Learning to Sing in Key

Learning to Sing in Key How Can You Sing in Tune? ChaptersWhat Is Singing in Tune?Mastering Your BreathingAdvice for Singing A Cappella in TuneWarming Up Your VoiceTaking Singing Lessons“Those who wish to sing always find a song.” - Swedish ProverbWho’s never dreamt of singing on stage in front of thousands of adoring fans?While many people are still interested in learning to sing, vocal technique isn’t innate and not everyone’s singing is worthy of a performance at the O2.More and more people are becoming interested in singing. You can learn how to sing in tune and there are plenty of tips and advice out there to help you sing in tune, especially if you want to sing a cappella.So how can you learn to sing in tune? What does singing in tune mean to singers? Do you need to take singing lessons? Does your timbre affect how well you can sing in tune?In this article, we're looking at what singing in tune means and how mastering your breathing, warming up your voice, and getting singing lessons can all help. TraceySinging Teach er 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Is Singing in Tune?Firstly, you need to know the basics and what singing in key and voice type are. Singing in key doesn’t mean that you have a nice-sounding voice, it just means that you’re producing the right note. With practice, you can learn to sing in tune. (Source: quimuns)The only problem with singing a cappella is you don’t have any background music for reference. You need to be able to produce a note and use your ear to ensure that you’re singing in tune.You can calculate this through the fundamental frequency. Frequency is calculated according to vibrations per second in Hertz. For example, the tuning standard is according to an A. The international standard for tuning is 440Hz so you need to harmonise with this (although there are arguments for a return to 432Hz).Without any background music, you’ll need to use your singer’s intuition and knowledge of music to hear whether or not you’re in tune. While this can be complicated, it’s not impossible!Find out more about the history of a cappella.Mastering Your BreathingIf you want to sing in tune, you’re going to have to master your breathing. When you sing, you breathe using your diaphragm. This organ is incredibly important when singing and you need to work on your mastery of it. The diaphragm is a muscle that connects the thorax to the abdomen. When you sing, you should try to feel it working. If you don't control your breathing, you won't be able to sing in key. (Source: Pexels)The better the mastery of your body and breathing, the better your singing will be. Let’s not forget that when you’re singing without any background music, your voice is essentially naked and unfiltered.Breathing is an essential part of singing as well as activities like yoga and meditation and can be useful for connecting with yourself and getting more out of your singing practice. Any self-respecting a cappella singer needs to master their breathing.Discover some great songs for a cappella. TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teach er £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsAdvice for Singing A Cappella in TuneLearning to sing in tune sounds a lot easier than it is. There are many techniques you can use to improve your voice and avoid vocal fatigue. A cappella is less forgiving than other vocal disciplines. (Source: Skitterphoto)Firstly, try singing while smiling. With your voice being essentially naked, you can hear a smile and it’ll make people want to hear more of it. It also helps with articulation, especially with phrases ending with “ee”, “ah”, or “ey” sounds. It’s a subtle way to improve your tonality.Mask (or nasal) resonance can help produce a better tone. The mask is the area between the eyes and top of the mouth. This is where a cappella singers need to produce resonance rather than the throat.  This technique, much like diaphragmatic breathing, can help you to project your voice more and improve its clarity. This will also help give you better control over vowels as the sound coming out of your mouth resonates at the top of the pallet, which can help with the tonality, too.Finally, you’ll need to work on your rhythm to sing a cappella. Without the music backing you up, the voice is doing all the wor k and all its flaws are out in the open for everyone to see. Rhythm is essential, but not everyone has it. Without background music, you might need to tap your finger on your leg to keep time.All these tips can help you get the most out of your voice.Find some great singing tutorials on YouTube.Warming Up Your VoiceDid you know that your voice needs 7 hours of rest to be ready to sing?Warming up can make your voice more flexible. Before you sing, make sure you warm up your voice. (Source: pixelheart)The simplest and most effective warm-up technique is a lot like blowing a raspberry. Close your lips and blow. Start with a low note and then a high note.  This exercise prepares your singing voice, larynx, tongue, and lips. You should be ready to go!Next, try doing a scale either with or without the help of a piano. This is quite a simple exercise but it can help an awful lot.  This can sometimes take a bit of time but it means that your voice will be ready. It’s also useful for helping you understand your tessitura and your vocal range. Your voice can move, evolve, and transform through vocal exercises.  Vocal techniques might seem quite trivial but they can be really useful for perfecting your voice.Don’t hesitate to record yourself with a dictaphone or audio program and listen back to your singing to hear where you’re going wrong. Listening to your voice will allow you to adjust your singing and make it better.Good luck and make sure you enjoy yourself!Taking Singing LessonsFinally, the last advice we have for improving your voice is to get a teacher to help you. A teacher or tutor who’s trained in music will be able to help you with any questions or concerns you may have about singing.They’ve been there before, after all. They’ll know about breathing, articulation, and anything else you may have questions on. They’ll also be a second set of ears to listen to you when you sing.Your voice is your instrument and you need to take care of it and practise using it if you want to get good at singing. A cappella is a great way to improve your voice. You just have to know how!So are you ready to improve your singing?Go for it!On Superprof, there are plenty of talented and experienced singing tutors to help you improve your voice. There are three main types of singing tutorial on offer: face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials. Each type of tutorial comes with i ts pros and cons and some tend to be more expensive than others so you need to carefully think about what's available, how you like to learn, and what your budget it.Face-to-face tutorials are the most cost-effective type of tutorial available. This is because you're the only student and your lessons will be tailored to you and how you like to learn. Of course, this means that your tutor will be spending time outside of the tutorials planning exercises and activities for you to do during your lessons. All this extra work comes at a cost so these tutorials are also usually the most expensive per hour.Thanks to the internet, you can also get online singing tutors who'll teach you using video conferencing software. These tutors won't have to travel to you and can also schedule more tutorials each week. With less travelling time and more earning potential, online tutors tend to charge less per hour as they have fewer outgoings per lesson taught.Group tutorials are useful for students on a budget as you can share the cost of a tutor with the other students in the tutorial. Whether these other students are friends of yours or strangers, you can get an hour of tuition quite cheap if you're happy to be in a group. Of course, this does mean that you won't benefit from as much one-on-one time with your tutor.Generally, the more expensive the tutorial, the more tailored your lessons will be. Similarly, the more costly a tutorial is, the more cost-effective it is. However, not everyone can justify paying the hourly rate of some tutors or they don't live near their ideal tutor. Fortunately, there are so many different tutors and types of tutorials that everyone should be able to find something that works for them.Make sure that you benefit from the fact that many tutors on Superprof offer the first hour of tuition for free so you can see if they're right for you and if you get along.

Jazz Guitar

Jazz Guitar Why You Should Learn How to Play Jazz Guitar ChaptersThe History of JazzJazz Guitar SpecificsThe Particulars of Playing a Jazz GuitarPlaying Jazz GuitarTaking Jazz Guitar LessonsJazz music is often hailed as an original American art form.It was born of slavery, played on unconventional instruments such as washboards, earthen jugs and boxes. In its earliest incarnations, it consisted of call-and-response vocals, a pattern of communication common of slaves working in the fields.Today, we can still hear such homophonic melodies in Gospel music, where the soloist or vocal leader follows one melody and the chorus, a different â€" maybe slower one.When jazz music emerged in the late 19th century, no slave would be given or permitted to have a guitar; that instrument was a much later addition to the genre.Jazz music has gone through several incarnations since American slaves celebrated a good harvest by putting on a show in Congo Square in New Orleans.Your Superprof wants to take you to the American south, to a time when a new type of music was emerging; a musical style that would come to be associated with class and distinction.No need for a passport or packing a bag; this journey into the past is intellectual, not physical. PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe History of JazzMuch as the slaveowners tried to stamp it out, they could not dissuade their ‘property’ from upholding and expressing their spiritual beliefs, often in a language unknown.So it came to be tha t displaced west Africans, working in the fields of Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana would chant their way through work. And, if there was a cause for celebration â€" maybe the birth of a child or the end of the harvest, singing and dancing would be permitted. These days, many Gospel choirs have a guitar player to accompany them in song Image by Samuele Schirò from PixabayOne way that slave owners attempted to dissuade ‘secret’ communication in the slaves’ own language was to force them to speak English and make them attend church â€" not to worship their own deities but the Christian God.This mandate gave rise to Gospel music and its secular counterpoint, the Blues, both of which were a pleasing form of entertainment to white ears that permitted further musical exploration by the black population in America.Out of public squares in New Orleans, specifically Congo Square, those early jazz performers caught strains of French quadrilles being played. That led to to the incorporation of brass instruments into the unique brand of music.Later, a form of piano-dominant music called Ragtime, played in heavily black population further north made its way down south. Soon, this style of music too was incorporated into what would be a defining musical movement.It wasn’t until the early 20th century that the guitar would feature into any jazz music; the instrument’s warm tones simply couldn’t compete with the brassiness of the horns and the pounding of the piano.In 1923, the Gibson L5 acoustic archtop guitar found its home in jazz.Jazz guitarists like Eddie Lang were thrilled to finally have an instrument to play chords with greater complexity that wouldn’t jar with the warm bass notes, as the banjo did.The 1920s through the 30s became the Age of Jazz. It blended seamlessly with Swing and Big Band music and the guitar was an integral part of the rhythm section.The electric guitar had as yet not been invented; acoustically, the guitar still could not compete with the saxes and trumpets. Still, some Big Bands permitted short guitar solos; it was during those times that guitarists such as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian got their turn to shine.After the Second World War, jazz music reinvented itself. Gone were the big bands; say hello to intimate quartets and combos. Coincidentally, early forays into electric guitars meant that jazz guitarists could have their turn in the spotlight.As electric guitars continued to improve, so did the players of those instruments.In the hands of Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery and Jim Hall, the jazz guitar explored a wider range of tones and moods; indeed, it is those three guitar players who established what is now known as jazz guitar playing. Jazz chords are a bit more intricate to play Image by Casey Budd from PixabayJazz Guitar SpecificsYou might intuit that one can play jazz licks on any guitar.While that may be true â€" you could even riff off a few notes on an amped-up Stratocaster, it takes a specific type of guitar to achieve that unique jazz sound.The guitar of choice for jazz guitarists is the full-depth, archtop guitar.Archtops are acoustic guitars with steel strings and a floating bridge. They boast a large soundbox â€" thanks in part to their arched tops and f-holes, such as those found on the violin.Archtops are electric guitars; they may have magnetic or piezoelectric pickups to transmit their sound. Players will often set their guitar’s amplifier to give their instrument a certain tone, depending on the piece being played.Reverb effects, built-in on guitar amplifiers, often feature in jazz guitar but it wasn’t until the jazz fusion era of the 70s that jazz guitarists started using pedal effects: wahs, c horus and overdrive pedals.There are other types of guitars that certain jazz players favour or that certain types of jazz call for, for instance, Latin jazz players would favour nylon strings while flat-top steel-stringed guitars have been used in ‘acoustic shredding’ by artists such as Al Di Meola and Larry Coryell.Did you know that jazz guitarists Lenny Breau and Howard Alden play seven-string guitars? This type of guitar is usually used to play metal music...rock guitarists prefer to use alternate tunings such as Drop-D.Jazz guitarists are no different in that respect; they usually use ‘regular’ tuning â€" not the same as standard tuning: regular tuning implies that all of the strings are tuned to an even interval.Another popular jazz tuning is called All Fourths: each string is set exactly a fourth apart. When playing a guitar thus-tuned, the fretboard feels easier to navigate, especially when improvising.Jazz music is full of improvised licks and unusual arpeggios. If you are the lead guitarist, you would likely prefer the All Fourths tuning method precisely so your fingers can move more nimbly across the frets.There are, of course, other tuning methods; some are as popular as All Fourths. You may want to try Major Third regular tuning, for instance, to see how that sounds and feels when you play. Early jazz musicians favoured this Gibson ES-175 Source: Wikipedia Credit: MyttoPlaying Jazz GuitarIt goes without saying that you have to have a fair measure of proficiency in playing the guitar to begin playing jazz guitar.And, once you do make the leap from guitarist to jazz guitarist, you should determine your playing style:Big Band Rhythm: a rhythm role, usually plays four strums per bar with some improvisation allowedthis type of playing is mostly gone from the music scene today.Small-Group Comping (short for accompanying): uses many inversions rather than standard voicingsChord-melody: the guitarist arranges the entire piece and plays melody, harmony and bass.Chords may be sparsely played; generally, a pick is usedUnaccompanied soloing: fingerstyle is emphasised but hybrid picking is also permitted‘Blowing’: also called single-note soloing, it involves maintaining the chord but picking an improvised noteChord soloing: involves improvising chords and melody simultaneously, usually on the upper-register strings.Clearly, these are but brief descriptions of complex styles of playing that call for some guitar instruction…Taking Jazz Guitar LessonsIf you have never played the guitar before, you would certainly need to learn guitar basics before you contemplate learning how to play jazz guitar.You have several options for learning how to play the guitar: you might choose online guitar lessons or, if you are what’s known as an autodidact â€" someone who can learn on their own, you might find a guitar instruction channel on YouTube to your liking.In spite of any ability you might have for learning on your own, we would really encourage you to seek out a guitar instructor.Such a teacher can show you the right way to play; give you pointers on how to take care of your instrument and yourself so that you don’t sustain any injury while playing â€" something that happens more often than you might think.Private guitar lessons can be costly… unless you learn the guitar with a Superprof guitar tutor.Superprof has hundreds of guitar teachers all around the UK, capable of teaching all types of guitar playing. Most are happy to give lessons online via webcam while others would prefer to work with you in the same room.You may certainly find guitar lessons in school, in a conservatory or through your local community centre but, if you were looking for personalised instruction, tailored to the guitarist you aspire to be, you couldn’t do better than Superprof!Now find out how you too can learn how to play flamenco guitar...

How Many Private Classes Must I Take To Learn Arabic

How Many Private Classes Must I Take To Learn Arabic How Many Arabic Lessons Are Required to Master This Semitic Language? ChaptersThe Reasons for Learning ArabicHow Long Does It Take to Learn Arabic?: Each Student Is DifferentHow to Learn Arabic Fast Depends on the Quality of Your TeacherThe volume of private lessons also depends on your ambitionsLearning a language is always expensive, and taking private lessons to learn to speak Arabic also costs quite a bit.It is a financial and personal investment as you will be spending part of you salary on Arabic classes, as well as dedicating part of your leisure time to the process.As a result, each student expects to receive rapid and significant results from their private teacher in return for the money spent.It's stupid, but it's like that: when you pay for something, you often expect a satisfactory return on your investment.You may be one of those wondering how long you will have to pay for private Arabic tuition to learn the Arabic alphabet, or to learn to read and write Arabic script.There is no miracle recipe. Learning Arabic - like any other discipline, linguistic or musical - responds to several factors:The motivation and the time devoted to itThe budget that is mobilizedThe cognitive dispositions of eachHere are our tips for finding out how many private lessons you will need to get a good level in Arabic.First and foremost, you need to know why you're going to get a private teacher before taking your first lesson.Learning the language of Ishmael nowadays has more and more benefits. Many possibilities open up to you personal, social and professional levels.Learning Arabic extends your geographical and professional mobilitySo why take private Arabic lessons?Because speaking Arabic literature makes it possible to have conversations with the populations in most of the Arabic-speaking countries without going into English.Speaking Arabic, the world's fifth most spoken language, and an official language in more than twenty countries, opens up professional opportunities (diplomacy, trade, tourism, advanced technologies, etc.).Speaking A rabic also makes it possible to become a teacher and give private lessons (on Superprof, for example), or teach in private or public schools.Knowledge of Egyptian Arabic - the most widely spoken Arabic dialect - helps us to understand Arabic language and culture.Learning modern standard Arabic, like any other dialects, stimulates your cognitive abilities and delays the onset of neurodegenerative pathologies.The study of Arabic exists at the university level and contributes to the development of the students' abilities of concentration, rigor and reflexive skills.Thus, extending one's linguistic skills from childhood improves one's academic performanceToday, Arabic represents and carries the legacy of the great civilizations of the Middle East.Knowing how to speak Arabic helps to understand history and to acquire a greater general knowledge.At the crossroads of civilizations (Europe, Asia, Africa), speaking Arabic can be seen as a strategic asset.Speaking Arabic can help new immigran ts to you country integrate into society if you can communicate with them in their native language.Arabic is the source of great philosophical, scientific and literary movements throughout history.If you are from a Muslim family, learning Arabic can represent being closer to an Islamic education that brings you closer to the culture of your ancestors and to share their stories.There are, therefore, many reasons for learning the Arabic language.The list is not exhaustive and it is possible to learn Arabic by different means:At school or in high school, in language schools, private lessons, online Arabic classes, talking to relatives of whom Arabic is the mother tongue, etc.Now that we know that it is good to learn this idiom shared by more than 270 million people in the Arab world, how many private courses should we take to speak it well?How Long Does It Take to Learn Arabic?: Each Student Is DifferentIt is difficult to quantify the volume of courses needed to learn to speak Arabic w ell. But it is well known, we are not all equally efficient in learning languages.For some, one or two years of courses will be enough, while for others it will take up to three or four years.It all depends on the age at which you start Arabic classes, the skills of each person, motivation, and what you do with your lessons: whether you work regularly or not, wether you practice in an Arabic speaking country, etc.If the student is highly motivated, they will learn faster and will require less Arabic lessons than another person.The Class Frequency Varies According to Each Person's Cognitive AbilitiesEveryone wants to make the most out of their Arabic language lessons. But some pupils learn faster than others, from the early days of kindergarten.Since we do not all have the same cognitive predispositions, some people will need more lessons than others in order to learn to speak Arabic with a good level.If you want to get an introduction to the Arabic language, one hour a week for your Arabic course London is the minimum required, if only to learn pronunciation, phonetics and some Arabic words.This is the minimum for anyone who wants to fully optimize their learning experience.The Arabic dialect is very complex and the process of assimilation can be long. First, learn the Arabic alphabet, pronunciation, and learn to read and write Arabic.The learner will have to learn Arabic grammar. Finally, assimilating Arabic words will be used to understand the reading of Arabic.For students who want an intensive program of Arabic private lessons to help pass high school tests, exams or job interviews, they will have to multiply their efforts and have more hours of language learning.The Frequency of Private Lessons Varies According to Your MotivationLike piano or guitar lessons, taking Arabic lessons requires an investment and an important workload.There are techniques and advice to work your Arabic between two courses and keep yourself motivated.It is important to regularly revise your private lessons during the week, from the beginning of the school year to the holidays.Better to do the exercises given by the teacher for half an hour a day or an hour every two days rather than the same day as the private class.Learning a language, such as Arabic, must always be above all a pleasure.As soon as it becomes a hassle, even if it has been a long day, then you have to stop because the courses are very likely to become inefficient in terms of progress made, and you would be wasting your time and money.So you have to be motivated, but you still have to find a good Arabic teacher ...How to Learn Arabic Fast Depends on the Quality of Your TeacherThe necessary number of language courses that will allow you to acquire a good level of Arabic to speak like an Egyptian or a Moroccan, will depend on your linguistic progress rate.As a result, this varies depending on the teacher you have.Having a good Arabic teacher will speed up the learning process.If they are a nati ve teacher, whose mother tongue is Arabic, they will be able to teach you modern standard Arabic as it is practiced in his country of origin.This can be considerably time saving compared to an American university student offering his services.Also, the method and pedagogy used by your Arabic tutor will strongly impact your learning pace and level. The price of Arabic classes also depends on the professor's experience.A good Arabic teacher is a teacher who meets their student's expectations and is someone who loves to convey, explain, and teach.Since the private lesson is a privileged moment where the tutor takes care of their learner and not of a whole group, it is important that the teacher is attentive to the needs of their pupil.Ask your teacher to have conversations in Arabic during the course. This should significantly boost your level of oral expression.Finally, assimilation may be slower if the teacher improperly teaches his private courses: if his level of knowledge of the A rabic language is low and he offers courses for adults, you may be disappointed.So the volume of language courses to be taught to learn how to speak Arabic also depends on the level of your teacher.But normally, he will have three to five years of practice, or more, than his or her pupil. This is the case on Superprof, where professors are all native or experienced, or both.The volume of private lessons also depends on your ambitionsIt is also according to your personal goals that you will set the schedule of your private Arabic language courses.  It is your ambitions that command the volume of Arabic lessons you will require from your teacher.In the end, the number of private lessons you order from your Arabic teacher also depends on your personal goals:If you have an Arabic exam to pass in the near future and you have to practice, intensive courses for five or six hours a week will probably help you.Choose the best teacher; a native or a graduate in Arabic language and literature. If you plan to become bilingual, you will need a lot of hours, perhaps intensive courses of three or four hours per week.If you're aiming for an intermediate level, good but no more, then maybe one hour a week will be enough.If you are learning Arabic just for your enjoyment and your general knowledge, but with no professional goal and becoming bilingual is the least of your worries, perhaps a one hour and thirty minutes class every two weeks will correspond to your needs.In order to improve your level in Arabic, you can also go abroad to take your private lessons in a language school.Go to Cairo in Egypt, Rabat, Morocco or Beirut in Lebanon to learn modern standard Arabic.The Sprachcaffe school offers a quality teaching team to teach Arabic to foreigners, to assimilate this dialect quickly and in a pleasant way.Last resort, leave for an Arabic-speaking country in the Maghreb for a stay of several months (Morocco, Tunisia, Qatar, or wherever Arabic is the official language).You will then be in a linguistic and cultural immersion among Arabs. A great way to work on your vocabulary and pronunciation, and much quicker than private classes at home!Know that you can also learn Arabic online, if you have neither the means to subscribe to private lessons, nor to travel to Rabat, Cairo or Beirut.Whatever it is, studying even basic Arabic so that you have some phrases, expressions and Arabic verbs so that you have a conversational level will look great on your resumé. And if you want to study classical Arabic further to get a better understanding of the Quran, you will stand out even further.Have you determined your optimal course volume according to your linguistic objectives, and your preferred structure that will put you in contact with the best professors?Well then you just need to get started!

The Two Weak Spots in Career Planning - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / The Two Weak Spots in Career Planning - Introvert Whisperer The Two Weak Spots in Career Planning When it comes to Career Planning, most people don’t actually have a plan.   Planning your career must be one of those things like doing taxes only without government accountability, as it seems to be fairly common.   It’s also why I spend so much time nagging you to have one.   If I don’t, who will? If that sounds like you to any degree, I’d like to issue a challenge.   Instead of waiting to “shape things up” with your career plan for some flimsy reason: Start now. You can easily use this coming week and weekend to sit down and figure out what your next couple of steps need to be and how to get you where you want to go. This week is as good as any other because if you delay now, you’ll never get to it. There are two weak spots with any endeavor: Starting â€" more people than you’d realize talk a good game but never take the first couple of steps to get started. My philosophy on starting is to start right now.   I think if you delay it can cause you to lose focus and get distracted by other things.   To quote a friend: “Do this before your head hits the pillow tonight.” Finishing â€" In the knitting world there is the term “U.F.O.” It is an Unfinished Object.   There’s actually an acronym for not finishing things you start.   Oftentimes, we do get started but we don’t finish for various reasons.   Maybe we lose our inspiration or something comes up.   My tip for finishing is to plan to get sidetracked and build in some accountability.   The best accountability plan is to have someone keep you accountable but if that doesn’t work for you try putting reminders on your computer. Trust me, you’re not going to miss anything critical by taking the step of planning and the actions you have planned.   When you’re done, you’ll be more focused and actually have a destination to work toward. Go to top Do you know what your next career step is?  Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable. Get your copy now and start your action plan today! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

What to Ask Private Schools

What to Ask Private Schools No two kids are exactly alike. No two schools are, either. When looking at private schooloptions at any grade level, it's important that parents ask questions that help them identifythe key differences that will help determine what private school is best for their child. Knowing the right areas to ask questions about is an important step going into private school interviews and tours. As you dive into your exploration of private schools, keep these thoughts in mind: 1. What do you really want to know about this private school? This is different than what you think you should ask. You may feel that asking about test scores or admission rates is what's expected, but it will be most beneficial to everyone if you ask about the areas that truly matter to you. Dont shy away from tougher questions if theyre important to you, but also try not to delve too deeply into uncomfortable areas that put the admissions officer on the spot, such as those regarding your childs specific chances of getting into the school. 2. How is this private school uniquely positioned to help my child? Think about how your child learns and thrives, as well as his or her strengths and weaknesses, and focus your questions according to those needs. Is your son an excellent writer but struggles to work with others? You might want to ask about how the school promotes teamwork. Or, say your daughter has an interest in engineering or mathare there robotics teams or other extracurricular offerings that will boost her learning beyond the typical curriculum? Think about whether the schools overall mission fits the goals you and your child have. Goal Example Question To increase your child's socialization opportunities What kinds of group and teamwork opportunities do you provide? To expand your child's music education Are band, orchestra, and/or choir offered? What are the programs like? To prepare your child for college admissions How early doguidance counselors and teachersstart providingsupportforcollege applications? 3. Tell me more about As with a job interview, you want to go in with as much knowledge as you can glean from the schools website and other available references. This will help you ask better questions and prevent you from looking like you dont care, which is the impression youd likely give by asking for information you could have easily gotten online in five minutes of research. Identify something the school succeeds at that coincides with your goals, and then dig deeper to show your interest. 4. How does this private school keep up with emerging technology? Its no secret that edtech is growing rapidly. How are teachers at this school able to use technology in the classroom to enhance learning and introduce students to new skills? Do they utilize digital textbooks? What is the policy on student smartphone use? On a related note, how is the overall curriculum reviewed, and how often does it change? 5. Does this private school approach the arts from a global, multicultural perspective? Whether or not your child is artistically inclined, a broad education in music, art, theater and cultural differences is invaluable in a time of increasingly global higher education and professional opportunities. If your child does have a specific interest in an artistic area, find out how that can directly be supported by this school. Some areas you might want to inquire about include the following: band orchestra choir acting drawing/painting dance 6. What is the philosophy on athletics at this private school? Many private schools require all students to participate in athletics or some other form of physical education. The lessons in teamwork and health can be invaluable, but if this is an area where your child particularly excels or struggles, you may want to find out more about what his or her experience will be like. 7. How do teachers and administrators at this private school communicate with parents? Many private schools have sophisticated websites, blogs, or social media pages, but how are individual teachers communicating with parents about the classroom and their individual students? What systems are in place for emergency notifications? 8. What support does this private school offer forcollege applications and preparation? Rather than asking where most graduating students are accepted to college or what their test scores are, dig deeper to find out specifically how the schools guidance staff would eventually help your child through the college admissions process. It may seem far away, but it can never be too early to prepare. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

How Often Should You Change Your Guitar Strings

How Often Should You Change Your Guitar Strings Suzy S. Are you wondering how often you should be changing your guitar strings?   Its a common question for beginner guitarists, and it goes hand-in-hand with general guitar maintenance.   Read on for some great advice from one of our office rock stars, Megan L Learning how to take care of a guitar can seem like a mysterious and difficult undertaking. When I was first learning to play, I was surprised at how much care and attention goes into keeping this instrument sounding great. Between tuning, cleaning and changing strings, at times I felt more like I had invested in a strange new pet than in a guitar. Over time, I found that learning when to change my strings actually made my guitar sound a lot better, which helped me to become a more confident player. Many factors go into determining how often you should consider changing your guitar strings. Dirt and oil from your hands can build up on the strings, causing the sound to become sort of flat or dead. (Learn how to clean your guitar strings here!) Strings stretch out as they are played and eventually do not hold tune well any longer. Additionally, steel strings can rust, which not only affects the sound of your guitar but also makes it kind of gross to play. If you are playing for several hours every day, you might want to change your guitar strings as often as once a week. If you arent quite ready for that much string-changing, washing your hands before you play can help reduce the amount of dirt and oil from your skin that gets onto your strings. However, if you have extra sweaty hands when you play, you might want to change your strings more often. If you notice your guitar doesnt hold tune as well as it used to or the tone sounds less rich, you might see a vast improvement if you just change your strings. Personally, I like to change my strings a day or two before a performance. Not only does it make my guitar sound better, but it helps me feel more prepared to succeed. Megan L., TakeLessons staff member Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by meddygarnet

SAT Help is a Smart Investment for Students

SAT Help is a Smart Investment for Students SAT Help is a Smart Investment for Students This not an ordinary fall for either you or your child. The SAT looms and you know your child needs all the support they can get to get ready. SAT scores can play a very important role in the college admissions process, but most parents do not know what exactly the SAT entails. What skills does the SAT emphasize? How much geometry and algebra are on the SAT? Does my child need a geometry tutor to be as prepared and confident as possible? Students often describe preparing for the SAT as one of the most stressful and anxious periods of their teen years; they know that this one test can have a big impact on whether or not they can get into the college of their choice. When students try and prepare for a test that they are not familiar with, stress and anxiety can get worse. Why leave them to navigate the minefield of SAT prep when there are professional experts and respected organizations that specialize in helping students with this specific test? Don't leave SAT prep to chance. Don't simply buy your child an SAT prep book and hope that it's enough. Find the professional assistance that is available to you and relieve fears that can damage confidence and scores. When you invest in a professional and reputable tutoring service, you can ensure that your child will get the help they need, both in terms of subject matter and test-taking strategy. This extra assistance will dramatically boost your childs confidence and allay fears heading into test day. Through one-on-one instruction, your child can discover his or her strengths and weaknesses and get the help needed to overcome possible deficiencies. If, for instance, geometry is not your child's strong suit, the tutor can provide constructive and tailored lessons on the subject that will enable your child to learn key concepts and even expand upon them. By the time he or she takes the test, your child should be confident in his or her abilities and ready and able to demonstrate new skills. Beyond understanding and practicing the specific skills demanded during the SAT, the mental edge provided by professional tutoring services cannot be overstated. Study after study reveals that test scores are suppressed by stress and anxiety. Practice with a professional tutor sharpens skills, provides familiarity with the test format, and shows your child how hard work and preparation can influence a more successful outcome.

Learn English Vocabulary Idioms and Phrases related to Thanksgiving

Learn English Vocabulary Idioms and Phrases related to Thanksgiving Improve your English and learn idioms and phrases related to Thanksgiving. Well kick off with phrases. Scroll down to learn Thanksgiving idioms and share an infographic.By the time you read this post Halloween will have come and gone (arrived and departed) and  thoughts will turn to the next holiday if any before Christmas and New Year. Traditionally in America (and also Canada) they celebrate Thanksgiving Day (thanksgiving always written as one word) near  to the end of November.The exact date changes every year because Thanksgiving is celebrated on the 4th Thursday in November.There appear to be different ideas as to when was the first Thanksgiving day but generally most  believe it was officially decided by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863.As the words suggest people  gathered (came together) to offer thanks for the giving of the harvest. People wish to thank God for  the safe collection of the harvest and the rain to help the crops grow.In those days it was celebrated  in Church es as a specific religious festivity (celebration or feast day) but now it has developed (like  most traditions) in to a commercial holiday.Families traditionally come together for a family dinner which will always include some of the food  they celebrated way back when (hundreds of years ago) so turkey, potatoes and pumpkin pie will  be high on all menus. Usually, the beginning of the meal starts with a Blessing (words of thanks. Dear  Lord we thank you for giving us this fine meal and bringing all the family together on this special day  etc,etc).The Thursday is a national holiday with many people also taking the Friday as an extra day  so that thanksgiving day is actually in reality a 4 day holiday .In the cities across America parades will be held on or around Thanksgiving day. Today it represents  the official opening of the shopping season and traders (shop owners) count the number of  weekends between thanksgiving and Christmas to estimate how good their shopping season will be.  Depending on the day that Christmas day falls (occurs) there may be one extra weekend or one less.For example, if Christmas Day (25th December) is on a Saturday or Sunday then normally they will have one less shopping weekend. This is really crucial (very important) for the big stores and retail  shops. That extra weekend can mean the difference between a successful season or not 6 English Idioms and Phrases related to Thanksgiving Don't keep this to yourself, tell the world: Here are some English idioms and phrases related to Thanksgiving:A BLESSING IN DISGUISE   Usually when something unfortunate happens but actually turns out to be to  our advantage we say that was a blessing in disguise.ex. He says  it was a blessing in disguise, because it forced him to focus on growing different revenue streams.COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS Be grateful for what you have. If something bad happens to someone and we  are moaning someone may say to us.Stop moaning you should count your blessings.ex. We may have had a bad week in work and we are complaining when your partner says you should  count your blessings. Our neighbour lost his job yesterday!TALK TURKEY A very American expression. Usually means we should start talking seriously. You often  hear it in American detective films.ex. Ok you guys we need to hear all the facts. You need to start  talking turkey now otherwise we will lock you up!!COLD TURKEY When someone gives up a bad habit very quickly they often suffer with drawal  symptoms and go cold turkey.  For example, when you give up smoking you will feel very bad for  several days and wish you had a cigarette. You get headaches as part of your withdrawal symptoms.ex. Im  so  impressed  that  you  stopped  smoking  cold  turkey!FALL IS IN THE AIR of course nothing is actually falling in the air but the air and the atmosphere has changed with the cooler air comes the change in leaf colour. Pumpkins are everywhere and theres a renewed interest in hot drinks, fuzzy sweaters and cozy fires. All of these things make people say that fall is in the air.ex. This morning I woke up and it felt like Fall was in the air. It was cool out, a little breezing, I actually wore a fleece zip up jacket.  IM STUFFED my stomach is so full of food that I cant eat anymore. Im like a stuffed turkey.ex. The meal was good, and I was stuffed. After dinner, we went back to the room. Idioms related to Thanksgiving