Give the Gift of Music and join us for A Winter Wonderland In Our New Theatre in San Marcos

“Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight,
We’re happy tonight.
Walking in a winter wonderland.”

— Lyrics to the song “Winter Wonderland.

Have you decided on a gift for your loved ones this holiday season?

Gift-giving has always been a part of our culture, along with decorating and celebrations. Much research has been done about what makes a meaningful gift memorable for both the recipient AND the giver. We have found that music is THE gift that keeps on giving and a wonderful gift for both young and older students!

Giving experiences rather than objects is the best gift to give. Research shows that people who receive experiential gifts feel more connected to the gift giver than people who receive material items. It is also fascinating that the giver and the recipient do not have to share the experiential gifts to receive a connectivity effect. And the gift can be for a friend or family member of ANY age!!!

Our Top 5 reasons to give Music Lessons or Recording Studio time:

1. It’s a lasting, memorable gift that will put a song in their hearts and a smile on their faces, and it’s one of the easiest gifts you can give.

2. You can give the gift to anyone of any age and for any instrument, and you can gift Recording Studio time too!

3. Music for Toddlers is movement, music, play, dancing, storytime, and more – all rolled up in one great experience. Early childhood music classes enhance a child’s development in every area.

4. Music makes kids smarter – the research proves it! Music classes, especially Group Classes, inspire lots of time together and bonding.

5. Music Schools are where people of all ages, all temperaments, and all learning styles can flourish. That special someone in your life will have something to look forward to each week!

We sell a Christmas stocking loaded with fun musical items and a gift certificate for your loved one each year. So many of our clients say that their friend or family member is still taking lessons after receiving their gift two years ago!!! What a great gift!!

I cannot speak for every musician or music lover on the planet, but I enjoy receiving practical gifts - things I can start using immediately.  

And…. for all things memorable and joyful this Holiday Season, we are having a “Winter Wonderland” extravaganza at our new Theatre in San Marcos.  

We have a professional decorator coming in the first week of December to install decorative lighting, Christmas Trees, lights, wreaths, and music, creating a magical experience for loved ones and clients!  

They will remain up the whole month, so if you want a magical experience and want to tour our new Theatre check us out. Professional decorative lighting and beautiful displays greatly enhance the memorable experience of this joyous and wonderful time of the year!

Group & Private Music Classes And Why They Rock!

“I think one of the things which always is forgotten in music class,
Is the first thing you have to do as a musician,
is you have to learn how to listen.”

— Hans Zimmer

Music helps us express ourselves emotionally and creatively! Budding musicians must learn to practice by themselves but will also benefit from group and private lessons. We realize both types of lessons have numerous advantages and hope this article will help you see the benefits of both!

Private Lessons

Highlights

Private lessons are suitable for anyone interested in personalized feedback. Private lessons mean unique and individualized attention. For example, you can ask questions or repeat musical phrases that are giving you trouble without interrupting the flow of a group class.

Challenges

Taking a private lesson is just that — private. You won’t be surrounded by other budding musicians looking to make connections with other students and reflect with others while learning. Group settings offer the unique option to study how your peers tackle challenging sheet music or instrument-related problems.

Group Lessons

Highlights

Working with an ensemble makes you invested in others’ growth and your own. You will learn that each student makes errors, and group lessons will teach you valuable skills to work constructively with others. You will learn how to stay in rhythm with everyone and perfect your part of a song to improve the sound of the entire group. 

Ensemble-style practices have perks of their own. Groups are a lot of fun and offer opportunities for exciting collaborations. And in the end, you will eventually be playing with other musicians, so a group class prepares you for that inevitability!

Challenges

Private lessons offer endless opportunities for individualized feedback, but group lessons do not have the same flexibility. Group lessons remain focused on the needs and progress of the group. You will not have the opportunity to stop an entire lesson to repeat a difficult phrase several times. You will have to make a note to practice that item on your own after class.

Instruction is beneficial no matter whether you take private or group classes.  Private lessons are excellent for students who want tailored instruction and one-on-one time with their teachers. 

Group lessons, by comparison, are excellent for those looking for collaborative, ensemble-style practices and performances. These students will learn a lot from their teachers and fellow musicians, some of whom may already be active in the music scene and be able to provide invaluable advice.  As a musician, you will eventually always play with other musicians, so we highly recommend you sign up for this type of lesson!

If you’re ready to sign up for a private or group music lesson, there’s only one thing left to do - call Leading Note Studios today for more information on both our Private & Group Classes. 

We can’t wait to start you on your musical journey.

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!

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!