All About Music For Beginners & Selecting Instruments

[bgmum]

Dreamaurora:

bgmum:

How does one improve on strengthening the 4th and 5th fingers for piano playing? Are there specific technical exercises for this? Thanks!

For lower grades there are plenty of technical exercises by Hanon, Czerny, Bastien, Burgmuller, Gurlitt, etc that focus on 5 finger patterns.

I have to stress that it is not a good idea to attempt technical exercises without any teacher's guidance as students may learn to play them with the wrong technique instead; so best consult the teacher.

Thanks for replying. I'm aware of technical exercises by Hanon and Czerny, but am wondering if there are other ways targeted to help strengthen the 4th/5th fingers in particular. I find these are the weakest fingers to play and control, even for older children.

[Dreamaurora]

bgmum:

Thanks for replying. I'm aware of technical exercises by Hanon and Czerny, but am wondering if there are other ways targeted to help strengthen the 4th/5th fingers in particular. I find these are the weakest fingers to play and control, even for older children.

I practiced a lot of trill exercises for 4/5 fingers to acquire strength (and also trill exercises for other fingers), particularly those by Joseffy. Dohnanyi and Brahms also has written trill studies for 4/5 fingers in their exercises book. These exercises are extremely boring to practice, if you want Czerny can take a look at 899 No 22.

[bgmum]

Dreamaurora:

bgmum:

Thanks for replying. I'm aware of technical exercises by Hanon and Czerny, but am wondering if there are other ways targeted to help strengthen the 4th/5th fingers in particular. I find these are the weakest fingers to play and control, even for older children.

I practiced a lot of trill exercises for 4/5 fingers to acquire strength (and also trill exercises for other fingers), particularly those by Joseffy. Dohnanyi and Brahms also has written trill studies for 4/5 fingers in their exercises book. These exercises are extremely boring to practice, if you want Czerny can take a look at 899 No 22.

Thanks for the advice. Will check out your suggestions.

[Dreamaurora]

My mistake. The trill exercise is from czerny op 849 no 22; didn’t have the book with me when I typed the reply. (thank you peanut_butter for pointing out to me).

[bgmum]

Dreamaurora:

My mistake. The trill exercise is from czerny op 849 no 22; didn't have the book with me when I typed the reply. (thank you peanut_butter for pointing out to me).

Noted thanks.

[phtthp]

A) if a child started playing piano as first musical instrument at k2, when is a good time to introduce violin next?


B) if another child started playing violin as first musical instrument at k2, when is
A good time to introduce piano next?

[metz]

phtthp:

A) if a child started playing piano as first musical instrument at k2, when is a good time to introduce violin next?


B) if another child started playing violin as first musical instrument at k2, when is
A good time to introduce piano next?

Perhaps there's never a good time?

Both my kids started on learning 2 instruments when they were preschoolers. They started on violin lessons first and took piano lessons 4~6 months later. No definite time on when they should start on a second instrument.

They started off on violin first because of my elder kid's interest and also because I knew of a good violin teacher. As they were learning violin the Suzuki style, I thought learning piano would help them on sight reading and theory.

Basically, for my kids, I went along with their interests first, followed by their abilities to handle the instrument before letting them take on a second instrument.

One important consideration is the parents' time and commitment to help out with their learning journey. For myself, the journey (so far) has been rather pleasant as taking abrsm exams isn't my main objective for them.

[Libratigger]

Dear Mummies and Daddies,


I would like to seek your valuable advice as to the first step in introducing my DS music. He is currently 2.5 yo. There are a so many centers offering music courses for young children and I clueless on which centers to chose from? Basically it will be a starting place for him to learn rhythm and scores or basic fundaments to music and progress to chose an instrument for him to learn. As I do not have the privilege to learnt any music before, so I do not know what to look out for in the selection process. Bt I do know the school should inculcate in him the love for music and provide a gd foundation to move on thereafter.

TIA

[Dreamaurora]

Libratigger:

Dear Mummies and Daddies,


I would like to seek your valuable advice as to the first step in introducing my DS music. He is currently 2.5 yo. There are a so many centers offering music courses for young children and I clueless on which centers to chose from? Basically it will be a starting place for him to learn rhythm and scores or basic fundaments to music and progress to chose an instrument for him to learn. As I do not have the privilege to learnt any music before, so I do not know what to look out for in the selection process. Bt I do know the school should inculcate in him the love for music and provide a gd foundation to move on thereafter.

TIA

I think the most important is whoever is conducting the class must be patient and can connect with the children at their level. You should request to sit in to observe or a trial.

[Justdoit]

Dear all


Any recommendation of a good piano school for 6years old? I only know of Yamaha music school, but are they good and not too commercialised?