Technique
blog posts

Teach music confidently without the stress

Teaching Piano Technique To Advanced Students

by Tim Topham

Teaching advanced students piano technique can be a challenge. You know what to teach, but you don't know how to make it engaging and interesting.

10/30/2023 Read more

4 Tips for Teaching Piano Beginner Technique

by Tim Topham

Teaching beginner piano students technique can be hard, but our four tips will help put you in good stead.

02/22/2023 Read more

A Fresh Look at the Intersection Between Piano Technique and Musical Expression

by Edna Golandsky

How to craft better musical expression with piano technique

11/19/2021 Read more

Soundbrenner Silent Vibrating Metronome

by Tim Topham

A Vibrating, Silent Metronome? If you have trouble getting students to use a metronome in their practice, then this new piece of music technology might be just the answer. Many of us struggle to help our students feel and understand beat, pulse and rhythm and so I’m always on the lookout for ways that we ... Soundbrenner Silent Vibrating Metronome

04/17/2017 Read more

The age old question…how do we make piano scales fun and relevant?

by Nicola Cantan

Introduction “Ok, let’s start with some scales.” *Cue student’s eyelid’s drooping*. We all know we’re supposed to teach our piano students their scales, but it can quickly turn into a battle of wills. I never want to tell my students to “eat their vegetables”, so how do I make those vegetables look like candy? It’s not ... The age old question…how do we make piano scales fun and relevant?

04/28/2015 Read more

Therese Milanovic on Piano Technique: “But what will the examiner say?”

by Tim Topham

I recently found this four-part series by Brisbane-based teacher and presenter Therese Milanovic, and just had to share it with you. (It’s going to be particularly relevant to all the Aussie teachers who use the AMEB exam syllabus.) As a teacher of exam students, I’m often worried about what the examiner might think about my students’ technique, performance skills or ... Therese Milanovic on Piano Technique: “But what will the examiner say?”

04/10/2015 Read more
 

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What makes good piano technique? Interview with John Bloomfield

by Tim Topham

Interested in Piano Technique? I don’t know about you, but I find all the ins and outs of piano technique fascinating. I love that Glenn Gould could sit well below the keyboard in a position that most teachers would denounce as pretty appalling and still achieve incredible performances and be revered for evermore. I love ... What makes good piano technique? Interview with John Bloomfield

01/07/2015 Read more

Quick Video: Making Scales Fun with DecideNow!

by Tim Topham

Spin the wheel! I’ve recently been having fun with my students using a nifty little app called DecideNow. I posted about it a while ago on my Facebook page, but thought a quick little 2-minute video might be the best way to explain how I actually use it in my studio. Have fun with it and let me ... Quick Video: Making Scales Fun with DecideNow!

06/12/2014 Read more

The History of Piano Technique: Studies and Exercises | Graham Fitch

by Tim Topham

Teaching Piano Technique I just had to repost this great article from Practising the Piano by Graham Fitch, which discusses the sometimes controversial topic of piano technique and more specifically, exercises and studies such as Hanon and Czerny. The article, which is a précis of a section in his Practising the Piano eBook series, gives a ... The History of Piano Technique: Studies and Exercises | Graham Fitch

12/19/2013 Read more

Teaching Video: Students improvising backing tracks for scales

by Tim Topham

Most students find scale practice pretty dull. So do I. in fact, I find teaching scales pretty dull too! What’s more, starting lessons with the same old, “Well, let’s hear how your scales have gone this week”, is not likely to inspire students if it’s the same greeting every single lesson. With this in mind, ... Teaching Video: Students improvising backing tracks for scales

09/03/2013 Read more

Holiday Piano Technical Work Ideas

by Tim Topham

If you’ve got holidays coming up or have some students that could do with some fresh technical work, check out these ideas. I personally like to give my students different things to do in order to break up their usual menu of scales and arpeggios and the holidays seem like a perfect chance! Of course, mixing ... Holiday Piano Technical Work Ideas

06/26/2011 Read more

Teaching piano with rhythms

by Tim Topham

Practising in rhythms is, without a doubt, my No 1 practice tip for students! Why? One simple reason: it reduces the amount of time that they need to spend practising repetitive sequences such as scales and scale passages, arpeggios, broken chords and any kind of fast quaver or semiquaver movement. Students will be able to ... Teaching piano with rhythms

06/04/2011 Read more