Learning Music the Smart Way – Why Bach Still Has It Right

There’s a funny thing about learning music…

Everyone wants to play the piece — the big dramatic number, the one that makes the neighbours think you’re a genius.

But very few people want to do the boring bits that actually make you good.

And that’s where Johann Sebastian Bach quietly smiles from the 1700s and says…

“I solved this problem 300 years ago.”

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The Well-Tempered Secret

Bach wrote The Well-Tempered Clavier, which sounds grand (and it is), but at its heart…

…it’s a training manual.

• 24 keys
• Each with a Prelude (technique builder)
• And a Fugue (brain workout of the highest order)

Then he thought… “That worked well.”

So he wrote another entire book of it.

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So What’s Going On Here?

This isn’t just music.

It’s deliberate practice.

Each piece sneaks in:

• Finger independence
• Hand coordination
• Reading fluency
• Musical phrasing
• And the terrifying ability to think in multiple voices at once

You don’t notice you’re doing exercises…

…but you’re getting better.

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Why It Still Works Today

Modern learners often:

• Jump straight to difficult pieces
• Skip fundamentals
• Wonder why progress stalls

Bach’s approach is the opposite:

Do lots of small, structured challenges
Cover every key and pattern
Build skill without even thinking about it

It’s exactly the same idea as:

• Practising past papers in maths
• Repeating experiments in science
• Doing manoeuvres again and again in sailing

(Yes… even tacking badly 20 times before getting it right )

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The Real Lesson (Not Just for Musicians)

The genius of The Well-Tempered Clavier is not just the music.

It’s the method:

Don’t avoid exercises — disguise them as something interesting.

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And It’s Not Just Bach…

Others followed similar ideas:

• Frédéric Chopin – Études (beautiful but brutal)
• Carl Czerny – endless technical drills
• Claude Debussy – studies hidden in art

Some are obviously “exercises”…
Bach just hid his better.

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Final Thought

If your practice feels too easy… you’re not improving.
If it feels impossible… you won’t stick with it.

Bach found the sweet spot:

Challenging enough to grow
Interesting enough to keep going

 

Editing Video in DaVinci Resolve – Adding Stills & Clips Without Losing Your Mind

There comes a moment in every video project where you sit back, look at your footage, and think:

This needs something… but what?”

That “something” is often cutaway clips, still images, or overlays — and this is where DaVinci Resolve really shines.

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Why Add Stills and Extra Clips?

If your video is just one long talking head… people switch off.

Adding visuals:

• Breaks up the monotony
• Reinforces what you’re saying
• Keeps attention (especially online learners)
• Makes you look far more professional than you actually feel

In teaching videos (especially science), this is gold:

• Show the experiment
• Zoom into the apparatus
• Add diagrams or results
• Overlay graphs or equations

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Adding a Still Image (The Easy Win)

Steps:

1. Import your image into the Media Pool
2. Drag it onto the timeline (above your main video if you want it as an overlay)
3. Adjust the duration by dragging the edges
4. Use the Inspector to:
   • Resize
   • Position
   • Add a gentle zoom (Ken Burns effect)

Tip: A slow zoom makes still images feel like video — otherwise it can feel a bit “PowerPointy”.

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Adding Cutaway Clips (B-Roll Magic)

This is where the magic happens.

Steps:

1. Place your main footage on Track 1
2. Drop your cutaway clip onto Track 2 (above it)
3. Trim it to cover awkward edits or pauses
4. Keep your original audio running underneath

Result:
Your mistakes disappear
Your video feels intentional
You look like you planned it all along

(We both know you didn’t — but no one else needs to know that.)

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Timing Is Everything

The biggest mistake?

❌ Leaving images on screen too long
❌ Or flashing them too quickly

Rule of thumb:

• 2–5 seconds for most visuals
• Match visuals to what you're saying
• Change something every few seconds to keep engagement

 Useful DaVinci Resolve Tools

• Inspector → resize, crop, zoom
• Transform controls → position overlays
• Cross Dissolve → smooth transitions
• Cut page → fast edits
• Edit page → precise control

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Teaching Tip (From the Lab)

In your science videos:

• Show the real experiment
• Cut to a diagram
• Then back to you explaining

This creates a loop:
See it → Understand it → Apply it

And that’s where learning actually sticks.

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Final Thought

Editing isn’t about cutting clips…

It’s about telling a story visually.

If every image, clip, and overlay answers:
“Will this help someone understand better?”

…you’re doing it right.

 

New Learning Skills and Techniques (That Actually Work!)

We often talk about working harder… but very rarely about working smarter.

After 40 years in teaching (and still learning new things myself — sailing included!), one thing is clear:

The students who succeed aren’t always the cleverest
They are the ones who use the best learning techniques

So here are some modern (and proven) learning strategies that really do make a difference.

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1. Retrieval Practice – Stop Rereading!

Reading notes again feels productive… but it isn’t.

The real learning happens when you:

• Close the book
• Write down everything you remember
• Check what you missed

It feels harder — because it is harder — and that’s exactly why it works.

Learning is not about recognition… it’s about recall.

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2. Spaced Learning – Don’t Cram

Cramming might get you through a test… but not much further.

Instead:

• Study a topic
• Leave it
• Come back days later
• Then again a week later

This strengthens memory over time.

Think of it like sailing — one quick trip doesn’t make you a sailor… regular outings do.

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3. Interleaving – Mix It Up

Students love doing:

• 10 identical questions in a row

But exams don’t work like that.

Try this instead:

• Mix topics (algebra + geometry + graphs)
• Switch between problem types

This trains your brain to recognise what method to use, not just how to use it.

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4. Teaching Others – The Ultimate Test

If you can explain it simply… you understand it.

Try:

• Teaching a friend
• Explaining to a parent
• Even talking to yourself (we all do it…) 

If you get stuck explaining — that’s exactly where your learning gap is.

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5. The “Traffic Light” System 🚦

A simple but powerful idea:

• 🔴 Red = Don’t understand
• 🟠 Amber = Getting there
• 🟢 Green = Confident

Go through the syllabus and label everything.

👉 Start with red — not green. That’s where the marks are hiding.

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6. Dual Coding – Words + Pictures

Combine:

• Notes
• Diagrams
• Mind maps

This helps the brain process information in multiple ways.

Especially powerful in science (circuits, forces, cells…) and even maths.

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7. Practice Under Pressure

Don’t just learn — practise like the real thing.

• Timed questions
• Past papers
• No notes

Because knowing something calmly at your desk… is very different to recalling it in an exam hall.

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Final Thought

Learning isn’t about talent.

It’s about:

• Technique
• Consistency
• And a willingness to get things wrong while improving

And yes… it’s a bit like sailing.

You don’t learn by reading about it —
you learn by getting in the boat, wobbling a bit… and trying again.

 

How to Start Learning in Class (Not Just Turning Up)

There is a big difference between being in a lesson and actually learning in a lesson.

I’ve taught for over 40 years, and I can tell you this:
Some students sit in every lesson… and learn very little.
Others actively engage… and seem to absorb everything.

The good news?
Learning in class is a skill — and you can learn it.

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🎯 1. Turn Up With a Plan (Not Just a Pencil)

Walking into a lesson thinking “let’s see what happens” is not a strategy.

Instead, try:

• What topic are we covering today?
• What did I not understand last lesson?
• What question do I want answered?

Even a simple goal like:

“Today I will understand internal resistance properly”

…puts your brain into active mode.

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🧠 2. Switch From Passive to Active Listening

Passive listening:

• Nodding
• Copying notes
• Letting it wash over you

Active listening:

• Asking “why?”
• Predicting what comes next
• Spotting patterns

A simple trick:
👉 Every 5 minutes, ask yourself:
“Could I explain this to someone else?”

If the answer is no… you’ve found your gap.

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✍️ 3. Don’t Copy Notes — Process Them

Many students think writing everything down = learning.

It doesn’t.

Try instead:

• Summarise in your own words
• Add diagrams or sketches
• Write a question next to anything unclear

Your notes should look like your thinking, not the teacher’s script.

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❓ 4. Ask Questions (Even the “Silly” Ones)

Here’s the truth:
The question you’re afraid to ask…
…is usually the one half the class doesn’t understand either.

Good questions:

• “Why does that happen?”
• “What would happen if…?”
• “Is this always true?”

Great learners are not quiet.
They are curious.

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🔄 5. Use the “Pause and Check” Method

At key points in the lesson:

• Pause mentally
• Check what you understand
• Identify what you don’t

Then:

• Ask
• Or make a note to revisit

This stops confusion from snowballing.

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🧪 6. Get Involved (Especially in Practical Subjects)

In science (my favourite!):

• Don’t just watch — do
• Don’t just follow — think why
• Don’t just record — interpret

The students who learn fastest are the ones who:
👉 Adjust the experiment
👉 Predict results
👉 Question the outcome

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🧩 7. Link It to What You Already Know

Your brain loves connections.

Ask:

• “Where have I seen this before?”
• “How does this link to last topic?”

Example:
Electricity → Internal resistance → Energy loss → Heating effect

Suddenly it’s not separate facts — it’s a system.

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⏱️ 8. The 2-Minute Rule at the End

Before leaving the classroom:

• Write 2 key things you learned
• Write 1 thing you still don’t understand

This is incredibly powerful.

It turns a lesson into:
👉 Learning + direction for next time

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🚀 Final Thought

Lessons are not performances to watch.

They are opportunities to:

• Think
• Question
• Explore
• Make mistakes (safely!)

If you leave every lesson thinking:

“I understand this better than when I walked in”

…you’re doing it right.

 

Exam Technique – 5 Things That Really Make a Difference

There’s a common myth in education:

“If I just revise enough… I’ll do well in the exam.”

If only it were that simple.

After 40 years of teaching, I can tell you this with absolute certainty:

👉 Students don’t just lose marks because they don’t know things…
👉 They lose marks because they don’t show what they know.

Exam technique is the difference between a Grade 5 and a Grade 7…
or a B and an A.

Here are 5 things that really make a difference 👇

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1️⃣ Read the Question Properly (Yes, Really!) RTFQ

This sounds obvious… but it’s the biggest mark loser.

Students skim-read, spot a keyword, and jump straight in.

Classic mistakes:

• “Explain” vs “Describe”
• Missing “Compare”
• Ignoring “Using the data”

👉 Top tip:
Underline the command word and key instruction.

If it says:

• “Explain using the graph” → You MUST refer to the graph
• “Calculate” → You need working AND an answer

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2️⃣ Answer What Is Asked – Not What You Know

Students often write everything they know about a topic…
…and still lose marks.

Why?

Because the mark scheme is very specific.

👉 If the question is:

“Give two reasons…”

Then:

• One reason = ❌ incomplete
• Three reasons = ❌ wasted time

👉 Top tip:
Match your answer to the number of marks.

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3️⃣ Show Your Working (Even If You’re Not Sure)

In maths and science especially, method marks are gold.

Even if the final answer is wrong, you can still pick up marks.

👉 Example:

• Correct method, wrong arithmetic → still earns marks
• No working → zero marks

👉 Top tip:
Write something. Always.

Examiners can’t give marks for what’s in your head.

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4️⃣ Structure Longer Answers (Stop Rambling!)

For 4–6 mark questions, structure is everything.

Think PEEL:

• Point
• Evidence
• Explain
• Link

👉 Example:

• Make a clear point
• Support it with data or knowledge
• Explain why it matters
• Link back to the question

👉 Top tip:
If your answer looks like one long paragraph… it probably needs organising.

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5️⃣ Check Your Work (Properly, Not Hopefully!)

The final minutes of an exam are often wasted.

Students “look over” their work… but don’t actually check anything.

👉 What you should check:

• Units (huge mark loser!)
• Signs (+ / -)
• Missing answers
• Silly mistakes

👉 Top tip:
Re-do one calculation from scratch—it often reveals errors.

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Final Thought

Exams are not just a test of knowledge.

They are a test of:

• understanding
• communication
• and technique

👉 The students who do best are not always the ones who know the most…
👉 They’re the ones who use what they know effectively.