iPhones and iPads also have GarageBand, a free app allowing you to record audio along with a metronome or a backing track
This does also include practice time in school but NOT in students' timetabled GCSE music lessons. Students should think of their timetabled lessons as the opportunity to clarify or get help with anything they might not be able to understand when practising on their own. At times, lesson time is taken up with demonstrations, class discussions, lecture style content or group work in order to learn new content or clarify anything that students might be finding difficult.
It is students' responsibility to send proof of practice to their teacher. This will usually be a recording sent to the teacher (details at the top of the page):
On this Instrumental Practice page students will find specific information on how best to practise for their specific instrument.
Firstly, practice has to be dedicated and methodical. Singing 'everywhere around the house', 'in the shower', 'along with my favourite tunes' and similar stories is NOT practice.
Begin with 20 minutes of scale work - a specific scale, with a metronome, one handed, then two handed, then contrary motion
Go through 10 minutes of pattern work - left hand first around the circle of 5ths, then right hand, then two handed
Then finish off with 30 minutes of working on the piece they are learning. This could include multiple methods such as playing one section slowly, playing with a live version of the piece, playing the whole piece with a metronome at a reduced speed, learning a new section a few phrases or even notes at a time, comparing their version with the original, and much more
This will involve the technical aspects of your instrument such as scales, arpeggios, riffs, phrases & motifs, chords, patterns and more
Without good technique it's almost impossible to perform certain things or pieces of music
Repertoire means the collection of songs or pieces that a musician knows. For GCSE and IB Music you will have to learn lots of pieces. Some students learn up to 10 pieces in one academic year. You will need to work on your repertoire and learn pieces that challenge you outside of your comfort zone
This involves 'training' your ear to hear certain musical features such as intervals (click HERE for a dedicated interval resource), chord types, being able to write out a piece you can hear, recognising styles and distinct features, understanding how the elements of music work in a piece of music and much more
This involves reading music. For you this might be traditional stave notation, guitar TAB, chord symbols, lyrics on stave notation, drum notation and anything else specific to your instrument. The music exams for both GCSE and IB Music involve reading notation also
Rousseau (advanced piano)
Tutorials by Hugo (piano)
Marks Piano PGN (piano)
HD Piano (piano)
Piano Pig (piano)
Pianote (piano)
Musescore (sheet music)
Sheet Music Direct (sheet music)Ultimate Guitar (sheet music, TABS, chord charts)
UkuTabs (ukulele)
Chordify (chords for any song)
Marty Music (guitar)
Cover Solutions (bass guitar)
Justin Guitar (guitar)
The Samurai Guitarist (guitar)
Jacobs Vocal Academy (vocalists - technique mainly)
Music Matters (music theory)
Andrew Huang (composition, technology)
Improv Piano Tips (piano improvisation)
Learn Some Drums (drums)
DRUMMATE (drums)
Drums the Word (drums)