| Usually, piano lessons consist of a teacher assigning a | | | | it doesn't have to be that way! |
| method book to students in an attempt to teach them | | | | For example, by using a few chords and a way to |
| how to play the music of the "masters." | | | | play these chords, you can create your own music. Be |
| The hopeful student learns to read music (in a year or | | | | it improvised or composed. Take my free lesson |
| two) and begins to play his first pieces. | | | | "Reflections in Water" for example. |
| For most, this is satisfactory. All they really want to to | | | | Here we have 4 chords in the Key of C Major. The |
| do is play classical music and entertain themselves and | | | | chords are modern sounding seventh chords and are |
| others. Nothing wrong with it at all. | | | | all played in open position. By using the materials of |
| But what if there was a way to play the piano that | | | | music (chords) we can quickly begin creating music - |
| allowed you to express yourself creatively - just like | | | | much like visual artists do. |
| painters do? There is a way. And it all has to do with a | | | | You don't have to be Beethoven or Mozart to do this. |
| chord-based approach! | | | | On the contrary, the less you know, the better you will |
| You see, chords are to the pianist as what colors are | | | | be able to improvise because you haven't learned |
| to the visual artist. The artist uses color, form, and | | | | what you "should" be doing. |
| technique to create with. The improvising and | | | | I believe piano lessons can be taught much like an art |
| composing musician uses melody, rhythm, and | | | | lesson. You first have the title of the piece you'll be |
| harmony to create music with. | | | | creating. You then use a step by step method that |
| Yet the sad truth of the matter is music students | | | | shows you how the piece was made. I've been using |
| rarely learn this art. If they do, it's after they've | | | | this method to teach with for years now and my |
| mastered note reading and piano technique. The truly | | | | students love it. |
| creative stuff doesn't appear until well after in most | | | | In short, don't think going the classical route is the only |
| cases. | | | | way. It's not. If you want to create your own unique |
| Now, I don't know why this is. But one thing is for sure... | | | | music, you can! |