Second Year Piano Lessons

Most second year piano students are over the hurdles of absolute basics and are ready for more challenging repertoire and expanded technique and theory. Most average or better second year students will be ready for easy classical repertoire near the end of the second year of piano classes. But younger students, or those with less ability, may not be ready for serious literature until the third year of lessons.

There's no need to rush into music by master composers just for the sake of getting there. Students would be much better prepared to begin easy sonatinas, Bach minuets, etc. Some teachers assign difficult music too soon. Students should be allowed to develop naturally and gradually from level to level with sufficient material at each level for reinforcement. The result of assigning difficult music too soon is a general breakdown in the natural development process.

A student introduced to difficult compositions too soon will spend months on the piece trying to perfect the complexities with which he is not ready to cope at this time. Difficult music can be learned at an early time, but at the sacrifice of learning a great deal of progressive, graded material which would insure a solid background in reading and general learning comprehension, rather than a kind of rote learning. Rote teaching at this level is not advisable, and teachers should not push the student's fingers down and spoon feed them pieces note by note. If a student is ready for pieces by master composers he should be able to figure them out mostly on his own, and not be led on, coached all the way by the teacher.

It usually takes about two full years of lessons to build a solid background to the point where a student would be able to play most of the pieces contained in easy classical collections. Repertoire such as elementary sonatinas, easy repertoire collections, etc., are best for third year students.

The performance of easy classical music by children sounds most convincing when the student has developed basic techniques sufficiently to present these works as the composers intended them to sound. The mechanics of hand coordination, phrasing, delineation of linear line, gradation of dynamics, etc. must be at a sufficient level to play these pieces musically. Only with correct and careful practice will students begin to develop the equipment that is necessary for projecting the style and mood when performing miniature master works. Suggestions include:

1. Hands separate practice
2. Slow practice
3. Paying careful attention to the correct fingering
4. Using the correct hand motions needed for phrasing
5. Tapping one hand or foot like a metronome while playing the other hand
6. Using a metronome while practicing

For more information about how to learn piano in the Bernardsville area, please contact Barbara Ehrlich Piano Studio.

Turning Thumb Over or Crossing Over Thumb

Fingering Technic

In early piano fingering systems the thumb was rarely used as a pivot over which the fingers could pass either up or down the scale. The basic principles of modern fingering first became known through C.P.E. Bach. Carl Czerny created an original method of finger exercises in The Art of Finger Dexterity. One of the principal aims of good fingering is to avoid unnecessary hand movement.

Scale playing requires agility in turning the thumb under or crossing another finger over the thumb. There are a lot of opinions regarding the best time to begin teaching scales. Gat states "If the pupil has already mastered small pentachord pieces to the point of sight-reading them he may begin to practice scales."

As for myself, I begin teaching the one octave C major scale with hands separate well before the student learns pentachords. Although the beginner student may not yet be ready to read scales and arpeggios, once he shows some control over playing white and black keys, he can be shown how to turn the thumb under properly.

Although the actual study of scales may be delayed, a beginner can be exposed to scale preparation within the first 6 months to a year of lessons. The thumb should be turned under smoothly without twisting the hand and arm out of shape. When the student first begins to turn the thumb under, hey may start by turning under the second finger. The next step is to turn the thumb under 3, and finally turn under 4. Turning the thumb under 3 and 4 is especially helpful, because this will prepare the student for scale playing.

Crossing a finger over the thumb is just as important as turning the thumb under. The crossing should be made as smoothly as possible, without poking the elbow far out to compensate. The hand should remain quiet at all times when crossing under or over the thumb.

For more information about piano instruction Basking Ridge area, please contact Barbara Ehrlich Piano Studio.