|
6/15/2022 0 Comments June 15th, 2022How can this innocent device cause so much angst?  I get two different reactions when working on the metronome with my students.
Number 1 Before I say anything, this student will ask me, "Can I use the metronome, please!” These students are friends with the metronome! Number 2 When I ask this student to pull out their metronome, all I get is “UGH!” or a heavy sigh. These students are fighting against the foe! Why the two reactions? Some students naturally sync with a metronome, but that is not the norm. The majority of students need to practice playing with the metronome. The student has to hone this skill through time and tenacity, and I guarantee this endeavor will produce excellent fruit in your music playing. Don’t ever give up! Next month’s blog Metronome – Part 3 Practical Ways to Make the Metronome Your Friend
0 Comments
 I have been playing music for just over a half a century now, and the metronome has changed radically. When I began to learn my first instrument, this was the most commonly used and possibly, the only metronome available, my beautiful Seth Thomas. It was a wind-up device that worked much like a clock. I bent the bar that the weight slides on, and that metronome could not keep a steady beat. It became a showpiece!  Soon after, I began to use my first electronic metronome made by Franz. Oh, fantastic, it kept a steady beat, and I used it most at music school. I had to carry instruments, music, and that cumbersome metronome to practice rooms at college. It probably met its demise after being dropped for the umpteenth time.  When I began my teaching career, digital metronomes were starting to come on the market. This Seiko brand was my first purchase, and I loved it instantly! It was small and easy to transport. I could set it up for different time signatures, and the metronome divided the beat into small pieces. This was revolutionary after practicing with a metronome that could only click on the beat. Oh, yes! It had a clock and an alarm, too! The only drawback is that the digital bleeping sound annoyed many of my students. I have used several different digital metronomes with great success. Then my students started to pull up metronome apps on their phones. At first, these apps were terrible, and I said, "No, that is not happening!" and I would pull out the digital device.  As technology will do, the metronome apps quickly improved, and now this is the only type of metronome I use. Pictured is the Click Metronome, an iPhone app I use most of the time. My students have had increased success using this metronome as it adds a visual and an audio clue to the clicking of the beat. There are many types of apps available. One student had one that spoke the beats. Search the numerous metronome apps out there and find one that works for you! Next month’s blog
Metronome – Part 2 - Friend or Foe?  One thing is a given in my life. As soon as I tell someone that I am a music teacher, they will say, "I have always wanted to play the piano.”(or the guitar, the flute, or you fill in the blank.) It is NEVER too late to start living that dream, and you are NEVER too old to begin. KDF Music Connections has teachers of many different instruments that can help you to say, “I play the piano.”(or the drums, or the tuba, you catch my drift!) There are many incredible benefits of learning a musical instrument as we age. It is proven to ward off diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s and reduce the pain of arthritis. Playing music also helps to relieve tension and stress. Don’t you want all those things in your life, in addition to pursuing your dream?  Don’t delay one more day!
Contact us today, and we will start you on your musical path tomorrow! 3/16/2022 0 Comments Dreams Do Come True2022 marks the 40th year of my music teaching career. Throughout these years, I have dreamed of establishing a music teaching school. The pandemic brought some interesting circumstances into my life, and I knew it was time to move forward with my dream. In July of 2020, KDF Music Connections was conceived. After a staggering amount of Zoom and in-person meetings, emails, phone calls, and texts, my husband and I took possession of the suite that would house the new music and art studios. It was a beautiful spring day in April of 2021.  In August, the construction finally began!  There were many delays, but we kept pushing through all of the frustration!  On 2/2/22, the doors of KDF Music Connections were opened!  Now my dream is to help you to realize your dreams. If you want your children to experience
the great benefits that music and art can bring into their lives, give us a call! If you always wanted to learn to play an instrument or paint a picture, it is never too late! KDF Music Connections doors are open. Our knowledgeable and caring teachers are ready to assist you. Now is the time for your dreams to come true! 12/20/2021 0 Comments The Greatest Gift 1972 - 1973
I was in seventh grade. I had played the flute for two years and was an average musician. There was a brief two-month period of playing the trumpet in which I held the instrument during rehearsals and didn't play a note! Then through some very bizarre circumstances, I began playing the French horn. It was my instrument, and I excelled with it. I knew for a fact that my life would be devoted to music. 1984 – 1985 I was living in New Jersey and teaching instrumental music in private Catholic Schools and realized that group instruction was not my forte. Then through some very bizarre circumstances, I began teaching music privately. It was my passion, and I excelled at it. Even though I have done some other things musically, I have consistently and thoroughly enjoyed teaching thousands of private music students. 2020 – 2021 I entered into my sixties and was teaching 60 private music students. I was content and settled. Then through some very bizarre circumstances brought on by the pandemic, I began to put feet to my long-time dream of owning a music teaching studio. Thus, KDF Music Connections took flight. 2022 KDF Music Connections will be opening the doors! We will teach many instruments and medians to beginners to experienced musicians at any age. For some people, like me, music will become a life-long passion. For the majority, studying music or art will be an activity that will bring joy and help them through the struggles of daily life. Wherever the path will take you, let KDF Music Connections guide you all the way! Call 833-2KDF2DAY to start your new year in a new way. HAPPY NEW YEAR! |
AuthorKay Darby Finch has been teaching music since moving to Southern Maryland in 1985. Her passion is working one-on-one with students of all ages. In addition to private teaching, Kay has led several church music ministries and owned a St. Mary’s County music store with her late husband, Harry Darby. Archives
June 2022
Categories |
Search by typing & pressing enter
RSS Feed