The Parent's Guide to Piano

A Comprehensive Guide to Music Education

Reading Music

"It's easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself."
---Johann Sebastian Bach



A Word on Music Notation

In order to read music notation the child must be able to:

1. Name all the keys on the piano
2. Know the letter names of the notes they see on the page
3. Be able to associate the notes they see on the page with the correct keys on the piano

There are many challenges involved in trying to correctly associate notation with sound. Not only do you have successfully interpret which symbol represent which note, but you have to understand all of the different symbols that represent dynamics, tempo and articulation.







Studying the Elements

Since there are so many facets involved in reading music, I suggest breaking it down into the core elements. My students have experienced tremendous success learning how to read music by separating it into parts and studying each part independantly.



What are the Elements

1. Rhythm - Rhythm is the length of time between sounds. The student has to learn how to identify different note lengths and how to count out loud while playing them. Often the student claps the rhythm of the music to a steady pulse. I have my students count the beat indicated in the time signature while clapping the rhythm of the melody.
2. Note Names - The student should practice looking at notes on the page and identify the letter name associated with that note. A good start is to go trough a tune naming the notes successively
3. Piano Keys - Review the names of the keys on the piano. Start at the bottom and work your way up playing and naming every note on the piano.
4. Phrases - Music is divided into phrases. Study one phrase at a time. Play the music in parts and put the parts together when they are all learned.
5. Hands Separate - The student must be able to play a phrase correctly in one hand before attempting to put two hands together.

Symbol Familiarity

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is underestimating the students ability to put all the elements together. Always practice all of the elements of music because they are all equally important to the overall sound of the song. The student has to become familiar with the following symbol groups:

• Dynamics - (pp, p, mp, mf, f ,ff) indicate what volume to play
• Time Signature - the meter of the piece. ie. 2/4, 3/4 , 4/4, 6/8 etc.
• Tempo Markings - often an Italian word and a number placed at the top of the page indicating speed
• Articulations - how to play each note. ie staccato (dots above or below the note that tell you to keep the note length short)
• Clefs and Range Indicators - treble clef, bass clef, 8va. Indicate what range on the piano you will be playing

Understanding the Piano

I cannot stress enough the importance of the student first understanding the names of the notes on the keyboard itself. They need to review these until they are as automatic as reciting the alphabet. Once they are more familiar with the instrument itself, they should begin to explore notation on a page.



Ability Level

The students ability to read notation and translate those indicatros into sound is often far behind their internal musicality and physical dexterity on the piano. Often teachers will teach students to play by rote to keep them musically challenged and inspired. It is important to know that students may read music at a much lower level of difficulty than what they can actually perform on the piano.



"Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art"
---Frederic Chopin



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