Suggestions for high school musician

[exboyfil]

My daughter will be a 11th grader in band and orchestra next year. She has been frustrated by her progress this year in playing the clarinet and violin. She wants to stay with both instruments even though we are not a family with a history of music. Neither my wife nor I have ever played an instrument or sang in a choir. I will not force her to go down to one instrument. Because of health concerns this year I have tried to limit her academics next year as well (only two-three academic courses besides the two music classes). She will have a significant amount of time to invest in music.

We have some contact hours for lessons with professional musicians as well as her lessons with her instructors, but I would like to help her know she is doing well when practicing at home. Does anyone have any suggestions on software or other aids that might assist her in this?

[mercuryblues]

1. I don't

have an idea about that. Parental compliments can go further than you think. Even when my kids were just beginning, in all honestly I could not tell them they played great. They would know I was lying. What I did say to them was that I enjoy listening to them play. They could tell I was not trying to lie to them because I truly did enjoy listening to them play. Even when they sounded like a duck being strangled.

What my kid's teachers have done is to have the kid periodically video record practice at home. They would view it and talk about it together. What they were doing wrong and what they were doing right.

[Loudly]

2. This product will let her know if she is on pitch.

There is a variety of similar products. This is just an example of something inexpensive that she can use for pitch and tempo training.

http://www.amazon.com/Korg-TM50BK-Instrument-Tuner-Metronome/dp/B00923H7MA/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1397500745&sr=1-5&keywords=CHROMATIC+TUNER

[Voice for Peace]

3. no information but

just wanted to acknowledge that it's a great thing,
for you to support her choice & effort.
!!!

[End Of The Road]

4. Is there a four-year college in the vicinity with a music department?

If so, try to find an upper-level undergrad or a grad student majoring in clarinet or violin who gives private lessons.

Music majors have to practice a lot, and there is an art to practicing. They don't just play a piece over and over again hoping to improve. They have to figure out what and WHY certain passages are stumbling blocks, and then learn how to fix 'em. These are skills every musician needs and they are specific to each instrument.

I'm suggesting a college student as a teacher because they are close to your daughter's age and remember having the same problems just a few years earlier. Lessons don't have to be weekly. Even once a month with a good teacher is a better investment than software, in my experience.

(I started music lessons at age five but I was a freshman in college before I had a teacher that taught me good practice techniques. It made all the difference.)

[exboyfil]

5. Thanks for the suggestion

I will check into it. We have a very good music school at our local university.