What makes a good piano pupil? How can you improve your chances of success? Here are five key qualities to develop…
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…
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…
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…
Do you teach a musical instrument? Try this inexpensive and easy-to-make magnetic learning resource to teach note names and positions to your pupils!
Like all the best ideas, this one is pinched from someone else. My friend Sandie B (another piano teacher) showed me a similar magnetic board she bought some years ago with movable note heads. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find one anywhere – so I decided to make one. It’s quick and easy, and all the materials are really inexpensive. Give it a try!
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.
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…
If you ask several piano players how they learnt to play, you’re likely to get some quite different answers. Some will have received very formal (probably classical) tuition from a ‘proper’ piano teacher. Others will have been taught by a parent, relative or friend. Still others will have used a book or an online resource to teach themselves from scratch. You will also find many who (like me) have used a combination of these methods. So, how do you decide which is best for you?
Here are 6 key questions to ask yourself and some ideas to get you thinking:
