All About Choosing Piano Schools And Teachers

[Imami]

jedamum:

Not first lesson for us.

Can't remember but we did twinkle by ourselves after three lessons

By yourselves? Like buy book and do it yourselves?

I have some books with simple pieces. But erm, I unnoticed how to read the notes and hence I can't teach/guide my son.... :oops:

[phankao]

Imami:

phankao:

[quote=\"Imami\"]Normally, how soon would teachers get the students to play simple stuff

like twinkle twinkle little star(no left hand)?

Not at the first lesson ? My 2yo went through that at his first lesson.

Aiya, Phankao, my boy is not a music whiz kid like yours la! I say it sincerely and in good spirit ok?

The first lesson got played twinkle twinkle little star but it's the teacher played, not my son!

Serious, your little boy at 2yo was taught to play that song at the first lesson? Wah... :scared: really talented....[/quote]
For right hand only, including a simple 5 finger exercise. He wasn't just 2yo. He was 2yrs 11mths' old. haha! Nearly 3yo already by then.

[jedamum]

Imami:

jedamum:

Not first lesson for us.

Can't remember but we did twinkle by ourselves after three lessons

By yourselves? Like buy book and do it yourselves?

I have some books with simple pieces. But erm, I unnoticed how to read the notes and hence I can't teach/guide my son.... :oops:

i scout around the internet for free pieces.
i also bought second hand books from one of the mummy here plus a friend passed some of her dd's old books to me.
the twinkle was from online website.
it is very simple right hand...i play by ear; simple pieces.
just to get the kid interested.

[jedamum]

Imami,

my son is average learner.
i also no piano background; find it difficult to pick up notes reading no matter how hard my son teaches me now...i can only memorise the position...sometimes try to play with him different octaves to keep him interested.

i picked out some fun and simple pieces from here.

http://makingmusicfun.net/htm/printit_piano_sheet_music_index.htm

have fun.

[Imami]

phankao:

For right hand only, including a simple 5 finger exercise. He wasn't just 2yo. He was 2yrs 11mths' old. haha! Nearly 3yo already by then.

still very fast, Phankao, even if we consider him as 3yo. When mine was 3yo, i wouldnt even consider putting him into one to one piano class. not ready la... Even now, at 5.5yo, the teacher had to remind him numbers times - place left hand on lap, sit properly, both feet on the stool etc.

Not putting him down unnecessarily or being humble, but I am pretty sure my boy won't go far and/or fast in music.

[Imami]

jedamum:

Imami:

[quote=\"jedamum\"]Not first lesson for us.

Can't remember but we did twinkle by ourselves after three lessons

By yourselves? Like buy book and do it yourselves?

I have some books with simple pieces. But erm, I unnoticed how to read the notes and hence I can't teach/guide my son.... :oops:

i scout around the internet for free pieces.
i also bought second hand books from one of the mummy here plus a friend passed some of her dd's old books to me.
the twinkle was from online website.
it is very simple right hand...i play by ear; simple pieces.
just to get the kid interested. :)[/quote]I am curious jedamum, don't the teacher ask u to buy books or something? I was asked to buy 3 books at the first lesson. Theory made easy and piano made easy, both by Lina ng. The third book, cant remember the title. I opened the piano made easy book, browsed a few pages and then closed. I catch no ball.

Hence, it hadn't occurred to me to find something suitable from the Internet.

When u say \"play by ear\", means u listen to the sound of each key and figure out which key to press? If yes, that's what I do too.

[Imami]

jedamum:

Imami,

my son is average learner.
i also no piano background; find it difficult to pick up notes reading no matter how hard my son teaches me now...i can only memorise the position...sometimes try to play with him different octaves to keep him interested.

i picked out some fun and simple pieces from here.

http://makingmusicfun.net/htm/printit_piano_sheet_music_index.htm

have fun.

Jedamum, then we can high five :hi5: same like you - I tend to believe my son would be an average learner and I hv no piano background. Totally zero. But I believe the exposure and accidental nurturing helps.

How old is your son and at which grade is he now? The fact that he can teach u means he's learning has taken off and showing results already (I take it like that). My son is still depending on me to do his fingering correctly, to find his \"c\" etc.

[jedamum]

Imami:

I am curious jedamum, don't the teacher ask u to buy books or something? I was asked to buy 3 books at the first lesson. Theory made easy and piano made easy, both by Lina ng. The third book, cant remember the title. I opened the piano made easy book, browsed a few pages and then closed. I catch no ball.

Hence, it hadn't occurred to me to find something suitable from the Internet.

When u say \"play by ear\", means u listen to the sound of each key and figure out which key to press? If yes, that's what I do too.

yes. we got one practical and one theory book on the first lesson.
but didnt want the kid to practice the same piece 5 days a week, so turned to online easy pieces and other publications with managable pieces for variety.
yes...once i can get the first key correct, i 'step up or step down' (right hand only as i cannot coordinate both hands :oops: )

[jedamum]

Imami:

Jedamum, then we can high five :hi5: same like you - I tend to believe my son would be an average learner and I hv no piano background. Totally zero. But I believe the exposure and accidental nurturing helps.

How old is your son and at which grade is he now? The fact that he can teach u means he's learning has taken off and showing results already (I take it like that). My son is still depending on me to do his fingering correctly, to find his \"c\" etc.

he is a year-end kid, started 3rd quarter K1; so before his 5yo birthday.
he is fortunate to learn simple keyboard as part of music lesson in his preschool so took off from there after noticing that he remembered what was taught in class.
he just received his grade 1 results; meaning he took 2 years from grade 'zero' to clearing grade 1 - was told that was the average, though i feel a bit slow - he spent 10months on his grade 1 pieces...ready to throw away the book at the end of the test :oops: . it is the getting him to prac the same song over again that is getting to us....just like he learnt a new song last saturday (not difficult as it is a catchy kids song, not classical), sunday he worked out both hands, monday morning he put them together very well and then poof! his interest waned in the evening (we did 2x15min today) - he then didnt want to look at the score any more, and play purely by memory with mistakes, and discontinuity and own timing and add in own notes and pedal and mix in other pieces...anything but sticking to the score requirements. :slapshead:

pm-ed you.

[Dreamaurora]

jedamum:

Imami:

Jedamum, then we can high five :hi5: same like you - I tend to believe my son would be an average learner and I hv no piano background. Totally zero. But I believe the exposure and accidental nurturing helps.

How old is your son and at which grade is he now? The fact that he can teach u means he's learning has taken off and showing results already (I take it like that). My son is still depending on me to do his fingering correctly, to find his \"c\" etc.

he is a year-end kid, started 3rd quarter K1; so before his 5yo birthday.
he is fortunate to learn simple keyboard as part of music lesson in his preschool so took off from there after noticing that he remembered what was taught in class.
he just received his grade 1 results; meaning he took 2 years from grade 'zero' to clearing grade 1 - was told that was the average, though i feel a bit slow - he spent 10months on his grade 1 pieces...ready to throw away the book at the end of the test :oops: . it is the getting him to prac the same song over again that is getting to us....just like he learnt a new song last saturday (not difficult as it is a catchy kids song, not classical), sunday he worked out both hands, monday morning he put them together very well and then poof! his interest waned in the evening (we did 2x15min today) - he then didnt want to look at the score any more, and play purely by memory with mistakes, and discontinuity and own timing and add in own notes and pedal and mix in other pieces...anything but sticking to the score requirements. :slapshead:

pm-ed you.

Hmm, 10 months for grade 1 pieces are way too long. Moving on, I think if another exam is attemted the pieces are going to get harder and if the same trend continues, this will kill your son's interest. You might want to check if the teacher goes through sight-reading, aural, etc on a regular basis. Like I mentioned before, students often learn slowly because their foundation is weak.

The way your son practices is common among many young children, that is why the teacher needs to be specific in what is to be practiced during the week.