Making O’s for Firm Fingertips
Making O’s not only develops the fingertip at early levels, it can be used at advanced levels to align the arm and knuckle with the finger that plays. Join Dr. Faber for some interesting pointers.
Flowers that Bloom in the Fall
Two things you might not normally think of together: autumn and… blooming flowers. But they pair very well when you’re thinking of new piano students. If you have students starting in our Piano Adventures Primer Level, you probably already know where this is going! “Round Hand Shape” is our Technique Secret No. 2, and “blooming […]
September Greetings!
Best wishes to teachers, students, and parents as a new “back to school” season begins! This year our posts will be organized around a monthly theme. For September, the theme is Primer Level teaching. Every young piano student remembers the first lesson. It is such a privilege to introduce the magnificence of the piano—and some […]
Two Thumbs Up!
Time to head off to the North Pole to check on the toy-packing and gift-wrapping. Some young people write letters with lists, and some might even try sending emails. But we’re going to hitch a ride for a little in-person inspection. And for that we need our thumbs! The thumb is such a useful, important […]
Listen to This!
In many places Autumn is the most beautiful season, with colorful leaves creating a kaleidoscope of whirling reds, yellows, rusts, and orange-browns, each with its own changing nuance as the days and weather shift. Nuance itself is a delicate word, implying subtlety and fine distinctions. And attention to playing with nuance can begin early. Yes, […]
How to Make an Impression
Most students dream of playing an as yet unattainable piece that represents what it means to be an artist at the piano. They imagine how they will sound when they can play such a famous composition. (Clair de Lune, perhaps?) And how do they get there? By beginning early with the very techniques needed to […]
“Partner” Practice
Piano practice often seems like a lonely business. No partners. No other members of the band or orchestra with whom to make music. Yet, when you think about it, the hands themselves need to be partners. Unless they are a team, with each “member” playing its own role, the results may not be so successful. […]
Surf’s Up!
Waves. The word immediately triggers images—motion, undulation, sweep, curve. It’s natural to describe waves as rolling in. The perfect wave is every surfer’s dream, the anticipation of the buoyancy supplied by the wave that carries you into the shore. Surfing the keyboard begins as early as Level 1. Learning to move into the keyboard with […]
Drop It!
Flying fingers! Who isn’t thrilled hearing a rippling succession of notes? Who doesn’t imagine that playing a smooth and fluid scale is a pianistic ultimate? And who doesn’t assume that the fingers must, indeed, “fly?” Well, here’s a surprise, explained and demonstrated by Dr. Faber. The fingers themselves don’t need to be fast. They just […]
Chasing Butterflies
The flowers that bloomed in April and May provide renewed hope and fresh delights. And the butterflies are here to sample the sweets! It’s tempting to chase them in order to admire their own special beauty. Just as a butterfly flits among flowers to “choose” a preferred nectar, students working in Piano Adventures Level 4 […]
