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Practical Ways of Implementing Peer Mentoring in Modern Band Classrooms
Dr. Warren Gramm | April 8, 2024Peer mentoring seems like a simple enough concept but identifying ways it can manifest itself practically in popular music education classrooms may prove to be a bit more challenging for practitioners unfamiliar with the approach. I will give you steps music educators can take to democratize their classrooms through peer mentoring and move toward a […] Read More... -
The Intersection of Modern Band and Orff Schulwerk
Dr. Martina Vasil | March 30, 2024Modern band, a music class that places popular music at the center of its instruction, has been gaining traction in the field of music education over the past 20 years. Recently, more articles are coming out on modern band and more music education associations have all-state modern band ensembles (including my home state of Kentucky). […] Read More... -
Ukulele Day: Using the In-Class Performance to Empower Your Young Musicians
Nicole Guimaraes | January 8, 2024Every music educator would agree there is incredible value in allowing our students the opportunity to perform. The hard work that goes into preparing and the pride they feel following a fantastic performance cannot be recreated or found in any other subject. As a general music teacher, we face a unique challenge of creating performance […] Read More... -
We Be Jammin’ – 9 Tips to Advance Your Modern Band
Shemeka Nash | October 15, 2023How do you move your modern band forward once they have mastered the basics? Below are a few ideas to help guide your group to its advanced level. Sing the form! When introducing a new tune, teach students to sing the root of each chord by using the same syllable or a chord number. When […] Read More... -
Spotlight on Hip-Hop with the Hip-Hop Roundtable
Scott Burnstein | August 20, 2023As the lights dimmed on the audience, the conclusion of the Hip-Hop Roundtable keynote at the Modern Band Summit ended as it began, with spontaneous music making. Dr. Jason Rawls spun some tracks while a few random audience members jumped on guitar, bass, and drums to take over the groove while the audience clapped along […] Read More... -
Beyond the Backbeat
Mary Claxton | April 2, 2023Are you or your student drummers ready to move past “boots and cats” but you’re not sure what comes next? Here you will find helpful tips to help drummers of any age improve their skills. Triple Meter While duple meter is the queen of contemporary pop music, we should also be prepared for great triple […] Read More... -
Group Songwriting Strategies Part II: Nurturing Your Culture
Dr. Sarah Gulish | February 19, 2023In the January SBO+ issue, I shared ideas for creating songs within a group setting. And while it is important to have strategies for crafting songs, it is also important to consider the spaces in which you share your work. For example, what is the culture of your music classroom? Are students given growth opportunities […] Read More... -
Teaching Great Guitar Classes – From Someone Who Has Been There!
Nick Line | January 15, 2023As a new band director, I quickly learned I was going to need to get comfortable with teaching instruments other than my primary instrument (trombone). I had my basic understanding of other instruments from my college methods courses, but there’s nothing quite like your first day standing up to teach a new-to-you instrument to a […] Read More... -
Group Songwriting Strategies Part I: Building Songs
Dr. Sarah Gulish | January 15, 2023Nothing is more incredible than watching students unlock their creativity and develop their musical voices in your classroom. Watching students write songs for the first time is a type of magic I look forward to every year as a high school teacher. But writing songs can also be incredibly vulnerable. It’s one thing to work […] Read More... -
Projects that Pop! Leveraging Student Creativity
Mary Claxton, Scott Burnstein, Spencer Hale, Tony Sauza | November 13, 2022Since the inception of the music classroom over 100 years ago, the primary goal of most ensembles has been the performance. However, in an ever-changing technology driven musical landscape, performance is only one way to showcase an artist’s creativity, skill, and expertise. A new generation of students have grown up with platforms for musical delivery […] Read More... -
Implementing Peer Mentoring in Modern Band Classrooms
Dr. Warren Gramm | October 13, 2022Peer mentoring seems like a simple concept but identifying ways it can be used practically in popular music education classrooms may prove to be a bit more challenging for teachers unfamiliar with the approach. This article aims to provide ideas for steps music educators can take to democratize their classrooms through peer mentoring and take […] Read More... -
Why Letting Students Use Their Favorite Songs Helps Them Learn Faster
Zach VanderGraaff | August 2, 2022Bringing in popular music your students love has been a hot-button topic for many music teachers. When I started teaching, I was told to avoid letting popular songs into my classroom. As I’ve gained experience and the students have changed, I started to challenge this assertion. Why shouldn’t we try to better reach our students […] Read More...
