Are Sewing Classes for Women Only

Are Sewing Classes for Women Only It's Not Just Women who Know How to Sew! Sewing Lessons are for Everyone ChaptersSewing Basics: the Ancient Bond of Women and SewingThe Rejuvenation of Hand Sewing and Machine SewingThese Men Will Keep You in StitchesSewing Notions for your Sewing ClassHistorically and culturally: it has been up to women to thread the needle and darn the socks.Even if the women in question have no particular affinity for, or even a love to sew.Today, all of that is changing.There has never been a greater interest in needle arts: you can take sewing lessons, embroidery lessons; and the cross stitch bins at the fabric stores are populated by men and women in equal parts.Calling all DIYers: these days, anyone with an interest to can design and sew his/her own wardrobe!Indeed, if we look at the fashion industry, most designers â€" at least, up to the last century, were men.You could say sewing is a bit like cooking: traditionally the purview of women in the home, but in professional kitchens, the most famous chefs, even to this day, are men.However, we are living in an era wh en these so-called domestic arts are becoming more democratic: more women are taking over professional kitchens; more men are buying notions.Let us take a look at how males have influenced the art of sewing over time, so that men need not feel compelled to conceal their sewing kits.At the very least, their larger fingers are the primary reason the industry is making bigger thimbles.Isn't that a reason to feel the impact of male influence on every sewing pattern you bring to fruition and all of the sewing blogs you read?Learn how to sew through sewing tutorials...  should he appear frayed or unraveled, his  woman would be found lacking.Today, mercifully, all of that is untrue. At least in some parts of the world.Back then, in those not-so-long  ago bygone days, girls were generally denied any higher education, learning domestic arts from their mothers: cooking, cleaning, mending, and sewing.Embroidery to make decorations â€" should the household be wealthy enough for such; knitting w inter garments and baby clothes, crocheting...Meanwhile, their brothers learned maths and reading, as much as their socio-economic position allowed.Born into money, boys could pursue higher education; born working class, they would soon be apprenticed. Or, they worked the land, alongside their fathers.Either way: they had no time for sewing needles, whipstitches and bias tape.Discover how sewing with a serger makes bias tape obsolete!Along came Elisa Lemonnier, a woman so moved by the misery of the poor (women) in Paris that she opened a work room,  meant to provide those supplicants a modicum of financial relief.It only lasted a couple of months.Realising that these  ladies were utterly unskilled, she founded the first vocational school for women.So successful was this venture that, soon, she opened another facility, in another district  of Paris.After her death, her friend Caroline expanded on the concept, preparing young ladies for college entrance â€" a notion unheard of at that time.Bear in mind that the philosophy of the day was that boys should be active and girls, passive.Dividing gender roles along those lines, it was easy to determine that sewing projects, or sitting at a sewing machine should be a feminine activity.These days, we know that, for good mental and physical health, females as well as males must be active!Another indicator of the deep divide in industrial and commercial sewing is terminology.A woman who sews is called a seamstress. A man who sews is called a tailor.Tailor: from French â€" tailleur, meaning cutter: of stone or other material, including cloth.Seamstress: a person whose work is sewing â€" usually female, as indicated by the feminine suffix.The professional titles indicate that males are qualified to measure and cut cloth, while women seem only capable of plying needle and thread!Discover the complex history of sewing...Sewing is no longer reserved for the elderly or for women! Source: Pixabay Credit: yclnlThe Rejuvenation of Hand Sewing and Machine SewingAnywhere in the UK, from Edinburgh to sewing courses London  there are classes  on basic sewing and learning to sew on a machine.They are not stealthily attended by people in high collars  wearing sunglasses, wishing to hide their identity.To the contrary: they are heavily populated and eagerly anticipated, by students of any gender.How is that for a testimony on this skill's resurgence in popularity?In fact, you could learn to sew with Simon Henry, the author of The Little Black Dress.He is further proof that males excel in the sewing room!Still, if you look at the profiles of sewing teachers at My Sewing Classes you will find that most of the tutors are of the female persuasion.Why men still resist the allure of this activity is a mystery!Maybe they fear ridicule â€" echoes of Billy Elliot. Maybe, in these days of everyone the same, some males wish to stand out by not following popular trends.Maybe they're afraid of needles... ALL types of needles, e ven those sticking out of a pincushion!Wouldn't that be a crazy reason to avoid such a relaxing, potentially lucrative opportunity to learn sewing techniques?Some of the biggest names of clothing, male names â€" as we will discuss in a moment, didn't learn to thread needles at their grandmothers' knees.They learned their technique through sewing tutorials and, while some have never taken more than one sewing class, they are still giants of the garment industry.Another trend that points to a revival of learning how to sew: sales of Singer, Brother and Bernina sewing machines.At the turn of the century, consumers buying sewing tools and sewing supplies tended to be golden-agers (and female).Today, we see middle-agers, people in their thirties and forties, of all genders, haunting the sewing notion counter, buying fabric and patterns for their beginner sewing projects.Even adolescents are looking for free sewing patterns, claiming their status as beginners in the world of home sewing.E ager as they are to get started, they still look for sewing tips â€" even online, before they start on their project.Back to the topic of the sewing machine, now...A quality appliance today is:portableefficientmulti-functionalaffordableLong gone are the days of freestanding implements with treadles and long belts!Machines that operate on either alternating or direct current, or are driven by constant flexing and stretching of your foot - giving a whole new meaning to pressing and presser foot!Appliances that require the purchase of an additional accessory to buttonhole, and couldn't do much besides bob its needle up and down, into the bobbin case.The machine of today can embroider, baste... execute all manner of stitching!Whip stitch and slip stitch, straight stitch and back stitch: they are nothing to create when interfacing with even a basic sewing machine.Thanks to lower cost, and perhaps because the best sewing machine available today is computerized, youths, so adept with techn ology, are sewing seams like never before!Do you know what an overcast stitch is? Or how to sew a dart? Have you ever used a seam ripper?This legend of the fashion industry opened the door for so many other designers! Photo by Badder Manaouch Source: UnsplashThese Men Will Keep You in StitchesSewing stitches, that is.We're talking about the world of skirt, dress and purse design.Lamentable but true: some of the greatest names in women's fashion are male.Women are catching up, though. Soon, it will be a level playing field. Or, should we say cutting table?There are no labels in fashion design. At least, no gender labels.Here are just a few of the top â€" male â€" names who have made their mark, not as seamstresses, but in dressmaking.Their vision and creativity have revitalised the meaning of fashion.Valentino Garavani played himself in the movie  The Devil Wears Prada.This Italian designer learned everything from beginner sewing and how to thread any type of needle, to embellishment and the effective placement of appliqué while still in school.Beyond the age when most of us would consider retirement, he is busy crafting his spring lineup.Karl Lagerfeld is one of the busiest men in fashion!Besides being artistic director for Chanel, he designs for his own brand, and the Italian label Fendi.This tireless worker, busy as he is at no fewer than three fashion houses, still takes time to edit sewing books and supervise photoshoots.Tom Ford has no ties to the Ford Modeling AgencyFormerly artistic designer for both Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, this enterprising American started his own label, dressing such famous persons as Beyonce and Johnny Depp.His suits featured in all three of Daniel Craig's Bond movies, too!You can now enjoy this versatile artist's films: he has branched out into the movie industry as a screenwriter and film director.Giorgio Armani is primarily known for his menswear, but increasingly, has branched out scents and sportswear.He is one of the mo st innovative designers in the field of fashion!Not only has he dressed Lady Gaga for her Monster Ball tour, but he was the first to ban skinny models and broadcast his collection live online (Spring 2007).He is best known for his clean, tailored lines and elegant finishing.Discover how you can learn sewing from the big names in fashion!You can cultivate your love of sewing with a starter sewing kit Source: Upsplash Credit: Kris AtomicSewing Notions for your Sewing ClassAfter reading this article, you must have come to the conclusion that needlework and pattern making are endemic to all genders.More and more, people are turning to individual creation â€" the running stitch on the edge of our social media lives.In fact, sewing underpins civilisation: through sewing bees and quilting bees, sewing aficionados share everything from the basics to tricks for piping and other easy projects.If you find yourself lingering at the fabric store, or wondering what a rotary cutter is, be not abas hed!It is easy to become a sewer.All you need  are scissors, a sewing needle and sewing thread. Or you could  purchase a whole sewing kit!Invest in patterns for pants, skirts, dresses, and soon, you will find yourself embroiled in creative sewing, expressing your sense of style in all that you wear.Learn all of the terminology pertaining to sewing...Find out more about French seams.Discover everything about couture clothing.

Other Uses for Elevator Speeches - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Other Uses for Elevator Speeches - Introvert Whisperer Other Uses for Elevator Speeches Personal Branding starts with how well you speak about YOU.  I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook â€" The Definitive Guide to Creating and Using an Elevator Speech.  In this guide, I give you simple to follow instructions for creating a “wardrobe” of ways to talk about you â€" to leave a lasting impression. Get your copy now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Art Classes Manchester

Art Classes Manchester Art Courses in Manchester ChaptersArt Classes in Drawing and PaintingCreative Art CoursesArt Classes in PotteryI know there’s plenty to paint here but I haven’t the slightest desire to work locally. - L.S. LowryIf every student of art felt the way that native son did about scenes in and around Manchester, we wouldn’t have two whole art galleries or the Lowry Art Centre in Salford Quays!There would be no art programmes offered at university, no workshops on how to draw a life figure or a still life; nor would there be other art classes on offer from anybody, anywhere!Thankfully, not everyone feels the way Mr Lowry did and, in fact, the art community is thriving in Manchester.If you are a student learning fine art at University of Manchester, you might be on the lookout for extracurricular classes on how to draw a proportionate human form or still life.If you have always longed to try your hand at creating art â€" not just fine art, you may enjoy some of the venues in and around the city that promote the culture and creation of art.Let Superprof help you find the best ones!Painting with watercolours is a great way to learn brush control Source: Pixabay Credit: UelloWestern European canons.If you wanted to learn fine art techniques but do not wish to enrol in art school, you could take an array of art courses that cover everything from pencil sketching to creative drawing.You could learn all of those skills and more at AWOL Art Studios.You might also learn how to execute a fine painting by taking art classes in Birmingham!Creative Art CoursesIf you have long wanted to learn painting and drawing but feared your window of opportunity has passed you by, you can let go of those fears and unchain your creative energy at AWOL.Manchester is most renown for its contributions to the Industrial Revolution.Why not partake of art education in a historic building â€" Hope Mill, one of the repurposed textile mills that made the city so rich and famous?The multitude of windows provide plenty of amb ient light and Brian, the lead tutor, brings over 20 years of experience in teaching art to anyone desiring to know the feel of a paint-laden brush, whose strokes bring imagery to life.He teaches, among other courses:kids classesadult classesIntroduction to Creative DrawingIntroduction to WatercolorsLife Drawing â€" how to draw the human formDrawing techniquesNaturally, he is not the only instructor there.You may learn acrylic painting from Brigid, cartooning and manga from Paul; or you may choose to enjoy a lecture from Heather Spears, author of The Creative Eye.Indeed it appears that these creative art courses could be your one-stop shop for everything that deals with drawing and painting.Isn’t there more to art?How very Manchester to throw a pot! Source: Pixabay Credit: Lubos HouskaArt Classes in PotteryAdmittedly, Manchester is far better known for its music scene, that Madchester Vibe, than for its art scene.Unlike opportunities to learn various forms of art in Leeds, Mancuni ans are a bit limited in their artistic learning outlets!Nevertheless, continuing with this city’s long history of manufacture, you may enjoy taking a pottery class with Seven Limes Pottery.It is unknown whether the limes in question refer to argillaceous minerals â€" a clay-like composition that is nevertheless lime, or the green citrus fruit.However they settled on that fun name, they are quite serious about their art and wish to bring as many into the pottery fold as possible.Did you know that the Scottish Potters Association teaches pottery art classes in Glasgow?  Should you be looking for something to do of a weekend, you may meet them for an introductory workshop on Saturdays.If you like what they’re all about and the art they practise, you could commit to a six-week beginners course, held on Monday evenings.Prior to visiting with them, you may have thought that throwing a pot meant tossing cookware about in an angry fashion.Look up for  art courses near me  now.After a w eekend in their tutelage, you will be happy to learn that you do not have to be angry to throw a pot.Quite the contrary!That act consists of gently manipulating clay on a spinning wheel until it approximates a vessel of whichever sort you were trying to create.If you are plagued by stress and your confidence has recently taken a hit, you may find yourself restored through exploration of this relaxing and sensual activity.Their facilities are not suitable for smaller hands, though, so if you wanted to make pottery a family affair, let us direct you to Clay Studio.There, you will find a popular family ceramics course whose instructors are ready to welcome parents, grandparents and/or other caregivers, and their children.What an opportunity for quality time together!You might wonder about the difference between pottery and ceramics; a distinction that Caroline, Robert or Stephen, the instructors, will be happy to elucidate.The facility is clean and bright, and is equipped with no fewer than three kilns!Besides those pieces of equipment so vital to ceramics, you will find a multitude of pottery wheels, lathes, and a range of materials to work with.What we particularly liked about the clay studio is that their class size is limited to only five people!That way, you get the individualised attention you need to quickly master the art of pottery, ceramics and glazing.Also, if you wanted private tuition in throwing and glazing, you could book a series of three classes. Should someone want to attend with you, their fee would be discounted by half!Whether you are looking to refine your painting techniques or are just looking to learn to draw; no matter if you are looking for an art class for kids or hoping to improve your own drawing skills, finding an open studio in Manchester is not difficult.Unlike Mr Lowry â€" whose figure drawing  is likened to matchsticks, with a bit of imagination you may find that there is a wide variety of subjects to inspire you.Once you learn to draw and paint, once you gain a measure of technical skills, you may find yourself haunting the art supply store!Are you about to conduct an Internet search for art classes near me?You might book yourself into drawing classes, practising bold experimentation in colour mixing, to come up with a masterpiece that expresses your particular brand of creativity.Read our other posts about finding art classes in other UK cities such as, Glasgow, Edinburgh Belfast and Cardiff.Superprof hopes that, from this table, you can find the art instruction and painting classes that will lead to your self-expression and, one day, to your hosting an exhibition of your own artwork!Facility NameType of ArtPhysical AddressWeb AddressDidsbury Parsonage TrustDrawing, watercolour painting, open coursesStenner Lane Didsbury Manchester M20 2RQhttp://www.didsburyparsonagetrust.org.ukCreative Art CoursesDrawing, painting in acrylic and watercolour113 Pollard Street, M4 7JAhttps://www.creativeartcourses.orgSeve n LimesPotteryUnit 5, Windrush Millennium Centre, 70 Alexandra Road, Manchester M16 7WDhttps://7limes.co.ukThe Clay StudioPottery and Ceramics Family courses61 Old Birley Street Hulme Manchester M15 5RFhttps://www.claystudio.co.uk

How Much Does It Cost to Learn to Cook

How Much Does It Cost to Learn to Cook How Much Does it Cost to Become a Cook? ChaptersLearning to Cook in a Cookery SchoolChange Careers with a Degree in CookingLearn How to Cook in Cooking WorkshopsGetting Private Cooking Tutorials“For me, cooking is an extension of love.” - Hedda SterneA lot of Brits would like to see cooking regularly taught in schools.  Learning to cook from a young age is a good way to teach children good eating habits, to spend less on making food, and improve their health.Cooking is usually a family affair. A lot of people learn to cook from family members. If you weren’t lucky enough to have any good cooks in the family, what can you do about it?How do you learn how to cook?In this article, we're going to be looking at the different ways you can learn to cook. Whether you want to become a professional chef or just become handier in the kitchen, we should have a solution that works for both your aspirations and your budget! GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/ h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsLearning to Cook in a Cookery SchoolWhether to impress your friends and family with gourmet meals or just to improve certain cooking techniques, you can always attend cooking classes on a variety of different topics.  It should go without saying that a building dedicated to teaching people how to cook is a great place to look if you're looking to improve your own skills in the kitchen.Find out how you can learn to cook for free!Learning next to great chefs is one of the best ways to learn how to cook. (So urce: Free-Photos)“If you don't treat an ingredient and its flavors with respect - if you drown it in oil, for instance - you'll spoil it.” - Alain DucasseAlain Ducasse needs no introduction. This Michelin-starred chef sees cooking as a love story and opened his own cooking school for amateurs and professionals to learn about cooking in a friendly environment.  However, if you can’t make it to France, there are also some great cooking schools in the UK where you can learn about:Cooking basicsCooking on an open fireCooking for childrenCooking like a professional chefTraditional cuisineHealthy cookingVegetarian cookingIf you’re after taking a professional course in cooking, then you should consider Le Cordon Bleu in London which offers a wide variety of different courses for those aspiring to become professional chefs. Their qualifications are recognised around the world and  French cooking is famous all around the world. In fact, this school was allowed to bring the Cordon Bl eu tradition from France to the UK, hence the name.Students can learn about cooking meat (veal, beef, pork, etc.), how to prepare fish and crustaceans (shrimps and prawns, scallops), as well as how to make desserts (macarons, millefeuille, petits fours, meringue, etc.)Did you know that it was this school that invented Coronation Chicken? here are all types of courses from internationally-recognised qualifications that you’ll study for years to short cooking workshops. You can also be trained in how to run restaurants.“Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness.” - Auguste EscoffierWestminster Kingsway College is the college Jamie Oliver attended to get his NVQ and Professional Chef Diploma. Other famous alumni include Selin Kiazim, Antony Worrall Thompson, Sophie Wright, and Ainsley Harriott. Their Professional Chef Diploma is the UK's first professional cooking qualification. There are three main options for students to focus on when they reach their third year of study : cuisine, patisserie and confectionery, or restaurant management.In addition to the focused pathways available in the third year, students get instruction in butchery and fishmongery, practical cuisine, pâtisserie and bakery, health, safety, and food hygiene, etc.Change Careers with a Degree in CookingIf learning how to cook is going to be essential for your future career, it’s probably a good idea to have the right education. You’re much more likely to get a loan for your new restaurant if you have a qualified chef on board. Even if it’s probably better to have some experience in managing businesses, it’s the chefs that make a restaurant.Did you know there are university degrees in cooking available?You can learn about molecular cuisine, Italian or Asian food, etc.  Of course, this is just for those who are serious about cooking as a career.Why not try out these easy recipes that will fit in any budget?Cooking requires discipline and concentration. (Source: Pexels)Most co urses run along a traditional academic calendar starting in autumn and breaking up for the summer. If you’re this serious, the cost of the degree will pay for itself once you start working as a professional chef.  For example, the University of West London offers a variety of different culinary degrees and diplomas such as the BSc (Hons) in Culinary Arts Management, MA in Food Business Management, Diploma in Chefs Apprenticeship, and Certificate in General Patisserie and Confectionery.Keep in mind the extra costs, too:Equipment and utensilsBooksProfessional chef’s whitesYou’ll probably have exams in:Theory: Hygiene rules, running a kitchen, product knowledge and health risks, basics of cooking.Creating dishes for multiple people. These will be some of your most important learning opportunities as you’ll be given feedback on what you create.You’ll probably be expected to give presentations on the theory of cooking, too.The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts was set up in 1980 a nd offers a Master of Culinary Arts. This is a highly selective course and only for those with at least 10 years of experience as a chef, pastry chef, or in restaurant management and service. Three of these years need to be at a senior level!There are also apprenticeships offered by the academy. This option is for some very serious chefs at the top of their culinary career.Learn How to Cook in Cooking WorkshopsLearning to cook in a cookery school is part of a chef’s personal and professional journey. However, cooking is certainly about sharing. If that’s what you’re looking for, it’s probably better to sign up for a cooking workshop or cookery courses London.It's a good idea to learn some basic techniques alongside other people. (Source: Pexels)It’s a great way to learn while sharing the experience with others. A chef’s workshop can cover a huge range of different cooking styles:French PâtisserieMacaronsTapasBistrot CookingJapanese cuisineIt completely depends on where you live and the types of schools available. For a lot of these workshops, you can get a single cooking class as a gift for a friend, too.  There are often promotions for certain classes and you can get regular lessons or one-off workshops.You can learn various culinary techniques, daily recipes, how to make famous pastries, or traditional dishes.Some workshops even offer wine-pairing lessons. However, these lessons tend to be more expensive than regular workshops.Which kitchen accessories give the best value for the money?Getting Private Cooking TutorialsTo quickly learn how to cook or improve your techniques, have you thought about hiring a private tutor to help you?Superprof helps students to find the right cooking tutor for them. There are plenty of different tutors and they cost on average £25 per hour.You need to consider a number of factors when choosing your private tutor:Where you liveThe tutor’s experience and qualificationsYour goalsYour budgetChoose your flavours care fully. (Source: monicore)The tutors on Superprof choose their own rates and we don’t take any commission off their hourly rate.  As a student, you’ll have access to all the tutors across the country regardless of what they teach. A student pass costs £19 and allows students to contact as many tutors as they like for one year. They don’t even need to be cooking tutors!The first hour is often free and this can let you get a taste of what the tutor offers. This is rarely a proper lesson but rather for learning about:The teaching styleWhat a typical tutorial is likeThe subjects and themes they’ll coverHow they monitor progressAbove all, it’s a useful opportunity to see how you get along with your tutor. If you don’t get along with them, it might be a better idea to look at other options and get in touch with different tutors. You're going to spend quite a lot of time with just your tutor so make sure you pick the right one!Cooking VocabularyWhen it comes to learning how to cook, you have to also learn the vocabulary. In our articles on cooking, we’re including a few definitions to help you out so make sure you read all the articles.ChopThis usually refers to when you cut something into small pieces. There are plenty of different ways to cut ingredients and it's far more important than you might first think. The shape and size of ingredients can drastically change the way they cook, absorb sauces and liquids, and change their overall texture and flavour!GlazeGlazing meat is when you colour it by regularly re-adding its own juices.Now learn how you can start cooking on a budget...

How to Improve Focus and Concentration - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How to Improve Focus and Concentration - Introvert Whisperer How to Improve Focus and Concentration Have you ever found yourself struggling to remember a word or phrase in a conversation? Or focusing on a book or article for any length of time? Or maybe staying awake and alert at work? The problem isnt necessarily that youre getting old its that your brain is out of shape. Just like our muscles atrophy, so does our ability to concentrate. Fortunately, there are ways to improve your focus and concentration that dont require you to take loads of meds or eat can after can of tuna. Its Not Your Fault But first, a reminder to you: its not your fault. Long working hours, increasing computer usage, and the hectic pace of modern life all affect your brain. Its hard to relax and sleep well at night when youre overworked and under-challenged. Our brains evolved for problem solving and creativity, not for rote tasks and computers. The dopamine-triggering nature of social media and email trains our brains to focus only in short spurts. Fortunately, you can affect how to concentrate and focus at work despite the distracting nature of the job youre in. How to improve focus and concentration: Brain Exercises According to this article by the Wall Street Journal, some brain exercises have been shown to put off dementia. If exercises can improve the brain health of individuals with dementia, imagine what they could do for the rest of us. The goal is to find exercises that teach you how to practice focus and concentration. These include longer puzzles that go beyond the start-and-stop of a crossword or sudoku puzzle. The Snake Cube Puzzle One example of an exercise that works to improve your mental clarity and focus is the Snake Cube Puzzle. Solving the snake cube puzzle isnt as easy as it sounds. What is the snake cube puzzle? Its a wooden toy in the shape of a block that, when separated, looks a bit like a snake or serpent.(Think of a Rubiks Cube that comes apart.) You can buy these for around $10, which makes it a far cheaper solution to brain training than taking some pills or buying a software product. To take it apart and put it back together you have to bend the pieces so that they fit together as a cube. This tests your spatial and geometric awareness and forces you to literally think outside the box. Why It Works There are a couple of reasons why cubes like this work to train your brain how to concentrate and focus. The first is that its tactile. Unlike text on a screen, the block has to be held and manipulated. This triggers the primal parts of our brain, the parts that were activated when we were children playing on the floor and touching everything. We learn through tactile manipulation of our environment, and brain exercises that involve real objects serve to activate those parts. The second reason is because its engaging. The physical nature of it combined with the visual beauty of the wood make it so that you cant just put it down. Youd lose your traction if you put the block down. Instead, you are forced to be engaged until completion, thereby training your brain to focus for longer periods of time. Improving your focus and concentration doesnt take a lot of money. It just takes some ingenuity, some time, and a willingness to sit down and work on a puzzle. Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.  Grab yours by visiting here right now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Singing Tips for Vocal Techniques

Singing Tips for Vocal Techniques Learn New Singing Techniques ChaptersHow to Sing Baritone?How to Hit High Notes?How to Sing in a Deeper Voice?Our daily life is full of sounds. We hear music almost everywhere we go, we gain information by listening, and we produce sounds using our vocal cords in order to talk to people. When we're not talking to people, we're listening to other people talk.  While the spoken language is at the heart of human communication, it’s also a way to express emotion through poetry, theatre, and song.A music school might help you when it comes to learning to sing? (Source: Thibault Trillet)The latter is without a doubt been part of humanity since the beginning of our history and accompanies us on both our saddest and happiest days.  Singing is universal, every time period, civilisation, gender, and race, has had their own type of singing and making music.Let’s have a look at all the different ways you can sing, from the lowest vocal ranges to the highest as well as the most important vocal techniques you should be le arning how to do.Find a voice coach London  or a voice coach anywhere in the UK. TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow to Sing Baritone?Nowadays, when we think of opera singers, there are a few words that often spring up in every conversation.  Among these words, we could mention things like vocalising, vocal ranges, and vibrato.Vibrato is an essential part of being an opera singer and can add depth and a pleasing quality to an yone’s voice. In fact, vibrato is an essential part of any voice’s timbre.Generally, to make this concept a little easier to understand for novices, we can compare vibrato to a trill on a piano (or any other instrument capable of it) where there’s a quick alteration between a semitone or full note.However, vibrato differs from a trill in a few ways. Firstly, the alteration in pitch of vibrato is less than a semitone. Secondly, vibrato occurs at a rate much quicker than most musicians would be able to replicate on any given instrument.Of course, singers can do a trill but this occurs at a far more conscious level than vibrato does since it is alternating rapidly between notes rather than around a single note.Birds are very famous for their singing. Yet they never attend a single class. (Source: pixabay.com)You could say that a person’s vibrato is innate. If they’re young and on top of their game, their vibrato could come to them naturally without any need for taking tutoria ls (if they’re incredibly lucky, too!).On the other hand, the vocal cords tend to tighten over time which cannot be stopped by vocal training (though it can be slowed). The older you are, the harder it will be to find your vibrato or emulate it with age. This is why opera singers, much like professional athletes, have short careers since their bodies are constantly working against them.When it comes to singing, vibrato requires that you relax and carry out thousands upon thousands of breathing exercises.  If you want to master vibrato, you have to be able to do it without forcing it and tiring yourself out. You have to avoid going hoarse!Vibrato is being able to place your voice well without perfectly placing your voice and singing perfectly in key.  This technique can help you avoid trying to replicate a pure and hard recto tono which sounds even worse if you’re off.Every singer will have a moment where this modulation is over the top and seems exaggerated like the stereotypica l opera singer in popular media. However, every singer goes through this so you needn’t be embarrassed about it. Even famous singers start by singing in the shower and then they end up singing in a recording studio.How to Hit High Notes?In the West, singing with a head voice or a falsetto is one of the oldest singing techniques around. No matter what music school you attend or which music teacher teaches you, they’ll be familiar with the idea.But what is the head voice?These are the sounds, without screaming, that are emitted by the head or mouth on its own, unlike the chest voice which requires the participation of diaphragmatic breathing to be achieved.  For a better colortura, valour, and volume, there’s nothing better than the chest voice, of course.This is where the operatic revolution of the 19th century took place with the appearance of the tenor. Thanks largely to Rossini, the operatic high C began to be more commonly sung in a chest voice, a fact that Verdi continued to exploit.  However, this is for a very particular tessitura and for a very particular type of singer and range.  A chest voice is very common amongst baritones and basses.Modern musicians are expected to have stage presence when they perform. (Source: Josh Sorenson)On the other hand, when it comes to the higher ranges, in order to have the agility for a beautiful voice and healthy intonation, you’ll probably have to stay in your head voice.  The nasal cavities, which are used as resonators, are fully exploited alongside the larynx, glottis, and pharynx.It’s important to therefore take care of them by drinking a lot of water and avoiding products that could harm them (like dairy products, wine, and tobacco).  This is the kind of range that countertenors are expected to reach.The baroque style, which includes composers such as Handel, often used this type of vocal range. Resorting to a speech language pathologist or a phoniatrician alongside your vocal coaching can often come wi th a lot of benefits for post-pubescent singers wanting to join the exclusive club of 21st-century countertenors.While changing your voice isn’t an easy thing to do, high notes can be sung by most singers without having to resort to surgery.  Every singer will eventually end up attempting to hit higher and higher notes with the help of their vocal coach (once they’ve mastered the lower notes, of course).These usually come as part of your head voice although they can later on become part of your chest voice with a bit of work. The greatest singers can have a very broad tessitura, like Luciano Pavarotti, who was largely self-taught.Our tutors could help you get to the bottom of the mixed voice, a third voice which rests at the junction between the head voice and the chest voice but is actually considered a juvenile technique in some circles.Learn all the tricks by taking online singing lessons.How to Sing in a Deeper Voice?If you’re not a fan of the high notes and the head voice , here’s where you can find the low powerful notes. Finding your voice amongst the low notes means that you’re able to interpret a large number of different songs.For female singers, the contraltos are those who sing with the lowest voices. For male singers, it’s the basses who sing in the lowest ranges.  Their vocal colour is often referred to as “heroic” and is essential in romantic music and even more so when performing a number of Wagner’s works.The organs around the thorax resonate with incredible force. It goes without saying that if you want to sing in these vocal ranges, you should definitely do some warm up exercises beforehand.  The lower vocal ranges tend to work almost exclusively with the chest voice.Diaphragmatic breathing is more essential than ever meaning that you’ll probably need to enlist the help of a vocal coach or singing teacher.  Additionally, you’ll need to work on taking care of your throat and all the accompanying organs involved.Nowadays, you can get vocal coaching almost anywhere and learn the necessary skills in private tutorials or group classes.  The first thing you’ll need to do is learn how to sing in tune. It’s pretty pointless trying to expand your range or alter your tessitura if you’re yet to have mastered the notes within your range.  Above all, don’t force it and never lower your head when you try to sing the lower notes.Don’t confuse singing with shouting, either. You should try to make your voice carry farther rather than yelling. Imagine you’re making your voice heard to someone far away rather than simply increasing the volume.With all this in mind, we recommend that you find an educator who can help you learn to sing, improve your lower range while ensuring you don’t pick up any bad habits.Vocal technique tutorials can help you to expand your vocal range. (Source: gratisography.com)Your voice is an instrument, after all, and you need to take care of it and work on it by singing in a gro up or performing, for example.Vocal warm ups and working on your elocution are great ways for singers to avoid losing their voice and make good progress.  Don’t forget to also rest your voice regularly and remember that music theory tutorials are always useful for both singers and those wanting to learn to play an instrument be it saxophone, acoustic guitar, piano, etc.You just have to make sure you keep up with your exercises after your singing lessons and, most importantly of all, have fun!

Get Your Child Back-to-School Ready

Get Your Child Back-to-School Ready If your child has enjoyed a leisurely summer of trips to the pool, sleeping in, hanging out with friends and operating on a more relaxed pace than during the school year, you both may be dreading the end of summer, when the backpacks come back out and the routine is back in full swing. Dont fret, however. There are a number of things you can do to prepare for a new school year. During the last few weeks leading up to the first day of school, you can help your child make a smooth transition from summer brain to school brain by following these tips: Move back the clocks. Gradually adjust bedtime and wake-up time to be more consistent with a typical school year schedule. If the evening routine has gotten out of whack during the summer, attempt to re-establish some semblance of structurea set dinnertime, bedtime and reading time will help your child begin to get back into a school-year frame of mind. Load up the backpack. Pull out those school supply lists and head out shoppingand bring your child along. Many teachers provide classroom lists before the school year begins to ensure each student arrives on the first day of school equipped with the tools and supplies they will need. Dont forget to restock the desks at home and have your child clean and organize his or her homework space to get it ready for regular use again. Read up. If your child hasnt been reading much this summer, the end of summer break is an ideal time to start. Take your child to the library once a week and re-establish a nightly reading routine, letting him or her choose the books. You might consider pulling out some of last years reading material or assignments (or even books that he or she has already read) as a refresher. Write once a day. Find ways to incorporate writing into your childs daily activities as school draws nearer. It may be difficult to convince a middle schooler to write a series of essays about summer vacation, but get creative. Write letters to the grandparents. Get your child to help you create a summer scrapbook about a special summer vacation or some fun family outings youve had together. Give your child a new journal for the brand new year and encourage him or her to start filling it with the things about which he or she is excited or nervous. Set goals for a brand new year. Have your child think about and write down several goals for this school year. They can be academic objectives or other thingsimproving a grade or trying out for a sports team, for example. Talk about any challenges he or she faced last year and how to approach this year differently if needed. You could even establish some rewards for your child to earn if he or she meets small milestones along the path toward his or her goals. Review last years work. If you have some of it saved, spend a little time each day reviewing math concepts, spelling words and the like from last year. Older students could review chapter summaries from their prior year textbooks to re-familiarize themselves with what they learned in the previous grade. Even 10 minutes a day will help refresh your childs memory on what he or she knows. Just a few small steps will help your child make a successful transition from vacation mode to school mode. With a little effort in the final few weeks of summer, your child will be mentally preparedand ready to make it a great school year by the time the first bell rings.

The 4 Basic Principles of Problem Solving - Private Tutoring

The 4 Basic Principles of Problem Solving BobbiM May 23, 2014 Lets tackle problems!! Follow these four principles to become a master at solving problems.  You got this. By adopting a systematic approach to Problem Solving, you will have a clear, concise method for thinking your way to a response. You wont waste time by attacking a problem in a tentative or haphazard manner. A systematic approach will ensure that you find the most efficient solution to the problem and that you make as few careless and unnecessary errors as possible. 1. Develop the ability to decipher question stems quickly. Learn to quickly recognize exactly what youre being asked. 2. Decide how much effort to put into each question. Depending on where you are on the test, you might be better off guessing and saving time for other questions. Only you know what type if questions give you a particular trouble. If youre not that good at ratios and hit a ratio question in the second half of the test, you should move through it quickly to allow time to answer other questions more completely. 3. Consider alternative methods. If the question seems as if it will take too long to solve, look for shortcuts. There are many different ways to solve a given math question. Remember, youre not looking for an ideal method for everybody but the fastest method for you. Time is a key element on standardized exams, so you should maximize the value of your time with shortcuts or alternative methods. The Kaplan Method is all about time management. The right method is whatever method is quickest for you. -Picking Numbers Picking Numbers is a powerful alternative to solving problems by brute force. Rather than trying to work with unknown variables, you pick concrete values for the variables. Any answer choice that does not work for the concrete values cannot be the correct answer. How does Picking Numbers work? -Pick simple numbers to stand in for the variables. The usefulness f the strategy depends in large part on your ability to pick convenient numbers. -Try all the answer choices, ditching those that dont agree with the question information. Remember to keep the values youve picked for the variables constant throughout the problem. -Try different values when more than one answer choice works. Sometimes more than one choice will give the right answer. If that happens, pick some new numbers. The correct choice must work for all possible numbers. When you encounter a problem that contains variables, think of Kaplan alternative approaches to Problem Solving. Very often, Picking Numbers and substituting is quicker than any mathematical calculation. -Backsolving. Backsolving is a strategy that allows you to use the answer choices to work backward through the question stem. You plug the answer choices into the question to see which one works. The answer choice that agrees with the information in the question stem is correct. Youve probably used this strategy unconsciously when you ran into a multiple-choice question that you found difficult. Backsolving can save a great deal of time if you use it wisely. It is an exceptional method for solving questions when you have no idea where to begin on a problem. 4. Guess if youre stumped. If you simply cannot solve an equation using regular math or an alternative method, sometimes thats the time to make an educated guess. The key to good guessing is the elimination if wrong answer choices. Many questions will have answer choices that are obviously wrong or dont make sense. If you can eliminate some wrong choices using common sense, make a good guess and move on. Kaplans 4-step method for problem solving. Now that youve got a grip on the basic principles of Problem Solving, lets look at how to attack the questions youll see on the test. 1. Read through the whole question. Determine exactly what the question is asking. Is the question or situation complicated? 2. Decide how much effort to put into question. Is this the sort of question you normally do well on? Will you be able to solve it quickly? Be aware of where you are in the test and how much time you have left. 3. Choose the fastest approach to the answer. Choose the approach that you feel most comfortable with. Questions are often deliberately confusing and contain traps for the unwary. 4. Select an answer. Answer every question. Eliminate answer choices whenever you can. The more unlikely answer choices you can eliminate, the better your chances of guessing correctly. And if youre running out of time and several questions remain, make sure to answer each question by guessing something.