Music Radio » beginner piano lessons

Piano Lessons Creating A Practice Environment For Beginners

Music Radio — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:59:36 +0000

Piano students can improve their progress by making improvements to their practice environment. Making some simple changes to the practice environment can help students learn more, especially young beginning students. Too often students compare themselves to experts they see on television and their teacher without considering what went on behind the scenes to make that happen. Parents can help their beginner gain a more realistic perspective about what needs to go on behind the scenes at home so that students make the progress they want to make and feel good about their lessons.

The practice environment will do one of two things.

1. It will detract from learning; or

2. It will support learning.

Make a list of things in the environment that support learning. Make another list of things in the environment that create distractions. Since kids tend to self-distract a lot, the environment needs to be as helpful as possible. Here are ten examples of factors that detract from the learning environment. You can probably think of more.

Practice Environment Distractions

1. No routine practice time established.

2. Busy running errands with parents so no time is left for practice.

3. Television is on in the piano practice room.

4. Friends coming to play at practice time.

5. Eating snacks at the piano during practice.

6. Music books scattered around the floor, they get lost or ?misplaced.?

7. Pets or younger siblings demand student?s attention.

8. No routine practice time established.

9. Busy running errands with parents leaving no time left for practice.

10. Keyboard is moved to student?s bedroom where they isolated during practice.

Supportive Practice Environment

Online Piano A Great Place To Find Home Piano Activities For Kids

Music Radio — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:03:09 +0000

Piano lessons have so many benefits for children, such as improved math skills, improved reading skills, and improved overall educational progress. Parents don?t want their children to miss out on this fun, educational experience. The fact is, however, the earlier your child begins piano lessons the more they will benefit. Many parents wait until their children are 9, or 10, or 14 years old to finally enroll their child in piano lessons. Why? The excuse most often stated by parents for this delay is, ?I?m not quite sure my child is ready for piano lessons.? Here?s what parents need to understand about waiting to give their children piano lessons.

Music is a language. Young children are programmed to absorb languages. So waiting to give your child piano lessons doesn?t really make sense. Here?s what you can do, however, to make sure your young child is ready for piano lessons. Just as parents can teach their young children pre-skills for learning to read at home they can also teach their young children foundational music language pre-skills at home. But to do this well, parents need the right materials to guide them in a step-by-step process so learning goes smoothly for their child. Today there is no reason why this should be dificult.

In the past music educators have tended to view themselves and their profession as an elite group with special talent others should be so lucky to have. Music materials were often couched in unnecesarily technical language that made learning inaccessible to the ?lay person.? With the advent of the internet this is no longer true. In fact, piano teachers who still operate under this dogmatic perspective are shooting themselves in the foot, while other piano teachers are sharing what they know with the world, so that everyone benefits from the gift of music.

If you’re a parents of a young child don?t hesitate to enroll them in piano lessons. But first prepare them for piano success at home. This way you won?t have to worry about whether or not your child is ready for piano, because you’ll know that they are. You may even decide to take piano lessons yourself.

For great home piano activities parents can use to help children ages 5 to 11 develop their musical talent, visit Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources You?ll find a treasure box filled with piano resources to create an exciting musical adventure for your child – right in your own home! Visit their website and subscribe to their f?ree internet newsletter so you can download f?ree piano sheet music and mp3s of original piano compositions.

These exciting stories, games, piano lessons, and inspirational gifts feature the Piano Adventure Bears, Mrs. Treble Beary and her new piano student, Albeart Littlebud. Young students follow along with Albeart to learn what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that kids readily understand appreciate. Click here to visit PianoAdventureBears.com For a wealth of information about piano lessons, visit tallypiano.com

Beginner Piano Lesson For Parents How To Have Fun With Kids In Piano

Music Radio — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:02:21 +0000

Raising children can be trying. At times so much so that it even tempts devoted parents to wonder, ?How does the world manage to re-populate itself?? So keeping a sense of humor is really important. Here?s some crazy things kids say when taking piano lessons and practicing that parents need to be prepared to laugh at. Let?s start with the whining. Amazingly these are things I?ve heard young, beginning piano students say right after they have played a simple piece of music beautifully?

Student: ?But it?s too hard.?

Parent: ?It?s only too hard if you think it is.?

Student: ?My fingers nails hurt.?

Parent: ?We can trim your nails.?

Student: ?Why do I have to look at the music??

Parent: ?Do you think I should look at the road when I?m driving??

Student: ?I?m thirsty.?

Parent: ?I?m Dad.?

Student: ?When can I play Fur Elise??

Parent: ?When you know how.?

Student: ?When will I know how to play every song on the piano that I hear??

Parent: ?When you?re 18.?

Student: ?Why do I need to play at home when I played piano at my lesson??

Parent: ?Because we can?t afford to play on your teacher?s piano every day.?

Here?s what parents of young children need to get. Kids whine. Everything your child complains about doesn?t mean anything. It?s kind of like my cat. He always stands at the door and whines, even when I just let him out. He will then whine by his food dish even though I just filled it up with his favorite kitty pellets. Why? Because it makes him feel secure to see me open the door for him one more time, and put a few more pellets in his bowl. Will he ever get tired of me opening the door and giving him more kitty pellets that he isn?t going to eat? No.

So don?t take your little kitten in piano lessons too seriously and in a few years they?ll be saying, ?I can play the piano better than my parents, because I?ve been taking lessons and they didn?t get to do that.?

Beginner Piano Lessons: Creating Music From The Heart

Music Radio — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:01:44 +0000

Beginning piano students can become focused on reading the notes and finding the right keys on the piano and miss the point of playing ? to make the music sound, well, musical. This takes a creative human touch and sensitivity that children are capable of, when they know where to look for it. Here?s a plan for connecting to the music in a creative, artistic, and human way. I call it the HEART approach to making music at the piano.

The HEART Approach to Making Music

H – Hear

Hear each note in your mind before you play it. Frederick Chopin (1810 ? 1849) spent plenty of practice time playing each note of a piece of music slowly, so slowly in fact that it would be painful for anyone listening. But that?s what Chopin was doing ? listening very carefully to every note. He was connecting to the music with deep listening to allow every note to resonate within him. Similarly, hearing each note in your mind before it is played and thinking about how to touch each key is important to playing thoughtfully and creatively.

E ? Energize

Gather energy from the music by feeling the vibrations of each note as it is played.

A ? Ask

What is the composer trying to communicate with this music?

R ? Respond

Don?t hold back. Allow yourself to respond fully to the energy and spirit of the music as you play each note the way you imagine it should sound.

T ? Tell the Story

Imagine you are telling an interesting story to your best friend. Infuse the telling of the story with your own personality. This is the magic that will bring the music to life.

After learning to read the notes and locate them on the piano keyboard, beginning piano students can add artistry to their playing with the HEART approach to making music.

Best Piano Practice Tips For Young Students

Music Radio — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:01:28 +0000

Parents often don?t realize how much progress their young child in piano lessons can make. Some parents don?t even take their young children in piano lessons seriously! It?s hard to believe but I’ve even heard parents say things like, ?Well she?s only 6 years old, you can?t expect her to really play piano!? The problem with this thinking is where does it end? ?She?s only 7?..? ?He?s only 8?..? She?s only 9?.? This is a defense parents sometimes use because they?re afraid their children will fail in piano. It’s understandable, but it sends their child in piano the message that their effort doesn?t matter. How sad!

The truth is that children are very capable so don?t underestimate your child?s intelligence. Here are three practice strategies for young piano students that matter! Encourage your child in piano lessons to use these Best Piano Practice Tips and I guarantee it will make a huge difference in their success.

1. Keep your eyes on the music – don?t look down at your hands.

2. Sing the note names as you play them.

3. Keep a rounded hand position over the keys and stretch your fingertips down to the keys from the top knuckles.

4. Sit back on the piano bench and reach your arms out to the piano.

5. Swing your arms away from your sides so the tips of your elbows point in a horizontal direction.

Without effective piano practice habits it won?t matter how long your child practices. However, by helping your young student stay focused during home practice with these effective learning tips, they will achieve more and enjoy playing more, because they?re so successful.

Piano Lesson Games For Kids Make Music Learning Fun

Music Radio — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:02:31 +0000

Generally young children who enjoy educational activities such as reading, coloring, crafts and word games also enjoy playing the piano. One reason is because they enjoy doing things with their hands. Did you know that there are games and activities available like this for young children that will give them a musical foundation as well? If you plan to give your young child piano lessons or if your child is taking piano lessons they can benefit greatly from musical games and activities at home. There are many foundational keyboard abilities children can learn at home while having fun that will give them a musical head start in piano. Here?s 5 of these.

1. Drawing and Visualizing the Piano Keyboard

2. Learning the musical alphabet in a variety of ways

3. Learning keyboard theory concepts for note reading

4. Learning to use their hands at the piano

5. Visualizing five-finger hand positions and finger numbers

This knowledge is not difficult to give your children at home. All you need are the right resources and of course a keyboard. You?ll be giving your child musical values and educational opportunities that will prepare them for a positive future of learning. Piano lessons also help children learn

? key reading and math skills;

? how to set goals to achieve their dreams; and

? the need for self discipline and persistence; and

? how to take responsibility for their success.

So take advantage of the early years and give your child even more of what they love to do with musical learning games and activities they?ll enjoy.

Piano Practice Tips For Beginning Students That Help Kids Get A Good Start

Music Radio — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:02:17 +0000

Children can benefit from piano lessons and learn to play well if they focus on the basics. Here are three practice tips to make sure your beginning piano student gets off to a great start and goes on to achieve their musical dreams.

Before I tell you what they are, however, here is a warning. Don?t let these simple ideas fool you ? they?re also very important. In fact the simplicity of playing piano is often what confuses beginning piano students. That’s because most of what students need to know are not complex ideas. In fact they?re so simple students and parents often don?t appreciate them.

In our complex, modern world we tend to assume that if something doesn?t flash at us it isn?t worthy of our attention. Most of what kids need to know and do to achieve their piano goals are very simple ideas – that need to be taken seriously. Here are some thoughts you can share with your child in piano to help them gain perspective.

What are some very simple things that are also very important? Can you think of any? Here are some ideas to get you started – sunshine, water, a smile, trees, and your name. Having a name, for example, is a very simple idea. But just imagine what it would be like if you didn?t have one? Above the Artic Circle it is basically dark for six months of the year and light for six months. How does this affect the lives of folks who live in these regions? It makes life more challenging for sure. Such simple things as a warm meal, a glass of water, the sun shining through the trees, a friendly smile, are basic values necessary for a happy life. So why don?t we appreciate the simple things more? Because too often we take them for granted, and it?s dangerous! So don?t let your child in piano fall into this trap. Help them pay attention to the simple things that will create the foundation of their piano success.

Here are three simple practice tips to share with your beginning piano student to get them on the road to genuine and satisfying achievement.

1. Keep your eyes on the music.

Keeping their eyes on the music and not looking down at their hands helps students create a keyboard in their imaginations. This is so valuable. I really can?t stress this enough. Of course sometimes students will need to look at their hands. But not to learn the basic five-finger hand positions. Once students have their hands in place, they need to keep their eyes completely on the music. If a student doesn?t know, for example, what finger E is under without looking down at their hands, they really aren?t learning theier hand position, or the keyboard.

2. Sing the note names as you play them.

Singing the note names as they are played is the best way to learn to read notes well. This simple act and reinforces learning. If you?re child can?t name the notes as they play them, then they don?t know the names of the notes. Instead, they are just remembering what keys to play. Don?t misunderstand me though. Remembering a tune by listening is wonderful! Just not at the expense of learning to read music. Singing the note names allows both knowledge and listening to reinforce each other.

3. Keep a rounded hand position over the keys.

Keeping a rounded hand position is important. Let me explain why. If the hands are not rounded students aren?t using the right muscles to play. Instead of stretching each finger down to the keys from knuckle at the top of the hand they will be pushing the whole hand down into the keys to play the notes. This just doesn?t allow the fingers to work independently as it puts a lot of strain on the wrists. When the hands are rounded over the keyboard, the fingers can easily stretch down to the keys and the wrist is flexible.

A Piano Thanksgiving Help Your Child In Piano Lessons Count Their Musical Blessings

Music Radio — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:54:46 +0000

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to for families to give thanks for all the blessings they have received over the past year. Its also a great time to teach your children to do the same. Children taking piano lessons, because they are supported by so many people, have a wonderful opportunity to learn this tradition. You can help them realize how many people are included in their musical community of support and play an important role in helping them reach their musical goals. For most students these would include:

1. Piano Teachers

2. Their Parents and Family

3. Friends who recognize their need to practice

4. Music teachers at school.

5. Choruses they may also be involved in at school or church.

6. Family members who give them music gifts such as CDs or music books.

7. The Piano Technician who tunes your piano and keeps it good playing condition.

8. Other piano students who share their enthusiasm for music with them.

9. The local music store that provides a great selection of music for teachers to choose for their students.

10. The Piano Sales Gallery that also provides a wonderful piano and Recital Hall where students perform for their family and friends and for auditions.

Thats a lot to be thankful for! So take a few minutes to help your child one night at the dinner table this holiday season, or on Thanksgiving Day, give thanks for all their musical blessings.

For great home piano activities parents can use to help children ages 5 to 11 develop their musical talent, visit Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources Youll find a treasure box filled with piano resources to create an exciting musical adventure for your child – right in your own home! Visit their website and subscribe to their free internet newsletter so you can download free piano sheet music and mp3s of original piano compositions.

The Piano Parent Trap!

Music Radio — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:01:04 +0000

?My 6 year old daughter really loves the piano and wants to learn to play, but when I try to help her she gets very upset with me. What should I do??

The parent who asked the above question has fallen into a hole that I call The Piano Parent Trap!

If this is you, you don?t have to feel bad. In fact you should be flattered! This is just a problem of conflicting needs. The role of Mom or Dad is very important to the emotional security of children. Your acceptance and approval is everything to them! When parents move out of the parental role into the role of piano teacher, young children can become confused and anxious. The expectations of children are that Mom and Dad will always play the specific role needed to protect their emotional security. Because children must have their emotional needs met to feel loved and secure before they can learn, they may refuse to allow a parent to be ?the piano teacher,? even when they want to learn. And surprisingly, the child who really wants to play the piano may resist a parent’s help even more! So, how does a parent get out of this trap? It?s not really that hard. Here are two key things you can do.

1. Find the right piano teacher.

Look for a piano teacher you feel your child will be comfortable with. This decision should never be based solely on location and price — those are important to your convenience, but they tell you nothing about the lessons your child will receive. You should talk with the teacher to get an understanding of how they will work with your child and the type of programs they offer. You should look for a teacher with a warm enthusiastic personality that inspires confidence, and they should go out their way to say, ?I want to be your child?s piano teacher!? If upon your interview you don?t get this message, keep on looking. Remember, piano teachers are not selling a product, they are the product! The right teacher for your child is someone who will build a supportive relationship that challenges your child to do their best.

2. Be supportive, but don?t try to be in control.

From the time your child approached the age of two they most likely have been sending you the same conflicting message over and over: ?I need you ? Let me do it myself!? Get used to this because it isn?t optional and it doesn?t really go away when kids get older– it just comes with the package! There are, however, a couple of options you do have that involve your making a choice. I?ll lay it out for you simply. Your choices are between Door Number One and Door Number Two. If you should choose Door Number One, you are in control. If you should choose Door Number Two, you are in charge.

Now you might be thinking this is some kind of a joke — they are the same door! But not so, they are very different! A Door Number One approach requires you to make all choices for your child without their participation in the decision, such as when they should do their piano practice, what songs they should try to learn, and how fast they should progress. However, because this approach ignores children?s need for independence, they will fight for this control ? they may actively resist practicing at your appointed time, or could act totally passively and claim that they are just unable to learn new skills.

In contrast, a Door Number Two approach recognizes children?s needs for independence but provides needed support and guidance. It allows children to make choices among options you identify for them, which lets them ?do it themselves? while still receiving needed protection. As a result, here is your real choice in basic terms: Behind Door Number One lurks a hungry lion, while a happy child and family are behind Door Number Two!

3. Guide your child by following an authoritative, not an authoritarian approach.

An authori-tarian approach teaches power and control. In contrast to this approach, an authori-tative model teaches ownership and responsibility. These differences can be seen in the following descriptions.

Authoritarian approach

?Parent is in control — child is powerless.

?Child believes parents and other adults are in control them.

?Child believes others are responsible for their behavior.

?Child waits for others who know more than they do to tell them what to.

?Child is passive and does not assert their opinions and ideas or take initiative, or is very angry and acts out! Or, is passive and later becomes very angry!

Authoritative approach

?Parent is in charge of setting appropriate consequences for their child?s behaviors.

?Child has the choice to make reasonable decisions within protected limits where they can learn from their mistakes.

?Child learns they are responsible for the consequences of their choices and learns to take initiative and trusts their ability to make intelligent decisions and act responsibly.

?Child learns to be assertive and can ask adults for information and guidance when making important decisions, but accepts ownership and responsibility for their actions and decisions.

How can you start to use an authoritative approach to get out of the Parent Trap and open ?Door Number Two??

An easy way is to reverse roles. For example, after your child comes home from piano lessons, ask them to teach you what they?ve learned because you want to learn it too! This lets your child be in control as they share their special piano knowledge with you. Kids can?t resist this. It?s just so much fun to be the teacher, and children love to reverse roles! Your young teacher will probably even correct your playing, and tell you that you?re doing it all wrong, especially if you play ?their song? perfectly! So, be wiling to make a few silly mistakes that your little teacher can have fun correcting. Just don?t get defensive. I can guarantee you?ll get a lot of mileage out of this strategy!

Kids Find Piano Keys To Success Advice From The Great Composers

Music Radio — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:01:04 +0000

History has a lot to share with children in piano lessons. Although modern piano education for children is supported by technology, there is still a lot to learn from piano lessons from the past. Here?s some time honored keys to success from some great composers of the past that your kids can still rely on.

Ludwig van Beethoven – To play without passion is inexcusable!

Children have what it takes to bring their music to life. Once kids know that it?s okay to let their personality shine through in their music they discover an essential element of piano artistry. This takes a willingness to be vulnerable and to communicate each note as they would tell a personal story of interest to their best friend. It takes hard work and planning to learn to play the piano, but it also takes a little personal magic.

Franz Joseph Haydn – Young people can learn from my example that something can come from nothing. What I have become is the result of my hard efforts.

Children need vision and perspective as well as talent to achieve their musical dreams. Having a plan for success means setting meaningful goals that will last and following through over the long term is how dreams are achieved. There is no such thing as a genie in a lamp waiting to grant your wishes. Success has a history ? a Beginning and a Follow-through to Achievement, where failure is not an option because you just get to try again. History tells us that the key to achieving success is planning and persistence.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.

All human activity is goal driven. Those who love what they do are more likely to be successful simply because they?re more motivated! Learning how to love what we do and to do what we love is still an important element of success. It takes creativity to make learning a difficult instrument such as the piano fun as well as challenging, but that?s what the great composers knew how to do best. Learning to replace the words ?I have to? with ?I get to? is key to helping kids develop a creative perspective that has the power to overcome challenges.

Frederic Chopin – Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.

How many times do we overlook what appears at first to be simple. In the modern world kids get the idea that if something doesn?t flash at them it isn?t important! This is sad, because so often what creates complexity of beauty is simplicity.

History tells us that it only takes a few basic ingredients, for example, to create all the beauty and complex diversity that exists in the world. Intelligent design theorists can’t belive that such diversity could come from anything so simple as elements. That’s what modernity has done to our perspective. We just don’t get it – complexity is simple! So take a lesson from the past and help your child in piano lessons pay attention to the basics, like hard work, love and sacrifice, and the big stuff will manifest itself when it?s supposed to.