Piano Is Easy and the Piano by Number series are written by John Aschenbrenner, a noted children's music educator, Emmy Award winning composer, and Broadway veteran.
Click here to view his distinguished academic background.
John is actively involved every day in inspiring children to take a happy interest in the piano using Piano by Number and simple piano games. You can, too!
Middle C is the first location at the piano keyboard that your child must find and memorize.
Before you find it, let’s ask why we must find it.
To a child at first, the piano keyboard is a fascinating but daunting maze of black and white keys, with no apparent order.
To give kids a feeling of security you need to give them a visual reference point, a home base.
Middle C is that home base.
In Piano by Number we put the sticker numbered one on Middle C to begin the process of giving the child security through a visual reference point.
Later, we will put a red sticker on Middle C to further distinguish it from all other notes.
Play a game of finding all the Cs on the piano. The note C is defined as the white key to the left of any group of black keys. Clearly, to do this you first need to play a game distinguishing between groups of two black keys and three black keys.
I usually take two fingers and place them on a group of two black keys, and ask the child to find the note C, on the left of the two black keys. Once again, there is a prior step that must be mastered, and that is the concept of left and right.
Next play a game wherein you point to a C on the piano and ask them if it is Middle C. Kids are barely sure where any C is, much less one particular C, and you must use games again and again to cement this principle in their heads with out boring or alienating them.
You have to be like a game show host, with valuable prizes waiting backstage. Drive this game into he ground, springing a quiz on them whenever possible. All that is necessary is a 10 second quiz that tests for their retention of the idea and location of Middle C.
If the Piano by Number method has a consistent principle, it is breaking musical skills down to their lowest common denominator.
Examine how we do this with Middle C. Finding it really involves four skills, each of which should be separately learned so the child knows the process from the inside out.
In the piano below, (click with your mouse to play) Middle C is the key with the red sticker.
But the child should not rely on the sticker. Here is the process children need to undergo to really understand WHY Middle C is where it is:
First, we distinguish between the groups of two and three black keys.
Second, we make sure the child knows left from right at the piano.
Third, we find all the white keys named C directly to the left of any group of two black keys.
Fourth, we distinguish between all the white keys named C, and single out the one most in the center of the keyboard as “Middle C.”
This breakdown procedure is good for the student and good for the teacher. For the student, the learning process moves at exactly their speed, and cannot move at any other pace because each step is based on the last.
For the teacher, there is firm knowledge that a skill is mastered, leaving the teacher free to go on to the next step.
Learning beginning piano is really a set of steps, each of which involves several previously learned skills.
Success for children art the piano involves making each skill easily manageable, and proceeding to the next step based on confidence with the last.
A confident child is ready to understands new ideas.
By John Aschenbrenner Copyright 2008 Walden Pond Press All Rights Reserved
PIANO IS EASY (ISBN # 0-9718936-1-6) Sturdily bound, durable, colorful 107 page illustrated song book with 44 songs such as Jingle Bells and London Bridge, Play Along Audio CD and removable numbered stickers.
Every book package order of PIANO IS EASY includes a copy of I CAN READ MUSIC. This fun, easy-to-understand music activity book is the best way to start children reading music. Click here for sample pages.
Every book package order of PIANO IS EASY includes a FREE copy of the 56 minute DVD video from TEACH YOURSELF PIANO. This video will have you playing chords (three piano keys played with the left hand) and fun, familiar songs with both hands right away. That's a $16.95 value free!
PIANO
IS EASY $24.95
Individual Book. Includes 107 page illustrated book with 44
songs, Play Along Audio CD, and
removable stickers.
I CAN READ MUSIC $19.95
Individual Book. Includes 50 page illustrated book and
removable stickers.
A fun way to start reading music for kids!
BIG BOOK
OF SONGS Individual Book $24.95 Includes 141 page illustrated book with 130 songs
and removable stickers.
THE
COMPLETE PACKAGE: $89.95 Includes all 6 basic books.
PIANO IS EASY, I CAN READ MUSIC, BIG BOOK OF SONGS, CHRISTMAS
CAROL KIT, TEACH YOURSELF PIANO, EASY CLASSICAL. 6 books,
3 Play Along Audio CDs, DVD and removable stickers.
