Instructor Feature: Chris Carner

Instructor Feature: Chris Carner

Today we have the opportunity to share another installment in our “Instructor Features” blog series! This week we have Chris Carner to celebrate! Chris is a saxophone, voice, guitar, and bass instructor. Chris has experience with a variety of musical genres from vocal and orchestral music to jazz and rock, and he is passionate about helping his students achieve the best possible tone.

Read more about Chris below, and at the link near the bottom of the post.

How to Read Music: A Crash Course

How to Read Music: A Crash Course

Are you new to the music scene and curious about how this all works? Are you eager to start exploring music, but o all those lines, dots, and squiggles on the page have your brain in a tailspin? Although learning to read music can seem like an overwhelming task at first, with the help of the right instructor, you’d be amazed at how quickly interpreting those hieroglyphs can become second nature.

5 Spooktacular Pieces for Your Halloween Playlist

5 Spooktacular Pieces for Your Halloween Playlist

The weather has turned cooler, the leaves have begun to change, and pumpkins and ghoulish creatures are decorating department store shelves. Fall is in the air, and with it comes the anticipation of one of America’s favorite holidays—Halloween. The 31st of October may be known mostly for its sights, smells, and tastes (hello candy!), but Halloween can also be a treat for your ears as you listen to these 5 festive favorites.

The Origins of that Spooky Melody You've Heard a Million Times

The Origins of that Spooky Melody You've Heard a Million Times

It’s finally October, and as the leaves change and the air turns colder, we’re getting in the mood for the beloved fall holiday Halloween. Although you may have already curated a list of spooky tunes for yourself, you might be interested to know that the tradition of spooky music goes back for centuries to a plainchant written in the 1200s. This haunting melody, known as the Dies Irae, has frightened and enthralled listeners for centuries, establishing itself as a harbinger of death and doom from Medieval times until today.

Warm Up Like an Athlete. Play Like a Musician.

Warm Up Like an Athlete. Play Like a Musician.

All accomplished athletes devote the beginning of each training session to warming up. Whether that is taking a light jog, swimming laps in the pool, or running through a set of stretches, they use their warmups to prepare their bodies for the demands of each practice session, and although musicians and athletes may not always see eye to eye, the warmup is one area where we can learn a lot about how to prepare ourselves for successful practice.

Instructor Feature: Carly Erst

Instructor Feature: Carly Erst

Today we have the opportunity to share another installment in our “Instructor Features” blog series! This week we have Carly Erst to celebrate! Carly is a violin, viola, cello, double bass, and music theory instructor who is currently studying music composition at Butler University. Carly is passionate about instilling a sense of enthusiasm in her students and helping them take the lead in exploring music for themselves.

How to Get Your Kid to Practice Music

How to Get Your Kid to Practice Music

So, you’ve decided to take the plunge and sign your child up for music lessons. The shiny new keyboard (or dusty old piano) is prepped and ready to play, and you have the date of your child’s first lesson highlighted on your calendar. You are excited to expose them to music and encourage them to hone their creativity, but one thought still makes you break out in a cold sweat—how do I get them to practice?

What's the Point of Playing Music?

What's the Point of Playing Music?

Music can be tricky.

Like most things in life, it requires a lot of attention, focus, and discipline. We at Vibe are constantly updating our curriculums and our approaches to help your students flourish as musicians. We celebrate success, but also understand that new challenges are always on the horizon. If you aren’t careful it’s easy to get bogged down by this cycle of short-lived victory only to be followed by another hurdle. We don’t use music to get through essential daily routines like we use math and reading skills. We don’t always see results like we do when we dedicate ourselves to the gym.

So, honestly, what’s even the point?