Now that you have bought your instrument, the most important thing to do is get it insured.

First of all, research companies to find the best policy for your needs. Some companies include instruments under a homeowner’s insurance policy; others offer protection only for instruments. Check online for names of companies.

Next, know the conditions of the policy. Many companies do not cover something that is called “unavoidable theft.” That means if you left your instrument unattended in a place that anyone can access such as a rehearsal studio, the company will not cover the theft. If your house was broken into and your instrument stolen, that is different, but make sure theft is included in the policy.

I've recently seen some of my teachers really go above and beyond in implementing music therapy strategies in the classroom. They've sung when introducing academic concepts. They've sung when prompting communication. They've sung and used instruments to motivate their students to make requests. They've consistently applied the materials I provide to them consultatively.

It's really amazing to see that music therapy has made an impact, not only on my clients, but also on the people who work with them all day, every day.

I've even seen teachers whose students are only assessed--who may not even qualify for services--that have been open to new ways of reaching their kids. And many people just are not comfortable or confident in their singing voices, yet they are making this effort for the benefit of their students.

So, to these teachers I say: "Thank you".

To fellow music therapists, I say: "Continue to educate. It will pay off!"

See them at Jameson's in Waterloo, March 30th, 8:30pm

Albert Jackson knew he'd touched a nerve when neurosurgeon Tim Ryken tracked him down outside the operating room.

"I saw Tim in the hallway and he had a serious look on his face," said the anesthesiologist, recalling the moment for the rest of the members of Delayed Gratification. "He said: 'Did you have to tell everybody? We don't even know if we can play yet.'"

The West Music practice room erupted with laughter. This winter Jackson and three other area doctors who met through connections with Covenant Medical Center traded their stethoscopes and scalpels for drum sticks and guitar strings as participants in the store's Weekend Warrior musician training program. University of Northern Iowa business professor Mike Klassen joins the group on keys. The band's first performance is March 30 at Jameson's Public House in downtown Waterloo.

Let your inner rock star out!

It's nasty out and you're actually tired of watching TV, so dust off that instrument that's in the ________ (insert appropriate word such as: closet; basement; attic; under bed; garage).

Ok, so you didn’t stick with it the first time, and you were too busy and whatever other excuses caused you to hide away the instrument in the first place. But now's the perfect time to dig it out and just have some fun!

You don't have to be perfect! Just think about sports: what if no one ever played miniature golf, family reunion softball/volleyball, or 1-on-1 basketball because they were scared they were not "playing right"?

If your sister is humming, it might be taken as a sign of happiness. But if your sound system is humming, it can be taken as a sign that someone has made an improper connection or placed wires where they don’t belong.

The two most common causes of sound system hums are ground loops and induction.

First, a discussion about ground loops. It starts with the Service Entrance Section (SES), that big gray box outside buildings that delivers electrical (AC) power. If you take a look at an SES, you may well see a heavy copper wire that is connected to a long copper rod (called a Ufer ground) driven about six feet deep into the ground. As you might have guessed, this is how a building's electrical system is grounded.

Now, for purposes of discussion, let's assume the SES is located outside the northeast corner of a church. Moving inside, let’s assume the mixing console is also positioned in the northeast corner, and is plugged into a circuit fed from the interior breaker panel only 10 feet away.

Whereas March is designated as “Music in Our Schools Month” and in light of

Tuesday March 30th Jameson’s in Waterloo is going to be invaded by West Music’s Weekend Warriors.

At 7:00PM the teen band “Dead Innocence,” made up of local talent, will take the stage to wow the crowd with current and classic hard rock hits including “Enter Sandman” and “21st Century Break Down.” Dead Innocence premiers with Conner Andrews on drums, Tyler Russell and Chris Woodruff on guitar, Tom Bartlett rocks out on bass guitar, vocalist Nathan Carignan rounds out the band. Come early to get a good seat to see this band!

First off, Marshall’s history is legendary. Making amplifiers for guitarists for almost 50 years Rock-N-Roll would not be the same without this iconic brand. Van Halen, Green Day, Clapton, Tool, Megadeath, Kiss, The Who, Led Zepplin...The list is long and impressive.

So, we get this new Marshall MG102FX amp into the store. It is a 100 watt 2x12 combo that has all the familiar visuals: black cloth speaker grill, white logo and gold faceplate. It looks pretty extreme sitting on one of those Gator amp transport case things (perfect fit).

Let’s plug an ESP Eclipse into this bad boy. Turn the Master Volume, Mod and Delay controls all the way down. Turn all the other knobs up to 12 O’clock. Fire it up with the round power switch to the right. First thing you will notice are all the mode LEDs. Some indicate what channel you are currently in (this is a 4 channel amp by the way). Others give you status on your FX settings.

"Music is the one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend."

Out of many composers, Beethoven's music seems to speak to me the most. About Beethoven, I decided to freshen up my knowledge of him. Here's a general summary:

"Beethoven is acknowledged as one of the giants of classical music. He was also a pivotal figure in the transition from 18th century musical classicism to 19th century romanticism, and his influence on subsequent generations of composers was profound.

"Beethoven composed in several musical genres, and for a variety of instrument combinations. His works for symphony orchestra include nine symphonies and about a dozen pieces of "occasional" music. He wrote nine concerti for one or more soloists and orchestra, as well as four shorter works that include soloists accompanied by orchestra. His only opera is Fidelio; other vocal works with orchestral accompaniment include two masses and a number of shorter works.

Cathy is a board certified music therapist with experience in public schools in Ohio and Texas since 1974. She welcomes your comments or questions about situations you encounter in music class. Contact Cathy at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit her resources http://FAQautism.com and http://MusicWorksPublications.com