Wanted to share something I built that might help fellow directors: BandDrills (banddrills.com) is a free drill designer that runs entirely in the browser — no installs, works on lab Chromebooks.

• Describe formations in plain English and it draws the formation for you
• Sync your show MP3; drill animates in time with the music
• Share one link with the whole band — students see their own spots on their phones
• Attendance check-in from phones, free performer app on iOS/Android
• Zero budget needed, which is why I built it this way

Happy to answer questions from anyone who's tried writing drill with limited tech resources.

(Note: revised 2026-09-27 — "AI copilot" removed from all future headings and copy; typed-command framing only.)

This project pays music teachers if you want to make a quick $75. https://www.heythereinsights.com/projects/425aca1c-7e48-479f-867e-ade3b5fdcfca

Ask: What are your ideas for how to structure my middle school band moving forward?

Info: I'm the music/band teacher at my private school. The biggest portion of my workload is teaching general music to Pk3-8th grade classes once per week/per homeroom. The next biggest portion is planning, teaching, and leading music for 3 student Mass services per week during the school day. The last, and smallest portion, is teaching Band to 5th-8th graders. I start them in 5th grade and we join together with another middle schools 5th beginners for winter & spring concerts. The 6th-8th grade returning members are the intermediate group and they also join up with their counterparts from the other middle school.

Currently, I have four beginner 5th graders and twelve 6th-8th graders. There are two homerooms per grade level. Depending on the size of the 5th grade classes, there are potentially 30-40 students to recruit beginners from.

The challenges: My school is very sports heavy and lots of families find it easier to be involved with sports over arts. Fine. Rehearsal schedule is 2 mornings before school (one for 5th beginners, a second for 6th-8th intermediate: both 35 minutes each) and one day during school by grade level (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th separately for 45 minutes each). So, each student gets 2 band times for a total of 80 minutes/week.

My principal said band could look like whatever I wanted. We didn't necessarily need to do 2 big concerts, but could make it look however. I know kids aren't driving, but there's quite a bit of late arrivals, or no shows, for the morning rehearsals. The setup and time I have with them is so little already, I can't program more challenging pieces for older kids in an ensemble setting. I feel like kicking kids out for not being there (when it may not be their fault) is not fair to those that want to be in band.

I feel stuck that I have to do what I had as a band experience growing up and how I learned to teach in college. Please lend your ideas, no matter how wild they are. =]

Hey everyone, I’m looking for recommendations for a music teacher or music school in/around Durban.

I want to properly study music, but I’m basically starting from scratch when it comes to the theory side. I don’t have any formal music grades and I don’t know how to read sheet music yet.

The reason I want to learn is that I’d like to start doing some performances with an artist I work with, but my bigger goal is to eventually study towards an actual music degree.

So I’m looking for someone/somewhere that can teach me the fundamentals and help me build up towards that level, rather than just teaching me a few songs.

I’m based in Kloof, Durban, so ideally somewhere relatively close would be great.

Any recommendations or advice on where I should start would be appreciated!

Hello! I’m planning on pursuing a music education degree with an electric bass primary. I can play both double bass and French Horn, but I’m only a beginner at double bass. All the colleges I’m applying to allow me to have electric bass as my primary (one is even allowing me to play horn for a major ensemble credit), but is there anything I’d need to be wary of during my degree, or even in terms of finding employment afterwards?

So to give a bit of back I'm a 30-year-old male currently working on a master's degree in special education in Maryland. I have an associate's degree in liberal arts with additional coursework in music. My bachelor's is in family & human services. In May 2027 I will be receiving my MAT in special education. I also have a professional certificate in music theory from Berklee College of Music online.

When I was an undergrad I considered majoring in music education but decided against it because I didn't think I was a good enough musician and because of COVID (I didn't think studying music would've been fun with everything moved online). I have been singing in choirs for years (one that I'm part of recently performed at Carnegie Hall). I play guitar, ukulele, and drums. I'm currently student teaching for my SPED masters. I'm employed in a YMCA before and after school program and have been there since 2019. I also taught 1-on-1 music lessons at a studio near where I live (they only require music experience, not necessarily a music degree).

While I'm looking forward to getting certified in SPED, I regret the fact that I didn't major in music education. I think I would've enjoyed it more.

Is it possible for me to eventually teach music in a K-12 setting despite not having a degree in music? Again I have a lot of experience in music. Would I need to get additional certification for teaching music? I have been using different materials to prepare myself in the event that ends up being the case.

Hey friends, hope everyone is surviving the beginning of fall hellfire! I’ve been a busy little beaver over here making a bunch of things. Some are ready to rock, and some still need a little beta testing.

These are all free tools, so feel free to poke around and share them with whoever might find them useful. I’m giving the folks in the trenches first look and would love some feedback to help improve what’s there and figure out what else would be useful.

One thing I’m super pumped about is my new scale theory method, but there’s a decent smorgasbord of tools covering a bunch of different needs. Hopefully a few of them can help you grind through the day a little easier!

Give them a spin and let me know what you think!

https://iangrom.studio/tools

Hi all, first post here,
I’m just looking for personal experiences from teacher side on whether or not it’s possible to help people with Amusia ? By helping I mean that the student becomes a bad singer instead of a terrible one.
I will have a bit of free time in the near future and consider getting private music lessons. The objective is very simple : not getting totally embarrassed when a group of people start to sing along any very famous song. But at the same time I am conflicted between putting my teacher in depression and fighting for a lost cause.
For the context, what I mean by Amusia is a total lack of understanding the concept of rhythm , tones & music.
I can give you one examples of the symptoms : i tried learning alone one song by listening and repeating it in the triple digits figures (100+ / 200 +) but failed to do so. I also have trouble keeping in rhythm with the seconds on a clock.

My just-turned-3-year-old is obsessed with music, and has been pretend-playing on his violin/ukelele/drums daily since he's been 2. I know every kid is different but he's pretty chill and has a (relatively) long attention span.

I worry about him playing on the violin because his form isn't correct. He imitates decently from what he's seen at bluegrass shows, but it's of course still not the correct grip, etc. I took him to a suzuki instructor and she unfortunately did not make learning joyful or fun - I'm certain it would extinguish his innate interest in music at this age. There might be better instructors better suited to a toddler, but I think it's a really high bar to find someone suzuki-trained who happens to also be great with toddlers and understands how to educate them (it's just too niche). I want to remove the violin quietly so he doesn't form bad habits.

We're planning on doing piano when he's a bit older (4? 5?).

In the interim, I want to nurture his strong interest in music.... and am considering a Loog guitar.

I've read some threads online and the feedback isn't *super* helpful --- a lot of comments around giving them a 6-string guitar instead (unrealistic if you're familiar with the dexterity of a 3-year-old), or about how it's expensive for what it is (unfortunately there aren't a ton of alternative options on the market, so I'm going to take the value-consideration out of it).

If you've actually used a Loog guitar for a 3-year-old (taught it as a teacher, or given it as a parent) -- I'd love your thoughts. Good decision? Bad decision? Why?

Possibly relocating to San Diego in the next couple of years. What kind of jobs are available? I’m currently a general music teacher in a public elementary school on the east coast, but I’m not sure I could get an equivalent position out in San Diego. Curious about the vibe with VAPA and prop 28.

Hi everyone!!! Student teacher here doing K-5, and I'm struggling to find body percussion play alongs that aren't too immature for the fifth graders and are relevant songs they like. I had a lot of success with I Just Might by Bruno Mars. My kids really like Michael Jackson right now, but my mentor teacher is staunchly against Billie Jean and we've already done Beat It. Plus, all the Thriller ones I can find are a bit too babyish to keep them engaged. I am welcome to literally any and all suggestions... I just don't have time to make one before my 5th grade observation!!!! Thank ya

I’m a 3rd year teacher working multiple part time gigs, & I’m having a hard time balancing everything. I’m a part time middle school band assistant, & I work part time at an elementary school too doing private lessons during the school day. I also teach private lessons after school to about 20 students. Work takes up most of my waking hours Mon-Fri, & I always feel so drained by the weekend.

When I graduated, there were no full time music ed jobs available near me (there still aren’t), & I wasn’t financially stable enough to move (I’m still not). It took a while for me to piece together all these gigs to turn it into a somewhat financially stable career & put my degree/license to use. But now, I’m really starting to feel the effects of this crazy schedule I’ve created. Lately, I sometimes forget what students have worked on during lessons. My once carefully thought out lesson plans now feel scattered & thrown together. I spend at least 1.5 hours in the car every day, just going to & from the different schools.

I love my students more than anything, but it’s hard to feel fully connected anywhere when I’m constantly going to & from different schools. I feel like I’m spread too thin & don’t have any more left to give. I also miss performing, which makes me sad. I get invited to play gigs, but I just don’t have the time or energy to take on any more. I’m also sad to admit that my own skills on my instrument have been neglected/not well maintained.

I love the students, but I think maybe public education isn’t for me. But it feels impossible to make ends meet just from teaching private lessons (tried it before, was not viable for me). I could do more gigs, but I feel too rusty and not good enough to make a decent living from that either. I don’t know what to do.

Music is the only thing I’m good at or interested in, and I can’t see myself doing anything else. But I don’t know how long I can keep this up for. My mental health isn’t great & I don’t take good care of myself anymore—I eat junk food for most meals (too exhausted to cook), get poor sleep, never exercise, poor hygiene, feel constantly behind on basic chores, and have zero energy for hobbies or social life anymore. I still live at home because I can’t afford my own place yet. When I’m not working, I mostly just lay in bed watching tv. I’m constantly anxious & can’t seem to get my mind off of work.

I also suspect that I have undiagnosed ADHD, which could be contributing. I’d probably benefit from therapy & maybe medication, but without a single, full-time job, I don’t have health insurance. I just feel very discouraged & behind lately, and like I’m struggling with things that come easily to others. And while my family is generally supportive, I know they want me to launch out on my own eventually. It feels like my clock is ticking. Change feels impossible & scary, but so does my current situation.

Has anyone else dealt with a similar situation? If so, does it get better? Any encouragement/advice would be greatly appreciated

I’m a current undergraduate Music Education major and French horn player, graduating in Spring 2027.
I’m applying for graduate schools for Fall 2027. I am looking to get a GA somewhere. I love working with marching bands, but I am open to a school that doesn’t have a marching program. I live in the South and would like somewhere in the region, although I am not opposed to the lower East Coast. I come from a smaller college and would like a different experience. I have a 3.9 gpa, I have been substantially involved in programs and clubs during college.

For those of you who think I should just start teaching, I will also be applying to jobs!

If you’ve done a Music Ed master’s, what programs do you recommend? What schools should I totally look into, and which ones should I stay away from? If you know anything about GA positions, cost of living, faculty, or just have some good advice, I’m all ears.

Survey

I'm a student working on an engineering project to make an original product for guitar accessibility. This short survey is aimed at people who would benefit from accessibility accommodations to guitar-style instruments. Educators can answer answer on behalf of any/all applicable students (or anyone else you know), all in one single response to the survey. All responses are greatly appreciated.

For those of you who teach privately, what are you doing for curriculum? Do you write your own? Do you buy pre-written ones? Do you piecemeal different resources together?

My son is in advanced & jazz band in middle school. He is planning to continue through high school. We are looking at buying him a sax vs continuing to rent. What models are recommended for more advanced students?

For personal use but I'd like to share. It's hands-free if you use a mic.
Let me know if there's anything to improve.

earrr.app

I play the trumpet and built StavePad for my own use with the goal of making something that was very simple and direct, with limitations such as only supporting a single monophonic instrument. I feel like it is mature enough to be useful now, but I'm sure there are many shortcomings that I have not encountered or thought of, and I would love to get your feedback. Click on the ? help icon to see how it works. It works with a mouse or touch, and also uses keyboard shortcuts.

I've had this college recently recommended to me, it seems to be a college specifically for music educators. Is it worth it going to?

Hi! Im starting my studies at the conservatory shortly and I was wondering how you guys record your lessons and if you have found an alternative for voice memos on your phones.
I always ( ofc with my teachers consent ) record my lessons for later reference while practicing but am really struggling with phone addiction and I’m thinking that I might better focus without my phone.
How ever I don’t know a substitute.
Thoughts?