Learning to Read Music

Writing the Names of the Notes on the Music

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This is actually a pet peeve of mine – students writing the letter names of the notes on their music. It happens so often. I do understand why students attempt to do this. Students are thinking that this is a short cut. As a one off, it does make it easier to so called read … Read more

You Can’t Argue With Success

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This is an expression that I use all the time, but I have no idea where I originally got it from (I really wish I did). I use this expression when I see or hear of circumstances that are a little unusual or different. I think that this statement is very useful when teaching the … Read more

My 80 Year Old Piano Student

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This year I have started a new piano student who happens to be 80 years old. This lovely lady has always been interested in music and has sung in various choirs over the years. She has also toyed with the idea of learning to play the piano for quite some years and she has finally … Read more

Learning to Play the Piano is Hard

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Learning to play the piano is hard simply because it takes coordination and skill to actually achieve success. It also takes hard work and patience and persistence. It can be annoying and frustrating at times, as well as deeply enjoyable and satisfying. But let’s face facts here, there are a lot of things that could … Read more

What To Do If You Don’t Feel Like Practicing, But You Know You Should

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It happens to everyone that sometimes we don’t feel like playing but we also know that we should. There might be a few very rare exceptions to this, but everyone I know has had a day or two, here and there where they really don’t feel like practicing. I know I have experienced this myself … Read more

The Quick Learners Are the Ones Most Likely to Quit

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I know that it seems like a strange statement to make, but It is my experience that it is the quick learners are the ones most likely to quit. I would have seen it hundreds of times over the years, where a student would start to learn to play the piano and they would make … Read more

When Practicing Seems to Get You Nowhere…

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Sometimes when we practice, it feels like we are getting nowhere at all. Okay, frequently anyone can practice regularly and do all the things that they are supposed to be doing and it feels like they are not making any progress at all. This would have to be the biggest down side of leaning to … Read more