Making Music and Having a Blast!: A Guide for All Music Students Book

Preface: The Long, Winding, and Exciting Road to Becoming a Musician Acknowledgments Introduction

Part 1. Getting Off to a Good Start 1. Tips and Tricks for Fast Success 2. The Surprising Truth about Talent 3. The Top Mistake New Musicians Can Make 4. How to Persuade Your Parents to Buy You an Instrument 5. Where and How to Buy Your Instrument Part 2. Getting the Most from Your Lessons 6. Are Private Lessons for You? 7. Finding the Perfect Teacher 8. How to Be a Great Student 9. Is It Time to Change Teachers? 10. Singers: You Are the Instrument Part 3. Using Practice Tips for Faster Results 11. The Attitude of Success 12. Get in Gear with Goals 13. How to Fit Practice into Your Already Busy Life 14. Quit Wasting Your Practice Time 15. Shake up Your Practice Routine Part 4. Solving the Mystery of Music Theory 16. Note Names on the Piano, Sharps and Flats, and the Chromatic Scale 17. Major Scales and Key Signatures 18. Intervals 19. Minor Scales 20. Chords and Arpeggios 21. Chord Inversions, Figured Bass, and Cadences Part 5. Tune in to Classical Music 22. The Middle Ages and the Renaissance 23. The Baroque and Classical Periods 24. The Romantic Period 25. The Contemporary Period 26. Why Listen to Classical Music? 27. Hey, Listen to This!Part 6. Becoming a Skilled Musician 28. Learn the Tricks to Become a Confident Sight-Reader 29. Intonation: You Can Learn to Play in Tune 30. Musicality: The Difference between Playing and Typing 31. How to Memorize without Having a Brain Freeze Part 7. Performing with Confidence 32. Put Concerts and Contests into Perspective 33. Conquer Your Fear Factor 34. Ace the Audition Part 8. Avoiding Stumbling Blocks along the Way 35.Finding the Middle Ground: A Guide for Frustrated Students and Their "Helpful" Parents 36. Student to Student: Advice from Teens 37. Brace Yourself for Braces 38. Help! I Want to Quit 39. Thorny Questions from Students: You're Not Alone! 40. Is All This Hard Work Worth It? Part 9. Making Beautiful Music Together 41. Have Fun and Make Friends When You Play Music Together 42. What Can I Do If I'm Bored in Band or Orchestra? 43. Concert Etiquette, or Dude! When Do I Clap? Part 10. Where to Go for More Info 44. So You Want to Be a Music Major? 45. Choosing a College or Conservatory 46. Getting into the School of Your Dreams 47. Preparing for the College or Professional Orchestra Audition 48. Music Professions: Ways to Live by What You Love 49. Life as a Professional Musician: Is It for You? 50. Lessons about Life You Can Learn from Professional Musicians

Appendix A. Music Theory Review Appendix B. The Musical Periods Glossary of Musical Terms Reading, Browsing, Watching, Listening: A List of References Index