BY DEB HEDLEY
ISSUE NO. 48 | FEBRUARY 2023
Modern Day Musings
Happy February! As the new year continues to unfold, we wanted to take the opportunity to follow up on new year resolutions and how to continue achieving your music goals this year! In this month's
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MODERN DAY MUSIC SCHOOL
newsletter, we are focusing on the importance of proper technique and what that looks like for each instrument at Modern Day Music. Throughout the newsletter, different MDM coaches have given their own advice and helpful tips/techniques for each instrument. Technique is the ability to play and produce the exact musical effect or note desired in a correct, efficient, and healthy way. We should always be striving for proper technique on each instrument we play. Proper technique will help you become a more skilled and well-rounded musician.
The Importance of Proper Technique
Starting with the drums, one of our drum coaches, Josh Morris, had a helpful technique tip to share with drum students! Josh says, “The biggest thing I always tell my students is a quote I learned from my favorite teacher in college. Whether I was learning about feel, technique, theory or playing music out in the world, he‘d always say, “practice never makes perfect, but always makes permanent”.” For piano, Chelsea Johnson says, “One of the things I always hammer into my students is taking the time to do it right the first time- bad technique is way harder to change after you’ve already learned the notes!” Learn it right the first time! Our guitar coach, Gabe Stallman, had some incredible insight on technique and what exactly that looks like on guitar. Here’s what he said: “All technique is a means to an end, which is getting the sound that’s in your head out onto your instrument. Guitar is funny because a lot of the times there’s no one correct way to play something. Different guitarists use different techniques and to be a well-rounded guitarist studying different players is the best way to get better. If you learn a technique from Jimi Hendrix it might not be “right technique” but Jimi is one of the best and if he is who you’re modeling after, then hopefully you’ll get close to his sound. If you’re modeling after someone like Buckethead or Shawn Lane you might have flawless technique but you also might be stuck playing like one of them.
CONT...
The idea is to combine your influences and the sound in your head to develop a technique that will get you playing what you want to play. As a teacher, I’ll try to find the best way to pull that off and if I say something should be done a certain way, I’m usually trying to look at the source material to see how the original plays it and then going off of what I know from other players to find the best middle ground," he adds. "If there’s an easy way to do something, even if it’s hard at first, it’s worth working on so that the next time it’s already there. But then again, “bad technique” is using all downstrokes when you strum, and without that Metallica wouldn’t have had a career. It’s incredibly subjective and it’s exciting to see what techniques, good and bad, you can combine to come up with an original sound,” Gabe told us. Chris Andreski had some useful insight on good bass technique. Chris says, "I think of good technique as a matter of economy: the better your technique, the more you can do with less and the easier it will be to do it... for the bass, this largely comes down to figuring out good fingerings for the left and right hands”. Thank you to all of our coaches who gave helpful input and advice to following proper technique. To complete this month's newsletter, we interviewed one of our long-time vocal coaches, Nicole Minielli, and asked her a few questions about what it is like teaching at MDM, leading the Musical Theater Group, her musical background, and more!
Coach Spotlight - Vocal Coach, Nicole Minielli How long have you been teaching at MDM for? I started in December of 2019 and just enjoyed my 3rd anniversary with the school! What is your favorite thing about teaching? My favorite thing about teaching is the students! I feel so blessed to have such wonderful students that are so incredibly kind, talented, and hardworking. Any helpful practice/technique tips to share with students? Consistency is key. Build a routine for yourself that works for your life. A little bit of purposeful practice goes a long way. Have a plan and be in the mindset of growth when beginning your practice session. I like to begin by stretching to help check in with my body (my instrument!) as well as my mind. It's important to be honest with yourself and meet yourself where you are. For example, if you're recovering from a cold or if you've had a stressful day mentally or emotionally, you'll likely not be able to push yourself as far as you
I also practice self-motivation through yoga, journaling, and listening to my favorite singers. It's also important as an artist to feed your soul outside of your art. For me, that's spending time with my family, friends, and pets. What does the history of your beginnings in music look like? When did you start singing? Did you go to school for music? I started singing as soon as I could speak. My dad is a songwriter and guitarist and I always heard him singing and playing around the house and in the backyard. He was my first music teacher! In elementary school, I joined the Hudson Valley Youth Chorale, my elementary school band (flute) and chorus.
can on a regular day and that's okay! If you have the energy, it's still great to practice on those days. On the other hand, if you're feeling super energized, you can, and should, challenge and push yourself to try different techniques or more demanding songs. Another tip is to SLOW DOWN. If you're having an issue, especially one that keeps coming up, start right in the middle of the problem, simplify then add slowly. It's also important to practice the transitions into and out of the problem areas. What is the most useful bit of information you have received from a (music) teacher? One of my vocal coaches in college taught me to be grateful for making mistakes rather than getting down on myself about it. She would say, "What a great mistake! Now you know what you need to work." I love this mindset. It helps me as a singer and as a teacher to be kind and forgiving and to trust the process. How do you stay motivated and inspired? Who inspires you? I find a great deal of motivation through my students! Watching them grow and change week after week inspires me to continue learning and growing myself
M: Which upcoming gig(s) are you most looking forward to and why? D: I have a monthly gig called “Psykick Dancehall” the first Saturday of every month at a little bar called Pint Sized in Saratoga from 8pm-12am. It’s a lot of fun DJing a mix of Soul, Reggae and even a little early Punk and Rock n roll. I think we can all assume that David is very involved in music outside of MDM, but that is not the only thing! He is also a loving husband and father and tries to spend as much time as possible with his wife and son when he is not at MDM. David’s shared that “I can say without a doubt I would not be where I am today without their love and support!” They have supported David in innumerable ways over the recent months as he took on this new role at MDM, and they were even a part of the MDM family long before that! David’s son was a member of our Little Rockers program for a number of sessions before testing out private lessons where he caught on to everything very quickly. Even back then, David and his family were thrilled to be a part of MDM, and the experience also gave David a look at what things are like from the student perspective. Now that his son is a little bit more mature at age 7, he plans to start private piano lessons in the fall! David’s son loves playing piano in his room and we can’t wait to see where he goes in his private lessons. He also takes after his dad and started his own record collection, which he spends much of his time listening to. David is so proud, and we can tell that music definitely does run in the family! We are all so excited to have David on board, are are looking forward to many great years to come. There are so many possible directions for the future of MDM, but we know that no matter what, that direction will be up!
I started taking piano lessons a little after that. In high school, I participated in NYSSMA Solo Festival and made it into All-State which is hosted in Rochester, NY at the Eastman School of Music. I fell in love with the beauty and history of the school and applied there the following year and was accepted! I graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Vocal Performance. What other instruments do you play in addition to voice? I took piano lessons and played the flute for about 10 years in grade school. I was even the flute section leader in my high school marching band! I am also a self-taught ukulele player. But singing has always been my number one love. What is it like running the Musical Theater program at MDM? Explain what Musical Theater Group is. Musical Theater is a genre of theatrical performance that typically includes singing, dancing, and spoken lines. The Musical Theater program here at MDM is a two month program where a small group of young singers prepare two group numbers in a Musical Theater style. We have done everything from traditional and contemporary musical theater, to movie musicals and Disney movie songs! There are opportunities for students to harmonize, sing solo, and learn about acting through theater games. It's also a great way for the students to make friends through a medium of art that they enjoy. I love teaching group lessons here at MDM. They're so fun! Advice to vocal students? Keep an open mind and a positive attitude and never limit yourself from trying new things. That's how we grow as human beings! Sometimes I hear students that say "I hate this genre/singer/songwriter" or "I can't or I'll never be able to sing/play that note/chord" and they close themselves off from even trying. I think it's important to recognize our preferences, limits, and interests, but if you never give something a good shot, you'll never get a chance to challenge yourself and grow. Another thing, specifically for vocalists, is that every time you are using your voice, you are practicing. Silly singing in the shower, speaking to friends, doing a cutesy voice to pets and babies, all of these things are a natural part of the voice and can likely benefit from an increase in awareness of breath support and resonance. And vice versa, these everyday uses of the voice can inform you how to sing! Thank you, Nicole, for your time! We are so incredibly lucky to have you a part of our team at MDM. Thank you for sharing your talent and positive energy every single day with both the staff and your students. We love working with you! Looking forward to the next Rock School Band Show and seeing you and your students perform!
David's Corner
february CALENDAR
2 - Groundhog Day 2 - Under The Den (Ben) with ERIE and Mayhaven at No Fun in Troy 3 - Under The Den (Ben) at Pauly’s Hotel in Albany 4 - 1948: Alice Cooper is born 4 - Psykick Dancehall, “A Nite of Rebel Sounds” w/ Selector David Suede spinning Reggae, Punk and 60’s Junk! 8pm-Midnite. 6 - 1945: Bob Marley is born 6 - Under The Den (Ben) at Desperate Annie’s in Saratoga Springs 6 - Open Mic Night, Caffe Lena in Saratoga, 7-11pm 7 - 1964: The Beatles land at Kennedy Airport and set foot on American soil for the first time 10 - Savoy Soul Club, All Vinyl Dance Night of 60’s Soul, Boogaloo and Ska at The Copper Crow in Albany, 8pm-Close 10 - Under The Den with RED, The Hard Luck Souls and Same Old Rat at Empire Underground 13 - Open Mic Night, Caffe Lena in Saratoga, 7-11pm 14 - Valentine’s Day 20 - President’s Day, Start of MDM PAJAMA WEEK 20 - Open Mic Night, Caffe Lena in Saratoga, 7-11pm 21 - Mardi Gras 21 - 1933: Nina Simone was born 24 - Ben Solo and UTD at Spa City Tap and Barrel in Saratoga, 6:30-2am 25 - Under The Den at UNIHOG in Hoosick Falls 26 - 1932: Johnny Cash is born 27 - Open Mic Night, Caffe Lena in Saratoga, 7-11pm
Happy February! Don’t forget to jammie up the week of the 20th! We will be celebrating pajama week during the winter school break and look forward to seeing our students dressed up in PJ’s then!
A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR NEW STUDENTS in january!
Morgan H Challen H Kahlan M Rowan H Reyna H Patrick H Thomas P Riyana M Alex S Charlotte K Addison C Nora M Sheehan G Brooklyn B Avika J Henry C Holden C Elodie A Noah A Norah S Anthony N Reece B Wyatt C Alexis C Samuel D Sam V Gabriel C Gurteg S Sidak S Jack H Jack S Jonah L Nicolas L Nick W Stella B Autumn K Robin C Isaac M Olivia M Anna L Emma L David G Brian S
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