Music Education for the Digital Age
Formal or casual? What’s your preferred way to write? Writing for musicians is an essential skill. Even though you may not be a professional writer, you have to articulate your thoughts clearly and efficiently.
Academic writing requires a formal tone while blog writing can be more casual. Musicians should be able to write in a variety of styles to fit the context. You don’t want to write an email the same way as you would a paper. Continue reading “Academic vs. Blog Writing for Musicians”
A couple of weeks ago, we talked about why you should have a website. The next thing to figure out is how to build a website, especially if you don’t have much of a budget. Websites are surprisingly cheap and easy to create, and you can even get started for free.
There are tons of website builders you can use to create your website, but I am going focus on using WordPress. I currently use WordPress, and I am super happy with it. My website is easy to customize, and I can even add and change content on the go with the WordPress app. Continue reading “How to Build a Website”
The internet is amazing. You have access to a world of information, all at the tap of a button. You also have the ability to reach reach people all over the world, all at the tap of a button. That is why you, yes, YOU need a website…and a blog.
I have been blogging for about five years now, and it has helped me grow not just as a writer but also as a musician and teacher. A blog allows you to share updates with students and followers. Continue reading “Should You Have a Website?”
Hey all. I know I don’t normally post on Saturdays, but…
I’ve got a confession. I’m not a huge fan of the name “Killer Harmony.” I chose the name almost two years ago now, but I don’t really feel like it fits the blog. I was a college junior; I had just thought I lost my entire blog. It was time for a change.
I don’t regret the name Killer Harmony. It’s a cool name. But it’s not the best. So, I think it’s time for a change. I want to share it with you before I actually make the change, so you know it’s coming.
I have a few names in mind, and I want to share them, and my thoughts, with all of you.
I have grown and changed a lot in the last two years. I finished college and moved back home. And I found a “big girl” day job. Over the past two years, I have come to realize that Killer Harmony is not a very professional name. It’s cute and spunky, but it’s not professional.
I care about music and blogging, and I want to take it seriously. It’s hard to take a blog with a cute, spunky name seriously.
I know the change will be hard. I’ll have to make sure everything transfers correctly, and that you can continue to find my blog and all its content.
My blog has grown. It’s still very small, but it has grown and changed just as much as I have. I need a name that reflects that change and that can work for me for years to come.
Killer Harmony is a great name for a hobby blog, but I want this to be more than that. I want to create a community of flutists and other musicians. I want to share tips and tricks and to advocate for music education…for all ages.
There’s a lot I want to do with this blog, and I need a name that can handle that.
I have narrowed the options down to two different names.
The first one is my full name: Hannah Haefele.
It’s clear that it’s my website, and it allows me to do what I want.
It’s also hard to spell and pronounce.
The second option I’m considering is Hannah B Flute.
B is my middle initial, so it represents me and what I write about. As long as I write about flute or music.
But it’s catchier and easier to spell than my full name.
I’m really leaning toward Hannah B Flute. I love the flow of the name, and I don’t see myself drifting from writing about music anytime soon.
I have been thinking about changing the blog name for awhile now, and I really think it’s time. The name Killer Harmony just doesn’t do it for me. Though, the name will still be found on older posts, and I plan on making sure all of the current links will work with the new domain!
So be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter (@HannahHaefele)! I really want this to be a community, so I want your input!
For this part of my “On an iPad” series, I decided to write about social media. Most of the time I spend on social media is on my iPad. The wide variety of apps make it easy to keep up with different social networks on the go.
I have the same method for social media on an iPad as on my iPhone, and so I am going to be referencing both devices throughout this post. Social media is great to view/use on an iPad, and I actually prefer it to my laptop.
There is an app for almost every social media platform. I use Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest each day. If you follow blogs with Bloglovin (which I don’t recommend), they have an app.
You can use the Instagram app for iPhone on an iPad, but it will show some blank parts on the screen since the iPhone and iPad have different dimensions. Another app that I like to use, though it’s not really a social network, is YouTube. I follow vloggers on there, and I like to watch videos on my iPad.
I also like to use my iPad and iPhone to manage my social media. For this, I use apps like Hootsuite and Buffer to schedule posts. I also have the app version of Canva, a graphic design website. That way, I can create graphics for social media posts on the go.
If you are looking for apps to help manage or use your social media, a simple search in the app store is a great way to find cool apps. There are apps that will allow you to do just about anything.
Some people use the Crowdfire app to track followers and unfollowers. I know that you can have different apps to manage Facebook groups and pages, too.
I like to schedule tweets, usually the night before they go out live. I use either Hootsuite or Buffer. Depending on my goals for the next day, I will chose one or the other. Buffer comes with a set schedule, whereas Hootsuite (the app version) saves hashtags I use in scheduled posts.
If you want me to do a full comparison, let me know!
For Facebook, I just use the main app. They do have separate apps for pages and groups, but I only have so much space for apps.
I like to use main apps, like Facebook or Twitter, to reply to people in real time. Scheduling retweets works for some, but I like to do it as I go. It makes me seem more human and less machine.
YES! Using a phone or tablet for social media is amazing. A lot of social media networks have better mobile interfaces than their website counterparts.
Social media is always changing and being updated, and it is super important to stay up to date. Having access to your favorite social networks on the go is a necessity, and it is easy with the different apps out there.
Of course, you don’t want to get too sidetracked with social media. If you need to get some “real” work done, you need to keep yourself off of Twitter and Instagram. You can always check in during a work break.
Unless you have no space left on your device for new apps (and you can’t bear the thought of deleting anything), you should definitely have at least a couple of your social media accounts ready to go. Social media apps make staying connected super easy.
If you spend a lot of time on your phone, it can be easy to get distracted with social media. You just have to make sure that you are not sacrificing your work in the process.
Keeping it to one or two social networks on your iPad or iPhone is a great way to still keep up with friends and family while also not giving you too much of an excuse to not do your work.
What do you use to stay connected on the go? What are your favorite social media apps? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@HannahHaefele)!
Thanks for reading!