“My student has one volume: loud. On occasion, he finds a mezzo forte, but it is rare. My word for his technique is “hammer hands”. I do not think it’s in his nature to play gently.”
For some students, the idea of nuance is as foreign as a Chinese newspaper. He reads the notes, he knows the rhythm… and he plays. Loudly. Oblivious to any wincing from your end, he’s quite happy with what he’s accomplished; he’s made it to the end with no mistakes! And who are we to argue.. he did!
The difference between playing the piano and playing the piano are as clear as day to us, but to some of your little piano students, notes are notes and rhythms are rhythms. So how can we help Hammer Hands Henry to develop a sense of musicality… and maybe even a little sensitivity?
5 Steps To Making Music Musical
1. Teach Your Student How to Listen: We recently posted a piano teaching game to help piano students learn how to actively listen. Often students who play with a lack of musicality simply don’t know what it is you are looking for. Providing great listening examples and giving him the language to describe the music is a great first step. Find pieces to listen to with lots of contrasts and ask your student to describe what he hears. Help him to develop the vocabulary to vary his responses, and then use these same words when talking about the pieces in his book.
2. Break Free From Method Books: Give your student the opportunity to delve into a lot of supplementary repertoire frequently. Method books do a great job of teaching the notes and the rhythm, but in reinforcing these concepts frequently, not a lot of opportunity exists to focus on how the music sounds. Yes, there are pieces in method books that are slow and beautiful, but often these are as appealing to your piano student as licking a slug. Search out sources of supplementary repertoire that are engaging and different from what is found in the method books you use. Musicality doesn’t always have to be found in slow pieces – your student can learn a lot about nuance even in the most exciting of pieces.
3. Create a Story and a Visual: Telling your Hammer Hands Henry to play with feeling is not nearly as effective as creating a storyline to go along with the music. Find something that interests your student and create an elaborate scene. Write what is happening in the story at various intervals directly on his music. This way, while he plays, instead of reminding him of his phrasing or of a decrescendo you can instead say “Oooh.. this is the part where King Edward is rowing his boat through the starlit cave.” …Watch those hands suddenly come alive with imagination and sensitive playing!
4. Include Hand Gestures Into Your Warm-Ups: Every piano teacher has a preference for wrist motion, phrase breaks, dynamics… you name it! Select the ones that are appropriate for your student’s level and include hand gesture instruction in your start-of lesson warm-ups. Create simple exercises where the focus is only on how you want his hand to behave and teach this as you would anything else. It may take a while, but with enough repetition, you should eventually be able to move his newly-found wrist motion into the context of his piece. It helps if you give the gestures names or characters so that your student can easily recall what it is you want (like Floating Wrist Fred who accidentally caught the back of his belt on a balloon).
5. Be Patient: This is perhaps the most important of all. By continually calling attention to your student’s shortcomings in the sensitivity department, you may be missing opportunities to give him props for what he is doing well. Make all of your corrections into an enjoyable activity that is not so obviously geared towards fixing things. Resist the urge to avoid the loud and fast music he loves in an effort to work on his flaws. Keep in mind that this child likely leaves your studio and heads home to wrestle his big brother, take a few slap shots at the neighborhood net and climb a tree. The fact that the piano is a part of his life is the biggest bonus. Sensitivity and nuance will follow with patience and guidance.
Soni C. says
One of my students has the opposite problem: he plays everything piano. It took a while for me to realize that he lacks confidence at the keyboard even when he plays flawlessly, and by playing softly he thinks his perceived flaws won’t be noticed. Besides helping him feel more confident I’m going to apply your helpful tips, especially creating a story line and visual to the music.
Jamila Sahar says
Greetings,
Yes, I have a lovely student who does the same thing barely touches just the tops of the keys. So helping to build up confidence is what is needed while working on strengthening the fingers.
Thanks for sharing
Robbin says
My boys seem to respond well when I tell them they’re playing as if they’re wearing combat boots. I then ask them to play as if they’re barefoot.
Jennifer says
I LOVE this visual! Thank you for sharing! I LOVE teaching my boys but sometimes I struggle with finding language to relate beauty and tenderness to them.
Barbara says
Oh, I like this analogy. And it could work both ways…those who play too soft can put their combat boots on. Thanks Robbin.
Jamila Sahar says
Great post! Great tips to show some of my ‘tough guy’ hammer hands!
Fiona says
I once conducted a junior band of 8-9yos, filling in for the regular conductor. Although they had been playing for over 6 months, they could only play LOUD. I asked them to play so that someone on tbe far side of the school could hear them. No problem! Then I asked them to play as if a baby was sleeping right next to the band, but not to wake the baby. Voila! Beautiful pianissimo playing! (and they won gold a few weeks later in a competition!). They just needed someone to give them a visual …
Barbara says
This post was very helpful. The storylines and visuals are great ideas as our younger students don’t have enough of their own life experience to really understand expression, but have certainly seen it in movies, videos and TV shows. #5 is a great reminder that can apply to almost any “issue” we might have with a student. We’re blessed to able to share music with them, and sometimes — not all the time, but sometimes — we have to let go of what we think they should get out of it.
Reva says
Because I teach a lot of preschool, my problem is never ‘piano’! These little ‘hammer hand’ students get to use a cheaper keyboard in which I have made a volume control. I just rolled up some black paper and inserted it in the volume slot. They know it is there but their little fingers cannot get it out so they finally quit trying. After about a month, they are used to the lower volume and I can remove my ‘stopper’. I found that telling them to keep volume piano, doesn’t work for 3 year olds. lol
Paulette says
Love this! Reminds of a student I had a few years ago. He sure loved piano, but everything was FFF;)
I love to make up lyrics and stories! Thanks for the reminder to keep using this idea. I’ve used the combat boots and ballet slippers as analogies.
Also, toys!! Bring on the kazoos, rhythm instruments and little hand puppets for storytelling and keyboard skills.
BTW, Trevor and Andrea, love your games! Have used them a lot. Gives me and the students a break and reinforces skills and concepts.
Sandra says
I frequently do an exercise in which I have a students play a simple chord (triad or even a third will do). I have them start loud and then get softer and softer and softer until the sound almost disappears; then I get them to slowly get louder in a controlled gradual way. And then get softer again… Since the chord isn’t changing they can focus on the sound, and how they are producing that sound. This works equally well for Lions and Mice, since they are exploring the full sound range of the instrument.
Michele says
I have students that play FF all the time and I have found that if I describe it as if their fingers are marching and all the notes are played “up & down” like their legs when they march. (very choppy & very loud – although technically correct). We now practice playing like spreading peanut butter (or frosting). They seem to get the idea of playing smooth and softer.