Starting piano lessons is great fun! Starting piano for the very new beginner can seem like a big task, but taking it step by step (on the right foot…) can make the process easy and fun!
The Best Building Blocks
First-take your time with the foundational steps. Sometimes the basics seem so basic that we, as teachers, have a tendency to rush through them. Things like learning finger numbers, or just proper posture and important and bear repetition in lessons. We do a lot of finger wiggling while calling out numbers to just make sure that piece of the puzzle is firmly in place. Going over the finger numbers makes it automatic and that is key to playing songs later on. Remember, this is not a race. Lessons are not for a week or a month, they are ongoing and steady.
A Good Attitude Goes A Long Way In Starting Piano Lessons
Secondly, be positive about everything!! It won’t be long before correction has to take place, so in the beginning, let the student explore the piano, play “songs” they’ve made up-maybe at that exact moment. Let them explore with piano and forte so that playing notes on the piano is natural. Move up and down the keyboard doing this, so that the only notes they ever play aren’t the 8 around middle C. Positive reinforcement of this expressive play will be helpful.
Hey, I Know That Song!
Thirdly, find a familiar tune! The first mile stone that I love in beginning piano lessons is when they play “Old MacDonald had a Farm.” They hear themselves play that tune, using the finger numbers they have practiced with you diligently, and the lights go on and you see the excitement. It is a great feeling! It takes time and a lot of following steps one and two above, but it is all worth it when they play that tune!
