RedGage

Music is a fascinating subject to study, understand and practice. It is theory of mathematical measures defining placement of notes in steps, rhythm by time and tempo, and feeling by application (emotion and pressure sensitivity). This is rehearsed on a chosen instrument with placement, rhythm and feeling. Whilst studying the history of how music originated and how instruments have evolved it helps musicians understand what the purpose of both theory and practice are in order to progress. And that’s just the learning curve – but to be a teacher you need to really know and love the in’s and out’s of your subject matter so that your pupils are excited to come to class and uncover another chapter. Learning music is a long process. A student needs to pass Grade 8 (8 levels) in music theory and practice to become certified to teach – it takes a minimum of eight months to learn and pass one grade, depending on the speed at which the student studies. The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), a registered charity, provides examinations in music for over 90 countries of graded music exams and advanced diplomas. It goes without saying that to become a teacher in music (having the real nitty-gritty knowledge and experience playing an instrument), you would need to study it beforehand. Some superstars do lecture at universities, speak of their touring life on the road at seminars and how they bend a guitar string to create a unique sound. However for full-time lecturing most schools, colleges and universities require qualifications. It takes many years to become qualified and able to teach, probably more years than some doctors’ education. Theory and practical education goes hand-in-hand. Music Theory is a set of written examinations, Practical Musicianship is test of melody, harmony, rhythm and form by answering questions or playing an instrument to demonstrate, and Solo Jazz is a subject similar to Grade 5 Music Theory on a specific instrument and includes improvisation. Practical exams start at Grade 1 and end at Grade 8 – that is before the teaching and masters qualifications. Practical exams comprises of;i) learning 3-4 set pieces by heart of either Baroque or early Classical repertoire which are chosen from the ABRSM syllabus;ii) scales (scales, arpeggios, dominant, diminished, broken chords)iii) sight-reading from a scoreiv) aural development of listening and analyzing music, dynamics, phrasing style and period. Without theoretical study passing Grade 5, practical examinations cannot be completed for Grades, 6, 7, 8 and above. A private teacher or school can teach you and show you what you need to learn in preparation for the examinations. Once ready the examinations take place in a registered ABRSM institution and marked, qualified then certified by the ABRSM. Any student can be tutored on music, however, not all students pursue a career as a musician. The off-putting rumours are severely true that Musician Jobs are here and there, that you have to work nonstop to continuously make a living and be vaguely successful to avoid a life of unstable earnings. Not all qualified musicians actually make it or want a career as a musician for this very reason, and neither do their parents. Music, dance and art have always had a reputation for strict discipline when studying any of these, because it is a skill developed through hard self-study, repetitive exercises and preparation. No unrehearsed musician, dancer or artist will be able to perform without endless hours of rehearsal and learning. Be it a lead male or female singerstudying the phrasing, melody and lyrics of a certain styled song or a Music Jobsfor a specific show that needs particular rhythm for the chosen genre. Nothing practical comes without preparation and rehearsal. The teachers that are demanding and tell you to play until you bleed are not wrong. For the very reason that the music industry is cutthroat and the competition is stiff. There is a massive difference between mediocre and stardom, and it is mostly down to hard work and talent – remember the two go hand-in-hand. If you are a teacher or studying to be a teacher – develop a need to help happily, be disciplined and accept no lazy excuses, encourage your students, expose them to the real music world (pros and cons), give their career the right foot in the door; so that they feel more prepared when they eventually set foot into the big wide world. Inspire them and try different teaching methods like day trips to famous recording studios – or have superstars in as guest speakers providing insight. Make it special and magical with discipline but with no restriction on creativity, because that is exactly what music is. It is the study of a specific way to communicate through skill and then supporting a creative talent to find a way to transcend something new to an audience, that leaves them spellbound, inspired and craving more. Teach to open the channels of music further; let the musical message be heard by someone that has all the right tick-boxes.