The Beatnik

Texas Amps and Axes Blog Posts

Jackie Carmona

Setting Goals in Music Practice

You know how every recipe needs just a pinch of salt to bring all the flavors together? Forget it, and suddenly the whole dish tastes flat. That’s exactly what goals do for your child’s music practice — they’re the salt in our Practice Pie.

Music & ADHD: The Secret Focus Tool for Gifted Kids

Music doesn’t just float in the background — it gives the brain a workout. It activates multiple regions at the same time: the parts that handle focus, memory, and emotional regulation all light up together. That’s especially helpful for ADHD brains, which thrive when there’s enough stimulation to keep them engaged without tipping over into distraction.

Growth Mindset in Practice

These days, growth mindset has become something of a buzzword, but it’s an incredibly useful concept for both parents and teachers. A growth mindset is simply the belief that you can get better at something through effort and practice. The opposite is a fixed mindset — the idea that “I’m just not good at that” or “I’m not musical.”

Listening – The Secret to Better Music Practice

I want to talk about a part of practice that’s often completely forgotten — listening. This can be the biggest difference between musical households and non-musical ones. When people say, “Oh, I came from a musical family,” what they usually mean is that music was played and listened to at home. Those two things go hand-in-hand.

Studio News – Winter 2025 Recital

The stage lights are warming up, the excitement is building, and it’s time to celebrate all the hard work our students have put in this semester—our Winter 2025 Recitals are here! Please take a moment to read through the details below to help ensure a smooth and memorable recital experience for your family.