| Teaching Methodology |
For Students Four Years Old to Adults
You will learn how to read music, musical terms, how to listen for harmonic and melodic
intervals, dynamics, ear training, and rhythm.
An important aspect of my teaching strategy is that you do not need a piano to begin learning.
I tape record the student’s lesson so he/she can review everything being taught. You can listen to
the tape at home during the week. You can practice on a table with a paper keyboard, or use an
electronic keyboard. Listening to the tape during the week helps you learn easier and faster. I
also have a practice piano for students to use at my studio.
The books I use in the lessons are written for beginners. When I am teaching young students I
like to use a primer level book that begins very simply by using just the thumb and the second
finger. It also has pictures to go along with each new song. When I am working with the adults I
like to use a different book that has easy and familiar songs. You will learn how to play chords so
that you can sound good in a short period of time.
I make the lessons fun so that you will enjoy learning how to play the piano. I will always use
encouraging words and create a positive environment where we will learn about ear training,
music literature, and theory.
Most students can play a basic song within 3 months, and read music and play a variety of
musical pieces within 8 months.
For Students Two to Three Years Old
It is important to teach children how to read musical terms at an early age. I start by showing
them how to read the word “forte” which means loud. They enjoy this word because I let them
play “loud thunder” on the piano. The next word I teach is “piano” which means soft. They like
this word as I let them play “soft little rain drops” on the higher keys of the piano. Each week I
introduce a new word written in red in lower case letters. This method helps the children learn to
read.
I tape record everything I teach the children so that if the parent or the grandparent will
encourage them to listen to the tape each day, the children will be able to repeat everything back
to me the following week.
I like to teach the sounds of each musical interval by demonstrating on tape the difference in tune
for each interval. The children like to sing with me the different tunes for each interval. When
they take ear training in college, they will already be able to identify all the intervals. I will draw a
quarter note, dotted half note, whole note, eight note and a sixteenth note and demonstrate on tape
the sound of each one of these notes. When they are ready for their first primer piano book, they
will already understand the length of time they should give each note.
You will learn how to read music, musical terms, how to listen for harmonic and melodic
intervals, dynamics, ear training, and rhythm.
An important aspect of my teaching strategy is that you do not need a piano to begin learning.
I tape record the student’s lesson so he/she can review everything being taught. You can listen to
the tape at home during the week. You can practice on a table with a paper keyboard, or use an
electronic keyboard. Listening to the tape during the week helps you learn easier and faster. I
also have a practice piano for students to use at my studio.
The books I use in the lessons are written for beginners. When I am teaching young students I
like to use a primer level book that begins very simply by using just the thumb and the second
finger. It also has pictures to go along with each new song. When I am working with the adults I
like to use a different book that has easy and familiar songs. You will learn how to play chords so
that you can sound good in a short period of time.
I make the lessons fun so that you will enjoy learning how to play the piano. I will always use
encouraging words and create a positive environment where we will learn about ear training,
music literature, and theory.
Most students can play a basic song within 3 months, and read music and play a variety of
musical pieces within 8 months.
For Students Two to Three Years Old
It is important to teach children how to read musical terms at an early age. I start by showing
them how to read the word “forte” which means loud. They enjoy this word because I let them
play “loud thunder” on the piano. The next word I teach is “piano” which means soft. They like
this word as I let them play “soft little rain drops” on the higher keys of the piano. Each week I
introduce a new word written in red in lower case letters. This method helps the children learn to
read.
I tape record everything I teach the children so that if the parent or the grandparent will
encourage them to listen to the tape each day, the children will be able to repeat everything back
to me the following week.
I like to teach the sounds of each musical interval by demonstrating on tape the difference in tune
for each interval. The children like to sing with me the different tunes for each interval. When
they take ear training in college, they will already be able to identify all the intervals. I will draw a
quarter note, dotted half note, whole note, eight note and a sixteenth note and demonstrate on tape
the sound of each one of these notes. When they are ready for their first primer piano book, they
will already understand the length of time they should give each note.
Gayle's Beginning Piano Lessons
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