I write a LOT of music. Most of it is written at the piano. Most of the time I love being at the piano… most of the time.
But sometimes I find myself staring at a blank piece of paper propped up on the piano, or resting my forehead on the keys, or chewing on a pencil… or repeating all three of the aforementioned in a musician’s version of writer’s block.
But… then our dog will scratch on the front door, reminding me it’s time to head out for our walk. And more often than not, I return from our walk with an almost-complete tune composed entirely in my head.
Funny how a change of scenery works.
UnSticking “Stuck” Piano Students
Our piano students can experience “writer’s block” too. Maybe they’ll struggle with fingering, or a challenging technical exercise, or a difficult rhythm, and no matter how hard you try to break the block at the piano, chances are both you and your students will end up feeling like hammering your heads on the same set of piano keys.
When this happens, you and your piano students need to “take the dog for a walk”… figuratively speaking of course.
Here are three things you may want to try:
1. Switch up the music
To unstick piano students you don’t always need to change the scenery; sometimes changing the music will be enough.
When students are stuck to the point of frustration, they have most likely committed the troubling mistake to memory. And no matter how hard they focus on correcting their error, muscle memory kicks in and leads their poor little fingers down the same incorrect path.
But when you change the music, your students are able to start with a blank slate; that difficult rhythm they were struggling with in one piece will be a thing of the past when it appears in a new piece. And then… voila… the old piece can make a re-appearance and those old troubles are often forgotten.
2. Switch up the roles
Stuck piano students are like actors who suddenly develop stage fright… their ability to think clearly is blurred by the pressure of a thousand staring eyes. In the case of piano students, there may not be a thousand eyes, but there are at least two very important eyes… and sometimes that can be worse than a thousand.
So, bail out your stuck piano students and let them be the teacher. Let them explain to you how to fix whatever it is they are struggling with. This switch in roles will give them a chance to breathe, and an opportunity to organize their thoughts and their own suggestions may actually be just what they themselves need!
With the pressure off, you’ll be surprised at how quickly they become unstuck.
3. Switch up the scenery
Finally, if you have piano students who just won’t come unstuck, switch up the scenery… and by “switch up the scenery” I mean, change where you are working and change how you are working. But don’t change what you are working on.
Just as my walk with the dog unlocked my brain to compose music, learning a challenging concept in a new location and in a new way will unlock your piano students’ brains.
How Do I Change The Scenery?
When I have stuck piano students who won’t respond to a change in music or a change in roles, I change up the scenery… which for me, means pulling out my basket of piano games.
Piano games get my piano students away from the piano while still keeping them engaged with the skill that may be tripping them up… and since my basket of piano games weighs as much as a small car, I always have the perfect game for any skill or concept being studied.
If you want to build an awesome library of piano games as well, be sure to explore PianoGameClub.
Lauren Averill says
Wonderful ideas, AS USUAL!! Several years ago, I was given a little silver pin which is actually a piano teacher holding a book of music in one hand and a treble clef in the other. (Best gift ever….we piano teachers probably all have our share of music mugs, pins, ornaments, and yes, I even have a keyboard butter dish!). I decided one day that I would let a “stuck” student wear the piano teacher pin and switch seats with me. She would tell me what to play, but she had to recognise if I was playing correctly. Of course, for fun, I’d completely flub up every once in a while! That did the trick, and I think, with your reminder, I will take that pin out once again! Thank you for all you offer us each week and month. Your posts, games and books are utilized in my studio all the time.
Andrea says
Hi Lauren – I love the idea of adding an aspect of “special” to the role-reversal – brilliant idea! 🙂 Thanks so much for your kind words – we’re so happy to hear our games and books are getting great use in your studio!
natalie whittington says
I use the switch-to-teacher mode as well. It generally works wonders! I also pull in some of your piano yoga (and have had students make up their own poses) to have a “brain break” when stuck. Thanks for the ideas!
Andrea says
Hi Natalie – wonderful to hear! Yes, the piano yoga is a favorite here too – and often very much needed. These poor kiddos who spend all day sitting at a desk in school – they need to move! Cheers 🙂
Jan says
Piano Yoga? Hmmm… Sounds fun. Gotta check that out. Thanks for another great blog post!
Andrea says
Hi Jan – we wrote about the Piano Yoga in this post (along with other off-the-bench brain breaks) https://www.teachpianotoday.com/2013/09/10/how-to-teach-piano-to-wiggly-walter-off-bench-activities-for-kids-who-cant-sit-still/
Shelley says
These look awesome! I’m already a member of the piano club but don’t have these. Can I still get them? Thx!
Rob says
I agree! I am currently a member of the game and music club. How do we access games and music that has previously been released? I have LOVED using the games and music with my students and it sure has helped to give me renewed energy and enthusiasm into my teaching. THANKS for all you do! WOO HOO!!!!
Andrea says
Hi Rob! Thrilled to hear our games and books are breathing some great energy into your studio! We currently don’t re-release the games, but if you are a continuing member of PianoBookClub you do have access to re-released books each month. Check the bottom of the email that delivers your new book each month – you’ll see a password that will give you access to the member’s page of pianobookclub.com 🙂
Andrea says
Hi Shelley – absolutely! Your subscription renews on the 24th (based on your date of sign-up) – and these will be the games you’ll be receiving! Not too much longer to wait 🙂
Caren says
Will I be getting these 4 games? I am a member.
Andrea says
Hi Caren – you betcha! Your subscription renews on the 22nd (based on your date of sign-up) – just two more days to wait 🙂
grace says
I have a grade 5 pupil with an upcoming exam and he’s getting stuck on a section of the piece that is in 3rds….his thumb doesn’t lift, and it sounds “mushy!” I will try some of your ideas. Any other advice specifically for 3rds?
Andrea says
Grace – have you tried some strengthening exercises for him? Some of these might work! https://www.teachpianotoday.com/2015/08/23/5-giggle-inducing-warm-ups-for-little-piano-fingers-wrists-and-arms/
grace says
Great, I’ll have a go. He’s 17 though so might be a bit self conscious
Maria Laura Tumbeiro says
Hi! The games of the Piano Game Club work great! I had two preadolescents students whose parents talk to me saying that their kids didn’t want to continued with classes, so the last class they were going to take I used some games ( I’ve been a member for only one month ;)) . They left the class so happy, that during the week their parents e-mail me that they wanted to continue. I hope I can grow my piano library to ubstuck and motivate all the students! Thank you so much!
Garreth says
I totally agree with the change of scenery. When my kids get stuck I usually ask them a completely random question like “if you could go anywhere, where would you like to go on holiday?” and then have a 2 minute conversation about that. By the time we’ve talked it through, they’ve usually completely forgotten they’re stuck, and so when we go back to the piece, it’s usually fine!
Andrea says
Great strategy Garreth! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Mary Helen says
I was doing some of the Halloween rhythms that you had shared with one of my students and one of them was a rhythm that was giving him trouble in one piece. I put the Halloween rhythm with the notes of his piece and he got it! Of course, now he want to say “Hairy Scary Black Cat” for everything!!
Andrea says
Isn’t it amazing how just a small change in approach can make all the difference Mary!? So happy to hear it helped “unstick” him! Game-based learning is so powerful – I’m just loving to watch it in action in my studio 🙂