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Neither of my parents had any musical background. (I took the group piano class while having nothing to practice on during the week between lessons!). I begged my parents to buy a piano and they relented when I was seven. My mother sold Tupperware to pay for a Wurlitzer console piano from the local music store. She found a graduate voice (not piano) student at the local university to teach me. That young teacher was smart and kind. I enjoyed her lessons a lot! I found great relief in learning music throughout my youth. Music soothed my emotional confusion and allowed me to express my true feelings with anonymity. I relished solitude and musical expression as an introvert. I still do! Contrary to my dark moods as a child (don’t worry, I’ve lightened up!), I distinctly remember having incredible fun in my elementary music classes. My first music teacher was Dorothy Smith (now deceased). She was the funniest, most animated, openly warm-hearted and embracing teacher I’ve ever had in my life. Sometimes she would sing and play cute, comedic songs on piano for us that she had composed herself. She would help us put together musicals—including our parents as cast members! Her infectious enthusiasm and complete warmth were my catalytic hook to music. The fact she shared her love of creating original songs and using music as a way of community-building and fun ingrained in my heart the value of music as a communication method. She was a role model of using creativity to harmonize with others. I quickly outgrew my first piano teacher and spent a few years waiting for my parents to find another. When we found one, I went through everything that teacher could offer within a year. This went on in the same pattern until I started college. So I had a spotty, inconsistent and generally lacking in educational quality piano history before college. My College Years After a difficult period in my personal life, I moved myself from Kentucky to Florida when I was 23. I was happily able to receive both piano and vocal scholarships at State College of Florida and University of South Florida. However, I had a tendency to practice my original music and neglect my classical piano pieces until a week before jury time. Then I would cram all day piano practice sessions for a week to pass my juries. Miraculously, I always did well except for my nerves. It was a stressful situation full of stage fright. I don’t recommend it. The stage fright I experienced was traumatic and held me back for many years from being able to pursue music performance. My stage fright and approach to music learning were a reflection of my life choices to that point and my lack of disciplined training. I hadn’t yet learned good piano practice habits. I had to learn quite late, and definitely the hard way about the importance of consistent, disciplined effort and preparation in music practice. Although I got both piano and vocal scholarships and was leader of the jazz, madrigal and full college choirs, I didn’t opt for a vocal degree, and ended up changing my initial major from piano performance to music composition. Although I was capable as a soprano and pianist, somehow creation itself always had a stronger voice within me. What’s Most Important About Your Musical Experience The memory association that first teacher gave me about music has been a huge factor in my ability to not give up on my musical growth despite struggles with stage fright and inconsistent training. I share the detail of my spotty musical background as a way to encourage anyone reading that piano is for everyone. You don’t have to have the fortune of high profile credentials to learn piano and gain the tremendous benefits of music education. I’m grateful for my first teacher’s influence in that regard because I feel she showed me what’s most important early on. That lesson carries me through to this day. As a result, despite my obstacles, and with gratitude for my teachers, I made a 30-year career out of piano and music teaching, as well as performing professionally as pianist and vocalist. Knowing How To Practice Piano Effectively Is Key In college, one of my piano instructors, Dr. Charles Turon, gave me a complete understanding of how to practice piano effectively. He taught me the importance of ‘mind spent’ versus ‘time spent’. He also taught me the importance of mindfulness and breath in regard to awareness of physical tension and placement in relation to piano practice. That was a huge lesson for piano progress, and Dr. Turon’s lessons are the basis for both my teaching strategy and my personal piano practice sessions. Immersed In The World Of Negative Musical Experiences Unfortunately, not having a solid musical training led to a lack of confidence in myself as a musician. In college, I had such low self-esteem that I felt inadequate and out of place in the music department. I had a few piano teachers there whose intellectual snobbery and emotional distance kind of perpetuated my negative feeling. I had two female piano teachers, but both were reserved and stoic. Fellow pianists were stand-off-ish and mostly concerned with flashy technique versus authentically musical expression. So my whole college experience was a world of musical snobbery and intense judgment. I know many musicians who’ve experienced the intellectual egoism in the classical music world, too. I also think this negative experience influenced my decision to get my degree in music composition versus performance. How You Can Have The Joy of Solid Piano Study I wrote this ebook for the same reason I taught piano for decades. I want to help you get started in your musical journey with a positive foundation. My desire is to give you an incredibly warm, heartfelt environment where you feel confident in your musicality and self-expression. Giving others what I didn’t have on my own musical journey until much later is extremely important to me. I offer this ebook and all my content on piano learning so that no one else experiences the snobbery, intellectual ego, or educational gaps I’d endured. There are so many people who are looking to start piano lessons for themselves, a friend, or a child. However they don’t really know how to start or even what basics are truly essential for a successful piano education. Many people are intimidated by the prospect and give up even though they really want to play piano! There’s a lot of noise out there offering quick tricks or gimmicks to learn piano faster than before. I’m not saying that some things available online or elsewhere aren’t offering any value. The truth is that these don’t work in the long run—or at least not as a foundation—for those who truly want to progress in playing piano successfully and continue to progress as a musician. My ebook is meant to dispel the myth—that piano playing can be accomplished with a fast, easy trick or gimmick—through straight talk from someone who has taught and played piano for 30 years. I’ve retired from one-on-one piano teaching, but I want to offer value to my online audience at YourCreativeChord.com. Over the years, many people asked me the questions featured in my new ebook! I’ve written several blogs answering a lot of those questions from new or returning piano learners. I decided to offer an all-in-one, easy-to-read resource where those interested in starting piano lessons can find all the answers to their questions about how to successfully begin and forge a strong foundation for continued piano progress. For anyone who’s interested in exploring piano learning, this is the ebook that gives you everything you need to get started learning piano right. ‘Right’ means with the confidence that you’ve got the right teacher, method, instrument, setup, routine, advice, age and anything else needed to successfully begin piano! What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right! Ebook
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A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. BONUS GIFT: As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with a self-care affirmation. Get Everything You Need To Start Piano With My Ebook, "What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right!" A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. Topics include what kind of keyboard is necessary, how to find a quality instrument and piano method, whether you need and how to find a good piano teacher, whether online tools for piano learning are valuable, what’s needed for a successful start to piano learning, and how to maintain continued piano progress. This ebook provides answers to those seeking a successful start or greater momentum for piano progress. As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with an affirmation. The affirmation poster is completely free to download, print, use as a desktop wallpaper or screensaver for your computer. The beauty of nature and positive words brings inspiration. We all need reminders. May this small gift of beauty and positive thought remind you of your immense potential for creative energy and inspire you to tap into your best self.
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 by Jenny Leigh Hodgins The quote in the above headline is from percussionist/composer, Joshua Sohn, of Salt Lake City, Utah, after he read my new ebook, What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right! I appreciated getting this feedback from a fellow composer/musician because this is exactly what I intended my ebook to provide! Through my 30-year piano teaching career, I’ve taught countless students who initially came to me without a clue about what’s really necessary for piano success. They didn’t know how to prepare for their lessons, much less what kind of instrument to use, or how to practice piano for developing their musical skills. Fortunately, as their piano teacher, I was able to guide them on all these points until my students created a healthy physical and instrumental setup, practice routine and strategy. The majority of my students acquired consistent musical improvement, and developed the confidence to perform regularly in recitals and group classes. More importantly, their confidence, from understanding how to practice effectively with a healthy physical and instrumental setup gave them tremendous joy. THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR PIANO SUCCESS Sadly, most people who want to start playing piano don’t really know what’s most critical to setup for successful piano learning. I often see teens and adults online who futilely hunt for quick tricks, flashy apps, or follow glamorous video tutorials to start their musical path. Unfortunately, these folks quickly lose their enthusiasm, as these gimmicks often prove to be short-lived entertainment rather than a fool-proof method to advance musically. I watch the initial excitement of these potential piano players fade, as they unfortunately develop poor piano technique, weak or painful fingers and hands, increased frustration due to the lack of a qualified instructor’s guidance. They also typically have a keyboard setup that’s inadequate for piano skill development, and no understanding for practicing piano effectively. Regrettably, there are folks claiming to be piano teachers, whether online or locally, who don’t actually offer a solid foundation for piano beginners. This is why many adults return to piano much later in life, wishing to start again. This is why I’ve met many adults who were confused about the absolute basics necessary for steady piano progress. This is why many young teens give up too soon, thinking they’re not capable or musical. Whether you want to try learning piano for the first time in your life, return to the piano after a long gap, or explore setting up piano lessons for your child, my new ebook has “everything you need to know before starting piano.” My new ebook covers the things any new piano learner needs to consider for successfully starting piano:
My new ebook offers you practical guidance on what and how to take action toward getting your piano journey started successfully. Everything in my ebook comes from my experience as a piano teacher, and from my own journey as a professional pianist and composer of piano-based music. I put “everything you need to know before starting piano” in my ebook to take all the guesswork and mystery out of the process for you. I wrote this ebook so that people like you can start your piano learning story with confidence. When you read my ebook, you’ll know how to get everything setup properly as a solid foundation of support for you to enjoy achieving success as a piano player. GET MY NEW EBOOK! 👇 What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right! Ebook
$11.98
A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. BONUS GIFT: As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with a self-care affirmation. Get Everything You Need To Start Piano With My Ebook, "What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right!" A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. Topics include what kind of keyboard is necessary, how to find a quality instrument and piano method, whether you need and how to find a good piano teacher, whether online tools for piano learning are valuable, what’s needed for a successful start to piano learning, and how to maintain continued piano progress. This ebook provides answers to those seeking a successful start or greater momentum for piano progress. As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with an affirmation. The affirmation poster is completely free to download, print, use as a desktop wallpaper or screensaver for your computer. The beauty of nature and positive words brings inspiration. We all need reminders. May this small gift of beauty and positive thought remind you of your immense potential for creative energy and inspire you to tap into your best self.
by Jenny Leigh Hodgins
If you're interested in starting piano, checkout my new short video series for quick and easy, actionable tips--something you can use immediately to bring you closer to your goal of piano learning. A nugget of valuable knowledge for you to apply toward a solid, productive musical learning experience. My video tips summarize the useful and much more in-depth information from my new ebook, What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right! My new ebook has answers to every question you have about starting piano. But, my ebook is different from what you may typically find available online about learning piano. This is because I don't offer gimmicks or tricks to play piano. I know from years of teaching and playing piano that those don't work in the long run. Rather, my ebook gives you practical, straight-forward advice on everything you need to successfully start piano. If you're interested in learning piano, having a quality piano teacher helps you progress faster and further than you would with self-study. My new ebook goes into great detail to help you find a good piano teacher. It also provides you with many other supportive actions and information you'll need to successfully learn piano. In my video above, What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right! Tip #2, I explain one of the most important things to look for in a piano teacher. This strategy offers a less intrusive, anonymous way for you to determine whether the teacher is up to snuff. This actionable tip also helps you decide if the piano instructor will be a good match for your learning style and personality. If you missed it, you can watch my video with Tip #1 here! What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right! Ebook
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A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. BONUS GIFT: As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with a self-care affirmation. Get Everything You Need To Start Piano With My Ebook, "What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right!" A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. Topics include what kind of keyboard is necessary, how to find a quality instrument and piano method, whether you need and how to find a good piano teacher, whether online tools for piano learning are valuable, what’s needed for a successful start to piano learning, and how to maintain continued piano progress. This ebook provides answers to those seeking a successful start or greater momentum for piano progress. As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with an affirmation. The affirmation poster is completely free to download, print, use as a desktop wallpaper or screensaver for your computer. The beauty of nature and positive words brings inspiration. We all need reminders. May this small gift of beauty and positive thought remind you of your immense potential for creative energy and inspire you to tap into your best self.  Cover of my new Ebook about "everything you need to start piano right!" A practical resource for piano students, piano learners and piano wannabees. by Jenny Leigh Hodgins 🎹 I have exciting news for piano learners or those interested in playing piano! I have launched my first ebook, What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right! I’m excited to soon make this ebook available for purchase directly from my website! My ebook is the perfect gift for anyone interested in piano playing! I created this valuable resource for those who:
My ebook is a practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. Want to know if this is the right book for you, your family, or a musical friend? Let me clarify my new ebook's content with an excerpt from the introduction, “Throughout my 30-year music and piano teaching career, I’ve been asked the same questions repeatedly by those interested in playing piano. Beginner to intermediate piano students have asked these same questions again and again. Even advanced players, lacking a foundation of good practice habits, and frustrated with how to pierce through a plateau or further progress in piano, exhibited a need to learn piano practice basics. Many of these piano learners did not lack piano skill. They were stumped by repeated mistakes or by their inability to breakthrough musical barriers. They simply did not know how to practice piano effectively for consistent progress. In my experience with teaching privately, in small groups, and classroom school music classes, all my students, and their parents or guardians had the same need for answers to these questions about successful piano learning. I’ve combined their biggest concerns and most recurring inquiries in this ebook. As a pianist and composer of piano-based music, I know well the rich benefits and joy of piano playing. The issues piano learners face, and their desire to get started, return to, or keep pressing on to reap the rewards of piano progress, are what motivates me to provide this ebook. My intent is to help piano learners keep breaking through to new levels of piano performance. Though I’ve written blogs on these topics, many have expressed continued interest in starting piano or more successful piano practice results. My goal in writing this ebook, as well as my upcoming (2nd) ebook, My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano Effectively, is to provide answers to these persistent questions in an organized, convenient way. I hope my books are helpful to those seeking successful or greater momentum for piano progress. This ebook covers all the basics anyone needs to know about starting piano lessons, from how to find a quality instrument and piano method, to whether you need and how to find a good piano teacher, whether online tools for piano learning are valuable, what’s needed for a successful start to piano learning, and how to maintain continued piano progress. I hope this ebook provides the answers you seek, and helps you successfully begin or continue your musical journey with enjoyable, confident, forward-moving piano advancement.” My new ebook will be the perfect holiday gift:
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT MY EBOOK: "What a great resource for potential piano parents to have." ~-Krista Schupbach, PIANO TEACHER "A great book that will inspire many people to take up piano lessons. It inspires me to continue playing and composing. Many people [will want] to start piano studies after reading [this] ebook. Looking forward to [the author's] next ebook." --Alex Dawson, RETIRED PIANO TEACHER "Excellent e-book! EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING PIANO. There is just about everything you can think in [this ebook], like a bible of what you should know. I also enjoyed previous articles and links from [YourCreativeChord.com] blog -- which only strengthens [the author] as an authority on piano. Great job!" --Joshua Sohn, FILM & GAME COMPOSER "Genuinely, this is a good resource, and a reassuring one to someone coming at the piano with some trepidation, intimidation, or wondering, Am I too old to start?" --Tracie Callahan, COMPOSER, MUSIC EDUCATOR What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right! Ebook
$11.98
A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. BONUS GIFT: As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with a self-care affirmation. Get Everything You Need To Start Piano With My Ebook, "What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right!" A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. Topics include what kind of keyboard is necessary, how to find a quality instrument and piano method, whether you need and how to find a good piano teacher, whether online tools for piano learning are valuable, what’s needed for a successful start to piano learning, and how to maintain continued piano progress. This ebook provides answers to those seeking a successful start or greater momentum for piano progress. As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with an affirmation. The affirmation poster is completely free to download, print, use as a desktop wallpaper or screensaver for your computer. The beauty of nature and positive words brings inspiration. We all need reminders. May this small gift of beauty and positive thought remind you of your immense potential for creative energy and inspire you to tap into your best self.  by Jenny Leigh Hodgins If you’ve been following my piano practice blog series, you know my strategy for how to spend time at piano for the most effective progress. If you missed those, check out: My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano Part 1, My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano Part 2 & My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano Part 3, where I walk you through my effective piano practice strategy in detail. Continuing in your piano practice routine, you should practice each goal in this manner (as described in previous blogs above) for as long as you are able to muster full effort. Repeat the same practice process with your next goal, aiming to successfully play through several times in a row. Stop if you make a mistake, or when you lose mental concentration. Remind yourself of your selected goal and reset back to the start. If you’re unable to keep your mind on things after awhile, or continue making the same mistakes, it may be time for a change. This brings us to decide What To Do If You Keep Messing Up At The Piano! Starting anew without success after multiple attempts means you’re either doing something to block your progress, or you simply need a break to refresh yourself. If you simply didn’t achieve your goal, in addition to stopping and returning to the beginning, you must change your approach. Take A Closer Look At The Problem When I’ve chosen a specific practice goal, but continue having problems getting through the music successfully, I take a step back. By that I mean to take a closer look at the problem section. Analyze the trouble spot, looking for clues about what’s tripping you up. This often reveals a less obvious practice goal that you must focus on first, before moving on to your previously selected goal. In other words, you’ve taken on too much at once. Bite off only what you can chew, one morsel at a time. How do you find the trouble to know what to practice? Ask yourself questions relevant to your music and piano playing level. If you’re a beginner, you may ask;
If you’re more advanced, you must ask questions relative to your level, too.
Troubleshooting As A Target These are simply examples of questions. You must look at your music specifically to break things down, one issue or item at a time, deducing where, within the music, you are completely confident you’ve mastered each aspect of your analysis. When you find a point where you are struggling to focus or answer a question, you’ve found a trouble spot! An effective piano practice routine constantly involves this kind of reflection, and then zeroing in to practice only that section or areas that cause any issues. The way to accomplish more at your piano is determined by how much mental energy you’ve spent during your time at the piano. When you push yourself to be more conscientious of each moment and every phrase of your musical assignments, you will reap huge rewards with advancement as a musician. But what if you’ve gone through this intense effort and you’re still having issues? I know how frustrating that may be, but there are two solutions that usually resolve any trouble areas. Play It Slower, Sam Most commonly, the solution to the problem is a slower tempo. Your next best step would be to stay focused on the originally selected goal, but play through your musical section at a much reduced speed. Playing music at a slower than usual tempo is often the most challenging kind of practice. Quite the opposite of most people’s impression that fast is impressive. (Though it can be, often piano players of fast passages easily find themselves relying on physical muscle memory, which, as mentioned earlier, is like a fragile house of cards!) Sometimes we’ve made the mistake of relying solely on our muscle memory to play through musical passages. When the tempo is slowed down, that kind of false scaffolding is stripped away, leaving us to use our cognitive skills and tune in to refine our kinesthetic senses. This can feel like having the training wheels of a bicycle removed. We start off wobbly and lacking confidence or balance. But when you slow the tempo, you allow yourself enough space in your brain to be fully mindful of each practice goal, whether it’s the notes, rhythm, fingering, dynamics or all these combined. If you’re able to play slowly enough to completely master each aspect of the music (whichever goals you’ve chosen to practice), you will gradually come away from piano practice with a deeper grasp of the music, both internally and physically. But playing music that is familiar to us at a deliberately slower tempo can also cause us to trip up. This is even more basis for the argument to slow your playing enough to thoroughly choose and focus on one practice goal at a time until it is mastered. Underwater Slow Motion Effect One of the biggest problems with slowing down is that we’ve developed bad habits of playing at a tempo too fast. This tempo is stuck in our aural memory as well as our physical muscles. This makes for a tougher barrier to get through. What I suggest is to look at your music through a new lens. Go to the extreme with your imagination. Pretend you’re playing through the musical phrase as if you are in an underwater film scene using a slow motion effect. Yes. That slow. Be intentionally and dramatically slower than the slowest tempo you can feel. If it’s hard to keep the beat at that new tempo, set the metronome at the most ridiculously slowest tempo you can feel. Play the music along with the metronome. If necessary, count aloud before you play, clapping out or tapping the rhythm on your legs first. Then play through with this tempo using the metronome. Once you’re able to sense the steady beat of this willfully chosen slow speed, go back through the passage following your effective piano practice routine. Stop if you make a mistake or lose mental concentration. Aim again to play at this slow tempo correctly three times in a row. Discovering Your Musical Weaknesses Typically, playing slowly in this manner will reveal problem areas you hadn’t discovered while playing at the faster tempo. Even better, playing slowly will allow you to more deeply and clearly master previously chosen practice goals. This kind of practice brings you much more quickly to the kind of cognitive engagement necessary for lasting piano progress. Why? Because you’re finally going slow enough to allow yourself to fully think consciously and consistently toward your chosen practice goals. You may have thought you’d already surpassed this level of practice at your faster tempo. But the majority of the time, slower practice will take you further and, ironically, faster in piano progress. What Should You Do If You Keep Messing Up At The Piano? If you’re unable to keep your mind on things after awhile, it may be time for a break. This kind of prolonged, intensely concentrated effort cannot be sustained for long. Especially if you’ve just begun using this piano practice technique. It’s perfectly normal and advisable to take a break when you’ve hit a plateau, lost your ability to pay attention to your set goals, or make mistakes repeatedly. Our brains need a moment to refresh. You could choose to play through something without concentrating, just for the enjoyment of it. Choose something at a much easier sight-reading level, a previously mastered piece, or improvise for the sheer fun of it. Play It Again, Sam Once you’ve taken a short break, try again with renewed determination. You may find a burst of energy that helps you continue your intentional, slow tempo practice. You may notice already, a degree of improvement, fluency, muscle recall, or musicality emerging. This is a wonderful experience, bringing a joyful sense of accomplishment and newfound confidence as a piano player. Enjoy that! It will keep happening again and again, each time you challenge yourself to give your all mentally to your piano practice sessions. If you’re experiencing the opposite, unable to play without mistakes, or just can no longer focus at the practice goal with a slow tempo, you may need to leave the piano completely for a change of pace, scenery, a meal, drink, or even rest. Celebrate and acknowledge your efforts no matter what! Each day, each hour, each moment that you’re forging your complete focus on piano practice in the way I’ve described in this series is an incredible accomplishment. You’re making progress step by step, sometimes without realizing it until you look back and see how far you’ve come in your musical skills! I’d love to hear from you. It means a lot to me that my content is helpful. Please take a moment to join the conversation below to let me know if this blog is helpful to you, or if you have questions or suggestions! If you’re a piano teacher, feel free to leave one of your favorite piano practice tips in the comment section! Annnnnd...if you loved this blog don't forget to show your awesome support by sharing/liking/retweeting the link! Subscribe for more updates! What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right! Ebook
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A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. BONUS GIFT: As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with a self-care affirmation. Get Everything You Need To Start Piano With My Ebook, "What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right!" A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. Topics include what kind of keyboard is necessary, how to find a quality instrument and piano method, whether you need and how to find a good piano teacher, whether online tools for piano learning are valuable, what’s needed for a successful start to piano learning, and how to maintain continued piano progress. This ebook provides answers to those seeking a successful start or greater momentum for piano progress. As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with an affirmation. The affirmation poster is completely free to download, print, use as a desktop wallpaper or screensaver for your computer. The beauty of nature and positive words brings inspiration. We all need reminders. May this small gift of beauty and positive thought remind you of your immense potential for creative energy and inspire you to tap into your best self.  Photo by Jenny Leigh Hodgins By Jenny Leigh Hodgins This is Part 1 of a series offering my best tips on how to practice piano.
For all these scenarios, I have some useful suggestions. Why Should You Believe I Know How To Make Piano Progress? I’ve taught piano for more than half my life. Piano is a way that I best express myself, whether through performance or my original compositions. I performed as a pianist (and vocalist) and owned a private piano teaching studio for 25 years. I taught group piano (Musikgarten methodology) to kids from 5 to 11, too! If you’re interested in checking out my piano-based original music, or looking for proof to believe me when I say I know how to make piano progress, go to: JLMusicStudio.com Or have a listen to: My Piano Performance of Clair De Lune. Why Does Your Piano Practice Make You Feel Like A Loser? I know from my early piano practice sessions what it feels like to be overwhelmed, or stuck, or frustrated by a particular musical challenge. I was familiar with spending chunks of fruitless time at piano, not being able to accomplish something. I’d practice musical passages, scales, etudes, fingering, rhythmic patterns, or dynamics relentlessly and repetitively, only to hear myself play the same mistake after mistake. I’ve had some great piano teachers, though, and one of them was quite instrumental (What? A musical pun here?) in teaching me how to make progress with learning piano. I finally learned how to practice piano effectively. I’ve seen this dilemma from both sides. Having taught piano and music for 25+ years, I’ve met many piano students who felt overwhelmed by piano practice. I’ve had students come to me with angst from their lack of progress with former piano teachers. I’ve had adults come to me with feeble hopes after quitting piano lessons as a child. I’ve had teenagers joining my studio initially complain that piano was boring and they couldn’t get any better at it. How To Practice Piano With Confidence I learned to practice piano effectively. My private piano students overcame issues with getting stuck or insufficient progress, too. They succeeded because the driving point I taught in each piano lesson was how to practice piano effectively. Do You Know Where The Musical Magic Really Happens? First, you need to know that the magic never happens in the piano lesson. You will not be illuminated musically by exposure to the brilliance of your piano teacher. Sorry, no unicorns here. Piano improvement comes directly from the student. So… You. You, as the piano student, or you as the parent of the piano student, are the key to continuous piano progress. The piano student has full responsibility for developing piano skills. Having that self-motivation is 90% of the musical betterment battle. Of course, a quality piano instructor will be critically helpful as an experienced guide on your musical journey. A good piano teacher can inspire your consistent piano progress. Your piano teacher can help you avoid mistakes or break habits that stunt your piano development. Your piano teacher can use your strengths to help you advance more dynamically, or help you polish your weaknesses into tools for improvement. But the real result is up to the piano student. Not the teacher. If that has fully sunk into your brain, now you are ready for my piano practice tips! Please first take a look at these blogs if you are just beginning piano: What Do You Need To Know, Have, Or Do To Begin Piano? What Keyboard Do I Need For Successful Piano Lessons? How To Find A Good Piano Teacher Necessary Steps To Achieve Your Most Effective Piano Practice Having read through the blogs above, hopefully you’ve found a great piano teacher, have a quality instrument or a plan to upgrade to one, and have sorted out a regular practice routine that is supported by those in your home. Now you must begin to establish an effective piano practice strategy that produces progress within your regular practice sessions. In my next blogs of this series, My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano Part 2 & My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano Part 3, I walk you through my effective piano practice strategy in detail. Why You Need To Choose A Goal Relevant For Your Level Before you begin toward your daily piano practice routine, you will need to define the goals you will concentrate on. As you read through these piano practice tips, it will become evident that your goals will change and develop as you practice. Choosing and changing goals helps keep your interest and promotes the greatest progress while practicing piano. The most critical part that will vary from student to student, or from one practice session to the next, is choosing relevant practice goals. The goals you select depend on your level of musicianship, and will vary from beginner to advanced levels of piano skill. Beginner to intermediate level piano students will typically have a few piano goals assigned by their piano teacher to achieve before the next piano lesson. As you advance in piano proficiency, you’ll be able to use more self-volition in selecting appropriate piano goals. As you advance, and with the guidance from your piano teacher, you’ll learn the art of narrowing your focus to what goals are necessary for your current piano playing level. Before you begin, you must determine your specific goals for each piano practice session. You’ll need to break your weekly goals down into smaller, digestible chunks. Either using what your piano teacher has offered, or devising your own, make a list of targeted piano practice goals you will work on during your piano practice session. In the next blog, I will offer a few examples of relevant piano practice goals. Checkout next steps in my effective piano practice strategy in My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano Part 2, & My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano Part 3. I’d love to hear from you. It means a lot to me that my content is helpful and empowers you. Please take a moment to join the conversation below to let me know if this blog is helpful to you, or if you have questions or suggestions! If you’re a piano teacher, feel free to leave one of your favorite piano practice tips in the comment section! Annnnnd...if you loved this blog don't forget to show your awesome support by Liking the link, Subscribing for more updates and adding your comment below! What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right! Ebook
$11.98
A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. BONUS GIFT: As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with a self-care affirmation. Get Everything You Need To Start Piano With My Ebook, "What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right!" A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. Topics include what kind of keyboard is necessary, how to find a quality instrument and piano method, whether you need and how to find a good piano teacher, whether online tools for piano learning are valuable, what’s needed for a successful start to piano learning, and how to maintain continued piano progress. This ebook provides answers to those seeking a successful start or greater momentum for piano progress. As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with an affirmation. The affirmation poster is completely free to download, print, use as a desktop wallpaper or screensaver for your computer. The beauty of nature and positive words brings inspiration. We all need reminders. May this small gift of beauty and positive thought remind you of your immense potential for creative energy and inspire you to tap into your best self.  Photo by Jenny Leigh Hodgins By Jenny Leigh Hodgins If you’re interested in learning piano, or your child or teen is interested in music, there are some basic things that can help you start your musical journey with confidence. Whether you studied years ago, have a child who had sporadic lessons, or a teen suddenly expressing interest in learning an instrument, the options and information provided in this article will guide you toward having everything needed for your successful start with piano lessons. Find A Good Piano Teacher Although there are plenty of resources available at your fingertips for online learning, you will need to find a good piano teacher. There is nothing wrong with taking advantage of online tutorials, methods, and music education games. I recommend using them as well as piano and music apps as supplements to your piano education. But initially, beginner to intermediate-level students especially benefit from the guidance of a qualified piano teacher. A good piano teacher helps dramatically with the accountability factor. Having someone who knows what they’re doing can help you avoid making mistakes or overcome inevitable barriers more quickly than you would do on your own. This is especially critical in the area of piano technique. There are a variety of ways to find a capable piano teacher. Although local music stores may be the obvious choice, and they can provide wonderful educators, they may not be the best fit for you. Be aware that a music store’s goal is not to provide a quality piano education, but to sell products to you. Go into the search for a piano teacher like you’d search for a new doctor, massage therapist, or realtor. Have the mindset that you are interviewing for the right match to your piano goals and for the student. This includes personality, qualifications, location, cost, policy and communication. You or your child should feel completely comfortable and motivated when interacting with your piano teacher. Read Find A Good Piano Teacher for more details on where to look for a qualified instructor. Get The Best Quality Instrument That You Can Afford Many beginner or returning piano students wonder what instrument is best to start with until the student is fully committed for the long haul of music education. You must consider your budget, living space, family schedule, and preferences before purchasing a suitable keyboard for piano lessons. There are pros and cons to both using a digital piano keyboard or an acoustic piano. For the development of good piano technique and finger muscles, it is important to use a piano keyboard that has good action and tone. Even the best digital pianos are still no match for the authentic feel of a wooden instrument with quality craftsmanship. However, the benefits of electronic keyboards include the convenience of headphones, size, portability, and an abundance of beautiful, quality piano samples that may be used through a computer connection. If budget is an issue, I recommend purchasing an electronic keyboard for the first six months to one year. This is enough time to decide if you/your child will make the commitment to piano learning. After no more than one year, I recommend upgrading to a higher quality instrument within your budget. If you’re considering purchasing a piano or digital keyboard, I recommend you invite your new piano teacher to accompany you to the music store for guidance on your purchase. Piano quality varies dramatically from piano to piano, pending the age, brand, or care of the instrument. Whether looking at a piano under $3K, or a $30K Steinway, it’s helpful to have an experienced piano teacher’s input, as they know how the action and tone should sound. For more information, read What Keyboard Do I Need For Successful Piano Lessons? What Piano Books Do I Need? A competent piano educator will know good method books to recommend and may even provide them (for a fee). Click here for a list of some quality piano methods I have used and recommend. If your teacher recommends any of these, rest assured you are learning from an appropriate, quality, piano instruction curriculum. This list is not a complete list, but includes those I have used as both a piano student and piano teacher with great success. You Will Need Family Support You will need harmonious family support for successful piano progress. Everyone must agree to place the musical instrument in a location that is conducive to concentrated music practice. This means keeping it separate from TV or video game interference, or interruptions from other family activities. The family must be in agreement to support your daily practice schedule. Make sure you discuss your piano practice routine and allow for it to be incorporated into and around family activities or obligations. Decide On A Regular Practice Schedule Decide on a regular time of day to practice. Stick to it everyday or at least 5 days per week. It will take a while to get used to practicing consistently (or get back in the groove of practicing), but if you create your own schedule based on the time of day that works best for you or your family, it will become habitual fairly quickly. The good thing about learning any musical instrument is that the more consistently you do it, even if it’s a short amount of time, the more quickly you make progress. Part of the reason behind that is due to muscle memory. If you skip even one day it’s harder for your muscles to remember what to do. That’s why it’s important to first establish a consistent schedule. Your cognitive memory is also at play, so keeping a consistent schedule helps with memorization and retaining information. How Much Should Children Practice Piano? Young children need about 15 minutes of daily piano practice, which may be chunked into 5-minute increments throughout the day. Older children should aim for 30 minutes each weekday. Splitting the practice session may be helpful for family schedules or to accommodate the student’s learning style. Children, especially those from ages 5-9, particularly need the assistance of a parent throughout the practice session in the beginning. How Much Should Teens & Adults Practice Piano? I recommend 30 minutes to an hour for adults who want to play piano as a hobby. For teens and young adults aiming to acquire piano scholarships for college, I recommend dedicating an hour daily on weekdays and 1-2 hours at the piano on weekends. Practice Piano Effectively Learn how to practice piano effectively. A good teacher will guide you from the start on how to practice for greatest impact toward your piano progress. Make sure you are clear on your practice goals before the piano lesson ends. Clarify what you aim to accomplish by the next lesson. Your teacher will help break that down into actionable practice tasks. Mind Spent Is Better Than Time Spent Time at the piano is not as important as “mind spent” at the piano. Even though a consistent daily practice schedule is necessary, just sitting at the piano during your allotted practice time doesn’t lead to progress. Many piano students waste time at the piano, leading to frustration from their lack of piano progress. Spending your time at the piano with clear, practice goals and concentrated mental focus is what leads to piano progress. For each practice session, you must know your practice goals and focus on each one with full mental effort. When you lose your attention span, refresh your goal focus and try again. If you’re unable to keep your concentration after several attempts, take a short break or call it a day until your next practice session. Practice also includes mental activities away from the instrument, including listening to quality musical recordings of the music you are learning. See What To Do About Piano Practice When You Have An Injury for more ideas on how to practice away from the instrument. I’d love to hear from you. It means a lot to me that my content is helpful and empowers you. Please take a moment to join the conversation below to let me know if this blog is helpful to you, or if you have questions or suggestions! If you’re a piano teacher, feel free to leave one of your favorite piano practice tips in the comment section! THANK YOU FOR SHARING this with a friend on social media or email! What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right! Ebook
$11.98
A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. BONUS GIFT: As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with a self-care affirmation. Get Everything You Need To Start Piano With My Ebook, "What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right!" A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. Topics include what kind of keyboard is necessary, how to find a quality instrument and piano method, whether you need and how to find a good piano teacher, whether online tools for piano learning are valuable, what’s needed for a successful start to piano learning, and how to maintain continued piano progress. This ebook provides answers to those seeking a successful start or greater momentum for piano progress. As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with an affirmation. The affirmation poster is completely free to download, print, use as a desktop wallpaper or screensaver for your computer. The beauty of nature and positive words brings inspiration. We all need reminders. May this small gift of beauty and positive thought remind you of your immense potential for creative energy and inspire you to tap into your best self.  Hobbyist Pianist Tommy Doyle, of Manchester, United Kingdom Tips For Adults Who Want To Learn Piano by Jenny Leigh Hodgins In my quest to see if what I’ve learned in 30+ years as a pianist and piano teacher is in sync with other piano teachers and pianists, I’ve checked out Facebook piano groups. This is where I engaged in a thread on piano practice with hobbyist piano player, Tommy Doyle, of Manchester, United Kingdom. Doyle’s website, https://tommyspianocorner.com is where he shares his journey as someone who studied piano in his youth, left it behind for many years due to ‘adulting,’ then returned to the piano as a hobby. His blog offers his insights on how to approach learning piano while juggling the working adult’s non-music-related daily responsibilities. Although not a piano teacher, hearing from Doyle’s personal journey with striving to fit in his love for piano minus the hyper-ambition of a classical piano career gets at the heart of what many aspiring pianists want to know. I asked Doyle five questions that are useful for those wanting to progress at piano playing. The first sentence of his first answer hit the essence of my philosophy and teaching strategy for effective piano progress. YCC: What are your top piano practice tips for beginners? DOYLE: My top tip for anybody wanting to learn to play piano is to learn how to practice piano. This might seem a self-evident thing to say, however, the reality seems to be that many of us never learn the art of practicing. In my experience, we often find intuitive ways of doing things and in these cases if we just repeat a few times, we soon acquire a new skill. However, when we don’t find that intuitive means, we have to find a way to learn a new skill. This is where practice techniques play a big part. If you’re unable to do something, then just repeating it incorrectly isn’t going to help. I found a couple of really useful resources in this respect that I’ve talked about numerous times on my blog. YCC: Doyle specifically recommends the Practicing The Piano ebook series by pianist/educator, Graham Fitch. Fitch is highly qualified as a graduate of London’s Royal College Of Music who continued his piano studies in the USA on a Fulbright Scholarship, and travels as a performing pianist and lecturer on piano and music. I haven’t personally used Fitch’s series, but on first glance at the preview on Amazon, some of his top tips for practicing include; choosing a specific fingering, attention to practice only correct notes or rhythms, isolating hands separately before playing hands together, choosing a slow tempo for new repertoire, and using soft dynamics for a loud section. Each of these methods is something I’ve used myself and in teaching others, and resonates with my teaching and practicing approach to focus on mastering one goal at a time, and to eliminate practicing mistakes robotically. Doyle especially likes the ebooks for their direct links to audio and video demonstrations as part of the piano learning process. This is in sync with both how my piano teachers taught me, and my approach as a piano teacher to model for students so they may grasp concepts aurally, physically and visually. Today’s online capabilities can be a useful source of help for piano students. For more information on the series, Doyle himself reviewed it here. YCC: What are the basics you recommend for someone who wants to begin learning piano? DOYLE: I highly recommend that anybody start by getting a teacher. I’m not saying you can’t teach yourself with sufficient research and trial and error, with the myriad of resources now available online. It’s definitely possible. However, I think there’s an absolutely massive learning curve at the beginning (depending on your starting point). Not only is there the issue of actually playing the instrument, there’s also the question of learning to read music. Finding a good teacher to get you over these two massive initial hurdles is to my mind a well worthwhile investment. A teacher is there to help you master the very basics - how to sit at the piano, how to hold your hands, how to play the notes. You teacher can also explain what those odd dots on the page actually mean and give strategies for absorbing the ability to translate these into notes at the piano. A good teacher will also help you get to grips with lots of the basics you need; Scales, Arpeggios, 5-finger exercises and the like. Learning how to do these well gives you the absolute essential building blocks for the rest. Your teacher will also help you with choices of pieces (music repertoire) to learn that are both within your grasp but also in terms of styles of music you enjoy. YCC: What are your thoughts on online learning for piano? DOYLE: I’m a firm believer that we should embrace the possibilities that the new online world offers us. Starting with YouTube, there is an enormous wealth of quality tutorials for people of all levels. YCC: Doyle has his favorite channels, but mentions the importance of checking into the background experience of videos to confirm credentials of expertise. He recommends Josh Wright, who is both well known on YouTube, has a doctorate in piano, and is an experienced teacher. Doyle doesn’t use apps himself, but “as a supplement to a proper teacher, I’d imagine they’re a great extra source of learning and certainly a very fun way to approach piano. Of course, claims that you can go from ‘beginner to pro in no time’ are total nonsense.” Doyle quotes Vladimir Horowitz (considered the king of classical piano) the piano is “the easiest instrument to learn in the beginning and the hardest to master in the end.” YCC: Do you have any technology you’d recommend for piano students? DOYLE: Technology is one of my pet subjects. I even created a category on my blog for this. What I find amazing even now is the absolutely amazing ways technology can be used by pianists now. I have an iPad Pro that I use as an integral part of my piano routine. This one piece of technology has replaced my need for sheet music (I download directly to my iPad), for a metronome (I use a free a metronome app). I keep my practice diary on it. I use it to record my practice so I can self critique. It’s pretty much always on my piano music stand. You can use it for things such as streaming music services, watching YouTube videos, reading magazines, the list goes on. You can even record your own orchestra into your computer and play along. I think that sometimes we more ‘mature’ learners fail to embrace what technology makes possible and stick with the ‘old way’. It’s a bit like my dad, who refuses to use a SatNav (GPS), just because he’s never used one and, on that basis, would never need one. It’s not about whether we need something, but about whether it makes what we’re trying to do easier. If technology can make things easier, then why not embrace it? When I used to play piano publicly, I needed to carry two massive plastic bags of music around with me with all sorts of photocopies and creased and wrinkled books. Now, on my iPad, I have all of my music organised, with the added advantage that I can search and find a piece in seconds rather than needing to sift through a lot of paper. YCC: What are your thoughts on time and schedule routine for piano practice? Doyle shares that reading Play It Again: An Amateur Against the Impossible by Alan Rusbridger inspired him to create his weekday before-work practice routine. He says he gets up an hour earlier in the morning so he can practice. DOYLE: I found that before I started doing this I had two major problems. The first was that it was always in the back of my mind that I still needed to fit in my practice at some point. Secondly, work would frequently take over, and by the time I actually got home from work I was too tired to sit down at the piano. My practice routine before was pretty much sitting and randomly working through things, which quite often was not actually making me any better. YCC: Doyle says his research into piano practice taught him the importance of having a proper plan. He says having defined goals and strategies for every practice session is a “real game changer.” Doyle emphasizes that “piano is an amazing hobby open to anybody. It’s definitely a lot of hard work, but the rewards are more than worth it.” Click here to read more about Doyle’s approach to piano practice. I’d love to hear from you. It means a lot to me that my content is helpful and empowers you. Please take a moment to join the conversation below to let me know if this blog is helpful to you, or if you have questions or suggestions! If you’re a piano teacher, feel free to leave one of your favorite piano practice tips in the comment section! Annnnnd...if you loved this blog don't forget to show your awesome support by Liking the link, Subscribing for more updates and adding your comment below! THANK YOU FOR SHARING this with a friend on social media or email! What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right! Ebook
$11.98
A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. BONUS GIFT: As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with a self-care affirmation. Get Everything You Need To Start Piano With My Ebook, "What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right!" A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. Topics include what kind of keyboard is necessary, how to find a quality instrument and piano method, whether you need and how to find a good piano teacher, whether online tools for piano learning are valuable, what’s needed for a successful start to piano learning, and how to maintain continued piano progress. This ebook provides answers to those seeking a successful start or greater momentum for piano progress. As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with an affirmation. The affirmation poster is completely free to download, print, use as a desktop wallpaper or screensaver for your computer. The beauty of nature and positive words brings inspiration. We all need reminders. May this small gift of beauty and positive thought remind you of your immense potential for creative energy and inspire you to tap into your best self.  Piano Practice When You Have An Injury By Jenny Leigh Hodgins
Today’s Piano blog features the ideas provided by Veteran Piano Teacher, Dawn Ivers, of Kansas, in her blog, Broken Arms & Sprained Wrists. Ivers runs a successful piano studio in Kansas and was recently featured in her local newspaper, McPherson Sentinel. See Iver's article on tips for handling stage-fright (featuring ideas from my blog, How To Turn Your Nerves Into Good Energy.) Yikes! What do you do about piano lessons when you (or your child) have an injury like a broken wrist, a sprain, or jammed fingers? Is it best to take a break until the injury has healed? Or would it be best to press on with piano practice and lessons? Piano Teacher Recommendation I recently came across Kansas Piano Teacher, Dawn Ivers’ blog about this on her website, dawnspiano.com. Of course, performances would obviously need to be postponed, unless the program consists solely of one-handed repertoire. But I wholeheartedly agree with Ivers’ recommendation to press forward with both practice and lessons. Why and how are the important questions to ask. Why Should You Continue Piano When You Have An Injury Stopping piano practice when you have an injury risks the loss of momentum with your piano progress. It’s challenging to get your groove back if you’ve sat it out for more than a week. Our muscle memory, not to mention our brain’s recall, suffers from inactivity during gaps in time. Absence Makes Learning Harder This issue was never more apparent to me than during my years as a public school music educator. Students returning to music class after winter, spring or summer break had glaringly forgotten large chunks of information, musical and even social skills. This is why the first several weeks of public school music classes were spent on review and hands-on immersive practice. Moving forward without these refresher activities caused more frustration for students and decreased successful learning in the music classroom. Fortunately, with piano lessons, the student or parent of the student has the option of moving forward despite an injury. The critical point is how you focus your piano practice to accommodate the injury. How To Practice Piano Is Key If you’re dealing with an injury, fortunately, there are lots of ways to move forward while working around it. In her blog, Ivers offers no less than eight piano practice strategies for continuing musical progress while accommodating an injury. Often, budding pianists get in the habit of relying on two-handed playing, leaving other weaknesses unattended. The healing period for an injury provides a great opportunity to strengthen those areas. Ideas For One-Handed Piano Practice In her blog, Kansas-based piano teacher, Dawn Ivers suggests practicing sight-reading, one-handed duet practice with a partner, pedal practice, technic and solo pieces for one-hand, and honing scale and musical theory while building improvisation skills through one-handed practice. Duet Practice Helps Sight-Reading & Rhythmic Skills I agree with Ivers focus on using the opportunity for duo playing. In my piano studio, I often honed in on a piano student’s sight-reading, rhythmic, or technical skills by having them play one hand while I played the opposite part. This is a great way to have the student focus on developing better notation reading skills, or to provide more practice for those struggling with maintaining fluency with rhythm. By playing duets with the piano teacher and only having to play with one-hand, the student’s technical skills may be addressed. This works particularly well when the teacher guides the student with a slower practice tempo. One-Handed Improvisation Opens Creative Expression I often found students more engaged when providing the chance to improvise in a duet. One strategy is for the piano teacher to provide a simple, harmonic progression while the student is assigned an allotted key signature and a specific range of notes and/or fingering. The student practices improvising in this manner, learning from limitations with the use of specific form, fingering, rhythmic or melodic phrasing. The restriction of having only one hand to practice takes the pressure off the student. I have found that many students open up more creatively with this type of stress-reduced activity. Forging Musical Comprehension Through Music Theory Ivers also recommends more time spent on games and exercises to develop musical theory expertise. Often, time runs out during a piano lesson before the piano teacher can fully address the student’s musical theory needs. Using the injury healing period to work on those music theory topics is time well spent toward greater piano mastery. Assigning music theory worksheets or other theory-based work throughout the week gives the student the chance to build their musical understanding. As the student grasps theoretical aspects, he or she expands musical comprehension on multiple levels, contributing to a greater performance mastery, and a deepening confidence. Students Tap Self-Expression Through New Approach Ivers also points out the opportunity to develop musical composition abilities while a student’s injury heals. This is a great way to encourage students to try something new, engage their personal interests and encourage self-expression. Lessons could be spent teaching compositional aspects and allowing the injured student time to learn more about notation, intervals, chords, scales, fingering, form, key analysis, melodic phrasing and rhythmic patterns. Lastly, Ivers suggests taking time to work on rhythm and sight-reading. This is one of my favorite ideas, as students can solidify understanding and better grasp rhythmic and meter issues when the focus is narrowed to the use of only one hand. If you or your child has an injury prohibiting piano practice with one hand, consider these suggestions as encouragement to continue musical progress throughout the healing period. For more information from our featured piano teacher, Dawn Ivers, her piano studio and informative blog, click here. I’d love to hear from you. It means a lot to me that my content is helpful and empowers you. Please take a moment to join the conversation below to let me know if this blog is helpful to you, or if you have questions or suggestions! If you’re a piano teacher, feel free to leave one of your favorite piano practice tips in the comment section! THANK YOU FOR SHARING this with a friend on social media or email! Recommended articles: What Do You Need To Know, Have, Or Do To Begin Piano? My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano Part 1 My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano Part 2 My Best Tips On How To Practice Piano Part 3 What Do You Need To Know, Have, Or Do To Begin Piano? Find A Good Piano Teacher Your Top 5 Best Tips From A Piano Teacher More Tips On Handling Stage-Fright Featured In Dawn Iver's Piano Teaching Blog Here. What’s The Best Way For A Busy Adult To Learn Piano? What Keyboard Do I Need For Successful Piano Lessons? How Learning Piano Benefits Aging Adults DEVELOPING PIANO TECHNIQUE TIPS FOR LEFT & RIGHT HAND COORDINATION COMPOSING FOR PIANO What Should You Do If You Keep Messing Up At The Piano? Belief In Your Own Creative Vision Keep Looking For Moments Like These To Celebrate & Appreciate How To Use Nature To Reinvigorate Your Spirit You can also find me on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook!  My Baby Grand Piano Speaks. By Jenny Leigh Hodgins This is a poem I wrote from the viewpoint of my piano instrument. My piano is encouraging me to make time for music-making despite my busy schedule. Responsibilities can pile up but regular music-making has tremendous benefits. I look rusty, dusty, cold and untouched You’ve been away from me far too much I have voluminous sounds to reach your ear A wealth of richness for you to hear But you have left me in the corner Covered up, like some kind of mourner Grieving death with silence Leaving me in the distance While you scurry and scamper around Burying your heart deep underground Look this way! You'll miss me, friend! Recall the melodies we have penned! Rhythms pulsing, drumming, beating Music flowing, moving, defeating everything that tried to bring you down Remember me--our joyful sound! That's it--I see I've caught your eye-- You know you need me as well as I So meet me here upon this bench Sit down, relax, release, unclench Share with me your hidden story Tap your creative repertory at once, when you connect with me with fingers placed on key to key Of bliss, of love, and spiritual height When you release your inner light to me--I'll feel your every thought, Kindly untie the angry knot That's twisted up your soul And spun you out of control If you would meet me here again You'd alleviate your abysmal yen Cathartically, simultaneously, Immediately and beautifully Bringing dimensions to life from experiences inside to fruition, realization satisfaction, revolution. Just sit with me and feel The true, authentic, real. And when you open up to this, The flow of music's gentle kiss upon your fragile heart will mend the broken, then you will transcend beyond confusion, doubt or fear illuminating perfectly clear; Your strength, your power, Your Treasure Tower-- As you listen from within. How does your piano speak to you? Share in the comments! I’d love to hear from you. It means a lot to me that my content is helpful and empowers you. Please take a moment to join the conversation below to let me know if this blog is helpful to you, or if you have questions or suggestions! If you’re a piano teacher, feel free to leave one of your favorite piano practice tips in the comment section! THANK YOU FOR SHARING this with a friend on social media or email! What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right! Ebook
$11.98
A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. BONUS GIFT: As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with a self-care affirmation. Get Everything You Need To Start Piano With My Ebook, "What You Need To Know, Have & Do To Start Piano Right!" A practical, down-to-earth, all-in-one resource and easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in getting started or returning to piano lessons. Topics include what kind of keyboard is necessary, how to find a quality instrument and piano method, whether you need and how to find a good piano teacher, whether online tools for piano learning are valuable, what’s needed for a successful start to piano learning, and how to maintain continued piano progress. This ebook provides answers to those seeking a successful start or greater momentum for piano progress. As my gift to you, with every purchase of my ebook, you'll automatically receive a FREE download of my original photo with an affirmation. The affirmation poster is completely free to download, print, use as a desktop wallpaper or screensaver for your computer. The beauty of nature and positive words brings inspiration. We all need reminders. May this small gift of beauty and positive thought remind you of your immense potential for creative energy and inspire you to tap into your best self. |
PIANOIn my PIANO blogs, you'll find ways to overcome boredom, get past musical and mental blocks, explore the creative process with piano, and improve musical progress through piano teacher recommended best practices and effective piano practice tips. Archives
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