Playing the Entire Piece

During piano instruction, there should be no stopping to correct mistakes at the piano. The playing of the piece should proceed from the beginning of the song to the end. If a mistake is made at the piano, or the student loses his place in the song, the pupil must find the place and continue to the finish. This matter is very important, because the habit of stopping and stammering at the keyboard is easily acquired and very hard to break. The child who makes a mistake must be made to realize that he has a definite task before him of practicing the troublesome phrase or figure until he has mastered it. This practice means that the child is taking a disproportionate amount of time. It should be at his home. When the child feels that he can play correctly the passage on which he stumbled, the teacher should permit him to do so, and if satisfactorily done, the piano teacher should praise his efforts in overcoming the difficulty.

Home Practice. Students should be encouraged to practice the music of the course at home until they can perform it correctly, smoothly, and with musical expression. They should also play freely for their parents and other interested listeners.

Students should be encouraged to practice playing songs in different keys in as many transpositions as possible, such as in C, G and F positions using the same fingering. They may also frequently transpose their songs from major to parallel minor, and vice versa.

For more information about piano lessons NJ, contact Barbara Ehrlich Piano Studio.