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Everything is so new to beginning piano students that they may not be aware of simple measures they can take to dramatically improve their progress over the next year. Too often students compare themselves to experts they see on television and their teacher. Parents can help their beginner at home take a realistic look at what goes on behind the scenes to achieve the progress students want to make in a way that doesn’t hurt kids’ feelings. Here are 7 ways beginning students can do this by taking a look at their

1. Practice Environment -

The practice environment will do one of two things. It will either support learning or detract from it. Make a list of things in the environment that support learning and then those that create distractions. Kids tend to self-distract a lot so the environment needs to be as helpful as possible. Turn off the television, friends come over to play after practice, no food at the piano, piano books shouldn’t be scattered all over the floor, but organized, etc.

2. Daily Schedule -

Beginners, just like advanced students, need a routine to keep their piano promises to themselves. Substitute the word Commitment for Routine and you’ll see what I mean.

3. Practice Session -

To make more progress over the next year simply increase daily practice by 10 minutes. This helps students become accustomed to longer periods of practice gradually. Small incremental changes are much effective because they lead to growth instead of short-term success followed by burn out.

4. Music Assignments -

If students are following the above steps they will enjoy the reward of learning a new piece of music every week. Over the course of a year that’s 52 songs!

5. Knowledge -

Make a list of music knowledge that needs to be memorized. Make copies of this information and keep it handy. Or purchase additional music theory or note reading workbooks. Beginners can take advantage of their time riding around in the car or waiting for dinner in a restaurant to memorize some useful music facts.

6. Goals -

Setting goals is a powerful tool. All human behavior is goal driven so staying focused on the goals that are most important over the long run is essential to help beginners reach their musical dreams. Piano recitals are often viewed as tests by students, but they are really just a tool to help students set goals. Students learn more when they have goals to reach.

7. Experience -

Following the above 7 steps will give beginning students more experience. Another way to increase musical experience is by listening to other musicians. Making a commitment to attend the symphony or a piano concert once a month or buying a new piano CD will help your beginner increase their musical experience and develop their listening ears.

These 7 New Year Resolutions will set at example for students to improve on year after year. By striving to make what goes on behind the scenes at home line up with their piano dreams students achieve the progress they want to make and feel good about their piano lessons. Start now by looking at which of the above 7 improvements you could most quickly implement in your own home - and do it today!

For great home piano activities parents can use to help children ages 5 to 11 develop their musical talent, visit Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources You’ll find a treasure box filled with piano resources to create an exciting musical adventure for your child - right in your own home! Visit their website and subscribe to their f’ree internet newsletter so you can download f’ree piano sheet music and mp3s of original piano compositions.

These exciting stories, games, piano lessons, and inspirational gifts feature the Piano Adventure Bears, Mrs. Treble Beary and her new piano student, Albeart Littlebud. Young students follow along with Albeart to learn what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that kids readily understand appreciate. Click here to visit PianoAdventureBears.com For a wealth of information about piano lessons, visit tallypiano.com

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Piano students need to learn music theory to tap into all their musical potential. This involves some memorization of facts, however, so that they come easily to mind while playing. Don’t let this intimidate your or your piano student at home. This is not hard to do, it just takes a little creativity and planning. Here are three creative memory techniques that work, even for young children.

1. Organizing the material for easier storage and retrieval.

Since music theory can all be seen on the piano keyboard, visualization is an important tool or organizing information that will be easily accessible. Scales, for example, should be learned on the keyboard without looking at notes on the staff. Mental keyboard pictures of the scales are much easier to store and retrieve than notes on the page. The same is true for memorizing chords. Start with memorizing the keyboard imagery first, then draw the notes out on the staff and play them.

2. Adding meaning to the material through association.

The primary chords of each key can be memorized easily by associating them with acronyms for short ideas which are fun to recall. The primary chords in the key of D are D Major, G Major, and A Major. “Dga, Dga Drum’ is the “beat” is use the remember this. Just come up with ideas that are fun for you and memorizing these will be easy

3. Funneling the material.

Organizing the material you want to remember from General to specific will also make recall easier. For example, memorize the Circle of Thirds. Then memorize the Seven Keyboard Triads, which are made from the Circle of Thirds. Then Memorize the Major and Minor Chords from the 7 Keyboard Triads.

Follow these examples and create more creative ways of your own to memorize the music facts you want to keep at your fingertips. Remember this - you can memorize all the music knowledge you want to with a logical plan to get it done. Even very young children can use the tecnhiques above because they’re so effective.

For great home piano activities parents can use to help children ages 5 to 11 develop their musical talent, visit Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources You’ll find a treasure box filled with piano resources to create an exciting musical adventure for your child - right in your own home! Visit their website and subscribe to their f’ree internet newsletter so you can download f’ree piano sheet music and mp3s of original piano compositions.

These exciting stories, games, piano lessons, and inspirational gifts feature the Piano Adventure Bears, Mrs. Treble Beary and her new piano student, Albeart Littlebud. Young students follow along with Albeart to learn what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that kids readily understand appreciate. Click here to visit PianoAdventureBears.com For a wealth of information about piano lessons, visit tallypiano.com

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Parents, you can prepare your young child to read music with piano or keyboard lessons that you can teach at home. It isn’t difficult to teach young children keyboard basics that will not only prepare them to read music but prepare them for piano lessons as well.

Many parents who don’t play the piano or read music believe they are unqualified to give their young children a musical foundation at home. Not true. Everyone who learns to play the piano or keyboard learns the same thing. It doesn’t matter if you are 4years old, or 40 years old, or 64 years old. Children, however, benefit more from keyboard lessons because their brains are wired for absorbing language, and that includes the language of music.

By teaching music pre-skills to your young children at home they will get even more out of piano lessons when they are ready for formal musical training. Piano or keyboard lessons have many benefits for children such as improved math and reading skills, improved language skills, and improved overall education achievement. So don’t leave out music when you are preparing your young child for school. Get a keyboard or a piano and begin giving your child a musical foundation at home today.

Just as parents teach their children to read, you can give your young child a head start with foundational music language skills. Start today and you’ll be amazed at how much you and your young child can learn about the piano.

For great home piano activities parents can use to help children ages 5 to 11 develop their musical talent, visit Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources You’ll find a treasure box filled with piano resources to create an exciting musical adventure for your child - right in your own home! Visit their website and subscribe to their f’ree internet newsletter so you can download f’ree piano sheet music and mp3s of original piano compositions.

These exciting stories, games, piano lessons, and inspirational gifts feature the Piano Adventure Bears, Mrs. Treble Beary and her new piano student, Albeart Littlebud. Young students follow along with Albeart to learn what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that kids readily understand appreciate. Click here to visit PianoAdventureBears.com For a wealth of information about piano lessons, visit tallypiano.com

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