Getting My Kid To Play Piano Music, Part 2
Sometimes I let Brian set the rules and tempo. It’s important to change the pace and schedule sometimes so that piano music is fun and not another routine or chore. I found that sitting down with Brian to set the schedule or rewards made his song recitals more enjoyable. It’s also important in that your son or daughter will feel as if they are part of the decision making process as opposed to be told what to do.
As far as making pian fun is concerned play as many fun songs as possible. Let’s face it, kids like to do fun things and piano should be nothing short of fun. Brian for instance didn’t like playing the classics or pounding away at the keys to work on his scales or music theory. Playing p0pular or more familiar contemporary songs makes the whole process more natural and likeable. I find that when the child plays a song that they recognize they will be more apt to practice it and improve upon it. While they do this their skills improve naturally. Following this approach enabled Brian to have more fun and gain more confidence because he was able to play songs that people recognize and were impressed by.
Also involve your piano teacher in such decisions so your are both on the same page. He or she is the one with the technical / musical expertise and will be spending most of the time going over the nitty gritty of piano and music. I think of my music teacher as Brian’s partner and, knowing that becoming skilled at playing piano doesn’t happen overnight, I make sure that there is always a positive interaction between Brian and his teacher.
As Brian’s musical skills improved, I saw that he became more confident about his abilities and chose more complex songs to play and practice. I don’t expect Brian to be the next Mozart but my hope is that one day he will have fond memories of our time together and hopefully give him the ability to express himself through the music lyrics and songs from his earlier days playing piano.