In the beginning, it is best not to jump in too far or too fast. Just as we learn to work with numbers first by recognizing them, then counting, then adding, then subtracting, then on to higher and more complicated problems, so too with music.

The first step is to study the keyboard and understand it well. There are seven notes, all in their own distinct places within the black key/white key pattern. This pattern is simply repeated up and down to form higher and lower pitches. Thus, if you learn a simple song, it may be played at higher and lower tones quite easily.

The next step in learning to play is to understand how the fingers are used. They are numbered 1 through 5 ( thumb, index, middle, ring, pinkie). It is important to remember when reading beginning music that the numbers may at first seem to always indicate a certain note on the piano, but this is only in the early stages and the student must never rely on a number to tell them what note to play. At some point, the beginner must study and practice reading music to be able to discern one written note from another. Numbers are used only to indicate which finger should be playing the note written.

As students begin to use their minds to understand the “rules” of music (how notes are written and songs composed) it is vital to develop skills with the hands/fingers. This requires much repetition – but the exercises do not have to be boring. On the contrary, learning finger skills can be very exciting in the beginning because many do not require the student to be able to read a single note of music. Thus the sounds produced may be very impressive coming from a new pianist!

In addition to the problem that many beginners have in believing that a finger number always  indicates a certain note, many times an issue arises where the student , instead of truly reading the notes on the page, figures out a song’s melody (with much trial and error), memorizes it, then plays while watching the hands. Thus, it may seem that the student is progressing well when, in fact, they are taking a “short cut” that will eventually land them in a nasty rut! But, you may think, “What is so bad about a student being smart enough to find, learn, and memorize a melody? That sounds like a very impressive thing to me.” Let me explain that the practice is not inherently “bad”. It is however, an ability that may seriously hinder a student’s progress in learning to read music.

What can a teacher do to help students who have fallen into the highly undesirable habit of watching their hands when they play? My solution is to demonstrate how easy it is to play with the eyes closed. Most pupils do not believe themselves capable of this incredible feat – until, to their utter amazement, they try it out and discover that they are. Wow! What a confidence builder! Playing “blind”  is a fun and exciting challenge for beginning students – and the perfect lead-in to some “piano logic”.

Fact 1: If you can play with your eyes shut tight, that means you do not have to watch your hands when you play.

Fact 2: If you do not have to watch your hands as you play, then you are able to keep those eyes on your music!

The students’ ability to be able to always keep their eyes on the music is crucial to their continued progress. If this skill is developed from the very beginning, the student and teacher will avoid much frustration in later lessons!

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So, on with the story:

In the summer of 1974 my family moved from California to Athens, GA – and my dutiful mother soon found a new piano teacher for me. Her name was Mrs Randolph, and she was very different from my first teacher. Mrs Randolph had a degree from the prestigious Julliard School of Music, and quickly set about fixing my bad playing habits (that I didn’t even know I had) and teaching me music history and music theory.

Mrs Randolph did an excellent job rounding out my musical knowledge. I learned about composers and different types of music, and all about scales and intervals, chords, harmonies, key signatures – you name it. For the first time in my many years of lessons I was shown how to do finger exercises, and they helped greatly with my playing and technique. I left my pop tunes behind (well, a lot of them) and began playing what most people think of as “classical” music. You know, those songs with the highly imaginative names like “Minuet in G” and “Sonata in F” or, simply, “Dance”. I can’t say that my piano lessons ever became the high point of my week, but, for the most part, I enjoyed my time with Mrs Randolph.

So, why did I quit? Two words: Mandatory Recitals. Some people are comfortable performing, and some are not. I definitely fall into the latter category, and the recitals were terribly stressful for me. I think that sometimes teachers can lose their perspective, and end up placing too much emphasis on their students’ public performance skills as a measure of their own success as instructors.

My goal as a teacher is to motivate each student to reach their individual playing/learning goals without a lot of unnecessary stress. Lessons are about the students and how to help them do their individual best, so that they can feel proud and encouraged about their achievements.

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We have launched two new websites to make sure that parents looking for affordable piano lessons for kids in the north Atlanta area will be able to find us easily. The two sites - www.AlpharettaPianoLessons.com & www.DuluthPianoLessons.com are sites designed to be easily found and used by piano lovers who are looking for piano instruction in the northern Atlanta, northeast Atlanta area near Alpharetta, Duluth, Johns Creek, Norcross, Cumming, and Forsyth townships.

These websites have pages for affordable rates for piano instruction, directions to Piano Lessons with Julie, and piano student applications which will be processed by and responded to by the staff at Piano Lessons with Julie.

We hope that you find the sites useful and will share them with your friends. They are part of our mission – to bring affordable piano lessons to kids of all ages in the north Atlanta area.

You can read the annoucement of the Alpharetta Piano Lessons site here; you can read the annoucement of the Duluth Piano Lessons site here.

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Please visit often. In the coming days and and weeks we will be building the site and adding articles.

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