Walden Pond Press

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

PIANO KIDS

A newsletter from Walden Pond Press

John Aschenbrenner Editor

I must note that the kids who learn piano the best are those whose parents or family members also play piano or music of some kind. How can we ask our kids to try music/piano if we don't include it in our own lives?

You don't have to be Paderewski or Sting or Beethoven. You can love country or classical or rock or gospel or rap or pop or anything, but listen to it, sing it, let your kids know that you think music is great.

Before we go any further, let's say it again. This our standard announcement:

Play piano, not practice. Say that to your kids. Go do it yourself, and then expect them to do the same. Play piano, not practice.

You’d be surprised how many people forget the nugget o’ wisdom above.

THIS ISSUE:

I often say I’m like a sheep dog, watching the piano student and trying to see their process. I never care about my “method.” I care about the student’s perception of the method, which is their “process.” The method, whatever it is, is useless unless appreciated by the student’s “process.”

The practical result of the above is that I proceed incredibly slowly but persistently to include the concepts of sheet music after I have had the child play successfully at least two dozen songs by number.

This can take months or years, or weeks or days. It depends on the child. A nervous child makes a poor student. Set them at ease by lowering the bar imperceptibly until they are ready for more advancement. You are the gatekeeper to the mysteries of music.

It’s as if there were a secret door to each individual child’s perception of music, and all you have to do is sit there and guide them until they find that magic door themselves. You cannot force the moment wherein they perceive that they can play piano. It will come, and you can prepare them

If you force reading sheet music before you have adequately prepared the child, you lose the child as a willing, excited student.

If you lose the child (85% of kids who start using conventional methods later quit) it’s your fault, not theirs. Prepare them adequately, gently. It’s not easy to learn to read conventional sheet music. It takes time.

Indeed, an exceptional, brilliant child may indeed learn the skills of reading music in several minutes or days. I know, because I was one of them (I was seven when I learned to read music.)

But what about the other 99.99% of kids? Should these average, even gifted kids, be denied the wonders of playing piano music because the skills necessary to read conventional sheet music weren’t immediately apparent to their particular current intellectual abilities?

Set limits that the child can realize right away. Break down the elements until the child easily scales each carefully graduated step.

A Typical Lesson:

I teach 30 minute lessons for almost all kids. Here’s the log of a hypothetical but typical kids piano lesson with a child who has not yet started reading conventional music:

Minute 1-5

Is the child uneasy or happy? If they’re uneasy, haven’t “practiced” (I don’t use the word but countless parents do) I play number games and joke around and play TV themes or Rugrats or some silly pop or folk song or game until they calm down and see that I’m rather easy to please.

I’m not serious in demeanor in any way. I don’t really care if they have practiced, because it’s impossible to enforce: remember that the goal is to get kids excited enough that they go to the piano by themselves. The goal is not to get kids to play some song they don’t understand like a robot. The goal is to get kids to play piano under their own steam, without forcing them.

My secret goal with each child is to be somewhere in between a game show host and drill sergeant, but I start out all game show host. It grabs even the most unprepared child. Who would you rather perform for, Bob Barker (Price Is Right) or some snarling negative military presence? These are kids, folks

Minute 5-10

Assuming this is later than a first piano lesson, I try several skills to see what has stuck since their last lesson. I try a few songs by number, praising all the way if the child uses one or many fingers, slow or fast. Any initial effort is applauded if you see their attitude is clear and calm. Even the most humble effort has in it something worthy of praise, for example: a child who bumbles through a song like London Bridge but never loses their place has done something remarkable. Tell them about it. Tell them about how preachers and actors have to read from a book, too, and look up at people but not lose their place in the book. A child who has been rightfully praised is readier for the next task.

Never forget this: whatever level of skill the child shows you is where you will start this lesson. It’s pointless to berate or even chide a child for not having mastered a particular skill from the last lesson. I never ever let a child know they have disappointed me. Better to work with a positive attitude on that same skill again in this lesson, perhaps disguising the skill in a new way as a game.

Don’t expect anything and you’ll be pleasantly surprised with some tiny accomplishment. Take that tiny something and build on it. If you can’t build on that tiny accomplishment, go back to earlier skills.

Never let them know they are being demoted from an attempt at a new skill. If you can’t seem to get the next skill launched, just pull back the difficult activity like a magician and go back to something easier. There’s never time lost in going back and cementing earlier skills.

In fact I look for each skill to be almost automatic and offhand (finding keys, use both hands, flats and sharps) until I go onto another more complex skill.

Minute 10-20

This is the main work period of the lesson. They’re calm, they know it’s fun and fast and they aren’t being yelled at (but, rather, praised) and they know the lesson is almost over. Why not have fun and learn this piano stuff?

As soon as they are comfortable, we work on a general level of competence, playing titled songs that they either know or have heard of.

What songs do they like, I ask. Let’s play them! I often only let them play a bit of a song, whisking it away from them just as I see them get tired and confused. As soon as you put another song in front of them, they are refreshed and try again. It’s better to play just a bit of 25 songs than one long song, painfully slowly, all the way through.

Kids learn the same principles from a variety of simple pieces as from a tightly limited repertoire. Variety is refreshing.

I play a game called “first line of the song” in which we zip through dozens of songs playing only the first line of the music, like a couple of greedy kids sampling chocolates.

If a child is really wandering, we play “first note,” in which we whisk through dozens of songs, and they only have to play the first note. The process is the same, but the kids have fun and don’t feel overworked. They learn the same thing no matter how long the task: look at the page and then press the piano key.

Of course, other kids will demand to play all of certain songs, and then you sit back, help if needed, and be happy and praise them no matter how poorly they do. If they play poorly, don’t make them aware of it, but instead find the basic skill that eludes them.

I’ll say it again: never ever be negative. No matter how they do, it’s an honest effort and you’ll get much further if you take mental note of what skill they failed at and then attempt later to find a way to present it. One of the great pleasures of teaching this way is making up the games that let the kids learn.

Always break the skills down to the lowest possible level. Make it easy to please you and kids will never stop trying. Make it difficult to please you and only that .01% of genius kids will succeed.

One more thing: I bring new sheet music (conventional or numbers depending on the child) to each lesson. The kids come to expect it, and say, “What did you bring me?” Think about it: here are kids anticipating the new sheet music for the week, not a TV show or a junk food item.

This anticipation of new sheet music can’t be bad for them, and is in fact a miracle that affects their attitude profoundly. No kid wants to play the same songs over and over until they find that first song they can’t seem to stop playing.

All kids seem to find at least one special song that they can play from memory. This song seems to be their way of saying, “See, I can play this great big piano all by myself!” Some kids love Star Wars, other Twinkle, Twinkle, or The Wigwam Song (a staple of early kids piano books.)

I’ve had parents come to me and say, “Can’t you make him play another song? He plays it all day!” I point out that when he’s good and ready he’ll move on, but for now you better sit down and listen to him play “that song” again, and praise him mightily.

If the child wanders at all during the minutes 10-20, we play a quick game to blow off steam, then dive right back in.

Minute 20-30

By now the lesson has produced whatever advancement will be possible. All you can do now is cement the sense that piano is fun and easy to do. Be aware that the last 5 minutes of the lesson are practically useless.

I always ask at 25 minutes, “How’s your brain doing? Getting tired?” If the honest answer is “Yes,” we play a fun number or chord game or two, maybe play a line of a couple of songs, and then I let them go perhaps a couple of minutes early. These kids come back every week willing to do anything to try to learn to play piano. If the kids don’t come back, you can’t teach them.

If the child is not tired, then I still proceed the same, making the last 5 minutes rather relaxed and easy.

A Student Story:

I once had a pair of brothers that I taught who both had limited skills and interests regarding piano. Frankly, they could take it or leave it. I’d put them in the quitter category for sure if they were taught by the conventional method. Their mom wanted them to play piano and didn’t care if it took a decade (a very good attitude for a mom.)

The younger brother was a handful, sometimes only going 15 minutes before he melted down and needed to do something else. You could go another 15 minutes, but I elected not to, stopping the lesson just about where he demonstrated that it was basically over.

Week after week this child came to the piano and bumbled his way through dozens of songs by number. Invariably I would say, at the end of a song or portion of a song, “Cool, let’s try this one!” I never ever expressed dismay at his efforts. I could see he was simply doing the best he could.

Slowly we tried the transition from numbers to sheet music again and again. Each time seemed a failure, but I never let him know that. I tried all sorts of crazy stunts for this child who had such trouble paying attention. One time I put a coal scuttle (a sort of black bucket used to empty ashes from a fireplace) over my head and used the little fireplace shovel as a microphone. I called out the names of chords that I “Gortok” the spaceman needed to hear, and my little troublemaker responded with glee.

I count about a dozen games that I use every day that originated with this child, and I thank him for it. He forced me to be extremely creative. And eventually it worked for him. Here’s how:

After months and months he began to realize that I wasn’t going to stop trying sheet music. So he gave in, inch by inch, and slowly was able to read the first dozen notes of the “right hand” of simple sheet music.

I acted as if I didn’t care if he learned sheet music, always moving to another area as soon as he seemed to tire of trying to figure out new sheet music, always of the simplest kind.

Finally we got to left hand, and after months of fun-filled battles he could figure out the essential dozen left hand notes kids have to learn to find on a piano.

After almost a year, this kid could play almost nothing from memory except the first ten notes of the theme to Star Wars (a performance I always applauded.)

One day his mom wanted to hear him read a piece of sheet music, so I opened a book of simple songs at random, as I always do, and said, “Play this, pal.”

All of a sudden this kid plays both hands at once, perfectly. It was a simple piece, but what a surprise. I said, “I didn’t know you could play with both hands at the same time!”

He looked up at mom, beamed, and said, “I been listening all along, mister!” with the charming lisp ("mithter") of a kid missing his two front teeth!

The moral of the story is, here’s a kid who now loves to play the piano, who would have quit for sure with a less patient teacher, who now can read simple sheet music with no difficulty.

The truth is, any kid can learn to read music. The hard part is finding an adult who is patient enough to sit with them until they figure it out.

This Issue's Fun Game: FOURS

“Fours” is the most basic rhythm game that I play with kids. I always use it on the first lesson, and on all subsequent lessons until the child seems too old for it. It’s a fun but very childish game that teaches rhythm and piano geography without using printed notes or numbers of any kind.

It’s important for kids to actually play the piano without the encumbrance of graphic notation (notes or numbers) of any kind. For example, you’ll notice that kids in general can go to the piano and play three songs:

1.       Chopsticks

2.       Heart and Soul

3.       Knuckles: A funny piece KIDS play on the black keys with the knuckles

“Fours” is a piano game constructed in exactly the same mold. The child plays numbers and I play the chords. If the symbols below don’t line up in your browser, remember that there are always four notes (numbers) for every chord (letter.)

FOURS

(Click here to play this game on our online piano)

The child begins on “Middle C,” also known as the white piano key with the sticker numbered 1:

CHILD:               1111      2222      3333     4444       5555      6666      7777      8888

TEACHER:   C           G           C          F           C           F           C           C

I play a kind of funny Chico Marx oom-pah accompaniment using the chord pattern (C G C F C F G C, etc.) Kids find this very easy and refreshing. We play up the piano keys, moving to the right, with the natural goal being for the child to reach the highest key on the piano. I’m pretty “strict,” that is, if the child breaks the rhythm or misses a key, we start over. Strangely enough, kids love to go back to the beginning and start over as much as they love going all the way to highest key.

Fun variant: Ask them to count up the white keys until they reach the highest white key (starting from Middle C, which to them is #1) and tell you what the “number” of that white key is (it’s 29.) This has no musical value except that it makes the child an explorer of the instrument.

The object of these games is to make the child a keen and enthusiastic observer of their instrument, something impossible to do when the child is locked into reading only sheet music from a book. Kids need to improvise, however humbly, and essentially all of my games are designed to make fun music outside of sheet music, numbers or conventional.

“Fours” teaches a child that

1.       sheet music is not always necessary to have fun with music

2.       they have to count while they play

3.       music is divided into numbered units

4.       piano is a fun thing they can do right away

NOTABLE QUOTE: A RECENT HAPPY CUSTOMER

“Just wanted to let you know that we received our book. What a blast! My 9-year old briefly had piano lessons in the past, but she couldn't motivate herself to practice much. Since I gave her this book, I can hardly get her away from the piano! What a great product!
Thanks!”

And finally….

I speak to and hear from so many people (almost all adults referring to their childhood experience with piano) who had their fingers or knuckles rapped by a piano teacher. Whatever idiot thought up this “negative” method deserves our ridicule. How can you expect kids to learn the equivalent of algebraic formulae when the teacher’s main mode of expression is basically negative? Kids thrive on nurturing, creative and patient teachers. Teachers who do stupid things like rapping knuckles expect more or less immediate results, and are always disappointed with the average child’s less than brilliant performance. Teachers need to remember to teach the kids, not the teacher’s method.

Playing the piano is a great outlet for all kids, and no child should be denied the pleasure of making music at the piano because their abilities don’t meet the expectations of an impatient teacher. A year spent preparing a child with numbers and games is a year very well spent if the child ends up fascinated with piano and music.

I CAN READ MUSIC

This book is perfect for kids making the transition from piano "by numbers" to reading conventional sheet music, and I hope it will prove to be a great tool for children's music teachers. It’s based entirely on my lessons with average kids, and takes you through the steps so slowly and gently that you’ll be reading simple songs at the piano right away.

Click here to read more and view sample pages from our fun new piano activity book, I CAN READ MUSIC!

Every single step I use with kids is included, breaking down the tasks into such small increments that I’ve never had a child not master reading simple sheet music, providing that the teacher is willing to wait until the child understands it on their own, from the inside.

Click here to visit PIANO IS EASY or THE CHRISTMAS CAROL KIT

By John Aschenbrenner Copyright 2008 Walden Pond Press All Rights Reserved

Click here to return the the main articles page.

ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND PIANO

Click here for the FREE EBOOK, a good place to start.

Click here to read the NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES, including lots of valuable information from teachers and parents from various sources.

Click here to read ARTICLES FROM NEWSWEEK and other periodicals regarding children and piano study.

Click here to read an INTERVIEW with the author of PIANO IS EASY.

Click here to read the essay, HOW CAN I HELP MY CHILD READ MUSIC?

Click here to read the entire tutorial HOW TO TEACH YOUR CHILD TO READ MUSIC

Click here to read the report WHAT IS A GOOD AGE TO START PIANO LESSONS?

Click here to read the essay PIANO LESSONS: A CHILD'S POINT OF VIEW

Click here to read the essay WHEN IS LEARNING FINGERING NECESSARY?

Click here to read the article A CHILD'S BILL OF RIGHTS FOR PIANO LESSONS

Click here to read the article IS PRESCHOOL A GOOD AGE TO START PIANO?

Click here to read the article BRAINS, CHILDREN AND PIANO

Click here to read the article WHY THE PIANO IS THE BEST CHILD'S MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

ARTICLES ABOUT PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AND PIANO

Click here to read the article TEACHING PRESCHOOL CHILDREN PIANO

Click here to read the article PRESCHOOL PIANO ACTIVITIES

ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND READING MUSIC

Click here to read the article HOW TO HELP KIDS FIND MIDDLE C

Click here to read the article WHAT KIDS REALLY UNDERSTAND ABOUT SHEET MUSIC

Click here to read the article WHY DELAY READING MUSIC

Click here to read the article AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY FOR KIDS LEARNING TO READ MUSIC

SPECIAL EDUCATION AND PIANO

Click here to read the article AMAZING MUSICAL ABILITIES OF AUTISTIC AND ADHD CHILDREN

Click here to read the article HYPERACTIVE KIDS AND PIANO

Click here to read the article PIANO BY NUMBER FOR A SEVERELY DISABLED GIRL

Click here to read the article DOWN'S SYNDROME AND PIANO BY NUMBER

ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND PRACTICING

Click here to read the article WHY NAGGING YOUR CHILD TO PRACTICE WON'T WORK

Click here to read the article RULES FOR PIANO PRACTICE

Click here to read the article DON'T CALL IT PRACTICE, CALL IT PLAY

Click here to read the article SETTING UP A CHILD'S PIANO PRACTICE REGIME

Click here to read the article WHY CHILDREN SUCCEED AT THE PIANO

ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND PIANO BY NUMBER

Click here to read the essay THE PIANO WHISPERER

Click here to read the article STARTING TO PLAY PIANO BY NUMBER

Click here to read the report USE PIANO BY NUMBER WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN

Click here to read the article BUILDING A CHILD'S CONFIDENCE WITH NUMBERS

Click here to read the article TURN YOUR PIANO INTO A TOY

ARTICLES ABOUT ADULTS AND PIANO

Click here to read the introduction to EASY CLASSICAL PIANO BY NUMBER

Click here to read the introduction to TEACH YOURSELF PIANO, an excellent guide to important self-teaching points.

Click here to read the article RULES FOR PIANO PRACTICE

Click here to read the article TIPS FOR ADULT PIANISTS

Click here to read the article PIANO FINGER STRENGTH IS CUMULATIVE

Click here to read the article THE PIANO ZONE

Click here to read the article MAKING EVERY MINUTE OF ADULT PIANO PRACTICE COUNT

ARTICLES ABOUT THE PIANO

Click here to read the article HOW GOOD ARE TOY PIANOS?

Click here to read the article ORIGINS OF THE BLACK PIANO KEYS

Click here to read the article HOW TO BUY AN INEXPENSIVE PIANO OR KEYBOARD

Click here to read the essay WHY GRAND PIANOS ARE BETTER THAN UPRIGHTS

Click here to read the essay PIANO WARS: EVOLUTION OF THE PIANO IN AMERICA

Click here to read the essay THE GREAT PIANO CRAZE OF 1910

Click here to read the essay THE BALLET OF THE PIANO HANDS

Click here to read the essay A PIANIST'S MEANS OF EXPRESSION

Click here to read the report HUMIDITY AND YOUR PIANO

ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO TEACHING

Click here to read the article HOW TO FIND A GOOD PIANO TEACHER

Click here to read the article SO YOU WANT TO BE A PIANO TEACHER

Click here to read the article MY CHILD WANTS TO QUIT PIANO

Click here to read the article WHY KIDS NEED FREEDOM TO LEARN PIANO

Click here to read the article PSYCHOLOGY OF HOMESCHOOL PIANO

Click here to read the article THE PIANIST WITH TWO BRAINS

Click here to read the article YOU CAN ONLY ENJOY PIANO MY WAY

Click here to read the article TEN WAYS TO BE A BAD CHILDREN'S PIANO TEACHER

Click here to read the article KIDS SONGS FOR PIANO

Click here to read the article TEACH YOUR CHILDREN PIANO

Click here to read the article ARE KIDS PIANO RECITALS HARMFUL?

ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO LESSONS

Click here to read the article DISGUISING REPETITION IN KID'S PIANO LESSONS

Click here to read the article PIANO LESSONS FOR CHILDREN: HOME OR TRAVEL

Click here to read the article PIANO METHOD BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

Click here to read the article GUITAR OR PIANO: WHAT'S BEST FOR A SIX YEAR OLD?

Click here to read the article TEACHING GUIDE DOGS IS JUST LIKE TEACHING KIDS PIANO

Click here to read the article HOW COME MY KID HATES PIANO?

Click here to read the article USING FAMILIAR SONGS IN CHILDREN'S PIANO LESSONS

Click here to read the article HOW KID'S COMPUTER TIME AFFECTS PIANO LESSONS

Click here to read the article PIANO SOFTWARE OR PRINT BOOKS: WHICH IS BETTER

Click here to read the article FOLLOW THE CHILD'S PACE WITH PIANO LESSONS

Click here to read the article TOYS YOU SHOULD BRING TO A CHILD'S PIANO LESSON

Click here to read the article THE TRANSPARENT PIANO LESSON STRATEGY

Click here to read the article WHAT KIDS LIKE ABOUT PIANO LESSONS

Click here to read the article WHY CHILDREN FAIL AT PIANO LESSONS

Click here to read the article ATTENTION SPAN, CHILDREN AND PIANO

Click here to read the article PIANO FOR KIDS

Click here to read the article CHILDREN'S HIDDEN PIANO TALENT

Click here to read the article SELECTING CHILDREN'S SONGS FOR PIANO

Click here to read the article KIDS MUSIC AND THE PIANO

Click here to read the article CHILDREN'S PIANO POSTURE

Click here to read the article SHOULD PARENTS FORCE CHILDREN TO TAKE PIANO LESSONS?

ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO STICKERS

Click here to read the article WHY PIANO NUMBER STICKERS WORK FOR CHILDREN

Click here to read the article WHY PIANO STICKERS WORK FOR READING MUSIC

ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO GAMES

Click here to see the game QUARTERS: A PIANO GAME KIDS LOVE

Click here to see the piano game FUN PIANO GAME WITH A PAIR OF DICE

Click here to see the piano game MOZART'S FAVORITE MOVIE

Click here to see the essay BASEBALL, KIDS AND PIANO

Click here to read about PIANO CHORD GAMES FOR KIDS

Click here to read about VISUAL PIANO GAMES

Click here to read about THE FUTURE EFFECT OF KIDS PIANO GAMES

MUSIC HISTORY AND HUMOR

Click here to read the article PIANO LESSONS WITH PAPA BACH

Click here to read the article PIANO LESSONS WITH FREDERIC CHOPIN

Click here to read the story HECTOR BERLIOZ AND THE TRAIN WRECK

Click here to read the story TCHAIKOVSKY'S GREATEST FAN

Click here to read the story STRAVINSKY'S GOOD LUCK

Click here to read the article CHOPIN'S SINGING TONE

Click here to read the article MUSICAL FEUDS

Click here to read the article MUSICAL GENIUS

Click here to read the story FRANZ SCHUBERT: THE FIRST BOHEMIAN

Click here to read the story BEETHOVEN'S RAGE OVER A LOST PENNY

Click here to read the story MOZART'S LAST DAYS

Click here to read THE STORY OF HUGO WOLF

Click here to read the story THE WORLD'S LARGEST BLUE DANUBE WALTZ

Click here to read the story BEETHOVEN WAS NO BEAUTY

Click here to read the story VLADIMIR HOROWITZ GOES TO THE RACETRACK

Click here to read the story EINSTEIN'S GYPSY VIOLIN

Click here to read the story IGOR STRAVINSKY LOSES HIS COOL

Click here to read the story ARTUR RUBINSTEIN WAS A VAMPIRE

Click here to read the story EINSTEIN'S PIANO

Click here to read the essay WHY BRAHMS MUST HAVE BEEN FAT

Click here to read the article PIANO HANDS

Click here to read the article THE MASTER'S HANDS

Click here to see the article TAKE YOUR KIDS TO THE OPERA

Click here to see the article GEORGE SAND KILLED CHOPIN

Click here to see the article I MEET AARON COPLAND

Click here to see the story CARL TAUSIG COOKS HIS CAT

CULTURAL CRITICISM

Click here to read the op-ed opinion column WHY AMERICA IS LOSING THE CULTURE RACE

Click here to read the op-ed opinion column WHAT KILLED THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIANO

Click here to read the op-ed opinion column AGAINST FILM MUSIC

Click here to read the op-ed opinion column CARNEGIE HALL STARTS IN YOUR LIVING ROOM

CHORDS AND MUSIC THEORY TUTORIALS

Click here to read the tutorial ROOT POSITION CHORDS

Click here to read the tutorial FIRST INVERSION CHORDS

Click here to read the tutorial SECOND INVERSION CHORDS

Click here to read the tutorial THE SIX BASIC CHORDS FOR CHILDREN

Click here to read the tutorial TWO NOTE CHORDS FOR KIDS

Click here to read about PIANO CHORD GAMES FOR KIDS

Click here to read the article WHY CHILDREN SHOULD LEARN ABOUT PIANO CHORDS

Course One

TEACHING TOOLS

#1 TEACHING CHILDREN'S PIANO

#2 WHAT A CHILD SHOULD EXPECT FROM PIANO LESSONS

#3 WHAT IS FINGERING AND WHEN DO WE USE IT

#4 PIANO BY NUMBER AND OTHER STARTING METHODS

#5 THE FIRST PIANO LESSON

#6 MINUTE BY MINUTE PIANO LESSON

#7 TOYS AND ACCESORIES FOR FUN PIANO LESSONS

#8 READING MUSIC FOR KIDS STEP BY STEP

#9 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORST AND BEST TEACHER

#10 A CHILD'S CLASSICAL MUSIC LISTENING LIST

Course Two

TEACHING BACKGROUND

#11 A SHORT HISTORY OF THE PIANO

#12 A SHORT HISTORY OF PIANO METHODS

#13 A PLEASANT PIANO LESSON ATMOSPHERE

#14 ADVICE TO A YOUNG PIANO TEACHER

#15 WHY I TEACH PIANO

#16 A PIANO TEACHER'S EMOTIONS

#17 PACE AND CHILDREN'S PIANO LESSONS

#18 CHILDREN'S PIANO MOTOR SKILLS DEFINED BY AGE

#19 CHILDREN'S PIANO FINGERING OVERVIEW

#20 GUILT IS THE WRONG WAY TO BUY ATTENTION

Course Three

PIANO GAMES

#21 FOURS, A PIANO COUNTING GAME

#22 THE PIANO DICE GAME

#23 PIANO HAND POSITION GAMES

#24 THE USE OF HUMOR IN PIANO LESSONS

#25 HAPPY OR SAD: EAR TRAINING FOR KIDS

#26 FOLLOW THE LEADER: VISUAL PIANO GAMES

#27 PIANO GAMES TO PLAY WHEN ALL GOES WRONG

#28 IMPROVISING GAMES

#29 BEETHOVEN'S BICYCLE

#30 PIANO CHORD GAMES FOR KIDS

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

See also: PIANO BY NUMBER, a series of fun books for beginning piano students of all ages.

See also: EZINE ARTICLES, a list of publications which include John Aschenbrenner's writings about the piano.

See also: ARCHIVES at pianoiseasy.com, which contains a large collection of games and articles about children and the piano. Below is a list you will find on that site:

ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND PIANO
Click here for the FREE EBOOK, a good place to start.
Click here to read the NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES, including lots of valuable information from teachers and parents from various sources.
Click here to read ARTICLES FROM NEWSWEEK and other periodicals regarding children and piano study.
Click here to read an INTERVIEW with the author of PIANO IS EASY.
Click here to read the essay, HOW CAN I HELP MY CHILD READ MUSIC?
Click here to read the entire tutorial HOW TO TEACH YOUR CHILD TO READ MUSIC
Click here to read the report WHAT IS A GOOD AGE TO START PIANO LESSONS?
Click here to read the essay PIANO LESSONS: A CHILD'S POINT OF VIEW
Click here to read the essay WHEN IS LEARNING FINGERING NECESSARY?
Click here to read the article A CHILD'S BILL OF RIGHTS FOR PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article IS PRESCHOOL A GOOD AGE TO START PIANO?
Click here to read the article BRAINS, CHILDREN AND PIANO
Click here to read the article WHY THE PIANO IS THE BEST CHILD'S MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

ARTICLES ABOUT PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AND PIANO
Click here to read the article TEACHING PRESCHOOL CHILDREN PIANO
Click here to read the article PRESCHOOL PIANO ACTIVITIES

ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND READING MUSIC
Click here to read the article HOW TO HELP KIDS FIND MIDDLE C
Click here to read the article WHAT KIDS REALLY UNDERSTAND ABOUT SHEET MUSIC
Click here to read the article WHY DELAY READING MUSIC
Click here to read the article AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY FOR KIDS LEARNING TO READ MUSIC

SPECIAL EDUCATION AND PIANO
Click here to read the article AMAZING MUSICAL ABILITIES OF AUTISTIC AND ADHD CHILDREN
Click here to read the article HYPERACTIVE KIDS AND PIANO
Click here to read the article PIANO BY NUMBER FOR A SEVERELY DISABLED GIRL
Click here to read the article DOWN'S SYNDROME AND PIANO BY NUMBER

ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND PRACTICING
Click here to read the article WHY NAGGING YOUR CHILD TO PRACTICE WON'T WORK
Click here to read the article RULES FOR PIANO PRACTICE
Click here to read the article DON'T CALL IT PRACTICE, CALL IT PLAY
Click here to read the article SETTING UP A CHILD'S PIANO PRACTICE REGIME
Click here to read the article WHY CHILDREN SUCCEED AT THE PIANO

ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND PIANO BY NUMBER
Click here to read the essay THE PIANO WHISPERER
Click here to read the article STARTING TO PLAY PIANO BY NUMBER
Click here to read the report USE PIANO BY NUMBER WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN
Click here to read the article BUILDING A CHILD'S CONFIDENCE WITH NUMBERS
Click here to read the article TURN YOUR PIANO INTO A TOY

ARTICLES ABOUT ADULTS AND PIANO
Click here to read the introduction to EASY CLASSICAL PIANO BY NUMBER
Click here to read the introduction to TEACH YOURSELF PIANO, an excellent guide to important self-teaching points.
Click here to read the article RULES FOR PIANO PRACTICE
Click here to read the article TIPS FOR ADULT PIANISTS
Click here to read the article PIANO FINGER STRENGTH IS CUMULATIVE
Click here to read the article THE PIANO ZONE
Click here to read the article MAKING EVERY MINUTE OF ADULT PIANO PRACTICE COUNT

ARTICLES ABOUT THE PIANO
Click here to read the article HOW GOOD ARE TOY PIANOS?
Click here to read the article ORIGINS OF THE BLACK PIANO KEYS
Click here to read the article HOW TO BUY AN INEXPENSIVE PIANO OR KEYBOARD
Click here to read the essay WHY GRAND PIANOS ARE BETTER THAN UPRIGHTS
Click here to read the essay PIANO WARS: EVOLUTION OF THE PIANO IN AMERICA
Click here to read the essay THE GREAT PIANO CRAZE OF 1910
Click here to read the essay THE BALLET OF THE PIANO HANDS
Click here to read the essay A PIANIST'S MEANS OF EXPRESSION
Click here to read the report HUMIDITY AND YOUR PIANO

ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO TEACHING
Click here to read the article HOW TO FIND A GOOD PIANO TEACHER
Click here to read the article SO YOU WANT TO BE A PIANO TEACHER
Click here to read the article MY CHILD WANTS TO QUIT PIANO
Click here to read the article WHY KIDS NEED FREEDOM TO LEARN PIANO
Click here to read the article PSYCHOLOGY OF HOMESCHOOL PIANO
Click here to read the article THE PIANIST WITH TWO BRAINS
Click here to read the article YOU CAN ONLY ENJOY PIANO MY WAY
Click here to read the article TEN WAYS TO BE A BAD CHILDREN'S PIANO TEACHER
Click here to read the article KIDS SONGS FOR PIANO
Click here to read the article TEACH YOUR CHILDREN PIANO
Click here to read the article ARE KIDS PIANO RECITALS HARMFUL?

ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article DISGUISING REPETITION IN KID'S PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article PIANO LESSONS FOR CHILDREN: HOME OR TRAVEL
Click here to read the article PIANO METHOD BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Click here to read the article GUITAR OR PIANO: WHAT'S BEST FOR A SIX YEAR OLD?
Click here to read the article TEACHING GUIDE DOGS IS JUST LIKE TEACHING KIDS PIANO
Click here to read the article HOW COME MY KID HATES PIANO?
Click here to read the article USING FAMILIAR SONGS IN CHILDREN'S PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article HOW KID'S COMPUTER TIME AFFECTS PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article PIANO SOFTWARE OR PRINT BOOKS: WHICH IS BETTER
Click here to read the article FOLLOW THE CHILD'S PACE WITH PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article TOYS YOU SHOULD BRING TO A CHILD'S PIANO LESSON
Click here to read the article THE TRANSPARENT PIANO LESSON STRATEGY
Click here to read the article WHAT KIDS LIKE ABOUT PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article WHY CHILDREN FAIL AT PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article ATTENTION SPAN, CHILDREN AND PIANO
Click here to read the article PIANO FOR KIDS
Click here to read the article CHILDREN'S HIDDEN PIANO TALENT
Click here to read the article SELECTING CHILDREN'S SONGS FOR PIANO
Click here to read the article KIDS MUSIC AND THE PIANO
Click here to read the article CHILDREN'S PIANO POSTURE
Click here to read the article SHOULD PARENTS FORCE CHILDREN TO TAKE PIANO LESSONS?

ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO STICKERS
Click here to read the article WHY PIANO NUMBER STICKERS WORK FOR CHILDREN
Click here to read the article WHY PIANO STICKERS WORK FOR READING MUSIC

ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO GAMES
Click here to see the game QUARTERS: A PIANO GAME KIDS LOVE
Click here to see the piano game FUN PIANO GAME WITH A PAIR OF DICE
Click here to see the piano game MOZART'S FAVORITE MOVIE
Click here to see the essay BASEBALL, KIDS AND PIANO
Click here to read about PIANO CHORD GAMES FOR KIDS
Click here to read about VISUAL PIANO GAMES
Click here to read about THE FUTURE EFFECT OF KIDS PIANO GAMES

MUSIC HISTORY AND HUMOR
Click here to read the article PIANO LESSONS WITH PAPA BACH
Click here to read the article PIANO LESSONS WITH FREDERIC CHOPIN
Click here to read the story HECTOR BERLIOZ AND THE TRAIN WRECK
Click here to read the story TCHAIKOVSKY'S GREATEST FAN
Click here to read the story STRAVINSKY'S GOOD LUCK
Click here to read the article CHOPIN'S SINGING TONE
Click here to read the article MUSICAL FEUDS
Click here to read the article MUSICAL GENIUS
Click here to read the story FRANZ SCHUBERT: THE FIRST BOHEMIAN
Click here to read the story BEETHOVEN'S RAGE OVER A LOST PENNY
Click here to read the story MOZART'S LAST DAYS
Click here to read THE STORY OF HUGO WOLF
Click here to read the story THE WORLD'S LARGEST BLUE DANUBE WALTZ
Click here to read the story BEETHOVEN WAS NO BEAUTY
Click here to read the story VLADIMIR HOROWITZ GOES TO THE RACETRACK
Click here to read the story EINSTEIN'S GYPSY VIOLIN
Click here to read the story IGOR STRAVINSKY LOSES HIS COOL
Click here to read the story ARTUR RUBINSTEIN WAS A VAMPIRE
Click here to read the story EINSTEIN'S PIANO
Click here to read the essay WHY BRAHMS MUST HAVE BEEN FAT
Click here to read the article PIANO HANDS
Click here to read the article THE MASTER'S HANDS
Click here to see the article TAKE YOUR KIDS TO THE OPERA
Click here to see the article GEORGE SAND KILLED CHOPIN
Click here to see the article I MEET AARON COPLAND
Click here to see the story CARL TAUSIG COOKS HIS CAT

CULTURAL CRITICISM
Click here to read the op-ed opinion column WHY AMERICA IS LOSING THE CULTURE RACE
Click here to read the op-ed opinion column WHAT KILLED THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIANO
Click here to read the op-ed opinion column AGAINST FILM MUSIC
Click here to read the op-ed opinion column CARNEGIE HALL STARTS IN YOUR LIVING ROOM

CHORDS AND MUSIC THEORY TUTORIALS
Click here to read the tutorial ROOT POSITION CHORDS
Click here to read the tutorial FIRST INVERSION CHORDS
Click here to read the tutorial SECOND INVERSION CHORDS
Click here to read the tutorial THE SIX BASIC CHORDS FOR CHILDREN
Click here to read the tutorial TWO NOTE CHORDS FOR KIDS
Click here to read about PIANO CHORD GAMES FOR KIDS
Click here to read the article WHY CHILDREN SHOULD LEARN ABOUT PIANO CHORDS

Piano Is Easy and the Piano by Number series are written by John Aschenbrenner, a noted children's music educator, Emmy Award winning composer, and Broadway veteran.

Click here to view his distinguished academic background.

John is actively involved every day in inspiring children to take a happy interest in the piano using Piano by Number and simple piano games. You can, too!

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TOPICS OF INTEREST TO PARENTS:

"What is a good age to start piano lessons?"

"What are the benefits of playing piano for my child?"

"How can I help my child read sheet music at the piano?"

Piano Lessons: A Child's Point of View

Visit the WALDEN POND PRESS ARCHIVES and read articles about children and piano

Click here to read the entire tutorial HOW TO TEACH YOUR CHILD TO READ MUSIC

LET US HELP YOU FIND AN INEXPENSIVE ELECTRONIC KEYBOARD TO GET YOUR CHILD STARTED!

THE COMPLETE PACKAGE

THE COMPLETE BOOK PACKAGE: ALL 6 BASIC BOOKS

#WCS 001 Price: $89.95

THE COMPLETE BOOK PACKAGE:

1. 107 page illustrated THE CHRISTMAS CAROL KIT Book with 44 songs, Play Along Audio CD, and removable stickers

2. 107 page illustrated PIANO IS EASY Book with 44 songs, Play Along Audio CD, and removable stickers

3. 50 page I CAN READ MUSIC Book

4. 132 page TEACH YOURSELF PIANO STEP BY STEP Book, 56 minute DVD Video and removable stickers

5. 141 page THE BIG BOOK OF SONGS BY NUMBER Book with 130 songs, and removable stickers

6. 88 page EASY CLASSICAL PIANO BY NUMBER Book with 10 songs, and removable stickers, and 29 minute Play Along Audio CD

6 BOOKS, DVD AND 3 PLAY ALONG AUDIO CDS

Our BOOK PACKAGE price: $89.95

Free USA Shipping and Handling!

You can also purchase individual books with CD $24.95

Download and print any book. $9.95 Start playing today!

Click Here to Play Piano by Number Online Using Your Computer's Mouse!

PIANO BY NUMBER® BOOKS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE HERE IN OUR ONLINE STORE

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Our most popular book package!

Everything you and your child need to start having fun at the piano:

PIANO IS EASY BOOK PACKAGE

INCLUDES:

PIANO IS EASY (ISBN # 0-9718936-1-6) Sturdily bound, durable, colorful 107 page illustrated song book with 44 songs such as Jingle Bells and London Bridge, Play Along Audio CD and removable numbered stickers

PLUS

Every order of a PIANO IS EASY book package includes a copy of I CAN READ MUSIC! This fun, easy-to-understand music activity book is the best way to start children reading music.

PLUS

·         Every order of a PIANO IS EASY book package also includes a FREE copy of the 56 minute DVD video from TEACH YOURSELF PIANO This video will have you playing chords (three piano keys played with the left hand) and fun, familiar songs with both hands right away! That's a $16.95 value free!

2 BOOKS, PLAY ALONG AUDIO CD and DVD
Click here for a list of songs.    Click here for sample pages.
PIANO IS EASY BOOK PACKAGE $39.95

Free USA Shipping and Handling!

See also PRESCHOOL PIANO PACKAGE

You can also purchase individual books with CD $24.95

Download and print any book. $9.95 Start playing today!

Click Here to Play Piano by Number Online Using Your Computer's Mouse!

PIANO BY NUMBER® BOOKS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE HERE IN OUR ONLINE STORE

View All Products / Price List
View All Product Descriptions
FREE USA SHIPPING AND HANDLING ON ALL ITEMS

Our Play Along Audio CDs are an important element in making the piano fun for kids, and are produced by Grammy Award winner (Sesame Street) Joe Castellon.

Our colorful books and videos have been created by Emmy Award winning composer and teacher John Aschenbrenner and are guaranteed to get your child happily started at the piano.

Digitally engineered and mastered, these high quality educational recordings include fun, familiar songs that children love to hear and play along with, and are sure to give hours of musical enjoyment, entertainment and guidance to your child.

Special thanks to these schools recently joining our growing list of organizations using PIANO BY NUMBER:

Primrose Day School, Jumping Jacks Preschool, Valley Elementary, Kid's Korner, Play All Day Nursery School, Children's Development Center, Springfield Child Time

If you're not sure what book is right for your child, email us at info@pianoiseasy.com and we will be glad to help you.

Click Here to Play Piano by Number Online Using Your Computer's Mouse!

CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-707-2682

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THE CHRISTMAS CAROL KIT

Makes a great gift for any child!

Download and print any book. $9.95 Start playing today!

PIANO BY NUMBER® BOOKS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE HERE IN OUR ONLINE STORE


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