EEi Webinar: Starting Beginning Strings Students with EEi

Welcome and the three pillars

[00:00:00] hi welcome to this EEI webinar we're really happy that you joined us today and we're looking forward to looking into Central Elements Interactive and looking at how that can help you and your students here in the beginning stages of the school year my name is Steve Smith and I work here at Hal Leonard prior to working at Hal Leonard I was a middle school teacher in Texas middle school band teacher in Texas and now that I'm here at Hal Leonard I work with the website and I help coordinate materials and try and get new resources and tools to you and your students and so I'm happy to walk through several things that the website has to offer and I'm also excited that today joining us is one of our EEI contributing editors on the string side Sue Hahn and Sue so

[00:00:45] glad that you were able to join us today thanks for being here hi Steve and greetings from Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music in Berea Ohio which is just right outside Cleveland Ohio I'm here in our gamble auditorium and I'm really looking forward to spending with you and really grateful to be a part of this webinar well we're really happy that you're here today as well Sue Hahn thanks so much for being here and throughout this webinar sue is actually gonna be online on the little chat that you have there so if you have questions you can pop into that chat room you can ask questions of Sue Hahn there's a public place there's also if you

[00:01:26] want to do a direct message if you don't want it to be out there for everybody feel free to to put questions in there and he'll be there to answer we also

Music reading skills

[00:01:32] have some EEI specialists over here who can answer technical questions about the site as well if you have questions so feel free to join in and hopefully interact with this webinar let's go ahead and get started I am gonna hop off a screen we're gonna get right into our topic and dive into this webinar so for today's webinar we're gonna kind of break our beginning of the year into three different categories and the first part is gonna be talking about music reading skills then we're gonna discuss instrument fundamentals we're gonna come back to Sue Hahn he's gonna kind of help us with the pedagogy of teaching fundamentals on different instruments and then we're gonna close kind of talking about how to establish really good practice habits and getting

[00:02:16] students to self evaluate and we're gonna talk about how to kind of build each of these skills simultaneously throughout the year you're not just gonna do one and then leave that and go to the other and it's it's not necessarily a progression music through practice habits they all have to be established at the same time and worked on kind of at the same time so to start we're gonna talk about music reading skills and I think that we've all had experiences where students have come to our class and they have been they've been kind of prepared in advance and they've actually even had piano as their background and I think we all know that those students tend to dive in and have a much higher level experience in our classes from the beginning it's the equivalent of a child

[00:03:00] basically being able to read when they go into kindergarten they are instantly ahead and they understand and they succeed right off the bat and that's a really helpful helpful thing for students we probably all had those students also that really struggle and they don't know how to read music and they have a hard time with it and we've had students probably that have gotten a little further in the year than we'd like with them being able to read music and again that's going to be equivalent to a kid being in assigned a book report before they even really know how to read and they're instantly behind and they can be frustrated and it makes playing an instrument just not as much fun as we know it can be so we want to

[00:03:45] try and work with that and so we're going to talk about how developing music reading skills should happen separate from the performance of the instrument so they should separate and we should as teachers separate the learning of music theory from that performance and then apply the mastered skills of reading music to playing that instrument and this is important to make it part of class every day and make it constant and so really the goal is that students will understand the music theory concepts before playing them on their instruments and EEI has several things that we have added to help you with that and to help your students with that the first thing is we have this whole section of music

[00:04:27] theory sheets and a lot of people actually aren't aware that we have this in EEI but we have a vast array of music theory introductory sheets and it's easy to get to if you're in your account and you go up and you click on the resources tab it's going to get you over to the resources section and then from there I'm going to select music theory and you're going to be able to go up to topics you're going to see this right there and then scroll down to music theory there's a lot of different things that we'll look at today but for right now look at music theory leave it on all instruments and then select go and you're going to find quite a few topics that are in there and we have even taken some of these and making them for all class alto clef and there are a variety of topics

[00:05:12] that you can you can work through and the the concepts that are covered here are introduction to the staff we have introduction to treble bass and alto clefs and then we have note values rests and you can see the list right there measures bar lines time signatures accidentals key signatures and even some dotted rhythms that you could you could kind of work with maybe some of your advanced students but these are in there and they are downloadable PDFs we've taken some of this from some other music theory literature that we've had here at how Leonard but you can kind of see this as kind of a sampling of what we've done and what is available and these sheets are reproducible and you can for anybody who's using the central limits interactive website you can print these

[00:05:58] out photocopy them give them to your kids and really use these sheets in class to really help your students understand the basics of music theory right from the beginning so that's going to be a really good added value for EEI so if you're not aware that those are in there those music theory sheets are going to be really helpful and give your students a good ground level for all of the music that they're going to be reading and really establish that from the beginning coming soon we're actually going to have a few music theory quizzes or worksheets however you would like to to look at that but it's a chance for you to check knowledge of students and see that they're understanding where they're coming from and you could also kind of use this maybe as a pretest to see

[00:06:46] what your kids understand coming into your class maybe coming from another school or from the elementary schools but it's a chance for you to really be able to check them on their music theory understanding something else that we have in there and again if you go to that resources section and you click on note naming worksheets you're going to pull up quite a few sheets of mute sheets of worksheets that are note naming sheets and again we have alto clef treble clef bass clef for all of this and we have really put this in there so that students can learn their note names and get a lot of purposeful repetition that's going to be one of the keys to getting kids to really understand and read music is that repetition that is

[00:07:30] you know not just wrote but it's it's purposeful and allows them to to really understand the music that they're reading and the notes that they're reading in this case you can see that these sheets have a different kind of order to them so right now you have introduction which is just going to be your basic lines on the staff lines and spaces and get them to really understand reading music on their staff and then it's going to mix some things up on that staff we have some time noting number three is going to be notes below the staff and then time noting number four is going to be notes above the staff and then you've got accidentals flats and accidental sharp so it's a chance for them to really work

[00:08:11] through reading these notes and really kind of understanding them you can see there it's a place for them to write in their note names underneath the notes and really get to understand that and kids you know they like challenges they like kind of game so we've also added down there a chance for you to write in there how long it takes them to do these sheets so you know 36 notes if you can get it down to where they could do this you know about one second per note they could do this entire sheet in 30 seconds that might be a later on goal but if a student can do that that's really really added benefit something else you could do is notename chance so you could take these sheets and before they fill in the note names you could have them all together out loud you know turn on a

[00:08:53] metronome and say say a note every two beats and have them work through this sheet but just anything to get them to purposefully repeat saying these notes writing these note names down and checking them and it's gonna really pay off and allow them to understand the notes that are on on the staff and then if you can apply that once you get into once you get into the book then you can start applying that and having them actually say these note names out loud like we talked about the note naming chance but they could say or sing these note names out loud and that can be again it's a transition and getting them to really understand the notes and then applying it to the music that they're playing and one of the things that's important is that you know with these

[00:09:36] note naming PDFs you can print these and have them do them over and over again you know just because they've done note naming number two doesn't mean you can't print it out and do it again it's one of the benefits of having reproducible PDFs so they can use these PDFs and practice their note naming and writing in note names on those sheets and then they don't need to write them in in their book because I know sometimes students write the notes in their book and then they're not reading the notes on the staff they're reading the letters that they wrote underneath it underneath the notes so having these PDFs allows you to separate them learning their note names from actually reading the music in the book and then apply it to that so it's a really good benefit of the of having

[00:10:14] those PDFs so again you can see that we have we have those note note naming sheets that are out there we have a couple more that are coming including mixed accidental sharps and flats as well as some with key signatures so those are going to be some that we're adding time noting number seven and number eight and we'll continue to add to those note naming sheets so that can be a really beneficial thing for for you and your students now in addition to reading note names we also want to have students understand rhythms and so we've added rhythm counting sheets and there's a lot of different variety of rhythm counting sheets that you can have in here and we've added quite a few of these and for strings we have these first four sheets that are in there we

[00:10:59] actually have some more that are coming but we have these first four string rhythm study sheets that are in there for you to use and you can kind of see that with this you have introduction to eighth notes as well as just eighth note exercises that are just going to kind of mix up different notes but it's a chance again for them to practice reading rhythms and practice understanding rhythms separate from the music and it gives them a chance to understand that and then apply it to the music we really encourage you to have some type of rhythm writing system or rhythm writing or rhythm counting system as well if you have one that's great if not we've actually put a couple of suggestions in here so for this for

[00:11:43] example here is just a basic rhythm writing guide for whole notes we're gonna we're gonna have that arrow that kind of extends over the counts and we have the counts written in so that they realize in whole notes that tempo still goes silence we put parentheses around those for the again for them to understand that there is still a pulse and a count going in silence and to keep that in their brain so you can kind of see this is kind of our suggestion this is a one-and counting system and you can kind of see how we would do all that these are in EEI for you to use we also have a one-tay counting system if you prefer using the one-tay method and so you can kind of download these and kind of gives you and your students a guide to all get on the same page with how to

[00:12:24] count and to say rhythms if you have your own version you know what you would like to use this counting we've also put a blank rhythm writing guide for you to fill in and these are you know just a lot of different rhythms that students could count but it gives you a chance to fill that in and write those note names in because one of the suggestions that we have again this is a benefit of having these downloadable PDFs is that if you just say you take rhythm studies number four and you print this out if you print this double-sided for your students then on one side the students could write the rhythms in and this will give you a chance to check and make sure that they understand and have written in the rhythms correctly so they have the basic understanding of the rhythm and

[00:13:05] then from there they could practice counting it but you can have the other side of the page still be blank because when students are counting rhythms and they're learning to count new rhythms or repetition rhythms it's important that they don't have the counts written in under the notes because if they do a lot of times students will just read those numbers and the symbols and they won't actually be counting the rhythm that's on the page they're just basically reading what's already written in underneath the notes and so this gives you a chance to again have them write the note names underneath and then have that chance to count those rhythms without without the you know the the notes written in underneath I know that a lot of you probably have your students

[00:13:48] clap and count rhythms and that is a great way to kind of check for understanding and also work on having them clap and count together and realize they need to do things together as a class but I want to kind of introduce another approach to rhythm studies or rhythm counting that some of you may use but this might be new to others and that is counting and touching the rhythms and this is really an idea and it's a very tactile way to count rhythms but it also is a very telling way for you to kind of understand really what is going on in the students brain and I want to show you a video of some students that are doing these things that I worked with a little while back and watch then kind of talk to you about how counting and touching rhythms really helps show what

[00:14:31] the students understand go stop one last thing will you make sure that you're really precise with this we make sure that it's one take two take three like you're really touching picking up and touching those notes here we go one more time very precise one two ready take go one take two take three four now I just want to back up and I want to talk about this one student because as you're watching this student count the beauty of this is that there is zero doubt that this student understands these rhythms I want you to watch her again and notice how her finger is exactly where it needs to be every time on the rhythms

[00:15:23] so with that again it's one of those times where when you use that and you look at and and watch the students from behind when they're counting that you can tell exactly what is going on and sometimes the students when they get apart from where they are supposed to be counting they're the first ones to understand they're not correct on the rhythm counting so I remember when I did this actually that child that's sitting there on the right that boy he actually counted and his finger got to count one on the page but he was saying count four and when that happened he just froze and he just paused for a second because he immediately knew something's not quite right so it tells them immediately when they're correct or when they're not it also tells you when they're correct or

[00:16:17] not so just kind of a new kind of insight into how to to do this counting and touching because it can be really beneficial and then of course we apply it to the music so now you're in the book and you are able to go through and have them count and clap or count and touch these rhythms with a metronome and really help them understand the rhythms and understand that counting rhythms is an important practice habit which we'll talk about a little bit later too but once you start establishing these processes they'll do them when they practice and again when you start doing these rhythms outside of the book and you start making counting music and saying note names or regular part of your music and learning they'll apply

[00:16:55] that to the book and then it'll help them be better on their instruments better reading music better playing music and again with the with the rhythm studies if they're writing in the rhythms on the rhythm page on the PDFs they don't need to write them in in the books and then they're actually reading the notes on the page and they're learning to read music and not just saying the numbers that are below them so again it's just another added benefit of having the PDFs in there in EEI they are reproducible and you can really use that to your advantage so you can see the wealth of material that we've added there we're going to be adding more things to that again like I said we have more rhythm studies that are coming for book one they're even going to have some

[00:17:33] bowings in there that will allow students to play these rhythms on on their instrument but you see the music theory the note naming and the rhythm studies combine that all together you can really give your students a great foundation for reading music right from the beginning and again if you make this a regular part of every class and you plan it out for the full year it's going to be something that is just part of them being in your class is learning to read music and it'll continue to grow and help them be able to enjoy playing their instrument so that's the first segment that we're gonna kind of pull into this as music reading skills but you're going to also of course teach them instrument fundamentals so while you're teaching

[00:18:11] music reading skills you can also be working on their instrument fundamentals and really teaching them how to play their violin viola cello or bass and you know with essential elements the book has been so helpful as a guide for many students and many teachers and it's it's got a lot of great pedagogy involved and even the very first two pages have a ton of information on there and the great pictures and a lot of things that that you can really help you to help your students understand the very beginnings but what EEI is is it's a program that is designed to help you understand the very beginnings but what EEI is it's a program that is designed to help you understand the very beginnings but what EEI has a lot of to do is really take these two has a lot of to do is really take these two pages and expand and enhance them in a

[00:18:49] pages and expand and enhance them in a number of ways and just like with the number of ways and just like with the other two the note naming and the reading other two the note naming and the reading and the rhythm skills the rhythm studies and the rhythm skills the rhythm studies if you go into your resources section and if you go into your resources section and use the drop-down menu and you search use the drop-down menu and you search for startup resources for each instrument for startup resources for each instrument you're gonna find a number of options you're gonna find a number of options for each instrument so for example here for each instrument so for example here is what you'll find with cello and in is what you'll find with cello and in fact we have a couple more videos that

[00:19:11] fact we have a couple more videos that are going to be coming up there very are going to be coming up there very soon but this is what's available in the soon but this is what's available in the cello startup resources many videos and cello startup resources many videos and a worksheet to allow them to kind of a worksheet to allow them to kind of really understand this beginning stage of really understand this beginning stage of playing and we're gonna kind of walk playing and we're gonna kind of walk through some of these here in a second through some of these here in a second I'm gonna let Suhan kind of take us I'm gonna let Suhan kind of take us through some of these instruments but I through some of these instruments but I want to kind of show you first of all we

[00:19:31] want to kind of show you first of all we do have for the very beginning stages do have for the very beginning stages you've got the the parts of the violin you've got the the parts of the violin there are the parts of the instrument there are the parts of the instrument labeled but you can check for labeled but you can check for understanding with your students using understanding with your students using the parts of the instrument worksheets the parts of the instrument worksheets that we have in EEI and again these are that we have in EEI and again these are printable PDFs chance for your students printable PDFs chance for your students to come in and write in the answers and to come in and write in the answers and you know again you can do these on a

[00:19:53] you know again you can do these on a regular basis until they really regular basis until they really understand them like I said they're understand them like I said they're available for anyone using EEI and they available for anyone using EEI and they are reproducible so this is a great tool are reproducible so this is a great tool you can use for your students and really you can use for your students and really help them understand the parts of their help them understand the parts of their instrument from the beginning and you instrument from the beginning and you can do that in class you can also show can do that in class you can also show these videos in class as well it's a these videos in class as well it's a really helpful way for them to see

[00:20:15] really helpful way for them to see what's a visual of what's going on all what's a visual of what's going on all together at the same time and if you together at the same time and if you want to reinforce when they go home they want to reinforce when they go home they can watch these videos at home as well can watch these videos at home as well and this is something that they can and this is something that they can combine the PDFs with the videos and combine the PDFs with the videos and really kind of have some follow-up to really kind of have some follow-up to what you talk about in class and so what you talk about in class and so they are parts of the instrument videos they are parts of the instrument videos for each of the instruments that you can

[00:20:36] for each of the instruments that you can use and so that's just a great way to use and so that's just a great way to kind of enhance these first two pages of kind of enhance these first two pages of essential elements and by using essential elements and by using essential elements interactive we have a essential elements interactive we have a number of other tools in there from the number of other tools in there from the beginning stages that really are beginning stages that really are specific for pedagogy for each specific for pedagogy for each instrument and to discuss that I really instrument and to discuss that I really want to bring back Suhan and I want to want to bring back Suhan and I want to give him a chance to really walk you

Setting up the strings player

[00:21:08] give him a chance to really walk you all right thanks so much Steve for a great all right thanks so much Steve for a great webinar so far and of course also webinar so far and of course also for the invaluable amount of information for the invaluable amount of information that you have shared with us I just want that you have shared with us I just want to say that on a personal note I know to say that on a personal note I know that in my early teaching years when I that in my early teaching years when I was traveling from one school to the was traveling from one school to the next only once or twice a week I always next only once or twice a week I always wish for a way to continue my work with wish for a way to continue my work with my students beyond the limited time that

[00:21:35] my students beyond the limited time that I got to see them well today's I got to see them well today's technology and resources like EEI like technology and resources like EEI like with all the things that Steve has with all the things that Steve has showed us so far it allows us to do this showed us so far it allows us to do this by asking students and parents to by asking students and parents to engage with these resources at home and engage with these resources at home and therefore it provides a great way to therefore it provides a great way to introduce and reinforce concepts and introduce and reinforce concepts and ideas that we've taught them at their ideas that we've taught them at their lessons and their rehearsals so from a

[00:22:03] lessons and their rehearsals so from a pedagogical point of view first a pedagogical point of view first a bird's-eye view of the task that is ahead bird's-eye view of the task that is ahead of us as we think about our overall of us as we think about our overall philosophical and pedagogical approach philosophical and pedagogical approach we believe that it is essential that we we believe that it is essential that we not overwhelm our students cognitively not overwhelm our students cognitively or physically in the beginning stages of or physically in the beginning stages of their musical learning process and so to their musical learning process and so to that end we should be methodical about that end we should be methodical about the sequencing of how and when we

[00:22:36] the sequencing of how and when we introduce new concepts then how and when introduce new concepts then how and when we bring it together so for example as we bring it together so for example as we take a look at the essential elements we take a look at the essential elements curriculum sequencing curriculum sequencing we begin with just the instrument we begin with just the instrument position and posture position and posture which then leads to shaping of the left which then leads to shaping of the left hand while introducing the first set of hand while introducing the first set of notes as pizzicatos notes as pizzicatos and then in isolation we introduce

[00:23:02] and then in isolation we introduce fundamental right hand skills with fundamental right hand skills with shaping of the right hand transferring shaping of the right hand transferring that to pencil hold exercises that to pencil hold exercises and these two set of skills builds and and these two set of skills builds and grows in isolation until we start grows in isolation until we start beginning or bringing these things beginning or bringing these things together with the bowing of the d major together with the bowing of the d major scale scale so you know this is just one example so you know this is just one example and the thought process in which we

[00:23:27] and the thought process in which we should approach our instruction with the should approach our instruction with the beginning students beginning students and i know that some teachers move a and i know that some teachers move a little bit faster or little bit faster or some teachers maybe even move a little some teachers maybe even move a little bit slower bit slower and there is of course no one prescribed and there is of course no one prescribed pacing pacing that works for every classroom but in that works for every classroom but in general we have found that meticulous

[00:23:45] general we have found that meticulous attention attention to sound pedagogy in the early stages to sound pedagogy in the early stages it leads to an overall faster technical it leads to an overall faster technical development development faster musicianship and then of course faster musicianship and then of course most importantly most importantly less injury for our students' overall less injury for our students' overall well-being as a musician well-being as a musician so now let's dive right in so now let's dive right in first when it comes to introducing and

[00:24:10] first when it comes to introducing and reinforcing reinforcing issues of instrument setup towards the issues of instrument setup towards the beginning of the school year beginning of the school year the number one thing that we should the number one thing that we should always emphasize always emphasize is this concept of tension-free playing is this concept of tension-free playing so approaching the instrument in a way so approaching the instrument in a way that creates that creates any amount of tension or imbalance or any amount of tension or imbalance or in any part of our body large or small

[00:24:33] in any part of our body large or small it will create an immediate problems for it will create an immediate problems for our students and more importantly it our students and more importantly it sets the students up for failure in their sets the students up for failure in their short-term and long-term musical life short-term and long-term musical life so as tedious as as it seems so as tedious as as it seems we can't stress the importance of we can't stress the importance of checking for this tension-free playing checking for this tension-free playing constantly throughout your lessons constantly throughout your lessons so tension-free playing starts with a so tension-free playing starts with a balanced and appropriately aligned

[00:25:03] balanced and appropriately aligned posture of your body posture of your body a common mistake that i see a common mistake that i see from students of all levels from students of all levels is that they don't take the time to is that they don't take the time to properly balance and align their body properly balance and align their body before they bring their instruments to before they bring their instruments to them them so instead what i see is that they sit so instead what i see is that they sit without thinking and then they bring up without thinking and then they bring up their instruments and then they mold

[00:25:25] their instruments and then they mold their body their body around their instrument which is backwards around their instrument which is backwards it causing misalignments imbalance it causing misalignments imbalance and tension all throughout their body and tension all throughout their body so it's again vital that we take time to so it's again vital that we take time to teach properly tension-free setup and teach properly tension-free setup and introduce it introduce exercises that introduce it introduce exercises that reinforce these concepts reinforce these concepts eei has many resources to help through eei has many resources to help through our online pedagogy videos and these

[00:25:55] our online pedagogy videos and these setup videos are available for all setup videos are available for all instruments instruments but right now just as a sample we will but right now just as a sample we will look at a setup video for the cello watch as catherine demonstrates the steps to sitting correctly steps to sitting correctly then we'll practice this with her first then we'll practice this with her first choose an armless chair with a flat seat choose an armless chair with a flat seat that is at a height that will keep your that is at a height that will keep your upper leg upper leg parallel or angled slightly downward to

[00:26:23] parallel or angled slightly downward to the floor her shoulders are back and the floor her shoulders are back and relaxed and her feet are flat on the relaxed and her feet are flat on the floor floor next she will spread her feet slightly next she will spread her feet slightly more than shoulder width apart more than shoulder width apart do not let your feet come under the do not let your feet come under the chair chair do not let your feet extend too far out do not let your feet extend too far out this will cause your body to be out of this will cause your body to be out of balance

[00:26:45] balance you know you are in the correct you know you are in the correct position if your ankles are directly position if your ankles are directly below your knees below your knees now watch as catherine demonstrates the now watch as catherine demonstrates the steps to correctly hold the instrument steps to correctly hold the instrument then we'll do this together then we'll do this together first she will hold the neck of the first she will hold the neck of the cello in her left hand cello in her left hand with the end pin slightly to her right with the end pin slightly to her right of the center

[00:27:07] of the center she will move the cello in front of her she will move the cello in front of her at arm's length at arm's length next she will carefully lean the cello next she will carefully lean the cello into the space created between her knees into the space created between her knees there are three important checkpoints for there are three important checkpoints for proper cello placement proper cello placement first the bottom of the c bout should be first the bottom of the c bout should be slightly above the knees just inside of slightly above the knees just inside of the kneecaps the kneecaps second the base of the neck should be at

[00:27:32] second the base of the neck should be at mid sternum or right next to your heart mid sternum or right next to your heart third the c peg should be just below ear third the c peg should be just below ear level behind your neck level behind your neck and again that was just a short sampling and again that was just a short sampling from the complete from the complete set of cello pedagogy videos set of cello pedagogy videos so let's talk now a little bit about so let's talk now a little bit about the right hand the right hand now that we have dressed the fundamental now that we have dressed the fundamental body setup

[00:27:56] body setup as string players introducing as string players introducing reviewing and reinforcing a tension-free reviewing and reinforcing a tension-free bow hand bow hand is of course always an important part of is of course always an important part of our lessons our lessons and there are different and nuanced ways and there are different and nuanced ways of introducing the bow hand setup of introducing the bow hand setup and here's this one approach that we and here's this one approach that we have found have found successful in many orchestra classrooms

[00:28:19] successful in many orchestra classrooms so at first we teach the shaping of the so at first we teach the shaping of the bow hand bow hand first of all away from the bow itself by first of all away from the bow itself by using using a pencil using an object like a pencil using an object like pencil allows especially for our younger pencil allows especially for our younger students students the ability to focus solely on the issue the ability to focus solely on the issue of the bow hand of the bow hand and using something that is much lighter

[00:28:42] and using something that is much lighter and easier to navigate and easier to navigate and it's only when students have mastered and it's only when students have mastered the proper or the tension-free bow hand the proper or the tension-free bow hand shape on the pencil that we begin to shape on the pencil that we begin to transfer it over to the bow itself transfer it over to the bow itself and so as a side when i talk about bow and so as a side when i talk about bow holds with my students holds with my students as for me actually instead of the term as for me actually instead of the term bow hold bow hold i actually like to refer to it as bow

[00:29:07] i actually like to refer to it as bow balance because essentially in my balance because essentially in my opinion opinion that's what we're doing when we're using that's what we're doing when we're using the bow to play that we are the bow to play that we are balancing the bow in our hand and on balancing the bow in our hand and on our strings our strings through our instruments so we again through our instruments so we again understand that there are different understand that there are different schools of thoughts on this schools of thoughts on this but what i personally advocate is for

[00:29:27] but what i personally advocate is for us to take our time having the students us to take our time having the students play with the bow play with the bow moving to the bow too soon or too fast moving to the bow too soon or too fast it creates an unfortunate it creates an unfortunate possibilities of students developing possibilities of students developing incorrect and tense bow hands incorrect and tense bow hands that could potentially create a that could potentially create a lifelong problem for our musicians lifelong problem for our musicians so but on the other hand i also so but on the other hand i also personally advocate for students to do

[00:29:54] personally advocate for students to do some kind of bow exercises each lesson some kind of bow exercises each lesson with a pencil or with just a bow itself

Bow technique

[00:30:00] with a pencil or with just a bow itself on a daily basis on a daily basis to build good habits so just trying to to build good habits so just trying to find that perfect balance of not moving find that perfect balance of not moving too slow but also not moving too fast too slow but also not moving too fast so here's a sampling of some of the so here's a sampling of some of the pedagogy videos pedagogy videos now watch as aaron demonstrates the now watch as aaron demonstrates the steps to setting your right hand steps to setting your right hand correctly then we will do this together correctly then we will do this together first she holds a pencil at an angle in

[00:30:33] first she holds a pencil at an angle in her left hand with her first finger and her left hand with her first finger and thumb thumb next with her right hand she will hang next with her right hand she will hang her fingers over the top of the pencil her fingers over the top of the pencil making sure her fingers are apart making sure her fingers are apart just opposite her middle finger just opposite her middle finger next she will lean her right hand so next she will lean her right hand so the first finger rests on top of the the first finger rests on top of the pencil between the first and second pencil between the first and second joints

[00:31:05] joints finally she will remove her left hand finally she will remove her left hand from the pencil from the pencil in this position your hand should form an in this position your hand should form an oval oval notice that her fingers are curved and notice that her fingers are curved and relaxed relaxed and that she is not squeezing or and that she is not squeezing or clenching the pencil clenching the pencil with correct hand position you should with correct hand position you should easily be able to remove the pencil

[00:31:29] now let's try this with aaron as a tip many teachers actually take the bow bow away from beginning students so that away from beginning students so that they are not tempted to damage it they are not tempted to damage it or to use it improperly and therefore or to use it improperly and therefore develop bad habits develop bad habits and so instead what they do is they and so instead what they do is they first work on bow hand concepts using first work on bow hand concepts using other materials such as pencils or even other materials such as pencils or even things like

[00:31:54] things like wood dowels to introduce shaping of wood dowels to introduce shaping of beautiful bow hands beautiful bow hands and then once the students have and then once the students have demonstrated that bows are then given demonstrated that bows are then given back to the students so that may be back to the students so that may be something to consider something to consider if you have the means to do so if you have the means to do so in eei what i love about the pedagogy in eei what i love about the pedagogy videos videos available to us is the fact that again

[00:32:17] available to us is the fact that again it is progression based it is progression based that at first it is taught independently that at first it is taught independently of other concepts and skills of other concepts and skills and it reinforces over and over the and it reinforces over and over the concept of concept of tension-free playing and because many tension-free playing and because many teachers incorporate pencil holds in teachers incorporate pencil holds in addition to addition to early bow holds or sometimes called early bow holds or sometimes called baroque bow holds prior to

[00:32:41] baroque bow holds prior to taking it to the bow itself we did taking it to the bow itself we did provide resources that demonstrate all provide resources that demonstrate all these concepts these concepts in eei so we'll look at some samples of in eei so we'll look at some samples of these videos continuing to use the these videos continuing to use the violin bow violin bow and what you're about to see is sampling and what you're about to see is sampling of two pedagogy videos of two pedagogy videos one on early bow hold then your standard one on early bow hold then your standard bow holds

[00:33:02] bow holds or as i like to call them in my classroom or as i like to call them in my classroom bow bow balance watch as aaron demonstrates the early balance watch as aaron demonstrates the early bow hold for you bow hold for you then we will do this together first then we will do this together first using her left hand she will raise the using her left hand she will raise the bow up at an angle as we did with the bow up at an angle as we did with the pencil pencil next she will place her right thumb and next she will place her right thumb and second finger on the bow stick near the

[00:33:26] second finger on the bow stick near the middle of the bow middle of the bow now she will shape her hand on the bow now she will shape her hand on the bow stick as we did before on the pencil stick as we did before on the pencil and take her left hand off the bow and take her left hand off the bow watch as aaron demonstrates the regular watch as aaron demonstrates the regular bow hold bow hold then we'll do this together first using then we'll do this together first using her left hand she will raise the bow up her left hand she will raise the bow up at an angle as we did with the pencil at an angle as we did with the pencil next she will place her right thumb and

[00:33:52] next she will place her right thumb and second finger across from each other on second finger across from each other on the bow near the frog the bow near the frog now she will shape her hand on the bow now she will shape her hand on the bow stick as we did before on the pencil stick as we did before on the pencil next she will turn her hand over to make next she will turn her hand over to make sure her thumb and fingers are curved this is what the bow hand should look like in the regular bow hold position to reiterate once more these pedagogy videos are available for all instruments videos are available for all instruments including including for basis pedagogy video for both

[00:34:32] for basis pedagogy video for both french and german bows and they're all french and german bows and they're all available under the resource section of available under the resource section of eei so now that we spent a little time eei so now that we spent a little time talking about the bow hand talking about the bow hand let's talk about the left hand let's talk about the left hand as a place to start the concept of as a place to start the concept of tension free playing is of greatest tension free playing is of greatest importance with the left hand as well importance with the left hand as well and in my experience and in my experience when playing injuries occur it is most

[00:35:01] when playing injuries occur it is most often in the left hand stemming from often in the left hand stemming from prolonged playing with great tension in prolonged playing with great tension in our hands and fingers so it is our hands and fingers so it is with this in mind that we have a great with this in mind that we have a great responsibility to introduce teach and responsibility to introduce teach and reinforce this tension-free playing reinforce this tension-free playing for the left hand on a daily basis and for the left hand on a daily basis and of course for the right hand as well of course for the right hand as well an essential place to start to ensure an essential place to start to ensure tension-free playing is to shape the

[00:35:31] tension-free playing is to shape the student's hand student's hand so that the fingers are poised over the so that the fingers are poised over the finger board for finger board for better playing and intonation and to better playing and intonation and to promote a straight and relaxed promote a straight and relaxed left wrist all the while reminding left wrist all the while reminding students to remain loose at all times students to remain loose at all times and as a tip and as a side i also and as a tip and as a side i also want to recommend removing from our want to recommend removing from our string pedagogy vernacular

[00:35:58] string pedagogy vernacular words like push press words like push press squeeze and grab squeeze and grab because these verbs evoke actions that because these verbs evoke actions that are rooted in are rooted in tension so instead i try to incorporate tension so instead i try to incorporate terms like terms like sink into sink into instead of push or press instead of push or press applying weight instead of squeeze applying weight instead of squeeze and balance instead of grab

[00:36:25] and balance instead of grab so let's take a look at just some of so let's take a look at just some of the resources that are available to you the resources that are available to you and your students in the eei resource and your students in the eei resource section to demonstrate some of these section to demonstrate some of these left-hand concepts using the cello and left-hand concepts using the cello and the bass as examples the bass as examples first she will lightly hug the first she will lightly hug the instrument by placing her wrists on top instrument by placing her wrists on top of of or slightly in front of the bridge

[00:36:50] or slightly in front of the bridge be sure to keep your spine lengthened and be sure to keep your spine lengthened and relaxed relaxed notice the open and oval shaped space notice the open and oval shaped space that's created that's created next she will place her right arm on top next she will place her right arm on top of her right thigh of her right thigh notice her left arm and observe the notice her left arm and observe the alignment that's created by the base of alignment that's created by the base of the knuckles the knuckles back of the hand and the top of the

[00:37:11] back of the hand and the top of the forearm and upper arm forearm and upper arm now pretending her elbow is being held by now pretending her elbow is being held by a string suspended from the ceiling a string suspended from the ceiling she will slide her hand back to the she will slide her hand back to the middle of the cello middle of the cello she will put the tip of her thumb in the she will put the tip of her thumb in the middle of the back of the neck then put middle of the back of the neck then put the rest of her fingers on the finger the rest of her fingers on the finger board between the A and D strings once board between the A and D strings once the hand is in position she will relax

[00:37:36] the hand is in position she will relax her shoulder muscles and let gravity her shoulder muscles and let gravity sink her fingers into the cello neck sink her fingers into the cello neck first he will support the base with his first he will support the base with his right hand then he will extend his left right hand then he will extend his left arm and place his left fingers gently on arm and place his left fingers gently on the strings at about eye level notice the strings at about eye level notice his elbow is relaxed away from the side his elbow is relaxed away from the side of his body and his forearm wrist and of his body and his forearm wrist and the back of his hand create a relaxed the back of his hand create a relaxed straight alignment he'll put the tip of

[00:38:07] straight alignment he'll put the tip of his thumb in the middle of the back of his thumb in the middle of the back of the neck then put the rest of his the neck then put the rest of his fingers on the fingerboard between the D fingers on the fingerboard between the D and a strings once the hand is in and a strings once the hand is in position he'll relax his shoulder position he'll relax his shoulder muscles and let gravity sink his fingers muscles and let gravity sink his fingers into the fingerboard into the fingerboard now try this with Daniel I will mention now try this with Daniel I will mention that in my last teaching position at that in my last teaching position at Carmel High School even though I was

[00:38:35] Carmel High School even though I was working primarily with just high school working primarily with just high school students I would nonetheless spend my students I would nonetheless spend my first lessons and rehearsals doing early first lessons and rehearsals doing early fundamental exercises with the high fundamental exercises with the high school students just to make sure bad school students just to make sure bad habits that might have formed during habits that might have formed during their middle school times and then also their middle school times and then also just to ensure that bad habits were not just to ensure that bad habits were not creeping in so in my opinion no student

Left-hand and combining the setup

[00:39:01] creeping in so in my opinion no student is ever too old for to review these is ever too old for to review these concepts of tension free playing before concepts of tension free playing before we leave the left-hand concepts we leave the left-hand concepts altogether let's dive in a bit more altogether let's dive in a bit more specifically for the violin and viola specifically for the violin and viola and so for these instruments the and so for these instruments the essential elements approach to shaping essential elements approach to shaping tension free left hand is through the tension free left hand is through the block fingering method block fingering block fingering method block fingering method uses three fingers for violin and

[00:39:33] method uses three fingers for violin and viola and four fingers for cello and viola and four fingers for cello and bass for the first notes that are introduced bass for the first notes that are introduced and although some may think that this and although some may think that this approach requires more coordination from approach requires more coordination from our beginning students in reality our beginning students in reality playing pitches that use many fingers is playing pitches that use many fingers is actually better for students because actually better for students because then adding them and also this approach then adding them and also this approach helps establish better intonation right helps establish better intonation right from the very beginning so here are just

[00:40:06] from the very beginning so here are just some key points to check in shaping the some key points to check in shaping the block fingering handshape we first want block fingering handshape we first want to make sure that the index finger forms to make sure that the index finger forms a square and that the side of the index a square and that the side of the index finger should touch or be near the side of finger should touch or be near the side of the finger board near the base of the the finger board near the base of the hand knuckle and that the thumb is hand knuckle and that the thumb is positioned on the side and across from positioned on the side and across from the first fingertip and then of course the first fingertip and then of course making sure that the left arm and hand

[00:40:35] making sure that the left arm and hand are in a straight line the wrist is are in a straight line the wrist is straight but also relaxed again think straight but also relaxed again think tension free plane so here is the EEI tension free plane so here is the EEI video demonstrating this concept now video demonstrating this concept now that we have practiced our 2/3 finger that we have practiced our 2/3 finger pattern we're going to place our left pattern we're going to place our left hand on the violin watch first as Aaron hand on the violin watch first as Aaron demonstrates this for us after she gets demonstrates this for us after she gets set in playing position she will check set in playing position she will check her 2/3 finger pattern then keeping her

[00:41:05] her 2/3 finger pattern then keeping her fingers with the same spacing she places fingers with the same spacing she places her hand on the fingerboard notice that her hand on the fingerboard notice that her first second and third fingers are her first second and third fingers are on the d-string the second largest string on the d-string the second largest string her fourth finger simply hovers over her fourth finger simply hovers over the string and her thumb is placed on the the string and her thumb is placed on the side of the neck across from her first side of the neck across from her first finger generally speaking the first finger generally speaking the first finger should be about an inch from the finger should be about an inch from the nut her first finger forms a square with

[00:41:33] nut her first finger forms a square with the fingerboard and her wrist is relaxed the fingerboard and her wrist is relaxed and straight and as you can see from the and straight and as you can see from the sampling of the left-hand setup videos sampling of the left-hand setup videos what is essential is that in addition to what is essential is that in addition to providing succinct instructions we providing succinct instructions we provide various checkpoints for students provide various checkpoints for students to assess themselves in the learning to assess themselves in the learning process and again what I find so process and again what I find so valuable through these video resources valuable through these video resources is that we are able to continue our

[00:42:04] is that we are able to continue our instructions beyond the classroom okay so instructions beyond the classroom okay so now that we've discussed the initial now that we've discussed the initial setup issues for the right hand and the setup issues for the right hand and the left hand it's time to start bringing left hand it's time to start bringing these two concepts together and as we these two concepts together and as we start bringing together the left and the start bringing together the left and the right hand I strongly recommend that the right hand I strongly recommend that the students first create sound through students first create sound through pizzicato on the right hand and do not pizzicato on the right hand and do not play with the bow until sufficient

[00:42:33] play with the bow until sufficient practice and familiarity has been practice and familiarity has been developed through daily and also developed through daily and also isolated practice so when bringing isolated practice so when bringing together the left and right hand this together the left and right hand this task should be taught an approach in a task should be taught an approach in a step-by-step process that leads to again step-by-step process that leads to again tension free playing these steps include tension free playing these steps include checking the posture first and foremost checking the posture first and foremost making sure that there's no slouching or making sure that there's no slouching or and no tension anywhere in the body and

[00:43:03] and no tension anywhere in the body and then second setting up the left hand and then second setting up the left hand and a step-by-step process that we discussed a step-by-step process that we discussed earlier and then third setting up earlier and then third setting up the right hand on the appropriate string the right hand on the appropriate string getting ready to plug and then finally getting ready to plug and then finally the fourth step pulling the string while the fourth step pulling the string while making sure that enough weight is making sure that enough weight is applied on the left hand so that we applied on the left hand so that we ensure a full round and beautiful ensure a full round and beautiful pizzicato sound some of the common

[00:43:33] pizzicato sound some of the common problems include students locking their problems include students locking their thumb thumb bending or locking their wrist that bending or locking their wrist that creates tension in the hand locking creates tension in the hand locking their fingers tightening their shoulders their fingers tightening their shoulders or even grabbing the neck of their or even grabbing the neck of their instruments and these issues should be instruments and these issues should be addressed by the teachers via verbal addressed by the teachers via verbal reminders or teachers can also reminders or teachers can also demonstrate or through touch that is

[00:43:59] demonstrate or through touch that is permitted of course by the student and permitted of course by the student and as a tip I always gave students my as a tip I always gave students my permission that if they ever feel permission that if they ever feel tension anywhere in their body they tension anywhere in their body they should stop playing shake out or roll should stop playing shake out or roll out the tension wherever it is in their out the tension wherever it is in their body or their hand and then reset body or their hand and then reset themselves in a step-by-step process then themselves in a step-by-step process then join back in the greatest thing was join back in the greatest thing was when actually students would do all of those

[00:44:26] when actually students would do all of those things that I asked them and I was things that I asked them and I was stopped the rehearsal and I would say stopped the rehearsal and I would say hey I want to point out something that hey I want to point out something that just happened that maybe you might have just happened that maybe you might have missed Steve here I noticed that was missed Steve here I noticed that was playing something he must have felt playing something he must have felt tension because he stopped and just kind tension because he stopped and just kind of shaked out and then rolled out any of shaked out and then rolled out any tension and just step-by-step reset and tension and just step-by-step reset and join back in way to go Steve high-five

[00:44:51] join back in way to go Steve high-five and I create those moments of and I create those moments of celebration so here is an example of how celebration so here is an example of how all this could come together set her all this could come together set her left hand with her fingers spaced left hand with her fingers spaced properly then she will place her right properly then she will place her right thumb against the fingerboard and use thumb against the fingerboard and use her index finger to pluck the D string her index finger to pluck the D string while keeping all four fingers down in while keeping all four fingers down in her left hand this produces the pitch G her left hand this produces the pitch G which sounds slightly different than the

[00:45:21] which sounds slightly different than the open G string be sure to keep your hands open G string be sure to keep your hands set correctly do not let your hand set correctly do not let your hand collapse down when playing this note keep collapse down when playing this note keep your hand open and set correctly now your hand open and set correctly now she will gently lift her fourth finger she will gently lift her fourth finger while leaving her first second and third while leaving her first second and third fingers on the string this produces the fingers on the string this produces the pitch F sharp be sure to press the pitch F sharp be sure to press the strings down with the tips of your strings down with the tips of your fingers do not let your fingers become

[00:45:59] fingers do not let your fingers become flat keep your fingers curved and set flat keep your fingers curved and set correctly now she will lift her second correctly now she will lift her second and third fingers together leave and third fingers together leave only her first finger on the string this only her first finger on the string this will produce the note e okay so as we will produce the note e okay so as we bring to a close the string pedagogy bring to a close the string pedagogy section of this webinar I wanted to take section of this webinar I wanted to take a moment to bring together everything a moment to bring together everything that we've discussed in this section and that we've discussed in this section and then also connected to some of the

[00:46:33] then also connected to some of the ideas that Steve mentioned in the first ideas that Steve mentioned in the first section of this webinar as it relates to section of this webinar as it relates to especially the note reading and counting especially the note reading and counting portion so to do this if we were to take portion so to do this if we were to take a look at exercise 57 and essential a look at exercise 57 and essential elements tribal lament connecting it to elements tribal lament connecting it to Steve's excellent idea of count and Steve's excellent idea of count and touch we would first have the students touch we would first have the students touch and say the counting or the note touch and say the counting or the note names then for string players the next

[00:47:06] names then for string players the next logical pedagogical step could be to logical pedagogical step could be to isolate just a left-hand coordination by isolate just a left-hand coordination by having students first pitch the exercise having students first pitch the exercise then we would isolate just a bow then we would isolate just a bow coordination and have the students air coordination and have the students air bow the exercise while saying the bow the exercise while saying the counting or the note name and then counting or the note name and then finally students are ready to bring finally students are ready to bring everything together after you've taken everything together after you've taken the time of course to set up and check

[00:47:37] the time of course to set up and check for any tension in the body and then bow for any tension in the body and then bow the exercise so here is how all of this the exercise so here is how all of this could look , could look, I do hope that I was able to share with all of you some ideas and tips to with all of you some ideas and tips to consider here towards the beginning of consider here towards the beginning of the school year and I will be online the school year and I will be online throughout the remainder of this webinar throughout the remainder of this webinar and if you have any questions comments

[00:49:14] and if you have any questions comments or ideas of your own feel free to type or ideas of your own feel free to type them in to the chat box I want this time them in to the chat box I want this time thanks Steve once again for all of his thanks Steve once again for all of his work and ask him to share with us some work and ask him to share with us some ideas on practice habits and ideas on practice habits and self-evaluation so Steve well thanks so self-evaluation so Steve well thanks so much for that Suhan that was a really much for that Suhan that was a really great overview of the pedagogy that's great overview of the pedagogy that's available in EEI I know that when you available in EEI I know that when you were working in college a while back

[00:49:42] were working in college a while back that you actually used EEI and some of that you actually used EEI and some of your methods courses could you talk a your methods courses could you talk a little bit about the benefits that you little bit about the benefits that you saw using EEI in those situations yeah saw using EEI in those situations yeah absolutely I'm really glad that you absolutely I'm really glad that you asked about that Steve I use EEI asked about that Steve I use EEI extensively when I was teaching string extensively when I was teaching string methods courses at Michigan State methods courses at Michigan State University and through EEI I was able to University and through EEI I was able to engage and use all the pedagogical

[00:50:12] engage and use all the pedagogical materials in the way that I had materials in the way that I had described in the pedagogy section of described in the pedagogy section of this webinar and in all the ways that this webinar and in all the ways that you've also described in your first you've also described in your first section as well and so it became a section as well and so it became a really powerful tool and so every day in really powerful tool and so every day in string methods course students would string methods course students would come and we would engage in the essential come and we would engage in the essential elements exercises using EEI projecting elements exercises using EEI projecting that onto the front of the classroom

[00:50:40] that onto the front of the classroom through projectors and speakers and even through projectors and speakers and even though these were college kids they were though these were college kids they were really excited about being able to pick really excited about being able to pick all the various different types of all the various different types of accompaniments that are available for accompaniments that are available for each exercise and so we would go each exercise and so we would go through all the exercises using all the through all the exercises using all the different accompaniments and also the different accompaniments and also the ability to practice each exercises at a

Practice habits, self-evaluation, and wrap-up

[00:51:02] ability to practice each exercises at a slow tempo and then at the regular tempo slow tempo and then at the regular tempo and then also the ability to put the and then also the ability to put the exercises in loop allowed me to walk exercises in loop allowed me to walk around and help students remember around and help students remember elements of tension free playing that elements of tension free playing that we've so often talked about in that last we've so often talked about in that last section and so in addition to the section and so in addition to the pedagogical tool it was also a pedagogical tool it was also a tremendous administrative tools I was tremendous administrative tools I was able to assign all the playing exams

[00:51:32] able to assign all the playing exams through that recording and homework through that recording and homework assessment tool available in EEI and assessment tool available in EEI and then students would be able to easily then students would be able to easily submit their assignments and then I'll submit their assignments and then I'll be able to listen and grade and then get be able to listen and grade and then get it back instantaneously and so it was a it back instantaneously and so it was a great resource to have and of course I great resource to have and of course I incorporated EEI into my classrooms when incorporated EEI into my classrooms when I was teaching at Carmel high school as I was teaching at Carmel high school as well and so it's an it's an incredible

[00:52:01] well and so it's an it's an incredible tool and it can be an incredible thing tool and it can be an incredible thing in any string classrooms well thanks for in any string classrooms well thanks for that insight sounds like it was really that insight sounds like it was really beneficial for those college students beneficial for those college students especially as they're preparing for especially as they're preparing for their teaching careers as you said let's their teaching careers as you said let's kind of dive back into EEI and kind of kind of dive back into EEI and kind of see how it can be used to help younger see how it can be used to help younger students develop really really good students develop really really good practice habits so I'm gonna hop off

[00:52:24] practice habits so I'm gonna hop off screen again and get back into our screen again and get back into our presentation we've kind of covered music presentation we've kind of covered music reading skills and instrument reading skills and instrument fundamentals but simultaneously while fundamentals but simultaneously while you're getting both of those categories you're getting both of those categories set we really want to start to set we really want to start to establish proper practice habits and the establish proper practice habits and the ability for students to evaluate ability for students to evaluate themselves I know a lot of a lot of themselves I know a lot of a lot of classes only meet maybe once or twice a

[00:52:45] classes only meet maybe once or twice a week so they're going to be spending week so they're going to be spending time practicing away from you on a time practicing away from you on a regular basis I know my son is actually regular basis I know my son is actually in elementary works right now and he has in elementary works right now and he has both his full orchestra and his lesson both his full orchestra and his lesson on the same day so he's got a full week on the same day so he's got a full week between the time he plays cello for a between the time he plays cello for a teacher and the next time he sees that teacher and the next time he sees that teacher so these practice habits and teacher so these practice habits and self-evaluation are going to be very

[00:53:07] self-evaluation are going to be very important to help kids understand what important to help kids understand what they should do when they go home and they should do when they go home and practice so we have a few things that practice so we have a few things that can really be beneficial first of all can really be beneficial first of all you have to kind of help students set you have to kind of help students set their practice expectations and it's you their practice expectations and it's you know it's just not like learning math or know it's just not like learning math or reading or science you know I would say reading or science you know I would say this because a student you know when this because a student you know when they play something for a teacher and

[00:53:27] they play something for a teacher and they get that feedback that sound is gone they get that feedback that sound is gone they're in a math class if they make a they're in a math class if they make a mistake teacher can write something on mistake teacher can write something on the page circle something point to the page circle something point to something and they have what they did something and they have what they did right in front of them to make that right in front of them to make that correction sometimes music is not that correction sometimes music is not that way they've got to really hear things way they've got to really hear things and understanding that concept is it's and understanding that concept is it's different than other classes and it's

[00:53:48] different than other classes and it's what makes one of the things that makes what makes one of the things that makes playing an instrument unique and really playing an instrument unique and really helpful for a child and for their brain helpful for a child and for their brain so if they have proper practice so if they have proper practice expectations and understand how to expectations and understand how to evaluate their success those are two evaluate their success those are two very important keys for when the students very important keys for when the students go home very important concept the go home very important concept the things that the ideas and the concepts things that the ideas and the concepts that you value and you think are

[00:54:11] that you value and you think are important you need to make those important you need to make those important in your class daily because important in your class daily because these are going to be the same things these are going to be the same things that your students value and consider that your students value and consider important in their playing so it's important in their playing so it's important to talk about these things and important to talk about these things and make them engaging and make them make them engaging and make them positive so that when a kid goes home positive so that when a kid goes home doing the right thing and playing the doing the right thing and playing the things that you think are important is

[00:54:29] things that you think are important is just what they're going to do naturally just what they're going to do naturally so making that engaging and making it so making that engaging and making it fun can be an important part of the fun can be an important part of the students students understanding one of students students understanding one of the things it's also helpful is if you the things it's also helpful is if you consistently organize your class and consistently organize your class and that's going to lead to students that's going to lead to students practicing at home the way they practicing at home the way they practiced in class at least a productive practiced in class at least a productive home practice so if a student went home

[00:54:52] home practice so if a student went home and did what you had them do in your and did what you had them do in your class would that be a good practice class would that be a good practice session and if you can say the answer is session and if you can say the answer is yes to that then you've got your class yes to that then you've got your class organized really well if a student just organized really well if a student just went home and did your class four times went home and did your class four times and then came back hopefully that you and then came back hopefully that you would you think that they would be would you think that they would be better so that's kind of something to better so that's kind of something to kind of think about you know sometimes

[00:55:11] we get this we get typical practice we get this we get typical practice requests please go home and practice 15 requests please go home and practice 15 to 20 minutes and that's you know to 20 minutes and that's you know that's helpful to 20 minutes and that's you know that's it's helpful to establish time and I that's it's helpful to establish time and I do think that's talking about do think that's talking about practice time is important you do want practice time is important you do want to let them know like being good at an to let them know like being good at an instrument is going to take some time instrument is going to take some time it doesn't take an inordinate amount of

[00:55:29] it doesn't take an inordinate amount of time but it will take some time if time but it will take some time if you're practicing for five minutes it's you're practicing for five minutes it's probably not gonna really get them to probably not gonna really get them to be where they need to be so that's just a be where they need to be so that's just a general practice request but I think general practice request but I think what teachers really mean when they say what teachers really mean when they say practice 15 to 20 minutes is they mean practice 15 to 20 minutes is they mean you need to practice some type of warm-up you need to practice some type of warm-up and maybe your scales that we've and maybe your scales that we've learned your D major scale or whatever

[00:55:48] learned your D major scale or whatever scales were on and then you need to scales were on and then you need to practice the music that we're practicing practice the music that we're practicing in class for 15 20 minutes somewhere in in class for 15 20 minutes somewhere in there and I think that's kind of what there and I think that's kind of what they really mean but I think what they really mean but I think what teachers really really mean is they want teachers really really mean is they want them to go home and practice specific them to go home and practice specific things practice these pizzicato exercises things practice these pizzicato exercises we did in class practice bow builders we did in class practice bow builders that we've worked on number three or

[00:56:07] that we've worked on number three or number four do your D major scale maybe number four do your D major scale maybe even more specific do your D major scale even more specific do your D major scale in quarter notes or do your need your in quarter notes or do your need your scale in pairs of quarter notes practice scale in pairs of quarter notes practice rhythm counting on lines three and rhythm counting on lines three and three through five like we did in class and three through five like we did in class and practice exercise 35 and 36 from your practice exercise 35 and 36 from your book and do those multiple times book and do those multiple times practice them you know and you might practice them you know and you might even add to it practice counting their

[00:56:29] even add to it practice counting their rhythms for 35 and 36 practice saying the rhythms for 35 and 36 practice saying the note names that the putting it all note names that the putting it all together a video that we just watched you together a video that we just watched you want to do that and if you do all of want to do that and if you do all of this that should take about 15 to 20 this that should take about 15 to 20 minutes so you don't want them to just minutes so you don't want them to just go home and put a clock on and just try go home and put a clock on and just try and play something so really and play something so really establishing that is important and establishing that is important and something you can do to help guide that

[00:56:50] something you can do to help guide that home practice is you can actually give home practice is you can actually give assignments to students maybe not assignments to students maybe not necessarily I mean I know sometimes we necessarily I mean I know sometimes we can't have students you can't grade can't have students you can't grade student on every assignment depending student on every assignment depending upon your situation but you can put upon your situation but you can put assignments in there in a kind of a way assignments in there in a kind of a way that will guide them in their practice that will guide them in their practice and it's gonna help them you can share and it's gonna help them you can share PDFs if you have things that you've done

[00:57:11] PDFs if you have things that you've done in class you can share that with them so in class you can share that with them so it's right there in front of them but it's right there in front of them but when they sign in to their account if when they sign in to their account if you've given them assignments all you've given them assignments all sudden they have kind of a practice sudden they have kind of a practice guide so they can do their pizzicato guide so they can do their pizzicato world they can do their bowing workout guide so they can do their pizzicato or they can do their bowing workout that or they can do their bowing workout that you've had their D scale warm-up that you've had their D scale warm-up that you have and then play number eight and

[00:57:26] you have and then play number eight and number 15 in the book so this is just a number 15 in the book so this is just a way to kind of connect with the students way to kind of connect with the students when they when they go home and those when they when they go home and those student assignments again if they go to student assignments again if they go to their assignments page it's going to be their assignments page it's going to be there and they can even record those and there and they can even record those and send those back to you but again just send those back to you but again just just giving the students something when just giving the students something when they go home and having them understand they go home and having them understand what you want them to practice can be

[00:57:45] what you want them to practice can be very important and you can kind of see very important and you can kind of see that the assignments would show up in a that the assignments would show up in a student account like this so if you make student account like this so if you make these assignments they are very clear these assignments they are very clear for what the student should be doing if for what the student should be doing if you have due dates you can kind of guide you have due dates you can kind of guide them as well through that and you can them as well through that and you can create assignments too it's very easy to create assignments too it's very easy to create those assignments just going in create those assignments just going in and entering the name of the assignment

[00:58:07] and entering the name of the assignment and go in and put in the grade and you and go in and put in the grade and you can assign things specific for can assign things specific for instruments specific for classes you can instruments specific for classes you can make groups and it's a it's a really make groups and it's a it's a really helpful tool to kind of guide students helpful tool to kind of guide students in their home practice so practicing is in their home practice so practicing is having goals doing exercises and music having goals doing exercises and music and self evaluation and self evaluation and self evaluation is incredibly important and that's going is incredibly important and that's going to be something that's going to be

[00:58:32] to be something that's going to be beneficial to them so in order for them beneficial to them so in order for them to evaluate themselves they really need to evaluate themselves they really need to have a way to kind of get outside of to have a way to kind of get outside of themselves recording in today's world themselves recording in today's world students should be making a recording students should be making a recording every time they practice they should every time they practice they should want to hear themselves and when they want to hear themselves and when they hear themselves it's going to allow them hear themselves it's going to allow them in the music studio because when a in the music studio because when a student practices at home i always like

[00:59:04] student practices at home i always like to say this they take on the role of the to say this they take on the role of the performer the teacher and the student performer the teacher and the student and i think we all have students that and i think we all have students that sometimes just being one person sometimes just being one person is is is enough for them uh but for them is is is enough for them uh but for them to be able to play and not have to to be able to play and not have to be evaluating while they're playing and be evaluating while they're playing and then figure out what's going on and then figure out what's going on and then correct it then correct it that's all important recording allows

[00:59:23] that's all important recording allows them to separate these them to separate these and allows them to be the performer and and allows them to be the performer and then listen back to the recording and be then listen back to the recording and be the teacher and decide how to get it the teacher and decide how to get it better and then be the student and work better and then be the student and work on it and make it on it and make it make it better and we again we have that make it better and we again we have that ability to ability to have students record they can record have students record they can record exercises from essential elements but we

[00:59:42] exercises from essential elements but we also have also have what we call the all music studio which what we call the all music studio which is really just a blank is really just a blank music studio that allows them to record music studio that allows them to record anything so if you have anything so if you have a song for an upcoming concert if you a song for an upcoming concert if you have an exercise you'd like them to do have an exercise you'd like them to do they can record that in there and they can record that in there and submit that to you as well or just make submit that to you as well or just make recordings

[00:59:56] recordings without any background and one of the without any background and one of the things that things that we also have is a way for those we also have is a way for those recordings to come to you in a very recordings to come to you in a very organized manner organized manner and the the student recording section and the the student recording section in your teacher account as you can see in your teacher account as you can see there's a lot of different things that there's a lot of different things that the students can the students can can send to you and you can keep

[01:00:16] can send to you and you can keep organized a list of all of the organized a list of all of the recordings what you've listened to recordings what you've listened to what you you know approved of what you what you you know approved of what you want them to do again want them to do again and it's just a very helpful way for and it's just a very helpful way for them to them to understand and for you to understand the understand and for you to understand the recordings that have come in and for you recordings that have come in and for you to communicate to communicate with these students so we really

[01:00:35] with these students so we really encourage you to use that encourage you to use that but one of the things that's also really but one of the things that's also really important is that they can important is that they can also send in self-assessments through also send in self-assessments through these recording sessions these recording sessions and this is great because again it allows and this is great because again it allows you to give them feedback you to give them feedback in the recordings that they've sent in in the recordings that they've sent in but also but also they can send in a self-assessment and

[01:00:52] they can send in a self-assessment and tell you what they're hearing and tell tell you what they're hearing and tell you how they are hearing these uh this you how they are hearing these uh this the music that they're playing and you the music that they're playing and you can create these these are customizable can create these these are customizable you can make these in your eei teacher you can make these in your eei teacher account and send this to the students account and send this to the students and attach it to a recording assignment and attach it to a recording assignment so that they can send it back in so that they can send it back in students can have a time to self-reflect students can have a time to self-reflect and write something up at the top then

[01:01:12] and write something up at the top then you can also go in here and you can you can also go in here and you can create a self-assessment create a self-assessment this is actually one that i did for a band this is actually one that i did for a band student you can see that these are student you can see that these are this is what i needed for one of our this is what i needed for one of our students to be able to do you can create students to be able to do you can create one specific for the the topics that you one specific for the the topics that you want students to really be able to do want students to really be able to do parents because parents really want to parents because parents really want to help

[01:01:44] help you know parents they have their kids you know parents they have their kids best interest in mind best interest in mind but a lot of parents have no idea how to but a lot of parents have no idea how to help their child help their child on their instrument and so this on their instrument and so this self-evaluation gives them a chance to self-evaluation gives them a chance to see see what their students should be doing and what their students should be doing and parents can watch their student parents can watch their student practice and they can use that

[01:02:02] practice and they can use that self-evaluation to help them as well self-evaluation to help them as well and so you want to try and help the and so you want to try and help the parents along and give them parents along and give them a way a way to help as well a way a way to help as well but doing all of that well again if but doing all of that well again if you have organized class structure you have organized class structure and you're sending out these assignments and you're sending out these assignments and giving them helpful guides when and giving them helpful guides when they're at home allowing them to record they're at home allowing them to record themselves so they hear what they're

[01:02:20] themselves so they hear what they're sounding like sounding like and giving them specifics so they don't and giving them specifics so they don't just play for 15 or 20 minutes but they just play for 15 or 20 minutes but they have a purposeful have a purposeful practice session and then again that practice session and then again that self-evaluation is so important self-evaluation is so important and all of that ties back into their and all of that ties back into their instrument fundamentals the instrument fundamentals the self-evaluation is going to lead back to self-evaluation is going to lead back to instrument fundamentals the

[01:02:37] instrument fundamentals the recordings and how they practice is recordings and how they practice is going to lead back to the to the music going to lead back to the to the music reading skills and if you can do all of reading skills and if you can do all of these things these things uh simultaneously it's really going to uh simultaneously it's really going to help a student help a student grow uh in in all aspects and uh grow uh in in all aspects and uh you know we're you can kind of come back you know we're you can kind of come back and you can kind of and you can kind of find new information we have centrum's

[01:02:56] find new information we have centrum's interactive blog interactive blog you can get in there and you can you can you can get in there and you can you can kind of connect to kind of connect to the eei blog and we'll have new pedagogy the eei blog and we'll have new pedagogy ideas new classroom ideas new classroom ideas that can they can help you at ideas that can they can help you at your school your school but this is just another way for us to but this is just another way for us to connect with you and get you more connect with you and get you more material so check out the blog

[01:03:16] material so check out the blog it can be really a beneficial thing it can be really a beneficial thing but i really appreciate you being here but i really appreciate you being here today and i also want to just give one today and i also want to just give one more uh thanks to suhan uh for being more uh thanks to suhan uh for being here really appreciate you being here here really appreciate you being here sue thanks for joining us sue thanks for joining us hey thanks so much steve this was a real hey thanks so much steve this was a real treat and thanks to everybody that treat and thanks to everybody that participated in today's webinar participated in today's webinar really appreciated and i want to wish

[01:03:44] really appreciated and i want to wish everybody a wonderful everybody a wonderful school year and if you're a teacher i school year and if you're a teacher i can't stress enough how important can't stress enough how important the work that you are doing the work that you are doing for our students for our communities for our students for our communities and really for our world so and really for our world so thank you from the bottom of my heart thank you from the bottom of my heart and again if there's anything that i can and again if there's anything that i can help you with help you with please feel free to reach out to me

[01:04:05] please feel free to reach out to me anytime thanks again steve anytime thanks again steve oh it was our pleasure suhan thanks so oh it was our pleasure suhan thanks so much for what you've added to this much for what you've added to this webinar webinar we really appreciate everyone being we really appreciate everyone being here and we really appreciate you using here and we really appreciate you using eei as you have questions if you have eei as you have questions if you have you know concerns if you have things you know concerns if you have things that you would like to see in eei please that you would like to see in eei please reach out to us through the customer

[01:04:24] reach out to us through the customer support support it's ideas from users that really it's ideas from users that really helps eei get even better helps eei get even better we have a few other eei webinars coming we have a few other eei webinars coming throughout the year please look for throughout the year please look for those and join us again those and join us again but we again appreciate you being here but we again appreciate you being here have a great start to your year and have a great start to your year and we'll say goodbye for now