Paul Hirsh
jazz panpipe pioneer and designerRecent Comments
Category Archives: Music Education
The elephant in the music room
This is a rant that I wrote some fifteen years ago, so some of the technological references are somewhat dated. But the rest still applies. Stop the ivories trade! Many young people who begin piano studies or who just fool around … Continue reading
Posted in Intuitive Instruments, Music Education, Scale Practice
Tagged Daskin keyboard, Janko keyboard, janko piano
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How do You Read Music?
Well, how do you read music? Western music notation is unique in having adapted essentially one and the same system to the task of notating for all musical instruments and voices. But does that mean we all read the same way? … Continue reading
Posted in Music Education, Musicianship
Tagged intervallic awareness, reading music, sightreading
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Get your first scale free?
Remember all those collections they use to sell at the newsagents, offering you a free binder with the first instalment? As if you wouldn’t end up paying for it in the end! The idea was that once it was in … Continue reading
Affirmative Action for the Piano
One takeaway from my recent experience in a Montessori school was the evident glee with which the children attacked a pentatonic balafon brought in by one of the teachers, contrasting with their apparent lack of interest in the expensive chromatic … Continue reading
Why Montessori Bells Get it Wrong (2)
“Why are those ones black?” The little girl was four years old and had asked the one question I couldn’t answer in a way she could understand. I wanted to see how children used these Montessori bells and what could … Continue reading
Posted in Intuitive Instruments, Music Education
Tagged K4-ed, Montessori, musical education
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Musical education, the wasted years
I am sometimes asked: What is the best way to learn to read music? How can I learn to “read flyshit off a wall”? The best tip I can offer is to make sure it’s music that you really want … Continue reading
Posted in Music Education, Music Theory
Tagged conservatoire, music teaching, musical education, sight-reading, sight-singing, solfa, solfege
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Why Montessori bells get it wrong
There is no single Montessori system for introducing 3-year olds to music. Children are placed in a rich environment full of learning toys, of which the musical instruments, generally bells, are only one among several competing attractions. Montessori bell sets … Continue reading
Posted in Intuitive Instruments, Music Education
Tagged #musiced, Kindergarten, Montessori, musical education
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Wagner’s Ring, Short Scales and Musical LEGO
Musical composition is commonly taught through analysis of standard works. A piece is broken down into a hierarchy of elements, chunking down from whole movements to subjects and developments, and breaking down themes into sub-units variously called motifs, or cells. … Continue reading
Why can’t music learning be as simple as LEGO?
The other day my 6-year-old son decided he wanted to get rid of all his toys, except his LEGO. Not quite. When the moment came to pack them up, he decided he couldn’t part with his Bakugan brawlers either. You … Continue reading
Posted in Intuitive Instruments, Music Education
Tagged frere Jacques, LEGO bricks, music learning, piano lessons, scale practice
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How to be talented
What musical talent isn’t Musical talent used to be a mystery, and to many still is. Some people even want to believe that it is God-given. Not a very empowering view, unless you think prayer will change your lot. And … Continue reading
Intervallic Awareness for Improvisers 