I received an email from a student who asked a very good question,
and thought I would post the question here, so everyone can benefit from the answer:
Dear Lisa,
I like your method of teaching. It’s all coming back to me from years ago when I took lessons for a couple of years. My only question is if it’s possible with online lessons to learn the correct fingering as you get into more complex pieces? I wouldn’t want to pick up bad habits that would be difficult to unlearn later on.
ANSWERED BY LISA:
I am so glad you asked that. One of my pet peeves is fingering. If you follow my instructions, and not ignore the fingering I teach, you will be just fine. You are responsible when you are teaching yourself to make sure you follow instructions carefully since there is no teacher to actually “see” you and correct you. However, the instructions are thorough, and there are videos as well for you to compare what you are doing with what is supposed to happen.
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Cynthia Marie VanLandingham says
I am replying to my own email to say there are two basic rules for fingering – 1. don’t hop, and 2. always use a thumb when crossing over. Also review the scale for the key you are playing in. More than likely you’ll need to play the begining note of a phrase with the same finger you would use in playing the scale of that key.
warmest regards
Cynthia Marie VanLandingham says
Hi Lisa,
I’m a piano teacher in Tallahassee, Florida, and I’ve found that stories are a great way to encourage children in piano. That’s why I’ve written and published some wonderful piano stories.
Children love stories, and they are a great way to teach important lessons and motivate young girls and boys. I find that most young students who are starting music lessons have lots of questions, and all beginning students must learn how to develop good practice habits. Piano Bears Musical Storybooks provide a wonderful way to inspire young piano students and help them succeed. These books use the characters of Little Bear, who is just starting to take piano lessons, his friends and family, and Mrs. Treble Beary, his teacher. In the stories, Little Bear, with the help of his family and friends, learns how to overcome his worries and set positive goals to achieve his musical dream.
In my studio, we give these books to all new students aged six to eleven at their first piano lesson. These fun stories help our students understand what piano lessons are like, resolve their worries about starting something new, and help them begin to develop the practice routines and habits that are so critical to their success.
Piano Bears Musical Storybooks include the following materials.
1. Little Bear’s Musical Garden.
This beautifully illustrated story sets young students at ease and gives them confidence in their own ability to learn piano. The story follows Little Bear as he begins piano lessons and asks questions that all beginning students have. Children enjoy reading the storybook with their parents and grandparents, who learn great ways to encourage their children in piano.
Little Bear’s Musical Garden CD-ROM allows children to hear a narrated version of this story. The CD-ROM also includes a fun, interactive quiz that helps students remember the important story concepts that will help them succeed. (AND BTW – YOU CAN ALSO GET IT ON DVD!)
2. Little Bear’s Piano Goals.
This beautifully illustrated story continues Little Bear’s adventures as he learns how to tend to his musical garden and achieve his musical dreams. Little Bear, with the help of his family and his neighbor Mr. Green Bear, a master gardener, learns how to set and work toward the goals that will lead to his musical growth and success.
3. Piano Bear’s Musical Storybook Journal.
This illustrated journal provides a fun way to keep track of weekly piano assignments and goals. It also provides big keyboard pictures that make it easy for their teacher to indicate hand positions, scales, chords, and fingering. The journal also includes pages for recital photos and achievement stickers, and provides a wonderful memory book for students and their parents to keep forever!
Any teacher or parent can find thesethese materials on my website at http://www.PianoBears.com
Best regards,
Cynthia Marie VanLandingham