More Ways to Listen…
Listening…..
is such an important part in making music - but as a teacher, sometimes I forget to actively encourage my students to take time to listen: for study, as they play, and just for fun.
A great resource for students to listen to are Backing Tracks.
Did you know? I love to provide FREE Backing Tracks with many of my pieces. You'll find these with my Ensemble pieces.
In case you haven't found them yet, I've just added BACKING TRACKS for all 10 of the short Ensemble pieces in At the Gym.
Wondering what these backing tracks sound like? Take a listen to this one: Tai Chi #4 Backing Track -claps.mp3
Download the FREE Tracks here. What to learn more creative uses for At the Gym? Watch this:
Creative Ways to use Listening Tracks
Use the professionally recorded example audio recordings as a way to help your students select which piece they want to play.
Use the example audio track as a performance standard - when students listen, they pick up ideas about musical style.
In group lessons, use the tracks as a fun metronome: Students are much more willing to play along with music, than to a regular metronome. (I'm old school - I use my 40 year old metronome daily, but sometimes, we like to mix it up!) Thank you Whitney Davis for sharing this fun clip of The Amazing Four Chord Song!
For home practice. Tracks are great to send home with students for practice, especially if their have a duet partner they only see once a week.
Did you know? Most ensemble Backing Tracks come in 3 different tempos: Slow, Medium, and Up to Tempo.
In Performance, tracks can add a certain splash and make the piece sound much more impressive!
And Listening just for the fun of it! Explore new styles students might not be ready to play yet, or get them excited by asking them to share what they are listening to!
