Christmas Piano Lead Sheets for Beginners: A Better Way to Teach Holiday Songs
Looking for Christmas piano music that’s easy enough for your beginning students but still sounds like the holiday songs they know and love? Christmas piano lead sheets are a fun way to introduce beginners to playing familiar holiday favorites while exploring chords and simple left-hand accompaniments. And here’s the best part: students don’t need to […]
A Better Fit for Older Beginners? Inside the Chord First Piano Method
If you’ve ever taught a teen or adult beginner and thought, I wish there were another option besides putting them straight into a traditional beginner method, this one is for you. Over the past couple of years, I’ve spent a lot of time looking at piano methods for older beginners. I’ve compared methods, tried different […]
Fall Music Worksheets for Piano Students [Free Printable PDF]
Looking for some fun fall music worksheets to reinforce music theory concepts with your piano students? Whether you’re working with young beginners who are still learning their finger numbers or more advanced students who need a little extra practice with intervals and scales, a seasonal worksheet can make ordinary music theory review feel a little […]
How to Teach Lead Sheets to Piano Students
Many piano students spend years learning to play exactly what’s written on the page, but real-world musicians often do much more than that. They improvise, accompany singers, play by ear, and create their own arrangements. Lead sheets are a fantastic tool for developing these skills. By combining a simple melody with chord symbols, lead sheets […]
Fun Piano Interval Activities for the First Weeks of Lessons
Every piano teacher knows the feeling. A student returns after summer break and sits down at the piano ready to play. They remember where Middle C is. They remember a few note names. They might even remember most of their favorite pieces from last spring. But then you ask them to identify a simple interval […]
Faber Piano Adventures Grand Level 4 All-in-One Review: What Piano Teachers Need to Know
If you’ve ever wished that the Faber Piano Adventures series had an all-in-one option for intermediate students, your wish has officially come true. This month, Faber released the brand new Piano Adventures Grand Level 4 All-in-One Intermediate Book, combining the Lesson, Theory, Technique, and Performance books into one large volume for upper elementary and early […]
Do Guide Notes Actually Help Students Read Music?
Why do some piano students still struggle with note reading despite learning guide notes? Explore guide notes, intervallic reading, and alternative beginner piano methods.
Creative Piano Summer Camp Ideas for Teachers Who Want More Than Lessons
If you’re searching for piano summer camp ideas, chances are you’re also wondering what your studio is going to look like in June, July, and August. Students travel, schedules get messy, and lessons start to drop off. I used to stress about that every single year until I realized something… Summer doesn’t have to be […]
5 Creative Ways to Teach Rhythm in Piano Lessons (That Actually Work)
5 creative ways to teach rhythm in piano lessons. Simple, fun strategies to help students feel rhythm using movement, singing, games, and hands-on activities.
The Ultimate Guide to Piano Method Books (With Core Books & Supplemental)
If you’re teaching piano or learning on your own, choosing the right piano method book series is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. This guide covers every current, available, and popular piano method series: from classic graded courses to modern alternatives and adult-learner focused books. 1. Faber Piano Adventures (Faber & Faber) Core […]
