This is the first in a series of what I call Summer Piano Shorts. These are just quick piano experiments for my piano students who are taking the summer off from lessons. You can download a copy of this worksheet to use at home or with a student. They will be able to play a nice intro for songs using arpeggios. Look for a Summer Piano Short every Monday!
This is a just a quick post to let you know that I will be back to regularly posting next week. This weekend, my daughter and I are performing in a dance production called Dancing The Word: A Reflection of Mirrors. The show is about a girl finding out where true beauty comes from. What an important lesson for young people to learn! My daughter is dancing and I am singing and acting. Such a joy to be able to do this with her!
See you next week!
Young children often get confused at the piano and can’t remember where the notes are because they get lost in the sea of white keys. Of course as piano teachers we always direct them to look for the black key patterns of 2 and 3, so while reading a post from Sheryl Welles at Notable Music Studio I got an idea for this simple keyboard patterning game. It is great to use at a first piano lesson.
Foam Sheets in 2 different colors (purchase at a craft store or a dollar store)
Piano Keyboard Printable (enough for 3-4 octaves)
Glue
Timer
After introducing the student to the 2 and 3 black key groups on the piano, use this quick game to test their understanding. Have them line up the cards in a keyboard pattern. Time them and see how fast they can do it!
To extend the learning, have them make a set to take home. At home they can teach younger siblings or parents the keyboard pattern!
A Music Store Field Trip can be very exciting for a child who is learning to play the piano. The Music Store Field Trip is a lot different from a visit to the Piano Store because at the Music Store Field Trip you will get to experience other instruments in addition to the piano. If you live nearby a large music store then this is the field trip for you! It’s FREE, FUN, and Entertaining.
First you and your child/student will enjoy being around so many pianos. It’s a whole new world where playing in public can be a much different experience than the that of a piano recital. Also, the music store employees often gladly give FREE performances! It’s so awesome to see kids’ faces light up when they watch a good piano player play.
Next you can play the synthesizers and turntables and feel like you’re a recording artist! Kids love the fun digital sounds they can make!
At the music store we went to, they had these cool hand chairs –
A wall full of guitars makes you just want to try playing one – or two – or ten!
Getting Dad involved makes this field trip even more fun and cool! If Dad is doing it, it must be cool, right?
Sometimes kids don’t realize that there are more piano books out there besides the ones they use for their lessons. This information often motivates them to learn more songs!
The best part of the Music Store Field Trip? A happy, motivated music student!
So, take your kids or music students on a Music Store Field Trip – you will be so glad you did and they will too!
One of the most distracting things that can happen during a music lesson is for a waiting student or a little sister or brother to interrupt and ask, “What can I do now?” To eliminate this problem, or at least minimize it I set up a Waiting Activity Area in my piano studio. Here is a mini tour of it:
For those who like to color, Hello Kitty music coloring pages. Kids can look inside the bag for more coloring activities.
Kids who like puzzles and challenges can choose this.
Great practice on staff notation. Color by Note sheets!
For those who love to build things, LEGOS! Of course they must build something related to music!
A game to practice the music alphabet. Kids can stack the cups in order or build chords!
Each of the activities in the center have something for the kids to show me when they have completed it, so they do get it done. I’ve also made my ipad or iphone available with music apps to play in the waiting center.
…Oh and come back tomorrow for the post about the music store field trip that I promised!
While reading a few posts on Piano Addict, I came across this joke…
“Madam,” he announced, “I’m the piano tuner.”
The lady exclaimed, “Why, I didn’t send for a piano tuner.”
The man replied, “I know you didn’t, but your neighbors did.”
School is out and so are daily routines, but you know that piano practice must continue! So what’s a parent to do? Before you decide that piano just isn’t going to work out for your child because they don’t want to practice. do a google search for the nearest piano store – not music store, but piano store – and drive your kids over there! No piano books, just you and the kids. We wouldn’t want to make the kids think we are about to practice piano, now would we?
Once you get to the store, it will seem like you’re in a candy store – no kidding! There’s something about a room full of pianos that can get a kid excited in a way that practicing piano just can’t. Check out these pics of our latest trip to the piano store (We actually went to price a new piano, but of course they played the pianos while we were there) –
By the way, I had a hard time getting my son to leave the piano store! Gotta love it!
You might have noticed my daughter in one of the pictures with a model of the inner workings of a piano key. I’ll be writing about The Music Store Field Trip in an upcoming post. To guarantee you don’t miss it, subscribe to the blog and you will be notified as soon as it is posted!
Sometimes I get calls from parents who are somewhat interested in enrolling their child in piano lessons but are a little reluctant because they are not quite sure if their child will be interested enough to stick with it. I always tell parents that when dealing with children and piano lessons the parent needs to be able to commit to at least a school year of lessons before making a final assessment of whether or not this is right for their child. The reason for this is that learning to play an instrument is a slow process for most people since there are a variety of skills that must be learned. This takes time and dedication. Truthfully, there will be lots of days when the child will need the parent to encourage him or her to stick with it. The following is a list of clues that can help parents know if piano might be right for their child:
1. Your child gets excited whenever they hear music.
2. Your child often sings along with music or makes up her own songs to sing.
3. Your child sings in the tub/shower.
4. Your child loves to dance.
5. Your child watches other people play instruments with great interest.
6. Your child asks you to get him lessons.
These are just a few clues that learning a musical instrument might be right for your child. If your child exhibits any of these behaviors, give lessons a good try – at least a year and see what happens. They will love it and stick with it as long as you show a genuine interest in it (at home and at lessons) and you have the right teacher!
Social Media Day For Music Teachers!
June 2nd a day that has been on my calendar for over a month. A social media day put together for music educators from around the globe to get together online and motivate ourselves to either make it to the end of the school year or to keep strong throughout the summer. We’re going to keep connected all over the social media world this day from mid morning (est.) to late evening (est.). If you have any questions or any trouble get a hold of me. I’ll be on Google Plus, Twitter, and Facebook for most of the day checking in and helping the activity.
On Facebook:
-There will be topics for discussion being posted in the music teachers facebook group periodically throughout the day. Log in, head to the group and start talking! Not a member yet? Search for the group and request access before the 2nd!
On Twitter:
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Summer is a great time to play even more games in the music studio. If you teach piano during the summer, you know that the absence of a set daily routine such as the one kids have during the school year makes it a little more difficult for them to focus during lessons. That doesn’t mean that the music learning has to suffer! This Rhythm Toss game is perfect to get them up and moving in the name of music!
A toss set (I purchased mine from Oriental Trading Company. You can also find these at Party stores)
Numbers that can be taped to the toss set to represent beats. (1,2,3,4)
Candy or other trinket for prizes.
Cutout notes: Quarter notes, whole notes, half notes, quarter rests
Have the student toss a bean bag into one of the holes. If they make it into the hole, they must “pay” for the prize inside the hole using the appropriate notes or rests to match the number of beats indicated. Students may use any combination of notes as long as it equals the desired number of beats.
Kids & Keys 