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Getting Started

Determination

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An acquaintance of mine recently found a piano for her home and is so excited to be playing the piano. She took lessons as a child, and now as an adult enjoys learning how to play again.

She commented on her struggles and joys of learning piano as an adult. She said when she’s trying to work something out, she just keeps trying, and approaches learning with a sense of humor and allowing herself to make mistakes. Her advice to others is to just keep trying because you will come out on the other side, and it will be worth it.

When learning anything new, how often do you give up after the first try, or after the second or third? I remind my students that the American author, Ernest Hemingway was turned down either 50 or 100 times by publishers before he finally found someone to publish his now famous book, The Old Man and the Sea.

Where do you have that kind of determination? Whatever you are learning, approach it with the mindset that it will happen. When and how you may not know, but it will happen. Ask for help, and keep trying. You will see the way unfold before you.

If you or your child would like help getting started in piano, call us today about lessons.

Aural Development

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As your child grows as a musician, so will their ear. It’s not uncommon for children to have sensitive ears. Becoming a musician will develop that sensitivity even more. To make beautiful music at the piano, sensitive ears are a requirement, and they develop over time and practice.

If there’s a downside to developing a good ear, it’s this: the piano that used to work just fine a few years ago isn’t so great anymore according to your child. Their ears begin to pick up changes in the tone quality of different keys on the piano. They can hear when a key begins to go out of tune.

Fine musicians need this level of sensitivity to communicate the emotional content of a piece of music. That is how they can knock your socks off when you listen to them play. As these aural skills increase, having a quality piano that can meet or exceed the skills of the pianist will catapult their listening skills even further.

Does this mean that you need to go out and buy a 50K piano? No. However, it does mean providing a quality piano and having it tuned at least once a year. In addition, listen to your child when they tell you the piano doesn’t sound right. If your child hasn’t been practicing lately, ask yourself if the piano needs to be tuned.

One word of caution: If you child practices on an out-of-tune piano, after a while they will begin to think the “out-of tune” piano is normal and the “in-tune” piano at their lesson is out of tune.

Your child’s ears will develop one way or the other. Provide a quality piano. Keep it in tune, and soon your child will be knocking your socks off with beautiful music in your home.

Piano Dream

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I recently attended a social gathering where I met a woman in her forties who shared with me her childhood piano story. In grade school she took piano lessons from the school music teacher during recess. Her parents bought her a little keyboard to practice on at home. She liked her piano lesson because it was the one time she got to play a real piano. She rarely practiced on her keyboard at home. It just wasn’t the same as the piano at her lesson. Because she didn’t practice much, she didn’t progress much. Eventually she stopped lessons.

As she reflected on this experience as an adult, she commented, “If I had a real piano to practice on as a child I may have kept with it and actually progressed.” Today she dreams about buying her own piano and taking lessons again.

How about you? Are you an adult dreaming about learning to play the piano, or are you a parent of a child interested in piano lessons? Either way, find a piano to make part of your home, or find a piano in your community to practice on. It will make a huge difference in your success and your child’s success.

Desire to Play

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Recently I attended a piano concert where the performer played some amazing music. The speed, dynamic contrast, and wide range of color coming out of the piano was truly a marvel. After one of the most exhilarating pieces came to a close, no one could contain their enthusiasm for what they had just heard. Among the applause I overheard an older woman say to her friend, “Well, I guess I’ll just have to sell my piano.”

I was surprised and disturbed. When I am moved by music at a concert, I go out and buy it so I can learn to play it myself one day, if not that day. It never occurred to me that for some people the expression of beautiful music reminds them of feeling inadequate.

It’s easy to compare ourselves to others and then shut the door when we think we don’t measure up. However, music is not just for a select few. It is for everyone. If you have that recurring thought about wanting to learn to play the piano or even to improve your skills, allow yourself the space to do something about it. Will you play the piece with which the concert pianist wowed the crowd? I don’t know, but the desire to create doesn’t go away, and if you have the desire that is what you have in common with the concert pianist. They did something about their desire to play. Will you?

Can I learn on a keyboard?

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When I used to teach students with electronic keyboards not one of them continued beyond a few years. They were technically proficient, however, the one thing lacking in their playing was sensitivity.

If you have no sensitivity it sounds like banging on the piano. Contrast that with the most beautiful music you’ve ever heard come out of the piano. That is sensitivity.

As a student you will only become as sensitive as the instrument you practice on. Students on keyboards tend to become frustrated when they can’t do on their keyboard what they can do on the piano at their lesson. The students who began on a keyboard, but actively sought a piano and found one, they found piano much more rewarding and stuck with it.

If you really want to learn to play the piano, find a piano. You will be so glad you did.

Do I Need a Piano?

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Yes. When you learn to play the piano you are training your nervous system to respond to the sensitivity of the piano.

Real pianos respond to the way you touch it. If you press a key with more weight in your arm you will get a bigger sound. If you press a key with less weight you will get a smaller sound.

There is a direct connection between what you feel in your body when you play and the sound that comes out of the piano. Not only does this make the piano so rewarding, but it also engages students over the long-term.

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I don’t have a piano. Can I still learn?

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Yes. There are community resources available to help students get started in piano. To find a piano to practice on, you have several options:

1. Churches, schools, and even some music stores have pianos waiting to be played. For a small fee or even free you can make arrangements to practice on their pianos. When people hear what you’re trying to do they want to help.

2. You can rent a piano for as little as $19 per month from a piano store. Pedigo Piano in Burlington rents pianos.

3. You can purchase your own piano that will get you started for under $1000. I once played an upright that was in excellent condition and only $750. If you do go this route be sure to have a piano technician check the piano over before you buy it. Some pianos are not worth the cost of just moving them. On your own touch every key and make sure it actually works, and then put down the right hand pedal and do the same thing again. The sound will blend and get very muddy. This means that the pedal works. Also, open the lid and look inside. Does it look moldy or clean?

4. Finally, I tell all of my students to start telling everyone that they are looking for a piano. I had one parent mention it at her work, and the second person she told said, “My daughter’s away at school and no longer plays our piano. Would you like to use it indefinitely?” My student has had that piano for several years and has really progressed.

My child wants to play the guitar. I want him to play the piano. What do I do?

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The first time I heard this question I asked the parents, “Where did he get the idea of guitar?”

They sheepishly responded, “From video games.”

I shared the good news with them. His brain was working just fine. All they needed to do was broaden his exposure to more music.

All of the performing arts, music, theatre and dance seen live for the first time are a new experience for your child. It is through exposure of what’s possible that your child will find something that intrigues him or her. All of our brains are different, and as a result, different musical instruments and forms of art speak differently to each of us.

Expose your child to all kinds of live music and performing arts. Then let their brain respond. They may end up being drawn to the piano, or it may be something else. Either way, you can’t go wrong. They are discovering themselves and how they relate to the world.

A successful child in life learns to not only recognize the seed of inspiration within them, but also learns how to find the courage to let it grow. You as their parent have the privilege of helping them nurture that seed.