Labyrinth Music Blog

Meditations on Learning and Loving Music

Laurel Sanders 11/21/20 Laurel Sanders 11/21/20

An open letter to the struggling student

Laurel Sanders 11/5/20 Laurel Sanders 11/5/20

Shopping around for a music teacher

Laurel Sanders 10/14/20 Laurel Sanders 10/14/20

Student Feature: Micki Porcaro

Laurel Sanders 10/7/20 Laurel Sanders 10/7/20

Do singers need to read music?

Lots of singers learn by ear and feel that that’s enough for them to be a good singer. Why should they put in a lot of work to learn to read music when they can already learn music by listening to it? Don’t get me wrong, I think developing your ear is an essential skill for all singers! But music reading is also immensely useful for singers who take the trouble to learn it.

Laurel Sanders 10/4/20 Laurel Sanders 10/4/20

How do online music lessons work?

Laurel Sanders 9/13/20 Laurel Sanders 9/13/20

Do I HAVE to practice?

I have a short answer to this frequently-asked question, and a medium-length answer, and a long answer. Find out what good practicing looks and feels like, and how it helps you make progress.

Laurel Sanders 9/13/20 Laurel Sanders 9/13/20

About this blog

Hello! I’m Laurel. This is my blog. I’m an LA-area musician and music teacher and a generally opinionated person. I have a lot to say on many topics, but what I’ll mostly be writing about here is teaching and learning music.

Aug 28, 2022

8 Things Music Teachers Wish Parents Knew

Music teachers and parents share an important goal: the education of a young musician. We both want the best outcome for the student, and we get the best results when parent and teacher are on the same page about lessons. Here are eight things that I, on behalf of all music teachers, would want all parents to understand

Jul 14, 2022

To anyone who hoards pretty notebooks

Do you have FOUTU - Fear of Using Things Up? Let me explain what it is, and why it’s probably the reason you have a stack of pretty notebooks that you’ve never actually written in.

Jul 9, 2022

How much should you practice?

Some people seem to believe that no matter how much time you spend singing or playing your instrument, you should be doing more. So, in my considered opinion, how much should a musician practice?

Jun 29, 2022

Should you skip your music lesson this week?

Ever ask yourself, “Is this a good enough reason to skip my music lesson this week? Or to let my kid skip their lesson?” Let me answer that question for you.

May 18, 2022

Sorry, I can’t teach you

Any teacher who claims to be able to teach anything to anyone is either deluded or predatory. That’s why I’m totally unashamed to say that there are some people I can’t teach.

May 7, 2022

How to start singing for the first time

If you’re not in the habit of singing but you want to get more comfortable making music with your voice, try these tips for what, when, and where to start singing.

Apr 29, 2022

What does it take to be a pro? The ten things that separate the best from the rest

Could you be a professional musician? If you want to perform music at a high level, and make a living doing it, you need to know what it takes to grow and sustain a career. Working musicians tend to have a certain set of qualities and abilities that allow them to succeed, and if you want to level up from amateur to pro someday, you’ll need to have them, too.

Apr 24, 2022

Maybe my voice is just bad

Do I have a bad voice?? It’s a common concern among beginner voice students and inexperienced singers. Is this fear justified? Could someone have a voice that’s just inherently not good?

Apr 10, 2022

Why you should ask for help

Perfectionists have a really hard time getting the help they need and deserve, because they resist asking for it, and they’re reluctant to accept help when it’s offered.

Apr 2, 2022

How to fight the post-performance blues

Part of getting ready for a performance is preparing for how you’ll feel after it’s over. Almost every performer gets some type of emotional whiplash after performing. Fortunately, it’s something you can prepare for and manage!

Mar 13, 2022

Should you force kids to take music lessons?

It’s not unusual for parents to force kids to take music lessons for various reasons - some good, some less so. Let me tell you the three reasons why I only teach students who participate willingly.

Mar 6, 2022

Just keep singing

In the midst of a turbulent world, we feel a bit guilty trying to be happy, or even just trying to be normal. Does it make a difference what we do? What’s the point of even doing anything at all?

Dec 4, 2021

Confession: I hate needing help

Aversion to getting help is a hallmark of perfectionism. I have to admit, I hate needing help, asking for help, and accepting help. This installment of “Progress for Perfectionists” is a personal story about a time I caught myself being unnecessarily, foolishly self-sufficient.

Nov 13, 2021

How to practice music without getting any better

Why practice the hard way, when you could spend your time goofing around self-indulgently? Here’s everything you should be doing to make sure your practice sessions get you nowhere.

Nov 6, 2021

Embracing Failure

Fear of failure is a universal human experience. Part of my job as a music teacher is to arm my students to battle this fear, because failing is a necessary stage of every achievement.

Oct 30, 2021

The Short and Practical Guide for Parents Who Don’t Care About Piano

Piano doesn’t appeal to you, but your kid is taking lessons. I don’t need to convert you to Team Piano. I just want to help you not be miserable for however long you’re going to be a piano parent.

Oct 22, 2021

Music teacher, coach, or tutor: What’s the difference?

Which do you need, a teacher, a coach, or a tutor? Musicians and aspiring musicians need to know which kind of professional will be the best choice to help them reach their goals.

Oct 16, 2021

You have to have a spark

There’s an X factor for becoming a musician, but it’s not natural intuitive ability, talent, or even discipline - it’s curiosity.

Oct 9, 2021

The Practice Sandwich will keep you from quitting music lessons

How’s that for a clickbait title? ;) But seriously, today I’m going to talk about how the way you practice will make or break your motivation to continue music lessons.

Oct 2, 2021

Do you even need a music teacher?

Do you want to learn to sing or play an instrument? You could sign up for lessons. But why would you pay someone to teach you, when you could just teach yourself?

Sep 25, 2021

Benefits of musical cross-training

One of the best things you can do for your development as a musician is to study more than one instrument. Here’s what you can achieve with music study in a secondary subject.

Sep 13, 2021

8 things parents need to know before starting music lessons

Whether your child will be learning singing, piano, or another instrument, getting started can be a little intimidating if you’re not sure what to expect. Here are eight things you should know before your child’s first music lesson.

Sep 11, 2021

6 things you need to know before starting music lessons

Want to take voice or piano lessons, but not sure what you’d be getting into? Let me give you some pointers, based on my experience taking and teaching music lessons. These are six realities of taking music lessons that you’ll want to know about before you start.

Sep 4, 2021

Don't let other people determine your limits

Are some people too un-talented to make music? No! No matter what you’ve been told, you don’t lack the capacity to learn to sing or play an instrument. Yet so many of us believe we are incapable of becoming musicians...

Aug 21, 2021

11 ways to be a supportive music parent

Do you want to support a young music student in your life, but you’re not sure what to do? Here are 11 ways you can help them.

Aug 14, 2021

The importance of doing a bad job

Almost no one likes being a beginner. It’s especially embarrassing if you’re at all perfectionistic. When you can’t seem to get started, make the process the goal. (Featuring a peek into my writing method.)

Aug 7, 2021

Being sure, being ready

Practicing is a hot topic among musicians. It’s relevant to everyone, musician or not, because we all practice things. We all prepare, in some way, when we want to be ready for something. But what does it take to be truly ready?

Jul 31, 2021

Signs you should let your kid quit lessons

Ever ask yourself, “Is this a sign that my kid should quit music lessons?” Let me answer that question for you.

Jul 27, 2021

The Musician’s Two Modes

There are two mental modes every musician can use: Learning Mode, and Expression Mode. The best musicians can easily access either mode and use both modes equally to learn music effectively and perform joyfully. How can you be like them?

Jul 17, 2021

How soon will I see results from my music lessons?

How long do you have to take music lessons to see results? I don’t think sounding amazing as quickly as possible should be your biggest concern, but I'll give you a timeline anyway!