Last Minute Deals on Music Lessons – Save 25%!

Are you ever struck by the sudden urge to embrace the melody of life? Perhaps you’ve had one of those days where the rhythm of the moment calls for a spontaneous burst of creativity. In those instances, waiting days or weeks for a music lesson just won’t do. You want to strike while the iron is hot, right? Well, fear not, fellow music aficionado, because the era of same-day music lessons has arrived with our last minute deals!

​Last Minute DealsSave BIG when you book a music or voice lesson from one of our last minute deals! Choose to book Voice, Guitar, or Piano same-day and save over 25%. See our current openings HERE. These are updated daily so check back often!

Whether you’re a seasoned pro looking to refine your skills or a curious beginner eager to explore the world of music, same-day lessons offer unparalleled flexibility and convenience.

So, what exactly makes same-day music lessons so special? Let’s dive into the symphony of reasons why this trend is hitting all the right notes:

​Instant Gratification
There’s something undeniably thrilling about acting on a whim and diving headfirst into a new musical adventure. With same-day bookings, you can satisfy your craving for instant gratification and start making music right away. No more twiddling your thumbs while you wait for your next scheduled lesson. Seize the moment and let the music carry you away!

​Flexibility on Your Terms
Life is unpredictable, and schedules can change at a moment’s notice. With same-day music lessons, you have the flexibility to adapt to whatever the day throws your way. Whether you suddenly find yourself with a free afternoon or desperately need a musical pick-me-up after a long day, same-day bookings allow you to tailor your music lessons to fit your schedule, not the other way around.

​Embracing Spontaneity
Some of the best musical moments happen when we least expect them. By embracing same-day bookings, you open yourself up to the beauty of spontaneity. Who knows what musical discoveries await when you allow yourself to surrender to the rhythm of the moment? Whether you’re experimenting with a new instrument or delving into a different genre, spontaneity breeds creativity and keeps your musical journey exciting and unpredictable.

See Our Same-Day Openings

​The rise of same-day music lesson booking represents a harmonious fusion of convenience, flexibility, and spontaneity. Whether you’re a seasoned musician or a budding virtuoso, embracing same-day bookings opens up a world of musical possibilities and allows you to immerse yourself fully in the trans-formative power of music. With our last minute deals, why wait? Seize the day, book that lesson, and let the music carry you away on a symphonic journey unlike any other. After all, the beat goes on, and it’s calling your name.

Keep Music Lessons Fun – Our Goal

Keep Music Lessons Fun! At NHTunes we believe that music and voice lessons shouldn’t be a chore; weekly lessons should be something that

Keep Music Lessons Fun

Music lessons should be something each student looks forward to!

each student looks forward to, even when they don’t have a lot of practice time in between lessons. Enjoying your music lessons will not only keep you coming back, they will keep you learning! How do we keep music lessons fun?

  • Keep expectations real
    • Let’s face it, each student learns at a different pace. Keeping expectations real means working with each student with assignments that are in line with their learning pace. Trying to learn too quickly will only cause frustration. To keep music lessons fun, our instructors will give you material to work on between lessons which are appropriate for your skill level, and speed of improvement.
  • Work on material the student knows and likes
    • Keeping music lessons fun means learning what you want to learn! We pick songs to learn that the students know and like. There are plenty of ‘mainstream’ songs that are relatively easy to play, and appropriate for beginners. Learning songs that you have always wanted to play is very inspiring and motivating for students.
  • Don’t focus too much on the technical aspects
    • It’s easy to get caught up in music theory, but when it comes down to it, many popular songs break the rules as defined by the theory, and you don’t need to understand theory to play music well, or even write your own songs. If you stick with lessons, over time you’ll learn theory to support your playing, but too much focus on technical aspects, especially for new students, can create confusion and dissatisfaction.
  • Create achievable goals & recognize accomplishments
    • Goal setting is an important element with structured learning. Accomplishments of any type, no matter how small, should be recognized and celebrated. Goals should be short-term and achievable, and when achieved will create a sense of accomplishment and pride for both the student and instructor. There is something very satisfying in seeing your skills improve on your instrument of choice.
  • “Assign” practice points
    • The overall goal of a music lesson is to assign material that the student can work on in between lessons. At the conclusion of each lesson, instructors should make sure the student is clear on what to work on, with the proper technique. Correct technique becomes extremely important as a student progresses. We understand that many students, especially adults, may not have as much time as they would like to practice in between lessons. Knowing this, our instructors will review the previously assigned material, and maybe give them some different material of the same level to keep them motivated, and of course keep music lessons fun!

If you believe in our lesson philosophy to keep music lessons fun, and would like to get started, we make it EASY! You can schedule one lesson using our scheduler below. Choose from singing, piano, guitar, ukulele, drums, or band instruments. Each lesson type is available both in-studio or online via zoom! Want more information first? Click HERE.

NHTunes is located in Manchester NH, 250 Commercial St, which is the Waumbec Mill. Take I-93 North to I-293 North, then take Exit 5 (Granite St.). When you cross over the Granite St. bridge towards Elm, your first left after the bridge is Commercial St. Take that left, and the Waumbec Mill is about a quarter mile on your left. Parking is free anywhere in the front mill parking lot (before 4pm use spaces that are designated ‘Customer Parking’). Use the largest entrance, which is the main entrance (the left side has two loading docks). Go up the stairs, take a left, and NHTunes is a few suites down on the right (2017). Call 660-2208 if you need additional directions.

Music Recitals – How Do I Participate?

NHTunes holds offsite music recitals every other month. These recitals are free for our students and the venues that we perform at. We think music performance skills are an important component of overall musicianship – students should

Music Recitals

Residents LOVE when we play for them!

enjoy and look forward to performances and sharing their music with others! Preparing for a music recital also encourages students to practice more. We also consider our recitals as a great way to give back to the senior community – they love the music and really look forward to each show!

Music recitals are optional and are not for everyone, but if you are a student and would like to get involved, here’s how they work:
  • You must be a student of the studio to participate.
  • Most recitals are within a 20-minute drive of the studio, and last between 45 and 60 minutes.
  • Recitals are announced about four weeks before the event. They are posted at the studio, and are in our monthly newsletter (which students automatically receive). Your instructor will mention it to you too.
  • A sign-up sheet is in the studio lobby area.
  • Reminders to participating students are sent a week, and a day, before the event.
  • If the student is performing to an MP3 backing track (many vocalists do), it should be emailed to [email protected] a week before the event.

OK, I signed up, and it’s the day of the recital! What happens now?

  • Students and parents/relatives/friends are asked to arrive 15 minutes before the start time.
  • Students should check in with Bob so he knows they are there.
  • Students are called up when it’s their turn to perform. After their performance, they are welcome to stay and watch the others!
The goal of a recital is for each student to feel good about their performance, and to get comfortable with performing live.
Music Recitals

Our recitals are always fun and very well received!

Over time we’ve noticed that many apprehensive first-timers will be the first to sign up for their second recital – mission accomplished! As they become more comfortable performing, they will be more apt to share their music with others, develop confidence, and in the case of shy individuals, ‘come out of their shell’ socially. Check out THIS great article (or THIS one) for more benefits of performing in music recitals.

So, while our recitals benefit the senior community, they can also have a great positive impact on a student’s musical and social development – a win-win!

We realize that student music recitals aren’t for everyone, but we hope that you’ll consider it for you or your student.

Music Recitals Are Important.. But Why?

NHTunes holds bi-monthly recitals at nursing homes, senior centers, and other similar venues. We feel music recitals are important – very important – to a student’s overall musicianship. In fact, we believe that having theMusic Recitals Are Important opportunity to perform in music recitals on a regular basis should be a key consideration when selecting a studio for your music or voice lessons.
Here are some reasons why we feel that music recitals are important:
  • Performance skills are a large part of overall musicianship. 
    • We believe that every musician should be comfortable performing music in front of an audience, whether at a show, or just in front of friends. After all, music is meant to be shared. Performing in recitals gives students of all ages the experience and skills needed to be comfortable with sharing their music with others.
  • Participating in music recitals builds confidence.
    • We see it all the time… having a good experience at a music recital gives students the confidence they need to perform again. This confidence extends to other areas of a student’s life, and often brings kids ‘out of their shell’, making them more outgoing and personable.
  • Performing in a recital gives students a sense of purpose with their musical studies. 
    • Performing at a recital, and seeing the impact they have on others when sharing their musical skills, will give a student more reason to continue their studies and improve their skills. Good live performances become the goal of many students who regularly participate in our recitals.
  • Recitals are a great way to give back to the community.
    • Recitals mean so much to the residents of the nursing homes that we perform at – we consider it our way of giving back to our local community. We hear many heartfelt positive comments at every performance. Also, it’s a win-win; recitals are free for nursing homes and for our students!
  • Upcoming performances encourage students to prepare and practice more. 
    • Music recitals are important as a performance date adds a sense of urgency which encourages a student to practice and prepare for the show. This is especially helpful for students that struggle with practicing on their own. Our instructors work with their students to assure that they are prepared for their performance.

Music Recitals Are ImportantSo, you can see why we feel that music recitals are important in so many ways, and why we feel it’s something you should strongly consider when looking for a music studio. You can learn more about our lessons HERE. Have questions? Call us at 603-660-2208, or you can reach us HERE.

​NHTunes is located in Manchester NH’s mill yard, 250 Commercial St. Manchester NH 03101. We also offer instrument rentals, ​practice room rentals, and are a full featured recording studio offering recording services to businesses, bands, and solo artists.

The Best Way To Practice

The Best Way To PracticeBeing instructors, we are often asked what the best practice methods are. What practice methodology will yield the best results? How can I most efficiently improve my skills? Simply put, what is the best way to practice?
We’ve assembled our 5 top tips for maximizing your practice time, and most quickly becoming the best player that you can be. Hopefully you can use these in your practice regiment and become a better player.
 
1) Play for fun
What we tell our students here is, “don’t practice, just play”. In other words, play for fun. If you play for the joy of playing, you’ll play more often because you’ll be less frustrated trying to learn a specific song or technique. Sure, you’ll need to practice up on those things you want to learn, but just playing for the joy of playing itself will make you a better, more happy musician, and you’ll see that you will progress more rapidly because you are playing more often.. because it’s fun!
2) Play often in small increments
The key to learning is playing… often, but not necessarily a lot. How? Practice new techniques often but in smaller increments. For example, it is much more effective to practice something 5 minutes at a time six times a day, rather than 30 minutes in one setting. To encourage this, keep an instrument close at hand; for example, for guitarists or ukulele players, keeping your instrument in the living room will enable you to pick it up often and strum for a couple of minutes at a time several times throughout the day. We feel that playing often for short periods is without a doubt the best way to practice.
3) Don’t look at your instrument when playing
A key to learning your instrument well is to not look at your hands while playing. If you make a mistake, look and correct, but then look away again. After all, do you play with your eyes? Watch videos of live performances of some of the greats, and you’ll see that, for the most part, they focus on their audience and not their instrument. One exception is that when guitarists switch position (i.e. move from the 3rd to the 10th fret) they do a quick look as they move their fretting hand. Practicing by not looking at your instrument, which is the best way to practice, will make you a better player.
4) Focus on technique, not speed
For those looking to develop speed on their instrument, start slow with proper technique, and as you increase speed focus on keeping the same technique. We often see players change their technique as their speed increases. This is an area where an instructor can really help. They’ll point out what’s going on, and help you to maintain proper technique as your speed increases, resulting in better results as your speed increases.

The Best Way To Practice

An instructor can help students keep proper technique while developing speed.

5) Record your progress
We see students once a week, and really notice the progress. The students themselves don’t notice progress as much, because it happens incrementally, often daily. When learning something new, record a video of where you’re at on day one, and assuming you’ve worked on it daily, watch the video a week or two later. You’ll be amazed at your progress!

Those are our 5 tips on the best way to practice. We hope you can use them and become a better player yourself!

NHTunes Music Studio is located in Manchester, New Hampshire, but if you are not local to us, we also offer online lessons via Zoom. Our lesson prices are very reasonable, and our instructor team is the best around. We teach all ages and skill levels from beginner to advanced players. Read more about our lessons HERE.

Scheduling a Music or Voice Lesson Is Easy!

Thinking of beginning music lessons? Scheduling a music or voice lesson with NHTunes is EASY with our online scheduling system. Our integrated scheduler allows you to select the exact day and time for your lesson – all in 4 easy steps – without a phone call or e-mail!

Start by visiting our website’s homepage, and select your lesson type from the “Lessons” drop down menu on the top menu bar (just under our logo). In this example, we selected ‘piano’:

Scheduling a Music or Voice Lesson Is Easy!

You’ll be brought to the piano page, where you click the red “Schedule A Piano Lesson” button, which will bring up our online scheduler:

Scheduling a Music or Voice Lesson Is Easy!

At this point, select whether you want a 30 or 60 minute lesson (note that 60 minute lessons are discounted 10%). In this example, we select the 30 minute option:

Scheduling a Music or Voice Lesson Is Easy!

Now, you are presented with the available day(s) and time(s) for the lesson type you selected. Simply select the slot that works based on your schedule and pick “Continue”. You’ll enter your information and payment will be processed via PayPal (please note, you do not need a PayPal account to check out, you can use any major credit card).

Scheduling a Music or Voice Lesson Is Easy!

That’s it, with just 4 easy steps you’ve just scheduled your first lesson! You’ll receive an e-mail confirmation of your lesson at the time of scheduling, and a lesson reminder 24 hours in advance of your lesson.

Like we said, scheduling a music or voice lesson with NHTunes is EASY with our online scheduling system!

If you have any questions, or run into issues with scheduling, you can call us at 603-660-2208, or contact is HERE.

 

How Much Should I Practice?

How Much Should I Practice?

Don’t necessarily ‘practice’, but just ‘play’ for fun and you’ll improve!

One of the most often asked questions we receive from someone starting to learn an instrument is, “how much should I practice”? While there are many opinions on this topic, we’ve found that it’s not how much you should practice, but rather how often.

Practicing many times a day, in short increments, is much more effective than practicing once a day for the same amount of time. For example, you’ll learn more quickly by practicing 6 times a day in 5 minute increments rather than once a day for 30 minutes. I began this practice regiment years ago, and rarely play for more than 5 minutes at any one time (unless for pure pleasure). I’ve found that I learn much more quickly using this method.
Here are some tips for incorporating this methodology into your practice routine:
  • Make sure your instrument is within reach of where you normally hang out. For example, keep your guitar in the living room. An instrument within reach will get much more use then one that is, for example, kept under the bed in its case. It’s ideal if you happen to work from home, but if not there should be some evening time to work in some shorter sessions.
  • Play for fun; don’t think of each session as “practice”. If you just pick up your instrument and play for fun, you’ll continue to learn without the stress of having to learn a particular piece.
  • Use a metronome to measure progress. If you are looking to increase speed, use a metronome to see your improvement, otherwise you may become discouraged thinking that you are not improving. Use it once every couple days, and you’ll be amazed that a speed that seemed hard a few days ago is now actually pretty easy!How Much Should I Practice?
  • Play things that are ‘easy’ for you every once in a while. Playing an instrument should bring you joy, and there isn’t a lot of joy if you’re always playing things that are difficult. From time-to-time, play things that just make you happy, and you’ll be less frustrated overall and enjoy the instrument more.
  • Don’t be frustrated if you don’t get to practice every day. Adults have many responsibilities, and you may find the occasional day or two where you get little to no practice time. Stick with it, and in the long run you’ll see yourself improving and find success!

So, if you’re wondering “how much should I practice”, playing often, for shorter increments is one practice method that we have found to be very effective in making steady progress while learning an instrument.

Check out our instrument lessons, both in-studio and online. Our studio is located in the Manchester NH, mill yard.  You can check out our instructor team HERE.

What To Expect at your first Ukulele Lesson

first Ukulele lessons

We teach ukulele to students of all ages and skill levels!

So you’re thinking about taking ukulele lessons, but are a little nervous about what to expect at your first ukulele lesson. Well, relax and read the next few paragraphs; we think you’ll see that ukulele lessons are fun, and (thanks to our patient instructors) not as intimidating as they first appear.

When you arrive for your first ukulele lesson, you may first be shown around the studio, and then introduced to your ukulele instructor. Your instructor will likely ask you questions regarding your general music background; for example, have you learned an instrument or sung in a choir before? Do you have any experience performing in front of people? What are your goals for your lessons? These questions will help the instructor to format the lessons based on your individual experience level and goals.

Then comes the fun! It’s time so play!! Well… almost. If you are new to ukulele, your instructor will teach you to tune your instrument. Tuning can be a daunting task initially for beginners, bit with a little guidance and practice, it becomes quite easy.

Finally, it’s time to play! Adult lessons focus on learning chords, strumming, and (after a couple of lessons) learning songs. Learning to read is optional, and quite honestly many accomplished ukulele players have never learned to read traditional sheet music (you’ll be learning to use chord and lyric sheets as that’s how in the future you’ll learn new songs). For younger students, learning to read sheet music will be incorporated along with chords and strumming, as learning to read traditional sheet music will be important if they decide to pursue a music career.

Once you can learn a few chords and some basic strumming, your instructor will pick a song that is appropriate for  your skill level. The goal is a song that you’re both familiar with, and would love to learn to play. Of course, based on your skill level your first few songs you work on may not be the songs of your dreams, but the goal is to get there.

If you stick with ukulele lessons, you’ll see the following happen:

  • You’ll be able to strum along to relatively simple songs within just a few weeks.
  • You’ll learn to download and play songs, for the most part, on your own.

    first Ukulele lesson

    Learning to play the ukulele is fun!

  • Your fingers will quickly develop ‘invisible’ calluses, and the discomfort from playing will go away.
  • Your ear will develop and you will hear music differently than before. You will understand pitch better. You’ll be able to better distinguish individual elements in music.

When do all these great things happen? It varies on the individual; their background, their natural abilities, and the amount of time they spend practicing. Regardless, we see improvements in all of our students. Of course, not everybody is a Jake Shimabukuro, but everyone can learn to play ukulele, and the speed at which they learn is based on how much time they spend practicing.

Last but not least, an incredibly important element of general musicianship is performing skills. For this reason, we hold bi-monthly recitals, and we hope to see most of our students (especially younger ones) participate in these free recitals. Although many students find performing initially a challenge, after a couple of performances it becomes less stressful, and more fun! Students that have performed in several recitals often look forward to future events, whereas at first they dreaded them.

We hope that, after reading this, you have a better idea of what your first ukulele lesson will be like should you decide to start. If you’re interested in scheduling a lesson, either in-studio or online, you can do so below. You can see our instructors HERE.

What To Expect at your first Guitar Lesson

First Guitar Lesson

We teach students of all ages and skill levels!

So you’re thinking about taking guitar lessons, but are a little nervous about what to expect at your first guitar lesson. Well, relax and read the next few paragraphs; we think you’ll see that guitar lessons are fun, and (thanks to our patient instructors) not as intimidating as they first appear.

When you arrive for your first guitar lesson, you may first be shown around the studio, and then introduced to your guitar instructor. Your instructor will likely ask you questions regarding your general music background; for example, have you learned an instrument or sung in a choir before? Do you have any experience performing in front of people? What are your goals for your lessons? These questions will help the instructor to format the lessons based on your individual experience level and goals.

Then comes the fun! It’s time so play!! Well… almost. If you are new to guitar, your instructor will teach you to tune your instrument. Tuning can be a daunting task initially for beginners, bit with a little guidance and practice, it becomes quite easy.

Finally, it’s time to play! Adult lessons focus on learning chords, strumming, and (after a couple of lessons) learning songs. Learning to read is optional, and quite honestly many accomplished guitarists have never learned to read traditional sheet music (you’ll be learning to use chord and lyric sheets as that’s how in the future you’ll learn new songs). For younger students, learning to read sheet music will be incorporated along with chords and strumming, as learning to read traditional sheet music will be important if they decide to pursue a music career.

Once you can learn a few chords and some basic strumming, your instructor will pick a song that is appropriate for  your skill level. The goal is a song that you’re both familiar with, and would love to learn to play. Of course, based on your skill level your first few songs you work on may not be the songs of your dreams, but the goal is to get there.

If you stick with guitar lessons, you’ll see the following happen:

  • You’ll be able to strum along to relatively simple songs within just a few weeks.

    first Guitar Lesson

    Learning to play the guitar is fun!

  • You’ll learn to download and play songs, for the most part, on your own.
  • Your fingers will quickly develop ‘invisible’ calluses, and the discomfort from playing will go away.
  • Your ear will develop and you will hear music differently than before. You will understand pitch better. You’ll be able to better distinguish individual elements in music.

When do all these great things happen? It varies on the individual; their background, their natural abilities, and the amount of time they spend practicing. Regardless, we see improvements in all of our students. Of course, not everybody is an Eddie Van Halen, or an Eric Clapton, but everyone can learn to play guitar, and the speed at which they learn is based on how much time they spend practicing.

Last but not least, an incredibly important element of general musicianship is performing skills. For this reason, we hold bi-monthly recitals, and we hope to see most of our students (especially younger ones) participate in these free recitals. Although many students find performing initially a challenge, after a couple of performances it becomes less stressful, and more fun! Students that have performed in several recitals often look forward to future events, whereas at first they dreaded them.

We hope that, after reading this, you have a better idea of what your first guitar lesson will be like should you decide to start. If you’re interested in scheduling a lesson, either in-studio or online, you can do so below. You can see our instructors HERE.

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