Did you know that piano lessons are good for you? The most intricately and perfectly coordinated of all voluntary movements in the animal kingdom are those of the human hand and fingers, and perhaps in no other human activity do memory, complex integration, and muscular coordination surpass the achievements of the skilled pianist. Homer W….
How long a student needs to practice piano each day is different for each person. Is there a magic number that produces great students? No, not in my 30+ years of experience teaching piano. Julliard students practice 5-8 hours a day but that would ruin most any beginner’s desire to learn piano. What about 10 minutes a day? Can…
Tracking practice minutes is important Did you have to practice piano a set amount of time each day? Some teachers encourage setting a buzzer, while others suggest a set time each day for practice …but did you know that keeping track of practice minutes is very helpful for both students and teachers? Teachers need to…
Scales are our friends When I learned scales, it was a monotonous experience. It was a weekly thing, done drearily each practice and before we could get to the songs. There was never a reason given, I just had to do them. Like eating my vegetables. When I teach scales, I explain they are like…
Use Patterns to boost piano student Progress There are so many ways to teach music but one that keeps students progressing fastest is when we teach them to find patterns in their songs. From PreSchool or Kindergarrten, children are taught to identify A B patterns and how they repeat. Music has these same patterns. There…
Colored Pencils in Every Class When I discovered the magic that colored pencils could create in my classroom with flashcards, I began keeping them close in every piano lesson. When someone struggles to find a note, I simply mark the closest C on the page. I simply give a little colored reminder of where the…
Case In Point I once had a piano student named Emily. Emily was only 4 years old when she started taking piano lessons for beginners, and I was hesitant because I was unsure that she would be mature enough. However, the parents insisted that she was because Emily was already reading, Emily was ready. I…
Games for Practice Rewards Does this scenario sound familiar to you? You have a student learning piano, you’ve purchased the books, materials and carpool to get your student to his piano lessons. You have a good practice routine set up at home but your busy lives keep ruining this planned routine. Now what? Some…
Developing Successful Piano Practice Do you want to help your piano student learn to practice without cajoling and nagging each day? I encourage use of routines to reward practice and establish great practicing habits. Everyone knows practice is the key to success whether it’s making a cake, playing soccer or learning to drive a car….
How do you see progress with your child’s piano lessons? Read my blog to learn how. Plus, there’s a freebie!