Young kids can read music when their unique challenges are understood. Suzan tackles misconceptions about why young students struggle with reading and offers solutions based on years of success.Continue reading
Young Kids CAN Read Music
My guest blog post featured on Musical U!
Since 2015 Musical U website dedicated to helping students to become more musical through a series of training modules and apps, as well as the supportive community they've created and continue to foster. They contacted me this past March asking for permission to link to an article of mine about sight reading versus playing by ear. That led to an opportunity to do a guest blog for them which is featured this month (May 23, 2018).Continue reading
Why Method Books Fail to Build Strong Reading Skills
Understanding the reasons why method books fail, how learning has changed and what strategies work are a crucial part in developing curriculum that works.Continue reading
Playing by Ear vs. Playing by Reading Music
This one of the most common debates I see amongst musicians, teachers and hobbyists and one of the most common questions I get as a teacher. The question I get is usually, “Which is better?” I’ve noticed, however, that usually the asker is looking for confirmation of their already held position. Continue reading “Playing by Ear vs. Playing by Reading Music”
Why Hybrid Pianos Solve The Digital Vs. Acoustic Debate For Most Buyers
More Choices Than Ever
Hybrid pianos represent an exciting new option for piano buyers. The technology is still fairly new, but hybrid pianos give the best of both worlds when it comes to pianos and keyboards. There are still few models to choose from and they are still relatively expensive but I believe they are poised to take over the market as musicians and teachers discover and work with them. Continue reading “Why Hybrid Pianos Solve The Digital Vs. Acoustic Debate For Most Buyers”
Top 6 Habits that Sabotage Piano Students Learning To Read Music
Many things that seem like a good strategy to get you or your child playing right away can actually hinder learning to read music. This is particularly true of piano music. Although beginning piano music has only one note at a time, unlike other instruments, piano parts rarely play just one note at a time. The piano can effectively be the whole orchestra, playing everyone’s parts at once. Continue reading “Top 6 Habits that Sabotage Piano Students Learning To Read Music”