Effort is more important than talent
- Everyone is born with talent, an extra boost when they begin learning a new skill. However, this talent only extends so far. At some point, the talent is not enough, and continuing to improve requires effort — a lot of it.
Learning piano is a long-term experience
- If you want to play simple melodies and only dip a toe into music, learning can be short-term. However, if you want to perform, understand the theory, compose your own music, or confidently sightread pieces plopped in front of you, this requires long-term effort. For many, this becomes a lifelong journey. Together, we’ll come up with a plan based on your goals, but know now that learning piano takes a substantial amount of time.
Learning should be satisfying
- Learning won’t always be fun, but it should be satisfying. When you begin working through a frustrating piece, you may have to grit your teeth and push through some discomfort. But, seeing improvements and finally getting that frustrating scale or rhythm is satisfying. After all, YOU did that work to get there. You can be proud of the work you put forth.
Everyone’s piano journey is different
- My teaching works well for many people, however, I do not hold any delusions that my methods are the only ones that work. Everyone learns differently. Because of this, I tailor my teaching to each student, changing my approaches to fit their needs.
- As well, because everyone’s piano journey is different, no one should feel there is only one way. Not everyone wants to be a concert pianist. Some want to understand the theory behind their favorite songs, others want to compose, and more want to exercise their brains.
Autonomy, competency, and relatedness are the biggest predictors of sticking with piano long-term
- Autonomy means choosing to learn piano because you want to rather than being forced to. The more the student chooses to practice, and the more the parent steps away, the better. Encouragement can be helpful, but hovering or criticizing practice sessions is not. A great way to encourage autonomy is to let students choose their own music. While the lesson book may not be optional, additional songs can be.
- Competency means the student feels they understand the music and are good at it. People enjoy doing things they are good at, and if a student feels lost and confused, they are much more likely to give up. Competency is built by experiencing lots of music at level and practicing daily. It is also built during lessons when they learn and solidify musical concepts. At home, you can help your child feel competent by giving specific compliments such as, “You’ve learned a lot this week,” “You played with a very steady beat that time,” or “I could hear the emotion you put into the music.”
- Relatedness is how easily the student can relate to the music they are learning. If they never hear classical music, how will they know they are playing it correctly? The more they hear music similar to what they want to play, the more familiar they become with it, and the quicker they can pick up new concepts. At home, you can help them by playing soft classical music in the background or in the car between activities. You can introduce them to different genres like jazz, classical, world music, funk, Latin, soundtracks, and many others.
- If students can focus on autonomy, competency, and relatedness, they are well on their way to staying with piano throughout their lives.