What is a "Black Box" Theatre?

And Why Performance is Important For Everyone!

I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, 
The most immediate way in which a human being can share
With another the sense of what it is to be a human being.
— Oscar Wilde

Leading Note Music School in San Marcos is expanding by adding a "Black Box" Theatre to their school - providing more services to the community. But what exactly is a Black Box Theatre?

A black box theater is a performance space, typically a room with black walls and a flat floor. The simplicity of the space creates a variety of stage and audience interactions. It has its roots in the American avant-garde of the early 20th century and became popular in the 1960s as a rehearsal space. It is now having a big comeback! 

Sets are simple and considered by many to be a place where "pure" theatre can be explored. The result is intimate performances that connect the audiences to the performers in a purposeful and uninterrupted way. A black box does not have to be painted black; black is most common. The absence of color gives the audience a sense of "anyplace," allowing flexibility from scene to scene, resulting in spectacular performances. 

The Importance of Performances On Stage & In Life

If you have been to a rehearsal, you may hear booming voices, lively piano, singing, laughter, and tears. In rehearsals and performances, actors and singers learn how to open their hearts and minds and perform joyously and fiercely. 

Actors learn to overcome fear, be present, memorize lines, practice improvisation, and interact with other performers. They learn how to become great leaders, great followers, and also how to receive applause and appreciation from the audience. Whether or not someone continues in drama or the arts, life skills are learned and carried forward into college and the workplace. So learning how to perform is an essential life skill. 

Our Top 5 Life Skills Learned by Performing

Take note of the following traits and qualities developed organically in individuals studying music and performance. 

 

  • Oral Communication Skills - learning to have confidence and to speak clearly and thoughtfully.

  • Creative Problem Solving - Building scenery, making props, and identifying problems are creative skills all performers learn.

  • Willingness to Work Cooperatively - In performance, each individual must support the others involved. Understanding how to be a team player is an extraordinary life skill.

  • Ability to Work Independently - In performance situations, tasks are assigned that must be completed without supervision; working independently is paramount.

  • Promptness and Respect for Deadlines - Tardiness is never acceptable in performance; individuals who are on time and do their work as scheduled always excel in life.

This list is just a start. No doubt you can add to it too! So many life skills result from learning how to perform; one of them is learning how to have fun!! We also think that is one of the best reasons to get up on stage and sing, act, or dance.

"Practice May Not Make Perfect" A Consistent Weekly Music Lesson Will!

Consistency is better than perfection.
We can all be consistent - perfection is impossible.
— Michael Hyatt

If you have ever taken a music lesson, your teacher may have emphasized that you will need to practice to receive more from your lessons. A lot. And the conclusion has been if you are not practicing, then the age-old argument is, "why are you taking lessons in the first place?" The result. Many students quit.

It turns out that the old "practice makes perfect" adage may be overblown, and numerous research shows that a copious amount of practice may not be enough to explain why people ultimately differ in skill and interest. Let's not forget that the point in signing up for something was to learn!!!

Weekly Lessons are Enough!

It takes more than hard work to become an expert. Natural talent and other factors will play a role in mastering a complicated activity, like music. Practice may be essential to reach an elite level of performance, but there is a ton of research that practice isn't enough. 

We have experienced that connecting to your weekly lesson and showing up for your weekly lesson is enough!  

Students who show consistency in their lessons excel much faster, learn a lot more, and create a lifelong habit with music! 

Quitters

I am always amazed at students who quit their lessons mainly because they don't practice. Quitting isn't going to "help" you practice. Quitting is giving up and deciding that you will never learn your instrument because you don't practice. When you stop, that ensures you that you never will. So why are you quitting?? I always furrow my brow and shake my head when someone quits their weekly lesson.

Weekly Lesson Practice Makes Permanent

Our students have realized that their weekly lesson IS THEIR PRACTICE. And the habit of showing UP for your weekly lesson creates a life-long habit for learning their instrument. 

Research has shown that consistent, weekly lessons prove to be the main ingredient in staying with an instrument and continuing to LEARN how to play that instrument. Connecting with your teacher, asking questions, being guided through learning your instrument increases the desire and enthusiasm to practice outside your lesson. Consistency in your lesson is the most essential and permanent habit to ensure you understand your instrument.

We have all heard the phrase, "practice makes perfect." But really, practice makes permanent, and a weekly lesson creates a habit. Good habits are more important in learning anything, and giving up your weekly lesson WILL NOT make you practice. Just the opposite will happen.  

Our Top 3 Tips for Getting to Your Weekly Lesson
1. Chose a time for your lesson that can be regular and permanent. Also, a time when you will not be rushing to the lesson.

2. Get to your lesson. Regardless if you have practiced that week. Your lesson is NOW your practice!

3. Have fun in your lesson. And remember, weekly lesson practice makes permanent.


How To Write A Love Song For Your Valentine!

Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along.
— Jalaluddin Rumi

Love is such an important emotion.  It’s hardly surprising how many songs are written on this wonderful topic. The oldest love song, "The Love Song for Shu-Sin," was written around 2000 B.C. and believed to have been recited by a bride of a Sumerian King Shu-Sin. 

Many love songs focus entirely on enduring heartbreaks, soapy ballads, or fun and catchy lighthearted tunes. Knowing how to write a love song is a great thing because there is always an audience for this type of music. 

Here are 5 tips to help you write the perfect love song for Valentine's Day. 

1. Write from your experience 

Great love songs sound believable and relatable. You can write a song that achieves that goal when you write from your personal experience. If you are writing about a love situation you have been in, or somebody is going through, find the closely associated words with the emotions you see and feel. Then form your lyrics accordingly. 

2. Listen to other love songs and find a Song Structure 

Paying attention to different love songs that are popular and that you also enjoy will help you to get started. And it will also help you become familiar with how songwriters construct lyrics and create structures. 

Song structure refers to how a song is organized. Song structure uses a combination of different sections. A typical song structure includes a verse, chorus, and bridge in the following arrangement: intro, verse — chorus — verse — chorus —bridge — chorus — outro. This pattern is an ABABCB structure, where A is the verse, B is the chorus, and C is the bridge. 

3. Find a catchy hook! 

Focus on a few catchy lines that will sum up the main idea you want to bring across in the song. Next, think about the message you want to portray. Finally, fit all of that into two or three exciting words or phrases that will make for a good hook. Example: "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles, or “Since U Been Gone,” by Kelly Clarkson.
 

4. Fill it with feeling 

If listeners can connect with how you feel, they will likely enjoy the song and try to relate to it. Therefore, make sure to pour a lot of feeling into the lyrics and the musical composition so that your listeners can connect with your passionate delivery.  This will make them want to listen to it over and over again.
 

5. Match the music to the mood 

Whatever mood you are trying to bring across, you will want to make sure the music helps to enhance it, rather than compete with it. So, for example, if the mood of your lyrics is a ballad, the accompanying music would not fit very well if it's filled with blaring drums and horns. 

There are no real hard and fast rules when learning how to write a love song. However, keep these 5 tips in mind because they can be helpful when trying to write a love song your audience or loved ones will appreciate and enjoy for a long time!

Why Music Is Important And Essential During The Holiday Season

The best way to spread Christmas cheer
Is singing loud for all to hear.
— Will Ferrell as "Buddy The Elf

Have you ever wondered why people like to sing and play music during the holidays? Or go caroling door-to-door together? Or why is singing a family tradition for so many cultures during the holidays? The answer is far more straightforward than you might think. 

Music brings you joy when you sing, especially when you sing with others. 

We are not saying this just because we are musicians and music teachers, but because science suggests it. Singing, playing, and listening to music with others brightens your day by lifting your spirits and releasing a hormone in your brain called oxytocin, commonly known as the "love hormone."

Neurological brain research has shown that when people sing together, it helps them feel emotionally closer. Those who sing together in a group feel closer because the act of listening to each other makes everyone's brains work to synchronize with each other - thus bringing you emotionally closer. Ask anyone who has ever sung in a choir how close they have felt to their fellow singers.

So, essentially, it's not the music we are looking for, but the closeness that music can bring to us when we sing with each other.  During the coldest and darkest time of the year, music is the best anti-depressant you can get during the holiday season. Just singing or playing a musical instrument will do the trick to bring you more joy. 

Joyful Brain Food - Dopamine & Serotonin!

Neurologists have shown that our brains release dopamine and serotonin during musical activities (listening to it and doing it) with people we love. 

And dopamine is the neurotransmitter in our brains that regulates the pleasure and reward centers. So what does serotonin do in the body? Serotonin is found primarily in the digestive tract and is the critical hormone that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness.  This hormone impacts your entire body and enables brain cells and other nervous system cells to communicate with each other.  It also helps with sleeping, eating, and digestion.

It's incredible to know that playing music and singing with others, especially the ones you love, can lift your mood and fill your holiday with love and closeness. What a great gift you can give to your family and friends this holiday season - MUSIC. 

From Thanksgiving to New Year's, it's a challenge to go anywhere without hearing the same holiday songs. If you're looking for new songs sung worldwide, we have a link to 10 songs and carols on our website that will add some international flair to your holiday festivities.   

Check it out here: www.leadingnotestudios.com/holiday-songs-acrosstheglobe

Remember to sit down next to the ones you love during the holiday season and sing a little song together. What matters is the closeness and joy that music brings -- and the happiness that will come naturally because of it!

Source: https://www.leadingnotestudios.com/holiday...

Musical "Tricks & Treats" Our 5 Top Tips for Fun Fall Music Activities

Music isn’t just something that comforts us or distracts us, it goes way beyond that -it’s an ideology.
— Paulo Coelho

It's Fall! With additional homework and more work to do, we realize that practicing music and attending lessons could pose a challenge. To remedy this, we have our Top 5 Music "Tricks & Treats" to ensure that you and your child have a productive and musical fall season. 

Below are our 5 top tricks and treat ideas to do during the school year! 

1. Incorporate Music into Your Daily Routine - A Treat 

My piano teacher always reminded me to "never walk past the piano without playing it. Even if it's to find middle C or to play a scale." Incorporating music into my daily routine helps me stay connected. 

Practicing requires concentration and focus, and that can be very fatiguing. If you break that one hour into three 20 minute sessions, you will be more focused in each session and use your time more effectively. 

2. Set Goals for Your Practice Time - A Trick 

Make a plan for what you want to accomplish that day. Setting a goal helps you to focus. What do you want or need to achieve in that time? For example, do you want to memorize a piece? Do you want to figure out the fingerings for that complex passage in one of your pieces? Do you need to work on your breath stamina of a complicated phrase? If you go into the practice room with a goal in mind, you will be focused and motivated to attain that goal

3. Record Yourself - A Treat 

By recording your practice sessions, you can listen back and catch some things you may miss at the moment. Listening to yourself can help you find issues, and watching yourself can alert you to tension issues that you didn't know you had and much more. And if your song is perfect, what a great Treat to listen back to all of your hard work. 

4. Repetition Is Key - A Trick 

Studies have shown you need to do something the correct way at least three times to break a habit. Every time you miss a note in that challenging part of a song, you will have to repeat that passage the correct way at least three times. Break more extensive passages into smaller ones, and repeat them correctly until they become part of your muscle memory. 

5. Work on Memorization of Your Song - A Treat 

Being able to play your song for others is the most fabulous feeling in the world!!
To memorize a song, you must first perfect small sections of your music and string a few small sections together to make a more extended section. Doing a little bit every day will help you finally play the entire piece and then play it for your family and friends. What a Treat!! 

These five tips will help you stay connected to music every day and help you stay focused on practicing. And that is... Music to Our Ears!

Building a Sense of Community with Music

Ideally, the point of music is the community, not the player.
Musicians are simply channels to link the audience to the music and to each other.
— Trey Anastasio

Music encourages creative thinking, discipline, leadership, and problem-solving. It is also a medium for individual and group awareness to profoundly communicate and move individuals to raise themselves to a higher level of empathy and social understanding. 
When this awareness happens, it helps to shape how we collectively respond to the world. — Hans Christian Andersen once said, “Where words fail, music speaks.”

Private Lessons vs. Group Lessons

It is one thing to receive personal enjoyment from one-on-one instruction, but our group classes, camps, and workshops have recently become an enormous hit! Why is that?

There is excitement when playing with other musicians. Learning from a teacher is wonderful, but jamming with others is an equally incredible experience - although in a different way. 

What is a Music Community?

A music community is a group of people involved in any given type of music. Typically communities have an informal, supportive structure and meet within a location to share their passion for music.

Here at Leading Notes Studios, our music community is a fundamental part of our experience of music. Our communities unite people and form bonds, and connect different instruments, as well as cultures. Our community connection promotes a variety of expression and growth, not only personally but collectively.  

We have so many ways that our students can come together and play, from Orchestra, Guitar Jam, Ukulele Night, Parent's Night Out, Musical Theatre Workshops, Choirs & Rock Bands, and Recitals.  

We also offer community music jams at local restaurants as a way for our young musicians to play in an environment that has low stress and is fun!!  

Group workshops and playing together is an approach to music-making that stresses active collaboration between individuals who play, create, improvise and perform music.  Community music enables people to enjoy and learn by making music with each other, and it enriches their lives.”

And in the end, it's just super FUN!!

New research suggests that playing music or singing together may be particularly potent in bringing about social closeness through the release of endorphins. ... Coupled with the effects on endorphins, music seems to make us feel good and connect with others, perhaps particularly when we make music ourselves. 

Why is music important to a community?

There is a tremendous amount of evidence of how music adds vibrancy to our lives, helps engage the brain, strengthens our sense of belonging and connecting with others, and also boosts the emotional health of both younger and older students.  

Music also has the potential to change a mood, shift an atmosphere, and encourage a different behavior. ... So in short, music has the power to culturally, morally, and emotionally influence our society. Group classes amplify the importance of our connecting to other musicians, creating life long bonds, excitement and social awareness.  

So, sign up for a group class or workshop with us!  You will love it.

Your First Music Lesson - 4 Must-Read Top Tips!

Sometimes you know its Time
To start something New
and Trust the Magic of New Beginnings.
— Anonymous

Music lessons are an excellent opportunity for anyone to learn a new skill and express their creativity. The joy that comes from playing an instrument or singing is entirely worth it. 

Music lessons will take on a unique flavor for every student.  Music lessons offer numerous ways to help us express how we feel, engage with what we think, and expand what's important to us. Here are four top tips for a successful first lesson.

1. Get to know your teacher

This is a critical step. Some of us are visual learners, some aural, and some tactile.

The first lesson for any teacher is getting to know their student. The first lesson's emphasis will focus on past work, your ability level, and either your or your child's musical interest. 

Sometimes a student or a parent's expectations are different from a teacher's expectations.  It is essential to spend your first lesson making sure your teacher understands you, your learning style, and your goals. It is a necessary first step in building what will become a significant relationship.

This time spent getting to know each other sets the tone for a great working relationship. This is a crucial time to get to know the student, and it also sets the foundation for the instrument's long-term study.

2. Be Prepared and Relax

There are a few key things to be aware of when preparing. No one likes to waste time, but it is very, very important to relax…. This is not a sprint, but rather a marathon! 

Have your instrument ready, and make sure you have paper or pencils handy if you need to write something down. Your teacher will have music or books for you or recommend them at the end of your lesson. 

Be prepared ahead of time.


3. Set Your Music Goals 

Your goals will help your teacher know what you are interested in for a successful lesson. Knowing what you want to get out of the lessons will make the experience much more enjoyable for you or your child. 

Ideas are:

  • What genre of music are you inspired by?

  • Is there a specific song or piece you want to play?

  • Where do you feel you need the support and assistance?

4. Ask Questions

Every teacher I know gets excited when their student asks questions. Every question you ask will also help YOU to feel a part of your music journey. You may have many questions like, what's my plan? How do I reach my goal? What am I going to learn? Why am I going to learn those things?  

Bring ALL those questions to your lessons and more!

It is important to spend that first lesson making sure your teacher understands you, your learning style, and your goals. It is a vital first step in building what will become a long-term and meaningful relationship.

What Are You Waiting For? Learn to play the song "Best Day Of My Life" - Today!

Music Is… A higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.
— Ludwig Van Beethoven

What if you could learn to play a song today? Learning to play a piece of music can seem complicated, but in the following five easy steps, you will be able to play today!

These five steps, along with our sheet music and video link on our website, you can learn to play the song "Best Day of My Life" today! 

Whether you play the piano, the guitar, or another instrument, this song has only two chords and is a great way to begin to learn the five essential tools that are the foundation of music. 

In this interactive music lesson article, we will focus on these five steps.

Step 1. Download and print the Sheet Music from our website here: www.leadingnotestudios.com/sheet-music

Step 2. Listen to the Song "Best Day Of My Life" on Spotify, iTunes, or YouTube. 

Step 3. Count the Beats and the Rhythm while listening.

Step 4. Learn the two chords, D & G.

Step 5. Sing and Play with our interactive instructional video on our website here: www.leadingnotestudios.com/bestdayofmylifeinstructionalvideo

Steps 1- 3

Once you have downloaded the sheet music from our website, listen to the song and count the rhythm. Clap your hands or/or tap your foot. You will notice each line of the song is four counts. (4/4) Count one, two, three, four, and start over again, one, two, three, four. 

The entire song is counted this way; this is your rhythm.

Step 4. Learn the two chords, D & G.

Once you achieve a sense of rhythm with the song, you will need to learn two chords, D & G.  

In music, a chord is any harmonic set of pitches/frequencies consisting of multiple notes that are heard when playing a sound simultaneously. 

For the D chord, you will play three notes, D, F sharp, and A. It looks like this on the piano - see diagram below:

Your F sharp note is the black key colored purple. Put your thumb on D, your pinkie on A, and your "tall man" middle finger on the black key or F sharp. 

For the G chord, you will play three notes, G, B, and D. It looks like this on the piano - see diagram below:

Put your thumb on D, your middle finger on G, and your pinkie on B.

Those two chords are played throughout the song, back and forth. Look at the sheet music. You will see where and when the chords are played throughout the entire song. It's that simple.

Step 5. Sing and Play with our Interactive Video!

We have the entire song on video on our website which you can watch for free. That video is here: www.leadingnotestudios.com/bestdayofmylifeinstructionalvideo

That's it. Make today the "Best Day of Your Life," and learn how to play this song today!

What Are You Waiting For? Learn to play the song "Best Day Of My Life" - Today!

Music Is... A higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.
— Ludwig Van Beethoven

What if you could learn to play a song today? Learning to play a piece of music can seem complicated, but in the following five easy steps, you will be able to play today!

These five steps, along with our sheet music and video link on our website, you can learn to play the song "Best Day of My Life" today! 

Whether you play the piano, the guitar, or another instrument, this song has only two chords and is a great way to begin to learn the five essential tools that are the foundation of music. 

In this interactive music lesson article, we will focus on these five steps.

Step 1. Download and print the Sheet Music from our website here: www.leadingnotestudios.com/sheet-music

Step 2. Listen to the Song "Best Day Of My Life" on Spotify, iTunes, or YouTube. 

Step 3. Count the Beats and the Rhythm while listening.

Step 4. Learn the two chords, D & G.

Step 5. Sing and Play with our interactive instructional video on our website here: www.leadingnotestudios.com/bestdayofmylifeinstructionalvideo

Steps 1- 3

Once you have downloaded the sheet music from our website, listen to the song and count the rhythm. Clap your hands or/or tap your foot. You will notice each line of the song is four counts. (4/4) Count one, two, three, four, and start over again, one, two, three, four. 

The entire song is counted this way; this is your rhythm.

Step 4. Learn the two chords, D & G.

Once you achieve a sense of rhythm with the song, you will need to learn two chords, D & G.  

In music, a chord is any harmonic set of pitches/frequencies consisting of multiple notes that are heard when playing a sound simultaneously. 

For the D chord, you will play three notes, D, F sharp, and A. It looks like this on the piano - see diagram below:

Your F sharp note is the black key colored purple. Put your thumb on D, your pinkie on A, and your "tall man" middle finger on the black key or F sharp. 

For the G chord, you will play three notes, G, B, and D. It looks like this on the piano - see diagram below:

Put your thumb on D, your middle finger on G, and your pinkie on B.

Those two chords are played throughout the song, back and forth. Look at the sheet music. You will see where and when the chords are played throughout the entire song. It's that simple.

Step 5. Sing and Play with our Interactive Video!

We have the entire song on video on our website which you can watch for free. That video is here: www.leadingnotestudios.com/bestdayofmylifeinstructionalvideo

That's it. Make today the "Best Day of Your Life," and learn how to play this song today!

Stop! In the Name Of Love!

We didn't buy Flowers, 

we bought Music Lessons!

~By Amber Flynn

Valentines Day and Love Song Facts

Music and Love have always been "best friends." If we feel clumsy at expressing how much we love and care for that special person in our life, fortunately, there are plenty of love songs that will say it perfectly. 

In 1965 the song "Stop in the Name of Love" was sung by Diana Ross of the Supremes. It was written by the famous Motown team (Holland/Dozier/Holland). Dozier got the idea for the song after an argument with his girlfriend (she caught him cheating). 

In the heat of battle, he said, "Baby, please stop. In the name of Love - before you break my heart." He was trying to diffuse the situation, but it didn't help - she was still going to break up with him. So, he asked her to "think it over."

Dozier knew these lines were a bit corny but also thought they would work well in the song. He was right: "Stop! In the Name of Love" became a huge hit, and when it did, guess what? The girl came back to him.

Learn How to Play or Sing A Love Song
No matter how you plan to spend Valentine's Day,  love songs create a wonderful dreamy backdrop to your celebration. You can bet there will be many people around the world pulling out their guitar or sitting down to a piano to serenade that special someone with their favorite love song. 

What better way to express your feelings to your significant other than by playing a song?

If you are looking to take Valentine's day to the next level, below are three easy love songs you could learn to play in just a few lessons! 

We have also have the sheet music for you and many other love songs you can download and print from our website here for FREE: https://www.leadingnotestudios.com/sheet-music

"Love is complicated, but there are plenty of EASY love songs you can learn."

These songs are great choices to start with because they are beautiful, simple to learn, and even as a beginner, you'll be able to play them quickly and easily.

1. Count on Me by Bruno Mars

2. What A Man Gotta Do by Jonas Brothers

3. Can't Buy Me, Love by The Beatles

All three songs are classic for sure, easy to play, and the lyrics are the best.

Besides, the self-confidence and self-mastery skills that come from learning how to sing or play a musical instrument are phenomenal. Daily practice builds self-discipline, internal focus, listening skills, and a lifetime connection to emotional well-being. 

Valentines Day has always been about Love and a song! So, “Stop!  In the Name of Love” and sign up to learn how to play a love song! 

And since you can play Music throughout your lifetime, gifting music lessons is an excellent gift for Valentine's day too, for anyone, at any age!