Tag: piano lektioner

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Your Holiday Chill-Out: Lo-Fi winter music.

lizteachespiano

I must be honest- I am not the biggest Christmas celebration person, but I try to take the time to slow down, and appreciate the things I have, and just try to take what I want from the holiday season, letting it wash over me quietly, gently and calmly.

However, for some, as the holiday season rolls in, the hustle and bustle of preparations can be daunting. Also, if traditional holidays songs are not your type of style- how can you listen to something which feels relevant to you, yet a little special for this time of year?

That is not to say I do not like ‘Jingle bells’ or ‘I’m dreaming of a white Christmas’ – but I also like to explore different types of music too! What if you could create a relaxing atmosphere, stay true to your music tastes, and unwind amidst the chaos and the cold? (if it is cold where you are at Christmas!)

Enter your holiday chill out: lo-fi winter electronic music, the ideal soundtrack for a cosy, cool holiday season .

The trend of lo-fi beats and chill electronic music has surged in popularity over the last few years, and it’s no surprise that it’s making its way into the holiday music scene.

Lo-fi, with its grainy beats, and subtle imperfections, is all about creating a laid-back vibe. When combined with festive elements like soft bells, and gentle wintry sounds, winter lo-fi music makes the perfect background music for everything from gift wrapping to a quiet evening by the fire.

songs  like Snowfall by Idealism or Aurora by Jinsang can be a peaceful alternative to the usual high-energy holiday tunes. A playlist like lofi Christmas chill can evoke the feeling of a winter wonderland, without being too intense, perfect for a low-key holiday gathering.

The beauty of lo-fi Christmas music is its simplicity. With its repetitive, hypnotic beats and mellow melodies, it creates an atmosphere of warmth without ever demanding too much attention. It’s ideal for those moments when you just want to relax, sip on a hot cocoa, or catch up with friends while the holiday lights flicker softly in the background.

I took a little time to create my own piece of lo-fi winter music-Here is the process using my Arturia MiniFreak:

Lo fi experiment: The bells I’m referring to are the lighter pink block.

Here is my Lofi composition titled “Winter 19th”:

My second electronic music album will be complete soon! You can listen to some of my released music here

Whether you’re curling up with a good book, or simply enjoying a peaceful moment of reflection, lo-fi and downtempo Christmas beats provide the perfect sonic backdrop to help you unwind during this busy season. This growing trend is more than just a musical choice —it’s an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and savour the quiet moments.

beginner tutorial, learning environment, Music Lessons, music performance, music production, piano lessons, piano performance, piano practice, piano teacher, Uncategorized

Short but Sweet: Short Music Courses

lizteachespiano

Short music courses offer a variety of benefits, making them a great choice for people looking to begin learning musical skills or explore new areas of interest.

Here are some reasons why short music courses are a great option:

🧁 Time-Saving

Short music courses are designed to fit into busy schedules. They allow students to learn new skills without committing to long-term programs or giving up too much time. This flexibility makes them ideal for people with jobs, families, or other responsibilities who want to improve their musical abilities without long term commitment.

🧁 Affordable

Short music courses are typically more affordable than full-length courses. This lower price point makes music education more accessible for people who might not have the financial resources to commit to a full-time program.

🧁 Immediate Results

Because short courses are more condensed, students often see quicker results. Whether you’re learning a new instrument or refining a particular technique, the focused nature of the course helps accelerate progress. This can be highly motivating, as learners can immediately apply what they’ve learned in a short period of time.

🧁 Variety of Topics

Short music courses often cover a wide range of topics. From songwriting to production techniques, students can explore different aspects of music in a short amount of time. This allows for the opportunity to discover new interests or skills.

🧁 No Long-Term Commitment

For those who are unsure whether they want to pursue music, short music courses offer a low-risk way to explore their interests. If they find that a particular course or subject isn’t a good fit, they can move on without feeling like they’ve invested too much time or money.

🧁 Hands-On Learning

Short courses often include practical, hands-on learning experiences, allowing students to apply what they’ve learned immediately. This practical approach helps build confidence and ensures that learners can apply their new skills quickly, such as writing a song, producing a track, or performing live.

🧁 Opportunity for Networking

Many short courses are held in group settings, whether online or in person. This allows students to meet other like-minded individuals, who share their musical interests.

🧁Convenient Online Options

Many short music courses are available online, making it even easier for students to access education . Whether you’re learning from home, on the go, or from anywhere with an internet connection, online courses offer unparalleled convenience.


Are you interested in learning a musical skill? My short music courses are designed to improve your musical abilities in an engaging, simple way:

short music course

Lunctime Liz teaches piano

With the short course: Lunchtime Liz teaches piano, learn basic beginner piano skills in your lunchbreak!

Course information

short music course

Electronic music for adults

This course is for adults who have an interest in music production and making electronic music, but are not sure how to begin.

Course Information

short music course

Electronic music for children and young people

Perfect for children and young people who like computers, and might be ready to explore music as well!

Course information

Short music courses are perfect for anyone looking for a quick and focussed way to improve their musical skills, whether as a beginner or an experienced musician looking to expand their knowledge. They’re affordable, and provide immediate benefits, making them an excellent choice!


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Cosy piano ideas for Autumn

lizteachespiano

As the seasons change and we cosy up indoors more, this blog is dedicated to creating a warm and inviting space for Autumn. These cosy piano ideas for Autumn are for piano teachers, students, and enthusiasts alike.

🍂Create a Comfortable Environment:

Lighting: Use soft, warm lighting to make your space inviting. You will need some sort of lamp because some days the light will not be enough to see music properly. However, on days it is still bright and sunny, take advantage of as much natural light as possible!

 I often teach later in the day, so I also light some non scented candles and have them in my music studio. These give less intense light, and add to a cosy vibe! Only light candles if this is safe to do so!!

Seating: Comfortable seating for students helps them focus better. For smaller children, I have some parents who also sit in the studio and we converse with them during the lesson. This creates a really nice atmosphere and the parents also know what the student is working on. I add cushions or blankets to the visitor sofa for those chilly days! 

🍂Incorporate Seasonal Themes:

Build a repertoire of Halloween and Christmas music! When a student inevitably says they would like to learn something seasonal you will be ready with some options! Websites like Music Notes have seasonal collections.

Discuss how students can use their surroundings: like rustling leaves or rain—to inspire improvisation and composition.

A music piece perfect for Autumn: Hall of the mountain king by Grieg.

🍂Seasonably Sweet Lessons:

Keep lessons engaging by mixing up activities. Incorporate autumnal warm-ups, a challenge in a music peice, and fun autumn themed games, all within 30-45 minutes to maintain energy and focus. 

A high level of concentration for a young student can only be so long. It is important to mix up pace and activities.

Combine art and music! Encourage students to create visual representations of their favorite pieces. You could also make a model of a piano, make a drum etc etc. 

Take time in the lesson to talk to your student about the music they like, or anything else they have done this week. Tell your students about any autumnal walks you went on, or your favourite autumn food. Remember to keep the conversation light and simple, but it is important for your students to know you are a real person who doesn’t solely play piano! 

Autumn is a fantastic time for students to practice a little more because the days are often colder and darker, but it is important they want to practice and look forward to seeing you each week. 

If you are thinking about learning a new musical skill, now is a fantastic time to start! Feel free to contact me if you’re in my area and interested in my help! 

🍂What cosy piano ideas for Autumn do you have for fellow piano teachers and students? Are there any specific pieces you love to play in the Autumn? Thanks for reading!

beginner tutorial, learning environment, music performance, music production, piano performance, Uncategorized

The Korg NTS-1: A compact synth thats big on fun.

lizteachespiano

The Korg NTS-1 (Nu Synthesizer) is a compact and affordable DIY synthesizer kit that may be small but is big on fun. It has captured the imagination of musicians and synth enthusiasts since its release.

There is now a MK II, but I’ve got the MK I, so that’s what Ill be talking about.

Why did I buy it?

I thought the NTS-1 would be fun to have because of a) how small it is! And b) the ability to customize and expand its sound.

I bought it predominantly to add more effects for my Arturia Minifreak (read the blog here), but more on that later. 

A DIY Approach to Synthesis

The NTS-1 arrives as a kit, which might seem scary, but don’t worry, assembly is ok (maybe half an hour or so?) and doesn’t require any soldering. This DIY aspect not only makes the NTS-1 more affordable but also makes you feel invested in this little machine from the start 😁

The Korg NTS-1 Mk1 come flat pack, but feels very rewarding once you have put it together.
There are not too many parts, it also has some screws and the keyboard part (which isn’t in this picture unfortunately)

Powerful Sound Engine

At the heart of the NTS-1 is a digital oscillator. It offers a wide range of sounds, from rich analogue-style tones to complex digital waveforms. The NTS-1 can also have sounds and effects added to it. It’s a little tricky to start with, but go to the Korg website and then support, find your synthesizer and it gets a bit more straightforward. The website shows you lots of different sounds and some are free! Make sure you use the official channels to download from. I also found a super helpful YouTube video here.

Note: I couldn’t get my computer to recognise it so you might have to do something to your audio drivers- google will be your friend here-but this could also be because my computer is a bit old and weak, and is already doing a lot with sound equipment! Fix: I just put the Korg digital librarian on my partners computer and it worked perfectly. 

I was very proud of myself when I downloaded some new sounds!

Example of a new sound!

Compact but Feature-Packed

The NTS-1 is packed with features. It includes a multimode filter, three LFOs, an envelope generator, and a versatile arpeggiator. The onboard effects section is especially impressive, offering high-quality reverb, delay, and modulation effects that can dramatically alter your sound. Whether you’re looking to create lush pads, sharp leads, or experimental textures, the NTS-1 can handle it.

Perfect Companion for Other Gear

So remember I said the main reason I got it was for more effects for my MiniFreak? The NTS-1 shines when used with other gear. It has full MIDI and sync capabilities, allowing it to integrate seamlessly into larger setups. Its audio input even lets you process external signals through its effects, making it a great tool for adding depth and character to other instruments. If you connect the timer to your other equipment, the arpeggiator will slow or speed up according to what you’re doing on the other synth, which I found fun as well.

Endless Creativity

The Korg NTS-1 encourages endless experimentation. Whether you’re a beginner looking to dip your toes into synthesis or an experienced musician searching for a portable and versatile synth, the NTS-1 offers something for everyone. Anyway enough of me describing- here a video of it in action. Thanks for reading!

An example of the effects so far!
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Get prepared and stay organised! Your music teacher checklist

lizteachespiano

As a music teacher preparing for the back-to-school season (or maybe you are starting this semester!) you’ll need a variety of resources that can help you organize your lessons, engage your students, and enhance your teaching.

Here are some valuable resources I have discovered across different categories which I have put together into a music teacher checklist available to download in this blog!

Your music teacher checklist, Lesson Planning and Organization

You will need some sort of planner. Now, personally I like to have a notebook AND digital notes- I use a notebook often for when I travel, and for planning child lessons, and I use digital for when I am teaching from home, or teach adults.

I use Microsoft OneNote because I already had it, and I like that I can just write on my laptop like a tablet, then email the notes to my student after the lesson.

For students: If you are a student reading my blog, don’t worry I haven’t forgotten you! A lot of these resources could also work for a student taking the leap with piano lessons or other music lessons too!

Music practice notebook : this little book has a space for teachers, and parents to write notes- and at the bottom gives a tip for practice that week!

I created “Your music teacher checklist”: available to download for free here!

Teaching Materials and Sheet Music

These are the most important things for teaching music. Figure out the payment systems, and scheduling later, because without teaching materials, you will struggle to teach. It is also important to remember: you will build these up gradually. Take it step by step and don’t buy everything at once: Firstly because if you buy a lot of things which turn out to be not useful, you’ve made a loss, and secondly because your teaching path may go down a different route than you first anticipate.

You will probably want:

Music books

  • Music books: just get a few to start with- I like Piano Time books by Pauline Hall, and also the Faber piano adventures look clear and structured.
  • Duet music book: I have found that duets are great for sight reading (both yours and students!) and is a way to help your student build confidence in playing music. Plus, it shows music can be fun (its always quite fun for a student to see if you make a mistake, and its rewarding when you play the finished piece together.)
  • Music Theory resources, which follows nicely to:

Supplementary Materials

Worksheets and Printables:

  • Teach piano today: A very useful resource.
  • Flashcards: You can easily make some. Also Musical snap is very popular with my students. You will need some sort of musical game, because learning a skill is tiriing, and it is nice for you and the student to keep it fresh and fun. Google and you will be amazed the free resources on offer!
  • Making Music Fun: Offers a variety of printable music theory worksheets and activities.

Games and Activities:

  • Teach Piano Today’s WunderKeys: A program with fun, game-based learning for young beginners.

Technology

Use technology. Even if it sounds scary- there really are an abundance of resources online and you can also find out lots of things about how to improve your teaching, and different learning techniques etc etc.

Digital Tools:

  • Online Music: musicnotes.com is useful, but I am sure there are others!
  • Online music notation software that allows you to create and share sheet music. I like Noteflight
  • Stand for a camera or phone so you can record you playing a scale, or a section of music to send to your student.
  • Consider providing students with recordings of their playing, which can be a valuable teaching tool.
  • Spotify: to listen to songs your students like and you can try to transpose!

I hope the ” Music teacher checklist” resource I have created can help you get started for the new semester! You can download below:

Music-Teacher-ChecklistDownload