For this week’s musical treat, watch a pup turn pages at the piano for one of Disney’s favorite songs about a “freaky fashionista.” The costume is spots, the rhythm is swing, and the key is C—for candy, of course, and Cruella de Vil. Enjoy this jazzy arrangement in FunTime® Piano Disney, for Level 3A and up.
Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” from ChordTime Piano Hits may be the favorite wedding song of our generation. It also happens to be the perfect song to learn four chords that define western popular music: I, vi, IV, and V. These chords surely sound familiar by now—they’re the same four chords we looked at last week. If […]
“I wanna see you be brave!” This chorus from Sara Bareilles’ “Brave” offers words of encouragement for each of us—as piano teachers, students, and performers. How many of us grew up playing only classical piano, while listening to the Beatles, Billy Joel, and Coldplay? Perhaps being brave as a teacher means exploring music with our students, […]
Sharing a chord progression from your student’s favorite pop song is a sure-fire way to engage and connect. In addition to rocketing your cool status, brain neurons will spark, as your students explore music theory and creativity in ways that complement traditional repertoire. This week we take a look at “Whatever It Takes” by Imagine […]
Do your students like to listen to current pop hits from Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, Charlie Puth and others? This month, we invite you to take a “color tour” through the Hits, featuring top pop artists. Our first lesson with Dr. Faber is a twofer with “No Tears Left to Cry” by Ariana Grande, and […]
Students acting like sloths this summer? Luckily, we have just the thing: Havana by Camila Cabello, a Latin-inspired pop hit that fits nicely with students working their way through major and minor pentascales. It’s fully in the key of D minor, and grooves through a basic i – V7 progression. The harmonies are nothing extraordinary, […]
This month we are happy to share our newest publications, FunTime® Piano Disney and BigTime® Piano Disney. This exciting series is now complete with six graded levels. FunTime Piano Disney features current and classic Disney hits arranged for the Level 3A-3B pianist. Students will explore swing rhythm, play showy cross-hand arpeggios, shape the phrases of […]
The holidays are nearly here. In November we caught a breather by relaxing for a bit with that easy-going Thousand-Year waltz. But the scurry-hurry of December is now reflected in the lists, boxes, recipes, wrappings, and lights that seem to be everywhere. For many, December also means a gathering of relatives. And here they are […]
Some of us may still be regretting (but happily regretting) October’s Sugar overload. November, however, gets serious. There is so much to prepare for! Thanksgiving, of course. But soon after, the holidays, and maybe holiday recitals. If we had a thousand years to plan and prep, we might not be fully ready. But wait—we do […]
October days can begin to seem grayer. The leaves, the ground, the sky all herald change. The Canadian novelist, Joy Fielding, calls October “the least dependable of months.” Yet, in October, we are bombarded with a single enticing message: Halloween! Sweets ahead! So now’s just the right time to sample Sugar, a bouncy arrangement of Maroon […]
