Have you considered teaching yourself how to play the piano? Many people share the common belief, (including piano teachers), that it is not possible to teach yourself how to play the piano without developing bad habits. That belief might have been true years ago, but today there are piano methods that have been written specifically for those who want to learn piano from the comfort of their own home, on their own time schedule and without having to commit to a weekly private piano lesson. Online piano programs are gaining popularity and starting to be a preferred way to learn piano, especially for adults. The Most Common Concern About Teaching Yourself The most common concern Continue Reading
Piano Lessons: Smile Management
Here is a common concern I receive from students and thought I would address it to everyone here. Dear Lisa, I never smile when I practice. My sister says I am too tense. I am having difficulty learning, can you help me?...... Relax. You are concentrating too hard and not enjoying the learning process. Learn to be happy with every little step, no matter how little. Next time you sit down to play the piano, start with a smile and tell yourself that even though I might not be playing the way I want to yet, I am still playing and enjoying the journey to get there. Think of where you were before you starting learning piano, and tell yourself that everytime you play, you are Continue Reading
Why Can’t I Count in my Head?
Because I said so! ~wink~ Just kidding. There is an interesting phenomena that happens when you count in your head rather than count out loud. I have been teaching for 25 years now and I have seen this certain phenomena happen 100% of the time with all my students. What is this phenomena? Time after time, when I ask a student to play their assignment for me, I ask them if they practiced it counting out loud, and of course the answer is always "yes". So, I let them play the song counting in their head, while listening to the irregular rhythm. After they complete the song, I ask them to play it again, counting out loud and to my amazement... every time... they rhythm is Continue Reading
Why Count Out Loud?
Why do I stress counting out loud? If you started the free lessons, you will notice right away that counting out loud is a very important skill to develop right from the beginning. Counting out loud while you are playing develops rhythm, coordination, and prepares you for doing even more complicated tasks all at the same time. Many students think it's OK not to count and to learn the notes first, then add the counting later. Take it from a teacher who has been teaching for 25 years... IT DOES NOT WORK! You will end up learning the rhythm wrong if you don't count, therefore when you add the counting AFTER you learn the song, it's too late. The purpose of counting is to get the Continue Reading
The “Tick-Tock” Counting Method
In the beginning of my curriculum, (in the free lessons), you will see that I start you off by teaching you how to count rhythm. (See lesson 2) Traditionally, counting rhythm is counted by saying 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and etc... In the early stages of my lessons, I present a unique way to count, designed to help you count with a natural rhythm. This counting method is called the "Tick-Tock" Method. You will only use this method for a very short time before you start to count with the traditional 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and. Why Tick-Tock? I used "tick-tock" because it is very hard to say "tick-tock" without adding rhythm. When we mimmick the ticking of a clock with out voice, we Continue Reading
5 Easy Piano Goals for the New Year
It's that time of year again! People all over the world are making commitments to lose weight, eat healthier, drink less, quit smoking, work better and relax more. Now is also a great time to get into some better routines with your piano playing. Here are 5 easy ways to expand your musical life in the coming year. 1. Practice for at least 10 minutes, at least 3 times a week. Yes, daily practice is ideal – but when you're aiming for 3 times a week you're more likely to hit the mark, and anything you do more is a bonus. 2. Play your favorite song, at least 3 times a week. Sometimes we forget that piano playing is supposed to be fun. We may hold off on what we love to play or what Continue Reading