5-Minute Piano Lessons

Time, energy, money, and hope must be invested. But for what?

What do folks get out of learning the piano? Why do they do it? After all, despite the many books and website claiming to be able to teach a complex skill in no time at all, piano actually is one of the most difficult of instruments to play well. A good pianist has invested much time and energy, sometimes practicing daily over many months or even years. This person often has spent money on private or online lessons, sheet music books, and, of course, their instrument. Above all, the piano student must keep up their hope of playing the music they love the way they would love to play it. That hope must be maintained for some time. Those who don’t already play sometimes wonder what the big deal might be. (more…)

The “war of instruments” is counter-productive in addition to silly

If there is one thing that pianists get hot about it is the “war of instruments” between the proponents of acoustic pianos and lovers of digital pianos. I know because I get caught in their battles quite often. Any reader of these essays knows that I believe the digital piano to be the best instrument for the amateur pianist, as well as a superior instrument for learning to play in the first place. If you’d like to know my reasoning please see Three Reasons to Buy a DIGITAL Piano or Digital Pianos vs. Acoustic Pianos. I hope what I say helps you come to some conclusions. However, I have one final thing to say about all this and it would be worthwhile for any pianist or piano student to hear it. (more…)

“…to advance the value of music study and music making to society…” seems to me a worthy goal. This is a direct quote from the website of the MTNA, the Music Teachers National Association. I agree completely. The question is HOW to achieve this. I suspect my answer is a bit different than that of some MTNA members. (more…)

The piano world is waking up to CHORDS and their value

Years ago only professional musicians even knew fakebooks (books with just melody lines, lyrics, and chord symbols) existed. The few fakebooks available to such folk were very expensive and highly illegal (as the unknown authors simply ignored copyright and used that new technology of the photocopy machine to produce the things.) The regular pianist or piano student was taught that the supreme virtue was to read every note and every instruction on the piece of printed music. Making it up was, of course, “faking it” and therefore somehow less than capable.

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Understanding one’s preferences regarding art is always difficult

I’ve boiled it down like this. (more…)

“Mastery” is a common piano goal

Just today I came up with a short, easy way to explain the experience of mastery to other pianists and piano students. Of course, the concept applies to lots of things other than the piano, but THIS is a piano website, so… (more…)

An easy, but highly interesting timing “trick” every pianist should understand and master

Few words seem more mysterious than “syncopation.” Most piano students are given syncopated pieces at some point  When these are presented, however, the pianist too often just plays what the composer or arranger has written. They can hear the interesting sounds and fascinating timing but don’t really understand how that sound and timing is produced. They are just following orders, so to speak. I’d like to explain syncopation in the way my adult students, both live and online, have found useful and successful. Funny thing, it has always been my observation that the adult who understands what they play does a better job at it than the adult who only follows orders. (more…)

Some piano students make emotional trouble for themselves

Instead of focusing on the sheer enjoyment of making music which they love, they wonder if they are “doing it properly.” Similar concerns are too common as well. Such folks have been indoctrinated, often at a young age, that there is a right way and wrong way to make music. I’d say something different – that there is a way that makes the listener happy and a way that does not. By “listener” I include the pianist him/herself. (more…)

The Psychology Behind a Common Problem of Adult Piano Students

As almost all adult piano students know, “nervousness” remains a constant problem. I thought I’d share with you the exact psychology that underlies adult lesson nervousness in the hopes that some of you will find a new tool to help you enjoy your lessons more. I know it frustrates you – my personal piano students tell me about it several times a week. (more…)

What YOU can Do to Create Faster, Better, and More Enjoyable Lessons

Once you’ve found a good piano teacher, someone you trust, someone who understands you and your needs, then almost all the rest depends on YOU. The piano student is mainly in charge during a series of piano lessons, for the simple reason that most of your learning occurs during your regular piano practice. Sure, your instructor can tell you what to practice and how to best practice it, but only you can follow those directions. Learning to play piano is something you do without the teacher present. Thus, anything that helps you do that would also make your lessons faster, better, and more enjoyable – right? (more…)