In this article you will learn all 12 major chords, and how to play them! There are 12 unique notes at the piano, which means we can build a major chord on each of those 12 notes – C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, Ab, A, Bb, an B. There is also a…
Understanding key signatures is all about learning your 12 major and relative minor scales. And in this article we’re going to help you make sense of all of those terms. In fact, you may be happy to learn that there is a little trick that we can use to quickly determine which major key a…
“What should I practice at the piano?” It’s a question we all ask ourselves, whether we are just beginning our piano training, getting back into some lessons after time away, or looking for ways to re-invigorate our study. Think of the things you practice as items on a menu, and your goal is to select…
Piano success is attainable for every student of every age and ability. As a longtime piano teacher, I’ve been asked every question possible regarding piano lessons: Am I too old to begin? Is my son/daughter/grandchild too young too begin? Do I need a piano? A keyboard? Do I need to practice everyday? For how long?…
In this article we will focus on the importance of understanding skips and steps at the piano. And we will use this information to help us become better music readers. Let me reveal a little secret that professional musicians know that beginners often don’t. Ready? Advanced musicians often don’t read every note in a piece…
In this article we’ll discuss the importance of establishing a practice routine in order to achieve piano success at home. As is said, “practice makes perfect.” Everyone assumes that they understand what this means. But one thing we’ve learned after years of teaching students of all levels of ability is this – students need to…
In this article we’re going to answer the question, “What are half-steps and whole-steps?” For starters, half-steps and whole-steps are an important concept in music, and they are especially important building blocks for constructing things like chords and scales. One of the especially nice things about the piano is that it is a very visual…
The Internet has drastically changed how we learn and process information. With YouTube and other online video sites, it’s easy to find a tutorial on just about anything. However, this unfettered access to information can cause students to learn less, not more. It’s a fact that information overload can result in a loss of ability…
As a professional pianist and teacher for more than 25 years, I’ve learned that there are 5 critical components that need to be a part of any piano program. Let me share with you the 5 components with you now… #1 – A Human Teacher Lessons need to be taught by a human being. In our ever…
We’ve heard a lot about the science behind music education and its long term benefits. There are numerous articles and studies how the benefits of music education. A study reports that older adults who took lessons at a young age can process the sounds of speech faster than those who did not. (source: NY Times)…
