How to teach tempos to piano beginners? by Piano Comics
One of the most vital music elements I teach to piano students from the beginning is tempo. What it is, how to use it, what it means to the piece/ music we play. And always to look for it in the beginning, interpret it and then move on to the clef, time, key signature and […]
‘Upon the swing they sat and swayed’ a traditional song from the island of Lesvoes, Greece for late piano beginners with lyrics
‘Upon the swing they sat and swayed’ (‘Pano stin kounia katsane’) — A traditional song from Lesvos, Greece, for piano and voice by Piano Comics. The song and the text below come from the textbook Music Anthology for grades 1–6 of primary school, teacher’s edition. ̵
How to make piano students feel tempos and their changes? An effective exercise by Piano Comics
Changes of tempos is an important music element that students must master. Even beginners. This is an essential part of musical interpretation and although not given often in piano pieces for beginning levels, I always add one or two changes. The reason for this is so that the student feels the rhyt
What counting out loud does to piano beginners? by Piano Comics
One of the basic principles I teach as a piano teacher to all beginners, children and adults, is how to count out loud. Rhythm is the basis of music. No rhythm, no music. Now that we got that out of the way, I would like to share some thoughts on why counting out loud is […]
‘Try and catch the fly!’ a game by Piano Comics for piano beginners to train their rhythmical skills
‘Try and catch the fly’ is a funny game that young kids, even preschoolers, love to play during piano lessons. It is essentially a rhythmical game where the student has to clap whenever they see a fly on top of a note written in a rhythmical short phrase (6-12 bars) the teacher plays. Le
‘3 Christmas piano duets’ for 4 hands by Piano Comics
Here are 3 Favourite Christmas songs as piano duets for 4 hands by Piano Comics: ‘Jingle Bells’ late beginners ‘Carol of the Bells’ late beginners ‘Silent Night’ elementary Accompany your young piano beginners or make your older students co-operate with them and f
Why do pianists use 2 clefs? Is up and down on the piano the same as up and down in note pitch? Teaching tips by Piano Comics
When teaching piano beginners a natural confusion may occur. When we need to play higher or the treble clef the kids don’t always have a reflex of using their right hand or looking to the right of the keyboard. This is understandable because they have always in their everyday life – and
‘Changes of dynamics’ a game for piano beginners by Piano Comics
Want to teach changes of dynamics in piano effectively and have students get it in the first try? Use an intriguing and funny game. But first, spend 10 minutes of the piano lesson to show the basics. What is a change of dynamic? Make up a sentence or play a phrase on the piano doing […]
Teaching dynamics to young piano beginners by Piano Comics
I have not found a better way in my 19 years of piano teaching experience to teach young students music elements than to give examples from everyday life, our speech, movements, feelings, nature. Maybe it’s because they can relate immediately or live examples gain their attention and automatic
‘Battle of the Bats’ a free Halloween piece by Piano Comics for piano beginners
‘Battle of the Bats’ a free Halloween piece by Piano Comics for piano beginners (even preschoolers) For complete beginners? Just read the treble cleff and play with 1 hand 3 consecutive keys. For late beginners? Dust off your reading skills on bass cleff and ledger lines Happy Halloween
