Sometimes I’m asked about Microtonal music. Because my teacher (William A. Mathieu) and my teacher’s teacher (Easley Blackwood) were and are leaders in the field… Microtonality refers to the utilization of musical intervals that are smaller than a semitone, which represents the smallest interval in standard Western twelve-tone equal temperament tuning. These intervals are often […]
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Musical Behaviors in Early Childhood: What Parents Should Watch For Musical ability doesn’t suddenly appear when a child starts lessons. In many cases, musical behaviors begin showing up very early in childhood—sometimes even in infancy. Parents often notice these behaviors but may not realize they are signs of developing musical awareness. Here are some common […]
851 Music Studio When someone starts looking for music lessons, they usually aren’t thinking about “perfect technique” or “music theory” (yet). Most beginners are looking for three things right away: 1. A quick win — something that sounds like real music 2. A clear plan — what to practice at home (without guessing) 3. Comfort […]
A rhythm-reading practice tool built for real students. Use it a few minutes a day and feel your timing and reading get steadier—fast. Try TAP Rhythm (Basic Rhythm Reader) here: Open the app TAP Rhythm: the app that tried to gaslight us (and then finally behaved) When I started building TAP Rhythm, I thought the […]
A student walks into a lesson with that familiar mix of excitement and nerves. This week, my student got stuck on something deceptively small: a change that wouldn’t land cleanly, a coordination moment that kept falling apart, a short passage that refused to feel smooth. They tried it once, then again. Their shoulders tightened. They […]
Welcome to the 851 Music Studio Blog I’ll update this blog regularly — please check in often. Here you can find upcoming events, concert announcements, studio news, recommended resources, learning materials, videos—and more! The new site is now live—I’ve finished setting up WordPress. I’ve shown it to teachers and students, and their feedback has been […]