How To Become Great At The Piano: It's Not That Hard

Are you ready to become great at the piano?

The piano is one of the most popular instruments to learn, especially for younger learners. Maybe it is something that they wished to learn or their parents decided that it would be beneficial for them. But once you're in piano lessons it must be your goal to become great at playing the piano, right? After all, if you're going to put time, effort and money into an activity it would be very nice if you accomplished and excelled at it.

Is the piano a good choice for me?

One of the best reasons to choose the piano is, it is a good instrument to help you learn to read and understand music. If you wish to learn another instrument later you didn't waste your time. It will make your experience learning another instrument even easier, and you will find that you are able to pick it up at a more rapid pace.

If you are looking to start your child's music education, the piano may be their only choice if they are very young. The piano is easy for little hands and minds to learn.

Find piano lessons that will offer you a great piano education.

Not all piano lessons are the same. Some people who have never had any musical training might just be looking for the best deal they can find. Not always, but generally, qualified piano teachers will have competitive rates. Some people who offer piano lessons really cheap do not have the musical experience or knowledge to give you or your child a well rounded music education.

Piano lessons should always include music theory. If you do not have music theory included in your piano lessons you will soon find that you do not understand everything that is going on. Music theory will help you grow and truly understand music. You will be able to understand what the composer intended to be played and how it should be played: emotion, tone, tempo, dynamics. You will even be able to write your own music if you wish to do so.

Technique is also going to play a crucial role in becoming great at the piano. Even though you may not enjoy it, playing you scales, chords etc. and practicing them and developing good technique is going to help you become great at the piano. You will find by working on your technique, your speed and precision improves.

You knew this was coming..... PRACTICE

Practicing on a consistent basis and stretching yourself will be a big part of your success learning to play the piano. With the best piano lessons you would still find yourself lacking if you don't practice. After all, practice makes perfect.

Modern Isn't Always Best: Why Learn To Play Classical Music On The Piano

What is the best style of music to learn when learning to play the piano?

If your goal is to become very good at the piano than there is only one answer to this question.... Classical Music! Although we love to listen to our favorite bands on the radio or on our ipods, if your goal is to truly become an advanced pianist the only way is to study classical piano music.

Why will learning classical piano music make me better than learning modern pop music?

There are many reasons that classical piano music is the way to go. We'll start with skill level. Classical music is by far harder than current music. You see your chord progressions with a fairly easy melody line. Now if you look at classical piano music you will see that it is extremely more complex. If you choose a piece of piano music from the Baroque period you can even notice that there are multiple melodies going on at the same time. Classical music was all about composing intricate pieces of music to keep audiences entertained. Their living situating depended on it. Soooooo..... if you wish to develope a high skill level with the piano, classical music will get you there, if you stick to pop music you will never achieve an advanced skill level.

Also with classical music being the basis of your piano lessons, you will develope amazing technique skills with the piano. Since classical music has so much going on as far as tempo, dynamics, not to mention the music itself, it's no wonder your technique will be excelling so quickly!

Does that mean that I should only learn to play classical music on the piano?

Absolutely not! Exposing yourself to different styles and genres of music is great for your skills as well. You will learn different techniques learning rock, blues, jazz, pop etc., you would hate to miss out on any of that. But your main focus should be on classical music and the other music should be supplemental to your classical studies.

Learning modern music is also fun and switches things up a little for students. And one of the most important things is that you enjoy yourself while learning.

What about if I'm starting my child in piano lessons at an early age, is classical music over to advanced for my child?

When you are first leaning to play the piano, no matter what age you are, there are method books that teach simplified versions of classical pieces. If your child is very young, like a preschooler, than they would be learning classical music at a slower pace. They will have music at a specific skill level longer than an older child. Just like a teenager or an adult might prefer a more accelerated style of leaning since they can retain more information at one period of time. Younger children might need a few lessons to really understand and retain a certain concept. But yes, classical studies are wonderful no matter what age you begin your journey to learning the piano.

It is also not uncommon for younger children learning to play the piano to prefer playing and learning classical music. Thinking that modern music is too boring and classical music gives them fun patterns and challenging pieces of music for them to learn. If you are thinking about starting your child in piano lessons at an early age, I would completely recommend a classical piano education, if you want to see them excel at the piano.

Learning To Play The Piano Benefits Your Child's Future

As your child goes through different stages of life you wonder which activities would be most beneficial for them, and which activities they would most enjoy. If you're looking for an activity that will help your child's development AND something that they will enjoy, you might want to consider enrolling your child in piano lessons.

When is the right time to begin my child in piano lessons?

Starting your child in piano lessons at an early age has many benefits:

Increased fine motor skills
Increased attention span and focus
Learning to follow instructions
Increased self-confidence
Creativity

Having your preschooler take piano lessons they will be enjoying the above mentioned benefits from taking piano lessons. As well as beginning their music education early in life, they will be at a more advanced level than peers who started later in life. Playing the piano will be like reading to them, it is something they just know and understand.

If you did not start your child in piano lessons at an early age it is still worth pursuing, no matter the age. Even adults who wish to learn to play the piano can learn to play the piano. Not only can they become talented pianists, but still enjoy many benefits of learning to play an instrument. Learning to play the piano as an older beginner you will wish to take accelerated lessons, because the older the student the more information they are able to process and retain at one period of time.

Learning to love piano lessons

To truly become great at playing the piano there must be regular practicing. Usually when kids first start taking piano lessons it is easy for them to want to practice. You will see them excelling and think how easy it is. When they start advancing they will most likely reach points where they don't wish to practice. Sometimes learning new techniques can be difficult and it is hard to want to push through it. You shouldn't let your child give up. Once they master that technique that is frustrating to them, they will lose their frustration and enjoy our once again. You will also notice a big jump in their ability and skill level.

Piano teachers are here to help, don't feel pressure

When you find a good piano teacher, they want you or your child to succeed! They don't look down on you and understand how difficult learning something new can be and know that sometimes it can take weeks or months to master a knew technique or piece of music. Never feel frustrated with yourself, just keep trying and when you do master that piece of music or technique you will be extremely happy that you did not give up!

Teens who play the piano may suffer from....

As we all know, being a teenager is not always as easy as it appears in the movies. Having your teenager take piano lessons can give them a wonderful outlet that helps them feel more confident about themselves. When you feel yourself excelling at something, you can't help but feel good about yourself. Playing the piano is also a wonderful outlet for self expression and stress relief. Music in general is a very calming pastime, but learning to play music on the piano can be very consuming and the daily stresses seem to disappear.

Learning to play the piano is something for children (and adults) of all ages!

It's never too early, or too late to begin a wonderful piano education! Start enjoying the benefits of learning to play the piano today that you will enjoy for a lifetime!

How Long Will It Take Me To Learn To Play An Instrument?

So, you've decided that you would like to learn an instrument or enroll your child in music lessons. You might wonder how long will it take for me to become truly proficient? Well that will honestly depend on a few different things.

How long will it take to learn the piano?

Some things in life you are able to master or complete. Music is a talent and a skill that you can always be growing. You might be able to play all you Major scales but then you find out you get to learn your minor scales as well. It is actually very interesting that you get to always grow, always find something new to learn. Always a new technique, a new piece of music to try and master. Once you are finished with that piece, there is a new piece of music that you get to work on. However if you are wondering how long it will take to be proficient with your instrument than the answer is in a few years you should be able to pick up more complex music and play it on your own.

Practice is the key to learning to play well.

Everyone learns at different speeds, also people have different bents in life of what comes easy to them. To some people music just makes sense, they get rhythm, they find reading music isn't that bad, they understand about tone. Then other people love music, and they want nothing more than to be able to play piano, guitar, or any other instrument that they have a passion for, but it seems really hard to them. No matter what your learning speed is or how easy/hard you find learning music, the key to success is practice. Whether you sit down and practice for hours or you like to play through your music a few times, every time you play your instrument you get better. Obviously the more you practice the more you will see improvement, the more comfortable you will be when you sit down to play your instrument. The more you practice you will find that your hands are almost moving by themselves. You are building muscle memory, that will be how you end up memorizing long pieces of music when you become a more advanced player.

Making your lessons a priority is important.

Like most other things, it is hard to keep yourself accountable. We don't like to push ourselves to do something we feel is too hard, or not much fun. This is what your music instructor is for. Even though you would really rather stay with what you are comfortable with they will stretch you to play music that is going to help you grow as a musician. You will never get anywhere if you keep playing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". Also a lot of people think of music lessons in terms of the school year and take a break for summer. This is a bad idea.... you will find that when you resume lessons, you aren't where you were when you left, and that just doesn't feel good. You want to make sure that you keep lessons a priority and keep growing.

Learning music is fun!

Like everything else in life, we have an easier time doing anything when we are having fun. Music lessons should be fun! Yes, you want a good education, but you also want to enjoy going to lessons, not dread them. This is especially important to children. If you are not having fun and feel it's a chore your brain is not open to learning, and you will not be progressing as fast as you could be. Even though you should always have some challenging music, you should also have some fun music to enjoy. Watch how fast you learn to play your favorite song. Listen and enjoy your child asking to play the piano so they can play that song from their favorite movie.

Speaking of theory...

Who was speaking of theory? .... sorry, I just have to add this in there. Learning your music theory is extremely important. Understanding music and how it works will help you play better, and will help you learn faster. Theory can even be fun if you get the right teacher.

Anyone can learn to play the piano.

No, you're not too old, not to young. No, there isn't some people who just can't learn. If you put your mind to it and give it a try you can become a musician. Have fun and enjoy the ride. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, if you put in the time and want to learn to play the piano it will happen.

Tammie's Music Studio

Piano Lessons For Beginners

Tammie's Music Studio is a wonderful place to learn how to play the piano. Piano lessons are offered to students as young as three years old, as well as, guitar and drum lessons for children as young as eight years old. Although there is no set time as to when you should begin your musical journey, it goes without saying that the younger you start the more skill and knowledge you will have. Tammie's Music Studio has been helping students of all ages learn how to become talented musicians, and helping give them the guidance they need to pursue whatever music endeavor that they choose to pursue including: majoring in music, church bands, competitions, and learning to play for their own personal enrichment.

Starting piano lessons. 

Whether you had lessons when you were a child and are now passing this experience on to your children, or you have never had any musical training and this is a whole new world that you aren't sure what is expected or how it works. Tammie makes sure that everyone feels welcome and at ease. Beginning with your first lesson Tammie will make sure that your lessons are tailored to fit the student's need, style of learning, and what they are interested.

When should I start my child in piano lessons?

There is no special time or age to begin piano lessons. Although starting your kids young does have it's advantages. There are some sighs though that let you know your child is ready to music lessons. First you want to make sure that your child will be able to sit for 30min without being upset about it. Sometimes a 3 year old is able and ready for this and sometimes not until they are 4 or 5. Every child is different, but you want to make sure that learning is fun and not push them before they are capable of that level of concentration. You also want to make sure that they are able to communicate and at least recognize their alphabet. Since music is comprised of letters A-G and numbers.

Just like all other milestones in your child's life, your child will be ready to start music lessons when they are physically and emotionally ready. The benefits for starting your children in piano lessons is wonderful!

Piano lessons for adults.

There is no age limit regarding learning how to play the piano! Learning to play the piano has the same benefits for any age including better memory and a great source of relaxation after a stressful day. If learning the piano has always been a dream of yours to learn how to play Tammie's Music Studio is the right place for you! Tammie customizes every piano lesson to fit the need of each student, including adult beginners.

Benefits of piano lessons.

Creativity - Yes, music is about being able to master and skillfully perform the music set before you with the directions pretty plainly set out. From tempo, to volume, even where and how to place your hands. BUT, music also is about expression. When you are playing music you are trying to express and convey emotions and stories to your listeners. Learning the skills that you need to compose your own works of art. To create beautiful music from your own mind. The possibilities are endless.

Personal Growth - You will not only see your skills grow in the instrument you are learning to play, but the techniques extend to other areas of your child's life or your own even. Coordination and fine motor skills are developed as your fingers learn to master the movements in a gracefully controlled manner. Every finger, move of the wrist, posture and body movement is part of perfecting your instrument. I once had a parent say that their kids were so good at football because of taking piano lessons had taught them how to have more control of their fingers.

Your concentration and ability to focus is also put to the test. When you first start out learning you wonder and kind of laugh to yourself that it is so short and easy. As you move along in your music studies the music gets longer and more intricate. With all this going on it would have been an overload for your brain, and it would have been hard to focus and stay focused. But as your pieces get longer so does your ability to stay focused, this isn't a bad thing to carry on to your everyday life as well. And darn right wonderful help for children studying.

You might also see some wonderful benefits with your memory. Especially if you like trying to memorize your music. 

As with any other thing that you try to grow your ability with. When you see the growth and your skill improving, you will also be growing your self-confidence levels. How can you not? It feels good to succeed.

Fun - Need I say more? Probably not, but I'm going to anyways. There is so much in this world that you have to do, work, chores, school, etc. and most of the time it wouldn't really be labeled as "fun". Music is a great and fun release. That's why it's important to find a music teacher that wants you to have fun while getting a solid education. You want to make sure you or your child clicks and doesn't feel judged or nervous, otherwise the desire to learn will be harder to find. Plus let's face it, it's always nice to find an activity that we not only love but that is also something that pushes and grows us.

Tammie's Music Studio, would love to meet you and help you become the pianist you've always wanted to be!

Why Music Theory Is An Important Part of Music Lessons

You may have been wondering why exactly music theory is so important. After all, you are playing pieces of music, so isn't that what you were wanting to do in the first place? So why should you have to bother with learning music theory?

Helps you learn faster!

Here's something that you would agree is a big plus. While you're taking your time doing your weekly assignments in your theory book, you are broadening your musical knowledge. All of a sudden in that piece of music you're learning they aren't just random notes splattered about that you have to read carefully. You begin to see patterns of scales and chords that instead of being separate notes they are lumped together in your head as one thing.

Also when you are first learning to play the piano (or guitar) doing your theory assignments help with basic theory, such as your note names and dynamics (volume). This is especially good for younger learners to help them retain what they are learning during their lessons. For younger musicians it is helpful to make music theory a bit of a game, with flash cards and fun theory books. It is very obvious, as a music teacher for many years, students who have a theory background and those that don't. You can't really read all that is in a piece of music without knowing your theory.

Benefits of learning music theory during music lessons.

If you are considering putting your child in music lessons, one of the requirements you have for finding the right lessons for your child should be making sure music theory is a part of their lessons. In the long run it will help them become better at their instrument and it could also help them later in their life of they pursue something in music.

If they ever decide to major or minor in music, music theory is a requirement, and they will already have a head start of knowing the information and it being easy for them. Just the same as multiplication is easy by the time they get to college.

Maybe your budding pianist or guitarist have been taking lessons since they were little and when they hit high school they wanted to try out for the high school band at their church. They are going to appreciate the knowledge they have in music theory when they are reading chord charts and are asked to transpose the music to a different key. If you're playing in any band it is helpful when everyone knows their theory, that way you can all be on the same page..... and in the same key.

Compose your own music.

If your dreams are for composing your own music, then you are really going to want to know your music theory. Yes, creating beautiful music is artistic and about your feelings and expression but you're not going to be able to write those feelings down if you don't know how to. Even if you had a basic knowledge of notes they wouldn't convey to others you shared your music with the same expression of you couldn't articulate it properly. Rhythm, dynamics, tempo, key changes and so much more!

Learning to play without theory.

Playing the piano without knowledge in music theory is kind of like talking without really being able to read.

Even if your learning to play by ear you will still be learning some theory such as rhythm, tempo and dynamics. But you will never be self-reliant. You will always need to hear a piece of music played for you to be able to figure it out. You won't be able to pick up some sheet music and understand what is on there. You might be able to play your own music but you will not be able to give it to someone else to share it.

Even if you did learn basic theory, to sight read music, you'll be so much happier to of had music theory lessons. Because you'll understand music more, hard pieces, although still hard, you'll be able to understand what they are conveying for you to play.

When Should I Start My Child In Music Lessons?

You may have been pondering just when would be the right age to start your little one in music lessons. There is no set age for when would be an acceptable time to enroll them in music lessons but you really don't have to wait as long as one might think. There are a few signs that you may want to wait for before signing them up for lessons however. Yes, some children do begin their musical journey as young as 3 years old, while others wait until their children are 6 or 10 years old.

So when is the right time to start?

There is no special time or age to begin music lessons. Although starting your kids young does have it's advantages. There are some sighs though that let you know your child is ready to music lessons. First you want to make sure that your child will be able to sit for 30min without being upset about it. Sometimes a 3 year old is able and ready for this and sometimes not until they are 4 or 5. Every child is different, but you want to make sure that learning is fun and not push them before they are capable of that level of concentration. You also want to make sure that they are able to communicate and at least recognize their alphabet. Since music is comprised of letters A-G and numbers.

Just like all other milestones in your child's life, your child will be ready to start music lessons when they are physically and emotionally ready.

Does it make a difference if I wait until they are older?

There are some nice aspects of waiting until your child is older to start music lessons. They will comprehend more at one time during lessons. There is a little less responsibility for the parent during practice times. Although, you will still probably have to remind them to practice - they will thank you for it later.

However, when you start your children younger, once they exhibit the abilities to start taking music lessons, it will be amazing how music is just like language to them. They also have an advantage of being at a much higher level then those who wait until later. Learning music at an early age also helps children in other aspects of their life, such as their fine motor skills and their concentration level.

How to pick which instrument.

Another thought you may have had is, which instrument should I start my child on? That all depends on a couple of things; How old is your child? Which instrument is your child interested in?

Of course you wish to pursue whichever instrument that your child is interested is learning. Making our children happy is always one of our top priorities. But here's a few things to consider as well. If you are beginning your child young 3-5 piano is usually the best instrument to begin with. One of the reasons is because it has keys which is easier to grasp at a younger age. Also physically, for little bodies and little hands the piano is the better choice. It's hard for tiny hands to wrap around string instruments or hold those instruments for long periods. Another perk for choosing the piano as at least the starting instrument is the fact that the piano is the instrument that most music theory uses, also if your tiny musician decides to pursue this later in college, no matter what instrument is your choice, you will have to have some piano requirements as well.

Now if your child is older and wants to learn the guitar or any other instrument it isn't going to be a hardship for them physically. Although if they have already had a music background when they were younger (piano lessons), picking up a new instrument is going to be a whole lot easier since they already have music experience with reading music, theory, rhythm and terminology.

Helping your little musician succeed.

Getting your child enrolled in music lessons is only the first step a parent takes in helping their child's music education. Most children will not have the self-discipline to make sure that they set aside time to practice, which is normal and doesn't mean that they aren't interested, they are just being kids. So you want to make sure that they practice in an encouraging way. If your children are younger 3-4 when they begin lessons you will probably have to set with them for their practice. Just to help them stay focused and  help them remember what they are doing, don't worry at that age practice time is usually 15-20min. Depending on how much fun you're having together! Bonus! You'll be surprised that you are also learning and picking up on the instrument.