25 April 2020 Why Music Education Is Still Vitally Important For Your Child

Why Music Education Is Still Vitally Important For Your Child

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What’s the most important class your child can take in school? Reading? Math? Science?

Our current school system tells us the sciences are most important. We’re pushing kids harder than ever towards STEM related subjects. 

And in order to have time for STEM classes, other classes have to go by the wayside. Music has been one of them, but that might not be a good thing. An article from the American Musical Conference stated that 66 percent of music majors who applied to medical school were accepted. Compare that with 44 percent of biochemistry majors.

Why is that? 

Music stimulates the brain

If you do any research at all on how music impacts the human brain, it won’t take you long to discover the benefits. Music allows you to be more engaged with those around you. It improves memory. It increases reading comprehension. It helps with language skills. It makes you a better reader. Hands down, music is one of the key ways to make you a more well-rounded learner. 

Why are we taking that away from the school systems when it goes hand in hand with STEM learning? 

Music is a connection with people, with culture

When a certain song comes on the radio, does it transport you back in time? Can you relive a moment just with a few notes? That’s how powerful music can be. It connects us to people and places. It grounds us into our communities. That’s what ties us together as a culture. And it’s what gives us memories for a better future. 

Music teaches discipline

Don’t think for a moment that learning music is easy. It’s not. It’s one of the most difficult subjects you can master. It’s also one of the most satisfying. Yes, you can sit down at a piano and plunk out a tune. But to master it takes skill and practice. And that means dedication to regular piano playing, advancement through training, and the ability to keep trying as it increases in difficulty. The more you play, the more rewarding it can feel. 

Music relieves stress

The one thing we’ve been learning through stay in place is just how important hobbies can be. Our culture shouldn’t just be about work. We need stress relievers too. And music is one of the most excellent sources of stress relief. It’s a way to sit down, put all your worries aside to really get into your music and listen to the sounds. You can feel the stress slip away, even if it’s just for a moment. 

We have a choice as we move forward. Should our world get back to what’s important? Should music education become an important part of our future? How about for your family? 

Filed Under: Piano Playing
21 April 2020 Caring For Your Piano During COVID-19

Caring For Your Piano During COVID-19

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Now that you’ve been staying in place for a few weeks, has cleaning taken on a whole new meaning? Do you find yourself scrubbing everything down daily, lugging out the bleach to ensure everything is clean? 

Before you take a rag to clean and disinfect your piano, let’s talk about safety. 

COVID-19 has made us more aware than ever that our fingers can be weapons. If you head to the grocery store, for example, and pick up germs, everything you touch in between can spread the bacteria. That’s why handwashing is so important. 

It’s also why it’s important to clean and disinfect the things you do touch regularly. Like your keys, your doorknobs, light switches, and remote controls. 

While you can use a spray cleaner on a light switch or doorknob, don’t try that on your piano keys.

Caring for your piano takes a different strategy than other fixtures in your home. 

First, it’s important to know what your piano keys are made of. “Tickling the ivories” became a catch-phrase because piano keys were once made out of ivory. The practice of using ivory in piano production was banned decades ago, but that doesn’t mean ivory piano keys are completely gone. If you have a piano that’s been handed down from generation to generation, there’s a chance real ivory was used. 

Real ivory is porous, which means they can get dirty quickly. You’ll also find they give off a yellowish color as they age. Ivory is very distinct in how they look and feel; you’ll see horizontal lines flowing from the key’s head to tail. You’ll also see the distinct veneer covering the wooden key placement underneath.

Plastic keys may try and imitate this look, but you can tell the difference. Plastic keys are molded in entirety, making them more durable and affordable to manufacture. 

Black keys are made from plastic or ebony wood. They are polished to give a sheen. 

No matter what type of keys your piano has, remember liquid is an enemy, not a friend. Less is more when it comes to cleaning. Never spray any cleaner directly onto the keyboard. Liquid can seep in between, settle there, and do extensive damage. 

Instead, always use a damp cloth and ensure you work one key at a time, leaving no moisture behind. We recommend one part white vinegar to two parts water. Do not use bleach of any kind, as that will dull, strip, and damage the keys. 

You can also make it a rule that hand washing is necessary before anyone sits down to play. That will reduce the chance of any trace germs settling onto your keys. And eliminate the chance of germs settling in.  

Caring for your piano with the coronavirus on everyone’s mind doesn’t have to be a demanding chore. Use common sense to ensure your piano has a very long life. 

Filed Under: Owning a Piano Tagged With:
18 April 2020 Motivation For Playing The Piano When Everyone’s Stuck At Home

Motivation For Playing The Piano When Everyone’s Stuck At Home

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Life is anything but normal right now. And while parents are juggling everything from working at home to monitoring finances, learning to cope in new ways, kids are also facing their own fears head on. 

Over 29 countries have now officially shuttered school doors with many more expected soon. It’s impacting more than 3.5 million K-12 students across the US, closing in on a half billion worldwide. 

While some are meeting regularly with teachers via online meeting platforms, the majority are saying goodbye to learning for weeks – months – into the future. In addition to losing the normality of their days, they have the added stress of not being able to play in a normal way. Sports teams have canceled. Cities and states are quickly moving to a stay in place advisory. 

That builds fear and frustration in kids, which in turn hurts the family dynamics. What’s a parent to do? 

There’s no better time to rethink the activity you and your child pick up. There’s no better time for playing the piano. 

Playing the piano is a solo activity. It’s something you can do all on your own, whenever you choose. It relaxes you, takes your mind off your worries, and soothes the soul. 

Playing the piano is also a family activity. It can provide lovely background music while other family members bake or read. 

If you have a piano tucked away in a corner, or a digital keyboard stuck under the bed, now may be the perfect time to pull it out and start learning something new. Encourage your kids to do so too. 

Be patient. Sometimes you won’t feel like playing or practicing. Now is the time to be gentle with yourself, and do what feels right for today. 

Develop a new skill. Have you considered music in your lives before? Prior to Covid-19, we all led busy, active lives. We flew from one activity to the next. Things are now slowing down. Be conscious about what is meaningful in your lives, and choosing activities that can be there, always.  

Have fun. Luckily, we have the internet filled with everything you need to make playing the piano a success. Download games to learn notes and music theory. Download music to play your favorite pop tunes. Tune in to various music sites to listen to piano playing in action. 

It might just motivate you – or your kids – into a new way of life. 

Filed Under: Piano Playing Tagged With:
14 April 2020 Can Your Kids Make Money Playing Piano? Hello, YouTube

Can Your Kids Make Money Playing Piano? Hello, YouTube

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So you want your kids to be successful. You push them in many ways. 

Put them onto a sports team – maybe they can get a scholarship.

Help them do well in school – college is in their future.

Let them build their own YouTube channel. What!?

A lot of parents have trouble seeing the world through their kids’ eyes. Kids want to play video games. They spend way too much time online. They are obsessed with social media. 

And we try to put a stop to it all because … we don’t understand it. 

But here’s the thing you should know about social media. Despite what you hear in the news, not all of it is bad. It’s just a new way of life. 

Did you know a lot of YouTubers are making millions of dollars just by posting regularly to their YouTube channel?

How? 

You can join the YouTube Partner Program

If you start a YouTube channel and build it with a lot of followers who watch regularly, YouTube has a program where they pay you based on your views and subscriptions. 

You can earn from Premium Subscriptions

Not all videos on YouTube are available for view to the general public. Some are walled off and available only if you pay for the premium content. The more people willing to pay to view your content, the more you get paid. 

You can get paid via third-party distributors

If your music becomes popular, other services may want to stream it too. iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon music may all be interested in selling downloads of your content on their own platforms. 

You can build a brand

The more popular you become, the more you can take your brand out to the world in different ways. Build a website. Take your show on the road. Work with other companies and artists to grow your following. Potential opens up the more creative you are. 

You can make other products

Many businesses are set up on YouTube that are tools and helpers for people that have a love of playing the piano. These businesses all have the potential of making money in the exact same way as mentioned above. 

Check these out for inspiration:

The Piano Guys

VK Goes Wild

Lara de Wit

Filed Under: Piano Playing Tagged With:
10 April 2020 How To Teach Piano Remotely

How To Teach Piano Remotely

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Thanks to the coronavirus, we’re rethinking everything we do. 

It hasn’t taken away our desire to learn. Instead, it’s made us focus on new ways to teach. If you’re searching for ways to teach piano remotely, we have some tips for you. 

Think outside the box

In most cases, your student will be an active participant. Whether you have an adult who has more time to practice, or a child with a parent guiding them along, stay in contact with them and make suggestions for being creative in this time apart. 

Now is a great time to brush up on music theory and history. It’s also a great time for people to listen and observe as well as sit down and play as well. Places like YourClassical offer free classical music all day, and offer a variety of educational items for kids too. Chrome Music Lab makes music fun with a variety of hands-on experiments. You can also pull up a variety of philharmonic and orchestra websites and check out their online resources – just Google it. 

Keep it simple

To encourage your students to play, one of the easiest ways is to teach via the phone. While this isn’t an ideal situation, it can keep your students on track and provide you with a way to keep paying students on your schedule. Have your student place the phone near the piano and ensure it’s on speakerphone. Since you won’t be able to see them perform, you’ll have to rely on listening and asking questions. 

Step it up

If you both have the technology, upgrade your teaching methods by using Facetime or Skype. This gives you the added bonus of both sight and sound. Realize there is a learning curve for both of you. Spend time in your first session finding the perfect placement of the digital device so you can see your student in action as well as hear their performance. 

Above all, be patient with yourself and your students. Realize you’re each going to have good and bad days. Some days may be better for relaxing and having fun, using the space just to take 30 minutes out of a stressful day. 

And realizing that teaching remotely won’t last forever. But the important thing is to have fun in the process. 

Filed Under: Piano Lessons Tagged With:
7 April 2020 How To Be a Great Piano Teacher Online

How To Be a Great Piano Teacher Online

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So you’re looking for ways to turn your skills into an online business. How about becoming a piano teacher online? 

Just like teaching in person, online teaching tacks a special knack. But if you love teaching, and piano is a hobby you’d love to share with others, maybe now is the time to set up your online piano teaching business. 

Here’s what you need. 

Competency in piano playing

This is obvious, but in order to be a great online piano teacher, you have to love what you do. And that means loving the piano so much you play whether you get paid or not. If you sit down regularly at the piano, and you want to share that joy with others, this is the perfect road for you to go down. 

Great communication skills

It’s a little trickier teaching online versus in person. You have to use technology to notice all nuances of a player’s ability, and be able to communicate corrective measures back in a healthy way. What about posture? Is your student sitting correctly? Why are they stumbling over the notes? What is their body language saying? You have to be able to take all that in, and communicate it back in a meaningful way. 

Credentials

What level of students do you want to take on? There’s a big difference between a beginning and advanced students. The more refinement a student needs, the more credentials you’ll need to help them along. This should give you motivation to keep learning too. 

The right setup

Technology has made online learning easier than ever before. But you and your students will have to have the right tools to make this work. On your end, you should have:

  • A stable internet connection
  • A computer with the right level of technology
  • A headset
  • A microphone
  • A decent HD webcam

Being a world-class musician won’t be good enough in the online world if you get stuck with the basics of technology. If you need to learn computer skills yourself in order to improve your proficiency, do that first before you start offering your services. 

Are you ready to become a great online piano teacher? 

Filed Under: Piano Lessons Tagged With:
2 April 2020 How Your Background Music Makes You Better At Everything

How Your Background Music Makes You Better At Everything

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What’s better for your concentration: quiet working space, or a little background music?

While that question is argued over continuously in homes and office space around the world, there are scientific studies that show music has power in many situations. It can improve your mood, help your memory, take away anxiety, and ease stress. 

Of course, it’s not as simple as turning the radio on to any station, or turning up your favorite tune. There’s a science to it. 

The human brain has two levels of attention. Conscious attention allows you to direct your concentration on things in front of you, focus, and get things done. Unconscious attention is the one that shifts your focus onto other things around you. This is where you start to daydream, or notice a particular smell, or see movement out of the corner of your eye. 

No matter how much focus you give something, your unconscious brain is always there, scanning, waiting for something to come along. The more you focus, the sharper your unconscious attention becomes. Think of it as a warning system standing by to keep you safe. 

That’s where music comes into play. Listening to music can be good for holding your attention span. It can increase your productivity and help you get things done. But not all music generates the same results. 

Music with lyrics significantly alters your concentration. That’s why you’re more likely to hear “elevator music” whenever you enter places of business. 

Surgeons listen to their favorite music for better performance. While there may be studies that show classical music is better for the general population, when it comes to working on individual tasks, your preferred music is better. Studies show that when a surgeon listens to their favorite music – whether hard rock or soft show tunes – their performance improves. 

There is consistent evidence that playing the piano helps in a variety of ways, from increased memory to better test scores. While playing increases skill sets, listening can also improve test scores. One study found that listening to classical music while taking a test can improve your scores by several percentage points. 

Even if you’re into sports, music is still your best option. Whether you’re running in nature or pumping iron, throw in your earbuds and synchronize it with a positive, upbeat tune. Evidence supports you’ll run faster and lift more just by energizing your music. 

How does background music impact your life? 

Filed Under: Piano Music Tagged With:
31 March 2020 What You Can Do As a Parent To Help Your Kids With Piano Lessons

What You Can Do As a Parent To Help Your Kids With Piano Lessons

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As a parent, we sign our kids up for a variety of different activities, watching for the ones they excel at. When you find the one they take to, you want to do everything you can to encourage them to do more. 

If they fall in love with creating music, piano playing is one of the best activities they can take on. Piano does so much for a person including:

  • Improving memory and concentration
  • Helping them excel in mathematics
  • Improving reading and comprehension skills
  • Becoming more creative in everything they do

What’s more, piano isn’t something they will just enjoy while they are young and able; piano is something they can enjoy throughout their lives. 

If you want your child to be better at playing the piano, they have to stick with their piano lessons. Together, you have to create an environment that’s perfect for playing regularly. How do you do that?

Create a “why”

People rarely stick with something if they don’t have their “why”. Work together with your child to determine why you’re pursuing piano. You understand all the benefits; a five, six, or seven year old won’t. But you can still help them discover a reason to play. If they get good enough, maybe they could play their favorite songs. Purchase the sheet music now as motivation. You can also talk about the musicians they love the most, and read stories and biographies about them to help them understand their musical journeys. It can be all the motivation they need. 

Explore the musical world

For a child starting out on the piano, they might not be able to put it into perspective of how the piano can be a part of their world. We overemphasize sports in our society; kids can watch games on television and associate their own practice to these games. Seek out the same for musical talent. You can watch concerts on TV or on YouTube. Find local music halls in your own community. Every major city will have a symphony you can bring them to and show them how piano contributes to a performance. Don’t ignore free concerts in the parks in the summertime. This can be a new hobby your entire family enjoys. 

Work to keep your child interested

A lot of playing the piano is self motivation. You have to take on that responsibility, especially when your child is young. Work to find a piano teacher who engages your child and makes them want more. Motivate them with rewards to concerts or a trip to the music store to pick out their favorite music. Listen to piano players and talk about them with your child. Look for games that help them become better pianists. While some kids naturally gravitate to wanting more, others need the occasional push in the right direction. 

If you see both love and talent, pushing your kids just a little bit more to stick with piano lessons is the best gift you can give your kids. 

Filed Under: Piano Playing Tagged With:
20 March 2020 Can You Disassemble a Grand Piano to Move It?

Can You Disassemble a Grand Piano to Move It?

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Wouldn’t it be great if you could pull apart a grand piano, pack it up in several boxes to keep it safe, and move it to your new location, knowing it can easily be put back together again?

With thousands of parts, that’s an impossibility. Just look at the artistry it takes to build a grand piano ready to be delivered to your home. 

But while you might not be able to box it up, there are ways you can prepare your piano for moving. With just a little prep work, you can disassemble your grand piano the right way to ensure it makes it to your final destination in great condition. 

Removing a grand piano’s music rack

One of the easiest parts to remove on a grand piano is the music rack. With just a few screws, depending on the music rack style, you can have the two pieces separated. Wrap the music rack with bubble wrap or padding to keep it safe. Be sure to keep the screws with the music rack so putting it back together is a snap. 

Removing a grand piano’s lyre

A grand piano’s lyre, also known as the pedal box, is also a fairly easy task. These delicate pedals are easily damaged if you leave them on during a move. If you look underneath, you’ll find the pedals are attached with a few screws. Only remove the pedal box with the two wooden rods attached to the underside of the piano. The other pieces can be left in place as they don’t stick out from the piano, and will easily be covered and kept safe when padded and protected for the move. 

Removing a grand piano’s legs

One of the more difficult parts to remove are the grand piano legs. You should only do this if you have experience with dealing with a piano. After you remove the music rack and lyre, start with the left leg of the piano. This is a multiple person job. 

Raise the piano up and place a dolly underneath the keyboard so the leg is several inches off the ground. Once it’s in place, the leg can be removed. Be sure to have people stand and support the piano in the middle of the keyboard. Different piano legs are connected in different ways. It’s a good idea to research your piano’s construction before you start the process. 

Be sure to label the legs and parts so you can easily put everything back together on the other end. While parts may look similar, they often aren’t. Keeping things together is the best way to ensure ease on the other side. 

With two legs removed, you can then carefully prop up the piano on its side and remove the other two legs. A piano is bulky and heavy. As you are moving it onto its side, be sure you have enough movers to keep it from slipping, the lid from tipping open. Remove the other two legs and wrap them accordingly. 

Once the legs are free, wrap and add padding to protect it during the move. It should be strapped to a piano board to ensure it won’t slip off as it’s being moved. 

Disassembling a grand piano isn’t easy. You shouldn’t try it unless you have experience with moving it. Give us a call and we can help you with the process. 

Filed Under: Piano Moving Tagged With:
18 March 2020 How Do You Buy A First Piano

How Do You Buy A First Piano

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Selecting activities for your child is something every parent has to do. Should you involve them in sports? How about the arts? Is music the way to go? 

There are many reasons to give your child the gift of music. It helps with memory. It improves their performance in school. It helps with listening skills. It can even boost testing ability. 

Great reasons for select playing the piano. 

Once you’ve decided to send your kids to piano lessons, however, you’ll have to buy your first piano. And once you choose to do that, you’ll usually face three questions from the start. 

1. I’m not sure if my child will like this. Should I buy something simple until I’m sure?

2. Should I buy acoustic or digital; what’s the difference?

3. Where should I buy a first piano? 

Let’s start with the first. 

We hear this statement a lot. When parents find out the cost of a piano, they often become wary of spending money on an activity that is so new. What if your child doesn’t like it? Then you’re stuck with an expensive instrument no one will play. 

Yet a piano is the basic tool your child needs to learn to play. If they don’t have a proper tool at the start, they are less likely to enjoy the process. It’s like playing football with a golf ball and walking shoes instead of cleats. If an instrument doesn’t have great tonal quality, it’ll be like playing on a toy. And your child won’t enjoy the outcome. 

There are good and bad points to the final piano you select. Some prefer acoustic while others prefer digital. But no matter what piano you choose, you should always ensure it’s properly weighted and has full size keys. Smaller keyboards won’t have the proper 88 notes. They might also have keys that aren’t responsive. They have a trigger effect that makes it feel like an acoustic. Without that, your child won’t be able to convert to other pianos as they improve their learning. 

If you don’t know much about pianos, it’s a good idea to learn a little about the process before you make your final selection. That’s where coming into our store can help. We’re happy to teach you all you need to know about making your final selection. We also have the ability to help you decide between used and new, and to work within your budget. 

That’s something you’ll never find searching on Craigslist. You might wind up with an instrument that doesn’t even play. 

And without that, your child will never learn to love learning to play the piano. 

How can we help you make your final selection when buying your first piano? 

Filed Under: Buying a Piano Tagged With:
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