Came across this article about tips for ABRSM and thought it's pretty useful.

Sharing it here: https://www.libertyparkmusic.com/an-abrsm-practical-examination-guide-with-practice-tips/

All the best to our kids for 2018!! :rahrah:

Hey parents,


How does your child enjoy practicing scales and have effective exercises on the acoustic guitar at the same time?

I found this guide http://bit.ly/2fzDmNw super informative as:

- It highlights the importance of learning scales
- It covers technical exercises that your child should learn
- It covers musical exercises that your child will enjoy

Feel free to share your thoughts!

:thankyou:

sparkling:

Hi all


Sometime ago I was surfing the net and came across this website which appears to be a service in helping you buy a piano.

There's this online questionaire you fill in about your budget, the piano you would like etc and then they help you by recommending a piano according to your requirements.

I can't seem to find that website anymore, if anybody knows about this website, please advise. Thanks

Could it be this one?http://www.private-piano-teacher.com/buy-piano.html
Just scroll down to the very bottom and you'll find a form entitled 'Which Piano?'

jedamum:

To take or not to take - Taking higher grade (g7) piano practical exams during psle year. Appreciate experience parents comments on time spent on practices and stress level and any things to look out for.


Thanks.

It depends on 1) whether your kid feels confident or not with doing the grade 7 exam and 2) what grade you want the kid to get (distinction, merit). Can your kid cope with both grade 7 and psle all at once? Ask him/her. If not, or you don't see the point of rushing him/her to complete grade 7 whilst doing psle, then you should try to defer it to the following year after psle, since of course, psle is so important! Here are the registration dates and fees for next year https://sg.abrsm.org/en/exam-booking/exam-dates-and-fees/

If planning to take, then the child should aim between 2 - 3 hours a day of practice, then slowly decrease to 1 hour once the piano teacher believes that the child is more or less ready for the exam. Set larger time blocks for each section that your child needs to improve on (eg. scales, the three pieces, aural, sight-reading), and smaller time blocks for the sections that he/she is happy with.

For stress level, you can read this article about overcoming anxiety by developing the 'flow' state during the exam itself: http://bit.ly/2wa8qJ8 Plus, getting a good night's rest and eating a banana (helped for me) before an ABRSM exam worked.

For motivating the child to practice, help your child develop S.M.A.R.T goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based). You can read this article for more guidance on smart goals. http://bit.ly/2xcEvoT

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask more questions or reach out again if something is unclear.

mummychua:

lpm13:

[quote=\"mummychua\"]Hi all,


I will like to know how people usually prevent moist on their piano.
I got a 2yrs old k3, recently i realised that the wooden hammers got some water stains. the piano heater has never been off and i cover the piano fully as per recommendation by the tuner. i'm wonder if there is any thing else i can do to prevent the deterioration. it's a little disappointing to see that a relatively new piano showing signs of water damage.

Where is your piano placed? It should be away from the windows (away from direct sunlight). It shouldn't be under any air vents too.

it is in the living room, away from the windows and no direct sunlight. but i have a open concept kitchen, so the tuner said that it could be the moisture from the kitchen (the water stains the side nearer to the kitchen). I'm thinking of moving it into a room but im not sure if i have enough turning space to turn the piano into the room. any other preventive measurement for the time being?

Anyone have the same issue?[/quote]It depends on how adverse the condition is - have the stains enlarged or shrunk from the last time you saw them? I'm not the best judge to recommend any preventive measurements. It's best if you move your piano into another room away from open concept kitchen immediately. The tuner should also be able to resurface the wooden hammers, meaning remove the outer layers of felt after the strings.

mummychua:

Hi all,


I will like to know how people usually prevent moist on their piano.
I got a 2yrs old k3, recently i realised that the wooden hammers got some water stains. the piano heater has never been off and i cover the piano fully as per recommendation by the tuner. i'm wonder if there is any thing else i can do to prevent the deterioration. it's a little disappointing to see that a relatively new piano showing signs of water damage.

Where is your piano placed? It should be away from the windows (away from direct sunlight). It shouldn't be under any air vents too.

enne:

Hi!


Need some advise..

We are intending to get a piano for beginner level but for long term use.
My girl's piano teacher recommended us to get a U1 which is about $9k.

As I'm totally clueless about choosing a piano, need some advise / recommendation if this will be suitable.

Thanks in advance!

Do you have a budget when it comes to buying a piano for your daughter? Is the Yamaha U1 a brand new piano or second-hand? Yamaha is a respectable brand. I've looked at this forum on PianoStreet and there are some good pros and cons about Yamaha U1: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=18994.0

You may consider these factors before deciding which piano is suitable for your daughter:

1. Do you and your daughter like the sound?
A good piano sound is round and full, however, some people prefer light and mellow sounds, such as Kawai. The sound of Yamaha U1, however, is apparently bright and sharp. So you decide what sounds good to your ear.

2. Is the surface of the piano keys smooth, and does it have adequate resistance?
When playing the piano, it shouldn't feel like as if you're typing a computer keyboard. There must be sufficient cushioning of those keys.

3. Does the piano have warranty?
New pianos should have a warranty of at least 5 years. Make sure it covers defects of materials and poor workmanship of the piano (eg. worse case scenario - strings are not properly put into place inside the piano). But in the case of Yamaha U1, it is very likely that the workmanship is fine. You need to maintain it regularly though, meaning in the first couple of years, you have to tune your piano between 4-5 times a year because new pianos tend to have their strings prone to stretching until it reaches a state of equilibrium. Then after 2 years, you need to tune it after 6 months.

You can also read this useful guide on 'How to Choose the Right Piano.' http://bit.ly/2tJ0C1

Hope this helps!

Hi parents,


Liberty Park Music, an online music school, features ABRSM Music Theory course. So far, we have covered Grade 1 and Grade 2, and we are constantly publishing new modules and lessons for this course regularly (we're starting Grade 3), so please check often! You can check out our course here: http://bit.ly/2wyK50r

Why Choose Liberty Park Music:

Online music lessons allow you to learn on your schedule, in the comfort of any locale of your choice, and at your own pace. You can pause when you need a moment to digest the lesson or rewind to view a particular section again.

You have unlimited access to the entire library of courses---across instruments, subjects, styles, and levels. Pair your piano lessons with music theory, or explore all we have to offer and learn a variety of instruments.

You are learning from accomplished musicians and experienced teachers. If you’re ever stuck on a course, our music experts are always there to help — you’ve got questions, they’ve got answers. You can check out their profiles here: https://www.libertyparkmusic.com/people/

We listen to your needs and work hard to make your learning experience a fantastic one. If you are still not satisfied, cancel your membership anytime. The first 30 days is always on us.

You can sign up for a free-30 day trial and see if it suits your children's learning needs.
Thanks for your time!

Liberty Park Music
https://www.libertyparkmusic.com/

Hi parents,


If your kids are starting to learn how to play drums, you can read my colleague's article called 'Beginners Guide: Drum Kit.' You can read it here: http://bit.ly/2uHqcUV It's an article series that teaches you:

1) The terminology of the drum set
2) How to buy a drum kit
3) How to select drum sticks
4) How to select cymbals (basics)
5) How to select cymbals with different finishes
6) How to tune the drums

Hope you find the article useful. Feel free to comment and share. Thanks!

zac's mum:

That's a very interesting article and I agree those are good factors to consider!


I was told that my long thin fingers are an asset in playing the piano (my hand span can reach 1 octave plus 2 notes). But when I tried to learn the guitar, it was hard for me to press the strings down fully (apparently short fat fingers are better for that. Also I am strongly right-handed, so it is doubly difficult for me to switch chords quickly.

So ambidexterity/left-handedness may be one of the factors to consider. Eg ambidextrous persons make better drummers, left handed people make better violinists/guitarists? Especially my child can pick up violin vibrato much quicker than me. Other instruments: may not matter much.

I haven't thought about ambidexterity or left-handed people - those are fantastic observations! Thank you!