Moving fingers and reading notes: *There is so set answer to how to move your fingers on a certain song...it does change with every new song that you learn. In time you will feel more comfortable with your hand location and fingering on the keys. Start simple and take your time. *Reading notes faster is a process much the same... start with simple songs that have only a few notes, then gradually adding more notes, complexity and repetition will increase your instant recognition of notes, enabling you to read music quickly. *Learning time is very varied. Depends on how much your practice, how fast you retain what you are learning, and how motivated you are. *The beauty about these Continue Reading
Is using stickers on the keys a bad habit?
I don't encourage my students to use stickers. I can't tell you of the countless times I have had a student rely on stickers too long and can't play on any piano but their own. It truly is a handicap to you if you mark your keys in any way. It is true that it might help you play quicker and smoother, but the moment you take them away, the piano all of a sudden looks different and you are back to being confused again. I recommend flashcards for note memorization, but for flash cards to be the most effective is to not only name the note when you see it, but play it as well. Time yourself and see how quickly you can go through a handful of flash cards by saying it and playing it. Continue Reading
Switching Smoothly Between Chords with Video
Chord switching can be frustrating, but after teaching for 22 years, I have never had a student who did not stuggle a bit, NOR have I ever had a student who cannot do it after some practice. Each student is different, therefore, each student takes a different amount of time to master it. The good news is,that once your fingers master it,you will be able to do it without thinking. Your finger muscles will develop it's own "memory" and your fingers will form the chord changes without much "brain" concentration. This, I promise! Just hang in there and allow yourself to move along in the lessons. Just take a few extra minutes before practice to concentrate on just switching back and Continue Reading