48
votes
Why don’t piano teachers teach the chord method of playing to young children and adults?
Just like there's pop, rock, folk, jazz, metal, etc. guitar, there are many different disciplines of piano playing, each with a different set of required skills:
classical piano
pop piano
jazz piano
...
- 26.4k
47
votes
Should sight-reading be emphasized less for piano instruction with new developments in technology
You added a different flavor of this question in the comments:
i think the spirit of my question was, has anyone found that using newer styles or technology for reading music advanced their students ...
- 55.6k
34
votes
Accepted
Piano scales: Why bother with hands together?
There are a few reasons that I found these technical drills helpful as a piano player:
They help practice playing the hands together clearly and cleanly. Young piano players often play both hands "...
- 83.5k
33
votes
What are the problems in teaching guitar via Skype?
A major disadvantage is that you can't jam together because of the delay. You can explain and show things clearly, no problem, but playing together is impossible.
The obvious advantage is that you ...
- 20k
28
votes
Should sight-reading be emphasized less for piano instruction with new developments in technology
Using sheet music is like reading Latin, converting it to English in your head, then playing English on the piano.
Well, you probably never really translated Latin, at least not in a good way.
...
- 5,840
27
votes
Accepted
Why is Schenker so influential in US academia? Is it the same elsewhere?
Heinrich Schenker was born in 1868 and died in 1935. And unfortunately, it's probably something of a blessing that he died when he did: as a Jew living in Austria in the 1930s, he only just missed the ...
- 83.5k
26
votes
Expectations from a violin teacher towards an adult learner
As a beginner, you can't expect to get a piece sounding 'perfect' in any reasonable length of time, because you haven't yet built up all the skills - intonation, bow control, phrasing, your own style -...
- 45.8k
21
votes
Can you request songs to learn from piano teacher
Edit - Now this is the top answer, I'll quickly answer the question, which is yes, you certainly can! But please read on...
I'd like to put forward a caveat - even if your teacher is willing, this may ...
- 311
20
votes
Accepted
Is there a recorder-analog for the flute?
TL;DR
Step 1: Soda bottle
Step 2: Fife
Soda bottle
Flute players are sometimes told that blowing across the top of a soda bottle is similar to blowing a flute. (Anecdotally, A flute-playing ...
- 79.7k
20
votes
Is a teacher necessary?
With most instruments you can get to a decent level by yourself. But there are a handful of things a teacher will be able to give you, such as:
Efficiency. An experienced teacher will probably be ...
- 17.6k
19
votes
Accepted
What are the problems in teaching guitar via Skype?
Advantages are things like:
You can teach people around the world, from all countries as long as they speak your language.
You save time... Neither you nor your student have to drive around with all ...
- 2,921
19
votes
How did students remember what to practise between lessons without any sheet music?
Besides the copyist mentioned in the other answer, students could simply write on their own! No need to have someone copy it for them. Also it was not uncommon for teachers to write stuff down for ...
- 31.2k
18
votes
Accepted
How can I help a piano student who doesn't slow down to read the notes
I understand that anxiety can cause a kid to freak out a little and start "flopping" the fingers, but I won't allow it to continue. I stop them and maybe do one measure at a time, or even one note to ...
- 5,567
17
votes
Accepted
What are some of the tips for musicians starting out as teachers?
For starters, merely being a good or great musician is nowhere near enough to be a successful teacher. Neither is having qualifications and certificates. Those downvoting - please tell your valid ...
- 188k
17
votes
Should sight-reading be emphasized less for piano instruction with new developments in technology
Every musician knows that sheet music can be frustrating at first, but almost everyone has spent quite some time learning it. I've met literally dozens of people (students, fellow musicians etc) that ...
- 31.2k
16
votes
Why don't key signatures indicate the tonic?
"Historical accident" is one way to describe it. Historical oversight might be another.
The fact is we have never symbolically indicated the tonic in written music. D Dorian looks just like G ...
- 4,787
16
votes
Expectations from a violin teacher towards an adult learner
As a teacher, and, most importantly, "former" pupil, I'd say this: you will probably never get to the 100%. Not even close.
Many professional and acclaimed musicians wouldn't say that they ...
- 5,840
15
votes
Accepted
How can we effectively teach schoolchildren theory?
Teach students how to make music that they like.
While experienced musicians are often very broad-minded, seeing value and beauty in many kinds of music, younger kids are often primarily interested ...
- 45.8k
15
votes
Should sight-reading be emphasized less for piano instruction with new developments in technology
...An analogy I've considered for years is this: Using sheet music is like reading Latin, converting it to English in your head, then playing English on the piano. Using videos like the one I posted ...
- 54.7k
15
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to learn how to sing properly without a teacher?
Theoretically yes.
Most probably, no.
As with many other things, a teacher is not absolutely fundamental, but a professional guidance ensures that:
you follow an appropriate didactic path tailored on ...
- 5,840
13
votes
Should sight-reading be emphasized less for piano instruction with new developments in technology
A few bad things
Guess what? The person who played on that video that had to get it from somewhere. From where? From the sheet music of course!
Those videos are for keyboards where all the notes are ...
- 3,892
13
votes
What can I do about a parent who is discouraging their child from learning violin, a child who really wants to learn, so that the child will drop out
Is the parent actively discouraging their child? Or is the parent simply a busy person who doesn't care one way or another about whether their child plays violin or does any of a dozen other ...
- 6,419
13
votes
Why don’t piano teachers teach the chord method of playing to young children and adults?
Piano teachers routinely teach chord-reading, just not the teachers you studied with, it seems. Teachers who focus on jazz and popular music are the most likely, since chord charts (sheet music) are ...
- 79.7k
12
votes
Accepted
What can I do to help my guitar student get off the ground faster?
Some ideas which may help her play and practice:
If she's not a larger than average ten-year-old, then I hope she has a smaller than normal guitar. If not, then a smaller size guitar may make it ...
- 55.6k
12
votes
How to teach a Piano Student with Hand Mobility Issues
I should also mention that the parents’ intention is likely not to turn their child into a concert pianist, but instead to give critical music theory knowledge that may be applied to a different ...
11
votes
Why don't key signatures indicate the tonic?
Is this just a historical accident?
Yes.
Everything about music notation is a historic artifact!
When you go back a very long time - into the Middle Ages - there weren't key signatures and the ...
- 54.7k
11
votes
Why don’t piano teachers teach the chord method of playing to young children and adults?
Devil's advocate: would most of us go along to a classical concert and enjoy a pianist playing a rough approximation of, say, Moonlight Sonata, a Bach fugue, et al?
Somewhat doubtful - the jazzers ...
- 188k
11
votes
Is a teacher necessary?
This question fortunately doesn't ask "Is a teacher worth it." That's a cost/benefit assessment that many people make and which is inherently subjective (and—worth how much?). Instead, you ...
- 15k
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