Music lessons that are fun for non-structured kids?
October 11, 2020 8:29 AM Subscribe
What are some tips on finding a keyboard teacher is ok with having fun and doing less structured lessons that focus more on encouraging a love of music and creativity?
currently, my son loves making his own songs on the key board. I'm excited about he was not all that interested in the keyboard. He has hated all the structured lessons we've ever done and associated lessons with misery. I can remember when I went back to piano lessons after quitting for a year and showed the teacher a song I was writing and asked her for help with song writing and she just stared out me like I'd gone goofy and said, "Look I don't do that kind of thing, we follow these methods and this is how we learn".
I feel like teachers and parents often have the specific goal of producing a specific type of socially acceptable musicians who will produce quality music and that's really not the goal here. If the only thing that happens is he has a reason to sit at the key board and have fun playing free-style, that's a win. If he loves playing music and can play for hours and it's never anything anyone else wants to hear, that's a win. I'm not going to force him to do a whole lot of practice he doesn't want to do- all those things ruined my interest in piano, when once I, like him, also used to love banging around on my keyboard.
Is this a style of teaching that exists, are there any keywords that would help me look for a teacher like this? Given that a lot of teachers are on zoom now, it seems like there would be more hope to find a teachers who ok with that. As a middle schooler he would probably most like to learn electronic music or music from video games. Thanks for any help! I feel like I'm not sure if this thing I'm wishing for even exists- would it be rude to ask teachers for this kind of coaching or is this the kind of thing at least a few teachers out there might be glad to have asked of them?
currently, my son loves making his own songs on the key board. I'm excited about he was not all that interested in the keyboard. He has hated all the structured lessons we've ever done and associated lessons with misery. I can remember when I went back to piano lessons after quitting for a year and showed the teacher a song I was writing and asked her for help with song writing and she just stared out me like I'd gone goofy and said, "Look I don't do that kind of thing, we follow these methods and this is how we learn".
I feel like teachers and parents often have the specific goal of producing a specific type of socially acceptable musicians who will produce quality music and that's really not the goal here. If the only thing that happens is he has a reason to sit at the key board and have fun playing free-style, that's a win. If he loves playing music and can play for hours and it's never anything anyone else wants to hear, that's a win. I'm not going to force him to do a whole lot of practice he doesn't want to do- all those things ruined my interest in piano, when once I, like him, also used to love banging around on my keyboard.
Is this a style of teaching that exists, are there any keywords that would help me look for a teacher like this? Given that a lot of teachers are on zoom now, it seems like there would be more hope to find a teachers who ok with that. As a middle schooler he would probably most like to learn electronic music or music from video games. Thanks for any help! I feel like I'm not sure if this thing I'm wishing for even exists- would it be rude to ask teachers for this kind of coaching or is this the kind of thing at least a few teachers out there might be glad to have asked of them?
Maybe find a piece of video game music he'd love to play and a teacher that is willing to teach that? My son loves Toby Fox and has learned a lot of those pieces with his teacher instead of typical stuff.
posted by beccaj at 9:10 AM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by beccaj at 9:10 AM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
FWIW, no personal experience (just have seen their franchises around), but this sounds a bit like Bach to Rock.
I think it might also be worth reaching out to a local college/ university with a strong music department, to see if the department can share this job opportunity with its students.
posted by oceano at 12:52 PM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
I think it might also be worth reaching out to a local college/ university with a strong music department, to see if the department can share this job opportunity with its students.
posted by oceano at 12:52 PM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: That type of teacher absolutely exists, and my husband is very good at teaching what he calls “music appreciation” variant of keyboard/piano lessons. While the majority of students and their parents look for the structured book based teaching and are focused on achievement, he has many who he tailors lessons to and teaches music theory (In a practical way) based on their interests. He also makes his own electronic music and loves video game music too and ends up with a lot of students with the same interests because he’s the “casual” piano teacher out of several at his store. He is 100% Zoom based now.
This sounds like an ad for my husband but is really just a specific reassurance that you can find teachers like that. Perhaps start with a local music shop and read any bios of teachers to see their interests, and even possibly internet stalk them a bit (see if they have YouTube, Instagram, etc. with their own material, etc.) to see if they have other non-lesson music content that could give you a sense of their style. The more PIANOPIANO their background and resume are, the less likely they are to probably be comfortable veering off of the prescribed piano Type of teaching, but my husband ended up teaching piano only after really focusing on his love of music in general and ending up as the keyboard guy. At bigger stores you may be able to call or email the staff and get their recommendation based on your description.
posted by hellogoodbye at 3:02 PM on October 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
This sounds like an ad for my husband but is really just a specific reassurance that you can find teachers like that. Perhaps start with a local music shop and read any bios of teachers to see their interests, and even possibly internet stalk them a bit (see if they have YouTube, Instagram, etc. with their own material, etc.) to see if they have other non-lesson music content that could give you a sense of their style. The more PIANOPIANO their background and resume are, the less likely they are to probably be comfortable veering off of the prescribed piano Type of teaching, but my husband ended up teaching piano only after really focusing on his love of music in general and ending up as the keyboard guy. At bigger stores you may be able to call or email the staff and get their recommendation based on your description.
posted by hellogoodbye at 3:02 PM on October 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Look for a Simply Music teacher. The focus is on playing music, not learning theory (although if your kid decides they want to go that way, Simply Music has cunning ways of making the transition). Let them know straight up you're interested in composition and they'll focus on learning interesting chord structures and progressions, improvising simple melodies, and then layering both.
Then, the icing on the cake: Supersonics Piano. Your teacher can subscribe to give you access to the resources (not sure if individuals can access). It's pretty much 100 per cent sci fi / fantasy / game music, with a very similar approach to Simply Music (and your teacher, like ours, will prob be happy to use it to prop up the Simply Music method). Learn something simple, quickly (with optional backing tracks from the app), then adapt those building blocks into your own music.
posted by some little punk in a rocket at 4:20 PM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Then, the icing on the cake: Supersonics Piano. Your teacher can subscribe to give you access to the resources (not sure if individuals can access). It's pretty much 100 per cent sci fi / fantasy / game music, with a very similar approach to Simply Music (and your teacher, like ours, will prob be happy to use it to prop up the Simply Music method). Learn something simple, quickly (with optional backing tracks from the app), then adapt those building blocks into your own music.
posted by some little punk in a rocket at 4:20 PM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Also came here to say music appreciation is your best bet. Also could be interesting to look for someone studying and/or teaching composition as many have at least a rudimentary understanding of piano. Consider reaching out to music departments at colleges and universities and ask if they would send your in-search-of out to current students. I'm sure there are plenty of students or recent grads who would love to make some extra money right now and who are perfectly comfortable with the idea of virtual lessons.
posted by donut_princess at 7:40 AM on October 12, 2020
posted by donut_princess at 7:40 AM on October 12, 2020
Response by poster: Thank ya'll so much, lessons found!
posted by xarnop at 6:17 PM on October 15, 2020
posted by xarnop at 6:17 PM on October 15, 2020
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On the other hand if you want him to, say, learn to read music, or learn some theory so he can plonk around more elegantly, then yes lessons are a good idea. My piano teacher growing up was really good about teaching me theory and skills, but also letting me pick what music I wanted to learn (as a 90s child, that meant literally every Goo Goo Dolls song). You can definitely find someone who will do that.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 9:07 AM on October 11, 2020 [2 favorites]