September 29th, 2008 by Lisa | 8 Comments »
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.
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!
For more information and some video tips on how to learn piano properly, visit:
http://www.LearnPianoOnline.com
September 29th, 2008 by Lisa | 3 Comments »
My 88 year old grandma is starting piano lessons and agreed to let me share our experience with you.
I hope you enjoy watching this as much as I enjoyed filming it!
My Grandma’s First Lesson
September 19th, 2008 by Lisa | 2 Comments »
Have you ever considered playing piano to be an incredible source of stimuli for your brain?
Are you part of the millions who believe that age affects your brain performance?
Research shows that the very things that you believe are not possible due to mental decay, are actually the very things you should be doing to defy mental decay!
Learning piano is a perfect stimuli to prevent “brain sluggishness” due to it’s unique gradually progressive, and intensely concentrated communication between your brain, your eyes, both hands, all 10 fingers, your feet, calculation of rhythm, isolated muscle pressure, vocalizing and all this with precise execution, simultaneously at exact timed intervals, only split seconds apart. This high intensity lasts throughout an entire song, not to mention all the previous hours of practice!
Give your brain a boost by trying this simple exercise in concentration and memory development. Grab 2 sheets of paper, and enjoy these 5 easy steps:
1. Trace both hands on a sheet of paper making sure your fingers and thumb are pointing straight up. Number the fingers on each hand, starting with the thumb: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. In addition, on the left hand, draw a triangle around the numbers 5, 3, and 1.
2. On another sheet, write 1 2 3 4 5 across the top. Make them large and about an inch apart. Draw a triangle underneath the numbers 1, 3, and 5,
3. Place your right hand over your traced right hand, without touching the paper. While looking at the large numbers 1 2 3 4 5, touch the matching fingers, one at a time, as if you are playing the piano. Try very hard not to look at your fingers.
4. With your left hand, touch the three triangles with the fingers – 5, 3 and 1, simultaneously. Do not let fingers 2 and 4 touch the paper. (Touch close to the triangles, don’t worry if it’s not exact) Touch and release several times for practice. These are called triads.
5. Finally, play this exercise with both hands by playing the 1 2 3 4 5 with your right hand, and with your left hand play the triad at the exact time you see a triangle underneath a right hand number.
Did this exercise keep your concentration level at its peak?
Did your coordination skills feel challenged?
Was your memory forced into action trying to remember which fingers go where and when?
Researchers have concluded that learning to play the piano
develops the part of the brain dedicated to concentration, coordination and memory. The very things we are afraid of losing with age, can be
maintained by simply playing the piano!
Consider giving your brain the stimiuli it needs to maintain it’s optimal performance throughout your life by simply playing the piano.
For more exciting news and easy lessons, visit:
http://www.learnpianoonline.com/welcome.html
September 19th, 2008 by Lisa | 2 Comments »
I received an email from a student who asked a very good question,
and thought I would post the question here, so everyone can benefit from the answer:
Dear Lisa,
I like your method of teaching. It’s all coming back to me from years ago when I took lessons for a couple of years. My only question is if it’s possible with online lessons to learn the correct fingering as you get into more complex pieces? I wouldn’t want to pick up bad habits that would be difficult to unlearn later on.
ANSWERED BY LISA:
I am so glad you asked that. One of my pet peeves is fingering. If you follow my instructions, and not ignore the fingering I teach, you will be just fine. You are responsible when you are teaching yourself to make sure you follow instructions carefully since there is no teacher to actually “see” you and correct you. However, the instructions are thorough, and there are videos as well for you to compare what you are doing with what is supposed to happen.
To find out more about learning piano online, visit:
http://www.learnpianoonline.com/welcome.html
