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Labyrinth Music Blog

Meditations on Learning and Loving Music

Student Feature: Micki Porcaro
Student features, Piano Laurel Sanders 10/14/20 Student features, Piano Laurel Sanders 10/14/20

Student Feature: Micki Porcaro

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Labyrinth Music Blog: Meditations on Learning and Loving Music

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8 Things Music Teachers Wish Parents Knew
Aug 28, 2022
8 Things Music Teachers Wish Parents Knew
Aug 28, 2022

Music teachers and parents share an important goal: the education of a young musician. We both want the best outcome for the student, and we get the best results when parent and teacher are on the same page about lessons. Here are eight things that I, on behalf of all music teachers, would want all parents to understand

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Aug 28, 2022
To anyone who hoards pretty notebooks
Jul 14, 2022
To anyone who hoards pretty notebooks
Jul 14, 2022

Do you have FOUTU - Fear of Using Things Up? Let me explain what it is, and why it’s probably the reason you have a stack of pretty notebooks that you’ve never actually written in.

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Jul 14, 2022
How much should you practice?
Jul 9, 2022
How much should you practice?
Jul 9, 2022

Some people seem to believe that no matter how much time you spend singing or playing your instrument, you should be doing more. So, in my considered opinion, how much should a musician practice?

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Jul 9, 2022
Should you skip your music lesson this week?
Jun 29, 2022
Should you skip your music lesson this week?
Jun 29, 2022

Ever ask yourself, “Is this a good enough reason to skip my music lesson this week? Or to let my kid skip their lesson?” Let me answer that question for you.

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Jun 29, 2022
Sorry, I can’t teach you
May 18, 2022
Sorry, I can’t teach you
May 18, 2022

Any teacher who claims to be able to teach anything to anyone is either deluded or predatory. That’s why I’m totally unashamed to say that there are some people I can’t teach.

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May 18, 2022
How to start singing for the first time
May 7, 2022
How to start singing for the first time
May 7, 2022

If you’re not in the habit of singing but you want to get more comfortable making music with your voice, try these tips for what, when, and where to start singing.

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May 7, 2022
What does it take to be a pro? The ten things that separate the best from the rest
Apr 29, 2022
What does it take to be a pro? The ten things that separate the best from the rest
Apr 29, 2022

Could you be a professional musician? If you want to perform music at a high level, and make a living doing it, you need to know what it takes to grow and sustain a career. Working musicians tend to have a certain set of qualities and abilities that allow them to succeed, and if you want to level up from amateur to pro someday, you’ll need to have them, too.

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Apr 29, 2022
Maybe my voice is just bad
Apr 24, 2022
Maybe my voice is just bad
Apr 24, 2022

Do I have a bad voice?? It’s a common concern among beginner voice students and inexperienced singers. Is this fear justified? Could someone have a voice that’s just inherently not good?

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Apr 24, 2022
Why you should ask for help
Apr 10, 2022
Why you should ask for help
Apr 10, 2022

Perfectionists have a really hard time getting the help they need and deserve, because they resist asking for it, and they’re reluctant to accept help when it’s offered.

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Apr 10, 2022
How to fight the post-performance blues
Apr 2, 2022
How to fight the post-performance blues
Apr 2, 2022

Part of getting ready for a performance is preparing for how you’ll feel after it’s over. Almost every performer gets some type of emotional whiplash after performing. Fortunately, it’s something you can prepare for and manage!

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Apr 2, 2022
Should you force kids to take music lessons?
Mar 13, 2022
Should you force kids to take music lessons?
Mar 13, 2022

It’s not unusual for parents to force kids to take music lessons for various reasons - some good, some less so. Let me tell you the three reasons why I only teach students who participate willingly.

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Mar 13, 2022
Just keep singing
Mar 6, 2022
Just keep singing
Mar 6, 2022

In the midst of a turbulent world, we feel a bit guilty trying to be happy, or even just trying to be normal. Does it make a difference what we do? What’s the point of even doing anything at all?

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Mar 6, 2022
Confession: I hate needing help
Dec 4, 2021
Confession: I hate needing help
Dec 4, 2021

Aversion to getting help is a hallmark of perfectionism. I have to admit, I hate needing help, asking for help, and accepting help. This installment of “Progress for Perfectionists” is a personal story about a time I caught myself being unnecessarily, foolishly self-sufficient.

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Dec 4, 2021
How to practice music without getting any better
Nov 13, 2021
How to practice music without getting any better
Nov 13, 2021

Why practice the hard way, when you could spend your time goofing around self-indulgently? Here’s everything you should be doing to make sure your practice sessions get you nowhere.

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Nov 13, 2021
Embracing Failure
Nov 6, 2021
Embracing Failure
Nov 6, 2021

Fear of failure is a universal human experience. Part of my job as a music teacher is to arm my students to battle this fear, because failing is a necessary stage of every achievement.

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Nov 6, 2021
The Short and Practical Guide for Parents Who Don’t Care About Piano
Oct 30, 2021
The Short and Practical Guide for Parents Who Don’t Care About Piano
Oct 30, 2021

Piano doesn’t appeal to you, but your kid is taking lessons. I don’t need to convert you to Team Piano. I just want to help you not be miserable for however long you’re going to be a piano parent.

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Oct 30, 2021
Music teacher, coach, or tutor: What’s the difference?
Oct 22, 2021
Music teacher, coach, or tutor: What’s the difference?
Oct 22, 2021

Which do you need, a teacher, a coach, or a tutor? Musicians and aspiring musicians need to know which kind of professional will be the best choice to help them reach their goals.

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Oct 22, 2021
You have to have a spark
Oct 16, 2021
You have to have a spark
Oct 16, 2021

There’s an X factor for becoming a musician, but it’s not natural intuitive ability, talent, or even discipline - it’s curiosity.

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Oct 16, 2021
The Practice Sandwich will keep you from quitting music lessons
Oct 9, 2021
The Practice Sandwich will keep you from quitting music lessons
Oct 9, 2021

How’s that for a clickbait title? ;) But seriously, today I’m going to talk about how the way you practice will make or break your motivation to continue music lessons.

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Oct 9, 2021
Do you even need a music teacher?
Oct 2, 2021
Do you even need a music teacher?
Oct 2, 2021

Do you want to learn to sing or play an instrument? You could sign up for lessons. But why would you pay someone to teach you, when you could just teach yourself?

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Oct 2, 2021
Benefits of musical cross-training
Sep 25, 2021
Benefits of musical cross-training
Sep 25, 2021

One of the best things you can do for your development as a musician is to study more than one instrument. Here’s what you can achieve with music study in a secondary subject.

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Sep 25, 2021
8 things parents need to know before starting music lessons
Sep 13, 2021
8 things parents need to know before starting music lessons
Sep 13, 2021

Whether your child will be learning singing, piano, or another instrument, getting started can be a little intimidating if you’re not sure what to expect. Here are eight things you should know before your child’s first music lesson.

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Sep 13, 2021
6 things you need to know before starting music lessons
Sep 11, 2021
6 things you need to know before starting music lessons
Sep 11, 2021

Want to take voice or piano lessons, but not sure what you’d be getting into? Let me give you some pointers, based on my experience taking and teaching music lessons. These are six realities of taking music lessons that you’ll want to know about before you start.

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Sep 11, 2021
Don't let other people determine your limits
Sep 4, 2021
Don't let other people determine your limits
Sep 4, 2021

Are some people too un-talented to make music? No! No matter what you’ve been told, you don’t lack the capacity to learn to sing or play an instrument. Yet so many of us believe we are incapable of becoming musicians...

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Sep 4, 2021
11 ways to be a supportive music parent
Aug 21, 2021
11 ways to be a supportive music parent
Aug 21, 2021

Do you want to support a young music student in your life, but you’re not sure what to do? Here are 11 ways you can help them.

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Aug 21, 2021
The importance of doing a bad job
Aug 14, 2021
The importance of doing a bad job
Aug 14, 2021

Almost no one likes being a beginner. It’s especially embarrassing if you’re at all perfectionistic. When you can’t seem to get started, make the process the goal. (Featuring a peek into my writing method.)

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Aug 14, 2021
Being sure, being ready
Aug 7, 2021
Being sure, being ready
Aug 7, 2021

Practicing is a hot topic among musicians. It’s relevant to everyone, musician or not, because we all practice things. We all prepare, in some way, when we want to be ready for something. But what does it take to be truly ready?

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Aug 7, 2021
Signs you should let your kid quit lessons
Jul 31, 2021
Signs you should let your kid quit lessons
Jul 31, 2021

Ever ask yourself, “Is this a sign that my kid should quit music lessons?” Let me answer that question for you.

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Jul 31, 2021
The Musician’s Two Modes
Jul 27, 2021
The Musician’s Two Modes
Jul 27, 2021

There are two mental modes every musician can use: Learning Mode, and Expression Mode. The best musicians can easily access either mode and use both modes equally to learn music effectively and perform joyfully. How can you be like them?

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Jul 27, 2021
How soon will I see results from my music lessons?
Jul 17, 2021
How soon will I see results from my music lessons?
Jul 17, 2021

How long do you have to take music lessons to see results? I don’t think sounding amazing as quickly as possible should be your biggest concern, but I'll give you a timeline anyway!

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Jul 17, 2021

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