This is the year (2026) that you and your students warm up going around the circle of 5ths. Last year I did a new circle every month. I think the VW bug was my favorite. This fall I'm using the tracking sheet in the middle. Here's what I do: At the beginning of a lesson we choose something to play around the circle; for example, 5 note scales, a chord progression, a song. Depending on the level of the student, we choose one hand or the other or both. Then we either roll a 12 sided dice, to...

My son was here for a month this summer. He's a jazz double bassist studying in Norway. He is a huge fan of Barry Harris, and was encouraging me to listen to and copy what Harris was teaching. Here's a video from Harris on Chopin Changes Changes are basically cadences. In jazz they are always referred to by number. My students are learning chord changes and scale degrees in every single lesson. I'm using all sorts of terminology, even with the younger ones that's completely confusing- until...

It's the end of July 2026. I started using little cards at the end of lessons to write one or two small things that students did. These are shared with permission of my student. He likes to read them on his way to lessons. The example above was started at the end of January this year. These little cards have improved all of my lessons. Here's how: I pay attention more. I know at the end of a lesson I need to write something positive, so I spend more time looking for positive. My students'...