7 October 2015 The Elements Of Teaching Piano: From Buying A Piano To Teaching Students

The Elements Of Teaching Piano: From Buying A Piano To Teaching Students

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Teaching piano involves a variety of things. Yes, it starts by knowing how to play the piano; a good teacher has to be good at playing. But a good piano doesn’t necessarily have to be a concert pianist. A good teacher must appreciate and enjoy the challenges of helping their students learn how to master the piano. They have to be able to give their students an appreciation and love of the instrument.The Elements Of Teaching Piano: From Buying A Piano To Teaching Students

In most cases, when a parent looks to find a piano teacher for their child, they have a few goals in mind. They rarely say “I would like my child to become a concert pianist”. Instead, they simply want to give their child the benefits of having a deeper appreciation for music, for the arts, and a way of relaxing after a long day of activities.

The most obvious place to start is with purchasing a piano. In order to give your students every advantage of loving to play and loving to learn, the quality they play on has to be top notch. Why do you play the piano you do? What qualities do you look for in a piano? Many students and their parents will look to you for guidance in selecting their own piano.

From there, every music teacher has a different approach to teaching, depending on the style and methods they learned with. To appreciate music, a student must learn a variety of things.

  • Keyboard and Fingering – simple exercises can help students learn keys and patterns. This is where scales become valuable. It helps a student learn majors and minors and how they sound when played together.
  • Music Reading – a good method book can help a student sight-read music. Care should be taken so a student doesn’t switch to memorization or playing by ear, and truly learns to read music.
  • Learning and Memorization – playing the piano well means practicing again and again. There is a skill to memorization; teachers can help them develop the skill and use it for concerts and recitals.
  • Music Theory – usually for more advanced students that are thinking of making music a career, theory can help develop an appreciation for developing their own music. It can help reinforce music and playing, things they should already love.

If you’re ready to inspire your kids for a lifetime love of music, introduce them to the art of piano playing today.

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18 June 2014 Buying A Piano To Get Kids Ready For School

Buying A Piano To Get Kids Ready For School

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Its summer time. Time for vacations, sleeping in, and lazy days at the pool with nothing much to do.

Yet even in your down time, it may be time to think about your child’s future.

From a very early age, kids are attracted to music. They start dancing to it before they can walk. They hum a tune before they can talk. Even the toys geared towards the youngest of children are focused in around the concept of music. Music is a part of our society, and when you turn the tables and allow a child to make music as well, something magical happens.Buying A Piano To Get Kids Ready For School

Kids are busy these days. No matter how old your child is, chances are you’ve started running them here and there for a host of activities. Swimming lessons. Birthday parties. Soccer practice. When will you fit piano lessons in? And why should you? Is it worth it? What will it do for your kids?

Actually, its one of the best gifts you can give your kids.

Playing the piano stimulates the mind, helps with creativity, gives them self confidence, reduces stress, gives them a lifelong skill, and can improve their performance not just in the elementary years, but all the way through college and beyond. They do not need to become a professional musician to gain all the benefits piano has to offer. They can gain just as much from playing at the skill level that allows personal enjoyment and to play recreationally whenever they have a chance.

Are you convinced? If so, you’ll soon be facing the next hurdle: buying a piano. And for many people this is the most confusing stage of all.

For many people, when they look to playing the piano, dollar signs begin flashing before their eyes. Should you really invest in a new piano when you aren’t even sure how long your child will play?

If your child starts on a soccer team, would you let them play without the proper shoes, or an old ball that was flat? Of course not. They wouldn’t be able to kick properly, and without the proper shoes, would run the risk of injury. And in order to love the game and learn skills to make them a better player, having the proper equipment makes all the difference.

The same applies to learning to play a piano. Yes, you could pound out a tune on a child’s piano you pick up at the discount store for $20, but would they learn quality music with that tinny sound? Would they enjoy it?

The only way to learn a skill and enjoy what you’re doing is to have the proper equipment during the process. And it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. You don’t have to buy a brand new piano your first time out. Instead, come in and see what we have to offer

Pianos come in all shapes and sizes. They come in digital and acoustical formats. You can find new, used and restored.

Whatever your budget, whatever your needs, there is a right choice for you.

And when you ask a professional with decades of experience in the art of piano, you’ll get sound advice and peace of mind that comes from knowing you are buying the best quality instrument at your price range, one that will give your child the best opportunity at learning a lifelong skill.

That’s all that really matters.

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26 April 2014 Guide To Piano Brands

Guide To Piano Brands

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Ready to buy a piano for your home? Like many consumer products, its not as easy as choosing the first one you see. There are many brands on the market, each offering its own quality and innovation.

But if you are new to the piano world, how do you know which brand to choose? Is there a noticeable difference? Is there a difference that you or the person who will be playing the piano will notice?

Many people dream of owning a Steinway piano. They sit in some of the greatest concert halls across the world. But in no way is that the only piano manufacturer out there.Guide To Piano Brands

  • Wm. Knabe & Co.
  • Baldwin
  • Chickering
  • Samick
  • Kohler & Campbell
  • Kimball
  • Pramberger
  • Remington
  • Wurlitzer
  • Seiler
  • Conover Cable
  • Niemeyer

Before you get caught up in the brand, ask yourself what type of piano you would most use first. You can choose a digital piano or an acoustic piano. With acoustic pianos, you can have an upright or a grand.

With all piano choices, your two most important factors will be sound and space.

Grand pianos take up the most space, and will need a fairly large square footage for its final resting spot. Uprights are meant to be placed by a wall and will take much less square footage than its grand counterpart.

If you have even less space, a digital piano gives you flexibility of being able to move your piano in an easier fashion.

Sound will ultimately depend on the style of piano chosen, and the quality of the manufacturing process.

Each of the brands provides its own quality and can provide you with years of enjoyment. By choosing a reputable dealer with many different styles, brands and selections, you can quickly learn what the difference is, and narrow your choices to select the perfect piano for you and your family. We welcome you to our store today.

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14 August 2013 7 Tips To Buying A Piano From A Reputable Dealer

7 Tips To Buying A Piano From A Reputable Dealer

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If you have decided that you want to learn how to play the piano or that you want your child to learn, the first step in the process is you will have to buy the actual piano.

7 Tips To Buying A Piano From A Reputable DealerBuying a piano may sound easy enough – classified ads are often a go-to source for people searching for affordable, used instruments. However, a piano is different than a used flute or clarinet. A piano is an investment and should be treated as such.

Here are 7 tips for buying a piano.

  1. Always buy from a reputable dealer. You can use the Internet, as well as word of mouth, to find a reliable, dependable dealer that only sells quality instruments. Pianos must be maintained for quality – do you really want to buy a piano that has been stored in someone’s garage for a decade?
  2. You get what you pay for, so if you go cheap on your piano, you will wind up with just that – a cheap piano. Cheap pianos do not have the same sound quality as higher quality, more expensive pianos. And while that may not seem like a big deal to a beginning child who is just starting out, if they can’t pick up tones during practice, they may get frustrated and choose to quit. Quality matters.
  3. Avoid online shopping. This is a piano, not a purse. Such a large instrument and investment should not be purchased online. You need the chance to see and hear the piano before you purchase it. It is also important to note that you never know exactly whom you are dealing with over the Internet.
  4. Quality materials create quality pianos. Choose a trusted, reputable brand name when shopping for your piano to ensure that you receive a quality instrument.
  5. Consider the design of the piano before you purchase. Grand pianos produce some of the finest, richest tones, but you may not have room for such a large piano in your home. Upright pianos are the next best option.
  6. When you choose the brand name for your piano, make sure you choose one that backs up their craftsmanship. This goes beyond the actual building of the piano and includes partnering with reputable dealers and tuners to ensure that your piano stays in great shape.
  7. If ever in doubt, contact an expert. Utilize the Internet to find someone who knows about pianos and can advise you on your purchase.
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4 July 2013 Tips For Buying A Piano In Memphis Tennessee

Tips For Buying A Piano In Memphis Tennessee

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You’ve been wanting to buy a piano for a while now, but you don’t know where you should begin looking for one. How do you find the perfect piano for your home? Should you jump online and buy a used one from a classified site? Or should you find a piano dealer – someone right here in Memphis, Tennessee to help you make the perfect selection?

In the case of buying a piano, a piano dealer can help you in not only making the perfect purchase, but also providing you with a whole lot more. Here are some things you should consider when looking for a piano dealer who can help you:Tips For Buying A Piano In Memphis Tennessee

  1. It is helpful to go with a piano dealer who is local and can answer any questions that you might have about pianos. By contacting someone local, you will be able to get help both by phone and in person. You should be able to feel confident when buying a piano, and having a dealer who has great customer service in multiple ways will take the time to answer any questions you might have.


  2. Look for a piano dealer who has a huge selection of pianos, both used and new. Everyone’s needs and budget for buying a piano are different. Don’t settle for something that you might not be happy with in the long term just because you only saw a limited number of options and didn’t know what else was out there. Being able to test out many different pianos in person will allow you to choose the piano that best suits your needs and budget.


  3. Go to a piano dealer who is experienced in the piano world in a variety of ways. We have been around since 1960, so you can trust that we are experienced and knowledgeable about the pianos that we sell. In going to someone who is experienced, you can also benefit in other areas –as well as selling pianos, we also are knowledgeable in restoring, tuning, and moving pianos.
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2 July 2013 Differences Between an Acoustic Piano and a Digital Piano

Differences Between an Acoustic Piano and a Digital Piano

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Thinking of buying a piano? You’ve probably come across one of the very first questions a piano dealer will ask you – would you like an acoustic piano or a digital piano? And if you’re new to the piano world, that very first question may leave you confused. What’s the difference?

Differences Between an Acoustic Piano and a Digital Piano

  • Acoustic pianos work by felt-covered mallets hitting strings within their insides. Digital pianos work through a sound chip and speakers, so when their keys are struck, they replicate what a piano sounds like. Some digital piano models have features that will allow you to change the instrument sounds like (for instance, an organ or drums instead of a piano). Because the technology used to make digital pianos can be made smaller without sacrificing the sound of the instrument like an acoustic piano, digital pianos are smaller and lighter.


  • Digital pianos may be able to better serve the needs of a select number of people. For one, their size may be a better match for those who enjoy playing but are either short on space or move around a lot. Also, digital pianos are useful if you want to record music on the computer or plug in headphones to play privately.


  • Acoustic pianos have significantly more range of tone than digital pianos, as you are interacting with actual strings rather than something emulating the sound of strings. Therefore, you will be able to put in a lot more emotion and depth into your music on an acoustic piano. Because of this, more advanced piano players may find digital pianos limiting after a while.


  • Digital pianos don’t function exactly like an acoustic piano, and making a transition later on from digital to acoustic may be difficult, especially for beginning players. For one, some less expensive digital pianos don’t have the same weighted key feel as an acoustic piano would, instead feeling light and plastic. For another, some digital pianos lack the full eight octaves that acoustic pianos have, which can limit the range of music that you can play.


  • Acoustic pianos have a longer-lasting value. Anything electronic, whether it’s a computer, phone, or piano, has a time limit on it; it will one day become outdated and overshadowed by better technology. This will also make it difficult to sell if you want to get a new piano later on. Acoustic pianos that are well-maintained keep their value and won’t become obsolete.
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