It’s amazing how much more fun it is to learn about chords and scales on the piano when you’re using a magnetic board, some cool thumbtack-looking magnets, a set of scale blocks, and a piano scale worksheet! After learning how to count the half steps to construct major chords, I called out the name of […]
Worksheets
A Favorite Composition Project for Piano Students
Every spring (for 12 years now!) we launch The Psalms Project in our piano studio. This has proved to be an anticipated and approachable opportunity for students to learn valuable skills related to composition. After selecting a verse (or several) from the book of Psalms in the Bible, we work through a series of steps […]
An Old Plan for a New Year
In addition to starting the New Year with the introduction of the Mini Music Manual, I also wanted to provide some clear structure for students and a way to them to work systematically on their musical progress. Instead of “reinventing the wheel” I pulled out my tried and true Music Progressions Curriculum Guide and decided […]
3 Tips to Turn Students into Music Theory Rockstars – Guest Series by Kristin Jensen
3. Apply it What is the one thing you could do that would best give kids the internal drive to master music theory? Teach them the application. When kids realize that music theory empowers them to create their own fun songs they’ll want to learn everything they can from you. Far too often kids study […]
3 Tips to Turn Students into Music Theory Rockstars – Guest Series by Kristin Jensen
2. Make it social Studying piano can be kind of lonely. Kids practice by themselves. Then they sit in a small room with an “old” teacher who for 30 minutes tells them everything they’re doing wrong. Then they go home and repeat. One reason why so many kids end up choosing sports over piano is […]
3 Tips to Turn Students into Music Theory Rockstars – Guest Series by Kristin Jensen
Now that you know the three steps, let’s dive a little deeper into each one and learn some specific action steps you can take to implement these practices in your studio. Make it fun When I was a student, learning theory meant doing written assignments out of a workbook at home. I always completed my […]
