Piano Lessons for a Small Person

September 8, 2014 9:34 PM

I would like to start teaching my four-year old how to play the piano. I have basic piano knowledge but I'm not that fluent. Do you have advice or resources to share? I'm hoping to find some fun online videos and short play activities.
posted by bq to Society & Culture (4 answers total)

You can get a basic/beginning piano book cheaply (I like Alfred and Thompson) that guides you and your child through learning at a pace and variety suited to a small child. Many/most of them now include a CD or DVD. I think you'll find a book to be pretty easy and fun, possibly moreso than using videos, since it sits right on the music rack and can be opened or put away conveniently.
posted by michaelh at 9:40 PM on September 8, 2014

Mr. Arnicae, a professional pianist, says that the Alfred d'Auberge Piano Course is excellent for small children.
posted by arnicae at 11:36 PM on September 8, 2014

I'm relearning piano after a few years of lessons as a child, working my way through the Alfred books for adults. My almost 3 year old likes to watch me play and will sit on my lap and "pretend" to play and this morning for the first time, went over on her own and sang a song while she plonked at a key to accompany her. A big motivation for me in picking up piano again is demonstrating regular practice and pleasure in the instrument as a model for my kids. I plan on arranging a teacher when she's a bit older, but in the meantime, we're working on just scales and sounding out a few favourite nursery rhymes of hers with one hand. It doesn't have to be piano - it could be guitar or any musical instrument, but it's great to have a parent sharing an interest, rather than a child learning on their own.
posted by viggorlijah at 12:32 AM on September 9, 2014

Find a teacher who has training in teaching very young children. Four is extremely young, but doable. I take on students that young now (but until recently, I never would have started a boy before 9 or a girl younger than 8 unless they were genuine prodigies of some sort, but times are changing, as are resources and pedagogy--previously I would have insisted on early childhood music classes and such instead of formal piano lessons).

Is there a reason you are trying to take on this task yourself? I get transfer students whose parents tried to teach them all the time. It has never been a good idea.

Of course I have an educated bias: I am a long-time piano teacher with a degree in Pedagogy and have early childhood and pre-K credits and education behind me.

But, if you *insist*, the only book I would consider is My First Piano Adventure by Faber and Faber. Just please, please learn about injury-preventative technique so your kid isn't in pain by the time they are 12 years old....please.
posted by TinWhistle at 12:09 PM on September 9, 2014