Q. 1. Do I have to have a Piano?

A. You absolutely must have a piano or at least a keyboard available to you because DAILY time at the piano is essential to your learning to play.

Q. 2. How Long Does it Take to Learn the Basics?

A. Piano is recognized as the basic instrument for any musician because with it you can play harmony and melody. To that add rhythm and learning to use your fingers individually and simultaneously. When you play by ear you must hear all of that and produce it through your finger tips. When you play by reading music, you must do all of the above plus learn how to read the notes. That may sound like a lot of details but many people learn to play piano to some degree and I will break it down into bite-sized pieces for you. As to how long it will take, a lot of that is up to you. Read further questions and answers to get a fuller picture.

Q. 3. How often should students practice?

A. That partly depends on age. Teen and adult beginners should plan on at least a half hour each day. More advanced pianists should plan on up to an hour a day. Of course, the more you practice as you are instructed, the faster you will get where you want to be with playing the piano. Try to practice every day at a regularly scheduled time. You may not always be in the mood, but if you show up for your practice session the way you show up for work or school, you'll get the job done. Spend as much time as it takes to give yourself a thorough work-out. Be honest with yourself.

Q. 4. Should I help my child with his/her assignment?

A. If you can read music and help your child, fine. But please make sure you really understand what you're telling them. I've had students misdirected by their parents. And if it's a theory assignment they need help with, please do not do it for them. I constantly tell students to please save anything they're having trouble with for the next lesson. Don't worry if all the blanks are not filled in. I want them to understand what they're doing.

Q. 5. Should students be practicing with a metronome?

A. I generally only use metronomes with students who are having problems keeping good, even time on their own. It is much better to have an internal time/rhythm keeper than to rely on an external one. Metronomes are great to use while doing scales and finger exercises. When used while playing pieces, however, they can be a real distraction.

Q. 6. May I sit in on my child's lesson?

A. Personally, I do not have a problem with this, especially for the little ones. I do, however, feel I can build a better rapport working with the student by myself, one-to-one.

Q. 7. Can I practice songs other than the ones I'm assigned?

A. Sure, but in addition to, not instead of, your assigned lesson pieces.

Q. 8. Do you accept adult students? (Am I too old to begin piano lessons?)

A. Even if you have never studied music before, it is not too late to begin lessons. Often, adult students pick up the ability to read music in a relatively short amount of time. Lessons can be tailored specifically to the needs of an adult student, including lesson pace, materials, performance opportunities, and lesson time slots.

Q. 9. I am interested in lessons. What do I do next?

It's very simple. Either call (619) 335.0535 or e-mail me. On the phone or through e-mail, we will discuss your musical interests, what you would like to achieve, the studio schedule and any additional questions you may have. You may also be invited to a private audition/interview at the studio.