Posts about learning to play piano, and resources for piano learners.
After an 8-year interlude, David Hendra Music is making its encore – I’m BACK! Yeah, okay, forget the theatrics, nobody missed me…but sometimes it’s time for a reboot. After a long time musicking elsewhere, I’m returning with an update… More
So your pupil arrives for their piano lesson. They sit and play what they have been working on, receive constructive feedback, work on some important techniques with you and leave with some new challenges for the week ahead, confident in their progress, right? If only it were that easy…
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What makes a good piano pupil? How can you improve your chances of success? Here are five key qualities to develop…
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Should you cut your nails short to play the piano? Can you practise and play well with long nails? The answer is perhaps not as simple as some would have you believe…
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When I start a new pupil, whether they have requested piano or keyboard lessons, I always talk to them about this choice. Often it’s something they haven’t even thought about. Sometimes it’s a parent who decides and they have a fixed idea about what they want, which is fine. But it’s always good to ask the question…
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As a busy piano and keyboard teacher, I spend a lot of time teaching people to acquire and develop new musical skills and knowledge. But these same people often teach me things too…
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Looking for a sure-fire method to boost your keyboard practice? No problem!
Looking for a sure-fire method to boost your keyboard practice? No problem! As well as piano, I have several pupils learning to play keyboard. By ‘keyboard’ I mean electronic or ‘chord’ keyboard: the type where you play a melody in the right hand, chord shapes in the left and the keyboard takes care of the rest with drums, accompaniment parts, multiple instrument voices, extra harmonies, etc. Most of my pupils use Yamaha keyboards such as the PSR-E343 which I strongly recommend for beginners on a budget.
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On occasions I ask people, “What song or piece would you like to be able to play on the piano?” Whether it’s a pupil I have been teaching for a while, a brand new starter or even someone who has never had a music lesson in their life, they almost always have an answer. Most people have apparently thought about it before! But when it comes to helping them reach their goal, their answers can be quite challenging…
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About 10-20% of my regular lessons in a week end up being cancelled or rearranged for one reason or another. Often my pupils give me plenty of notice, but there are always those who wait until the eleventh hour…
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If you’re still learning the names of the notes on your piano, here are some printable guides I made for you. Many thanks to my good friend Sandie B who gave me the idea. The note names are clear and you also have the treble clef and bass clef notes to help you…
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