misidawnrn Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I am going to attempt to teach DD-7 the piano. I got some great books from a fellow WTM'er and a piano keyboard from my sister who bought a real piano for her DD. I have DD playing the notes on the first book right now. Has anyone else taught their child to play the piano if you don't play yourself? I can play Peter Pumpkin Eater:001_smile: and Twinkle Twinkle:D. I would like her to take lessons but I want to give her the basics first and see if she is really interested in it before I dish out $75.00 a month for lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaAkins Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I am going to attempt to teach DD-7 the piano. I got some great books from a fellow WTM'er and a piano keyboard from my sister who bought a real piano for her DD. I have DD playing the notes on the first book right now. Has anyone else taught their child to play the piano if you don't play yourself? I can play Peter Pumpkin Eater:001_smile: and Twinkle Twinkle:D. I would like her to take lessons but I want to give her the basics first and see if she is really interested in it before I dish out $75.00 a month for lessons. I'm doing the same thing here with my 7 year old! I just ordered the first 4 books from Pianimals and hope to teach her some basics on our keyboard so we can determine if she's interested enough to warrant the cost of "real" lessons! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Just a word of warning - in our house the early weeks of practice (with a weekly real piano lesson) were hardly "fun." (However, piano is not optional in our house.) Three years later and some of them are playing quite nicely; still, around here, no matter how much they enjoy it, they need incentives to practice, such as no using the computer until piano practice is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zillymom Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I'm a piano teacher, and if you want a method that really helps you along as the teacher, the Faber's Piano Adventures series is really great. There are plenty of easy-to-understand instructions on each page, it introduces new ideas slowly (but not too slow!), everything is spelled out very clearly. The lessons in each book line up with each other, and there are page numbers in the margins to help you know which page you should work on in the other books (lesson, theory, performance, etc.). If you don't play piano, the technique book would probably be useful (as a pianist, I skip it and just teach technique independently). :001_smile: Oh, and for anyone with kids ages 5-6, they have My First Piano Adventure which is a lot of fun. I hear a lot of great things about Alfred's Music for Little Mozarts, too, but I haven't looked into it much. I might when my DD is a bit older, though. (This series is for 4-6 year olds but I figured I'd mention it in case others with younger children come to this thread) Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougarmom4 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 The Piano Adventures website also has music lessons online--not necessarily teaching your child, but demonstrating to the teachers how to do it. I play the piano, but when I was first starting out with lessons, it was really helpful to watch someone else do the same lesson for me. http://faberpiano.com/guide/contents.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I did pretty much the same thing for my 15yo. I started her off with Alfred (the adult course, since she's 15yo). We got to a point where I couldn't take her any further, so I found a piano teacher for her. The piano teacher has switched her to Piano Adventures and that is working MUCH better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwka Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Music teacher comes to you: School of Classical Music Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 All my now teens started with Alfred's Music for Little Mozarts. I plan to start teaching my 6yo this summer using their books/CDs. It's lots of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tearose Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I have taught piano in the past, and I would be hesitant if I were you. My worry would be picking up bad habits in terms of hand position, technique, etc.--especially considering that you are not very experienced. I started when I was quite young with a teacher who didn't correct my technique enough, and I basically started over with a good teacher two years later. Bad technique can be a hard habit to break, in my opinion. Assuming that you have a good teaching, I'd shell out the money to have her learn properly from the start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misidawnrn Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 The Piano Adventures website also has music lessons online--not necessarily teaching your child, but demonstrating to the teachers how to do it. I play the piano, but when I was first starting out with lessons, it was really helpful to watch someone else do the same lesson for me. http://faberpiano.com/guide/contents.html Wow, that is great! Thanks a million for that link. I watched the first 2 sections tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I have taught piano in the past, and I would be hesitant if I were you. My worry would be picking up bad habits in terms of hand position, technique, etc.--especially considering that you are not very experienced. I started when I was quite young with a teacher who didn't correct my technique enough, and I basically started over with a good teacher two years later. Bad technique can be a hard habit to break, in my opinion. Assuming that you have a good teaching, I'd shell out the money to have her learn properly from the start. Yup. This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyHandsAreFull Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 How do we find somebody good who isn't going to teach bad habits? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zillymom Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 How do we find somebody good who isn't going to teach bad habits? Your local chapter of Music Teachers National Association (http://www.mtna.org) is a good place to start. You're in California, right? Try the state chapter's website to find info on the chapter closest to you: http://www.capmt.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyHandsAreFull Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skadi Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 If you're Apple people, check out the tutorials with GarageBand. If you have a newer Mac, it's free -- if not, it's worth the $$$. Here's a review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Even if you don't want to teach her yourself to actually put her hands on the piano (if you are afraid of teaching poor technique), you could start teaching her how to read music, if she is interested. If she can get the notes' place on the staff memorized, and understand the timing of whole, half and quarter notes/rests in 4/4 time through clapping it out, she'll be off to a good start. The Music Ace CD-ROMs are great for this, and I'm sure there are other programs as well. I'm not trying to steer you against the flow of what the experienced teachers here are saying. However, IF your dd is truly interested, there are ways to get started before you're ready to commit to a full schedule and budget of professional piano instruction. JMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula in MS Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I am a piano teacher as well, but my advice is a little different. Obviously, you would be better off with a professional piano teacher, but you can't do that right now. (My daughter would obviously fare better with a Spanish and Latin tutor instead of me, but I can't do that yet either.):001_smile: I think you can do a good job teaching her yourself with the proper materials (up to a point, obviously.). I would recommend Alfred Premier Piano course. It teaches like Faber piano adventures. Make sure you buy the PREMIER course. Their other courses are not as good. What I like about these books is that there are technique books for the early levels with detailed pictures showing correct technique. This could help you quite a bit. I'm not sure if piano adventures has technique books or not, but it is a very good curriculum as well. Just go for it. If she transfers to a professional teacher later, the teacher can fix bad technique. I get transfers from other piano teachers who have to relearn things all the time.:lol: Paula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetBean Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I would like her to take lessons but I want to give her the basics first and see if she is really interested in it before I dish out $75.00 a month for lessons. You are getting some good advice. I just can't get over that price. $75.00/month? I am currently paying that much per one hour lesson for two children! I will say that we had a less expensive piano teacher prior to this one, but we were getting what we paid for. We reached a point that the kids were picking out their own pieces, and the teacher was not really prepared to help them. I would strongly suggest that you ask around for teacher recommendations. Do you have any friends whose children are playing very well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zillymom Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I think you can do a good job teaching her yourself with the proper materials (up to a point, obviously.). I would recommend Alfred Premier Piano course. It teaches like Faber piano adventures. Make sure you buy the PREMIER course. Their other courses are not as good. What I like about these books is that there are technique books for the early levels with detailed pictures showing correct technique. This could help you quite a bit. Ohhh I haven't looked into Alfred in a ridiculously long time, I'll have to check out the Premier course! I've been teaching out of PA for so long, I'm kind of getting bored with it, you know? I'm not sure if piano adventures has technique books or not, but it is a very good curriculum as well. Yep, they do! It sounds like they are a lot like the Alfred you mentioned above (with pictures showing correct technique and such). Just go for it. If she transfers to a professional teacher later, the teacher can fix bad technique. I get transfers from other piano teachers who have to relearn things all the time.:lol: :lol: I totally agree! Melissa, a quick tip on technique since you won't have a teacher at first - it really just needs to be natural and relaxed. I have all of my students do a quick little exercise that I learned from a fellow piano teacher (and this works with my flutists and harpists, too - and I have a friend who teaches all of the woodwinds who does this very same thing). When sitting, rest your hands on your knees (palms on the kneecaps). Now, simply lift both hands up off of your knees. See that natural, relaxed curve of your hands/fingers? That's your basic hand position right there. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto3innc Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 What great ideas! I was just going to ask this question myself (although I do play a little...just not in a while). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I have taught piano in the past, and I would be hesitant if I were you. My worry would be picking up bad habits in terms of hand position, technique, etc.--especially considering that you are not very experienced. I started when I was quite young with a teacher who didn't correct my technique enough, and I basically started over with a good teacher two years later. Bad technique can be a hard habit to break, in my opinion. Assuming that you have a good teaching, I'd shell out the money to have her learn properly from the start. Yep, I wouldn't teach my kids an instrument I didn't know very, very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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