4Real Forums: Learning to play the piano...

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Topic: Learning to play the piano...

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Taffy
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Joined: April 05 2005
Location: Canada
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Posts: 1567

Posted: March 28 2006 at 1:43pm \| IP Logged

I am hoping that someone will have some helpful advice for me...

I would like my boys to learn how to play the piano. My oldest has been playing around a bit with our electric keyboard for a few years now. I think he has a good ear for music. He's figured out how to play some chords although this is simply "by-ear".

I had tried him in music lessons when he was 4 but it was less than successful. He is moderately autistic and his teacher had a difficult time teaching him as he's very withdrawn. He is now 9.

This past week, I've started with some beginner lessons with him. I only know how to play with one hand though as I've never had the opportunity to learn how to play the piano properly (although I would like to learn...). I spent 3 threes in high school band class playing the flute so I can read the music well enough to play a tune; just with one hand though.

He's fairly attentive to the instruction but prefers to learn "by-ear". To satisfy this need, I've been teaching him some simple songs and he's been able to learn them simply by listening and watching my fingers. He knows how to play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on any octave with either hand and can play with both hands (basically the melody with two octaves). He can do the same with "Mary Had a Little Lamb" which he only learned last week.

We live in a very rural area and the closest piano teacher I know of who advertises a willingness to work with autistic children is 200 km (about 120 miles) away. There are other instructors who are closer but I am doubtful that they'll be able to have my son attend to their instruction at this point.

Now for the question... How should I go about teaching him? We are using Alfred's Basic Piano Library All-in-One Course

Should I be worried about him developing bad habits by playing with one finger only? Are there any other bad habits that I should "nip in the bud"? As I have many bad habits in piano playing myself, I want to avoid teaching him them... I think that he'd learn best via the Suzuki method. Can I use this to teach him myself despite being only a beginner?

Thanks for reading this all and any help you can offer...

ALmom
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Joined: May 18 2005
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Posts: 3299

Posted: March 30 2006 at 3:30pm \| IP Logged

You could learn together - the teacher teaching you but your child being present as well to observe. Would a teacher be willing to come to your home?

Janet

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