Mastering an instrument is an incredibly rewarding experience—but some musical instruments are easier to play than others. Perhaps you’ve been practicing for a while, and you’re looking for a greater challenge. Why not step outside of your comfort zone and pick up a new instrument? There’s no shortage of new things to learn in the world; don’t sell yourself short! Almost anyone can learn to play the instruments listed below, even though they’re more challenging than most.  (more…)

The journey of learning music can be intimidating – how do you begin when there are so many options to choose from? When you start to play an instrument, you want a beginner-friendly one. To ease this process, we’ve put together a list of the instruments that are best-suited for new players:

• Piano. Nearly every song has the piano in it, which allows beginners to find music they will enjoy playing. This instrument is easy to pick up but challenging to master. If you can’t afford a grand piano, don’t worry! You can use a keyboard instead. 

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MANITOBA, Canada – The Academy of Music, one of the leading music lesson providers in Manitoba, Canada, is pleased to announce that they are celebrating their 30th anniversary. Formed in Winnipeg in 1990, the company has continued to grow and flourish over the years, and in the process, has taught thousands of people how to play musical instruments.

The passion and dedication of the owners of the company remain undiminished. In response to increased demand for their services, the Academy of Music is now launching an online music lesson service. This new method of teaching, while exciting and forward-thinking, will provide the tutors with some interesting challenges. Every team member is committed to the process and looking forward to seeing where this expansion takes them. (more…)

Have you ever wondered why people have different tastes in music? Some prefer slower, quieter music, yet some love their music fast and loud. Is it random? Are some of us predestined to like certain chord progressions over others? Does our DNA dictate our preferences between complex rhythms over simplicity? Are we born with a certain musical connection, pushing us towards certain styles of music? (more…)

What do you think of on Valentine’s Day? Your significant other? Cinnamon hearts? Roses that suddenly cost a lot more compared to any other time of the year? At Academy of Music, we’d like to take this opportunity to remember some of the greatest love songs ever written. It was impossible for us to mention all of them, and we could only scrape the surface, but here are our Top 10 Love Songs, to commemorate Valentine’s Day! (more…)

The age-old question of when to start music lessons is a good one!

History is full of child prodigies in the world of music, from Beethoven to Stevie Wonder. Whether in school or church, almost everyone knows of someone in their own family, or another, that has a tremendous gift for a musical instrument. This often allows parents to feel pressured to enroll their child into music lessons at a young age. Could this young exposure to music be one of the secrets to success? There are studies that have shown this to definitely be a helping factor! (more…)

Happy New Year! Not only is it a new year, but it’s also a new decade! They say hindsight is 20/20, but we need to keep looking forward 🙂

New Year’s resolutions are made every year, and one that we can really get behind is wanting to get out and see more live music. Winnipeg winters are newsworthy around the world, but they are also a great time to get out and be entertained in one of most musical cities in the world.

Here are the top 10 places in Winnipeg to see live music (in no particular order):

1) King’s Head Pub
Located at 120 King Street, in the heart of the Exchange District, the building was constructed in 1896 and in August of 1987, the Kings Head Pub first opened its doors to Winnipeg as the first pub in the city.
Every weekend, The King’s Head hosts a variety of bands, playing both original and cover songs. It’s also right across the street from The Cube in The Exchange District, which during the warmer months always has something entertaining going on. A pint, a patio, and entertainment oh my!
You can visit their website here

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Academy of Music offers both in-home and online music lessons, in order to serve our students better. If you’re located in the Winnipeg, Manitoba area, our music instructors can come directly to you for in-home music lessons, and our online Skype music lessons work perfectly for anyone in the world!

In-home lesson benefits:

• More accountability: When a student takes music lessons in a class setting, they have the ability to “hide” which allows them to get away with not performing their best, and to also put less effort into practicing since they might feel the other students will help musically carry them. With in-home lessons, it’s just you and the teacher – either you practiced or you didn’t, and if you’re not trying your best, it will be noticeable and there is no one else to blame. This type of engagement helps to build strong discipline and work ethic, which every adult knows are necessary skills to have in life.
• One-on-one lesson format: If a student is in a class setting, and they have trouble grasping a concept, it’s easy for the class to keep moving forward before the student truly understands. With a private teacher, the student can get the attention they deserve, and the teaching style can be molded to the student’s learning ability and speed, which helps foster growth and confidence.
• Learn what interests them: In a class setting, the teacher has to teach based on a pre-defined curriculum. Everyone will usually learn the same piece of music, whether or not they find it interesting. With private in-home music lessons, the student has the opportunity to learn songs that appeal to their musical tastes, which helps keep them motivated and the lessons fun!
• Lessons to fit learning style: Every person, from children to adults, learns in a different way. Some people learn best from listening, some are more visual based, and some are hands-on. In a class setting, not all of these different learning styles can be met, which is the unfortunate truth. With in-home lessons, the instructor can tailor the teaching style to fit the needs of the student in how they learn, effectively helping them grasp the musical concepts faster, which achieves the greatest success in the shortest amount of time.
• Not slowed down by the rest of the class: If a child is naturally gifted, they tend to get bored and frustrated with the speed of the class. When taking private one-on-one lessons, they can progress as fast as need be, keeping the pace in line with their abilities.

More accountability, individualized one-on-one instruction and attention, greater motivation, and the best opportunity for success – private in-home music lessons are hands down the best choice for your child’s musical education!

Online music lesson benefits:

As the internet has progressed over the last decade, online music lessons have become an excellent alternative to in-person lessons. Our instructors can only travel so far to do in-home lessons, but using the magic of Skype, you can have tailored face-to-face musical instruction from the comfort of your home, anywhere in the world!

• Convenience: All you need is a computer with an internet connection and your instrument, and you’re
  good to go! All you need to do is arrange a time with your instructor that suits both of you, log into your
  Skype account (which is super easy), and start your lesson. With online music lessons, you don’t need to
  travel anywhere, you don’t even have to change out of your pajamas – it’s all about you and what works
  best.
• Freedom to choose your teacher: When you sign up for online music lessons, you get the right teacher
  for the job – the one that specializes in exactly what you want to learn. Your teacher will plan your
  lessons around your goals and skill level, so that each Skype lesson will be an activity to look forward to
  each and every time.
• Online resources: The internet is full of musical resources that can help outside of the lesson as well.
  Your teacher can help you find what you need, like tutorials that can help you work on specific skills for
  your instrument, or more information about the history of music and your instrument. The sky is the
  limit!
• Cost effective: Online music lessons also help you save money. Chances are you already own a computer
  that has internet, plus online music teachers don’t have travel costs associated with in-home music
  lessons. In addition, the instrument doesn’t have to leave the house, and you don’t have to travel
  anywhere to buy expensive learning materials.
  What are you waiting for? Sign up today!