Top Reasons to start with Piano.

Ever wonder if the piano is right for you?  Why begin music training with the piano? Here are top ten reasons to start with a keyboard instrument: - Besides having such a beautiful sound.... :-)

1. Ease of Playing
How do you get sound from a piano? You press a piano key. It doesn’t get simpler than that. Because pianos are so simple to play, children can begin their music studies earlier, as soon as their hands have the size and strength to use a keyboard.

2. Learning to Read Music
The piano is a great instrument to help students learn to read music. Because of the way a keyboard is laid out, it is easier to see the relationships between pitches in both melodies and chords and the way they look written out on the staff.

3. Sense of Pitch
A well-tuned piano always makes the right note when you press the key. This develops a keen sense of pitch in the young piano student. Other instruments require good breath control or exact finger placement to make the right note, which can be very challenging for a beginner who might not even have a good sense of pitch yet!

4. Tuning and Maintenance
Most pianos only need to be tuned once or twice a year, and electric keyboards never need to be tuned. This is different from most other instruments, some of which need to be tuned every time they’re taken out of their case. Pianos are very sturdy instruments. They don’t need new strings every year or two, like a violin or guitar. Most can go for decades without needing any parts repaired or replaced. They’re basically worry-free.

5. Sounds Good from the Start
Many instruments, such as the violin or the flute, require a high level of skill to produce a good tone. (I'm thinking of the TV commercial where the Dad sends the violin flying out the window while his daughter is trying to play..haha)  It can take years before a student has the abillity to make their instrument really sound good. With a piano, you press a key and a note comes out, and it sounds great every time. Even before they can even play real songs!

6. Wide Range of Pitch
The piano has a huge range of pitches, the lowest notes lower and the highest notes higher than most orchestral instruments. Because of this, music for the piano is written on two staves, both the treble and the bass clef. Learning how to read both of these clefs will allow students to go on to either a bass or treble instrument with equal ease.

7. Melody and Accompaniment
The piano is one of the few instruments that allows you to play both melody and accompaniment. Early beginners can start out playing simple melodies, but soon they learn to add chords and other accompaniment patterns. This helps develop a better sense of music theory than is possible with instruments that can only play one note at a time.

8. Great for Learning Music Theory
Keyboard layout is very straightforward. Low notes are to the left, higher notes to the right. There are white keys and black keys that make it easy to learn about sharps, flats, and key signatures.

9. Dynamic Range
The piano was originally called the “pianoforte” or “soft-loud” in Italian. It was designed as an instrument that could play very quietly but could also be played loud. The piano is soft enough to accompany voices or other instruments, but it can also be a dynamic and dramatic solo instrument. High-end keyboards will also have dynamic response, meaning that a softer touch on a key will make a quieter tone. When they begin with the piano, music students have a great opportunity to learn how to use the contrast between loud and soft to lend emotion and excitement to their performances.  It's also one of the BEST instruments to "sing along" to.   Who doesn't love a musician that can sit down & play piano and sing at the same time!  I know I do!

10. A Great Start for any Musician!
The piano is a great place to start, whether a music student chooses to study other instruments or stay with the piano. Because the piano is so versatile, students can spend many rewarding years studying it and continue to grow in their ability to play more complex pieces with beauty and skill. They can also bring their understanding of music theory, and all the other musical abilities they’ve developed with the piano to their study of any new instrument.

Summer Practice Tips

Having a hard time keeping up with piano practice during summer break?
Here are some tips for maintaining a piano practice routine when other routines change:

1) A Regular practice time
The practice time that worked best during the school year might not be the best time during the summer. With your child, choose a time that won’t conflict with other summer activities, a time when both of you can focus on piano practice.  Maybe early morning before you start your day?

2) Be flexible
With vacations, summer camps, and other away-from-home adventures, your child might not have access to a piano or keyboard every day. When there is a piano available, do your best to keep up with some type of practice routine. If your regular time doesn’t work one day, try to remember to practice later in the day. If you miss a few days of practice though, get back to it as soon as possible. The longer your child goes without practice, the more catch-up time will be needed later.

3) Keep it Positive
Even though it is important to keep practicing the piano during the summer, don’t scold or threaten your child into doing it. Piano practice should be something enjoyable. Invite your child to join you for practice time, keep practice sessions short, and use games to keep it enjoyable for your child. 
If you need ideas for practice games.  I have a few so do not hesitate to ask.   I can share them!

You don't need to over-do it during the summer. Just keep playing songs that they have learned so that they can play without mistakes.  This helps build their confidence and we, as parents, love to hear them playing their songs.  :-)  
Happy Summer!! 
Tracey

Early Childhood Music Lessons and Brain Performance.

I found this article through the Wunderkeys site and had to share.  I am also one that believes that learning music (playing an instrument)  can help with brain development.  I also believe through my own findings, that children that develop their musical skills also seem to be better at learning a new language.   It's True!

If you’re a parent who makes sure that your child eats healthy food, reads good-quality books and gets lots of exercise, then you’ll be in...terested to know that piano lessons should also be on your list of “must-do’s” for healthy development in early childhood.

In a study recently released at at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Dr. Yunxin Wang presented the findings of her research; findings which suggest that piano lessons in early childhood aren’t simply for the sake of enjoyment… but they actually have positive and measurable effects on the brain. And the kicker? The benefits are more pronounced if music lessons start before the age of 7 :

Read about this article HERE

So,  if your child is interested in learning how to play music!....Encourage that growth, for it may enhance their adult brain. :-)

Until next time...

Tracey.

Happy August!

Well....It's August, and time to relax and enjoy what's left of summer before we have to go into our Fall routine of getting the kids to school, cleaning and preparing for colder weather.    I shouldn't complain about Fall because it's my favorite time of year.  I love the changing of the leaves and being able to go for a scenic walk in just sneakers & a light sweater.  

I'm getting excited to start lessons with some wonderful students in September!!   Wunderkeys is such a fun program!  Did you know piano lessons give your preschooler a head start in music, and math!   They won't even know they are learning while playing piano games with me!

Hope you have a happy, sunny August !
See you soon!

Tiny Tunes Music Begins!

Well, this is my first Blog, and I'm testing it out to see what it can do.   Very Exciting!!
I plan to use this for any information on events and schedules here at Tiny Tunes, and also to post anything that I may find out that may be of interest in and around our community! 
 
Summer has just started and I'm already busy learning all the new things that Wunderkeys has to offer for your children!  It's such a cute and exciting program.  I can't wait to start it in the fall!  It's the first time I've actually been wanting summer to fly by so I can meet my new students! :-)

Well, back to the books!....