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The Harpsichord: The Grandparent of the Piano (Level 1 Explore Zone). Key Stage 2
Imagine a keyboard instrument that looks a little like a grand piano, but sounds very different!
That's the harpsichord.
What was it?
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Mar 294 min read


Tick-Tock! Mechanical vs. Digital Metronomes. Level 1 Explore Zone. Key Stage 2
It's a super important tool that helps you keep steady time when you are playing music. Think of it as a musical clock! It makes a regular 'tick' or 'click' sound at a speed that you choose. This speed is measured in BPM, which stands for Beats Per Minute.
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Mar 293 min read


Understanding Stage 1 'Stave Furniture'. A Reading Skill
Focus Skill: Stave Furniture Keywords: Stave, Bar, Barline, Clef, Time Signature. Skill - Reading Skill: Identification of foundational music symbols. Music is a language made up of symbols that tell musicians what to play and how to play it. For Key Stage 3 students, learning to read these symbols is an important step in understanding music. This post explains some of the most common music symbols you will encounter: the stave, bar, barline, treble clef, bass clef, and time
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Mar 224 min read


At Play with a Hoop: Satie & Renoir
Hoop rolling might sound like something ancient, but in the year 1900, it was a super popular game, especially for children! Imagine a giant wooden or metal hoop—sometimes plain, sometimes decorated—and a stick or small bat. The goal was simple but exciting: push or strike the hoop to keep it rolling along without letting it fall over. You could race your friends, try tricks, or just enjoy the satisfying rhythm of the hoop spinning under your control.
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Mar 195 min read


Downloading and Installing Sibelius First on Your Laptop for Student Compositions
Once a student has written a composition in their manuscript book it is highly beneficial to learn how to type the music into a music processing programme.
Having the right software can make a big difference in learning and creativity.
Sibelius First is a popular music notation program designed to help students create simple compositions easily. This post explains how to download and install Sibelius First on your laptop and highlights the benefits it offers students from
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Mar 54 min read


Vocal Open Mic Review
February open mic was the first of 2026. These open mics tend to be well attended, fun interactive sessions for 2 hours.
The night included learning some traditional dancing from a grandmother. Comparing the same song sung in different styles and the effect that had on the audience. We were taught to beatbox by a student.
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Feb 212 min read


Gracie's Piano Blog
Hi my name is Gracie and welcome to my piano blog. This is for all of my new piano compositions for my new book.
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Feb 131 min read


Ten Bugle Calls
This blog features the ten calls we incorporate into lessons for any instrument at Stalybridge Music Academy.
These calls are perfect for understanding The Harmonic Series, Triads, Transposition, composition, and The Circle of Fifths.
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Feb 117 min read


Create Zone: Recipe for a Fanfare
A fanfare is a short, impressive musical piece designed to grab the listener's attention.
They are characterised by a loud, bright, and exciting sound, fanfares are traditionally used to announce the arrival of an important person, the start of a ceremony, or a significant event.
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Jan 316 min read


How to Write Your Own Bugle Call using a C Major Triad
Create your own unique bugle call with the Triquetrae Music Elementary Programme, featuring vibrant banners and golden bugles. Bugle calls are fascinating examples of musical communication. Their simplicity is a direct result of the bugle's limitations: a valveless bugle can only play the notes of a single musical triad. This guide will walk you through the steps to compose your own bugle call using the notes from a C Major Triads. Understanding the C Major Triad A triad is a
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Jan 313 min read


Bugle Calls: More Than Just Music
Have you ever listened to a movie or a TV show about soldiers, and heard a simple, catchy tune played on a trumpet or a similar instrument?
Chances are, you were listening to a Bugle Call.
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Jan 314 min read


What is a Fanfare?
Imagine you are at a big sports event or a royal parade. Right before the big moment, you hear a sound that grabs your attention! It's loud, bright, and exciting. That sound is probably a Fanfare.
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Jan 313 min read


Edward Elgar's Very Easy Melodious Exercises in the First Position Op. 22
Edward Elgar, often celebrated for his grand orchestral works like the Enigma Variations and the Cello Concerto, also made significant contributions to pedagogical music. Among his lesser-known, yet valuable, works is Very Easy Melodious Exercises in the First Position for the violin, published as his Opus 22. This set of exercises, while simple in its technical demands, offers an early glimpse into Elgar's inherent melodic gift and his practical understanding of string pedag
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Jan 303 min read


The Importance of Pitch Work in Musical Education
Pitch work is vital in the realm of music education and performance. It serves as a foundational element that underpins a musician's ability to understand and manipulate sound effectively.
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Jan 253 min read
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