2018 is just around the corner and whilst there’s a good chance you’ve already made a list of your New Year’s Resolutions, it’s unlikely that any are related to music.

If that’s the case, here are 5 resolutions to add to your list in order to get your music career on track this year.

1. Dedicate time to your music

If you want to move your music career forward in 2018, it’s going to take a large amount of time and dedication on your part. Set a number of hours aside per week to practice. It’s important to think of a realistic amount of time that you’re able to dedicate and stick to it.

2. Play at more gigs

Gigs are great for gaining exposure and making money from your music. You can monetize your live performances by receiving payments through the organisers, collecting royalties and selling CDs and merch. By monetizing your performances, gigging can bring you a nice income.

3. Build a social media presence

Focus on building up an audience on 1-3 social media platforms. This will help increase your exposure and gain you more fans and support. However, don’t make the mistake of focusing on too many platforms because you won’t have enough time to ensure that each one is successful.

4. Try to collaborate more

Collaborating is a great way of gaining extra exposure. By working with other musicians in your genre, you’re allowing yourself to be exposed to their fanbase. If both you and the collaborating artist promote the song to your own audiences, both of you will appear in front of new people and end up with a larger fanbase.

5. Dedicate some time towards marketing

This is the most demanding of the resolutions. If you’re at a stage in your career where you’re making good songs that everyone in your genre likes, then it’s time to market yourself. Failing to do this will result in difficulty in building traction in terms of getting yourself recognised.

The above are 5 New Year’s Resolutions you may want to try out this year. However, if what you’re looking for is an improved technique in your instrument of choice then consider attending one of the School of Popular Music‘s many classes.

For more information on what classes we provide, contact us today by calling on 07911 730994 or emailing at [email protected].

In order to sing well, knowing how to breath effectively is just as imperative. This is because it helps you sing in tune and stay in rhythm. As with other rudiments, it’s a skill that can be mastered with practice. Trained singers use a breathing technique called diaphragmatic breathing.

The technique of diaphragmatic breathing allows you to take deeper breaths and control your exhale more effectually. Regulating your respiration means using a steady stream of air from your lungs to support your singing voice. Air flow has an impact of pitch, tone, vocal strength and vibrato.

If your air flow is frail, you might find yourself singing flat or out of tune. This results in having a breathy tone and/or having a strained voice. The School of Popular Music in Guernsey decided to list 3 simple breathing exercises for singing that will help you master diaphragmatic breathing.

1. Stand in front of a mirror

Start by taking a deep, low breath. Watch yourself expand around the waist as you inhale. If you’re doing it correctly, your shoulders and chest won’t rise. Next, put one hand on your upper abdomen and the other on your rib cage as you exhale on a hissing sound. Keep a strong, steady stream of air going for as long as you can.

Keep your upper body open and relaxed while you exhale. Your abdomen should come back towards your body while your rib cage and chest stay open. Repeat this exercise 5 times. Next, choose a note at the upper-middle part of your register and instead of exhaling on a hissing sound, sing one long held note on the exhale. Every time you repeat the exercise, move up a half step. Higher notes require more breath support, so you’ll find it more challenging as you go higher.

2. Lie down on the floor

With a pillow under you head, place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. First, take a regular (shallow) breath. You’ll feel your chest rise and the top of your rib cage expand. Now take another breath, but focus this time on relaxing your abdomen and expanding around your waist.

Picture your diaphragm muscle pulling air down into your lungs. If you’re doing it right, you should see your abdomen rise, but not your chest. These two types of breaths should feel and look distinctly different. Go back and forth between them- first shallow, then deep, shallow (chest), deep (abdomen).

3. Stand in front of a mirror

With a hand on your abdomen, for this exercise, you’ll be focusing on gently and quickly contracting the muscles in your abdomen to create little bursts of air/sound. Choose a note in the middle of your register and sing on a short pulse. Don’t squeeze too hard – you don’t want to create unnecessary tension or hurt yourself.

The goal of this exercise is to feel how the muscles in the abdomen help control the exhale as you sing. Keep your upper body open and don’t let yourself cave in, and your abdominal muscles need to slightly contract on the exhale. This exercise allows your diaphragm to ascend slowly, enabling you to sing longer phrases and have better control over pitch and tone. Go up and down your register singing these short pulses.

Practice these breathing exercises at the beginning of your daily practice routine before you warm-up your voice. Soon diaphragmatic breathing will start to feel natural. Stay relaxed and try to focus on the easy flow of air in and out of your lungs.

We hope you’ve found these tips useful. And remember, if you’re looking for music tuition in Guernsey, look no further than School of Popular Music.

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When your child begins to show an interest in music, you’ll start wondering what instrument to choose. Although every instrument has its benefits, sending your child to singing lessons is an excellent introduction to musical education and is often less intimidating and demanding than learning an instrument, especially for children. Below, we’ve gathered information on what to expect as well as how to prepare your child for singing lessons.

What to Expect

Singing lessons require the same amount of focus and commitment to practice as any other instrument. So if you feel like your child isn’t ready to learn an instrument, your child probably isn’t ready to start singing lessons either.
Singing lessons are a very physical practice with a lot of detail being given to posture and breathing technique. Some lessons may even involve stretching to warm up the body.

The lessons will introduce the students to musical concepts and some music theory in order to build a stable foundation and introduce the students to any skills necessary for learning instruments. A singer should expect to gain as much musical education as someone who plays the piano or the guitar.

How to Prepare

Singing lessons typically include training in vocal warm-ups and more technical exercises such as learning new vocal styles. Although many children expect to learn the second aspect only, warm-ups and breathing techniques are necessary and are extremely rewarding.

Before your child’s first lesson, ask him/her the following questions which will benefit both the student and the teacher:

• What inspired you to start singing lessons?
• Do you have any previous experience with music?
• What styles of music do you enjoy? What are your favourite singers?
• Are there any specific songs you’d like to learn? Are you open to new styles?
• What goals would you like to achieve?

Singing lessons will, without a doubt, be beneficial to your child in many wonderful ways. Lessons should be treated as a joyful experience and a way to express yourself, not as a way of becoming famous. Singing lessons don’t just offer musical education, but they also offer a way for children to reach their capabilities and gain confidence.

If you’d like to introduce your child to singing lessons, why not visit The School of Popular Music in Guernsey. We offer different classes to cater to everyone’s needs, ranging from beginners to more advanced levels.

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As the proud owner of a new musical instrument, proper storage should be one of your top concerns. Along with regular maintenance and proper care, storing your instruments correctly will help protect it from unintentional  and at times, uncontrollable damage. From humidity to the storage conditions and everything in between, here’s everything you need to know about musical instrument storage.

Check the Environment

The main thing you should be concerned about in regard to musical instrument storage is temperature and humidity. Extreme temperatures should be avoided at all costs. Similarly, drastic fluctuations in temperature and/or humidity can be very damaging to instruments, particularly when it comes to wooden instruments. Musical instruments of all types do well in temperatures of about 21°C, at humidity levels between 40-60%. To keep your instrument at a suitable humidity level, purchase a humidifier.

Know How to Store Them

Store all instruments in their original packaging, above ground level and well away from doors and open vents. It’s a good idea to release string tension on guitars and other stringed instruments to avoid breaking strings and warping the neck. Baby grand pianos are best stored on their side. Raise them above with casters or wooden pallets to minimise temperature fluctuations.

Storing Wooden Instruments

When it comes to wooden instrument storage, special care needs to be taken to prevent them from warping. In addition to using climate-controlled storage and a humidifier, you can protect your wooden instrument further by storing it in a polyurethane bag inside its case. Before storing, dismantle your instrument and clean each part individually, avoiding oil or alcohol-based polishes which can cause the wood to dry out and deteriorate. To prevent an accumulation of dust, clean your instrument every few months-even if it’s not being used or played.

Storing Brass Instruments

Before storing your brass instrument, disassemble it and remove the mouthpiece. You’ll also want to clean, oil, and polish it (inside and outside), until it looks brand new. To prevent rust, brass instruments should be as dry as possible during storage. If you don’t own specialised instrument cleaners, use water or a dry, lint-free cleaning cloth.

Maintain Your Instruments

No matter how well you store your instrument, it’s still a good idea to inspect your instruments for damage. If you’re storing a wooden, or wood-panelled instrument without a case, you should inspect it frequently for insect damage. You’ll also want to check for things like surface discolouration, mould, cracked joints, or deformation of the instrument. If you notice any of the above, take it to a repair technician immediately.

As you can see, there are many factors to consider when it comes to musical instrument storage.

We hope you’ve found this blog informative and useful. And if you’re looking to start music or singing lessons in Guernsey, we suggest you contact the School of Popular Music today to find out more about the classes we offer.

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Have you been contemplating sending your child to singing lessons, or perhaps taking up lessons yourself, but hesitating because you fear lack of “talent”? We’ve got some good news for you: everyone can sing!

That’s right! While some people may be more musically inclined and pick things up easier, it doesn’t in any way mean that you can’t. Even the best and most professional singers and musicians spent their lives practising to get to where they are, so we’re here to encourage you to follow your dreams.

Here are a few facts that prove how everyone can sing, no matter what:

All children are musical
Every single child is a natural musician – observe how effortlessly they sing, dance, and make music from when they are babies. The more exposed they are to music in their younger years, the better – and yes, some babies might show a better sense of tone or rhythm than others, but this doesn’t mean that the ones who don’t aren’t musically or vocally capable.

Talent vs Skill
“Talent” is an innate ability, while “skill” is an ability that has been learnt, practised, and worked for. Although it is good to take pride in natural innate abilities which are often genetic, there is much more pride to have in abilities that you have worked hard to achieve. In fact, those who base their success on “talent” are much more likely to give up compared to those who have persevered and dedicated a lot of time to working on their ability. This is why we should focus on working for what we want, rather than simply having it.

Sending the right message
The way children view certain things depends a lot on the way they’re brought up – for example, if you never sing around your child because you’re ashamed about how you sound, then they will automatically feel that singing isn’t for everyone. Encourage your child by singing to them without caring about how you sound, and this will give them the message that absolutely anyone can sing if they want to.

If you’d love to learn to sing, or would like to send your child for singing lessons, then get in touch with the School of Popular Music in Guernsey today – we offer classes and private lessons for students of all ages and abilities. We truly believe that everyone can sing, and we’re more than willing to help guide you through your musical journey.

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Some people start learning music from a very young age, but there are many people who feel inspired to try it out when they’re older. Whether you’re a teenager, an adult, or are seeking advice on how to guide your child throughout their musical journey, here are a few great tips for beginner musicians:

It’s all about practice
Learning an instrument or learning how to sing is not something that happens overnight – it requires an incredible amount of hard work, patience, and determination. Although music is fun, the process still requires discipline, so be sure to practise as much as possible – ideally an average of 20 minutes every day.

Don’t underestimate your warmup exercises
No matter what instrument you’re learning, whether guitar, piano, drums, bass, saxophone, or indeed your singing voice, it is of utmost importance to do your warmup exercises. Not only does this help to prepare and improve the parts of your body that are involved, but it will also help you to enhance your skills faster.

Take care of your instrument
Your instrument – whether it’s your voice or a musical instrument – needs plenty of care. If you’re a singer, take all precautions such as drinking plenty of water, doing vocal warmups, not smoking or drinking alcohol, not shouting, and keeping your chest and neck warm. If you play an instrument, see that you have proper storage and protection for it, and clean it regularly to preserve it as much as possible.

Use a reward system
When learning something new, it’s important to focus on the positive rather than on the negative. Set yourself small and reachable goals and treat yourself once you’ve achieved them. This will encourage you to try harder and also make the process a little bit more exciting.

Ultimately – have fun!
Music is a beautiful thing, so don’t let the idea of learning panic you and destroy your love for it. If you’re not happy for some reason, try out a few different things such as changing instrument, learning or practising in a different environment, or trying out alternative learning techniques. Allow yourself to enjoy your musical journey and you’ll never look back!

If you’re looking to start music or singing lessons in Guernsey, then get in touch with the School of Popular Music today to find out about the classes we offer.

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More often than not, young musicians, students or their parents ask this simple question: Should I enrol in group music classes or private music lessons? While each have their own merits, and there are indeed benefits to both, it’s good to know what each type of classroom setting offers. This will help you make an educated decision before drawing any conclusions on the type of music lessons in Guernsey to opt for.

This is why School of Popular Music thought it would be a good idea to explore the advantages both types of classes can offer:

Why private music lessons are better than group music classes
Here, a student is given the opportunity of having a qualified private music teacher, and each private lesson student can progress in a comparatively swift and easy manner. This is specifically useful if one student is struggling with a concept where within a traditional classroom context, other learners in class might find easy. Every one-to-one student will:

✔ receive the teacher’s full attention for the entire lesson
✔ benefit from a series of lessons that have been pre-planned and structured
✔ enjoy a tailor-made syllabus
✔ have lessons prepared to reflect the student’s own specific exigencies and learning style

The benefits of group music classes
On the other spectrum, there are some really great benefits group classes can offer – ones that cannot be denied. Students within a group class will experience:

✔ a sense of community and camaraderie
✔ a feeling of kinship and a sense of belonging that one can only achieve within a group class
✔ greater progress through teamwork, offering support when one has struggles
✔ all the benefits of private instruction with the added opportunity to interact and play with peers

Looking for a teacher or school who offers such quality lessons – whether on a one-to-one basis or group class is an indispensable step in any educational process. To fulfil this shared passion, at our music school we offer a selection of courses and programs to cater for the varied demand of our different students. So, if you’re looking for the best music lessons in Guernsey, there’s really nowhere else to look other than School of Popular Music!
If you would like to find out more information or book a course, contact us.

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If you’re aspiring to be a great singer, there are lots of things you need to know. Singing is about much more than simply stringing notes together; it takes a lot of practice, knowledge, and technique. Here are 5 things you need to know to be a great singer:

Correct breathing is crucial

Sound cannot be produced without air, and in the same way, if there is too much air, then you could strain your vocal cords. Through correct breathing techniques, you will be able to not only produce sound in a healthy way, but also to sustain it better. To sing higher notes or longer phrases particularly, it is essential to know how to maintain the air in your lungs. By doing regular breathing exercises, you will improve this skill and learn how to control your breath.

Your tone is unique

Tone means the quality and sound of your own voice, and everyone’s voice is different. You might have a raspy tone, a clear and pure tone, or even a twangy one, but whatever you have, it is unique to you. When you recognise music artists in songs, it is because you are familiar with their tone. As tempted as you might be to try to imitate your favourite artists, learn to love and flaunt your own voice, and people will love your music because of it.

Learn to control your pitch

Pitch is basically getting the notes right without going sharp (a bit higher) or flat (a bit lower) than the notes you’re meant to be singing. The best way to learn to control your pitch is by practising and doing lots of vocal exercises. When performing, your pitch can easily be affected by emotions, but as long as you’re not constantly singing out of tune, don’t worry too much about it.

The ‘little things’ matter

There are certain aspects of singing that many don’t think about, such as vowel placement, phrasing, and dynamics. The way you pronounce the words you are singing and the way you string them together can make or break the song and the message you are trying to portray. When practising, record yourself, play it back, and see what you can change to improve the quality of the song – breathing in different places, elongating the vowel sounds, raising and lowering your volume – you’d be surprised at how different things sound in your head sometimes.

Never underestimate yourself

If there’s a note in a song that you’ve never tried before, try it. Never tell yourself that you can’t do something. Instead, believe that you can do anything you want, and try everything out and see what works. Feel free to keep trying, as long as you don’t strain your voice or feel any pain. When it comes to singing, it’s best to have a professional guiding you as it can be hard to realise when you’re causing damage.

If you’re looking to start singing lessons, get in touch with the School of Popular Music in Guernsey to find out about the classes and individual lessons we offer.

We hope you enjoyed our list of things you need to know to be a great singer. If you found it helpful, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more great tips and updates.

Interested in learning a new instrument but not sure what to pick? If you’re after something cool, interesting, fun, and somewhat different, then how about learning to play the saxophone? Apart from being an awesome and unique instrument to play, the saxophone is a great choice for lots of reasons. Here are a few points on why the saxophone might be the perfect choice for you:

It’s great for expressing creativity
While saxophones are typically associated with jazz music, it doesn’t mean that they are restricted to that particular genre. In fact, they are also quite popular in other genres including soul, classical, contemporary, marching bands, and occasionally even pop music. Learning to play the sax will allow you to express your creative side and experiment with different styles and emotions.

There’s a sax for everyone
There are many different types of saxophones, but the main four are the Soprano, the Alto, the Tenor, and the Bass sax, which respectively increase in size but lower in pitch. Take your time to discover what kind of music you’d like to play and then choose the sax that will work best for you.

It teaches patience and perseverance
Just like with any other instrument, learning a saxophone is no piece of cake – it takes hard work, time, and a lot of patience. One thing that helps to make the process of learning an instrument much easier and much more fun is to really love the instrument, so if you love the sax, just go for it.

It stays with you forever
Much like riding a bike, the saxophone, among other instruments, is something that your mind is unlikely to forget completely for a very long time. Thanks to a wonderful thing called muscle memory, your brain will remain familiar with how to play it. So if you’ve got your own saxophone, even if you put it away for a few months or years for whatever reason, chances are you’ll still be able to pick it up and blow people away with your skills, even if you’re slightly rusty.

Eager to start learning to play the saxophone yet? Get in touch with the School of Popular Music in Guernsey today to find out more about the music lessons we offer, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more updates.