Weekly Studio Update + Rhythm in the Real World

February already?! How the time flies. This week I'm looking forward to seeing a bunch of students who have been away through January - I'm looking forward to catching up and hearing about your holidays!
A few of my students are currently on a strong rhythm focus with their learning, nailing down that all-important ability to count and groove and swing and move. It's a vital skill with music and is of equal (if not arguably greater) importance than which notes you're playing. So if you're looking for some new ways to test your rhythm skills (and we all should be, right?) then here are some ways to find rhythm out there in the 'real' world.

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• Listening for rhythms - a steady dripping of water, a clock ticking in seconds, a car indicator when stopped at traffic lights. Maybe even your breath and your pulse! Are there any other steady rhythms that you hear in your day-to-day life?
• Doing rhythmic actions - notice that you walk with a steady beat. Do you chop vegetables to a beat? Could you? What about brushing your teeth?
• Practising your rhythm coordination - if you're walking to a beat, try to click your fingers or tap your leg in between each step. Have a dance - if you're feeling self-conscious, use headphones and dance in your bedroom and try moving different body parts to different rhythms.

Those are a few examples off the top of my head - feel free to chime in with your own ideas!

Things I've been watching/listening to this week:

1. Jacob Collier ft. Mahalia: All I Need - JC has been doing the talk-show rounds lately, his "live" versions are pretty amazing to watch!
2. Jacob Collier: Sleeping On My Dreams - and here's another one!
3. Cory and The Wongnotes // RHYTHM (feat. Nêgah Santos) [Ep. 3] - Cory Wong's YouTube show is not to be missed - some amazing live music performances amongst some comedy sketches and interviews. Each episode is super short, and you can always just skip ahead to the music if you're in a rush!
4. Eminem - Lose Yourself But It's Mr. Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra - file this one under "musical mash-ups that shouldn't exist but somehow work"
5. 10 Ways to Play "Amazing Grace" on Piano | HDpiano 🎹
6. Albums beginning with the letter T: Spoon (Transference), Jamiroquai (Travelling Without Moving), Pomplamoose (Tribute to Famous People), Yeo (Trouble Being Yourself), The Cat Empire (Two Shoes)

Be sure to let me know what you've been enjoying lately and if there's anything you think I should check out!