| Playing the piano is a wonderful activity for | | | | life in an interesting and creative |
| children because it not only provides hours | | | | way.Inverting - "How would this look if I |
| of fun for kids, it utilizes all of the human | | | | turned it upside down?"Inverting affects |
| creative processes. These include Seeing | | | | perspective as well by turning things upside |
| (visualization), Observing, Forming | | | | down, or by taking them to extremes. Einstein |
| Analogies, Inverting, and Simplification. | | | | did this when he obsessed over a beam of |
| Effective piano lessons apply teaching | | | | light and discovered his theory of |
| strategies that utilize these processes to | | | | relativity. Like his theory of relativity, |
| exercise students' creative abilities and | | | | many things are hidden beyond our |
| expand their potential. Below are some | | | | understanding as they're counter-intuitive to |
| examples of how this happens.Visualization - | | | | the logic of our first assumptions. I don't |
| "What would it look like if I could do | | | | pretend to understand Einstein's theory, but |
| it?"Visualization is probably the most | | | | I know that Einstein also loved music and |
| difficult creative skill to develop. Having a | | | | that many of the piano techniques students |
| keyboard in the imagination, however, gives a | | | | need to play well are indeed |
| powerful boost to students' playing ability. | | | | counter-intuitive. That's why students may |
| So it's worth it to work at developing this | | | | resist them at first.One way to break through |
| creative application. Here's a way young | | | | our natural logic and bring other |
| piano students can begin to literally draw on | | | | possibilities into view is by asking,What |
| their mind's "eye".The piano has groups of | | | | would this look like if I turned it upside |
| two and three black keys. There are three | | | | down?Here's a creative suggestion I give |
| white keys around each group of two black | | | | students for polishing a recital piece when |
| keys. Students close their eyes and pretend | | | | they'e having difficulty with the last |
| to draw, for example, two very large black | | | | section of a longer piece of music.Play it |
| keys in the air. Asking questions like these | | | | backwards! Like this.Play the last measure. |
| helps kids begin to see the keyboard in their | | | | Then play the last two measures, the last |
| mind.Can you see the white key on the left of | | | | three, the last four, etc., all the way back |
| the two black keys? It's a C. Can you see the | | | | to the beginning. Then play the song all the |
| one on the right? It's an E. Can you see the | | | | way through and see how it has improved. |
| white key in the middle of the two black | | | | |
| keys? It's a D.Over time visualization | | | | This is a great way for students to more |
| techniques help students develop a keyboard | | | | thoroughly learn a piece of music.Simplifying |
| in their imaginations and begin to read notes | | | | - "I've seen this some place |
| as locations on the piano, interpreting the | | | | before?"Simplifying can yield creative |
| Grand Staff as a Map of the keyboard. In | | | | solutions to difficult challenges by |
| addition to hearing visualization is an | | | | eliminating what is unnecessary. Ever try too |
| important part of learning scales, chords, | | | | hard? Here's a tip. Sometimes less is more. |
| and playing and interpreting music.Once | | | | Before trying to re-invent the wheel, look |
| students begin to develop their visualization | | | | back through history to see where this |
| muscles they can apply this creative skill to | | | | problem has been solved before by someone |
| see the possibilities and imagine solutions | | | | else, or by you.Piano students can do this by |
| in other areas of their life and education by | | | | asking,Where have I seen this in music |
| asking,What would a solution to this | | | | before?How did I play it then?What strategy |
| challenge look like?Observation - "Eureka! | | | | can I use to break this down and make it |
| I've never noticed that before!" Observation | | | | easier?What playing strategies has my piano |
| is about carefully noticing the little things | | | | teacher shown me that I can apply here?Is |
| to find similarities and differences. For | | | | there a book I could read to find out what |
| example, the difference between staccato and | | | | other pianists have tried.As a piano teacher |
| legato marks, or accents and tenutos, and | | | | I want to follow a creative plan that |
| listening to observe the differences. Piano | | | | simplifies learning and achieves more |
| students use their observational skills when | | | | positive results faster, even if I have to |
| they ask questions like these.How are these | | | | turn things up-side-down! And I have! Just as |
| notes the same? How are they different? Hey, | | | | piano lessons for children increase their |
| is that a triplet or three eighth notes? Is | | | | overall educational progress, the reverse is |
| this melody the same or new? Is it repeated | | | | also true! Literature, visual arts, and |
| anywhere in the music?Piano students use the | | | | sciences can help children in piano lessons |
| creative process of observation just as | | | | achieve their musical goals.That's why I |
| scientists do to find surprises in nature | | | | wrote the Piano Adventure Bears Stories - To |
| that were always there, waiting to be | | | | help piano students expand their creative |
| discovered, and by experimenting with | | | | potential. These beautifully illustrated |
| different techniques and expressive ideas to | | | | books use language, art and science to help |
| find what works best in different styles of | | | | kids in piano see the possibilities, avoid |
| music.Analogies - "How Can I Gain Perspective | | | | frustrations, and create a plan for achieving |
| Change Perspective?"Analogies are helpful for | | | | their piano dreams.My stories use all of the |
| gaining or changing perspective, and for | | | | foundational creative skills I discussed |
| making us laugh! Here are some examples of | | | | above and more, because they feature the |
| how analogies provide learning aids for young | | | | loveable and endearing characters Mrs. Treble |
| piano students. To play legato, pretend your | | | | Beary and her passionate, new student, |
| fingers are an eeeentsy-weeensty spider. | | | | Albeart Littlebud, who everyone calls Little |
| Curve the spider's legs and walk your fingers | | | | Bear. You'll enjoy the time you spend reading |
| on the piano keys. To play staccato notes, | | | | these stories with your children as they |
| imagine the piano keys are hot! Analogies are | | | | laugh and learn from Little Bear's Piano |
| wonderful for helping students break through | | | | Adventures. |
| the mechanics of piano and bring the music to | | | | |