TakeLessons Blog

Archives

Archive for the ‘Music Lessons for Adults’ Category

« Older Entries

5 Signs It’s Time for Private Piano Lessons

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

Yamaha pianoThere are so many music resources online nowadays, especially for piano! Say, for example, you’re dying to learn how to play fun.’s “We Are Young” . Look up the tune on YouTube, and it might not take you long to learn the chords just by studying a player’s hands in a video.

But if you really want to get ahead in your piano playing, you’ll need the expertise of a piano teacher and the accountability of private lessons.  You can spend hours at your piano practicing on your own, but you’ll be missing out on one crucial element: feedback. Even if you’re just learning to play for fun, the extra attention from a private teacher can do wonders for your playing.

Here are some examples of common mistakes that beginners might not recognize, but that can be fixed with the help of a private teacher:

1. Wrong sitting position: too much torso swinging, curved back, raised shoulders, wrong stool height, wrong feet position, etc.
Correct body posture, and also where your piano bench is placed and where you’re sitting on it, can have a dramatic effect on your playing.  Correcting any bad posture habits can also reduce the risk of injuries or stress.

2. Wrong hand position: collapsing knuckles, collapsing finger phalanxes, wrong high position of the wrist, etc.
The placement of your hands, wrists, arms and elbows is also important.  If playing with unnecessary tension becomes a habit, your teacher can help you by pointing out when it happens.

3. Unnecessary finger movements: over lifting of fingers. Unnecessary arm, hand, wrist and elbow movements.
As you master correct posture and positioning, you’ll also want to steer clear of unnecessary movements.  Proper piano playing requires coordination of everything combined.

4. Fingers are not strong and firm, but soft, weak and hollow.
As you play more often, you’ll need to strengthen your fingers, especially as you move onto more difficult pieces.  See also: Piano Exercises for Finger Strength.

5. Music doesn’t flow from pianist’s heart and soul as it usually does in singing, but simply comes to running fingers over necessary keys on the keyboard.
Most beginner pianists are just focused on getting the notes right. As you progress, you can begin working on more advanced techniques such as dynamics and articulations, where you can really showcase your passion and emotions.

(See other common mistakes and continue reading the article at Pianowell.com.)

Once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll have established the right foundation to then move into things like theory, form, phrasing, and other musical aspects that online videos have trouble getting across. Yes, it’s a lot to learn and lot to think about.  But with the help of a great teacher, you’ll have fun in the process and you’ll reach your goals in no time!

Readers: Have you found that private lessons have helped your piano player?  Stop by our Facebook page and let us know! Like these posts?  Sign up to receive updates right to your inbox!  Click here to subscribe.

 

 

You might also like…
- How to Practice the Piano… Outside of the Studio
- 5 Excuses for Not Practicing – And How to Overcome Them
- How to Tune Into the Perfect Music Teacher for You

Photo by geraldbrazell.

  • Share/Bookmark

Posted in Music Lessons for Adults, Music Lessons for Children, Piano | No Comments »

It’s Not You, It’s Me: What if I Need to Switch Music Teachers?

Friday, April 27th, 2012

The connection between student and music teacher is important – often much more so than tutors for other subjects like math or science.  Music, after all, relies on emotion and passion in addition to skill.  If your teacher isn’t directing your passion in a way that you understand, it can make the learning process much more difficult.  Finding the perfect music teacher – even if that means switching music teachers at some point – is incredibly important to your success.

If you’re feeling frustrated, or just plain “stuck,” we encourage you to speak with your current instructor first.  Communication is key – and the more your instructor knows, the better he or she can help you progress!  Sometimes, it’s as simple as adjusting what you’re working on.  Good teachers are open to feedback and will work with you to make sure you’re getting what you need out of your lessons.

But other times, it’s simply not a good match.

The good news?  There’s nothing wrong with that.  It doesn’t make you a bad student, and it doesn’t mean you should give up your dream of playing music.  As many of our students can attest, sometimes it’s just a matter of finding the teacher you click with the best.  Every instructor is different in terms of teaching style, communication style and experience, and you may very well mesh with one over another.

Here are some common examples of times when you may want to consider switching music teachers:

– You or your child has special needs, and your current teacher is not comfortable adjusting to them.
– Your child is having trouble focusing, and/or your instructor isn’t used to teaching kids (it takes a lot of patience to handle an antsy child!).
– You’d like to learn a specific technique or genre that your current teacher isn’t able to teach you.
– You’ve reached a playing level that your instructor isn’t comfortable teaching.
– You’ve been working with one teacher for a very long time, and you no longer feel challenged or motivated.
– You have a very strict schedule or time frame that your teacher cannot accommodate.

With the TakeLessons program, students are free to switch teachers when the need arises – let us know your feedback, and we’ll work with you to find a new teacher who better suits your needs, goals and interests. The most important thing to remember is to be honest with the teacher you’re parting with, and also be honest with yourself and what you (or your child) needs.

When you’ve found the right teacher, you’ll notice a difference – sometimes right off the bat.  And that’s what we’re here for!

Questions or comments?  Drop a line below, or stop by our Facebook page and we’ll be happy to help!  Looking for a new teacher?  Search for music teachers in your area.


You might also like…
- Help Your Child Choose the Right Instrument
- How to Save Money on Music Lessons
 – Is Your 9-to-5 Draining Your Creativity?

Photo by Poetprince

  • Share/Bookmark

Posted in Inspiration & Motivation!, Music Lessons for Adults, Music Lessons for Children, Tips For Parents | No Comments »

All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Music Recitals

Tuesday, March 20th, 2012

Break out the flip flops and gardening gloves – today marks the the first day of Spring!  Which also means: teachers, it’s time to start planning your Spring recital!

Planning the perfect recital takes time and resources, but the benefits to everyone involved can be extremely rewarding.  As teachers, you can earn recognition from parents and the community for going above and beyond.  Many of our TakeLessons teachers have collaborated with other instructors in the area for recitals, which can be a great way to network.

Students can experience the joy of performing in front of an audience of friends and family, and learn to overcome stage fright in the process.  The memory of a successful (and fun!) recital can last a lifetime, and do wonders for their confidence.  And parents, of course, can see their child’s progress and how much fun they’re having!

The skills that students can gain by performing even translate into real life lessons – even if their future career path doesn’t involve music.  Here are just a few examples, as originally published on the Park Slope Music Lessons website:

Deadlines
Recitals are like so many things in life. It’s a due date when you need to really know something well and you need to show it in public, in this case 100 of your friends, family members and peers. Think of the times when you had to present a paper or a case or a sales pitch at a specific time and day. The recital is preparation for that. It’s a deadline.

Discipline and Mastery
Preparing for the recital is also like life. The discipline required to learn, memorize and perform the pieces is the same discipline you use when you are in college working on a term paper, at your job preparing the big Powerpoint presentation to your clients, presenting your court case to the judge and jury and so on. There’s a level of mastery that needs to be achieved in a recital. And music lessons culminating in a recital is a training ground for discipline on the road to mastery.  Even better to start at such an early age!

Mistakes
Mistakes happen. In fact, how often do things go exactly the way you want them to? Almost never. Your goal is to minimize them. But you can never achieve 100% perfection. To play like a machine is completely useless. It’s the mistakes that make you sound human and gives you unique expression. As described in a recent NY Times article about what makes music so expressive, researcher Daniel J. Levitin at McGill University and Edward W. Large at Florida Atlantic University recorded a concert pianist performing a Chopin etude analyzing it for speed, rhythm, loudness and softness. They then recreated the performance with a computer stripping it of any human variances, in other words, making it more perfect. They then scanned the brains of listeners as they listened. The results? Perfection is boring.

Patterns
Another thing discovered by these researchers is that music can give us emotional hits by creating a subtle change from a pattern. Students should be gaining an understanding of the structure lying underneath the piece of music they are working on. Whether it’s the grand scheme of section A followed by section B, or even just how the notes of one measure actually are spelling out an F chord. It’s the same in real life. There’s an order and structure to how things are put together, whether it’s a sandwich, a computer program, a resume or a social network.

Feedback
Possibly the best part of a recital is the immediate feedback from the audience. There’s no waiting around for an acceptance letter in the mail; if you did well, you know it right now! And if not so well, then you know that too.  Students should learn to reflect back on their performance, and recognize what they did great at and what they need to work on.  Recitals are a safe space, since the audience will always be rooting for you – but if you make a few mistakes, it really doesn’t matter as long as you did your best. There’s always the next recital!

Do you remember your first recital? What did you learn from it? Leave a comment below, or stop by our Facebook page and share!

 

 

Like these posts?  Sign up to receive daily updates right to your inbox!  Click here to subscribe.

You might also like…
- Tips for Teachers: Planning the Perfect Holiday Recital
- What’s Causing Your Stage Fright?
- Supporting Your Child In Music: A Parent’s Guide

 

Special thanks to Vancouver, WA instructor Kelly K. for sending us great pictures from her own holiday recital!

  • Share/Bookmark

Posted in Music Lessons for Adults, Music Lessons for Children, Performing, Tips For Teachers | 5 Comments »

5 Key Advantages of Taking Music Lessons as an Adult

Monday, February 20th, 2012

This Presidents Day, we’ve been thinking about the influence of music on many of our greatest presidents. Abraham Lincoln, in particular, was known for his love for music of all kinds, hosting performances by the Marine Band and weekly concerts on the White House grounds.  (If you’re wondering what Honest Abe would have had on his iPod, NPR can tell you here!) And according to Minor Music, many have been listed as having played instruments, including Thomas Jefferson (violin and cello), Franklin Roosevelt (piano) and Bill Clinton (saxophone).

We can only imagine how busy these presidents were, and yet they still made time to stay involved with music.  So what’s holding you back?  If you’ve ever felt like you’re too old to take music lessons, or it’s too late, you’re not alone.  However, learning a new instrument at a later age can be extremely rewarding – and it can keep your mind sharp!  Here are 5 fantastic advantages to learning music as an adult, as originally published on Key-Notes.com:

1. You’ll be learning of your own volition. Children often have to be persuaded to practice and attend music lessons. Adults, on the other hand, don’t need to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to their teacher. Adult music lessons are thus almost invariably a pleasure for both student and teacher.

2. You can learn complex concepts much more easily and understand technical explanations. This makes it possible for adults to learn music theory far more easily than children may be able to. The importance of being able to analyze and understand a piece of music from the beginning of study cannot be overstated. Nothing is more common than students who attain skill on an instrument but who have only a rudimentary understanding of the music, which severely limits their playing in ways they cannot imagine. Most adults are able to grasp the elements of music and musical structures quite readily, like a scientist who understands how the world works.

3. You have a developed attention span. Children’s attention spans, by contrast, are often limited to only a few minutes at a time. It takes careful concentration to learn an instrument, and adults have a considerable advantage in this regard. Progress on a musical instrument is a matter of accumulating many hours of concentrated, careful practice.

4. You are emotionally developed. Music, after all, is the most directly emotional of the arts, and its wide spectrum of emotions can only be expressed and comprehended by those who have experienced those emotions themselves. Emotion in music has very much to do with musical vocabulary (harmony, or how tones combine) and how they extend in time and create musical forms. The former is music’s vertical dimension (notes in relation to one another at any given moment), and the latter its horizontal (how notes relate to one another in the listener’s aural memory).

5. You can read fluently. Very young children can’t yet read letters or numbers, which necessitates more basic teaching methods. Note names, musical instructions and fingering numbers are not the only things that require the ability to read letters and numbers: the fascinating areas of music history and theory, so critical to playing music competently, do as well.

Readers, what do you think?  What advice can you give other adults thinking about starting music lessons?  Leave a comment below! Like these posts?  Sign up to receive daily updates right to your inbox!  Click here to subscribe.

 

 

You might also like…

- Stop Stressing: 3 Remedies for Musical Frustration
- Excel at Music by Acting Like a Child
- Starting Music Lessons Later in Life

 

Photo by [nati].

  • Share/Bookmark

Posted in Music Lessons for Adults | 3 Comments »

How to Save Money on Music Lessons

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

The success certainly keeps rolling in for Adele – after receiving six Grammy awards on Sunday, her album 21 has reached week 20 on the Billboard charts .  One more week, and she’ll have broken the record that the Bodyguard soundtrack once held.

However, artists like Adele don’t just wake up one day to record deals and Grammy-nominated songs.  The glitz and glamour is usually preceded by strict training regimens, private music lessons and a dedication to improving.  From the beginner looking for guidance to the professional seeking a second ear, the benefits of private lessons are indispensable.  The one-on-one direction will set you up for success, provide accountability, build your confidence, and most of all, it can inspire you and motivate you!

Of course, on the other end of the spectrum, it’s very easy to think of a thousand excuses to avoid or delay music lessons.  For many, the cost is a strong deterrent.  But if music is a hobby you’re passionate about, or especially if you’re considering it as a career path, think about the cost of not taking private lessons.  For one, without the added accountability, it’s easy for many to slowly drop off the charts and stop playing altogether.  Second, proper training will help you avoid music-related injuries, such as strained vocal cords or tendinitis.  College-bound?  Proficient players can earn scholarships, whether you plan on majoring in music or not.

Still need to cut costs?  Here are 4 ways to save money on music lessons:

1.  Take biweekly lessons
If the cost of weekly lessons is too high, consider setting up a schedule for every other week.  Although this method takes much more discipline on the student’s part to practice between sessions and stay focused, you can reduce your monthly payments by up to 50%.  Alternately, if you’re taking hour-long lessons, try having a honest chat with your teacher and see if you can reduce your lesson duration without affecting the quality of the lessons.  This is especially applicable for younger children with short attention spans.

2. Buy used instruments
As a beginner student, it’s not necessary to buy a brand new top-of-the-line instrument.  Used instruments can be just as good as new ones, depending on how well the previous owner cared for it.  Ask your friends or family if they have extra instruments that aren’t being used, or look on eBay, Craigslist or Amazon for used instruments at heavily discounted prices.  Your teacher can be a great resource for this and can provide great recommendations.  And if you’re beginning piano lessons?  A keyboard is just as effective.

3. Consider in-home lessons
In today’s society, time is money. Even though the initial cost may be higher, think about the time (and gas!) you’ll save by taking lessons with a teacher who can travel to you.  In addition, students who take in-home lessons are typically less stressed – think about the times you’ve packed up your bag to head to your teacher’s studio, only to forget an important book or piece. Last but certainly not least, practicing in the same location that you learn in can help with memory and retention.  Which leads us to tip #4…

4. Practice!
The best way to save money on music lessons is to avoid wasting your money.  The more you practice, the faster you’ll progress and improve, making the most of your cash.  If you don’t practice, you may end up stuck on one song longer than necessary.  Also consider the quality of your lessons – are your lessons scheduled for the evening, when you’re typically exhausted from a hard day at work?  Maybe it’s time to think about switching to a weekend morning, when you’re more alert and relaxed.  Make the most of your lesson time, and you’ll start seeing improvements in no time.

Looking for a music instructor near you?  Browse by zip code and find your perfect teacher at TakeLessons! Like these posts?  Sign up to receive daily updates right to your inbox!  Click here to subscribe.

 

 

You might also like…

- How to Tune Into the Perfect Music Teacher for You
- 5 Excuses for Not Practicing – And How to Overcome Them
- Ten Minutes to Musical Mastery

 

Photo by Todd Kravos.

  • Share/Bookmark

Posted in Music Lessons for Adults, Music Lessons for Children, Tips For Parents | 3 Comments »

« Older Entries