Our Blog
27 February 2010
1. Aim for balance. Take a cue from figure skater Mirai Nagasu, 16, who finds time for school, homework, friends and Japanese classes…plus her intense skating schedule. Goodbye, lame TV shows.
2. Ditch excuses. Limb loss, wheelchairs and brain injury don’t stop Para-Olympians from high achievements in competition. Don’t let the li’l stuff slow ya down.
3. Stay dedicated. Some world-class athletes travel hundreds of miles for every practice. Makes the few-minute walk to the piano seem not-so bad, huh?
4. Have fun. U.S. skeleton athlete Noelle Pikus-Pace tapes funny messages to her sled before races. Make it a fun practice for you!
5. Share those skills. We love that hockey player Angela Ruggiero runs camps for girls. Take a second to teach a younger (or older) player.
6. Stay organized. Olympic athletes have a lot to do! On top of preparing and competing, they also have press events and have to make time for their friends and family. Being organized and creating lists is a good idea for every busy bee!
(adapted from www.justaskmarlene.com)
20 February 2010
This is a quick way to learn how to read and recognize notes written on the staff and on the piano. However, there is no replacement for learning how to sound smooth and pretty on the piano than with step by step instruction and with songs that allows gradual progress.
Recognizing the names of the bass and treble clef notes can be fun and rather simple. All you have to do is memorize a word for each note, like this.
Caution: Use this method only for learning “off” the piano. Do not rely on this method while you are actually reading music and playing because it will slow you down as you try to recite these. Only use this as a fun way to learn the notes off the piano:
Bass clef space notes: A C E G (All Cows Eat Grass)
Bass clef line notes: G B D F A (Good Boys Do Fine Always)
Treble clef space notes: F A C E (This spells “face”)
Treble clef line notes: E G B D F (Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge)
Now the fun begins. Here are some simple and fun ways to memorize these notes.
1) Speed Run: See how fast you can say the names of the notes. Try doing it first with the words, and then with the letter names only.
2) Reverse Speed Run: Now see how fast you can practice saying the letter names in reverse. This is a great way to see just how well you know the letter names.
3) Say-n-Play: While sitting at your piano, say the letter name out loud and then play it on the keyboard. If you are using flashcards, mix them up so that you can select a card at random and do the same activity. This is a very good memorization activity.
4) Play Them All: Now comes a fun way to test your knowledge. Say out loud the note then play all of those notes on the entire keyboard. For example, you have selected the note “A.” Play all the “A” keys on the entire keyboard.
The sooner one can memorize the names of the notes and recognize where they are found on the keyboard, the more enjoyment that can be found playing the keyboard. Just like you learned the ABC’s for reading you’ll be a great success at learning your ABCDEFG’s for the keyboard. Enjoy!
28 October 2009
As you use the Piano Patch Program to teach your little ones, whether it be your own children, or other students, you will quickly notice that your own skills will dramatically improve.
It is a well known fact that teaching increases knowledge and skill of the topic you are teaching. Along with gaining a more intimate knowledge of the very basics of learning piano, you will also gain another special skill that you can’t learn without actual hands on experience. This skill is unique and rare because the opportunity to develop is rare as well.
What is this special skill? It is the unique ability to work with young children and be in a constant position to learn how to simplify a complex concept so that even a child can comprehend it. It is the constant search for a new way to teach the same concept that grows your ability to teach as well as learn. This special skill can’t be learned in a book because every single child is different and each on responds to a different approach. The skills you will gain will be eye opening for yourself, as you begin to see things through the eyes of a true beginner.
Believe it or not, these same skills that you learn as you teach children, applies beautifully to teaching adults as well. ~smile~
So, enjoy the process and take every opportunity to teach, because in teaching, you are learning as well!
22 October 2009
After being online with the PianoPatch Program for several years, and mentoring many parents and teachers as they learn to interact with and teach piano to children as young as 4 years old, I decided it’s time to add a blog where I can start sharing stories, tips and advice on helping young children succeed at the piano.
