Mabelen Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 I have been researching piano programs for my 5 yo dd. There are two programs that I am particularly leaning towards: My First Piano Adventures and Kinderbach. I read in several threads dated one year back or so that some of you were planning to use My First Piano Adventures. I am wondering how things are going so far. I went to their website and it looks like it is a great program. My only concern is whether the support is enough for someone whose only piano experience is as a Suzuki method parent to my oldest. I got as far as the beginning of Book 2 and I am not musical. I guess I could have my 13 yo help me out if I get stuck, but wouldn't like to have to entirely rely on her all the time! At this time I can only afford to pay for piano lessons for my oldest, so I thought I should give it a try myself with my 5 yo. Kinderbach seems to be very non musical parent friendly, as I believe their DVDs do pretty much the work for you. The con is cost but also I am not sure whether the student will come out as well prepared as with My First Piano Adventures. What has been your experience so far? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted October 12, 2009 Author Share Posted October 12, 2009 I am bumping this thread hoping somebody will be able to help me out. I would love to purchase either program soon. Yesterday my dd caught me watching one of the Faber videos and she wanted us to start right away! This, from the kid that said she didn't want to take piano, is quite a statement, so I really would like to start soon now that she is so excited! :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Well I think I'm going to get Kinderbach for my ds 5.5 because I think he will enjoy watching it on TV and using and electronic keyboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 I didn't answer because we have just started it. But my dds are doing Kinderbach in their co-op. I can't say how far the lessons go, or how much they will learn, because I have never even seen the program, besides sitting in on the lessons in the class w/them. But, for a 5 yr old I think it is complete and fine. It does the lessons completely on the DVD. I can follow and help the teacher fine, and I have never even seen the teacher's manual (if there is one??) That is my only experience, and we are on about lesson 4 now I think. So it is not much. :) But my girls like it so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 I never looked at My First Piano Adventures, but Ariel did Kinderbach and loved it. She actually liked it so much she finished in about 4 months. (The regular pace takes 60 weeks to get through the curriculum.) All the lessons are done either via the computer or DVD (we used the online version because it was cheaper) . I feel it gave her a solid base, she actually takes piano lessons with a group of 6 and 7 year olds now and is ahead of them. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 I didn't answer because we have just started it. But my dds are doing Kinderbach in their co-op. I can't say how far the lessons go, or how much they will learn, because I have never even seen the program, besides sitting in on the lessons in the class w/them. But, for a 5 yr old I think it is complete and fine. It does the lessons completely on the DVD. I can follow and help the teacher fine, and I have never even seen the teacher's manual (if there is one??) That is my only experience, and we are on about lesson 4 now I think. So it is not much. :) But my girls like it so far. So how does a co-op class using this look? I'm thinking of joining a co-op next yr that requires mom's to teach something and that might be something I could do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixglides Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 My daughter started in Faber, but she was a bit older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted October 13, 2009 Author Share Posted October 13, 2009 I think I am going to prepare a couple of lessons of both methods and decide which one she likes and responds to better. I don't mind spending the money if that's what it takes, but I would hate spending the money if there is an equally good program for less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted October 13, 2009 Author Share Posted October 13, 2009 My daughter started in Faber, but she was a bit older. How old was your daughter when you started her? Did you start her with My first Piano Adventures or a different level? And most important, how do you both like it? :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Do you have to start your dd now? Five is definitely on the young side, and unless she's demanding lessons and at the piano on her own every day, could you wait until she's 6 or 7 and you can afford lessons for her and/or your eldest could start teaching her? I get rather nervous in this situation because if she gets serious with it, it is very difficult for a teacher to help her unlearn any bad habits she picks up. There are just so many things involved in learning to play the piano. If you need to do an instrument, I always think it's better to self teach the recorder and then move to another instrument later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted October 13, 2009 Author Share Posted October 13, 2009 Do you have to start your dd now? Five is definitely on the young side, and unless she's demanding lessons and at the piano on her own every day, could you wait until she's 6 or 7 and you can afford lessons for her and/or your eldest could start teaching her? I get rather nervous in this situation because if she gets serious with it, it is very difficult for a teacher to help her unlearn any bad habits she picks up. There are just so many things involved in learning to play the piano. If you need to do an instrument, I always think it's better to self teach the recorder and then move to another instrument later. What kind of bad habits are you thinking of? If it is about hand, wrist position, fingering and such, I think my Suzuki parent experience will be of help. I have observed several years of piano lessons with my oldest that I know what to do in this regard. It is my own music reading abilities and music theory I am not so sure about. I only got as far as piece 4 in Suzuki Book 2 and I was about to finish Method Rose for music reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 What kind of bad habits are you thinking of? If it is about hand, wrist position, fingering and such, I think my Suzuki parent experience will be of help. I have observed several years of piano lessons with my oldest that I know what to do in this regard. It is my own music reading abilities and music theory I am not so sure about. I only got as far as piece 4 in Suzuki Book 2 and I was about to finish Method Rose for music reading. What you mentioned is part of it, and if you have experience with that, that certainly helps. Music theory can be taught better later, so that's not as urgent. But since every student is different, your dd may have things come up that never came up with your ds that are more subtle, etc. Mainly, though, I think 5 is on the young side for starting lessons, and most of the time there is no benefit to starting at 5 over 7. If you're concerned about ear development, which is better done early, there are other things you can do for that. The most important thing done early is development of the ear, for which piano lessons aren't necessary. The reasons to start early are if a child is begging to take lessons and has the ability to sit long enough. Unless a child is very gifted, a child who starts at 5 and a child who starts at 7 or 8 will be at the same level by around 12. Very gifted students still end up ahead of their peers most of the time, even if they start later, and they're less likely to burn out. That said, I can't suggest any of those methods, because the very best method I know of, bar none, for teaching kids how to read music is Music Pathways. It teaches direction and hand position along with recognizing the patterns on the piano first (clusters moving up and down with the music), then basic rhythm, then basic intervals (but no staff yet so that kids don't associate certain keys and/or notes with certain fingers), etc, etc. I'm not sure how easy that would be for you to teach. It took me a while to get used to it, because I grew up with more traditional methods of learning to read music. You could try it, because it has diagrams for where to start and you could learn to read music along with your dd. If you get this, you need the Discoveries (method) book for sure, but I recommend getting the Activities (theory) and Solos books in addition. The Solos book gives more to practice for each lesson. There are only a couple of things you may have trouble figuring out, but since they're notated at the bottom, your eldest could help you with that. Do everything, including the you the composer exercises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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