Creative Piano Teaching Podcast

In this episode Martyn Croston gives practical advice to get your teaching business found online. This is essential listening, whether you’re just starting out, trying to expand your studio, or just making sure your waiting list stays topped up! Marketing is often the area of the business that teachers least enjoy (aside from doing taxes!), but it’s essential in a competitive market. It doesn’t matter how great a teacher you are, if students can’t find you, you won’t get to teach them! More and more potential piano parents are turning to the internet to look for a piano teacher, so you need to make sure you’re front and centre in the online world. Martyn Croston is a piano teacher and performer in London, who takes a keen interest in all things marketing. Martyn’s ebook ‘How to Find Music Students and Promote your Teaching Business‘ (which I reviewed previously here) is a fantastic how-to guide for any piano teacher looking to grow their student base. I’m delighted that Martyn was able to take the time to give us some pointers on getting started in the online marketing world, and I’m sure you’ll get a lot out of today’s podcast! ***Update 9/9/2015: Martyn has now built a whole marketing course for piano teachers around his seminal eBook called the Music Teacher Marketing Course. This combines all of his writing and a whole lot of bonus material on this topic into one great course with five modules. Check it out today: Music Teacher Marketing Course. [Note: You can also watch the video below] In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why an online presence is so important * How to get your website to show up in google searches * Why social media is vital for piano teachers, and how you should be using it * How to use Facebook advertising * The top social media sites for music teachers * How teachers can use YouTube to promote their studio Items mentioned in this podcast: * Martyn’s new Music Teacher’s Marketing Course  is now just $67 * How to Earn More Money from your Music Teaching Business (review of Martyn’s original eBook) *

Creativity is something that is so easily forgotten in piano lessons. In the rush to get students ready for exams, competitions and performances, time spent being creative quickly becomes seen as a luxury that most teachers simply can’t afford. Perhaps you’re already thinking: How can I possibly fit another thing into my lessons? I don’t have time as it is! What’s the point anyway? Isn’t being creative just “mucking around”? I’m not paid to teach students how to muck around! I’ve got performances to prepare! That’s why I was so excited to invite two pioneers of the current wave of creativity at the keys, Bradley Sowash and Leila Viss to speak with me about this important topic for all piano teachers. In this podcast, Leila and Bradley dispel many of the myths around creativity. They discuss what “creativity” actually means, how you can fit it into your lessons and what to do, step by step, to get started. They discuss why it’s so important and how creativity works in with all other aspects of piano pedagogy. It’s all about balancing the eye and the ear. In today’s piano pedagogy, there is often an overarching focus on reading above most other things. But if we only teach reading, we’re missing out on much that is fundamental in music making. Think about the famous composers whose music you teach your students… how did they write their music? Did they read music to create new music or did they explore, invent and improvise to create their masterpieces? Of course the answer is obvious, but how many of you give your own students the skills they need to be able to explore and create at the keyboard? [Note: You can also watch the video below] In this episode, you’ll learn: Why teaching creativity is important Simple, straight forward ideas for teaching improvisation How to embellish a melody How to get started with these ideas in a manageable way The best iPad apps for teaching creativity Top 5 Creative Activities for Newbies​ Find out Bradley’s Top 5 creative ideas for new teachers. Note: These are going to sound a bit weird until you listen to the podcast!! Embellish Melody – Repeated Notes, Fill the Gaps, Neighbour Notes Melody Mix-up “When in doubt, pent out!” Remember SCAT: Specify, Compliment, Ask, Turn them Loose Sandwich Creativity can be many things from noodling around, jamming on a chord progression, to making soundtracks for pretend movies or responding to a mood, but we teach how to do it within the context of a tune – how to apply stock accompaniment styles to the tune, how to get under the hood of a tune to understand what chords and scales will enhance it, how to stretch a 30 second tune into a longer improvised arrangement, how to add intros and outros… basically all of the practical skills a pianist can use in real life playing situations. Benefits of Creativity for Students 1. Feel more engaged with learning music. 2. “Own” their music because they are encouraged to personalise it. 3. Appreciate playing music as a means for self-expression rather than only as a domain for “right or wrong” notes. 4. Enjoy a wider variety of contemporary styles that appeal to their peer group. 5. Perform with friends in non-traditional settings outside of the concert hall such as coffee houses, talent shows, church, or jazz groups. 6. Maybe even pick their first paid gigs. 7. Become better interpreters of written music. That’s because rather than merely reproducing the notes on the page, creative students can better understand how they came to be there in the first place. 8.

**UPDATED Dec 2016** Please note that Colin’s Sight Reading Academy, mentioned below and in the recording of this podcast is no longer available. All other aspects of our discussion around sight reading is still relevant. See below if you’d like to grab your free download.  Sight reading is one of the key skills that I teach my students. We generally work on tactics in every single lesson with practice set during the week. I almost put teaching effective sight reading above all else in my studio because for students to sight read effectively, they have to understand music at a deep level. They have to quickly recognise patterns, understand chords and key relationships and have an excellent sense of pulse. But I also know that you can’t just expect students to get better at sight reading by doing more sight reading. They need a combination of tools and effective teaching to help them understand how to do it and to practice those skills in the most appropriate ways. I’m very excited to talk today to Colin Thompson from Sight Reading Academy (SRA) in California all about his revolutionary approach to sight reading based on eye movement, brain science, memory and pattern recognition and I know that you’re going to get a heap of value out of the interview. Colin has just re-launched SRA after extended trials during the second half of 2014 and he’s got some really special offers available for TTTV listeners. See below for more details. This podcast will talk about both sight reading tips and also the program that Colin has for teaching sight reading using technology online. And I don’t use the term “revolutionising” flippantly; this is really innovative stuff! [Note: You can also watch the video below] In this episode, you’ll learn: Colin’s top recommendations for improving sight reading teaching and practice, including: * Systematic Eye Pattern – Reading each note from the bottom staff, up to the top staff ledger lines. * Increase Your Fixation – This aids in the development of rapid eye movement when reading measures. * Directional Intervals – Being able to recognize intervals between notes on the staff, instead of seeing the space between notes. * Octave Interval Exercise – This develops the ability to recognizing the interval of an octave by playing notes up to the high note, and recognize the feel the black keys, all without looking at the keys. Practice this to develop a “second-nature” familiarity with the keyboard. * Isolating Speed – Practice this by playing music with only one hand and adjusting your metronome accordingly to build speed. * Using Your Peripheral Vision – This practice develops the awareness of the eye and being able to reading whole measures at a glance. * Increase Your Short-term Memory – Learn to continuously fill and empty your short-term memory as you look ahead when sight-reading. * Large Pattern Recognition – Learn to recognize the note structure, intervals, scale pattern, and make remarkable guess of written music. * Habits of Good Sight Reading – Being proactive about practising sight reading and implementing all steps for 5-8 minutes. How SRA’s resources can help. Get this episode’s cheat sheet Items mentioned in this podcast: * Dual N-Back Training for Short Term Memory

A group chat with three people from around Australia and USA, this podcast delves into people’spersonal experience with piano technique and in particular, how the Taubman approach can be so important in developing an effortless, comfortable approach to piano technique. My guests today are: Annie Buettner-Moore – Piano/Sax performer and teacher from Perth, WA Leo McFadden – Guitar performer/teacher and piano student in QLD John Bloomfield – Golandsky Institute NYC The discussion today centres around what piano technique means in a personal context with both Annie and Leo having very different stories about how they came to study with Taubman teachers: Annie due to pain when playing and Leo from a recommendation to start with the Taubman approach from scratch. As we discuss their stories, I refer to John regarding his thoughts on healthy technique and how teachers can approach teaching technique in their lessons. [Note: You can also watch the video below, however we lost visuals very soon after the beginning, so you’ll be stuck with whatever faces we were pulling at the time! Apologies to those of you who prefer watching the videos.] In this episode, you’ll learn: How important technique is in piano teaching, especially when students begin college-level instruction. Two people’s journey through the world of piano technique and how it has affected their own approach to teaching. How the Taubman approach works and how it can be incorporated into lessons. That you don’t have to start retraining yourself or your students from scratch if they are having technical issues. Where to go online for more help, private instruction and video training about piano technique. John’s 5 Top Technique Tips for Teachers (below) that teachers can incorporate into their lessons tomorrow. John’s Top 5 Tips for Teaching Technique: Get the seat height right Ensure there is an unbroken connection between the arm and the hand (ie. wrist neutral) Avoid stretching the fingers out Avoid over-curling the fingers Avoid lateral twisting of the wrists while playing (ie. keep the forearm and wrist in alignment) Items mentioned in this podcast: Previous Post: Dorothy Taubman, Thomas Mark and Practising without injury List of Taumban-certified teachers The Amazing Fingersize Cup, a DIY tool for fixing your students’ collapsing finger joints (Teach Piano Today) Golandsky Institute USA Golandsky YouTube Channel Edna Golandsky’s website Edna’s YouTube Channel (lots of teaching videos) Therese Milanovic’s website/blog (Australia)

Ever wondered how the master of contemporary piano music, Christopher Norton, teaches improvising to beginners? Interested in learning the secrets he’s gleamed about teaching improvising over more than 30 years of composing, teaching and presenting? Like the idea of teaching improving by starting with written music rather than thin air? It’s great to be spending time with one of the piano industry’s most respected and loved composers, presenters and teachers, Christopher Norton, fresh off the plane from London for his Australasian Tour with ANZCA. In this interview, Chris and I discuss how to get started teaching improvising using his American Popular Piano (APP) series. In this sequenced series of books, Chris introduces improv in a completely accessible manner to teachers and students of all levels. If you’d like to find out more about APP, click this image: “Why can’t I play more music like this?” asked a fourteen-year-old piano student. “My friends like to hear me play cool music.” Why not, indeed? J.S. Bach taught his sons using the music of his time – popular dances, preludes and exercises by living composers. He expected his boys to thrive in the musical world of their time. American Popular Piano has been developed on the same principles. Students working in this series will: • develop traditional pianistic and musical skills through music in contemporary, popular styles; • be motivated to practise by working on music that is familiar, fun, and that they can’t wait to play; • nurture their creativity and spontaneity through a user-friendly modular approach to improvisation; • enjoy regular ensemble playing; • find pleasure in a lifelong relationship with music! (Read more at the Boosey & Hawkes website) Starting by learning a simple piece of music, the APP books step both students and teachers through a process of making up music starting with rhythm and then gradually expanding to more and more notes. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never done anything like this before, I guarantee you’ll have success. This is a really different approach to the improvising tactics we discussed with Daniel McFarlane in Podcast Episode 1 as Chris uses written music as a basis for improvising. So if you find that teaching improvising from scratch, with no music, is a bit of a big leap, then this interview is for you! What you’ll learn in this episode: * How to teach improvising using written music as a starting point * Why teaching improvising is so important to the musical futures of students * Chris’ 10-step checklist to getting students improvising no matter what their level of experience * How to teach improv using his American Popular Piano books, even if you’ve never tried it before * Why you don’t have to worry about the theory of modes, scales, etc in order to start teaching improv * The theory behind the composition of the APP series

I’m so excited to be starting the Tim Topham TV Podcast by interviewing my good friend and Australian teacher/composer/presenter, Daniel McFarlane and we’ll be chatting all about student composition: how to help students create music at the piano from scratch and how to develop their own ideas further. It doesn’t matter if you’re completely new to working on composition with your students or whether you are already doing some composing, you’re going to get a lot out of this episode. I learnt heaps! Daniel has created a big niche for himself in the international piano publishing industry in the last five years by creating highly-appealing original music in a style that is very much based on groovy rhythms, chords and patterns, so I figured he was going to be the perfect person to help us understand more about student composition. How to help students compose music I don’t know about you, but I often have students come to lessons with a tiny fragment of an idea that they’ve made up on the piano. It might be the simplest melody, a few chords or a bass line. Nothing that you’d really call ‘music’…yet! What do you do next? Do you help them make a melody? Do you write more chords? What if they don’t want to do anything else? How do you build upon what they’ve already done without taking over? And what if you really want to help your student compose music from scratch, but don’t know where to start? In this episode you’ll learn: * How Daniel works with his students on composing new music and what his own inspirations are * How to get the most out of his Supersonics website – including some amazing special offers * Why he offers studio licences that permit you to print as many copies of his music you want…for life * How you can start composing your own music and helping your students do the same * Daniel’s 5-point composing “cheat sheet” of ideas that you can use in your lessons right away   Items mentioned in this podcast: * Supersonicspiano.com – Daniel’s website * Piano Maestro – one of the best sight-reading/play-along/teaching apps for piano teachers * PianoPronto – the great method from Jennifer Eklund * Frangipani by Ross Edwards – link to buy here * My previous composition posts: * Teaching Video: LH Improv Patterns for Student Composition * Strategies for Teaching Improvisation to Beginners * Chord Progressions for Beginners – Teaching Video * Daniel’s Composing Cheat Sheet (see above) More about Daniel If you haven’t explored Daniel’s music yet, then make sure you check out some of the posts below. His music suits students of all ages and is excellent for teaching purposes as you can easily discuss patterns and chord progressions and it wil...

A New Piano Teaching Podcast A few weeks ago, I interviewed John Bloomfield for a promotion regarding the Taubman workshops in Brisbane (by the way, you can still watch the recordings of these episodes for another month or so). Despite the quality of the recording and sound being pretty average, I had a lot of positive comments from people about the interview and how much they enjoyed watching. I was also interviewed on Teach Piano Today last year regarding my thoughts on iPads. And I really enjoyed doing it! I’ve been thinking for a while now about how cool it would be to have a regular podcast to share more in-depth ideas with my readers. Hearing how much people got out of the quick 10-minute interview with John, despite the technical issues, has prompted me to finally get moving with my own regular podcast. So say hello to Tim Topham TV! If you’re unfamiliar with podcasts, they are audio or video recordings of a live presentation, much like a radio station, which you can watch or listen to via a webpage on any device or through an app on your iPad or smart phone. You can “subscribe” to podcasts meaning that you’ll instantly be notified of new episodes as they are aired and most of them have a place for comments and links, just like a normal blog article. Podcasts are usual audio-only (just like listening to the radio) but sometimes involve video. My plan is to do a mix of both, with people able to watch interviews or just listen to the audio – whatever works best for your learning and access to technology. Why a Podcast? I’ve decided to start a podcast as I believe they are one of the best ways to learn about new things. I subscribe to around six podcasts that I regularly listen to. I find that I have learnt much more through listening to content and people discussing ideas and issues than I would ever have through reading text. Think about the main ways in which schools and universities still deliver content: lectures followed-up with reading/notes. This is exactly what podcasts are about. You listen to someone sharing their ideas, discussing and demonstrating a technique or perhaps interviewing another person, and then you can head to the blog page (if you’re not already on it) in order to download resources and click links, etc. Importantly, I find that audio podcasts mean that I can be 100% productive in the car or on public transport. While I don’t have to drive that much in my current role, even the 20 minutes or so each way is great to listen to half or a third of an hour-long podcast. When I’m next it the car, the player just starts from where I left off. I often find myself having to pull over and take notes as new ideas come to mind as a result of what I’m listening to. Similarly, you might like to listen to podcasts when you’re going for a walk, giving you the best of both worlds: some exercise outside the studio and some quality content to inspire you! What’s Tim Topham TV going to be about? Well, piano teaching obviously, but more specifically, the main content of my podcast will be interviews with other people. While I don’t profess to have all the ideas and answers when it comes to piano education, I do have a lot of contacts in the field. It’s my aim to help these people share their their ideas with you and take you on a mini journey during each episode to help you learn something more about education, piano, repertoire,