As part of this series of articles previewing my Ultimate Music Mastery for Yoga and Ecstatic Dance Teachers course, I want to share with you TWO really significant but incredibly simple steps you can take toward an often overlooked advantage…

What is that advantage?

Gaining creative control over the music library in the device you take to your classes.

In my last note to you, I suggested that you TURN OFF Autosynch before attaching your iPod, iPad or iPhone to the iTunes program on your computer.

Now don’t panic —in the course I am creating right now, I will guide you step by step through all the advice I am sharing that will take your music game from novice to expert, and allow you to create even more powerful, fun and meaningful experiences for your community!

The two tips I am going to offer next are in-line with the basic principle behind turning off autosynch: the more you have control over which music you add to your device, and how it is organized, the more you will be familiar with the palette you use to creatively paint the soundscape of your classes.

This is HUGE!

It is the difference between a music library permanently (and lazily) on shuffle, and the vibe created by a teacher who is selecting songs, poetry, and themes to meet the energy of the room in a coherent, focused and potent way.

It is about becoming a facilitator who can turn on a dime and instantly have options at their fingertips in response to the needs of the moment.

Sound good? It feels GREAT.

These kinds of techie tips are just one aspect of what the Ultimate Music Mastery online video course will give you…. Registration is NOW OPEN until January 16th when we start!

So, here are today’s two FREE tips:

1) Turn OFF “iTunes Match.”

At first iTunes Match sounds like a great idea, right?

Keep it turned on and whatever you do on your main iTunes library will automatically show up on your external devices —how convenient!

Not really.

Not if you want to have a well-organized, creative, unique library on your external device that YOU control, and (importantly) which will be distinct from your larger and usually more chaotic iTunes library invery significant ways.

iTunes Match is basically permanent autosynch, without even plugging your device into the computer… We don’t want that.

I learned this one the hard way, because on my iPad I would create all sorts of inspired new playlists that were not on my main iTunes, and guess what: they would suddenly disappear whenever the device updated and took my main iTunes library as the standard.

When I turned it off, I stopped feeling that all of this creative work, time and energy was just being lost in this frustrating and disappointing way!

2) Turn Off the iCloud on your device.

Are you noticing the theme here?!

The “Cloud” is another convenient automated way to have all your music available on all your devices. (Don’t get me started on how iTunes is essentially creating a monopoly with these and other strategies…)

Now, I am not saying that you should NEVER use the Cloud…. But turn it on briefly in order to maybe add songs you have purchased recently on your main computer, OR to browse through your larger library and choose specific tracks to pull down from the Cloud onto your device.

Then turn it OFF.

Why?

Because if you permanently have the Cloud turned on, you will see ALL the music you have ever bought or uploaded to iTunes every time you scroll through songs on your external device…..

Over time, this is overwhelming, and overshadows the songs and playlists you have specifically chosen as the pool you draw from for your classes.

It contributes to feeling disorganized and spoiled for choice, and (trust me) it actually reduces how creative and effective you are going to be with your music.

In the moment, no-one can get their brains around an endless parade of choices  —plus the songs in the Cloud will be listed but not instantly available (you have to go through the download process and be connected to wifi): so instead of of the constant confusion and tease, turn it on only when you want to do the prep work of scrolling through songs to actually include in the library on your device, and then TURN IT OFF.

More FREE tips and details on the upcoming course to follow!

** Registration is now OPEN Until the course starts on January 16th! —Find Out More!