Category Archives: Frequently Asked Questions

December 31, 2010

Is it Damaging to Start Lessons on an Electronic Keyboard?

By ms-ye

 

Please note:  The following material was written by Martha Beth Lewis, Ph.D.

 

Short answer: no. Not to -start-. Not for a month or two.

And now for the long answer! First of all, what do you mean by electronic keyboard? Is this a digital piano (such as a Korg, Roland, or Yamaha)? Or is it a synthesizer (such as a Casio)? (Note: Yamaha makes both!) These are two different animals; what makes them different is how the sound is formed.

Usually when people say “electronic keyboard,” they are talking about a synthesizer (“synth”). Other names: portable keyboard, digital keyboard, or keyboard.

The prime reason not to purchase a real piano is cost. A real piano is most expensive. A digital piano is in the middle range, and a synth is quite a bit less.

Space is another a consideration.

Some families don’t want to buy a piano until they are sure that piano lessons are going to “take” on the child. An electronic may be easier to sell, they say. If it’s not possible to sell it, then the child can still fiddle around on it and perhaps rekindle interest in lessons at a later date.

Another reason to purchase a synth – – or a digital – – is the MIDI port. If you want to be able to hook up your computer to this keyboard, you need a MIDI port.

More and more commonly, some people want to buy an electronic instrument because of the “earphone” option (they live in an apartment building, they can practice only late at night when the rest of the family is sleeping, etc.)

Of all these reasons to not buy a real piano, cost is the overriding factor in 90% of the cases.

How are the three instruments different?

In a piano, the sound is produced by a felt-padded hammer hitting a string under tension. The piano really is a percussion instrument.

In a synth, the least expensive keyboard under discussion here, the sound is produced artificially by manipulating waveforms.

A digital piano is an instrument in which real piano sounds have been “sampled” (captured electronically) and used to create the digital piano sounds. The digital piano sounds better than a synth, but it still sounds artificial – – and not like a “real piano” – – no matter what the salespeople tell you.

And they will lean on you pretty heavily since a cheaper item is easier to sell, which means they’re more likely to make the sale (and commission)if they tout something less expensive than a real piano: a digital piano or a synth. People make decisions based on what they know and the criteria that are important to them, and since price is an important factor for almost everyone, the saleperson has the best shot with a synth or a digital.

A digital piano is much more expensive than a synth.

It generally takes more floor space but does have an earphone jack. A MIDI plug is not standard, so if you want one, ask (and expect to pay extra for it).

Ok, so yes, something electronic (a synth) to start is just fine. It will serve the beginner well in learning where the notes are located vis-à-vis the printed page and a host of other tasks the beginner must complete.

What a synth will -not- teach is piano touch. Even one with “weighted keys” and ones that “feel just like a piano” (per the salesperson). There just isn’t a substitute for a “real” piano. For a child beginner, you need to make the investment in a piano after about six months; two to three months for an adult.

Even a digital piano won’t do the job of simulating true piano touch, in all honesty.

 

( Article taken from:  http://www.serve.com/marbeth/electronic_keyboard.html )

 

Copyright 2011, Martha Beth Lewis, Ph.D.  Used with permission.   marthabeth.com  Please contact her for permission to reproduce this material for your students or your site.  This material is   her property and may not be used without permission.  Thank you for honoring copyright.

Leave a comment | posted in Choosing a Piano, Frequently Asked Questions, Piano Learning

December 31, 2010

Renting or buying a piano

By ms-ye

 

Please note:  The following material was written by Martha Beth Lewis, Ph.D.

 

The cost of purchasing a piano is the primary incentive to rent. In fact, it is the most common reason to rent, especially for a beginning student.

Note, however, that there will be other expenses beyond the monthly fee. You will have piano moving charges, either lump sum at the beginning of the lease or amortized over the life of the contract. An initial tuning may be included at no charge, but you doubtless will have to pay for your own tunings, even if the first one is paid by the dealer (well, actually, you pay that, too–it’s just a hidden cost).

Another advantage is that a rental is temporary. If you end up with a piano you don’t like, you aren’t stuck with it.

Disadvantages

Depending on the way the rental agreement is written, your rental fee (all or part) is money spent with no tangible property to show for it. Some rental contracts allow your fee to apply to any piano in the showroom. Others, only to the instrument placed in your home. Make sure you know which you are agreeing to! Some dealers do straight rentals–your fee applies to nothing but monthly usage.

Generally rent-to-buy arrangements have higher monthly fees than strictly rental agreements. Usually a dealer who does rent-to-buy does not do strictly rental.

I’d like to discuss rent-to-buy-this-instrument-only, as it is something I don’t recommend. In this situation, the dealer is essentially choosing your piano for you! Avoid this kind of rent-to-buy unless the rental instrument -is- the very one you’d choose to acquire. (The dealer may have some ulterior motive for pushing one type of piano over another–such as a manufacturer’s promotion that will net him an extra- attractive commission–and that might influence which piano he selects for you.) A far better solution, in my opinion, is finding a dealer who will allow the rental fees to apply to any piano in the showroom. That way you know he has no particular ax to grind.

Other disadvantages of renting are the unsightly case (high likely) and unpleasant tone quality (maybe). Strictly rental pianos tend to be beat up and bordering on klunkerism, although they should play. A reputable dealer will not rent an instrument which is not in 100% playable condition, although the action might not be what it should be or the instrument might be in dire need of regulation and voicing. (The dealer isn’t going to sink a lot of money into maintaining these instruments, after all.)

A third thing to consider is that should you find an instrument you want to buy, you may lose money when you break the contract.

(Note: Make sure the instrument you looked at in the showroom is the same one which is delivered to your home.)

Advantages of Buying a Piano

Your money goes toward an asset. If necessary, you can sell it to recover some of your investment.

When you buy, you are able to select exactly what you want. (This might not be what you’d select if money were no object, but you have a choice based on what you wish to pay and how much room you have.)

Don’t discount pride of ownership. The student may feel more committed to study and practice more diligently if he has his -own- piano, not a “borrowed” one.

A new piano is going to be in better shape than a rented one. The pedals are going to work, etc. A beginner should not have to fight the instrument as well as learn to play it!! (And any more advanced student will be frustrated playing a poor instrument at home.)

Disadvantages

Again, it’s high cost. Or, the high cost of getting what you really want.

If the student does not continue in study, the family is left with a perhaps-unhappy reminder of an activity that did not bring the satisfaction hoped for. There is the hassle of selling the instrument or, if the family decides to keep it, there will be continued maintenance on the investment. If the family is transferred, special moving fees will apply.

Many people decide to buy an instrument after renting for a while or after deciding that an electronic instrument is no longer appropriate. Other folks elect to begin study with a real piano.

Having decided to buy a piano, the next question is whether to buy a new one or a used one.

This is such a personal decision! It’s a lot like buying stereo speakers!

Cost

The bottom line of a piano purchase usually is cost. Most used pianos are less expensive than most new ones.

What’s involved in setting the price for a piano?

  • how good the inside parts are (the inside mechanism is called the “action”)
  • how ornate the cabinetry is
  • the name of the brand (for a new piano, you are shouldering part of the annual marketing costs in your purchase price)
  • for a new piano, the dealer’s costs
  • for a piano, new or used, from a commercial concern: how much it costs to deliver the piano to you (if not charged as a separate fee)

When you go shopping for a new instrument, you will find many pianos with incredibly beautiful cases! The finish is so glossy it’s like a mirror! Wow! (Reality check: Think about rubbing away smudges on a constant basis.)

The mystery to solve is whether the inside of this fantastic-looking piano is as nice as the outside. Usually it isn’t if the price seems “reasonable.”

You pay for what you get – – and what you want, musically, is a good action. What you want aesthetically is a personal decision. It will be sitting in your home, after all!

A New Piano

A new piano has all the benefits of a new item of any kind. It has not been used, however “gently.” It has a full warranty. The casework should be in perfect condition.

A Used Piano

A used piano usually doesn’t have a warranty, although some dealers will give a limited and short-time warranty. If you buy from a private party, consider the piano “as is.”

There may be extra repair and maintenance costs with a used instrument, especially one that is being sold to “clear the decks” by a private party. Suppose the child of the house quit lessons. Do you think the parents will continue to pay to maintain the piano in tip-top shape until they sell it? (I have an excellent bridge I’d like to sell you!)

The casework of a used piano probably will have some dents and scratches. Is this a problem? How much would it cost to have the damage repaired?

If you find a used piano with wonderful action, its casework might not match your décor. Is this a deal-breaker for you?

If you find a used piano with good action and a seductive price, how much would it cost you to have the case refinished? (Also ask yourself how the case got to be so forlorn, yet the insides are still ok? Really ok?) How long would case refinishing take? Figure about $500 per foot (for a grand piano); probably about $3000 minimum. Use a real piano refinisher, not a furniture refinisher. (Horror stories abound about furniture refinishers and do-it-yourselfers who varnished the soundboard “to make it look prettier.”) Ask a tech for a referral.

Are delivery charges to and from included the refinisher? Do you have to arrange pick-up and delivery yourself?

With -any- used piano, whether from a dealer or a private party, I -most strongly- advise you to pay a registered piano technician to look over the instrument. This will cost you $50-$100. Not only can the tech advise you of any worn parts that will need repair immediately or x years down the road, but she can advise you whether the price asked is too high, reasonable, or a real bargain.

Those who wish an antique will need to buy a used instrument.

Those who wish a certain brand of instrument but cannot afford a new one will be able to purchase an older one for less. Pianos are like cars; their value plummets as soon as they leave the showroom.

Any Piano

Whether it’s new or used, the piano will have to be tuned when it arrives at your home. You should let it “settle” a week or two; usually it will take you that long to get an appointment with a tech.

A dealer may include an initial tuning in the purchase price, whether the instrument is new or used. How much would a tech charge you? Ask the dealer the cost of the tuning and who will do it. It may be better for you to subtract that amount from the purchase price and substitute your own maintenance.

We would expect a new piano to be in “perfect working order” on the showroom floor, but this is not always the case. Sometimes the factory takes a shortcut (which results in a lower price to the dealer, and, we hope, the customer) by omitting regulation, voicing, and other fine adjustments. Ask whether this piano has been regulated and voiced, when, and by whom.

How can you tell for sure you’re getting the truth about a piano? You call in a registered piano technician for an independent survey.

The dealer probably will not like this. Before you sign the purchase contract, after all the finances are worked out and you have pen in hand, tell the dealer you will have your tech come in and take a look. If this cancels the deal, you know you are losing something you would rather not have had. (The dealer may tell you the in-house tech will inspect the piano, but this is not a substitute for an unbiased opinion. Besides, you don’t know the real credentials of this person and whether there is a scratch-my-back situation at work.)

Similarly, if the dealer implies or states outright that someone else is interested in this piano and that you should close the deal or risk losing the instrument, walk. Don’t be pressured. If the dealer had another buyer, do you think he’d wait around and let you make an offer on the piano?!

A new piano is a -large- expenditure. You usually could buy a car for the same money!

Don’t purchase a piano without outside confirmation that the instrument is worth what is being asked.

Contact your tech in advance so he knows that you will be calling with this request. Don’t make the purchasing decision and then call a tech for an appointment. It might be several weeks before he can fit you in the schedule, especially if you’re just somebody out of the blue! If you are presently taking lessons, speak with your teacher about his tech. The teacher can pave the way for you by contacting the tech and telling her that you would like to engage her to look over an instrument you are considering.

Sound

How does the piano sound? This is where the stereo speaker analogy comes in. Some pianos have a bright treble. Some a booming bass. Some have both. What do you like? What kind of literature do you like (and therefore will be playing a lot of)?

In what room will the piano be placed? Does the room have hardwood floors with no (or small) rugs? Is the room heavily draped and furnished with overstuffed sofas and chairs? The home environment impacts brightness. An instrument with a bright treble in the showroom may be too bright (to the point of tinny shrillness) in a room with very little upholstery, drapery, and carpet to absorb sound.

Play the instrument, using the literature you like best. Play the same piece on a number of instruments. Lid-up on all of them, so it’s apples-to-apples.

If the musician is a child, ask the dealer to perform some of the child’s pieces on each instrument you are considering. Naturally, you’ll want your child to play, too, but if the child plays all the songs on all the instruments before you, you’ll be there all day! Therefore, let the child play a couple of songs on one or two instruments, and then let the dealer take over so you can listen carefully to the sound when the performer is “neutral.”

Size

Don’t disregard size! You don’t want the piano to arrive and not fit where you planned it to go! Get the rough dimensions of the piano(s) you are looking at, and make a life-sized template from newspaper. Move furniture around and see how best to position your new toy! (Make the grand a plain rectangle, unless you particularly want to cut out the bentside.) A grand takes more room than an upright, but those who purchase grands anyway decide that the improved tone is more than a fair trade-off.

Just because the piano is a grand, though, doesn’t mean its tone is superior to all uprights! Excellent uprights are head and shoulders (tone, action, etc.) above mediocre grands.

A “parlor grand” is usually not as good a choice as a good-quality upright because size of the parlor grand virtually precludes a rich sound.

“Old Klunkers”

Many times people give serious consideration to buying what is called “an old klunker.” This is a piano that looks pretty awful on the outside (damage to the case, broken or cracked key surfaces, etc.) and most certainly is out of tune when first viewed. Naturally, an old klunker is much cheaper than a piano that looks better, even if the more attractive one is also out of tune.

The main problem with old klunkers is that the insides are in just as wretched a condition as the outsides.

Therefore, an old klunker may cost so much to repair that it is not cost effective for you to buy it.

And certainly after you have it, if you decide to unload it (even after some investment in repairing it), it will be difficult for you to get your initial purchase price out of it, let alone the money you’ve put into it trying to get it into playable condition. Do not expect much on a trade in from a piano dealer. The dealer will not be able even to rent it out, and it’s highly unlikely that any parts will be useable enough for the dealer to tear it down for parts. Don’t be surprised at all if the dealer refuses to take it in trade-in. Then you will have to pay to have it carted off.

From a student’s point of view, playing on an old klunker is an exercise in frustration. Some of the keys don’t sound. Some of the notes dip a different amount than others. Some of the keys are cracked. Some keys stick. The pedals work sporadically. In sum, this piano is unsafe at any speed! Parents reason that they don’t know if their child will “like” piano study and thus do not want to invest in an expensive instrument until they have a feel for the child’s interest.

This is false economy! They’re going to pay for lessons, take time from other activities to get the child to the lessons and help at home, and, with a klunker, they’re going to give the child an instrument to learn on that is guaranteed to make the child angry and upset! A beginner doesn’t even know which end of the piano to blow into; such a child is lightyears away from having the patience to sit at the instrument and learn how to work around its idiosyncracies! An old klunker is -not- a good choice for a beginner! Rent, instead.

In the final analysis, I’d advise that you stay away from an old klunker. If you do find an “ugly duckling” that you think may have a decent action, get a registered tech in to take a look at it before you get out your checkbook. If in doubt, sleep on the decision.

In a Nutshell

In the end, you should buy the best piano you can stretch to afford, whether it’s new or used. And have a tech check it out before you sign the cheque.

 

( Article taken from:  http://www.serve.com/marbeth/rent_or_buy.html )

 

Copyright 2011, Martha Beth Lewis, Ph.D.  Used with permission.   marthabeth.com  Please contact her for permission to reproduce this material for your students or your site.  This material is   her property and may not be used without permission.  Thank you for honoring copyright.

 

Leave a comment | posted in Choosing a Piano, Frequently Asked Questions, Piano Learning

December 31, 2010

Choosing A Piano

By ms-ye

 

Please note:  The following material was written by Martha Beth Lewis, Ph.D.

 

Here are some general thoughts on piano brands:  which ones are good, which ones to stay away from.  Please note that these are my personal opinions.  Instruments from the same manufacturer differ from year to year, and within a given year!  In the same way some cars are just lemons. It also may make a difference in which factory the instrument was made.  Sometimes a company (Yamaha, Kawai) has factories of different “qualities,” so piano quality is affected by the factory made the particular piano you are looking at/seeking.

German-sounding names are often chosen by non-German manufacturers because Germany has such a good reputation for piano-building, at least in the past.  Just because it’s a German name doesn’t mean it was made in Germany or by German expatriates or at a factory founded outside of Germany by Germans.  Inquire. 

As of this date (2006), Chinese pianos are usually of inferior quality.  A decade or two ago, this was true of Korean pianos and Japanese pianos before that, so expect Chinese instruments to improve in quality.  The Russians also are making pianos now.  I wouldn’t expect good quality from them [yet?], so buy a Russian/former Soviet Union country piano very cautiously.

Stencil brand pianos (sometimes called store brands) are common in the US.  These are like the house brands at a grocery store.  A piano store (usually a nation-wide or at least a regional piano company) buys these from a factory and puts a name on it. Therefore, many “different brands” of pianos – – at varying price points – – are actually from the same factory. And could, in fact, be the same model except for the brand name!

Also note that some factories buy parts from all over the world.  An American company can buy German actions (that’s the “guts” of the piano).  Sometimes a company with a good reputation farms out its manufacturing process to a country with cheaper labor rates.  For example, Pratt-Read, which makes actions, moved their factory to Mexico, with disastrous results because the labor was unskilled (and sometimes didn’t show up for work!).  You can find Chinese parts in non-Chinese instruments. And, in a curious turn-around, some Japanese pianos are manufactured in America and Europe!

Similarly, sometimes a piano factory sold its brand name to another piano maker, usually an Asian company.

With the serial number (and name) of a piano you are examining or thinking of purchasing, your tech should be able to furnish you with exact information about where the piano was made and when, whether this date was before the company was sold and/or acquired new manufacturing equipment, what kinds of parts were used and where those were manufactured, and so forth. 

I’ll say again that you need a tech to examine any used instrument. Don’t agree to buy a piano on your first visit to a dealership unless you love it and everything about it, including the price, AND you have taken your tech along. 

Types and Sizes

There are only two kinds of pianos – – grands, uprights – – but there are several sizes in these general categories.

Grands:

  • “parlor” (sometimes called “petite”):  4’5″ to 5’5″
  • “baby”:  5’0″ to 6’5″
  • “medium” (sometimes called “parlor,” “living room,” or “medium studio”): 5’6″ to 6’5″
  • “semi-concert” (sometimes called “professional”): 6’6″ to 8’0″.
  • “concert”: 8’9″ to 10’2″. Most concert grands are 9′ in length

Uprights: 

  • spinet: 35″ to 39″ in height
  • consoles: 40″ to 44″ (those 39″ to 40″ are sometimes called “consolettes;” and “consoles” 40″ to 43″)
  • studio:  45″ to 47″
  • professional (sometimes called “full size”): 48″ to 52″ (Note: Prior to 1930, some uprights soared to 60″ in height.)

A “square grand” (built ~1700-1900) is always an antique piano.  “Birdcages” (~1840-1940) often are, too. Be careful with these!  You may be buying a lot of repair! (Ask your technician….) 

What You’re Looking For

Remember that you are looking primarily at the touch (a function of the action) and sound (bright treble? lots of bass?). 

Sound is a personal preference (I personally like a low bass and medium-firm touch, but this is only my opinion!)  Evaluating a piano’s sound is a lot like buying stereo speakers.  What sounds good to you? 

If the action is too light, it’s hard to control dynamics [loud and soft].  Also, the hand doesn’t build up much strength so that when the player sits before a piano with a firmer action, playing is quite difficult.  Pianists are prisoners of the instruments they are given (though Vladimir Horowitz toured with his own instrument and technician!).  We are not like violinists. Their violin is the same, no matter whether they are playing it in a ditch or in a concert hall.

Casework is important, but make sure the insides (action) are good.  Don’t be fooled by a gorgeous piece of furniture with inferior action….. 

…..unless you just want something upon which to perch sterling picture frames.  I am sure you’ve seen the “interior decor” magazines with a beautiful piano, lid down, in front of a window (ack!), and covered with framed pictures and a voluptuous of arrangement of roses and cost more!!! Presumably, you are reading this file because you want a piano to use!

Also know that pianos depreciate rapidly – – some more than others.  Any brand’s cheapest model is its worst piano.  Go up a level.

A piano is an investment that lasts a lifetime.  Get the best one you can stretch to afford.

An expensive brand’s upright might not be as good as another brand’s grand or vice versa.

A grand will have better tone than an upright, generally speaking, though one manufacturer’s grands will not sound as good as another manufacturer’s uprights.

A used piano should be considered seriously.  Bear in mind, however, that used pianos are a law unto themselves. Do not fail to ask your tech to physically examine any used piano you are considering! 

Pianos are as individual as children!

There you have it.  These are my opinions only.  Please do some homework before you buy! 

And remember that a beginner needs the best piano you can stretch to get her. You wouldn’t give her a bicycle with one flat tire when she’s learning how to ride it. Beginners need the fewest impediments possible!

 

( Article taken from:  http://www.serve.com/marbeth/piano_brands.html )

 

Copyright 2011, Martha Beth Lewis, Ph.D.  Used with permission.   marthabeth.com  Please contact her for permission to reproduce this material for your students or your site.  This material is   her property and may not be used without permission.  Thank you for honoring copyright.

 

Leave a comment | posted in Choosing a Piano, Frequently Asked Questions, Piano

December 31, 2010

Is an inexpensive or less-experienced (or no-experienced) teacher “ok” for a beginner?

By ms-ye

 

Please note:  The following material was written by Martha Beth Lewis, Ph.D.

 

Not really.

In fact, no, not at all.

Why?

In a nutshell, an experienced teacher will give you more value for your dollar, even if you have to pay more.

Think back. Were you not thrilled when your child got “the best” kindergarten teacher? (Or, conversely, wishing your child had gotten the best one?) In fact, you may have jumped through hoops and even visited the principal to make sure your child had the best one.

Why? Because you knew that the teacher would give your child the best foundation skills. That teacher would make your child love going to school. That teacher would acquaint your child with his innate curiosity and explore ways to enhance that but to channel his natural enthusiasm and phyical energy.

An experienced teacher, by definition, has dealt with a variety of children and a variety of problems and knows how to address each.

Probably the teacher has better academic credentials (a master’s degree or a special certificate in early childhood development).

As in all else, you get what you pay for. Of course, there may be superb teachers who, for some reason, are way under-priced. Usually, however, the superb teachers know it and can command a fee commensurate with their skill, experience, and credentials.

If you think a teacher sounds wonderful but is shockingly expensive, do this.

  • Ask for references! And call them! Ask these people why they are willing to pay this teacher’s high fee. Were they initially unsure about paying that much? What changed their minds?
  • Ask the teacher bluntly, “Why do you charge so much?”
  • And the corollary, “Why are you worth more than a teacher who charges less?”
  • Ask how many students the teacher has. This tells you how many people are willing to pay this amount of money for piano lessons.
  • How many children your child’s age does the teacher have? (This and the following questions help you understand how well your child is likely to “fit” in this teacher’s program.
  • How many beginners? Beginners your child’s age?)
  • If your child has a learning disability or some other special need, how many students like this has the teacher taught? How many beginners like this has the teacher taught? Child beginners?

I am often asked whether X credentials are ok to “just teach beginners.” Usually this question is from someone who has “played piano for several years as a child/in sec school” and who doesn’t have a music degree or even any college-level music study. Although usually not stated, my belief is that the motivation to teach is probably to supplement the family income with a job that can be left the moment something more lucrative comes along. Or, it’s something the person can do “while the children are young and at home.” Or, that it’s easy to do and requires little if any investment in training, etc.

I don’t know where the idea came from that un- or poorly-trained teachers are acceptable teachers for beginners or that it’s perfectly ok for beginners to receive sub-standard teaching.

The opposite is true! Beginners need the best teachers and teaching available.

I advise these prospective teachers to teach only at the intermediate level. Those students already have an understanding of how to read notes, count, etc. A teacher who is learning on-the-job will not have to deal with these basics and can concentrate on perfecting the students’ music skills. I also advise those who write me questions like this to begin private piano study right away with a competent, experienced teacher and to pursue a degree and proper training in music.

My hunch is that some people who want to teach only beginners are not confident in their own ability to play and feel that beginner-level study is the only level they can teach without being “found out.” Obviously, someone who can’t play well enough to play a Beethoven sonata will be unable to teach a student who is ready to study this level literature. Any teacher who cannot play intermediate-level music should not be teaching – – for any level and at any price!

These people don’t set out to do a beginner damage, of course. It’s just that they do not know they are not properly equipped to teach novices. I applaud those who write and ask for advice on training. For every one of these, however, there are hundreds who are clueless that they need training and are putting beginners at risk by their own lack of knowledge.

90% of the time that beginners end up with inadequately-prepared and inexperienced teachers – – stick with the experienced teacher until there is a good foundation laid (at least one year, if at all possible) and then change if need be.

Please interview as many teachers as you can find, as this will give you good data with which to make your decision. Take your time and do this thoroughly! This is your child you are entrusting! Maybe the expensive teacher truly is superior to the others. (Maybe not!) Maybe you can find someone who is nearly as good but far less expensive.

For your child’s sake, please don’t choose based on price.

Thank you for giving your child the wonderful gift of music! Your child will thank you for it forever.

Although these remarks are aimed at child beginners, the basic concepts apply equally to teen and adult beginners.

 

(  Article taken from:  http://www.serve.com/marbeth/beginners_teacher.html )

 

Copyright 2011, Martha Beth Lewis, Ph.D.  Used with permission.   marthabeth.com  Please contact her for permission to reproduce this material for your students or your site.  This material is   her property and may not be used without permission.  Thank you for honoring copyright.

Leave a comment | posted in Choosing a Music Teacher, Frequently Asked Questions

December 31, 2010

My Kid Wants to Quit Piano!?!?

By ms-ye

 

Please note:  The following material was taken from http://pianoeducation.org/pnotchld.html#Quit%20Piano .

 

It’s very common for kids, usually about the time they reach the secondary school years, to begin to temporarily lose interest in their piano lessons. If they are allowed to quit lessons, they usually regret it in later years. It is possible to get your children through this difficult period without having them make a decision they may later wish they hadn’t made and for which their young age and limited experience ill prepares them. We firmly believe that, while kids say they know what they want at  Sec and JC School levels, they really don’t know exactly what they will be missing by quitting the study of the piano. We have had many adult students who kick themselves for having quit and now realize the folly of their choice made as teenagers.

One thing that often works well in keeping kids in piano lessons is a tit-for-tat agreement to continue lessons in exchange for some privilege or reward (sometimes known as “positive reinforcement”, sometimes known as a “bribe”!). Such rewards need not be monetary or material. For example, a possible “contract” might be allowing your daughter to get her ears pierced in return for her continuing piano lessons for 3 more years. Similarly, you can reward good lessons and participation in recitals and contests, irrespective of whether your child won.

Many teachers will also help this process by rewarding students with special things.  Whatever reward system you choose, make it clear to your child that this must be a good faith agreement between you, the parents, and your child. Regular practice and attendance at lessons are every bit as important to the child’s fulfillment of the contract as your allowing the privilege. For this to work, the child has to know that if they “welch” on their end of the contract, you will not trust them in similar situations in the future and they will lose those privileges they might otherwise have gained. Such an arrangement not only helps keep your child in piano lessons, but also builds character and responsibility for their future.

Despite your best efforts, your child may refuse to cooperate. Should you force the child to continue lessons? Every situation is individual, so we can’t tell you what to do here. However, in this event, careful consultation with the child’s teacher is called for. The teacher may be able to rebuild interest by changing repertoire, using computer teaching tools, setting up opportunities for playing in groups with other children the same age, or other incentives based on the teacher’s knowledge of your child. Simply allowing the child to quit lessons is usually not the best way to handle a resolutely uncooperative child. Such a decision should only be taken as a last resort and involve extensive consultation with the teacher.

Finally, a word just for you parents: hang in there, it’s worth it! Give yourself a pat on the back that you recognize and are dealing with the issue. Chances are your children will thank you when they get a little older for encouraging them to stay in lessons.

 

( Article is taken from:  http://pianoeducation.org/pnotchld.html#Quit%20Piano )

 

Leave a comment | posted in Frequently Asked Questions, Parental Roles in Music Learning, Piano Learning

December 31, 2010

Suggested Practice Techniques

By ms-ye

 

 

Please note:  The following material was taken from –  http://pianoeducation.org/pnotchld.html#Practice%20Techniques .

 

HOW OFTEN AND HOW LONG SHOULD I PRACTICE?

Practicing needs are different for each student, but a good starting goal is 30 minutes a day. You may wish to split the time up into 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon. As you advance, you may wish to set musical goals for yourself instead of a specific time limit. For example, you might decide to practice one day until you have learned the notes of a piece at a slow tempo. Make the most of your practice time by focusing on the hardest things to play.

You can learn faster and easier if you do a few simple things. These suggestions are not time-consuming and easily carried out if you schedule time for them in your day on a regular basis. The most important thing to remember about practice is that it’s not the amount of time you spend, but how well you use the time that counts. If you practice several hours a day and simply repeat the same mistakes each time through, you have not practiced effectively.

  • Take the time to read your assignment book. The specific assignments and practice suggestions are intended to assist in practice.
  • When practicing, make sure that the environment is free from distractions and noise. Turn off the TV, put the answering machine on, and give yourself a quiet environment to work.
  • Make sure the music is legible and well-lit.
  • Set aside a specific time each day for your work at the piano and stick to the schedule. If you are a morning person, practice in the morning. Avoiding or delaying getting to the piano will just make you run out of time.
  • Unlike studying for tests or exams, piano practice cannot be crammed in at the last minute or day before the lesson. Plan the time to do practice every day.
  • Don’t try to learn a piece all at once; take it in sections and practice a section until you can do it without mistakes three times through. Then move on to the next section.
  • Remember the value of taking a section slowly, making sure that you play all the notes correctly and that you count through difficult sections. Worry about playing to tempo when you have the notes and the rhythm right.
  • A very valuable way of knowing whether you’ve learned a piece is to learn it well enough that you can play either hand independently starting at any place in the music. When you can do that, you can begin to work on being musical with the piece.
  • Learning a new piece of music is hard work. Reward yourself after a good practice session by playing a familiar and favorite work just for the fun of it. Think of this as the dessert after meal.
  • Above all, don’t simply repeat mistakes. Use practice to work out mistakes, not to reinforce them by continually repeating them. When you repeat mistakes, they are just that much more difficult to get rid of later.
  • Take the suggestions from your teacher seriously. After long years of training and teaching experience, chances are your teacher’s suggestions will prove successful, if followed.
  • If possible, participate in concerts and recitals at your teacher’s studio, even if only to audit. So much can be learned by performing yourself and listening to others perform.
  • Attend as many recitals and concerts as possible. Given the large number of musical organizations sponsoring concerts there is ample opportunity to hear music. The more music that you hear, the more of an idea of the musical concepts you can get.
  • Read biographies of composers, performing artists and conductors. Also, rent movies that are related to the lives of musicians. There are so many wonderful movies and books readily available, that really no one has the excuse not to know more about the composers, their lives and music. If you can’t find the time to read books, classical CD’s and records usually have useful and interesting information about the composer, the musical structure and ideas expressed, and the performers in the recording.
  • Obtain a musical dictionary. The dictionary will give the meaning of the Italian terms (for example, Allegro vivace or Molto espressivo) which are used in the score to indicate how the piece of music should be played and how it should sound. You’ll find your playing of the music will improve faster if you understand how the composer meant the music to sound in the first place.

      

Article taken from:

–  http://pianoeducation.org/pnotchld.html#Practice%20Techniques

 

Leave a comment | posted in Adult Piano Learning, Frequently Asked Questions, How to Practise, Parental Roles in Music Learning, Piano Learning

December 31, 2010

How to Help Your Child Practice at Home

By ms-ye

 

Please note:  The following material was written by Martha Beth Lewis, Ph.D.

 

The most important part of music study takes place at home, not at the lesson. At home, the student tries out new ideas, plays his assignment as specified, and has fun experimenting.

Note: I am going to use practice here because it’s a more efficient way to write, but at home you’ll be very well served if you call it play piano. Practice is has such an ominous sound!

What Practice Is

Knowing what practice is and why it’s valuable will assist you in helping your child make the most of his time at the instrument. It also will guide you in dealing with the resistance that will happen on occasion, even with the most dedicated child.

Research shows that maximum retention occurs if repetition–that is, practice–takes place within 24 hours or less. The retention rate is approximately 90%. If repetition does not occur until 48 hours later (skip a day of practice), the retention drops off drastically, as the graph is a curve rather than a straight line. By 72 hours (skip two days), retention is virtually zero. (Material that is already learned is retained longer, of course. I speak here of new material, such as a new piece or a new section of piece begun previously.)

Your child will be very frustrated with his inability to carry out the lesson assignment at home the longer he waits between practice sessions. Therefore, daily practice will net your child the most progress for his effort and will keep frustration to a minimum.

Practicing seven days a week is not realistic for every student or every family, however. The student might like “a day off.” If he practices six days a week, his tasks will be well-reinforced and one 48-hour gap will not affect his overall retention significantly. (The day after or before the lesson is never a good choice for the vacation day.)

Home practice is also a time to experiment. After he completes his assignment, encourage your child to explore. Perhaps he can pick out a tune by ear, play a song he already knows but in a different way, or make up his own song. Playing an old song or two is fun; this is also a good way to reinforce your child’s progress and point out that his efforts are bearing fruit: “Do you remember back at Christmas when this song was so hard for you?” Looking ahead in his materials is another productive activity: your child can see how much of the upcoming material he already knows and can challenge himself to figure out some of the rest.

Finally, home practice is a time for the family to participate in the child’s music study. This can take the form of “family concerts” after dinner, playing duets with another family member, or participating in the games the teacher assigns (to drill on note-reading or counting).

Your child’s teacher will have recommendations to make home practice successful, so be sure to follow them. Here are some other ideas you might want to try.

The Secret Weapon

Important: The main reason children want to quit piano study is that the parent assumes the child can carry out the assignment by herself and she can’t. Frustration, confusion, and despair set in. Who’d want to prolong a situation like this? Certainly not a child! A child has virtually no inkling of what will happen a long time from now, much less deferred gratification! All he knows is that right this moment he’s unhappy!

Don’t expect the child to practice her own! (Learning how to practice is a different skill altogether from actually playing the instrument.) Be directly involved. On the bench, if the child is young.

You will never regret this investment of time you make. No parent ever sent his child off to college thinking, “I wish I had spent less time with my son.”

The secret weapon is you and your direct involvement in your child’s home practice!

Help with the Lesson Assignment

Your child’s teacher will let you know exactly what you need to do to assist actively in home practice. The teacher may ask you to watch the student’s hand position as he plays to make sure he maintains the correct one or he may ask you to count out loud for your child. A youngster may have card games or board games or other fun activities to carry out at home with a partner.

Children respond best to a lesson assignment that is very specific (“play lines 3 and 4, hands together, 4 times) rather than general (“work on this). Your child will then pay attention to carrying out the assignment rather than focusing on a specified number of minutes spent at the piano (“clock-watching”). This kind of practice plan allows you to divide home practice into several segments, if necessary. The child also sees precisely what he still has to accomplish and will know when he is finished.

With young children, you may have to be involved directly for the entire practice session at first. Even after some months of study, your help may be needed for most of the practice time. Do not expect your child to carry out his practice entirely by himself until he is about 10 years old. (Yes, piano study is a significant commitment for the family!) With children under that age, plan to sit in the room with the child, even if you are not on the bench with him.

Many children (up through pri 6) like to have a parent keep them company while they practice. Even if the child doesn’t need your sustained participation, he may crave your presence because he’s lonely in the piano room all by himself. Don’t imply by words or body language that you’d rather be (or “should be”) somewhere else. That attitude is an eloquent negative. Use your “keeping company time” to read for pleasure, catch up on professional reading, balance the checkbook, or simply relax and enjoy your child’s accomplishments. Keep suggestions or criticism to yourself, however, unless the child asks for your help. The teacher will work with your child to correct errors. After your child has left home, I promise you will look back on any time you invest in this way and feel that it was more than amply rewarded. Your child will have fond memories, too. And remember that parental involvement and commitment are vital to the child’s continued interest.

Note: At some point, your child will inform you that you are no longer needed. Ask if your daughter would like you to sit in the room while she practices. Even if she answers yes initially, soon she will inform you that she’d rather be by herself. This change is almost instantaeous when the child enters sec sch and finds that she childish ways are not cool – – peers are great agents of change – – and, as you know, sometimes not to the good – – but that’s another topic!

At any rate, the child will let you when you should scale back the amount of direct involvement in home study.

Divide Practice Time

With today’s busy families, it often works well to divide practice session into two or more segments, particularly with a young child who is still developing his attention span. Two 15-minute practices–or even three 10-minute sessions–can be more productive than one 30-minute sitting. Divide the material for variety, too. For example, if there are two songs, two games, and a technique exercise, work at one song the first time and the other song at the second practice time, playing a game each session and working on half the technical material.

At Home Immediately After the Lessons

If students (adults as well as children!) did the following after each lesson, they would find their progress really accelerating.

After you return home, sit down with your child and play through his lesson assignment one time. This should consume 10 minutes at most. For each part of the assignment, ask your child to describe what he is supposed to do and why and then have him play it for you. This will acquaint you with what you should be hearing and how you should be hearing it, and your child will know that you are aware of precisely what the teacher has requested Should there be questions, call the teacher right away for clarification rather than let the child ignore an element of his assignment all week (or worse: do it incorrectly and later have to un-learn!).

Your child reaps several things from this post-lesson review. It is a tangible reminder that you support his efforts and are vitally interested in the content of what he is doing. Another benefit is that the immediate repetition of the assigned material ensures almost 100% retention of what the teacher said at the lesson.

If you like, count this session as a day’s practice, so your child may have “a day off” another time later in the week.

Ideally, both Mother and Father sit down with the child to preview the upcoming week’s activities, but in the real world a consistent commitment from one parent is sufficient. It doesn’t have to be the same parent each time, either.

But remember: you need to be directly involved on the bench with your child. (Until the child tells you with no prompting that he prefers to do it himself.)

A Consistent Practice Time

Most students benefit from a consistent piano practice time. Adults find a routine helps them shoehorn in all they must do; children draw security from routine.

I tell all my students that schoolwork is first priority. If there is a large assignment that evening, there may be no time for practice because schoolwork is most important. After schoolwork comes piano playing, however. When that is complete, then there’s time to play outside, use the telephone, watch TV, or whatever else they’d like to do. It’s important that children know that piano study falls right under schoolwork in the day’s hierarchy. They should understand that some days their homework load and their piano time may preclude most or all of their playtime. Not every day, surely, but sometimes. They should understand and accept this before study begins.

Of course, children may “unwind” by having a snack or changing clothes, but right after that, it’s time to hit the books. No getting sidetracked with a magazine or playing with a friend.

Discuss with your child’s teacher whether this might be a useful philosophy for your family.

At-Home Quiet Zone

It goes without saying that other family members should not be in the piano room during practice time. Nor should they be causing a racket elsewhere in the house. Not only is the noise itself distracting, but your child’s curiosity will be piqued by the possibility that something interesting is going on elsewhere and he will be distracted and restless. Most families find that practice time for one child is a perfect homework time (or story time) for another.

Reminders

Occasionally you may have to remind your child to practice. No matter his level of interest in music study, he is only human and some days he will want to do something else first or skip practice altogether. A regular practice time and at-home quiet zone helps, as does an obvious interest and commitment from the parent(s). Remember that young children can’t be expected to practice on their own.

If you constantly experience trouble inducing your child to practice (tantrums, tears, shouting), something is wrong. Your child may not have thought out the time and effort necessary for learning to play a musical instrument. Or he may have changed his mind when he discovered it’s not like TV: with piano study he is a participant; with TV he is only a spectator. Another possibility is that he has some other problem which is preventing him from feeling his effort is producing a worthwhile result (a sibling is being a pest during practice time, the other parent is making disparaging remarks about piano study). Consult the teacher. If this does not ameliorate the problem, consider changing teachers, changing instruments, or looking to another of the fine arts (dance, theater, painting, etc.).

Piano study isn’t easy. If it were, everyone would be doing it. But it is so satisfying!

Everybody–including children–needs to practice efficiently. When you do this, you feel doubly proud of your effort expended.

First and foremost, -have a goal- for each piece of your assignment for each session. If you have a goal you can evaluate whether or not you reached it. If you don’t reach it, your goal was too large. Your goal wouldn’t be “play the Beethoven sonata better,” it would be “fix fingering in measure 18.”

Second, go to the piano -ready- to practice. Don’t go when you’ve just had a disagreement with your spouse/parents and are still physically/emotionally upset about the altercation. Go when you’re prepared to pay attention to what you’re doing. Don’t go when you’re absolutely brain-dead or physically exhausted. Bring some energy to the piano–or simply go and dabble with something not on your assignment list: something that relaxes you. Your goal for such a session is not meeting a goal!

Third, work in an organized fashion. The rocket scientist says, “Plan the work and work the plan.” Here’s the plan I often suggest to my students: devote 10% of the practice time to technique (Hanon, Czerny), 10% to keyboard harmony (scales, arpeggios), 10% to sight-reading, 60% to literature, and 10% to fun (playing by ear, playing old stuff, poking around for new stuff). Of course, this division is flexible. You may need to spend extra time learning a new scale or more time on literature if a performance is on the horizon. But don’t leave out the fun! That’s the main reason you’re doing this!!

Fourth, if you have an inefficient day, don’t sweat it. Re-focus and try again tomorrow!

 

( Article taken from:  http://www.serve.com/marbeth/helping_kids_practice.html )

 

Copyright 2011, Martha Beth Lewis, Ph.D.  Used with permission.   marthabeth.com  Please contact her for permission to reproduce this material for your students or your site.  This material is   her property and may not be used without permission.  Thank you for honoring copyright.

Leave a comment | posted in Frequently Asked Questions, How to Practise, Parental Roles in Music Learning, Piano Learning

December 31, 2010

How Parents Can Help the Teacher

By ms-ye

 

Please note:  The following material was written by Martha Beth Lewis, Ph.D.

 

When your child begins lessons, the child does the piano-playing, but -you- make a commitment of time, energy, and money. Here are some tips which will help you realize the greatest reward from your investment.

Find the Best Teacher You Can

Obviously, this is the first step!

Don’t forget the lesson!

Your child needs contact with and input from the teacher on a regular basis. Put the lesson on your calendar every week. If a holiday or something else intervenes that makes it “feel like today’s not Tuesday,” your calendar will remind you that it is. If your child has a calendar, help him enter lesson

Have a piano.

Unless the teacher says it’s perfectly ok for the child to have a digital piano or an electronic keyboard at home indefinitely, make a real piano available to your child as soon as possible. You want your child to play the piano, yes? A digital piano and an electronic keyboard are different animals. True, all have keyboards (accordions and carillons also have keyboards!), but the touch is very different and the ability to do certain pianists techniques is different on them all (and not possible on some!).

A digital piano is expensive, so it should -not- be considered a half-way stop. An electronic keyboard (usually with 66 keys instead of 88), also called a synthesizer or synth, is far less expensive, and most teachers will say it’s ok for starting lessons. (To my beginners, I say 6 months, maximum. The synth is great to take to the mountain cabin or to Grandma’s house, whether you go over the river and through the woods or not!)

If you aren’t ready to buy an instrument, rent one.

Maintain the piano.

Twice a year, your piano should be “given a tune up.” Literally. Your piano will need tuning twice a year. Actually it will need tuning more than that – – usually at each season change – – but most parents cannot afford piano service this often!

You may not think that your piano needs tuning, but it does. You’re just “used to” how it sounds.

Your piano may need other maintenance, too. You wouldn’t drive a car 100,000 miles without a tune-up, but some people think nothing of letting a piano go 5 years without service! The longer you let a piano go, the harder it is to get it “running correctly,” and thus the more expensive it is to bring it back to proper working order.

Likewise, you wouldn’t ignore it if your child’s computer produced a K every time she pressed the E key!

Don’t make your child “fight” the instrument in addition to learning how to play it!

Make practice a regular activity.

Your child will need your assistance with time management, especially a young child or a beginner (or both!). Help him make piano playing (I prefer this term to “piano practice,” which smacks of drudgery) a regular part of every day. Choose a time of day and make it a routine activity; select a time for weekend days, too. Split piano time in two part if needed (before school and after), which is particularly good for young ones (pre-school through pri 2).

Make sure the home is conducive to piano playing when the time comes. This is a great time for siblings to do homework. This way, the musician is assured that “something cool” isn’t going on elsewhere in the house and he is missing out while at the piano.

Carry out the assignment the teacher has given you.

This may be on-the-bench time with your child, or it may be playing music games, listening to weekly “recitals,” and so on. It also may be keeping-company time while your child plays; you read, balance the checkbook, etc. (Don’t offer suggestions or point out errors unless your child asks for your input. These activities are the teacher’s domain and why you hired him!)

Check in with your child after the lesson. What did the teacher say? What went well? What needs more work (rather than “did not go well”)? Celebrate successes with “family parties.” Did the lesson go especially well? Let the child choose the dinner menu for the next night or get two servings of dessert on lesson night.

Ask the teacher what else you can do.

Teachers will be delighted to know your interest in the child’s musical education extends so far that you want to know what else you can do to further it! There may be nothing, but if you ask there may be something more than you are currently doing.

Note: The teacher also may ask you to distance yourself, especially from a student of several years’ study. Be prepared for this, too. For example, as noted above, if you are calling out corrections from your home office as the child practices in the living room, this is probably detrimental, even though you mean it to be useful and are doing it out of love.

Note:  Lessons are at 45 min or an hr a week, parental roles are very important!!

 

( Article taken from:  http://www.serve.com/marbeth/help_teacher.html )

 

Copyright 2011, Martha Beth Lewis, Ph.D.  Used with permission.   marthabeth.com  Please contact her for permission to reproduce this material for your students or your site.  This material is   her property and may not be used without permission.  Thank you for honoring copyright.

Leave a comment | posted in Frequently Asked Questions, Parental Roles in Music Learning, Piano Learning

December 31, 2010

Some Common Misconceptions About Piano Lessons

By ms-ye

 

Please note:  The following material was taken from  http://pianoeducation.org/pnolsmis.html .

 

Starting Lessons

“You only need lessons if you want to play the classics.”

Learning piano is a lot more than just being able to “plunk out” a few tunes. If you’re going to carry any skills over to other music, no matter the type, you’ll need to learn how to:  read music, adopt basic posture and technique, follow melodic and harmonic lines in each hand simultaneously, finger chords, practice properly and much, much more. Most people take lessons to help them learn to play most anything that might come along, not because they are interested in a particular genre. Would you be happy if, after taking lessons, you could only play a few tunes from a given type of music?

“I’m too old (young) to take lessons.”

While it is possible to start children on piano too young to gain maximum benefit from lessons, most children can benefit from lessons at early ages. On one of our Tips for Parents and Students pages, you’ll find some helpful hints about how to measure your child’s physical and mental development to determine if they are ready for lessons. The requirements are very easy to meet for most kids. Older students have some considerable advantages over children in terms of both focus and motivation, even if they have lost some of the flexibility that characterized their younger years. So long as an older student has the time and desire to learn, he can start at just about any age.

“It’s okay to start lessons without making a commitment to them.”

Many people don’t realize that lessons undertaken without commitment almost always lead to failure. Lessons take real time and involvement on the part of teachers, students and parents. A new student should assume that, to be successful, he will have to devote just as much time to practice and lessons as he would give to a school team sport. Just as with a sport, playing piano requires both knowledge and skill. You can get the knowledge by study, but can get the skill only by practice.

“Somehow my children will find time for lessons and practice, even though they are scheduled with activities every day of the week.”

Given the amount of time (not to mention psychological) commitment needed to be successful in learning to play the piano (see above), an overly scheduled child or adult student will find it difficult to be successful learning piano for sheer lack of time. Consider if you really have the time to commit at least an hour per day to effective practice.

Parental Role

“Paying for the lessons is all the piano parent must do.”

Just as parental involvement is important to a child’s success in school, his/her success in piano lessons will require support from the parents. The teacher will provide information, technique and encouragement. However, remember that the teacher only sees the student for 30 to 60 minutes per week, while the parents spend most of the non-school hours with him. If the parents don’t see to it that their children practice and attend lessons regularly, the teacher’s effort will likely be for naught, no matter what her skills as a teacher. Even more helpful to lesson success is regular interest and encouragement of their children from parents. For more specific tips about how you can help your child succeed in lessons, see our Being a Supportive Parent of a Piano Student section of our Tips for Parents and Students pages.

“The teacher must be failing if the child isn’t making progress at an acceptable rate.”

In rare cases, it may be the teacher’s “fault” if your child isn’t progressing. Before you conclude that you need to change teachers though, take a look at whether you and your child have been serious about lessons. Are you practicing correctly and frequently enough? Are you attending all scheduled lessons? Are you rewarding accomplishment at the piano with as much praise as you would accomplishment on the athletic field? Is learning piano a priority or just another part of a busy day?

Taking Lessons

“Playing piano is all about “talent”; you have it or you don’t.”

“Talent” at the piano is real, but, as in so many other areas of human endeavor, greatly overrated. If you are committed to learning piano and are willing to do the regular (i.e. daily) practice that building skill requires, you will learn to play to a considerable degree, irrespective of the level of your “native” talent. As with so many other skills, playing the piano requires hard work and inspiration in about a ten to one (or higher) ratio, respectively.

“My kid should have excellent piano skills in 6 months of lessons.”

Sometimes, parents come into a piano studio having heard the many “play in a day” claims out there. Some can’t understand why their child isn’t ready for a concert tour after 6 months of lessons. Unfortunately, you can’t really learn to play piano using any “play in a day” approach. Often, this approach does more harm than good. You might be able to master a single tune to a small degree, but you won’t have learned much to carry over to the next one.

“It’s my second lesson. I want to play the Maple Leaf Rag”

Many people take lessons because they would like to be able to play some particular work or genre of music. It’s not surprising that they might want to play works that are well beyond their level of training and capability. Keep in mind the fact that you are taking lessons from a teacher because he or she knows more about piano than you do. The teacher probably knows what’s best for your training, especially in the first year. It’s perfectly fine to tell your teacher that you have an interest in some work or works and ask if they could be worked into your lesson program, as feasible. In the end, though, you’re probably best served by following the teacher’s program of training and repertoire.

“I couldn’t come to the lesson (or practice the piano), because I had a (football, baseball, basketball, soccer, track, hockey, lacrosse, etc.) (practice, game)”

Piano teachers hear these statements so often that it’s practically impossible to list all the variations. In the end, they all come down to students and parents placing a higher priority on these alternative activities than on piano. All of us must make decisions everyday about how we will use our time. However, we can hardly hold a school teacher responsible for our failure to learn (and the resulting F grade) if we don’t attend class regularly or do any of the homework. The same is true for piano. The difference is that you’re wasting your own money, not just that of the taxpayers, if you take that view with regard to piano lessons.

“My child has a digital keyboard, so he doesn’t need an acoustic piano.”

Digital keyboards, especially top-of-the-line ones, have become remarkably good at reproducing much of the sound and some of the feel of the acoustic piano. Although individual teachers have their own, often strong, feelings on this subject, it’s fair to say that most feel that a good digital keyboard is fine to start lessons on. Indeed, digital keyboards now outsell acoustic pianos by a substantial margin worldwide and especially in the U.S. That said, no knowledgeable pianist would argue that a digital keyboard is the best way of learning to play the acoustic piano. Probably no later than the end of the first year of lessons, you should plan on getting an acoustic piano. As I have discussed numerous times all over The Piano Education Page, the digital keyboard is best seen as a separate instrument with different capabilities, which, by good fortune, can serve as a stand-in for a short period of time for an acoustic piano. Students should learn how to play both instruments for their own separate qualities and attributes.

Practicing

“”An hour of practice a day” is just a suggestion.”

You can either “practice” or you can practice. Too many people think that, if an hour of practice is required, that a half hour is almost as good and that half hour can be spent watching TV while “practicing.” Real practice requires both mental and physical devotion, in which you don’t simply repeat mistakes, but correct them before proceeding on. One expert pianist I know says that you should practice a problem area until you can do right ten times for every time you do it wrong. It’s not the amount of time you spend, but how well you use the time that counts. If you practice several hours a day and simply repeat the same mistakes each time through, you have not practiced effectively. For some good tips about how to practice effectively, see our article, Suggested Practice Techniques. In passing, allow me to note that failure of the student to practice properly and adequately is the single biggest item that piano teachers note as contributing to the failure of lessons.
 

“I’ll wait to practice until just before the next lesson.”

Piano teachers hear this one often. Imagine what a sports coach would say if his teams took this view. Playing piano is a skill and, as such, must be constantly refined and developed. You simply can’t learn by only practicing just before the lesson.


The Teacher

“Since lessons are paid for, the teacher should give any amount of unpaid time for free.”

Although they wouldn’t work for free themselves, many parents, in particular, think that extra time spent preparing a child for a contest or concert should be given free by the teacher. The average piano teacher probably has in excess of thirty students and each one deserves the best the teacher can give. If you need or want extra time from your teacher, expect to pay for the time.

“The teacher has plenty of free time to give me or my child.”

Some people feel it’s okay not to show up for a lesson and not to give notice, but expect immediate scheduling of a free makeup lesson. Others think that they can use their piano teacher as an unpaid baby sitter by leaving their child unsupervised at the piano studio for an hour or two after the scheduled end of the lesson. People should remember that the teacher teaches more students than just their children. If he/she has to watch over students left past lesson times or has to wait for a student who never arrives, he can’t give full attention to other students. In effect, those who leave their children at the studio past the scheduled end of the lesson are stealing the teacher’s time and attention from the next student.

“My piano teacher must be getting rich, because the hourly lesson rate is higher than my hourly rate.”

Most people don’t consider that they get benefits (health insurance, paid vacation, retirement plan, etc.) for “free” as a part of their compensation package, while most piano teachers must pay for those same benefits out of their hourly fee. Since typical company benefits run anywhere from half the nominal salary to equal the salary (or more), the real (“fully-loaded”) compensation is much higher than the amount people think of as salary. Considered in that light, most teacher’s fees are quite low, especially when you consider that the majority of teachers have degrees and/or other advanced training.
 

It’s Up to You!

I hope that understanding some of the common misconceptions about piano and lessons will help parents and students make the most of their lesson experience, without being burdened by misconceptions and misapprehensions which hold back their progress as pianists. This listing is not all-inclusive. You or your child can be a pianist, if you’re willing to devote time and work to it.

 

( Article taken from: http://pianoeducation.org/pnolsmis.html )

 

Leave a comment | posted in Adult Piano Learning, Frequently Asked Questions, Parental Roles in Music Learning, Piano Learning, Piano Lessons

December 29, 2010

Piano – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

By ms-ye

 

Please note:  The following material was taken from  http://pianoeducation.org/pnopnfaq.html#Basics .

 

Piano – Basics and History

Q: How and why was the piano invented?
A: The mechanical genius Bartolomeo Cristofori invented the piano around 1700. The name piano is actually a shortened version of the Italian term pianoforte, meaning soft-loud, and referring to the fact that the pianoforte could produce sound volume covering a much larger range than its predecessors, the harpsichord and clavichord. To get more of the story behind the invention and evolution of the piano, see our article The Why of the Piano.

Q: Is the piano a string instrument or a percussion instrument?
A: The piano is really a “hybrid”–a combination of two types. It’s a string instrument because the musical tones originate in the strings; and it’s also a percussion instrument, because the strings are set into vibration by being struck with hammers. To be historically correct, it’s classified as a “keyed zither” by musicologists.

Q: What types of piano are there?
A: There are two basic types: Grand pianos have their strings and soundboard parallel to the floor, and Verticals (or Uprights) have their strings and soundboard turned up perpendicular to the floor. Both kinds come in different sizes and styles. Grands can be anywhere from 4 and a half to 9 and a half feet long. Uprights can be 52 or more inches high; around 45 inches (“studio uprights”); about 40-42 inches (“consoles”); and as low as 36-38 inches (“spinets”).

Q: Why does the piano have 88 keys?
A: Well, the piano started out with only about 60 keys, same as the harpsichord–in fact it WAS a harpsichord, except that the harpsichord maker Bartolomeo Cristofori (try saying that 10 times fast!) got the bright idea of putting hammers on one (to HIT the strings) instead of plectra (to PLUCK the strings).  So the piano was invented–this was around 1700, or maybe a little before that. Anyway, as composers began to use the new instrument they started writing more and more complicated and brilliant music for it. Pretty soon, the keyboard had to expand in both directions.  By the middle of the 19th century, it had 85 notes–up to A–then finally they added the last three at the top. There’s even a piano made today–the Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand–which has 96 keys; the bass notes go all the way down to C.  It’s nine-and-a-half feet long and weighs almost a ton.

Q: How many strings does a piano have?
A: It depends on the piano. Each note has three strings in the treble, two strings in the tenor and part of the bass, and only one in the very low bass. One of ours has 65 trebles (X 3=195), 12 tenor/bass (X 2=24), and 11 single low bass, so it comes out to 230. But that’s a large grand, so you need to look in your piano and count them up.

How the Piano Works

Q: How does the piano create sound?
A: When you push down a key, the mechanism inside (the action) makes a hammer go up (in a grand) or forward (in an upright) to strike the strings. The hammer is a round stick with a head on it (it looks something like a real hammer), and the head is covered with very dense wool felt. When the string vibrates it makes a musical sound; the string is connected to a large soundboard that amplifies the sound much louder than the string could do by itself. When you let go of the key, a felt pad, called a damper, drops back onto the string and stops the sound again. When you press down the right pedal with your foot it raises all the dampers so that the strings can keep sounding.

Q: What do the pedals do and how do they work?
A: The left (soft) pedal works differently on grands and uprights.  On an upright or ‘vertical’ piano–this includes spinets, consoles, studio uprights and large uprights–the soft pedal operates a bar inside that pushes all the hammers closer to the strings, which makes it easier to play softer.  You can watch this by opening the top of the piano and looking down inside while you work the pedal. A grand is more complicated: the soft pedal slides the whole action–keys and all–over to the right a little bit so that the hammers only hit two of the three strings that are assigned to each note (only two in the bass, and if you go down far enough there’s only one).  This not only makes the sound softer, but changes the tone somewhat as well, because you’re striking those two (or one) strings with a different part of the hammer.  If you have a grand, work the soft pedal and watch how the whole keyboard shifts back and forth. 

The middle pedal was invented to be used (and named) as a sostenuto pedal on grands, which captures only those notes being held at the time with the fingers. On those uprights and consoles which employ a felt muting strip, it’s called the practice pedal. Some verticals have only two pedals, and a few (e.g., the Yamaha U3 and most Bösendorfers) have a true sostenuto mechanism. On older uprights and consoles the middle pedal is usually a bass sustain (acting like the right pedal but only on the bass register), or sometimes it’s simply hooked to the left pedal lever and works the device that moves the hammers closer to the strings.

The pedal on the right is the same on all pianos–it’s called the damper pedal, because it raises the dampers. Dampers are the wedges of felt that press on the strings to stop the sound–each key raises its own damper when you press it down, so the tone can keep sounding, but the pedal raises them all at once so that ALL the strings are free at the same time. Take a look inside your piano and watch the dampers move when you push the pedal.

Buying a Piano

Q: Is a “new” piano always better than a “used” piano?
A: Not necessarily. While several current manufacturers make fine new pianos (Yamaha and Steinway, for example), high labor costs and generally lesser quality of wood available today mean that an older piano, properly rebuilt or refurbished, may well be both a better piano and more valuable. Of course, various manufacturers’ pianos have subtly different sounds that may or may not appeal to you in the setting in which you intend to place a piano. Some pianos are “brighter” in tone and may not sound their best in a room with basic gypsum board walls. Others are more deeply resonant and might produce a more pleasing tone in that environment. It’s a matter not only of quality, but of personal taste as well.

For example, Yamaha maintains quality with the most sophisticated tooling and efficiency you could find anywhere; they sell more acoustical pianos than anybody in the world.  If you like the sound of a Yamaha, you’ve got one of the world’s top pianos; but if you don’t, there’s probably little point in trying others because they all sound and feel exactly alike. The action is perfect and the sound is brilliant, but it’s not as warm a sound as that produced by some other pianos. For more information on new vs. used pianos, please see our article on Piano Purchase Tips.

Q: Is a piano from a “good manufacturer” always good?
A: Again, not necessarily. In any given manufacturer’s legacy or current line there are some piano models that are more highly regarded than others in the line. Similarly, as companies change hands over time, the production quality may change. For example, Mason and Hamlin used to be one of the world’s great pianos, with a wonderful singing tone and an action similar to Steinway’s.  But after the Depression of the 1930s it was taken over (as were Knabe, Chickering and others) by another corporation, which turned out a much less highly regarded product with a great old name on it.  Later, M& H was revived by Falcone Co. of Haverhill, MA, and manufactured with integrity again, but they have gone out of business.  PianoDisc is now manufacturing M&H pianos again to the original designs and specifications. Most of the traditional piano names are the products of conglomerates rather than the original families, just as with so many other products. 

Q: Should I buy a spinet piano to save space?
A: If a spinet is the only choice for you due to space considerations, then go ahead. However, we tend to discourage buyers from choosing spinets for several reasons.  The so-called “drop action” is a major compromise from the normal vertical piano action in that it employs an additional lever system to ‘drop’ the entire mechanism down below and behind the keys instead of above them; this is done solely for marketing purposes, in that it enables the piano to be much lighter and lower.  But the keys are necessarily so short and the action parts so small that it tends to be temperamental and difficult to keep in regulation, as well as hard to control; also, the string lengths and soundboard area are so small that the tone is poor, especially in the bass where the low registers are extremely difficult to tune.  Finally, spinets tend to be of poorer overall quality because the products are aimed at that segment of the market in which buyers are often more concerned with styling and convenience than with music. A good alternative for many people is a console piano; they are small and relatively light, but have a direct blow action and–usually–a better sound.

Q: Can you tell me the current value of a used piano?
A: No! Many factors, including local market, model, date of manufacture, general condition, and reputation, among many others go into determining the true value of a piano. We simply don’t have all that information for any given piano. If you are contemplating buying a used piano, we strongly advise you to contact a local piano technician, preferably one who holds the “Registered Tuner/Technician” rating from The Piano Technicians Guild, for help in determining not only the current value in your market, but also what the cost of needed maintenance/repair/rebuilding might be. For definition and explanation of these terms, see our article Maintaining Your Piano Investment.

Q: Are there some good reference sources for information on pianos and piano value?
A: Yes, there are. We recommend that any piano owner or prospective owner acquire a copy of an excellent and relatively inexpensive book, The Piano Book by Larry Fine. Other good sources of information include the Pierce Piano Atlas or online at How Old Is My Piano? Piano World.

Q: Where should I locate my piano?
A: Generally, you want to locate the piano in a place which minimizes variations in temperature, humidity and lighting experienced by the piano. Do not place your piano against an outside wall. If however, that is the only room available, make sure there is at least 1 to 2 feet from the wall to the piano. Also, never let direct sunlight fall on the piano; keep all sunlight filtered or totally away from the piano. Exposure to direct sunlight can destroy the finish of the piano over time, and the heat from the sun can cause drastic changes in the soundboard, and pinblock, causing cracks and major problems. If you live at high altitude (over 5000 ft.), you must take special care with sunlight exposure, since the increased amount of UV in sunlight at high altitudes can be especially damaging.

Piano Maintenance and Tuning

Q: What can I do to determine the condition of my piano?
A: Untrained individuals should NOT attempt repairs or tuning of a piano themselves. The piano is simply too valuable to risk damage in such a misguided effort. However, you can safely do some basic examination of your piano to spot problems and help guide a trained repairer by following the procedures in our article, Diagnosing the General Condition of Your Piano.

Q: Why is a piano hard to tune?
A: A piano is hard to tune because it has more than 250 strings and they are held under very high tension, which means that the tuning pins they wrap around have to be set in a strong wooden block very tightly; and THAT means that you have to have a special wrench to turn them up or down.

The tuner starts with one string in the middle of the piano (where you can hear best) and gets the pitch for that from somewhere else, usually a tuning fork. Then he sets about 12 notes right in the same area (a chromatic scale). But if you’ve ever looked in your piano you’ve probably seen that each key has three strings (two or one in the bass)–so he has to block off the outside strings of each key with a strip of felt so only one string will sound at a time for each note. After he gets enough notes tuned in the middle he can work in both directions by listening to octaves that go with the notes already set. The final step is to pull out the strip of felt and tune the two outside strings of each note to the middle one. And that’s about it. For more information on tuning and how it is done, consult our article Piano Tuning – How It Is Done and Who Should Do It.

Oh, one more thing: DON’T TRY IT YOURSELF!

Q: What do I need to do to maintain my piano?
A: See our page, Purchasing and Caring For a Piano or Keyboard, for basic tips on piano maintenance and cleaning. You may also want to view our page, Piano Hygiene in the Teaching Studio, for information on methods for cleaning and disinfecting the keyboard of your piano.

Pianos and Lessons

Q: What kind of “starter piano” should I buy for my children to take lessons?
A: This involves many considerations, both financial and personal. For more information on some of the tradeoffs and considerations that may affect your decisions, see our article Buying a Starter Piano.

Q: Can my children start lessons using a digital keyboard?
A: Yes, though we think that most people will want to get an acoustic piano within a year after starting lessons, if not sooner. Even the best digital keyboards, which can run several thousand dollars in price, can’t duplicate the sound and “feel” of an acoustic piano, so they really can’t “replace” a piano. However, for the neophyte student, there are some “all in one” packages which provide a 3-4 octave keyboard along with learning software for under $200. In the long run, you’ll want to get an acoustic piano for your playing, though digital keyboards can be connected to your computer for composing and playing your own songs. For more information about digital keyboards and their use in lessons, please look at our articles, Digital Keyboards and Before You Start Lessons.

 

( Article taken from: http://pianoeducation.org/pnopnfaq.html#Basics )

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