There is often times a tendency to try to keep students still while teaching them them. Of course there are certain tasks that require a certain amount of stillness to complete, but it's important to remember that movement actually helps learning! If we can embrace movement as a part of the learning process, music lessons can be much more fun and effective. "Movement can be an effective cognitive strategy to (1) strengthen learning, (2) improve memory and retrieval, and (3) enhance learner motivation and morale (Teaching With The Brain In Mind)." Try to find time within each practice session to get up and move. Below are some ideas for including movement in lessons and practice time.
- Statues: Play music while your student dances around the room. When the music stops have them freeze into a statue! This activity helps establish rhythm the difference between s
ound and silence.
- Switch it Up: Try incorporating items you wouldn't normally associate with music. Kitchen pots, cans, utensil, scarves, bells, etc. can all be wonderful to incorporate into music. Using uncommon instruments also encourages creativity. Try finding all the different tones and sounds you can make with one particular object. Have a mini "drum circle," while you play one rhythm (i.e quarter notes), with your student playing an accompanying rhythm (i.e eighth notes).
- Trampoline: Get a small, personal-sized, kid's trampoline. Put on music in different styles and tempos, have your student jump at the different tempos. This activity is a huge favorite and is great to establish rhythm and expose students to different styles of music.
- Stand and Stretch: It's often easy to forget the role of our whole bodies in playing an instrument. It's much easier to play an instrument if the whole body is relaxed and in tune. Try a variety of stretching exercises before practice. Yoga and Tai Chi can also be incrediblely beneficial in music study.
- Feel the Beat: While playing a piece of music, find somewhere in the body to move to the beat. The student could tap both feet, bop their head, or sway from side to side. Keeping movement in the body while playing helps with rhythm and expression.
ROCK ON!
Have you ever heard a great song on the radio and wish you could play it yourself on piano? It might be easier than you think! Pop songs are formed with major and minor chords, with certain variations. Watch the video below to learn basic triads which you can apply to millions of songs!!
Good posture can make a world of difference when practicing piano but it's often overlooked. Good posture will reduce pain and fatigue, and assist with good coordination and expression. Use these tips for pain free and enjoyable piano practice!
- Feet flat on the ground- If your child's feet don't touch the ground, use a foot stool under the bench for them to rest their f
eet.
- Elbows positioned slightly higher than the keyboard- Many children end up sitting too low from the piano and reaching up to the keys. This creates strain and also makes it harder to play the notes precisely. An adjustable piano bench is a great investment.
- Straight back- Sit on the front half of the chair with a straight back.
- Hands curved- Keep round hands. Hold a ball in your hand (or imagine there is a bubble in your hand), keep that rounded position when you put your hand on the keys.
- Loosen shoulders- It's easy for shoulders to become tight and tense during piano practice. Re-check your shoulders often to make sure they are not causing pain or tightness.
- Long Neck- Position the music so you don't have to bend your neck down to see it. Imagine there is a string from the top of your head pulling it towards the ceiling.
Adjustable Piano Bench
Piano Foot Stool
ROCK ON!
Just like learning to read or playing a sport, repetition is needed to develop skills in music. The more you practice an instrument, the more it will become a part of muscle memory and the easier it will be to read and play music. Here are some tips on making music practice successful.
- Environment- Make sure your student has a place to practice with no distractions. Distracting siblings, loud TV's, phones, etc. can all make it difficult to focus and learn.
- Consistency- Aim to practice 5-6 days a week. Many students don't practice because it's not fun, but practicing actually makes playing music more fun. When a student practices everyday, they can stop worrying about finding the right notes, and start enjoying playing for the joy of making music.
- Time of Day- Often times practice gets pushed to the very end of the day and squeezed in before bed. This is usually the worst time to practice, when kids are most tired and least focused. Try practicing before school in the morning, it can make a huge difference!
- Keep Instrument Out- Keep your instrument out of the case (or the piano lid open). It's so much easier to pick up the instrument to play when it's already out. There are great instrument stands available so the instrument isn't at risk of being damaged. All these short moments with the instrument can really add up. Be careful that you still keep a designated sit down practice time everyday.
- Reward Success- Practicing everyday is a huge accomplishment. Find the best way to reward this hard work. You could track the days you practice with stickers, offer a small prize at the end of each week's practice, or go to the park right after a great practice session.
- Praise- Make practice a positive experience. Make sure your student knows how great he/she is doing. It's okay if they don't play everything perfectly. The key is that they are developing a life long love for music. Try not to correct your student until they have made the same mistake a few times without correcting themselves. It's important for your student to learn how to correct themselves and not feel like they are being told they are wrong all the time.
ROCK ON!
We all know that it takes work to stick with a regular music practice routine, but the rewards will be huge if you can make practice a part of daily life. The most important thing is to be consistent. It's best to practice for your music lesson 5-6 days a week. When children asked Shinichi Suzuki, creator of the Suzuki method, how much they should practice, Shinichi Suzuki said, “Only on the days you eat!” It's less important to practice for long periods of time than it is to practice every day. Ten minutes of focused practice can be just as valuable as an hour of mindless practice.
So how long should your child practice? There is no strict rule, as every child is different. Many teachers recommend that students practice the same length of their lessons. In other words, if they have a weekly half hour lesson they would practice for 30 minutes 5-6 days a week. For 4-5 year olds I would recommend 10 minutes of daily practice. Particularly with this age, you can't "cram" the material in a few days before their lesson. They really need practice everyday to develop the coordination needed to play. If your child is seven or older they should be able to start expanding their practice to the amount of thier lesson time. As they get older they may start to practice much more than their lesson time. Remember with practice it is quality over quantity.
Teach your student the most effective ways to practice. Many children just want to play through songs start to finish over and over again, instead of isolating the difficult areas and practicing them separately. Help your student decide what parts need extra attention. This will make practicing much more efficient and rewarding.
Here are some extra tips for happy practicing:
- Praise- Kids do not respond well to criticism and frustration when they are practicing. Just the fact that they are sitting down to practice is worthy of praise. Help your child work through problem areas but don't forget to mention their positive efforts. For example you could say "Look how great you're doing with your posture, next time let's make sure we don't forget about these rests."
- Be Organized- Have some sort of chart that you can track your practice on. You'll be much less likely to skip days when you have a visual representation of your work. It never hurts to have a reward at the end of a full week of practice!
- Progress during lesson- A Suzuk
i teacher came up with a great method to mark repetitions during practice for younger children. Draw a line of squares right next to each other with a "start" and "finish." Each time your student repeats a passage let them color in one of the squares. This process is also helpful because it gives your child a short break in between repetitions and visual representation of their achievement.
- Breaks- If your child needs to take a break during practice that's fine, but make sure you decide when the break will be before practice starts and don't let it last for too long. Avoid multiple breaks in the middle of practice, these often result in students "taking a break" when working on something difficult because they get impatient.
Best of luck with your practicing. Please share your own practice tips in our comments area!
Music recitals are always an exciting event. Performing helps you grow as a musician and is a great confidence builder. Here are some tips to help you feel awesome on performance day. Be sure to invite all your friends and family to share in your big moment!
- Song Choice: Make sure that you pick a song for your recital that you have had enough time to work on. It should be a song that you really like and won't get bored from practicing a lot. Sometimes it's tempting to want to change songs a week before the recital because you learned something new, but generally it's best to stick with your prepared song.
- You can never be too prepared!: You should feel so comfortable with your song that you can do it in your sleep. If there are any parts in your piece that you feel uncomfortable about, slow them down and practice them separately until you can do them 10 times in a row with no mistakes. When nerves are in the picture, mistakes are more likely to happen so it's helpful to have the material in your muscle memory.
Dress Rehearsals: Leading up to your performance do as many run-throughs of your song as possible. Practice walking up to your intrument and finding your starting notes. If you make a mistake during your run-through, keep going as you would in your real performance. Then go back and work on any areas that felt uncomfortable.
- Clothing: Sometimes clothing can restrict playing or make it feel uncomfortable, particularly tight sleeves, collars, and dresses. Be sure to try out whatever you'll be wearing and make sure you feel completely comfortable in it.
- Mistakes Happen!: If you end up making a mistake don't worry! Just keep going and you'll be amazed that most people don't even notice. The audience wants you to succeed and will be cheering you on the whole way.
- Have Fun: Everyone says it but it's so true! Don't put too much pressure on yourself and go up with a smile :)
ROCK ON!!
Spring vacations and summer break is fast upon us! There are many questions about continuing with music lessons over the summer, going to summer camps, and practicing over trips.
If you plan to be in town for most of the summer, I recommend that your student stick with music lessons throughout the summer or attend a music camp. Any time a student spends away from an instrument will be time they have to spend regaining their skills when they start back-up. However, if you are going to be traveling or in day camps all summer it's my feeling that it's better to take a break than "sort of practice" when you can. It's not helpful to get into a routine of irregular practice.
If you decide to stick with lessons over the summer it's nice to take on special projects. If there's a more difficult your child has been dying to learn you could decide with your teacher to stop working out of the book and work on 8 bars of that song every week. If your child enjoys composing music, your teacher can help your child compose their own song and even record it. This is also a great time for your child to get together with friends and play as a band.
Many parents ask what they should do about music practice when they are on vacation. The answer depends on the nature of your trip, how long you will be gone, and your child's preference. If you are going on a short vacation where you will be busy everyday it's most likely best to take a break from practice. Sometimes a week's break can be good for a practice routine, and your child will come back with more inspiration and focus.
If you are going on a trip where you'll have more free time it can be fun to bring along your instrument. This is a nice opportunity to go over old favorite songs, have sing-a-longs, or learn new fun songs. When I was a child I would take my flute on camping trips with my family and play out in the grass by the lake.
There are many great music summer camps for kids. Unless it's part of their school curriculum, most kids don't get a great number of opportunities to play their instrument in a group. Summer camp is a great chance for them to learn to new material and experience the joy and power of playing as part of an ensemble. They'll also build new friendships along the way and be inspired by kids with their same interests.
Here are some cool gadgets for practicing away from home:
VOX amPlug
($39.00)- This nifty device creates the sound of a guitar amp, but through headphones. It plugs into your guitar and then directly into headphones. Using this will give a much more rewarding sound than practicing an electric guitar with no amp.
Roll-up Piano- There are many models of the foldable piano, they are very easy to transport. Note that these pianos are best for beginners only playing a few notes at a time. The keys don't actually physically push down so it is more to practice finger positions. These pianos can be very fun and useful for beginners.
Drum Practice Pad ($15.00-$50.00)- Practice pads are great to bring along to practice rudiments and snare patterns. Foldable drums sets with practice pads are also available.
There are many activities you can do with your child to prepare them for private in-home music lessons. Some children do well with private lessons at 4-years-old and others prefer to start a few years later. These activities are fun for all young children and are great preparation for any future endevours in music. Involvement with music at an early age helps with building language skills, social skills, and even reading fluency. Check out these activities and have fun!
Trampoline! Put up-tempo music on while your child jumps on a trampoline. It doesn't have to be a huge trampoline, just a small one in the house is fine. Your child will be having so much fun they won't even realize that they are jumping to the beat of the music. I still remember doing this when I was about 4-years-old at Suzuki class and having a blast!
- Fast & Slow: Put on very fast music and have your child run around the room (examples: Flight of the Bumblebee, Symphony No.5), then without warning switch to slow music (Examples: Moonlight Sonata, Canon in D), when the child hears the slow music they should immediately start tip-toeing slowly. This is great practice for rhythm and distinguishing between tempo and volume.
- Patterns: Music is all about patterns, almost every song has sections that repeat themselves. The keys on the piano are also laid out in a pattern. Practice drawing patterns or lining up blocks of different colors and shapes in patterns.
- Coordination: Practice taking pointer fingers from both hands and touching them together. Try wiggling fingers and tapping them on the table.
- Clapping: Clap rhythms and have your child clap them back, gradually increase the length and difficulty of the rhythms.
- Fill in the Blank: Sing common nursery rhymes that your child knows well and leave out words in each line, have your child fill-in the words you leave out.
Dance!: Dancing is a great way to get music in the body. Provide scarves, shakers, and other fun percussion toys to make it extra fun!
- High & Low: Practice deciding which sounds are low and which are high. Low sounds could be garbage trucks, doors slamming, thunder. High sounds could be sirens, birds, or tea kettle going off. For extra fun decide what animal the sounds most represent.
ROCK ON!
For young students, finger coordination is often an aspect of playing that needs a lot of practice. Many young students understand what they want to do with their fingers but can't quite translate the thought into movement. These simple excercises and games will help improve coordination and dexterity, leading to more success and fun in music lessons!
- Start on Paper: Many young children may start out learning songs with stickers on the keys of the piano. I've found that it's very helpful to line up 2-3 stickers on a piece of paper the same distance apart that the piano keys are. Have the student play their song on the paper first, taking care to put the same amount of weight on each sticker. This will make it easier for them to transfer the skills to the keyboard.
- Wiggle: Number your students fingers 1 through 5 (thumbs are 1, pinkies 5), practice wiggling one at a time, then two at a time. Practice wiggling different fingers in each hand at the same time.
- Eyes Closed: Have the student practice touching both pointer fingers together with the eyes closed, try with the other fingers as well. Repeat the "wiggle" exercise with eyes closed.
- Color Coordinate: Put different colored stickers on each of the student's nails. Have the student perform different tasks with each finger. For example, draw a maze with 5 different colored lines (each coordinating to the sticker on the students nail), have the student follow each line with the correct finger. Also try placing colored stickers in various combinations on a flat surface. Have the student play through all the patterns with the coordinating colors on their nails.
ROCK ON!
Most students start out very enthused about music lessons, but may lose some of their initial exitement a few months into practicing. It's important for parents and teachers to have good communication about what is going well and what could use more help. There are many ways to learn and practice music, find out which is the best for your student!
- Assess the material: Make sure that the material your student is working on is appropriate for their skill level. Your student needs to be challenged but not so much that playing music becomes a tedious chore. Give the student some material that they can succeed with quickly, as well as pieces that will take more time to perfect.
Reading Music: I have often found that my very young students get frustrated when we first start learning how to read music. This is because there is now another step involved in playing music: they have to first identify the note on the staff, then locate the note on the piano. There is no secret trick to sight-reading other than lots of practice at reading notes until it becomes automatic. This process can be made more fun by incorporating lots of reading games into practice and making sure the material doesn't move to fast (especially for young students).
- Have a goal!: It's hard to practice for months on end with no goal in mind. Recitals are a wonderful opportunity for students to show their hard work. Even though recitals can be a little nerve-racking at first, students are so excited after they perform well. Mini performances for family and friends are a nice way to break up the time between recitals.
- Song Choice: I have some students that enjoy the structure of our lesson book and others that get excited by different genres of music. Some students love to sing and play their instrument at the same time. There are many simple songs on the radio that can be tons of fun to learn. If a student is learning to read music I will often transcribe one of their favorite songs into sheet music (simplifying it to their level), this is also nice because they already know the melody.
- Get Creative: There are many contexts in which music can be taught, it's the teacher's job to find out which methods are most fun for a particular student. Quarter notes can be taught from a theory book but also by banging on pots and pans. Intervals can be taught from a long explanation but also in the context of a Beatles song. One of the games my students enjoy most is playing flashcards and running to the piano from the other side of the room to play the note on the keys. The simple act of being able to run in between cards makes it a fun game rather than a tedious flashcard quiz.
- Help With Practice: Many young students don't know effective ways to practice. They may avoid the difficult parts of the piece and just play the parts they already know. With gentle guidance from parents students can feel more successful about the work they put into practicing.
Rock On!