Gulp. I have started giving piano lessons tonight. To Rebekah! We worked together for the first half hour and I've been listening to her practice for the last half hour and yes, she has the ear. I'm praying she doesn't depend on that as much as I do. Great to have it as an extra, but a very poor substitute for reading the notes. Thankfully, she's done the clarinet now for a few years and so reading the notes and the timing is not too much of a challenge for her - at least in the right hand. I'm hoping she sticks with it and really takes off.
19 January 2008
A New Adventure!
Gulp. I have started giving piano lessons tonight. To Rebekah! We worked together for the first half hour and I've been listening to her practice for the last half hour and yes, she has the ear. I'm praying she doesn't depend on that as much as I do. Great to have it as an extra, but a very poor substitute for reading the notes. Thankfully, she's done the clarinet now for a few years and so reading the notes and the timing is not too much of a challenge for her - at least in the right hand. I'm hoping she sticks with it and really takes off.
What book(s) are you using to teach her?
ReplyDeleteThe James Bastien series, soon to be supplemented with hymnal.
ReplyDeleteWhat? No Hanon or Clavier-Buechlein?
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, my teaching counterpoint from Fux or improvisation from figured bass didn't set too well with my "Comprehensive Musicianship" minded superiors -- no doubt one of the factors leading to my having to seek honest work outside adademia.
You think I'm a bear on church stuff -- I still draw my bass clefs "backwards". Well, I don't have much to do with music any more, but if I did and it required drawing a bass cleff, it would be "backwards" (as in TLH).
Sounds like she'll do fine. You gotta have an ear whether you play written down music or not!
Now for a little Buddy Guy.
Terry,
ReplyDeleteHanon is definitely on tap for the future! About the clefs, I never even noticed that they were different in TLH. Now you point it out, it's as obvious as the schnaz on my face (which is pretty darned obvious!).
My older son is technically still taking violin through school, but for the time being his musical world seems defined by Guitar Hero. My younger one is on cello. I haven't started either on piano, though the Steinway Professional model from my days at their age takes up space in the living room. They eyeball my hollow body electric guitar too.
ReplyDeleteLet me know if you ever start offering music therapy counselling.
ReplyDeleteMost of the time it's great to have a varied background -- but sometimes, it strikes me that being equally comfortable with joining right in the chants at a televised papal installation and feeling like sitting in with Brother Swaggart for "Wasted Years" probably isn't typical of your average bear.