Sahara Naini's blog

In the following clip, I demonstrate some simple tricks that you can incorporate into your practice if you are working on playing more quickly.

1. Play in a long-short rhythm (dotted quarter note + eighth note)
2. Play in a short-long rhythm (eighth note + dotted quarter note)
3. Play in groups of 3 or 4 notes at a time

These tricks are effective because they allow you to divide the notes into quick notes and slow notes. You will gain practice playing notes quickly in a way that is less overwhelming than playing as written at a faster tempo. 

We started our first week of summer classes - including Meet the Composers, Women in Music and Music Theory for Adults.

If you are a student with us and have not registered for a class yet but are interested, please feel free to jump in starting next week. These classes have no homework and they will be fun and inspiring. Also, you won't be missing out if you come in a little late or miss a class here and there due to vacations. 

If you are not a student at CMA and are interested in taking a class, please send us a message for more details and we'll get you all set up.

In the following clip, Michael P. demonstrates how to play a special chord progression found in Pokemon that is similar to the backdoor 2 5 progression. 

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In the following TikTok, Zack explains and demonstrate the Hammer On and Pull Off techniques on his electric guitar. Follow his tutorial and let us know what you think in the comments!

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In the following TikTok, I demonstrate how you can cover songs on the violin or viola (or any other instrument) by dividing chords into separate parts and harmonies. In the clip, I demonstrate how these parts fit together by playing an excerpt from "When the World Caves In" by Matt Maltese. 

Hi Everyone! We hope you had a great 4th of July Break.

Next week our summer classes will start. We have a great line up, including classes on Women in Music, Meet the Composers for students ages 5-12 and Music Theory for adults. If you haven't signed up for a class already, this week is the best time to do so as we are still excepting registrations. 

We are looking forward to seeing you or your child in class. Let us know in the comments or DM us if you have any questions!

Mason will be teaching CMA's summer class on Music Theory for adult students.

You probably already know this, but when you go learn a song on your instrument there can be a lot of elements to juggle. Coming up with an intro, finding a pattern that matches the vibe of the song, improvising and coming up with an ending can all be a challenge. 

In the following video clip, Michael demonstrates what sharps and flats look like on the piano.

When we add a sharp to a note, we raise it by a half step. On the piano, this means playing one step to the right of the note.

When we add a flat to a note, we lower it by a half step. On the piano, this means playing one step to the left of the note.

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The main idea behind the "chaotic measure" concept is that we are trying to break ourselves away from becoming too dependent on muscle memory. You might find that when your hands know a piece very well, when you go to perform you might mentally "check out" and let your hands do the work. Then, if you make a mistake, or the piano feels different or if something else changes unexpectedly, you may panic and have trouble staying focused on the music.

Watch Michael P perform the Furret Walk theme from Pokemon in a one-man band style video.

If you focus on Michael's percussion section, you'll see why counting and keeping a pulse is so important when performing in a group!

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