Go Slow and Steady - Not Fast and Furious!
Only try to memorize a few cards a day (or even a week if you are busy). Like any endeavor, it is all about repetition. Don't force your progress. Just learn a few cards at a time. If your music teacher isn't already harping on the 'Practice Slowly' mantra of music, we'll plug the hole. Practice Slowly!
Finding a consistent time each day - making a routine of your practice - will make you learn the material steadily and effectively. One advantage of flash cards is that they are very convenient to carry around with you. Is there a time each day where you are forced to wait such as your commute? We find that people learn much more calmly and steadily, and ultimately happily, if they do just a little bit each day and do not try to put in less frequent but longer practice sessions.
Learn Within a Community - Not in Isolation
Take advantage of our free email exchange for customers. Ask questions, report progress, ask for direction, ask anything. We have found that our students are far more likely to continue their studies during the hard times if they are communicating with people. One of our initial motivations to start this business was to provide that community.
Avoid 'You'll Play in Days' Type Methods
We see so many approaches out there, particularly on the internet, which promise that they will have beginning musicians playing within days. Yes, you may be able to play 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star', but will you have any fundamentals that will allow you to improvise, read, accompany? For example, we see many methods which promote putting numbers on the instrument and teaching by putting your fingers where a number is. This avoids the need to read music but produces a myriad of roadblocks at the next stage. Take the time to learn to read music. This will pay off a thousand fold down the line.
Go in Order - And Here's the Order We Recommend
| 1. | Note Names | → | The name and placement of notes on the musical staff |
| 2. | Note & Rest Values | → | How long notes and rests are held relative to the other notes |
| 3. | Music Symbols | → | Raising or lowering notes |
| 4. | Dynamics | → | How loud or soft to play notes |
| 5. | Articulations | → | The style in which each note is played (i.e. slurred, pronounced, ...) |
| 6. | Key Signatures | → | What key a piece is written in |
| 7. | Tempo Markings | → | The intended speed and style of a piece |
| 8. | Intervals | → | The distance between two simultaneous notes (the building blocks for chords) |
| 9. | Chords | → | Chords are the basis of harmony |
Research Your Piece
Once you begin working on pieces of music that are a little more advanced, your level of interest (and therefore motivation) will increase significantly if you know a little about the composer, their style and what their intention was for this piece of music. Most composers have a distinct style and this will help you put the various music terms & symbols you are learning into context. You will begin to understand why the markings exist and how composers use them when writing music to communicate their intentions.
Did we Mention to Go Slow and Steady?
Just a reminder. Go Slow and Steady. Of all the teachers involved with Cool Cat Cards, not one of us has yet met a student who didn't practice too fast or try to learn too fast.
Most Importantly ... Have fun!!
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