6 March 2016 How To Structure The Perfect Piano Lesson

How To Structure The Perfect Piano Lesson

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Is there such a thing as the perfect piano lesson?

The answer, most obviously, is no. After all, there are many approaches to playing the piano, both from the instructor and from the learners point of view. What works for one won’t necessarily work for another.How To Structure The Perfect Piano Lesson

Still, as a piano teacher, it’s important to structure the lessons you teach. It’s important to give your student a well-rounded approach to piano playing. And for most teachers, structure is a part of the deal.

A thirty-minute lesson will often include warm-ups, technical work, repertoire, maybe some piano games, even a little ear training. And it’s often structured five minutes here, five minutes there.

In some cases, that works. But sticking to that every day of the year can leave both you and your student feeling a little board.

Structure ever month differently

March can bring on anxiety from upcoming recitals. July can be relaxed and hassle-free. September can bring about new things, both from school and changing seasons.

So why structure your piano lessons in the same manner? If a student is overwhelmed and is focused on an upcoming recital, press structure in helping them with performance skills. If they are relaxed and in a vacation mindset, games and improv work can be a welcome relief.

Tie lessons to the student, not a training schedule

For teachers in a classroom, establishing one schedule to teach the entire class is a must. But if you teach one student at a time, your teaching plan can adjust with every student that walks in. Some students may learn best from playing games. Some students may be completely obsessed with repertoire. Find a way to capitalize on each of their interests and cater specifically to them.

Structure every lesson with excitement levels

There are only a certain number of things that can be accomplished in a short time frame. Instead of stopping and moving to another topic, take the lead from the student. Are they having fun with an activity? Let them do more of it. Are they bored? Move on. Never feel you “must” do anything. Do what works.

Look for alternatives all the time

When was the last time you tried something new? Have you grabbed a book to learn more about piano improv? Have you downloaded an app and tried a game? Learning the piano is always changing, always growing. Which means as an instructor, it’s important to change and grow too. Find new things that work. Eliminate things that don’t. The more you cater to the individual needs of your students, the more they’ll enjoy working with you.

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22 February 2016 Career Choices For Your Budding Pianist

Career Choices For Your Budding Pianist

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Have you decided to give your child the gift of music? Ready to sign them up for piano lessons to introduce them to music?Career Choices For Your Budding Pianist

Great choice.

And while piano playing is a great skill to learn for personal reasons – reduces stress, improves brain activity, allows you to relax – it can also introduce your child to a world of career choices.

Yes, in today’s world, there are many careers that allow them to use their skills as a pianist in a variety of ways.

Piano Teacher
Teaching piano varies from teaching a few students part time out of your home, to full fledged university level teaching, helping concert pianists become even better. And in today’s world, that expands to being able to teach one-on-one in person, to creating videos or using tools like Skype to connect with people all over the world.

Classical Pianist
Top classical pianists have fulfilling careers playing at some of the top concert halls around the world. Most classically trained pianists begin playing in early childhood, and continue through the university level, developing strong interests in the music of Beethoven, Brahms and Mozart, among others.

Studio Musician
Many of today’s well known pop, country and rock artists need a pianist when they are recording an album. They hire studio pianists to record tracks for their songs. Because recording sessions are often funded by major labels, it can be a lucrative business opportunity with the right networking.

Theater Pianist
Many Broadway and Off-Broadway performances use music as a part of their performance. Theaters often hire pianists to perform during all phases of a performance.

Piano Therapist
A growing trend is to use music during recovery. And piano therapists can use their music skills in a variety of ways. Music therapy is being used with chronic conditions, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, as well as for stress relievers in children with ADHD or Autism. It can even be used in hospital settings, before and after surgery, or helping patients deal with stressful situations, such as in cancer treatments.

Restoration/Tuner
Most pianists have love and appreciation not just for the music, but also for the instrument. There will always be a need to keep today’s instruments in top condition, which means restoration experts and tuners will always be in demand.

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13 February 2016 Playing The Piano Will Make You Smarter

Playing The Piano Will Make You Smarter

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It sounds like a claim almost too good to be true. And yet study after study shows that’s not the case.Playing The Piano Will Make You Smarter

If you play the piano on a regular basis, it will make you healthier and smarter. Here’s how.

Music keeps you young

The longer a person plays the piano, the longer they are involved in creating music, the less likely they are to experience aging symptoms. Piano lessons and playing regularly keeps the auditory cortex healthy, and prevents age related changes.

It alters your brain

Studies show that people that take music lessons and play the piano add neural connections in the brain differently than those that don’t. This is prime for developing human communication at different levels, helping with speech, languages, memory and paying attention.

It helps with language skills

Musicians are also better in learning to incorporate sound patterns for new languages into words. They process speech in noisy conditions easier, and often do better with developmental issues such as dyslexia or ADHD.

It keeps your brain fit

In order to keep your body fit, you exercise every day. And in order to keep your mind fit, its important to have musical training regularly as well. Music is a resource that tones the brain for auditory fitness, one that can begin helping with learning in school, and continue into old age by helping prevent and lessen the damage from cognitive disorders.

It is a stress reliever

Sitting down to the piano regularly can allow the stress to melt away. It can also reverse stress damage at the molecular level, according to studies performed in various medical schools.

It breeds success

Playing the piano helps develop strong discipline skills, patience, coordination, dedication, as well as the ability to memorize things in detail. Piano playing also reduces the incidence of depression and anxiety, and can help anyone of any age put more focus into their daily life.

Is it time for you to begin taking piano lessons?

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10 February 2016 Piano Therapy For ADHD

Piano Therapy For ADHD

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It doesn’t take more than a few minutes of research to determine music is one of the best forms of therapy for all kinds of issues. And studies show that adding piano playing routines to a person’s lifestyle can provide a variety of benefits, everything from reducing stress to improving focus on everyday activities.Piano Therapy For ADHD

So it’s easy to believe studies that say piano playing provides specific benefits in all kinds of ways, including helping kids with ADHD.

Music adds strength to the areas of the brain where a child with ADHD is weakest. Music builds and strengthens auditory, visual, spatial and motor skills, which are tied to making improvements in speech, language, reading, comprehension, concentration, organization, focusing and attention issues.

Studies show that when children with ADHD begin taking music lessons, their attention, concentration, social functioning, self-esteem, self-expression, and memory all improve. Additionally, if a child has difficulty focusing when there is background noise, music lessons have helped. Which means by adding music lessons to a child’s daily routine, you may quickly begin noticing an improvement in school work, where noises and commotion occur all around them every day of the week.

No matter how old your child is today, if they’ve been diagnosed with ADHD, adding piano to their routine can make a world of difference. Where to start?

Start with group music lessons. Children as young as 18 months old can benefit from being a part of a music program.

Introduce private lessons between five and seven. This is when children become better at focusing, and private lessons make the biggest impact in a daily routine.

Listen to music. Music is all around us, but it’s important to point it out to your child and listen in a variety of ways. Play classic music as they are studying. Sing together in the car. Visit your local symphony for concerts. Point out the music in their favorite movies.

Orchestrate homework. Ever wonder why we sing the ABCs as children? It’s because it allows us to better absorb, retain and retrieve the information over and over again. You can apply this to many lessons a child must memorize in their youth, such as math and science facts. Play music while they focus in on homework, and not only can it help reduce stress and put them in a better frame of mind to finish the work, it can also improve their school abilities over time.

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23 January 2016 So You Want To Play Piano In A Band

So You Want To Play Piano In A Band

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Your teen has been hinting around they want to start playing the piano. It could be they want to play in a band.

Being in a band is cool. They envision themselves as the next member of Rolling Stones. But before they ever head out on tour, music has to become a part of their lives.So You Want To Play Piano In A Band

Playing piano in a band is different than playing for yourself. You have to rethink the way you play.

Rarely will you be playing things you learned, and instead will be making things up as you go along. You improvise. You invent.

Which means the art of playing comes to be. You start thinking as a “we” rather than a “me”. You have to compliment every other member of the band in order to create a sound that works together.

Because of the wide variety of sounds on a digital keyboard, they are often tasked with creating many different sounds. Learning traditional piano is important, but it also becomes beneficial to understand how to incorporate other sounds as well. The challenge is to play those parts as if you are the other instrument, not as if you are a solo pianist.

It takes training.

It takes practice.

If you are playing like a guitarist, you have to build chords like a guitarist. If you are playing like a horn player, you can’t play multiple notes at the same time.

You also have to be a better listener, a better ear player. Like any skill, the more you do it, the better you will become. Playing by ear is often called upon whether mimicking popular music, or creating new sounds. Chords come together and compliment each other throughout the song. As you listen to others, it becomes easier to implement your own ideas.

Is your teen ready to start up a band? The first step may be to get them into music. A quality digital piano is the best place to start. Stop by today and we can help you find the perfect instrument.

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12 January 2016 Should I Buy A Piano If I Want To Learn?

Should I Buy A Piano If I Want To Learn?

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Ready to learn the piano? What are the first steps you should take?

When it comes to piano playing, practice isn’t everything. Even the best musician would have trouble focusing and playing a piano that is of poor quality. Imagine playing your favorite song and half way through, a tinny, out of tune note throws off your focus. The rest of the song is off. You can’t get your head back into your music.Should I Buy A Piano If I Want To Learn?

That makes sense for a top professional. But what about a person just starting to learn? After all, they won’t play a complete song for quite some time. Is it really that important to own a quality piano? Can you use a smaller, inexpensive keyboard? Are there other options?

Learning to play the piano means acquiring a variety of skills. It requires locating the notes, controlling the tempo, reading the music. It demands attention to detail and a thorough understanding of the technical aspects of playing, including positioning of the body, controlling the touch of the keys, and the speed in which you press down on the keys to create music.

When it all comes together, it allows you to become a better piano player.

The feel of an acoustic piano or an high quality digital piano will provide the highest level of satisfaction, and give you the best results as you navigate learning to play. Yet playing on high quality equipment doesn’t have to equate to buying an expensive piano. There are many ways to ensure you receive high quality workmanship at a budgeted price you can afford.

Think of buying used. Because quality pianos have been in the marketplace for generations, you’ll find quality in both the used and the new. If a piano is used and has been well kept, it can offer you years of enjoyment at a lower price than if you purchased one new.

Go digital. Digital pianos allow you to own a high quality instrument that takes up less space in your home (perfect for people living in small quarters), and gives you the opportunity to move your piano anywhere you choose.

Restoration. Have a piano passed down from generation to generation? A little restoration may create a piano you can be proud of for many more.

Not sure what’s the right direction for you? Start by visiting our retail location first. We can help you understand the differences between new and used, acoustic and digital. In no time you can define the right instrument for your needs, and choose one budgeted perfectly for what you hope to achieve.

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26 December 2015 What Makes The Piano Different?

What Makes The Piano Different?

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In the world of musical instruments, there are four main groups: woodwinds, brass, strings and percussion.What Makes The Piano Different?

Woodwinds – woodwind instruments produce a sound by blowing into a mouthpiece, some with a reed attached to make sound. Think recorder, flute, clarinet, saxophone, and bassoon.

Brass – brass instruments are played by buzzing the lips into the mouthpiece. Think trumpet, trombone, tuba and baritone.

String – string instruments are played by using a blow or by plucking the strings with your fingers. Think violin, cello, bass, guitar and harp.

Percussion – percussion instruments are struck with sticks or mallets. In some cases they can also be pitched and play different notes or sounds. Think drums, cymbals, chimes, xylophone, and piano.

To produce music, melody, harmony and rhythm must come together in sound and style.

Melody results from playing notes in different pitches, often with a distinguishable and sing-a-long tune.

Harmony comes from the relationship between different notes played at the same time as the harmony. It compliments the tune.

Rhythm is the beat or the pulse of the music.

What makes the piano different is it has the capability of producing all three. It is the only instrument to use both hands to produce music. While other instruments may be held by both hands, using fingers on both hands to connect and produce one note, a piano can produce notes with either hand.

Ask a musician and most will agree that while piano may be one of the easiest instruments to begin to play, it’s one of the most difficult to master over a lifetime. There is always a new challenge, something else to learn, something else to master.

No matter what level of musician you are, the piano offers something for everyone.

Filed Under: Buying a Piano, Owning a Piano, Piano Playing
19 December 2015 Age Specific Benefits Of Playing The Piano

Age Specific Benefits Of Playing The Piano

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Who do parents incorporate music training into their child’s life at an early age? If you’ve done any amount of research, you know that music brings a wide variety of benefits at every age. Playing the piano can do everything from helping you in school, to taking stress away as you age. It’s the perfect gift to give everyone no matter what your age.Age Specific Benefits Of Playing The Piano

But what are the specific benefits of playing the piano?

Newborns to 5 years old
While a child at this young age cannot pick up the nuances of piano playing, they can be introduced to music participation. The earlier they engage in active musical participation, the more benefits they have in enriching the brain’s development. Kids with a love of music transition into the academic world at a younger age, show more advanced language development, and also show increased opportunities in math and science skills. They develop ear training skills, with enables them to have a lifelong ability to match pitch.

5 to 8 year olds
This is the perfect age to introduce piano playing skills into their lives. By engaging in regular piano playing practice, all regions of their brains and engaged. This is the formative years, which allows enhanced academic performance and heightened hand-eye coordination to develop. This will continue to help in a variety of ways as a child ages, including better skills in sports, computers, chess, even engineering skills.

8 years to adult
By playing the piano consistently as they age, a child will learn to create orderly storage and retrieval methods of information. This helps them develop stronger functions in intellectual development, both socially and academically.

Adults and Seniors
By continuing to play the piano throughout your life, studies have found increased human growth hormones staying within the body, which can help delay the aging process. The presence of HGH can decelerate Alzheimer’s symptoms, slow down memory loss, even reduce the development of wrinkles over time.

Special Needs
At every age, piano playing can bring a variety of things to life. Piano lessons can unlock verbal communication in previously non-verbal children. It can improve the quality of life in seniors facing dementia.

Ready to make piano playing a part of your life?

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4 December 2015 Is Your Piano Posture Correct?

Is Your Piano Posture Correct?

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Is there an art for to sitting down to play the piano? Does it matter how you sit, what you sit on, and how you play?

If you want to play your best, and feel your best long after you get up from your practice session, the answer is yes.Is Your Piano Posture Correct?

Correct piano posture comes from a place where the functionality of your body meets the functionality of the piano. When both are at optimal level, you’ll create a beautiful sound with good technique.

Correct piano posture isn’t difficult. In fact, read through these elements once and you’ll understand the basic technique. The art comes from follow-thru every time you sit down to play.

Start with the proper state of mind
You should never sit down to play the piano because you have to. Instead, you should only sit down when you choose to. Relax before you play. Sit down and be happy to play.

Sit at the correct bench
Never pull up a chair or sit at a bench just because it’s there. A piano bench should be at the proper height. Make sure your elbows are aligned with the keyboard, or are slightly higher than the keyboard for more leverage. Place the bench far enough away from the keyboard so you have proper placement on the keys in front of you, with the ability to easily reach all the keys on the keyboard. Don’t use the entire bench; use only the front half.

Keep your back straight
You should never slouch when playing the piano. Keep your back straight, sitting with a dignified attitude.

Keep your feet on the floor
Never tuck your feet under the piano bench, or cross them in front of you while you play. You need stability while you play. Place your feet either on the pedals if you will be using them, or near the pedals for well grounded placement.

Keep your arms comfortable
Your arms are where the music comes from. If you tense up or use the wrong stance, you’ll feel it long after you are done with practice. Keep your arms relaxed. Keep your shoulders down and elbows a comfortable distance from your body. Keep your wrists flexible and without tension. Round your fingers and knuckles for easy playing.

If your piano playing posture is correct, you’ll feel good while you play and enjoy your practice more. You’ll protect your body from injury. And you’ll notice improved technique in the way you express your music.

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4 November 2015 Why Music Is Just As Important As Sports In School

Why Music Is Just As Important As Sports In School

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Sports in schools gets a lot of press. And for good reason. Sports can improve self-esteem, teach kids team building skills, and keep them active for hours at a time. An important skill to have in today’s world with skyrocketing obesity rates.

Yet while value is consistently showcased on the positives of sports, the positives of music haven’t been as well publicized. And that needs to change.

Music has been a part of our lives as long as humans have been on planet Earth. Whether listeninWhy Music Is Just As Important As Sports In Schoolg, singing, or playing, music has the power to change our world. Yet despite the universal interest in music, many schools are doing away with music programs. Eliminating music isn’t just taking away an enjoyable experience from kids, it’s also taking away valuable life skills. Learning music is important on so many levels; to offer it to all kids from an early age brings a wealth of benefits not only to a child’s life, but also to the general population as a whole.

1. Music helps develop language and reasoning. Music makes kids think quicker on their feet, and enjoy exploring more about our world.

2. Music increases coordination. Playing an instrument helps kids develop hand eye coordination and improves their fine motor skills.

3. Music improves memorization skills. Even when using sheet music, a child must learn to memorize certain aspects of music to move along from note to note. This same skill carries over into schoolwork as well.

4. Music is a natural stress release. Whether you attend a concert, zone with your iTunes and favorite artist, or sit down at the piano to practice, the stress quickly begins shedding away as you hear your favorite melodies.

5. Music increases pattern recognition. Patterns are built into all STEM classes, including math and science. Music improves the skills of recognizing patterns and being able to apply it to the most complex tasks.

6. Music improves test taking skills and helps them do better on the SAT. Studies consistently show that children that participate in music activities do better with test taking skills, and SAT scores can be as much as 60 points higher on both the verbal and math portions of the tests.

7. Music builds imagination. Music, like reading, fosters a positive attitude towards learning and curiosity.

8. Music prepares for a creative careers. Employers no longer want doers, they want thinkers too. Studies show that music majors make the best medical students. And an education rich in music helps bring artistic expression to just about any job. That need will increase in our future as we face more complex tasks and higher growth into technology and the unknown.

9. Music teaches risk taking. Performing a piece of music in front of an audience allows a child to conquer their fears and take risks to prove how much talent they really have.

10. Music encourages self confidence. With encouragement from teachers and parents, students can take pride and confidence in the skills they learn.

And what’s most magical is these skills will continue to build over a lifetime. Music is something you can invest in as easily at 10 as you can at 100. And it will keep improving over time.

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