What's a lesson like?

I had one teacher in Grad school who would sit back and just listen to my playing. He'd sip on his coffee, make few comments, and then I'd play the next piece. This went on for 2 semesters, which is why I switched teachers in mid-degree. it caused quite a stir.

I switched because his teaching style did NOT mesh with my learning style - I MUCH prefer a conversational hands-on approach- and that is exactly how I teach.

For me a piano lesson is more of a "rehearsal" - the student and I will work through the issues with the piece they are trying to learn. During that conversation we'll discuss the music theory aspects of the piece - form, chords, melodic phrase construction, for example - as well as technical issues (fingering...) and musicical aspects (articulations, phrase shaping).

I ask a lot of questions - intending for the student to discover the answer (I really like those "Oh, Yeah" moments when the light bulb goes off). It could be something as significant as noticing that the composer re-used melodic material later in the piece to as simple as starting on the correct note.

That's what I think a lesson should be like. Your opinion?

Uses for a website

This might sound like a stupid entry for a blog, but I had a conversation with a piano teacher who was wondering just what use a website is for a piano teacher. After all, the reasoning went, we're teaching PIANO - not technology. That type of thinking misses the point. Technology isn't a reason to exist, or a career, or a hobby (at least in this instance) - it is a tool. A tool primarily for communication. So here are some (admittedly quick and off-the-top-of-my-head) benefits of a website for a piano teacher:

1. Marketing - use it as an online brochure. "Hey, I exist, and I teach piano in (your locale here)." You do have to do some search engine stuff - or you can pay an outfit to do that for you (I wouldn't).... or you can just put it on your business card. The card acts as an intro, and then the site gives more detailed information.
2. Studio policies - put your studio policies online (mine are here. They aren't very formal, but they are functional.)
3. Take payments for piano lessons online - using Paypal. It's decently inexpensive, and CAN make it easier for your parents. Yes, there's a charge (the expense runs about 3% - but that's tax deductible if your are running your studio like a business.) See my payment page here for an example.
4. Sniff out cool online music training sites and share them with your students - ear-training, music quizzes, etc. are ALL available online.
5. Share music with your students. I have a version of Chopsticks I use that does NOT use standard notation. It's great for new kids who don't read yet.

Making a CD: Lessons learned

Now that it has been a couple of months, what have I learned? What would I do differently?

1) This was definitely worth the time involved. not so much from a monetary viewpoint, but from a PR (the parents really appreciated it) and from a "cool" aspect (the kids thought it was cool I knew how to do this. Greater cool factor = greater opportunity to teach them)

2) It really brought home the fact that having equipment does no good by itself. You have to take the time to learn how to use it. I had all this stuff (that I use for other purposes), yet it took some thinking to figure out how to make the CD happen.

3) There are easier ways to accomplish this same thing. There are direct - to - CD recording decks out there (or even the Alesis Masterlink). In that case you can record the performance straight to a CD, and even hand the student the CD right there. It's the CD equivalent of sticking the cassette recorder in front of the piano and pressing "Record". You could even get a set of preprinted blank CDs (Diskmakers sells them) that have your studio's logo on them with room to write the student's name on them.

You lose the ability to edit, though.

I'd love to hear from other teachers who have attempted this same thing.

Teaching Youngsters and Herding Cats

Some of the kids I teach are fascinating. Some days, they are all focused on playing the piano. Others, you might as well be at the zoo.

Now, some of my teachers growing up were, compared to the way I teach, very standoffish. I would play, they would make a comment or two, and we would move on. I remember having more conversations as I got into High School, and it became apparent I was going to major in music.

I would say I am an active teacher. I treat a lesson more like a rehearsal - the student and I are working together to improve their skill. I guess the best sports analogy is that I'm the coach (but a coach that can STILL play the sport!).

But some days - and with a couple of my students, it's every day - you have to go with the flow. I want them to remain excited about piano, but also to get something done (hey, that's what their parents are PAYING me for!). So I listen to the stories about their day at school - and indeed, ask them how things are...and we play.

Some days it's more playing. Some days it's more talking.

Some days I'm teaching piano. Some days I'm herding cats.

It is never boring, though.

--------------------------------------------------- The MacMusic Guy

Basic Info | www.tomrule.info/music The MacMusic Blog | macmusicguy.blogspot.com The Band | www.tom-and-co.com ---------------------------------------------------

Piano: Thoughts on Teaching

I've had my own piano/keyboard teaching studio for almost 2 years now. I've also taught piano at the college level for a total of 12 years (some of those years I was full-time faculty, others an adjunct). Today, I was thinking about some of the differences between teaching privately and on the college campus - it is interesting, to those of us who teach, anyway!

You have a certain stick hanging over a college student's head - the grade, but this may or may not be a motivator! I've had many college students start taking piano, and then never really practice. Many are actually surprised that I expect them to practice between lessons. My approach to this problem has mellowed out a bit over the years. I used to fret a bit over not being able to motivate the student. Now - and perhaps this is because my own two boys are in their teens or rapidly approaching - I realize that at some point I am not responsible for the choices the student makes. Nowadays, I lay it out flatly that it will require practice if they really want to get better - and that piano lessons are a lot more fun when they practice (because we can get beyond the notes and other basics).

For some, this is enough. Others, it doesn't seem to really matter - which is a shame, since they are paying extra to take private piano! For me, I will push the students who seem to want to make music. The others, I try to keep it interesting by throwing in stuff from outside the book, but i'm not going to worry about it. That is, unless they are music majors.

Music majors are in a whole 'nother ballgame. If a student truly wants to major in music - that is, have a prayer of a chance at making a living at this field, then they'd better be able to play or sing real well - and that takes extraordinary amounts of intelligent practice - 4 hours a day.

Yes, I push the music majors.......but my regular private students I have to treat differently. More on that next time. Leave some Comments!