Saturday, March 28, 2009
Welcome
Hello parents! Welcome to the Songer Studio Weblog. It's true that practice makes perfect, but only if you know how to practice well. I've created this blog so that I can give you some information that will help you help your child practice better at home. Piano lessons are a big investment and I want to help you and your child get the most out of that investment. Over the next few weeks I will be posting some different practice tips, so keep checking back here for new ones. And feel free to comment or ask questions! Happy practicing everyone!
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Hi Heidi,
ReplyDeleteHere is a question for you...when do beginner piano students actually start learning the names of the notes and placing them with the piano keys? I know when I first began in piano, it was not about hand position (C, G, etc.) and what finger the note is labeled, but about middle C, learning the names of the keys, FACE, every good boy does fine, etc. I get frustrated with my young student when she forgets what hand position she is in and cannot find the note on the music on the keyboard!
Thanks for your comments!
Hi mom of three!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like your child is learning piano with what I call the "new school" methods books, possibly Alfred, Bastien, or Faber. Most of these methods introduce C position, G position, middle C position, etc. I use these methods books and I have noticed that some students constantly ask, "What position is this in?" But I have also noticed that this usually goes away by Level 3 (Level 2 can be a huge transition, especially in Alfred).
You most likely studied piano using one of what I call the "old school" methods, such as John Thompson (which is what I studied). We learned middle C and FACE, just like you said. There's nothing really wrong with the "old" methods and many teachers still use them. You might consider finding a teacher that does if you strongly desire your child to learn this way.
Just to give you a little perspective, I use the "new" methods books because I have found them to be more "teacher friendly," they have coordinated books (Lesson, Recital, etc) and supplementary materials, and they have more illustrations and fun activities for young children. By using "positions" the children are able to learn more songs at a faster pace and to play hands together at a faster pace.
And I do teach FACE, and Every Good Boy Does Fine, in addition to the methods books, usually around Level 1B or 2. I want to help my students learn how to figure out which position they are in on their own.