| Playing the piano is a wonderful activity for | | | | piano keys are hot! Analogies are wonderful for |
| children because it not only provides hours of fun | | | | helping students break through the mechanics of |
| for kids, it utilizes all of the human creative | | | | piano and bring the music to life in an interesting |
| processes. These include Seeing (visualization), | | | | and creative way.Inverting - "How would this look |
| Observing, Forming Analogies, Inverting, and | | | | if I turned it upside down?"Inverting affects |
| Simplification. Effective piano lessons apply | | | | perspective as well by turning things upside down, |
| teaching strategies that utilize these processes to | | | | or by taking them to extremes. Einstein did this |
| exercise students' creative abilities and expand | | | | when he obsessed over a beam of light and |
| their potential. Below are some examples of how | | | | discovered his theory of relativity. Like his theory |
| this happens.Visualization - "What would it look | | | | of relativity, many things are hidden beyond our |
| like if I could do it?"Visualization is probably the | | | | understanding as they're counter-intuitive to the |
| most difficult creative skill to develop. Having a | | | | logic of our first assumptions. I don't pretend to |
| keyboard in the imagination, however, gives a | | | | understand Einstein's theory, but I know that |
| powerful boost to students' playing ability. So it's | | | | Einstein also loved music and that many of the |
| worth it to work at developing this creative | | | | piano techniques students need to play well are |
| application. Here's a way young piano students can | | | | indeed counter-intuitive. That's why students may |
| begin to literally draw on their mind's "eye".The | | | | resist them at first.One way to break through our |
| piano has groups of two and three black keys. | | | | natural logic and bring other possibilities into view is |
| There are three white keys around each group of | | | | by asking,What would this look like if I turned it |
| two black keys. Students close their eyes and | | | | upside down?Here's a creative suggestion I give |
| pretend to draw, for example, two very large | | | | students for polishing a recital piece when they'e |
| black keys in the air. Asking questions like these | | | | having difficulty with the last section of a longer |
| helps kids begin to see the keyboard in their | | | | piece of music.Play it backwards! Like this.Play the |
| mind.Can you see the white key on the left of | | | | last measure. Then play the last two measures, |
| the two black keys? It's a C. Can you see the | | | | the last three, the last four, etc., all the way back |
| one on the right? It's an E. Can you see the white | | | | to the beginning. Then play the song all the way |
| key in the middle of the two black keys? It's a | | | | through and see how it has improved. |
| D.Over time visualization techniques help students | | | | This is a great way for students to more |
| develop a keyboard in their imaginations and begin | | | | thoroughly learn a piece of music.Simplifying - "I've |
| to read notes as locations on the piano, | | | | seen this some place before?"Simplifying can yield |
| interpreting the Grand Staff as a Map of the | | | | creative solutions to difficult challenges by |
| keyboard. In addition to hearing visualization is an | | | | eliminating what is unnecessary. Ever try too |
| important part of learning scales, chords, and | | | | hard? Here's a tip. Sometimes less is more. Before |
| playing and interpreting music.Once students begin | | | | trying to re-invent the wheel, look back through |
| to develop their visualization muscles they can | | | | history to see where this problem has been |
| apply this creative skill to see the possibilities and | | | | solved before by someone else, or by you.Piano |
| imagine solutions in other areas of their life and | | | | students can do this by asking,Where have I seen |
| education by asking,What would a solution to this | | | | this in music before?How did I play it then?What |
| challenge look like?Observation - "Eureka! I've | | | | strategy can I use to break this down and make |
| never noticed that before!" Observation is about | | | | it easier?What playing strategies has my piano |
| carefully noticing the little things to find similarities | | | | teacher shown me that I can apply here?Is there |
| and differences. For example, the difference | | | | a book I could read to find out what other |
| between staccato and legato marks, or accents | | | | pianists have tried.As a piano teacher I want to |
| and tenutos, and listening to observe the | | | | follow a creative plan that simplifies learning and |
| differences. Piano students use their observational | | | | achieves more positive results faster, even if I |
| skills when they ask questions like these.How are | | | | have to turn things up-side-down! And I have! Just |
| these notes the same? How are they different? | | | | as piano lessons for children increase their overall |
| Hey, is that a triplet or three eighth notes? Is this | | | | educational progress, the reverse is also true! |
| melody the same or new? Is it repeated | | | | Literature, visual arts, and sciences can help |
| anywhere in the music?Piano students use the | | | | children in piano lessons achieve their musical |
| creative process of observation just as scientists | | | | goals.That's why I wrote the Piano Adventure |
| do to find surprises in nature that were always | | | | Bears Stories - To help piano students expand |
| there, waiting to be discovered, and by | | | | their creative potential. These beautifully illustrated |
| experimenting with different techniques and | | | | books use language, art and science to help kids in |
| expressive ideas to find what works best in | | | | piano see the possibilities, avoid frustrations, and |
| different styles of music.Analogies - "How Can I | | | | create a plan for achieving their piano dreams.My |
| Gain Perspective/Change Perspective?"Analogies | | | | stories use all of the foundational creative skills I |
| are helpful for gaining or changing perspective, and | | | | discussed above and more, because they feature |
| for making us laugh! Here are some examples of | | | | the loveable and endearing characters Mrs. Treble |
| how analogies provide learning aids for young | | | | Beary and her passionate, new student, Albeart |
| piano students. To play legato, pretend your | | | | Littlebud, who everyone calls Little Bear. You'll |
| fingers are an eeeentsy-weeensty spider. Curve | | | | enjoy the time you spend reading these stories |
| the spider's legs and walk your fingers on the | | | | with your children as they laugh and learn from |
| piano keys. To play staccato notes, imagine the | | | | Little Bear's Piano Adventures. |