Right Hand, Left Hand • Pre-reading

[Click here for Right Hand, Left Hand in the pre-reading bundle in the store]

I tend to write things in a series, because as I’ve said before, I make this material for actual students. My new student loves the things I make for him and always looks forward to what I’ve made each week.

This “piece” is very practical. It is his first piece with both hands and it was so rewarding to see the look in his eyes when he realized he was going to use both hands!  I made Right Hand, Left Hand so he would be very successful on the first try, and the color coding did just that. I had prepared him well for stems going up and down. He uses My First Piano Adventures, and so he has done a lot of preparation in both the lesson and the writing book.

If you have a very young student or one with some learning differences, try this color method and I think you will find it to be very successful. I want to mention that the more we can do to help students be successful in piano, the more educated musicians we will have in the future. No, it’s not “dumbing down” teaching piano. It is opening the door to more students. Of course, we could teach the old way where most students drop out of piano, and only the most naturally gifted or extremely dedicated students take, but is that really our goal as teachers?

I am attending the National Piano Teachers Institute at SMU this week. I met one teacher from another state who knew me from my web site. She was a teacher who had suggested one of the ideas I posted. That was so cool!  I hope to post more about the workshop when I have some free time.  Let me just say that if you ever have a chance to see Dennis Alexander in person, please go!