Tag: accompanist

articles about being an accompanist/accompanist tips, tricks, etc.

  • The Art of Practice Performing: Bringing Performance into the Practice Room

    The Art of Practice Performing: Bringing Performance into the Practice Room

    Practicing the art of a live performance during your rehearsal time can be about so much more than dancing in front of your mirror and lip-syncing.

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  • A Lesson Learned While Trying Not to Be a ‘Piano Diva’

    A Lesson Learned While Trying Not to Be a ‘Piano Diva’

    + Welcome to Soundfly! We help curious musicians meet their goals with creative online courses. Whatever you want to learn, whenever you need to learn it. Subscribe now to start learning on the ’Fly. Perhaps it’s silly of me, but I actually work pretty hard to not be a “piano diva.” I have many reasons for this but in all honesty, my biggest…

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  • A Piano Collaborator’s Ode to an Artform

    A Piano Collaborator’s Ode to an Artform

    I recently had the great joy of giving a masterclass for young pianists who were trying their hands, many for the first time I believe, at collaborating with their peers. Readers of my blog will not be surprised to hear that I ate up every moment of our time together. I am a huge advocate…

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  • Making Sense of a Song by Richard Strauss Through Botany

    Making Sense of a Song by Richard Strauss Through Botany

    + Welcome to Soundfly! We help curious musicians meet their goals with creative online courses. Whatever you want to learn, whenever you need to learn it. Subscribe now to start learning on the ’Fly. Yes, you read that correctly. In the course of this one blog post, I am going to attempt to use a brief study in botany to unravel…

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  • For Singing Actors, Nailing a Song is Just the Tip of the Audition-Room Iceberg

    For Singing Actors, Nailing a Song is Just the Tip of the Audition-Room Iceberg

    The above video is courtesy of our brand-new, free course, The Definitive Guide to Building Your Audition Book. Being prepared for an audition in musical theater is a multi-faceted endeavor. Yes, you need to do what you do best and flawlessly — sing, act, and possibly even bust out a dance step or two — but…

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  • Rhythm Section Essentials Workshop: “Locking in” with Bass and Drums

    Rhythm Section Essentials Workshop: “Locking in” with Bass and Drums

    In most ensembles, a combination of drums, bass, guitar, percussion, and keys make up the rhythm section, which provides the rhythmic and harmonic direction of the band. Particularly for bass and drums, one of the most challenging things to understand is how to interact with each other to make music that achieves something specific. When…

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  • The Rhythm Section’s Role? Supporting the Lead and One Another

    The Rhythm Section’s Role? Supporting the Lead and One Another

    If an artist has just given the best, most effortless and inspired performance of their life, they’re not going to want to change much when the next gig rolls around. Few things will keep musicians working more consistently than the ability to support and flatter a vocalist or soloist — particularly if they’re a joy for the rest…

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  • What’s the Key to Creating the Tightest Rhythm Section Imaginable? Listen to the Greats.

    What’s the Key to Creating the Tightest Rhythm Section Imaginable? Listen to the Greats.

    Many techniques and resources help you deepen your rhythmic skill set, and there’s no better classroom in which to learn the art of groove than on stages in front of audiences (and beside experienced rhythm section masters). But the second-best classroom might be inside your own headphones! Take a listen to some of these classic…

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  • 4 Tips to Get Better at Playing and Singing Simultaneously

    If you want to be an active professional musician, you should learn to sing. It’s an incredibly beneficial skill for your ear development, and it’s a lot of fun as well! There are tons of benefits to being able to sing and play an instrument at the same time. For musicians that are primarily instrumentalists,…

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  • Why Singers Need to Learn Piano

    Why Singers Need to Learn Piano

    + Bridge the worlds of theory, improvisation, and jazzy hip-hop, and improve your piano chops with Grammy-winner Kiefer in his course, Kiefer: Keys, Chords, & Beats. Singers need to learn piano — it’s a fact. I’ve played many instruments over the years — trumpet, clarinet, and sax to name a few — but first and foremost,…

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