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Joined: Aug 2006
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OP
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I have never played any instrument in my life and I purchased a digital piano a couple of months ago. I have so far taken 3 lessons and my teacher had me start with the John Thompson's "Easiest Piano Course" Part One and John W. Schaum's "Note Speller" Book One. When my teacher comes here each week, he listens to last weeks assignment, then he asks if I have any questions and then he gives me next weeks assignment. This is usually 2-3 lessons in each book. I still can't read music or do I know where all the notes are on the keyboard. My question then is should I continue lessons or tell my teacher that I would like to hold off on lessons until I can easily and quickly read music and find the correct notes on the keyboard? I figure I could just purchase the next few books from these authors and progress on my own until its time I need help with fingering methods, etc. What are your opinions? Thank you
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Joined: Sep 2006
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Hal Leonard makes a laminated folding card that shows every key and its' picture [ except the lowest and highest octaves] it will help you and only costs a couple of dollars. Look around and try to find a teacher that can teach to your needs and strengths. Good luck, rada www.pianopassions.com
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Joined: Sep 2006
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It's not clear to me how you are managing to get through the lessons. Schaum's Note Speller, sure, but how are you learning the pieces in Thompson series book?
Is your teacher explaining how to read a staff---or did he just give you the books and tell you that you should be learning it yourself? If it's the second, that may be a bad sign. You're paying this person to teach you. Before you decide to quit taking lessons for awhile, tell the teacher that you feel that you need more instruction on music reading. If you don't get what you are asking for, consider trying another teacher.
I had to work through the Note Speller when I was a kid and I remember being bored silly with it. If you decide to teach yourself for awhile or just want some supplementary material, get a copy of the book How To Read Music. It provides a good, clear explanation of music reading and is geared to adults. Most bookstores should have it.
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Joined: Sep 2006
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This was posted elsewhere but seems like it would apply to you:
Originally posted by dk21208: Greg,
Try this web site out. Music Theory
If you look under the trainers drop down menu the note trainer will aid you in note recognition.
Reading music and playing music are two separate skills. Try using the note trainer as a supplement to your typical practice session.
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Joined: Sep 2006
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I see copy and paste didn't retain the link. Here's the site: http://musictheory.net/
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Joined: Oct 2005
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It sounds as if your teacher has not grasped the fact that actually teaching you is part of the job. I suggest a serious chat with the teacher! A
C212. Teaching. Accompaniment.
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Joined: Nov 2005
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Well, either the teacher is not doing a good job or else the teacher thinks you are doing just fine.
When the teacher says, "do you have any questions?", then say, "yes, I am still unsure where all the notes are on the keyboard. Could you help me with this?" (Actually a student typically learns the letter names of all the keys right away but not every written note on the staff. Most beginners would learn the notes on the staff from middle C down to the next C and from middle C up to the next C at first as most beginner music starts out with only these notes.
Perhaps before each lesson, write down some questions you have based on what the teacher hasn't answered for you. Then when he asks say, "as a matter of fact . . . " and pull out your list of questions.
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Joined: Aug 2006
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Schaum Notespeller tells you the letter names of notes on a staff ...
John Thompsons offers a good progression on the application of note-reading on the keyboard ....
I'm not surprised that you are confused and feeling apprehensive because you have yet to see the application of schaum on the keyboard ...
There's nothing wrong with the materials being used .... however, a lot of supplementary explanation ought to be done ....
In the first lesson - before even going into any materials ... like sarabande dictated - you should be taught to recognize all the white keys .... i employ 2 black keys - CDE, 3 black keys - FGAB ... and randomly check if you could tell the white keys ... oh yes, fingerings too - just to make sure you aren't a patient of finger agnosia ....
Then the staff and its positions ... then the clefs ... only then note reading would be productive ... for instance, when i point to a note ... and my student shouts out F ... i would then ask ... why F ... and she intelligently answers because; that's treble clef, space 1 ... so forth and so on ... i would then prompt her to show me the exact position (on 88 keys) ....
Also, if your teacher were to employ nemonics to help you remember notes; e.g : every good boy does fine ... you'll have to practice treble clef EGBDF on the keyboard 15 times per sitting employing RH finger 12345 ... nicely curved and lifted up as high as possible before striking each and every note "therapeutically" ...
All in all ... tell your teacher ... you need to see, hear and touch APPLICATION of all knowledge learnt ...
By the way, this brings to another thorny issue that i've been wanting to get off my chest for a long long time ... there are many teachers out there who are NOT experienced/educated/good enough to "manipulate" the books purchased ... they simply follow the system through and through ... you might as well teach yourself !!! Why waste 20 dollars per half hour ???
And there are many customers/parents out there who don't see why an experienced/good teacher would charge 30 or more per half hour ... it's not only because they are teaching on a grand piano with a solid reputation - it's because they really have something - i call it "human expertise" to offer !!!
Lack of application is the porblem i can deduce from what you have written so far ...
Good luck ...
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Joined: Aug 2006
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OP
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Some more info. The teacher comes to my house and it costs $28.00 for a 30 minute lesson. He is a member of the NYS Music Teachers Assoc.and the Music Teachers National Assoc. and has been teaching locally since 1973. He claims he has about 50 students ranging in age from 4-85 years old. He also plays at a couple of churches on the weekends and other gigs. I also notice that he advertises just about every week in the local Pennysaver for new students. So far I have purchased Alfred's Adult All-In-One Course and the Piano Handbook by Carl Humphries, both of which I saw were recommended on the Adult beginners forum. I figure I can try and teach myself for a while then when I need help, I can call the teacher for lessons. I just wonder if he will be insulted that I want to learn the basics on my own.
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Joined: Sep 2006
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Don't worry about insulting the teacher. People do get pushed out of shape sometimes but it's not like he's giving you lessons for free. You're paying him so it's a business relationship. If you hired a painter and you didn't like the job he was doing, you'd hire somebody else. No reason why you should treat a music teacher any differently.
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
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