I Love You Blue Snowball

The Blue Snowball USB microphone is still an important part of my piano studio set-up. In May 2012 I wrote a post about using the Snowball with my iPad. I have since made a few changes to my work flow, so I thought I'd share.

I love you Blue Snowball.

But your USB thinger doesn't fit my iPad mini lightning port.

So we had to take a trip to the friendly Apple Store and pick up one of these for about $20. It's a Lightning to USB Camera Adapter.

Ta-da...beautiful. Not just for cameras.

Now, if you haven't done so already go to the App Store and buy Garageband for $4.99. I know we like free apps, but if you are into making and sharing music this is a good one to have.

Here are some screen shots from my iPad to help you get started. Choose Audio Recorder so you can use your Blue Snowball to record.

The default setting activates the metronome and count-in click. This drives me crazy, so may I recommend that you go to the little wrench in the upper right corner and turn those off.

Also the default only allows you to record 8 bars and then you get cut off. Okay, that is weird. So click the little + sign in the upper right corner and where it says Automatic "Off"...

...change it to Automatic "On". Now you can record any length song.

Let's pretend you've gone ahead and recorded a lovely piece of music. Just click "My Songs" in the upper left corner and you'll come back to your page of music files. Please click the Edit button so you can name your song. Try to get in the habit of naming your files properly to help keep things organized.

Now you have all kinds of options for sharing. Click the arrow button in the upper left corner and you'll see this menu. Wowza, so many choices eh?

These days I'm using SoundCloud as my method of sharing. But you could easily send off the recording by email to a student or share on Facebook.

If you decide to use SoundCloud you will be given all kinds of options including making the file public or private. I use "private" if I'm sharing with a student and I use "public" if I'm sharing with you folks.

Here is a super quick, unedited piano recording using the Blue Snowball and Garageband on my iPad mini. Sorry, the piano is a little out of tune this time of year, but I think this gives you a good idea of what you can do quickly.



I've been working out lead sheets of traditional Irish tunes for my harp, "The Castle of Dromore" was sitting on my piano so that's what you just heard. If anyone would like to download my lead sheet it's waiting for you in Dropbox. Some of my teens are enjoying this one.

A Little Student Survey

When I decide my studio is going to try something, we really go for it. January has been all about learning to use SoundCloud. It allows me to record a practice tempo for a student, upload it to my private account and share the link by email. The student can easily listen or download the mp3 to their computer or device.

Personally, I think it's brilliant and it seems to me that students all have the gear and the know-how to take advantage of this tool at home. But I thought I should do a little survey to get a better picture of what they can really do.

I have given all of my students a SoundCloud link to their duet or trio for practicing at home. Yes, it's time consuming to create that many mp3s, but I'll do anything for improved practicing. Seriously. I remembered to survey 21 students last week. Here are the results:

Do you have a computer at home?

• Yes - 100%
• No - 0%

Do have itunes on your computer or device?

•  Yes - 90%
•  No (or I don't know) - 10%

Do you buy music with itunes?

• Yes - 57%
• No (don't know how or I don't buy music) - 43%

Do you know how to download music?

• Yes - 81%
• No - 19%

How do you usually listen to your music?

• ipod, ipad, phone, laptop, computer - 71%
• radio, stereo, vinyl - 29%

If I sent you an mp3, could you listen to it and play along at your piano?

• Yes - 95%
• No - 5%

What music do you like to listen to?

• Taylor Swift, One Direction, Country, Adele, classic rock, video game soundtracks, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, no favorites

 How often do you listen to music?

• All the time! - 48%
• A bit or not that much - 52%

Have you heard of SoundCloud?

• No - 95%
• Yes - 5%

Do you play music from CDs?

• No - 71%
• Yes - 29%

Do you use Facebook?

• No (not allowed or doesn't like it) - 67%
• Yes - 33%

Rate how much you used SoundCloud last week.

• Everyday and it was helpful - 62%
• Not much - 38% (all of those 8 students used it a lot on week 2 and you could tell)

I am happy to report that the quality of practicing was significantly better from those students who used their SoundCloud link at home. They came back with accurate notes and rhythm plus a good steady tempo. SoundCloud has rocked my studio! Very nice kiddos.

You're Invited to Counterpoint Corner

You are invited to explore my new blog, Counterpoint Corner. If you enjoy crafts, music or photography you might enjoy stopping by from time to time. Come on over, click the comment link and say hello.

I started the blog just after Christmas. My goal is to find a better balance for the hobbies I enjoy, and to create a cozy little place to celebrate the journey of learning new skills.

When I am Pianoanne, I am not a beginner. But in the Counterpoint Corner I am truly an amateur at my favorite hobbies: crochet, harp and photography. I've been crocheting since August, playing harp for about a year and photography on and off for some years. I love weaving these three hobbies  together each day in a creative counterpoint.

I have to say it takes a bit of courage to celebrate being a beginner. And it takes a lot of courage to put it on a blog. Though I love and understand the process of learning new skills, it is still so easy to feel not good enough.

But I am all about finding the things that make your eyes twinkle and then investing the time, love and energy into doing your best work. I hope my piano students learn this from me, I try to model this work ethic every day. Teaching piano is so much more than teaching piano isn't it?

Crazy Combo Concert is Coming!

Oh this is going to be FUN!

In all my years teaching piano I have never done this...

We are having a Crazy Combo Concert for piano duets, trios and quartets. I have spent hours and hours planning and recording repertoire. Everyone is in a special group (or two). This is going to be very entertaining!

I have booked The Music Room on Lady Hammond Road, Halifax for Sunday, February 24 at 2:00-3:00 for our concert.

Students will be playing a 9' New York-built, Steinway grand piano and we have seating for about 110 fans.

It's a special venue for a special concert.


Here is a list of some of the ensembles we are working on...

look inside

Lady Gaga Fugue (Showcase Solos Pops - Duet for One Piano, Four Hands - Level 5). By Lady Gaga. Arranged by Giovanni Dettori. For 1 Piano, 4 Hands. Educational Piano Library. 12 pages. Published by Hal Leonard (HL.296880) (1) ...more info

look inside

Three's a Crowd Rag By Joyce Grill. For Piano. Piano Trio (1 Piano, 6 Hands); Trio. Early Intermediate level piece for the Piano Trio event with the National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) Festivals Bulletin 2008-2009-2010. Early Intermediate. Sheet. 8 pages. Published by Alfred Music Publishing (AP.PAM0401) (1) ...more info

look inside

Round 'n' Round (Piano Duet). By Lynn Freeman Olson. For Piano I, Piano II. Part(s). Standard notation. 9 pages. Published by Carl Fischer (CF.P3279) ...more info

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Triple Dip By Robert D. Vandall. For Piano. Piano Trio (1 Piano, 6 Hands); Trio. Early Intermediate level piece for the Piano Trio event with the National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) Festivals Bulletin 2008-2009-2010. Early Intermediate. 16 pages. Published by Alfred Music Publishing (AP.88822) (2) ...more info

look inside

Rialto Ripples - One Piano, Four Hands By George Gershwin (1898-1937) and Will Donaldson. Arranged by Jim Lyke. For piano four-hands. Duet or Duo; Masterworks; Piano Duet (1 Piano, 4 Hands). Ragtime. Difficulty: easy-medium. 11 pages. Published by Alfred Music Publishing (AP.PA02507A) (3) ...more info

Grand Duets for Piano, Book 4 (6 Early Intermediate Pieces for One Piano, Four Hands). By Melody Bober. For Piano. Book; Duet or Duo; Piano Duet (1 Piano, 4 Hands). Grand Duets for Piano. 36 pages. Published by Alfred Music Publishing (AP.35440) ...more info

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Dynamic Duets, Book 1 By Melody Bober. For piano. FJH Composers In Focus. A collection of original duets that may be performed by two students or as student/teacher duets.. Intermediate/Late Intermediate. Published by The FJH Music Company Inc (FJ.FF1202) (2) ...more info

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Jazz, Rags & Blues for Two - Book 2 For piano four-hands. Duet or Duo; Piano Duet (1 Piano, 4 Hands). Jazz, Rags & Blues for Two. Intermediate level piece for the Piano Duet event with the National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) Festivals Bulletin 2008-2009-2010. Jazz, Blues and Ragtime. Intermediate. Collection. 24 pages. Published by Alfred Music Publishing (AP.21387) (1) ...more info

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Jazz, Rags & Blues for Two - Book 4 Arranged by Martha Mier. For piano four-hands. Duet or Duo; Piano Duet (1 Piano, 4 Hands). Jazz, Rags & Blues for Two. Advanced level piece for the Piano Duet event with the National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) Festivals Bulletin 2008-2009-2010. Jazz, Blues and Rock. Early Advanced; Late Intermediate. Collection. 24 pages. Published by Alfred Music Publishing (AP.22455) (3) ...more info

Since we have to work quickly (we only have 7 weeks to learn and rehearse and polish), I have made practice tempo recordings for almost all of the repertoire. I post the mp3 privately on SoundCloud and send each student their link. I am hoping they will download the mp3 and practice with it at home. The nice thing about SoundCloud is I can see if students have listened and downloaded their file...I'm watching! Dear students: it very important (and fun) to work with the practice recording, pleeeeeeease do it.

Goodbye Facebook Page

With the flip of my calendar to January 2013, it only feels right to take stock of things that are working and things that, well, are not so much.

Back in July of 2011, I wondered how other teachers were using Facebook and I decided to start a Pianoanne Facebook page. I imagined that it might be an effective way to connect with current students and families, past students and colleagues.

Sorry Facebook...fail. Those weren't the results I got at all. Even with over 200 "likes" (and by the way, thanks to those of you who "liked" Pianoanne), I just don't see how time spent with Facebook has translated into benefits to my studio. I am a big believer in putting energy into my teaching, but one must pick and choose wisely.

Some people are really good at playing the Facebook game, but for me it's not a game I especially enjoy playing. So the Pianoanne Page is singing "So Long, Farewell".

Of course you'll still find me here because I feel that blogging is a good use of time and continues to feel relevant to me.

Oh just one more thing...a funny story...

Yesterday I went to my Pianoanne Facebook page to delete it. And waiting for me in messages was the nicest note from a teacher who was enjoying my blog. Doh, that always happens to me! So feeling all warm and fuzzy toward Facebook, I didn't delete my page. Why is it so hard to just hit that delete button? Am I afraid of losing "awesome points" if I don't make use of social media? Off I go...I'm doing it...now. Done.

Okay that was a little bit sad. I had forgotten about some of the silly stuff, like my student calling ledger lines extension rods. Guess I'll need to think of another way to remember the funny little things that happen day to day.