Comments for Teach Piano Today http://www.teachpianotoday.com How To Teach Piano To Kids Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:10:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Comment on A Mallet, a Piano, and a Terrified Teacher by Christinehttp://www.teachpianotoday.com/2012/02/21/a-mallet-a-piano-and-a-terrified-teacher/#comment-833 Christine Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:10:15 +0000 http://www.teachpianotoday.com/?p=3705#comment-833 Thank you for the reminder! I used to do this with all my students, and somehow forgot how important (and alluring) this easy exercise can be. I will definitely be opening up my piano this week;) Thank you for the reminder! I used to do this with all my students, and somehow forgot how important (and alluring) this easy exercise can be.

I will definitely be opening up my piano this week;)

]]> Comment on A Mallet, a Piano, and a Terrified Teacher by Janethttp://www.teachpianotoday.com/2012/02/21/a-mallet-a-piano-and-a-terrified-teacher/#comment-832 Janet Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:56:08 +0000 http://www.teachpianotoday.com/?p=3705#comment-832 This is why an acoustic piano is on my wish list! To this day, I still love to remove the panel on the piano and watch it work. My students would love it, I am sure. This is why an acoustic piano is on my wish list! To this day, I still love to remove the panel on the piano and watch it work. My students would love it, I am sure.

]]> Comment on A Mallet, a Piano, and a Terrified Teacher by Rebecca Brownhttp://www.teachpianotoday.com/2012/02/21/a-mallet-a-piano-and-a-terrified-teacher/#comment-831 Rebecca Brown Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:04:58 +0000 http://www.teachpianotoday.com/?p=3705#comment-831 An item I plan to buy the next time I have the extra cash is a working model of the action of the piano...one of an upright and one of a grand. I am a huge advocate of teaching my students the "how" and "why" of everything. The front panel of my yamaha studio piano is too heavy and awkward for me to take off by myself. But I do my best to explain to my students how the action works, and why striking a key harder makes a louder sound, why holding a key down makes a longer sound, etc. I think this approach to teaching any instrument is much more effective than what I call the "because I said so" approach (expecting a student to execute an action just because you told them to). An item I plan to buy the next time I have the extra cash is a working model of the action of the piano…one of an upright and one of a grand. I am a huge advocate of teaching my students the “how” and “why” of everything. The front panel of my yamaha studio piano is too heavy and awkward for me to take off by myself. But I do my best to explain to my students how the action works, and why striking a key harder makes a louder sound, why holding a key down makes a longer sound, etc. I think this approach to teaching any instrument is much more effective than what I call the “because I said so” approach (expecting a student to execute an action just because you told them to).

]]> Comment on A Mallet, a Piano, and a Terrified Teacher by Catherinehttp://www.teachpianotoday.com/2012/02/21/a-mallet-a-piano-and-a-terrified-teacher/#comment-829 Catherine Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:21:20 +0000 http://www.teachpianotoday.com/?p=3705#comment-829 Hmmm...not so sure about striking the strings with a mallet--I teach on an historic spinet, and I'm afraid the results would not be good. My students do enjoy looking inside the piano and watching what the strings do when high and low keys are struck, using different speeds and dynamics. It is motivating to do so from time to time. Hmmm…not so sure about striking the strings with a mallet–I teach on an historic spinet, and I’m afraid the results would not be good. My students do enjoy looking inside the piano and watching what the strings do when high and low keys are struck, using different speeds and dynamics. It is motivating to do so from time to time.

]]> Comment on A Mallet, a Piano, and a Terrified Teacher by robin mddenhttp://www.teachpianotoday.com/2012/02/21/a-mallet-a-piano-and-a-terrified-teacher/#comment-828 robin mdden Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:12:21 +0000 http://www.teachpianotoday.com/?p=3705#comment-828 This is a lesson I keep in my back pocket for the day when a student is dropped off and has forgotten books, or arrives in tears for one reason or another, and just can't do a good lesson. First we take care of the tears and /or how not to forget the necessities next time. Then I take my piano apart. It's a Yamaha console and the panels come off very easily. Hadn't thought about the mallet, but may take a trip to the music store fore a nice padded one. Great idea. I review the bit about why this instrument is called a piano but is a pianoforte - for a reason. It really does help with the idea of dynamics and how practicing technique and attack studies helps you manipulate those hammers smoothly and subtly. It also explains those pedals, even though they may have been pedaling for a while. Seeing is believing and understanding so much better. (And you can't do all that on an electronic keyboard.) This is a lesson I keep in my back pocket for the day when a student is dropped off and has forgotten books, or arrives in tears for one reason or another, and just can’t do a good lesson. First we take care of the tears and /or how not to forget the necessities next time. Then I take my piano apart. It’s a Yamaha console and the panels come off very easily. Hadn’t thought about the mallet, but may take a trip to the music store fore a nice padded one. Great idea. I review the bit about why this instrument is called a piano but is a pianoforte – for a reason. It really does help with the idea of dynamics and how practicing technique and attack studies helps you manipulate those hammers smoothly and subtly. It also explains those pedals, even though they may have been pedaling for a while. Seeing is believing and understanding so much better. (And you can’t do all that on an electronic keyboard.)

]]> Comment on A Mallet, a Piano, and a Terrified Teacher by Anna Linzeyhttp://www.teachpianotoday.com/2012/02/21/a-mallet-a-piano-and-a-terrified-teacher/#comment-825 Anna Linzey Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:41:33 +0000 http://www.teachpianotoday.com/?p=3705#comment-825 I always enjoy watching a youngster when the lightbulb turns on in their little brain through their ability of discovering how something works! The "scary" part is that it's up to us teachers to spark their intrest by opening that door of discovery and allowing their inquisitive nature to lead them in! Y'all do a superb job at that, and I really enjoy watching the creativity the Lord has given you in the area of teaching! Keep up the good work! I always enjoy watching a youngster when the lightbulb turns on in their little brain through their ability of discovering how something works! The “scary” part is that it’s up to us teachers to spark their intrest by opening that door of discovery and allowing their inquisitive nature to lead them in! Y’all do a superb job at that, and I really enjoy watching the creativity the Lord has given you in the area of teaching! Keep up the good work!

]]> Comment on How To Steal Piano Students… by Nikkolhttp://www.teachpianotoday.com/2012/02/20/how-to-steal-piano-students/#comment-823 Nikkol Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:16:24 +0000 http://www.teachpianotoday.com/?p=3696#comment-823 I just about passed out when I read the title... however... I will print out the final line & post it on my studio wall as well as on top of my emails especially when they're sent to our Music Teacher's Chapter! I just about passed out when I read the title… however… I will print out the final line & post it on my studio wall as well as on top of my emails especially when they’re sent to our Music Teacher’s Chapter!

]]> Comment on How To Steal Piano Students… by Noreen Wensley, Registered Music teacher, CANADAhttp://www.teachpianotoday.com/2012/02/20/how-to-steal-piano-students/#comment-822 Noreen Wensley, Registered Music teacher, CANADA Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:28:36 +0000 http://www.teachpianotoday.com/?p=3696#comment-822 Belonging to a professional music teachers' association that will back you up is another way to combat this problem, because it is unethical and can land a teacher in hot water with their professional association if they attempt to steal students from another teacher's music studio. Here in Canada music teachers' professional associations are quite well organized; there are Registered Music Teachers' Associations active at the local branch, provincial, and national level. Belonging to a professional music teachers’ association that will back you up is another way to combat this problem, because it is unethical and can land a teacher in hot water with their professional association if they attempt to steal students from another teacher’s music studio. Here in Canada music teachers’ professional associations are quite well organized; there are Registered Music Teachers’ Associations active at the local branch, provincial, and national level.

]]> Comment on How To Steal Piano Students… by David Bartonhttp://www.teachpianotoday.com/2012/02/20/how-to-steal-piano-students/#comment-821 David Barton Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:59:06 +0000 http://www.teachpianotoday.com/?p=3696#comment-821 Yes, love the last line too! I shall print it out and stick it up somewhere! David Yes, love the last line too! I shall print it out and stick it up somewhere!

David

]]> Comment on How To Steal Piano Students… by Matthewhttp://www.teachpianotoday.com/2012/02/20/how-to-steal-piano-students/#comment-820 Matthew Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:06:20 +0000 http://www.teachpianotoday.com/?p=3696#comment-820 If you have good and right on your side,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, you will always win!!! If you have good and right on your side,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, you will always win!!!

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