Sun 2 Sep 2007
There are likely hundreds of books, videos and audio tapes that try to teach you how to play popular piano in 10 easy lessons. But, do they work?While I can’t be sure that they do because I’ve never tried any of them, I’m pretty positive that the information contained within each course is valuable. The question is; how do you know which one to choose?
I personally offer (coming soon) a series of 10 online piano lessons but, these are not for beginners. They are for people with experience who want to get a whole lot better real fast.
I’ve not tried putting together a series of 10 piano lessons to help beginners play popular piano but if I did, here’s how I’d do it.
Lesson 1: Learn the 12 notes on the piano and how to finger a simple major scale
Lesson 2: The basics of chord harmony and how the chords are derived from the scale
Lesson 3: How to play major and minor chords in the left hand
Lesson 4: How to construct melody using your ear and basic harmony
Lesson 5: How to rhythmically put melody and chords together using right and left hand
Lesson 6: Add a seventh to the dominant chord
Lesson 7: Perfect cadences and how to voice them
Lesson 8: In a minor mood
Lesson 9: An intro on arpeggiating chords
Lesson 10: How to practice to get the most out of the first 9 lessons.
I’m curious to get some feedback from those who might have some insight into this. My intention is to eventually put together a 10 lesson video course for beginners and I’d like to know if you have any suggestions.
There are literally a million different scenarios that I could use to teach beginners. However, I believe the most effective results will be had using accelerated learning techniques. Because, it’s not what you learn but how you learn it that will determine how far you get.
All comments are welcome and I look forward to hearing from you.
Paul
PS: If you have any comments of which “How to Play Popular Piano in 10 Easy Lessons” course that you’ve already taken and would like to share your thoughts on it I’d apprecicate that too! Thanks.
September 5th, 2007 at 4:20 am
You are right that there are too many courses that are being offered are for beginners only. Sometimes the package of courses require us to go through all the beginners lessons. Not that they are not good as they can be good reviews. I will really look forward to your 10 lessons for the more intermediate and advanced players. It’s these kinds of lessons that we need closer coaching and difficult to find the right teacher.
October 9th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
I\’ve taught piano playing for a few years. All 10 lessons you mentioned have been taught to my beginner students, but I students get bored with too many technical explanation, they just want to play a tune. That\’s why I would slowly integrate all those theories to be taught in a number of simple piano tunes.
January 5th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
This course has truly so much to offer it is a ten week course that through my own personal experience i can honestly say will have your fingers dancing over those keys in a matter of months and be the very foundation of all your piano playing future.It also makes learning to play the scales in particular a joy and so so easy.Once you know your majors you,ll have cracked it bearing in mind the relative minor key,sharpening the 7th for the harmonic minor.The melodic minor is the same as the major scale
but with a flat 3rd ascending.My advice to you is learn your circle of 5ths and your good to go with this course.Can,t recommend it too highly.An excellent ten week course but don,t plan on ten weeks as it will be with your every day for the rest of your piano playing life.Enjoy this comment posted by Steve Sutton 4 month after beginning the course.