowned conductor and Liszt’s son-in-law. He played Liszt’s Piano Sonata in B minor in Berlin. Although, during that time, Bechstein was in a tight rivalry between Steinway and Blüthner, it still made a name when celebrities started to endorse the company.

• Seiler
  

Eduard Seiler founded Seiler pianos in 1989. He was a very accomplished pianist who used his skills and love of invention in handcrafting his first independent piano model. To this date, the one he built in Liegnitz, Germany, remains the standard of all Seiler instruments when it comes to transparency and bright tone.

Seiler has also become the largest piano builder in Eastern Germany. However, the Seiler company faced devastation during World War II. The effect of the war made the Seilers lose their home and their parent factory. Fortunately, the company got back on track and still manufactures high-quality pianos for more than 170 years now.

What Makes These Piano Brands Exceptional

Since WW2, many German piano brands had collapsed. This is the main reason why piano brands and factories become fewer and fewer down the years. However, the Bechstein and Seiler pianos managed to stay in the industry and even flourished as piano brands.

Both companies provide top-tier German piano qualities carefully handmade by their workers. Both brands even have work hours recorded for each piano made which can all be found on their official websites. They do not mass produce pianos because they take time to create high-quality Portable Piano.

Both pianos are also suitable for Singapore’s hot and humid weather because they most often use Spruce wood in producing their pianos. Spruce woods are high-quality woods usually used in manufacturing most musical instruments.

What to Look for in A German Piano Brand

• Its main factory should be located in Germany
• They create handmade pianos
• Suitable for Singapore’s humid and hot weather
• They use special woods like spruce wood
• They have a unique R&D Department
• They have official websites where you can find specifications about their Portable Piano

Conclusion

When choosing the best German piano, it is always best to consider its tone quality, responsive touch, and aesthetic looks.  These characteristics are crucial to note when looking to stock a piano.

If you find it hard to look for an authentic and high-quality German piano, you may check out Cristofori, Singapore’s leading piano shop Singapore has to offer. You can choose from their various German Piano Price depending on your budget preference and other characteristics you consider before buying one.

Ever since its birth 40 years ago, Cristofori has thrived to become one of Singapore’s best music schools. Due to its top-of-the-line musical education, thousands of clients had been satisfied with its services. Everything you need to know about violin lesson fees Singapore has to offer can be found on their official website.

Since you have clicked this ultimate guide, you probably already know the fundamentals you must understand and learn about playing the violin. And if you’re serious enough, finding affordable violin lessons or private violin lessons Singapore offers must be your top priority right now.

Well, you have come to the right place. In this ultimate guide, you’ll get to know the benefits of taking a private violin lesson and the various factors you need to consider before enrolling.   

Benefits of Taking Violin Lessons

Nowadays, almost everyone thinks that learning how to play the violin can be done at home. When technology has started to affect our lives with boundless impact, would learning violin by yourself suffice?

Learning through free videos and reading free how-to materials across the internet may provide you essential information on understanding the violin. However, having affordable violin lessons would provide you more insights and critical tips to further your knowledge.

Furthermore, taking affordable violin lessons would also help you determine your strengths and weaknesses. It would also help you improve your academic skills, develop your physical skills, cultivate your social skills, and refine your discipline and patience.

Factors to Consider

Before diving into any violin lesson fees Singapore has to offer, there are essential factors that you need to consider. Through these factors, you’ll unquestionably see whether the course or lesson you are about to take is worth it or not.

• Price

While it’s essential to determine the courses or music school you want to enroll with, considering your budget is also equally important. There are tons of private violin lessons in Singapore right now that offer affordable and surprisingly excellent for beginners to advanced learners.

Cristofori is one of the best schools in Singapore that offers affordable private violin lessons that you could take. It offers a beginner-friendly violin course structure that teaches Fundamental Violin Lessons, Graded Violin Lessons, and Violin Enrichment Program.

• Full Time or Part Time Music Teacher
  

The status of your music teacher may or may not essentially determine the quality of your private violin lessons. Typically, all teachers from Cristofori have ample experience and high-quality skills. They have categorically mastered their own crafts by regularly teaching violin lessons to their students.

Cristofori has both full-time and part-time music teachers that have the ability and skills. They could provide you better learning and more in-depth assistance and time.

• Qualifications of the Teacher

Aside from considering the background of the music school, their teachers’ qualifications speak for the quality of services they offer to their students. It is imperative to find a music school that provides teachers with high-quality qualifications such as impeccable experience and educational attainment.

The years of experience of a violin instructor could be an essential deciding factor. It usually determines the learning you could get. Remember, seasoned instructors with lots of experience teaching the same skill over the years only means one thing—he has already mastered his craft. Therefore, you will greatly benefit from his teachings.

• Courses Offered

The courses offered by the school would also greatly affect your deciding factor. We always suggest looking for courses that would perfectly fit your level of playing skills. If you are a beginner, taking up lessons for beginners is highly encouraged. Various courses could enhance your skills in playing the violin, so you need to determine which one categorically fits your needs.

In Cristofori, the teachers offer meticulously curated repertoire and curriculum that would fuel every learner’s passion and yearning to become the best violinist. They also provide unique opportunities via violin enrichment programs, right after completing their introductory violin course. This kind of opportunity to embark on ensemble lessons, learners are expected to learn the art of playing the violin and intermingle with their musical peers.

• Teaching Methods

There are various teaching methods offered at various music schools in Singapore which could further the skills of their students in playing the violin. Most of the time, these methods are what most students consider in deciding whether they would want to enrol in a music school or not.

In Cristofori, one of the most famous methods they use in teaching violin is the Suzuki Method. Shin’ichi Suzuki of Nagoya, Japan devised this special “philosophy” in teaching violin lessons. He encouraged violin teachers to devise their own methods and strategies that would fully suit the capabilities of their students.

Is It Worth It to Learn the Violin?

Of course, it is always worth it to learn the violin. Music is regarded as a therapy not only to our bodies but even to our souls. It brings joy and serenity that we all yearn after a hard day’s work.

Learning the violin could also give you many benefits, such as improving your memory and attention span. And according to various studies conducted on the benefits of playing the violin, even just one year’s worth, taking up lessons could positively impact a child’s retention and responsiveness.

If you decide to enrol in Cristofori, you may have a chance to have the opportunity to join their Violin Masterclass besides learning from the usual one-on-one violin classes.  This special class typically invites Violin Professors/Master Violin Teachers to teach their students. There are also violin performances such as Students Recital, which any student could also sign up for violin exams.

Conclusion: Why Should You Take Violin Lessons?

Learning how to play the violin is always fun, especially if you learned it professionally and more educationally. Playing the violin usually requires in-depth skills and understanding the fundamentals of learning how to play the instrument. If you aim to further your knowledge, taking private violin lessons in Singapore is your ideal choice. Regardless of the price, learning new things that help you improve your mental health condition and allow you to embark on your music career is priceless.

If you are looking for violin lesson fees Singapore has to offer, taking affordable violin lessons or private violin lessons, Cristofori will have to be your best choice. This top-performing music school offers a detailed layout of violin courses and an outstanding introduction to the field of violin performance. You may check out their violin lessons and their violin lesson fees for more details.

Choosing the right drum set could be challenging if you have no idea what to look for. When aspiring drummers go to a music store to buy their first-ever set, they have too many qualifications, so they always find it hard to choose just one. However, if you know the essential qualities of the drum set Singapore has to offer, you’ll find it easier to find your future partner.

Things like space, quality of materials, price, types, and purpose should be your topmost criteria in choosing your drum set. Space limitation is one of the most common problems in a Singaporean household. This criterion usually helps in your decision-making as your house’s capacity dictates whether you’d buy a four-piece or a five-piece drum kit.

What else should you know about playing drums? Our team of experts made a comprehensive guide about what you should know about playing drums.

How to Play the Drums

It would be precarious for beginners to learn drums independently without understanding the process of doing it. If you happen to play the drums without knowing the basics, you are practicing a bad habit that could ruin your musical career.

Therefore, our team gathered the simplest but most essential steps to play the drum for beginners to follow.

Steps on How to Play Drums

1. Choose your drum set

Of course, even before figuring out how to play the drums, you must choose your drum set first. You can’t familiarize the parts in a drum set without having one yourself. As mentioned above, there are certain things that you need to consider before buying your drum set in Singapore.

2. Learn proper Gripping

Learning drums on your own could somehow become easier now since you already got your drum set. Now, it is time for you to learn how to hold your drumsticks. Gripping is the most basic drumming skill that every beginner should practice beforehand, as hitting the sticks onto the drums creates the music you want to play.

To establish a good fulcrum, you need to grip the drumsticks to control the rhythm of your every stroke and beat. You can try the traditional grip, the German grip, the American grip, and the French grip.

3. Learn Your First Rudiment

This part is somewhat tricky. Other drummers think that learning through self-study and video tutorials is enough to learn your first rudiment. However, our team always recommends enrolling in a music school to master your rudiment if you aspire to become a professional drummer in the future. It is imperative to understand those rudiments like paradiddles, closed and open rolls, and flams. These are the most crucial skill every drummer must develop to enhance their proficiency.

4. Learn rhythm and beat

In this part, you may or may not use your drumsticks. However, our team suggests using your hands in learning your rhythm and beat for the first time. In fact, you may even do this trick using your thighs instead of the drums. Move your hands and tap them onto your thighs in a seated position. This simple step could help you learn your beat and rhythm as you move your hands while listening to music.

Five Factors to Consider When Choosing a Drum Set

Budget

Drum sets differ in price, quality, and types. Budget is one crucial factor in deciding whether you would want to buy a particular drum set or not. While it is always wise to consider the price tag of the drum set, it is wiser to weigh the price range and its overall quality. Not all high-priced drum sets equal high quality. It is the same with not all affordable drum sets equal low quality. Therefore, as a buyer, you must research essential things about the drum set before purchasing it. 

Types of Drum Set

It would be best if you also considered the types of drum sets you want to purchase. Our team suggests researching each type’s pros and cons to find better what perfectly suits your needs. There are acoustic drum sets, which most drummers choose. Some opt to buy electronic drum sets, hybrid drum sets, and heavy metal and jazz drum sets.

These drum sets typically vary on the sound they give off and the materials used in each of them to produce sound. However, if you are still a beginner drummer, we suggest buying a traditional acoustic drum set as it may give a better feel and set up in a less complicated way.

Set-up

Your place or home space also needs to be considered. If you plan to place your drum set in a large and spacious area, getting a five-piece drum set may be good for you. However, if you feel like your space is a little cramped up for such a setup, getting a four-piece drum set is a more considerable choice. Drum sets typically comprise various instruments and parts like cymbals. Some even come with drum cases that you might want to purchase to protect your instrument at home.

Buying Used VS. New

This is probably one of the first things that most buyers think about before purchasing their drum sets. Typically, beginners opt to buy used drum sets to save more money by doing so. However, there are far better advantages that buyers could get when buying new drum sets instead. New drum sets may come with a little higher price, but they offer warranties that used drum sets don’t offer. Their life spans are obviously longer, too, since its parts are still in an optimal condition.

Purpose

Usually, your playing experience holds a crucial factor in choosing the right drum set for you. You could be a beginner or a drummer who wants to follow the steps of your favourite drummers. You also need to identify whether you only want a drum set for your everyday practice or a drum set you could use on stage one day.

Let’s Wrap Up

If you are preparing to pursue your music career in drumming or looking for something to de-stress yourself from schoolwork, having drum lessons will work with your pace. Besides reducing your stress, playing drums can also relieve your frustration and disappointment. It would even boost your brainpower and increase your motor skill development.

Our team also suggests that instead of learning drums on your own, enrolling in a well-established music school like the Cristofori, Singapore’s leading music school today. If you want to know more about their first-class education for learning drums or the drum set Singapore has to offer, you have to check out their official website.

Parents naturally want the best for their kids. Hence, if your child showed interest in learning the piano, don’t let the chance of having a professional pianist in the family skip away. Urge your kids to start pressing those keys and making beautiful music and melodies. But would letting them learn and explore at home be enough? Of course, not. It is your responsibility as a devoted parent to find the best place for your kids to learn the piano. And if you wonder about the various piano class for kids fees, you have come to the right place.

Having a flawless track record in the music school industry, Cristofori had become the home of exceptional musicians for over 40 years. As of late, there have been roughly 80,000 parents who chose Cristofori piano lessons. They offer a unique course structure specifically designed to address every child’s learning ability and progress through incomparable teaching and supervision.

In this ultimate guide, you’ll learn more about the different factors you need to consider before enrolling your child in a private piano lesson. You’ll also learn the benefits he could achieve in doing so and wanting to know about the piano lesson price Singapore typically offers.

Piano Lesson at home VS. Private Lessons

There are significant differences between learning piano at home and learning piano with a private teacher in schools like Cristofori. If you opted to let your kids learn piano at home, you’d have to consider getting them their own piano. At the same time, most music schools offer musical equipment rentals. The difference between buying a piano and renting out one could greatly affect your finances.

If your child hasn’t decided what type of piano he wants to learn, renting out a piano is encouraged. There’s still a chance that he would outgrow, wanting the piano and switching to another one. Besides the finance division, music schools like Cristofori have excellent amenities and full equipment that your kids could use while learning with them.

Factors to Consider

It’s okay to be apprehensive when it comes to letting your child learn how to play the piano through a private lesson. But fret not, as our musical experts rounded up the most critical factors that parents need to consider when choosing the best place for piano lessons in Singapore.

• Type of Piano

This is one of the most crucial factors you need to determine before enrolling your child in any music school. Determine what type of piano your child wants to learn. Remember, various keyboards have many keys and patterns. There are primary types of piano that you could choose from: the Grand, Upright, and Electronic Piano.

• Budget and Skill Level

Having a specific budget for your kid’s piano lessons is a logical thing to do. Your budget often dictates what type of piano lessons your child needs. Besides budget, your kid’s level of skill in playing the piano is also a crucial factor. Your child’s skill level would determine the course he would need. Cristofori offers three courses that target beginners, intermediate and advanced players.

• Teacher’s Qualifications

The teacher’s qualifications are also important factors that need to be considered. Identifying whether the teacher is a part-time or full-time teacher may also affect the lessons’ learning level and price. Most lessons with a full-time teacher charge more than lessons with a part-time teacher. Full-time teachers are often more experienced, so it’s expected that their lessons are somehow more expensive, too.

• Courses Offered

Music schools vary in the courses they offer. However, most of them offer fundamental lessons targeting beginner learners. In Cristofori, there are three courses offered. First is the Beginner Piano Lessons, which is a lesson for a complete beginner. Cristofori partnered with an international piano pedagogy specialist based in Michigan, USA, Dr. Randall Faber, to develop their Piano Adventure Method. This method aims to teach children and even adults based on their cognitive, creative, and personal development.

They also offer the Classical Music Approach. Their academic team constantly researches and updates their teaching materials, methodologies, and tools to time-proof their curriculum. They even partnered with world-leading institutions like the SUZUKI method from Japan, Orff-Schulwerk Organisation from Germany, and Kodaly Method from Hungary.

And lastly, they offer a Contemporary Music Approach, which MOE Certified Teachers teach with rich backgrounds. Some of these teachers are instrument-specialists and even have diverse performance experiences as a secessionist. This course comprises a fully-covered progression pathway for their learners, from pure beginner to diploma level.

Tips to Achieving Perfect Posture and Proper Hand Positioning

In playing the piano, hand positioning is essential. This serves as a fundamental skill that every pianist needs to learn and master. You may learn visually by watching different clips and videos while waiting for your teacher to teach you about it personally.

However, if you already have a piano at home and would like to start your piano lessons earlier, here are some tips to have a better hand positioning:

• Always regard your piano as something you never want to break.
• Keep your fingers in a steady but lenient position over the piano keys.
• Don’t be too stiff or tensed.
• Your thumbs should also touch the piano keys.
• Your wrists must never touch the piano ledge.
• Keep your arms relaxed.
• Don’t put any strain on your shoulders.
• Sit on the bench edge with your back straightened but not too stiff.

Conclusion: Why Should You Take Piano Lessons?

The piano had been tagged by many as a challenging but boring instrument to learn. Most people had been putting off their piano lessons. Well, if you are really interested to learn it, it’s about time that you put away your negative thoughts and start learning your piano keys. And if your kids showed any interest in learning it, always give it a go!

If you are still apprehensive about taking your piano lessons or your child’s to the next level, you may check out the piano lesson price Singapore offers over the internet. If you don’t have time to go to a music school to another, check out Cristofori’s official website to see their piano class for kids fees. This music school has a wide range of expertise when it comes to piano and providing lessons.

Cristofori was established in the music industry in Singapore four decades ago. And during its 40 years in the service, its ability to provide top-of-the-line musical education is out of the question. Everything you need to know about electric guitar lessons Singapore has to offer can be found at Cristofori.

As you scroll down, you will learn about the importance and fundamentals of learning guitar lessons for beginners. You won’t have to tour around Singapore to look for the best music school. Let our team of musical experts save you from the hassle of doing so.

Why You Need an Expert Guitar Lesson Singapore

The guitar is considered one of the most common musical instruments that seem too easy to play with to some people. Although you can indeed learn how to play the guitar through self-study and video tutorials, learning just the basics would confine you to having a mediocre guitar playing skill.

Of course, if you want to pursue having a professional career in playing the guitar, strumming and a few plucking won’t lead you to the spotlight you desire. Being trained by an expert will make you play like an expert, too. Experienced musical teachers will provide you with a comprehensive insight into guitars and the proper handling and discipline in playing them.

• They Will Correct Your Bad Habits

Guitar teachers are professional musicians who have learned from specialists. They were once a beginner and had experience playing the guitar for the first time. And through years of diligent practice and professional education, they have learned the proper way of playing the guitar.

Every person holding a guitar for the first time would make them want to strum and pluck, almost simultaneously. They get too excited to learn how to make music using this percussion instrument. However, problems may arise in the future if you didn’t understand the proper way of strumming, plucking, and holding your guitar and picked up a bad habit by doing these things.

Having an experienced teacher to guide you to learn the do’s and don’ts of playing the guitar would save you from having these problems. They can quickly distinguish your problems, give you tips on avoiding them, and pave your way on the right track to being a professional guitar player.

• They Could Determine Your Ability Level

Experts could determine which songs are fit to your abilities and level. You have to remember that not every genre could fit your guitar playing abilities. Therefore, if you aim to advance your career in the music industry, you need to focus on honing your abilities. Our team suggests that you concentrate on the types of music and genre you could play best. This wouldn’t mean you won’t be able to play other music, though.

An experienced teacher could verify and help you choose what is best for you. If you’re a beginner, they most likely will not give you a lesson that could overwhelm you. Instead, they would develop a specialised plan that would polish your skill.

• They Could Give You Challenges

Challenges aren’t easy to deal with. However, they could serve as your inspiration in enhancing your skills. Having an experienced teacher, you can expect guitar lesson exercises that will enhance your skill. He/she may give you activities to track your progress, determine your strengths and weaknesses. Your teacher will then devise a plan to help you work on the part you need to focus on and improve.

Fundamentals of A Guitar

Learning how to play the guitar sounds easy. However, to use this musical instrument effectively, you must know the basics and be familiar with its parts. Techniques and styles would follow suit once you go through the learning process.

Here are the guides that will speed up your learning processes in playing the guitar.

1.  Knowing Its Parts

To use and utilize the guitar, knowing its part is a must. This way, it would be easy to follow the lesson, and you know what part of your guitar your teacher was referring to. The headstock, neck, and body are the three essential parts of the guitar. These three parts work together to create a wonderful harmony and sound.

The guitar’s headstock is where the tuning post/machine and nut sit. It is at the top of the guitar’s neck, the long wood part of the guitar between the headstock and the body. The neck is where you can see the fretboard, truss rod for some guitars, and frets.

The last part that has a significant role in a guitar is its body. This part gives the guitar its character and sound. In here, you can see the guitar’s soundhole and bridge. The soundhole helps enhance the sound and gives vibrating sounds with greater ease.

2.  Tabs and Chords

After knowing the guitar’s parts, it should be the perfect time for you to learn about the tabs and chords. Music schools in Singapore include this in their curriculum. They educate their students about the basic parts of the guitar and the theories of chords and tabs.

This way, it would help their students to read tabs and write their melodies easier. The chords, on the other hand, are responsible for harmony. That is why it’s best to learn chord reading to know how it accompanies strumming and rhythm.

3.  Strumming

Guitar lesson Singapore also includes strumming as one of their fundamentals. This way, students would be aware and learn the consistency of the strokes and strums. Teachers will also teach you the proper position on strumming, such as using your wrist to strum and keeping off the elbow from the string to avoid touching it.

Why Choose Cristofori’s Guitar Lessons?

Cristofori offers the basic techniques to learn how to play the guitar quickly and help you unlock your passion for music. This musical school in Singapore provides guitar courses that are easy to grasp and engaging. The experts assigned in giving quality music education are adaptable and could teach different genres, too.

Teachers at Cristofori possess a wealth of technical, stylistic, and theoretical; information for your children second to none. Cristofori also offers a different approach to teaching electric guitar lessons in Singapore. If you want to learn from the experts and experience the best ways to learn how to play the guitar, our team suggests that you enrol and learn from Cristofori.

you should have a clearer idea of which type of guitar (Acoustic or Classical) is suitable for you after reading 3 Things to Consider Before Learning and/or Purchasing a Guitar. If you have yet to read that article, perhaps you might find it useful – 3 Things to Consider Before Learning and/or Purchasing a Guitar. Now that you are sure to go down the route of learning an acoustic guitar, what should you take note? Aimlessly going into a music instrument store and having a paradox of choice? You are not alone in this matter! Follow these three steps to filter out the different type of guitars, and your decision making process will be a breeze.

Step 1: Choose the Right Guitar Shape

There are four common acoustic guitar shapes that can be found at a music instrument store. They are respectively Concert, Auditorium (also known as Orchestra), Jumbo and Dreadnaught. Every shape brings different things to the table, and there is no such thing that a certain shape is more superior than the other. Tone and comfort should be the top two priority whilst deciding on the shape of the guitar.

1. Concert

This shape is suitable for guitarists who are looking for a soft and balanced tone that is compatible with their playing styles. Guitars with this shape usually has a bright sound with a punchy mid-range. It is excellent for softer fingerpicking styles and strumming with quick changes.

2. Orchestra

This shape is suitable for guitarists who are looking for an overall balanced tone, as the width of the upper bout and the lower bout is the most similar in size. Guitars with this shape usually have lesser bass emphasis.

3. Jumbo

This shape is suitable for guitarists who are looking for a percussive, full-sounding and clear tone. Guitars with this shape usually have excellent projection and resonance due to its heavy lower bout.

4. Dreadnaught

This shape is suitable for guitarists who are looking for a boom bass and low midrange tone. Guitars with this shape usually are able to project plenty of volume and depth.

After understanding how the shape of a guitar affects the tone projected, do not jump the gun! Comfortability should also be considered whilst choosing the appropriate shape. Different shapes will definitely cause different ratios between the upper bout, lower bout, body length and depth. As all individuals are unique and have different body shapes, different shaped guitar will cause different comfort level. Hence, trying out different shapes to compare the comfort level as well as to weigh out the pros and cons if a shape is not as comfort but the tone is preferred, vice versa.

Step 2: Choosing the Right Wood

The two main guitar parts that are affected by the type of wood are known as the Top wood and Back and Side wood. Different types of wood will produce different tones, this is due to the density and the curvature of the woods. Just like human’s fingerprints, there are no two woods that are the same, even if it came from the same tree. For easy reference, we have came up with a figure that makes the whole concept easier to digest.

The most common woods that are used for guitar manufacturing has been marked out in red. As usual, the tone of a music instrument always lies on a spectrum. Depending of the type of music that the guitarist plays, different wood will suit the genre differently.

Step 3: Is the Guitar Action Suitable for You?

Guitar action might not be a familiar term to guitarists that had just started learning guitar not too long ago. Broadly speaking, guitar action refers to the distance between the strings and the fretboard. It is a factor that is commonly overlooked at whilst choosing for a guitar. However, it may totally revolutionize the way the guitarist feels about the guitar. A guitar with a high action might cause discomfort as more finger strength is required to push the strings down and might also slow down the speed of chord changing. A guitar with low action might cause the strings to produce a buzzing sound as the guitarist plays the guitar. This buzzing sound. The height of the action is dependent on the playing style and its correlated requirement. Most guitarists prefer their guitar action to be as low as possible without causing the buzzing sound. However, this is still specific to individual preference.

Every manufacturer has their algorithm that engineers the functionality of the guitar, which may or may not be suitable for you. As mentioned, different playing styles will require different height of action. Right off the bat, there are two ways to solve the issue if the guitar’s action is not desired. Firstly, change another model or brand into something that fits you. Otherwise, have a professional guitar technician to inspect and fine-tune the action. It is crucial to not fine-tune the fretboard until it has been taught, this is due to most acoustic guitars using a set neck (glued to the body of the guitar), and mishandling will lead to unrepairable damage.

A concept that has been presented throughout this article is preference. Music is highly subjective and there is no such thing as one size fits all shape, wood and action. Different shape, different woods and different action is suitable for different playing styles. The questions to ask yourself are – What type of tone are you looking for? Do you prefer a bolder and more powerful tone? Do you prefer tones with higher bass or treble? What is your playing style? Is the guitar of choice able to fit into all these criterias? Instead of focusing on the guitar shape – It can only be jumbo shaped, nothing else, or focusing on the type of wood – It can only have a solid cedar top, your preference should be at the core of the consideration.

Looking for Guitar or Guitar Lessons?

Cristofori Music has always been there for their customers throughout their music learning and we strive to provide aid whenever needed.

If you are looking for guitar lessons, why not consider from our 35 music schools across the island?

If you are looking for guitars, we have showrooms at Bedok Industrial Park, Bishan Junction 8, and at Funan for you to try the guitars before your purchase! Our welcoming colleagues at these outlets will provide their professional opinion and aid your decision making journey!

If you are looking for professional guitar technician to inspect your guitar and fine-tune? Head down to the Bedok Industrial Headquarters to have it checked by our friendly guitar technician!

Accessibility and portability are the two main factors that makes guitar a highly sought out musical instrument to learn. You just need a guitar and start performing anywhere (with a permit)! However, did you know that there is more than one type of guitar? Most of the street performers in Singapore uses an acoustic guitar as its bright and loud tones are deemed more suitable for pop songs. The two main types of guitar are Acoustic and Classical – do you know where does your heart take you? No? Read on and you’ll be able to find out!

1. Acoustic or Classical?

Before diving into the specifics about the difference the technicalities of the guitar, it is crucial to pinpoint the type of guitar that is preferred – Acoustic or Classical. There are two main considerations to decide between the acoustic or classical:

1. Genre Difference

What type of music is repeating on your playlist? Do you want to be able to play those type of music? If the answer is yes, then choosing between acoustic or classical is a walk in the park.

The engineering of the respective guitars is built to sound different. Classical guitars are built to sound better for classical, flamenco and Spanish music. This is due to the material of the strings being nylon, it enables the tone to be on the mellower and softer spectrum. Whereas, acoustic guitars are wired with steel strings, enabling the tone to be on the brighter and louder spectrum. Hence, acoustic guitars are more suitable for folk, pop, country, and slow rock music.

If you are still not sure what type of music do you prefer, perhaps after taking in the next consideration will help you to choose between an acoustic guitar or a classical guitar.

2. Guitar Difference

As aforementioned, due to the way the guitar is engineered, acoustic guitar and classical guitar uses different materials for their string. All 6 strings on a classical guitar are made from nylon strings, whereas steel strings are used on acoustic guitars. Other than the differential tones that is produced, nylon strings tend to be easier on the fingers as compared to steel strings. This is important if the guitarist is of younger age as it might be painful for them to press on the chords.

In addition, classical guitars tend to have wider necks, causing the spacing between each string to be larger as compared to the acoustic guitar, where the neck is narrower. Hence, the hand size of the guitarist will also affect the type of guitar that is more suitable for them. DISCLAIMER! This does not mean that people with small hands cannot play classical guitar. With sufficient practice, nothing is impossible. It only serves as a consideration factor if you are not sure of which type of guitar is suitable.

2. Size of Guitar

Usually, there are three sizes to both classical and acoustic guitar. Half-sized guitar being the smallest and full-sized guitar being the largest. The reason why younger kids is more suitable to use a smaller sized guitar is due to the physicality of a guitarist – forearm movement (strumming patterns) and finger movement (plucking). The optimal size is when the guitarist is seated with the guitar on hand, the elbow should not be raised higher than the shoulder height. Otherwise, there will be constant tension within the biceps and triceps region.

This chart serves only as a recommendation and it is not compulsory to follow the height limitations to a T when choosing the guitar of choice. Comfort level should be the main factor when choosing the appropriate size followed by preference.

3. Price Range

Is it really necessary to get a high range guitar if I am just starting out? Before committing to owning an musical instrument, this is probably the most common question that will pop in the student’s mind. Before jumping the gun and choosing the highest range or the lowest range, bear in mind that the price is highly dependant on the type of wood (top, side and back), shape of guitar, guitar action and guitar strings. A better engineered guitar will definitely be a better guitar which comes with a heftier price tag, but a better guitar will not guarantee a better guitarist. It is only through putting in time and effort to practice, will a guitarist improve. It is not a crime to start off with an average guitar when you first start, as long as the guitar produces the sound and tone that is required. After developing tonal preference after learning, you can start looking at the shape and type of wood that is able to produce the tone that you like.