OFFICIAL BLOG now open at: TheMusicalDecorator.blogspot.com
Check it out!
November 6, 2010
PIANO LESSONS FAQ: How Do I know if My Student is Practicing Right?
Since teachers can only spend about a limited amount of time with each student each week, how your student practices the other 6 days of the week are crucial! Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when your student is practicing at home.
Posture:
Posture is very important, but it takes repeated practicing in the correct way to really make good posture a habit. Having the teacher correct the student once a week but then reverting back to old habits while at home is not going to work!
Here are a few things to watch while your student practices at home
--Bottom should be firmly planted in the middle of the seat, not dangling off the edge
--Feet should not be swinging, or “resting” anywhere – on the pedals, on the bench, or anywhere else creative kids will find!
--Legs should go straight down over the edge, not curled back on top of the seat
--Elbows should be at least level with the keyboard, if not slightly above. If your student’s elbows are below the keyboard level, try elevating the bench or putting a phone book under them for correct height.
--Students should have plenty of space in between their bodies and the keyboard – playing while pressed up against the keyboard is NOT correct! Do the elbow check - if the pianist swings his/her arms, the elbow should not hit the side of the body. Elbows should be in front!
--Hands should be in a relaxed open position (as if holding a ball) – not flat against the keys
--Wrists should stay relatively level as hands move around – extreme bouncing, or wrists collapsed against the edge of the keyboard are both not good for muscles and joints
This may seem like a lot to pay attention to, but in the home is the BEST place and ONLY way to make good posture a habit! Once it becomes a habit, it won’t seem difficult at all to do this.
Practicing:
When your teacher gives you specific practicing instructions/directions – FOLLOW THEM! Teachers cannot be with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to make sure you are practicing right, so doing it at home will ensure better progress!
Remember, the old adage is true: Practice makes perfect! The more you practice, the better you get, and the more you will love it. The less you practice, the less progress there is and as a result, less interest. (c)Bethany J. Wang 2010
