Ticklin’ the Ivoreez Series Help! I Want to Play the PIANO Get the Answers No One Dares to Ask – When to Quit, Do I Really Need a Teacher, What About YouTube, What’s Instant Play, What about the Untalented Kid… and more! Jennifer Rodriguez Amazon Kindle Edition Copyright © 2016 Jennifer Rodriguez Ticklin’ the Ivoreez Series Help! I Want to Play the PIANO All rights reserved No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means- electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning or other-except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the Author This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the Author’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent publisher Cover Art © Eva Rodriguez ISBN-13: 978-1536933710 ISBN-10: 1536933716 Dedication For Lola Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1: Goals Chapter 2: Piano Methods Chapter 3: Music Teacher Criteria Chapter 4: Locating Teachers Chapter 5: Instruction Costs Chapter 6: Lesson Expectations Chapter 7: Tips Chapter 8: Learning Methods Chapter 9: Beginner Methods Chapter 10: Recitals Chapter 11: Group Lessons Chapter 12: Practice Chapter 13: Practice Tips Chapter 14: Piano Selection Chapter 15: Reading Music Chapter 16: Self Taught by Youtube Chapter 17: Accompaniment Chapter 18: Multiple Instruments Chapter 19: Progress Chapter 20: Technique Chapter 21: Quitting Chapter 22: Adult Learner Chapter 23: Local Performance Opportunities Chapter 24: Musical Support Chapter 25: Fostering the Interest Chapter 26: Music Benefits Chapter 27: Social Performance Chapter 28: Lesson Age Chapter 29: Theory Chapter 30: The Untalented Perspective About the Author Appendix A Appendix B Introduction You’re reading this guide to find an honest, experienced and concise answer to all your piano instruction questions If you are a parent, you are also concerned with your child’s future with music and exploring any hidden talents they may have Before I point you in the right direction, let me explain where this experience is coming from and the many discoveries and mistakes that came to create this guide The most common scenario I faced in my twenty years as a music teacher is: The student takes lessons, discovers that they don’t like to practice (or the music, or challenge of learning, etc.) and quit They like music and continue with self-paced lessons via software or YouTube They achieve immediate and small goals on their own after having a negative overall experience This would happen to 78% of students with the average drop-out timeframe anywhere between to months Then this cycle would repeat itself There was always an abundance of children interested in music so to address the “quitting” concern was never a priority I, like most teachers, would chalk it up to the popular stereotype: Playing Piano is hard Sometimes, students have such a poor experience and feel a lack of personal confidence that music no longer holds an interest In general, it inhibits them from ever pursuing or enjoying music In finding real answers to this problem, I discovered many flaws in the system and felt compelled to bring these concerns to light before they continue the cycle of music negativity What if people were to discover that private piano lessons were meant for the professional music aspirer and NOT the casual player? And, would people continue to enroll their children in lessons if they know that it would create a negative experience for a lifetime? Think about your own child: If they like gymnastics, would you contact Bela Karolyi (famous Romania Olympic Coach) to train your young, clumsy, partially interested child or would you sign them up for group classes and introduce the gymnastics world to them slowly? Doesn’t it seem logical to have your child experiment with basic tumbling, body control and strengthening before committing to an Olympic goal? On the flip side, why aren’t there more coaches and teachers that accommodate the many styles of learners, families, goals, interests and circumstances when presented? How hard is it to teach to the style of a particular child? Why aren’t more teachers preparing many stylized lessons? Why has this process become so difficult? The experiences and guidance of this book is a culmination of the many questions that hundreds of parents, teachers, students, administrators and professionals ask These questions have led me to make a sobering discovery: Having a positive musical experience far outweighs any musical knowledge that is gleaned from lessons In separating the interest levels and properly aligning the correct approach with the correct goal, you’re chances for success and enjoyment are far better overall Consider that private lessons should be reserved for the future professional and alternative mediums encouraged to embrace the fun & creativity of casual playing This would be a celebration of genuine music creation From my piano & organ lessons in the 1970’s at my strict, Asian grandmother’s piano studio in Northern Virginia, to becoming a Professional Musician and Music Teacher with advanced degrees in music, I never anticipated that I would recognize and promote alternative methods of music learning My grandmother, who started playing the piano in 1921, was convinced that her pedagogy was the only method acceptable for piano aspirers After all, she was the daughter of a famous and beloved National Composer who surrounded the family with music and prestige She committed her life to the promotion and recognition of music as a Music Teacher and Professional Pianist To counter this genetic ideology would be a disgrace to the family and disrespect to the musicians and artists who have sacrificed to make music their profession In hearing the plight of families from across the nation and experiencing firsthand the effects of poor music alignment, I’m convinced that we have it all backwards I can state with certainty that, “If piano lessons become the obstacle for making music, re-think lessons.” I know that sounds harsh Music teachers everywhere have passionate opinions about this very topic and like my Grandmother, most don’t want to acknowledge alternative ways of playing Truth be told, it’s a new world out there and music has a place in everyone’s life regardless of circumstance Against tradition, this book was created to help the average person decipher the real, modern day truth about piano lessons and guide you in the process of uncovering ALL methods in finding instruction In my case, instruction found me Some aren’t as fortunate They had too many conflicts to pursue music or receive the support one needs during the time of training For these aspirers, this book is a way to pay it forward and remove the confusion, complexity, guess work, and possibly even cost, from the process If you are interested in adding music to your home and researching the best ways to begin, read on This guide is designed to be a resource with topics and descriptions for those who want to jump straight to an answer and experienced opinion To my fellow musicians and teachers, please continue the discussion Reach out to your associates, teachers, music community, colleges, studios and music advocates We are all at risk of losing live music forever Be open to the many ways music speaks to people and celebrate the essence of the message, regardless of how it was formed Chapter 30: The Untalented My child loves to play and perform but she’s not very good What do I tell her? How can I help her? At what point should she stop pursuing her dream? We’ve all seen it on American Idol or The Voice: The dreaded moment that a judge makes the honest comment to the young musician that they should stop singing/playing… forever They continue saying that they aren’t talented and never will be It’s awful to watch! Most people wonder, “Don’t they know that they’re not talented?” It’s a valid comment For many reasons, they do not Some have been studying and performing without any experienced guidance or formation only to flop on stage with a knowledgeable judge Though it’s not their fault, it creates for a sobering musical experience and makes the strides toward stardom less appealing when done without mentorship Some have never been told that they are anything less than perfect I’ve seen many a “dance mom” who live vicariously through their child shielding them from any discouragement This is the worst disaster as they are trying to hold back the inevitable What they selfishly neglect to understand is that Failure is the first step toward success Offering support, comfort and encouragement through the downs of entertainment is the most important thing a parent can provide Encouragement, not manipulation Sheltering your child from the daily workings of the industry has a detrimental effect This faỗade creates a deeply traumatic moment when they make this discover themselves: and they will! Some are simply untalented and always will be The good news is that they have other talents within them: music just is not one of them If after months of lessons, they can’t distinguish pitch, rhythm or show any signs of creativity, they just aren’t musically talented And that’s fine! Not everyone is meant for this profession, nor should they overlook other talents that may come easier than music I think the best blessing is a definitive answer to the question, “Do I have talent?” Some of the most tortured people I’ve met in my life have been ones with a glimmer of talent and this “curse” has driven them to make decisions and sacrifices in the name of art Talent isn’t always the factor for success Talent is the glimmer of hope that keeps you competing in the game but never promises you a earned, real reward For those who are a “half glass full” kind of person, you’ll be on this merry-go-round a lot longer than most Truth is, there are millions of remarkably talented people who never make rock star fame These people work from gig to gig, perform with top caliber expertise and come to the end of a contract rather quickly There’s no seniority, no inner sanctum/circle, no loyalty, benefits or points accumulated They start each gig fresh and prove themselves every time It’s blistering work with conditions unheard of in any other industry If you are perplexed with this system and don’t think you can succumb to this lifestyle of uncertainty, consider another profession These millions of performers learn to love the art and feed the passion without placing too much importance to the rock star opportunity They control the business before it controls them and they almost always have very supportive family or tight bunch of similar friends Most kids only see the rock star opportunity They don’t know that the second (and third) tier of artistry exists This level accommodates all kinds of musicians/artists and a most realistic goal for the aspirer Truth is, there’s only a few spots at the Beyoncé-Justin Bieber-Katie Perry “Table of Fame” The music corporations can only recognize these personas that are vetted and financially reliable If this were not true, jazz musicians would be the most revered musicians on the planet yet they walk around unnoticed and underappreciated The Music business is more business than it is music It’s a monster industry and it is fiercely competitive, soul-stealing and calculating If you can’t contribute to the company bottom line, you won’t make the cut This isn’t stated to discourage you; It’s to prepare you to accept the nature of the field, discern if this lifestyle is for you and if you’re good enough & willing to fit your artistry within its’ system For the child, what is “good” anyway? Must “good” be leagues above everyone on stage, every time? Must “good” mean that they always get the part? Who decides what “good” is? What does it take to secure a spot on the team/cast? How much of it is talent based? Your child may not get the part or be selected on the team but they can control one thing: their outlook They can determine what “good” is and work toward their personal musical goal That’s almost all they can control Some acceptable performance goals would be to control your jitters, speak/slate clearly and energetically, express joy with your performance despite your nerves and lack of practice, or learn to stop critiquing the audition immediately after These achievable goals are healthy habits to develop for any early stage performer Each audition/performance has 100 points of success and learning opportunities, regardless of outcome Most children only recognize total success or total failure To a child, the one that wins the piano solo or lead role in “Annie” or front row performer is the star They don’t know to accept the supporting roles as a valuable learning module Children are easily discouraged They aren’t aware that casting/judging personnel have a job to do: fill a cast/team Auditions are not the time to validate talent Some children are chosen because they were the first in line or happen to be the only child with red hair or because they were the set designer’s god-son It’s not fair but the sooner your child understands this reality, removes the personal hurt from the process, the sooner they enter into the experience with the right frame of mind First, ask your child these questions: At what level of stardom will you be content? What about fame keeps you motivated? As a young student, how much are you willing to give up? Would you do this if you were never to get paid? What would you pursue if this were not your dream? What would you do if an experienced judge were to tell you that you weren’t talented? How sensitive are you? Are you open to bettering your art with constructive criticism? One might never know the answer But, giving it your best and finding happiness in the art is the satisfaction and peace artists earn in their minds True art starts in the mind and frees the barriers that keep them from growing and creating It’s unyielding of approval and flourishes from failure So, when do we stop? This question is the ultimate question in the music industry regardless of age, experience and talent I know of older artist facing this decision after years of professional experience and a fully developed skill set, business and brand For the child at the beginning of their musical journey, this answer is: not now Never stop learning and discovering, especially at this age Let them learn all they can, collect many experiences and allow them to invest in themselves and their art These high hopes combined with preparation, will give them the endurance to withstand brutal critique, hundreds of hours of lessons and humbling audition experiences to come one step closer to stardom If all else fails, they will have enjoyed the journey and found beauty in creating music for a casual place in their lives Best bonus of all, they will have known real love and support from you during a trying time in their lives Here’s the advice I give to all my talented and untalented students, friends and my own children It’s a million-dollar statement and one that every aspirer ponders on their journey to stardom: If you’re not “whole” without it, you’ll never be “whole” with it This advice applies to money, love or fame Bottom line: Get to the “why” before you start with “how” Perspective It’s kind of sad that we have erroneous thinking pattern, belief system and perception that music is only for the gifted, smart or talented and privileged child whose parents can afford music lessons Our Creator gives us music as language without limitations on child’s intellectual capacities, ethnic and socio-economic background As human beings, we are all equipped with mechanisms for musical expression through our ears, eyes, fingers, hands, brain, heart and whole body to make and communicate through music For some reasons, learning music seems to be a task given to the specialized music teachers because of the fact that traditional western music has been taught with musical notation that looks like a hieroglyphic coding system that is rather challenging for most beginners Since music is an aural art, it should be first taught by ear! Note reading could be looked upon as an aide to learning rather than forcing the child to learn how to read the notes first before learning music Did we ever require a child to recognize letter M or D before the baby could utter and say the first word of Mommy or Daddy? There are various ways and means on how to approach music education With the advancement of our culture, this generation is privileged to have various tools to aid in the musical learning process There are new technologies which could compliment or substitute the specialized music teacher and support the parents in introducing/nurturing music to the child There’s a plethora of music method books backed by solid educational philosophy There are various types of musical instruments: electronic keyboards, learning programs, apps, gamification approach to playing, color coding, clustering, chordal approach to learning and etc are relatively inexpensive and accessible With these options, there’s no reason that all children cannot learn or play It’s now proven through scientific studies that music strengthens the brain which affects the cognitive abilities, enhances the memory faculties and expands creative expressions of the child There is something special about the musical vibration that stimulates multifarious parts of the brain This part fires more neurons and synapses hence connections become greater There’s a lot of truth about the saying, “Neurons that fires together, wires together” The neuroplasticity phenomena, is the brain’s ability to organize and reorganize itself by forming new neural connections It’s proven that the best brain training is through music Do you know that there are more parts of the brain that is stimulated while playing musical instrument than solving rocket science problem? Do you know that Albert Einstein first conceive the theory of relativity while he was rehearsing a violin concerto? He said, “The Theory of relativity occurred to me by intuition, and music was the driving force behind that intuition.” Music is not merely entertainment of the senses and the spirit It is multi-dimensional discipline in the real sense of the word It is art It is science It is math It is a language It is history It is social studies It is sports It is technology It is an energy that bonds families and communities of people It is right and left brain balancing exercise It is leadership training It is a power that lays foundation for success from various fields and career It is a mood and festivities enhancing tool It is a channel of social connections that bridge people from different backgrounds It is a communication channel to our Creator It is the balm that soothes, heals pain and pangs of loneliness and tames the savage beasts It is everything! Music doesn’t have to be a career Very few pursue music professionally but the vast majority of them have used the musical training as a launching pad of their chosen careers The discipline learned from music is used as a building block for future successes The power behind music is beyond measure! ~ Joji Angeline Classical Pianist, Public Speaker, Music Educator About the Author Jennifer Rodriguez has been a music teacher, professional vocalist, pianist, organist, director, composer, arranger, producer and music consultant for over 20 years As a teacher, she was a pioneer for the STEAM program and has brought innovative music & cross-curricular techniques to students at many private, public, charter schools, theater/dance companies and after school music programs She has been featured in over 7 albums, released a solo album in 2012 and has appeared on cruise ships, theme parks, off Broadway shows, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with America Sings Foundation, Presidential Inauguration in Washington, DC and held a private audience with Pope John Paul II at World Youth Day in Denver, CO Though she was awarded a scholarship to Shenandoah Music Conservatory as a Vocal Major, she chose to complete her Bachelors at Virginia Commonwealth University She has won numerous Music Awards from the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Fred Waring’s US Chorus Music Foundation at Pennsylvania State University Jennifer serves as Chair for her City’s Cultural Arts Commission, music judge for local music & talent competitions, presenter at Comic Con International for Arts Advocacy, is a Director of Liturgical Music with the Diocese of San Diego and consults with Schools, Organizations and Businesses integrating music, programs and people She is a proud member of the MTNA, NAMM, and NPM She is CEO and Founder of IVOREEZ; the only company that delivers instant play without lessons using color match The next launch is for BANDZ: it’s Rock Band 3 meets Real Band and the easiest way to play rock instruments Soon, Users can pick up a guitar, bass, drums, piano and vocal microphone and play as a band within 60 seconds Jennifer has been married to her husband for over 23 years and they have 7 children, ages 22 to 2 As a Navy Veterans wife, they have traveled to many countries and are proud to call San Diego home Appendix A Music Organizations American Guild of Music http://americanguild.org/ Association for Popular Music Education http://www.popularmusiceducation.org/ Education Through Music http://etmonline.org/evaluation/ International Society for Music Education https://www.isme.org Music Teachers National Association http://www.mtna.org/ National Association for Music Education http://www.nafme.org/ National Association of Music Merchants https://www.namm.org/ National Endowment of the Arts https://www.arts.gov/artistic-fields/music Piano Methods Alfred Music Method http://www.alfred.com/AlfredPiano/PianoMethods.aspx Bastien Piano Method http://www.methodbooks.com/store/direct/kjos.htm Faber Piano Method https://pianoadventures.com/ Mayron Cole Piano Method http://www.mcpiano.com/ Suzuki Association https://suzukiassociation.org/ The Music Tree Method http://www.methodbooks.com/store/musictree/ Thompson Piano Method http://www.methodbooks.com/store/john-thompson/index.htm Music Teacher Registry Angie’s List https://www.angieslist.com/ Lesson Face https://www.lessonface.com/ Next Guru http://www.nextguru.com/ Piano Teachers http://www.pianoteachers.com/ Take Lessons https://takelessons.com Thumbtack https://www.thumbtack.com Wyzant www.wyzant.com/Piano Zebra Keys http://www.zebrakeys.com/ Appendix B Music for All free online music lesson • Receive a free video tutorial each Friday • Popular Songs sent to your email address • Play popular hits in just 60 seconds Using IVOREEZ: the only piano tool you’ll ever Need to play piano instantly by matching colors Ticklin’ the Ivoreez readers are entitled to music goodies online with your free sign up: • Free Video Tutorial each Friday • Play Ivoreez Free In-Home Trial • Free Shipping on Piano Decals Make music a source of joy & happiness every day! www.ivoreez.com ... What about the Untalented Kid… and more! Jennifer Rodriguez Amazon Kindle Edition Copyright © 2016 Jennifer Rodriguez Ticklin’ the Ivoreez Series Help! I Want to Play the PIANO All rights reserved No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval... lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the Author’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent publisher... advertise for them online in exchange for a portion of their profit Piano organizations like MTNA (Music Teachers National Association), Suzuki Association for the Americas or your city’s Piano