If you are learning a musical instrument, then you know it is hard to keep your motivation going every day. Learning an instrument is tough work, and you can easily put it down for a day or two, and have it turn into a month. However, doing small things every day to work on yourself and your craft can improve your musical abilities dramatically.

By developing routines that will make you both learn your instrument quicker and master your skills, you will be well on your way to becoming the musical genius you have always dreamed of. Apply these five habits in your life and see the progress immediately!

1. Exercise Every Day

The odds are unless you are a professional musician on stage every night, the amount of energy you will spend playing your instrument is minimal. This can lead us to believe that we do not need to be in top shape to play music. This is mistake number one. You are constantly utilizing your muscles when playing, and you have to make sure they are ready for the demands you will put them through!

See Also: 3 Ways Playing an Instrument is like Working Out

2. Practice. Practice. Practice!

It is not a popular idea for everyone, and it can be tedious, but the best way to become a musical professional is to put in the work. There are tons of different exercises for any instrument in order to work on different skills related to playing. From fundamentals to speed to technique, practicing can take your musical ability to new heights.

See Also: These 7 Great Songs Make Piano Practice Fun Again

3. Learn About Your Instrument

One of the most important things for any musician, and one that is easy to overlook when learning how to play, is to familiarize yourself with the instrument you are playing. The best way for you to get started is to learn everything you can about the tools of your trade. Some of the best music that has ever been made came from artists who pushed the boundaries of their instruments. Find out the sounds you can produce, the different styles you can play, and get started on your musical experimentation.

4. Get Back to Basics

One of the easiest ways to develop poor techniques and musical habits is to skip the basics course and forget about the essentials of playing an instrument. Basic skills can be developed early on, but are hard to maintain after some time. Skills such as timing, pacing, rhythm, and keeping a constant beat can seem unimportant, but can make your music sound a million times more refined when done right.

5. A Different Style Every Day

The best way to expand your musical horizons is to explore new sounds and styles while journeying into different genres. In order to truly push your learning, you should also make sure you are working outside of your musical comfort zone as often as possible. Even if you do not necessarily like the music you are listening to, you can always learn something new by paying attention to skilled and talented musicians from every genre.

Get started and develop these habits to take your music skills to the next level!  

The post Learning an instrument? Successful musicians build these habits appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

Still in beta stage, the JoyTunes glove will take you from 1 note to Beethoven in a flash. Our gloves allow your hands to auto magically bend and move to play any song your heart desires! Check out this video for more info.

Want to order your very own JoyTunes glove & start playing like Mozart today?

Purchase your gloves here!

The post JoyTunes new magic gloves allow you to play the piano instantly appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

Over to Leila Viss

Piano Maestro regularly adds top hits to their enormous Library. Earning three gold stars on these favorite tunes is pure fun AND addicting thanks to JoyTunes’ powerful app and their hip backing tracks. They make anyone sound like a pop star!

Does your left hand feel left out?

To make these favorite songs accessible to any level of player, many of the tunes are written in the treble clef. Once your right-hand earns three gold stars on a melody and since you have two hands, why not find a useful role for the left hand, too? Keeping the left hand gainfully employed is possible and quite simple IF you know a little about chords and harmony.

What are chords?

Knowing how to build and play chords can come in very handy—literally! Chords are stacks of three pitches that are skips or thirds apart. They are named by the root or bottom pitch.

    C = C is the root (left hand pinky), E is the 3rd (left hand middle finger) and G       is the 5th (left hand thumb)

    F = F A C

    G = G B D

    Am = A C E

Wait, please explain all the lingo!

The term pitch means how high or low a pitch is.

The word melody is the tune of the piece.

Harmony is the word for adding chords to accompany or support the melody.

Why do certain chords sound different?

Play each chord in your left hand, blocked (all three pitches played together) or broken (pitches played one at a time.) You’ll notice that the chords built on C, F and G sound more happy or upbeat which means they are major chords. The chord beginning on A has a more somber sound which means it’s a minor chord so its symbol is Am.

How do I recognize chords?

When adding chords to a melody, musicians use shorthand signs to identify the chords.

The symbol for a major chord is a single, capital letter. For example, C stands for a C major chord and it is assumed all three pitches (C, E and G) will be played. Am is the chord symbol for an A minor chord (A C E), etc.

Is there a simple way to feel more comfortable with chords and symbols?

Before you get overwhelmed with all this chord jargon, here’s a tip you won’t want to forget. Have you’ve played a pattern that many know as “Heart and Soul?” Here’s the original “Heart and Soul” by Hoagy Carmichael. 

Although there are a couple of ways to play this pattern, the most common begins with the C chord, then moves down to Am, then, F and then G.

Even if you’ve never played this chord progression, get to know it because the pattern unlocks a HUGE secret about today’s pop hits. Most of our favorite tunes use only four chords and they happen to be the four chords of “Heart and Soul,” C, Am F and G.

Note: If the tune you want to play is in a different key, like G, you can find these four chords by playing the “Heart and Soul” chord pattern beginning on G.

What’s the secret to adding harmony to a melody?

Below are the steps for adding these four chords to a favorite Piano Maestro tune. This process is a great deal of fun when you play with others so invite your friends to learn along with you.

The check list below was used in group lessons in my studio this past summer. The group of gals in the pictures and videos chose to learn “10,000 Reasons – Melody Line” by Matt Redman found in the Piano Maestro song Library.

Note: You’ll be an eyewitness to the process by watching this video which also features visuals of items mentioned in the paragraphs above and below.

Steps to Adding Chords to a Melody

1) Master and memorize the right hand melody using Piano Maestro, of course.

2) Identify the key of the tune.

Note: The last note of a melody indicates the key or home tone of a melody. There are exceptions to this rule but not very many. In Piano Maestro, “10,000 Reasons” is offered  in three different keys. Let’s begin in the key of C.

3) Learn the “Heart and Soul” pattern in the key of C.

4) As you master this pattern, keep in mind the name of each chord and the correct chord symbol.

5) Type the lyrics of the tune with plenty of space between lines and print the lyric sheet.

6) Listen to the song on Piano Maestro, sing the lyrics and highlight all the syllables where the strong beats land. This will determine where to play left hand chords.

Note: Beat one (right after the bar line) is the strongest beat of each measure. Clap or move along to the beat and you’ll notice an emphasis on beat 3 as well.

7) To determine which of the four chords to use on the strong beats, consider mixing these two strategies

a) Match the pitch of the melody with a chord.

For example, if A is the pitch of the melody, the possible chord choices are F or Am

F = FAC 

Am = ACE

b) Play along with Piano Maestro and use your ear. 

Most of the time your ear will help you gravitate to the correct chord choice because one will sound “right” far more than the others will.

8) Once you’ve determined the chords for the harmony, it’s time to practice. Sing the melody and play the left hand chords alone. When ready, add the right hand melody and play along with Piano Maestro.

9) Notice, the left hand jumps around a great deal to find the chords. This will nudge you into learning about and playing inverted chords.

Note: Inverted chords or inversions are rearrangements of chords and can help eliminate large left hand shifts.

For example: The C chord can be played as C E G or E G C or G C E. It’s still a C chord because it has the same three pitches even though they are in a different order.

Do all these steps make you feel like you need to review scales and chords? There are plenty of exercises available to help you learn scales in the Exercise portion of Piano Maestro. And now… a drum roll is in order. JoyTunes JUST added a heap of new exercises to drill chords and inversions! Go now, and start practicing!

Note: Interested in hearing how you could sound after some practice? Watch this video of “10,000 Reasons.” 

Are all these steps worth the time? Why bother if Piano Maestro offers a “difficult” version of “10,000 Reasons” with the left hand part written out? These are valid questions. Mastering this process of learning chords and harmonizing melodies will help you add chords to any song, even one that is not available in Piano Maestro, yet. This skill will improve your listening, your bass clef reading skills and especially elevate your creativity. It may even help you land your first gig playing in a band! 

Note: If you are interested in learning more about these lesson plans or how to use the iPad to enhance creativity, come visit me, Leila Viss, at my blog 88pianokeys.me.

Thank you, JoyTunes, for continually offering a fabulous and growing library of tunes and exercises. Learning the piano just wouldn’t be the same without Piano Maestro.

The post Learn How to Harmonize Melodies with Piano Maestro appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

Gorin’s YouTube channel is well-stocked with videos to guide teachers and includes numerous musical and performances of award-winning students showcasing the success of her method. Make sure to purchase her books here and you’ll see why Piano Maestro is an ideal companion for you and your students as you make your way through Gorin’s charming yet effective approach.

As Gorin has made information about her books extremely accessible, I was interested in knowing more about Irina. She was kind enough to answer my somewhat nosy questions. I think you will find her story just as fascinating as her books.

You began lessons at 5 years old. What are your earliest memories of piano lessons?

Learning was easy for me. I progressed fast. My teacher loved me and I loved her. I had 2 piano lessons along with solfeggio lessons, music literature lessons, choir, and ensemble lessons every week.

How strong of an influence were your teachers as a child to your instruction now?

I had only one teacher in my pre-college years and I am still in contact with her. I don’t remember much of the instruction at that stage, but do recall the loving, friendly atmosphere of the lessons. I also, started assisting my teacher in helping and tutoring younger students in her class. That made me realize that teaching piano was going to be my life.

How hard was it to immigrate from Ukraine to the United States?

It was very hard. I came my with husband and 3-year-old son as political refugees. We arrived speaking no English, with no friends and no money. It took three years to start conversing with and understanding others. I worked as cleaning help, a babysitter, and hairdresser for the first years to make money, and a little bit as a substitute-accompanist.

My biggest fear when starting lessons with my first students was not being able to understand what the students or parents might ask at the lessons.

How long did it take for you to build your large studio? 

It took me more than 10 years.

Your ability to explain and physically demonstrate the technique that you embed in your students’ hands and bodies is mesmerizing. How did you come about this approach?

It took many years of research, observations of great teachers, taking pedagogy classes for years in college and conservatory, writing research papers, etc.

The Tales of a Musical Journey Books 1 and 2 are obviously based on a story. Why did you
design them that way?

It was my long time dream to write my own method based on my deep research of 20th-century, world pedagogy approaches. I was not happy with the materials available both in Ukraine and the United States, especially for the young beginners.

One year, for the first time in my life, I started teaching 4-year-old students. I decided to write these stories for them to logically connect musical and technical concepts and make it enjoyable and entertaining for this age group. Seeing the success with this age, I started using this with older beginners (up to age 10) and have seen great results.

What makes your method stand out?

My method is unique because of:

1) My firm belief that technique and musicality must be taught from the very first lesson and not wait until notes and rhythm are learned.

2) The interconnected stories–students learn the new concepts on the basis of previous ones.

3) The all-in-one method book that encourages student’s and teacher’s creativity and allows individual pace of learning.

4) A technical approach brought from the best European piano schools based on approaching the keyboard starting from the big muscles of the arms and upper body first, instead of using fine, underdeveloped muscles of the fingers in 5 finger positions. That approach is not known and/or not very popular in United States.

5) The use of folk and traditional tunes of different countries as musical material. It also encourages kids to listen and play the easiest examples of classical music from the first few months of studying piano.

6) The great deal of attention given to developing musical ability in students.

Why did you choose to feature your books in JoyTunes’ app, Piano Maestro?

I was approached by the developers of the app with the offer to feature my books, and when I learned how it worked, I was very happy to join. It gives students, parents, and teachers additional tools to practice the tunes with the accompaniment. In addition, I love to use the other method books and songs as supplemental sight reading materials.

Have you seen a marked change in the skills of your students since using Piano Maestro? If so, how?

Yes, it mainly helps with sight reading practice, developing the steadiness of the beat. It also makes the home practice more enjoyable for young children.

Congratulations on so many of your students winning prestigious competitions. Why do you think your piano students stand out among the other competitors?

Thank you! I’ll have to repeat myself 🙂 I strive to develop my students technical and musicianship skills from the very beginning stages. I have them listen to a lot of classical music, read about composers and pianists–Piano Explorer Magazine is a great resource. I offer them a lot of public performance opportunities to develop their artistry, stage presence and watch others perform.

Why do you enter students into competitions?

The students learn life lessons from performing in public and/or competitions. The competitions motivate them to practice more. The awards make them feel good about their studies and efforts. Not earning an award in a competition helps them to understand the importance of practice.

I am one of the founders of the Carmel Debut International Piano Competition in Indiana. Our mission is to educate the community to appreciate classical music. We promote awareness and the significance of music education, recognize exceptional young artists and expand their musical horizons through performances at world-renowned concert venues.

Our goal is to recognize exceptional young artists and expand their musical horizons through performance and education. The competition is aimed towards talented young pianists worldwide.

Your method book includes theory and encourages exercises in composition. How do you integrate creativity beyond your method books into your pedagogy?

I include playing by ear, improvising on given lyrics, and encourage students to compose on their own.

It appears you value both private and group lessons. Why? How often do you teach in groups and how do you fit them into your schedule?

I don’t teach group piano lessons. Only teaching theory in a group setting is acceptable to me. I  do offer music appreciation classes to young children who are not ready to take individual lessons. I also teach ensemble lessons (piano duets, trios, quartets). Scheduling-wise it’s a challenge, but it is definitely worth it.

Your YouTube channel is well-stocked with videos demonstrating your teaching style, technique method as well as student performances. What led you to video your teaching and your students?

At first I started to record my students to give them a chance to watch themselves from afar, as well as give them and their families the opportunity to watch their progress over the time. When I started to receive numerous comments from fellow teachers with questions about my style of teaching (because they found my students showing mastery of playing), I decided to start recording the parts of the piano lessons

From many testimonials I see it’s helping a lot of teachers in their own teaching. After Tales of a Musical Journey came to life, I’ve created another YouTube channel, specifically with a step-by-step approach to teaching with Tales, and first repertoire suggestions after the books have been completed.

The Art of Pedagogy (originating with you as the administrator) has grown to nearly 10,000 members. Why did you begin the group in the first place? Why do you think this group is so popular?

I wanted to share my passion of teaching piano with other teachers, learn more about teaching approaches from teachers around the world, and to explore new compositions of living composers. It seems a lot of teachers share similar ideas and want to communicate with others. I think the group is popular because teaching in a private studio does not provide many opportunities for communication, especially for those who are not members of their local organizations.

You began teaching piano lessons at age 16. Were you given pedagogy lessons as well as private lessons?

I took intensive regular pedagogy courses for 10 years. They were required in Ukraine to qualify as a teacher. In addition, I attended and observed many other teacher’s lectures and master classes

A favorite quote of mine from your website:

“She [Ms Gorina] multiplies herself by helping her students learn to teach.”

It appears that you have passed along your pedagogical legacy to faculty made up of your advanced students, graduates, and professional piano teachers. How do you groom them for this wonderful opportunity? Are they required to take pedagogy lessons as well as piano lessons with you? Do they teach in your studio or some where else?

I provide pedagogy classes to fellow teachers and advanced students in my studio. I also allow teachers and students to observe my lessons and then I take time to answer all their questions.

Thank you, Irina Gorin for your willingness to let us learn more about you. If you want to immerse yourself in Gorin’s world-class pedagogy, consider attending her workshop to be held in Indiana, August 6-8, 2015. Learn more by following this link.

Are you already using Tales of a Musical Journey in Piano Maestro? Tell us your experience in the comments below!

The post Irina Gorin and Her Tales of Success at the Piano appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

Our enthusiasm was even greater when we watched Apple’s September Watch Event. We saw that this watch is going to be big, and we knew we wanted to be part of it.

In November, Apple released WatchKit, which allowed developers like us to start designing extensions for their iPhone apps that will run on the Apple Watch.

We immediately started brainstorming about the different ways we can use the watch to make practicing and learning music more fun and effective.

We had lots of cool ideas, but for several reasons – it wasn’t that easy for us to turn the ideas into reality.

First, this primal version of the development kit had a lot of limitations. For instance: no access to the sensors of the watch (e.g. no ability to use the Taptic Engine to provide haptic feedback), only works with an iPhone (therefore we couldn’t create a watch extension for Piano Maestro, which is currently iPad only), and more.

These limitations caused many of these ideas to become unfeasible.

Second, and more importantly – we were so busy with our other apps, we simply couldn’t find the free time and start the development of a watch app.

Months passed, then came another Apple Watch Event in March. In addition to a big reminder of what’s about to come, and a great motivation boost, we also got a release date and understood the timeline. Suddenly reality hit us in the face. If we wanted to make a musical watch app, we had to act fast.

Shortly after the March event, came our quarterly “JoyTunes Ninja Week”.

Ninja Week is a tradition we have once every 3-4 months at JoyTunes. It aims to tackle exactly the second problem I mentioned earlier: because of the endless list of day-to-day tasks we have to deal with – there’s simply no time to get to some really cool tasks, whose immediate business value isn’t clear.

The rules are simple:

1. You can do whatever you want: develop a complete new feature, a proof-of-concept, improve infrastructure, create a new app, learn a new technology, build something cool for the office, etc.
   Anything goes – as long as you think you’ll finish it by the end of ninja week.
2. Every day at 18:00 we all eat our daily Pizza / Sushi/ Hummus and get an extra burst of motivation.

So, as you probably guessed already, during this ninja week I chose to finally sit down and develop an app for the Apple Watch.

Initially I thought this would only be a junk app that will be only relevant for learning. After toying with some concepts and ideas, I decided a proof of concept of a metronome app could be something I could create relatively quickly, and have the potential of actually being cool and useful.

I recruited help from our super-talented designer, Oded Bengigi, who immediately stepped up and created a truly awesome metronome animation based on a glowing JoyTunes logo:

Use the metronome app right from your Apple Watch!

Check out the Metronome in action here!

From there, the road to build a watch extension displaying the animation was quite fast. We created a Metronome app that we felt was so beautiful it’s definitely worth investing some additional time to perfect and deliver. So by the time ninja week was over – we had a nice product, and the goal was to release it to the App Store along with the first apps to ever be released for the Apple Watch!

Challenges arose. We initially thought of the product as a standalone metronome that would feel super cool on your watch alone, but finally came to the realization it’s not quite possible.

First reason for this are the mentioned technical limitations. In addition to not being able to use the Taptic Engine which felt a natural fit to our case, playing a tick sound from the watch was also not possible. You have to do it from your iPhone.

Also, in order to conserve battery – an app on the watch stays active only for a few seconds if you don’t interact with it. Hence, getting the beat just by looking at the watch was also not quite possible.

We therefore decided to shift the direction of the app a bit.

We decided to invest more into the iPhone app, creating a fully blown metronome iPhone app we are truly proud of. Then, the watch extension behaves as the perfect companion for this app – it can control the iPhone metronome  – start it, stop it, change the BPM and the time signature (using selection or dictation) – all while displaying a super slick animation loop that makes everything feel magical and fun.

I am personally really proud of what we made, especially since it all began with a fun ninja task, and we were able to deliver a fully blown app in less than a month.

Of course, this is not the end. We are planning many new features and additions in upcoming releases, and we can only cross our fingers that Apple will be so kind as to release a better WatchKit soon. This will allow us to make an even cooler native metronome app on the watch, and possibly many other apps that will improve the way you practice and learn music all around the world.

We are super excited about this. Hope you are too!

Have you tried out our Metronome app yet on your Apple Watch or iPhone? Let us know what you think!

The post New Apple Watch, New JoyTunes App – The Making Of. appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

Enter Piano Maestro. The student appealing app that successfully builds sight-reading skills has just expanded the scale library with the additions of harmonic and melodic minor and two-octave scales! This makes Piano Maestro a perfect companion for those training for assessment programs. Download Piano Maestro Now.

Help Students Master Piano Scales

Interested in teaming up with Piano Maestro to introduce scale playing in your studio? Here are some ideas:

• Ensure that students hear and discern the difference between the two at the lesson with various ear training drills.
• Integrating the theory behind scales will help students transfer this understanding to any key. Ask students to memorize where the half steps occur between scale degrees by memorizing the major scale code: 34-78.
• As a scale is played, name the keys aloud. Ex: G A B C D E F# G
• Unlock the fingering required for scales—most follow a 123 1234 pattern.
• Encourage students to keep a rounded hand position and a steady pulse. Repeat the top note to maintain a steady 4/4 meter in preparation for playing along with Piano Maestro.

Piano Maestro Assignment Hands Alone

1) Warm Up in Learn Mode, then earn three gold stars in Regular Mode

2) Major Scale Steps, Right Hand in Learn Mode, then earn three gold stars in Regular Mode

3) Repeat with Left Hand

Piano Maestro Assignment Hands In Contrary Motion

1) Major Scale Steps, Both Hands, Mirror Movement with Tempo and Hold On assists

2) Major Scale Steps, Both Hands Mirror Movement, no assists, earning three gold stars

Piano Maestro Assignment In Parallel Motion

1) Scale Warm Up – Both Hands Parallel in Learn Mode

2) Scale Warm Up – Both Hands in Parallel, no assists, earning three gold stars

Teaming up with Piano Maestro to aid scale mastery could be included during the lesson, or at home IF your student owns an iPad. However, you might consider offering a Music Tech Time before or after your students’ lesson time to guarantee assignments are completed. Students quickly learn their way around the app, could complete the assigned tasks independently AND improve their scale playing saving precious lesson time for repertoire and creativity.

The post Team Up with Piano Maestro to Master Piano Scales appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

Our chat with Jennifer Eklund:

Piano Pronto Movement 3 by Jennifer Eklund

JoyTunes: What makes the Movement 3 book unique?
Jennifer: As with all the Piano Pronto method books, Movement 3 utilizes familiar melodies from a wide variety of genres with an emphasis on famous classical melodies that are not necessarily associated with piano repertoire. It is an important part of a student's musical upbringing to expose them to famous melodies from all parts of literature, not just literature written specifically for the piano. These melodies have stood the test of time for a reason: namely that they are strong and memorable. Quick familiarity with a melody helps with confidence and motivation at home as students recreate the melody on their own during their practice sessions.

JoyTunes: What skills does this book focus on?
Jennifer: I would describe Movement 3 as the "stamina builder" book. Up until this point in the series, most of the pieces have been limited to 2 pages in length. Movement 3 starts to extend pieces to 3 and 4 pages consistently throughout which will start making new (but necessary) demands on the concentration levels of students. Additionally, the key signatures are extended to two sharps and two flats and new concepts like arpeggiated chords are introduced. Teachers can really sneak a lot of 'artistry' work into these pieces too, especially the symphonic theme arrangements. I would encourage teachers to have students listen to the original versions of pieces like "The Blue Danube" and try to re-create some of the orchestral colors they hear dynamically on the piano. Listening to the backing tracks in Piano Maestro (which are 'orchestra heavy') will help students create the appropriate dynamics.

JoyTunes: How do you recommend teachers incorporate Movement 3 with their lessons?
Jennifer: This is really up to the teacher.  Personally, since the pieces in Movement 3 are a bit more difficult, I would suggest that students do the initial learning of the pieces away from Piano Maestro. Then, when they are about 60% through learning the piece, they can start to work with the app. The idea with Piano Maestro is to keep things fun and I think at this level of playing it's more fun to play with the backing tracks once you've got a good handle on most of the piece.

JoyTunes: Any hidden tips or tricks you can give for teaching with Movement 3?
Jennifer: Movement 3 is the first book in the Piano Pronto method series that is quite 'classical heavy.' One of my favorite things to do is to have students seek out the original versions of many of the orchestral pieces that have been arranged and then spend some time in the lesson talking about the differences between the piano version versus the original version. This is a great (and sneaky) way to get students to seek out and listen to classical music that they might not otherwise be listening to.

JoyTunes: What is your favorite song in the book? Why?
Jennifer: All of the medleys! I grew up learning out of the John Schaum books and my favorite pieces were always the medleys of classical tunes – there was one specifically called "From Pole to Pole" that featured a Chopin Waltz and a Paderewski Minuet. I just loved those pieces and they really motivated me as a kid! Growing up in the late 80s and 90s I listened to a lot of current music (including hip hop) which was based around 'mashing together' different tunes so the concept has always been near and dear to me. When I started writing Piano Pronto I wanted to do the same thing and Movement 3 contains five separate medleys from Mozart to blues to Italian tunes! I think it's a great way to 'sample' a lot of melodies in one place.

JoyTunes: Why did you decide to put your method books into Piano Maestro? 
Jennifer: I'm all about keeping lessons fun but educational at the same time and that made Piano Maestro a perfect match with the Piano Pronto series. I wrote the Piano Pronto series because I wanted to have a method full of strong, familiar melodies that students recognized and found fun to play. Now with these songs, and great backing tracks in Piano Maestro, I can confidently send a student home knowing that they will easily be able to master their music with the help of Piano Maestro.

Playing the piano can be a lonely venture. The biggest challenge we face as teachers are the 6 days a week that we don't see a student. Teaching students to practice effectively is something I tried to reinforce with the Piano Pronto books through the "Pronto Prep" sections that precede the majority of the pieces. The Pronto Prep sections extract the difficult parts of the music so students know to practice these sections separately before diving into the piece; it's very similar to the "Learn" mode in Piano Maestro. These sections have proven to be a great success with students and teachers love that the 'work' of pulling out these sections has been done for them. Now, with the help of Piano Maestro, students can practice their pieces and get instant feedback from the app as to what areas they still need to work on – it's kind of like taking your teacher home with you!

Click here to download Piano Maestro for access to Piano Pronto Movement 3 and other method books, 1000+ songs and exercises.  All content is FREE for piano teachers and their students!

The post Jennifer Eklund: An Insider’s View of Piano Pronto Movement 3 appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

Shopping Cart 
Next time you are waiting in line to pay for groceries and your young shopper asks for  candy or a new toy, say yes. Qualify the yes by offering rewards with success on Piano Maestro (PM). As your young musician works his way through the Alfred’s Premier Piano Course Lesson books or Jennifer Eklund’s Piano Pronto, let him earn one quarter when a new piece is mastered and receives three gold stars on PM. Once enough quarters are earned, let him add his favorite treat to the shopping cart.

On the Road Again 
If a long road trip is planned for the summer, there’s no excuse to miss a day of practice when you pack the iPad and Piano Maestro. Since there’s plenty of familiar tunes in the library, choose one and invite a family sing-a-long as your pianist plays the tune on the app. Tips: pack headphones and load songs prior to your trip as PM requires Wi-Fi for songs one has not played before. 

Maestro League Baseball

When it’s rainy outside play baseball inside. Once a “batter” earns three gold stars on a PM song, she advances to first base. Every time three stars are awarded, the batter runs to the next base until she reaches home plate. The sibling (or opposing team) with the most runs at the end of the week wins a box of Cracker Jacks, a game of catch with Dad or maybe a trip to the ballpark!

Extreme Makeover
Building your young musician’s independence at the piano is the desirable and the ultimate goal of both teachers and parents. Select a song from Piano Maestro that is available as sheet music or one from the method books featured in the library that seems equal to or slightly more difficult than what your child is currently playing. You can download PM sheet music here. With little to no help, ask him or her to read through the piece as accurately as possible. With her permission, video this initial and perhaps somewhat rough first-time through the piece. Then open up PM, locate the same song and using PM’s Learn Mode have her gradually master the piece. Track success with a follow-up video of her breezing through the piece using PM at the intended tempo. Don’t forget to watch both videos together and marvel at the extreme makeover!

Dynamic Duo
If friends or cousins are hanging around, it can be hard to maintain a practice routine. Encourage your pianist to play PM with his favorite buddy to stay active at the keys. After a PM song is chosen, your child will assign and locate one note (such as Middle C) to his friend and help him identify it on the screen and find it on the keyboard. It may be best to begin learning the “duet” by using the PM Learn Mode first. Your pianist will play every note except Middle C and will need to make way for his buddy’s finger to play it instead. The bench may be a little crowded but there will be plenty of room for giggles.

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