Hello all! Once again, I am Zachary Belles, and I am the Brass Instructor here at the Jerry Evans School of Music. Today we will be talking about different aspects of the trombone and why knowing them matters to you. Last time we visited embouchure and went over it very thoroughly, and today we will… Read more »
Posts By: Jerry Evans
Tuning the Piano
You are probably familiar with the sound of an out-of-tune piano unless you’ve only ever used or heard electric pianos. It might remind you of a scary movie, a haunted house, or even an old saloon. For some, it’s a nostalgic sound that reminds you of a piano that your grandparents owned but never used. … Read more »
Embouchure: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
My name is Zachary Belles, and I recently starting teaching the students in our brass program here at the JESM. There are many things that define a brass player whether it be trumpet, trombone, tuba, or any other instrument in the brass family. However, when someone first picks up an instrument they might ask themselves… Read more »
The Science of Soundproofing: Simple Tips for the Musician’s Home
Whether you’re married to a musician, raising one or are a musical master yourself, the noise of even a well-played instrument can impact your roommates, neighbors, or family. Even playing all the way across the house may not be far enough to muffle the sound, and things could be a lot worse if you’re in… Read more »
Collaborative Piano: What is it?
When you think of a professional pianist, what do you think of? Do you picture a soloist in a concert hall, up on the stage alone with the piano? Do you think of an orchestra playing with a solo pianist? We often picture soloists when we think of professional pianists. It’s important to remember that… Read more »
Pianos in All Shapes and Sizes
When you think of a piano, the first picture that usually pops into mind is a grand piano. But did you know that there are other styles? Even within the “grand piano” category, there are many different types, differentiated by their size. Here they are from smallest to largest: small grand, baby grand, medium grand,… Read more »
The Piano: Percussion or Strings?
Today I’d like to tackle the age-old debate: is the piano a percussion instrument or strings instrument? According to the dictionary, a percussion instrument is a musical instrument (such as a drum, xylophone, or maraca) sounded by striking, shaking, or scraping. A strings instrument is a musical instrument (such as a guitar, cello, or violin)… Read more »
Extended Techniques: Prepared Piano
Sticking with the theme of extended techniques, this week I’d like to take a look at the piano. You’re probably wondering, “What kind of extended techniques can a pianist use?” Keep in mind that pianos are not just black and white keys. When you take a look inside a piano, there are also strings, hammers,… Read more »
Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor Op. 64
At some point in their lives, every violin player learns at least an excerpt of a violin concerto. A concerto is a standard 3-movement form of music that tends to be “fast-slow-fast”. They tend to be about 30 minutes in length, and one instrument has a solo while the orchestra plays along. In Felix Mendelssohn’s… Read more »
Extended Techniques on Violin
In my last post, I discussed extended techniques used by many skilled flute players. I also mentioned that plenty of other instruments can use extended techniques. Violin is popular for extended techniques, just like the flute. Prepared Violin is probably one of the most unique extended techniques. Violinists place an object on or around the… Read more »
