Tag: pianoträning

learning environment, Music Composition, Music Lessons, piano lessons, piano practice, piano teacher, singing lessons, Singing teacher, Uncategorized

Music Practice and the art of Patience and Self-Discipline

lizteachespiano

Regular music practice is one of the most practical ways to develop patience and self-discipline. This week’s piano and singing lessons offered clear examples of how these skills are built through intentional practice.

In the first video, I’m demonstrating a piece that uses the Phrygian scale, a scale one of my students particularly enjoys. Instead of practicing the scale in isolation, I chose a short piece that shows how the scale functions in real music. Many children and adult learners have thought “Why do I need to learn scales!?” This helps students connect technical material to sound, style, and musical context—an important step in deeper understanding.

‘My Journey leads into the desert’ by Hanz Zimmer-Arrangement by Laurie Theberge.

The first time I played this piece to the student, it wasn’t great! I had to spend time during the week practicing it, refining it, just as a student would. This process reinforced an important learning principle: improvement comes from focused repetition. You wont have patience straight away. Patience develops through practice.

The second video shows me singing a new song and experimenting with it in different styles. This type of practice supports flexibility and musical awareness. Trying multiple approaches encourages active listening and helps develop control, rather than relying on habit or comfort.

Acoustic version of ‘Trees’ written and performed by me.

Both examples highlight how self-discipline in music is less about strict routines and more about consistent, thoughtful engagement. Whether working on a scale through repertoire or exploring style, progress depends on showing up regularly and reflecting on what works.

Music practice provides a clear framework for learning: set a goal, work slowly, evaluate results, and adjust. These habits strengthen patience and self-discipline in a way that naturally transfers to other areas of learning.

For students and teachers alike, staying engaged in this process is essential. Practice is where real learning happens.

Interested in learning the art of patience and Self-Discipline? See if music lessons could work for you today!

beginner tutorial, learning environment, Music Lessons, piano lessons, piano practice, piano teacher, Uncategorized

The Best Way for Beginners to Start Piano in the New Year- with free resource!

lizteachespiano

Welcome back and Happy New year!

I hope everyone has had a happy holiday season. As well as music, I painted, read, did some model making and wore my Mandalorian Christmas Jumper!

Me taking some time off! Wearing my mandalorian jumper!

The New Year is one of the most popular times to start learning piano. A fresh calendar brings fresh motivation. But many beginners quit within months, not because piano is too hard, but because they start with everything.

If you’re new to piano, this guide will show you the best way to start piano in the New Year, avoid common mistakes, and build habits that lead to real progress. If you’re not new, it could give you a warm up to get back into practice again. 🎶

Start With Clear, Realistic Goals

Instead of saying “I want to learn piano”, try:

  • “I want to learn the piano key notes confidently in 15 days”
  • “I want to practice X on piano 10 minutes, 4 days a week”
  • “I want to learn to read simple music in 30 days”

✅ Tip: Write your piano goal down and place it near your keyboard. (Or print out my free infographic at the bottom of the page and set by the piano for a guide!)

A guide for the best way to learn piano.
Download this infographic guide at the bottom of the page

If you haven’t already, get a keyboard. (Keep It Simple)

Beginners don’t need an expensive grand piano.

Best options for beginners:

  • A digital piano or keyboard with 88 keys- Do not label those keys!
  • A sustain pedal

✅ Tip: Avoid starting on tiny keyboards with few keys — they limit progress and can cause frustration

Learn the Basics First (Don’t Skip This)

Many beginners without guidance jump straight into complicated songs and skip basics. This often leads to bad habits.

Focus first on:

  • Finger numbers
  • Reading basic notes
  • Simple rhythms
  • Playing with both hands slowly

✅ Tip: A strong foundation makes everything easier in the long run.

Follow a Structured Learning Path

One of the biggest beginner mistakes is random practice of everything, all the time.

Instead of:
❌ Jumping between YouTube videos
❌ Playing the same song over and over
Try:
✔️ A step by step method
✔️ A piano teacher (in-person or online)

✅ Tip: Structure = faster progress.

Create a Beginner-Friendly Practice Routine

You don’t need hours a day. Consistency matters more.

Ideal beginner routine (20–30 minutes):

  1. Warm-up/Technique or exercises (5–10 minutes)
  2. New material (10-15 minutes)
  3. Review something fun (5 minutes)

✅ Tip: Practicing a little often is better than long, rare sessions.

Expect Slow Progress .

Piano progress is not always up. Some weeks feel amazing, others feel stuck.

Remind yourself:

  • Every pianist started as a beginner
  • Struggle means your brain is learning
  • Consistency beats talent every time

7. Make Piano Part of Your Lifestyle

The easiest way to stick with piano is to attach it to your daily routine.

Try:

  • Practicing right after school or work
  • Playing before screen time
  • Keeping the piano visible and accessible

✅ Tip: The less effort it takes to start, the more often you’ll play.

🎹 I’ve included a little infographic with the 4 key points I would recommend when starting piano. Feel free to print this out and put by your piano when you need a bit of a motivation boost! This will be the year piano becomes part of your life — not just another resolution.

beginner tutorial, learning environment, Music Lessons, piano lessons, piano performance, piano practice, piano teacher, singing lessons, Singing teacher, Uncategorized

3 Simple Tips to Encourage Piano Practice for Children and Adults

lizteachespiano

Learning the piano is fun and interesting—but staying motivated can be tricky for both children and adults. Here are 3 Simple Tips to Encourage Piano Practice for Children and Adults.

Children sometimes see practice as a chore, and adults, even though they’ve chosen to learn, often struggle to find time. (Even teachers like me have days when we’d rather not practice!)

The good news? With a few simple strategies, practice can become something enjoyable and rewarding.

1. Create a Predictable Piano Practice Routine

Children (and adults!) thrive when practice becomes part of their daily rhythm—not a surprise or a battle. Short, regular sessions are often more effective than long, occasional ones.

How to do it:

  • Pick a consistent time (after school, before dinner, early morning, etc.)
  • Keep sessions short—10–15 minutes is perfect for beginners
  • Use a visual timer.

Why it works:
Routines reduce resistance. Practice becomes a habit rather than a negotiation.

2. Use Positive Reinforcement and Reward Systems

Rewards can help keep motivation high, especially for younger learners—but adults appreciate them too! Rewards don’t need to be big; they just need to be meaningful.

Ideas for rewards:

  • Sticker charts or progress trackers
  • A favourite meal or coffee at a café
  • A special activity after consistent effort

Tip: Reward effort, not perfection. Consistency is more important than flawless playing.

3. Let Students Choose Some of Their Music

When students enjoy what they play, motivation increases dramatically. Even one favourite piece can make a big difference.

How to apply it:

  • Let students pick a pop song, movie theme, or seasonal piece
  • Ask, “Which piece do you want to start with today?”
  • Balance teacher-chosen music with student-chosen favourites

Why it works: Choice gives students ownership, confidence, and excitement about piano practice.

Final Thoughts

Motivation grows when practice feels predictable, rewarding, and personally meaningful. With a consistent routine, small rewards, and music students enjoy, daily practice can shift from a struggle to a source of pride and accomplishment.

🎹If you are in the Stockholm area and interested in enjoying practice more, or interested in starting to practice, feel free to send me a message!

Please note: picture has been made with AI to aid creativity and add fun!

learning environment, Music Lessons, music performance, piano lessons, piano performance, piano practice, piano teacher, singing lessons, Singing teacher, Uncategorized

From Practice to Performance

lizteachespiano

Over the past few weeks, one of my students (as well as learning scales, arpeggios and two other more traditional pieces) went from practice to performance, giving a gorgeous rendition of “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star on piano.

It started with the basics—practice getting comfortable with the chords , smoothing out transitions, and keeping a steady rhythm. Slowly but surely, the song performance began to take shape.

This post is about how that hard work paid off!

To help the student experience the feel of moving from practice to performance, I picked up a guitar and began to accompany them—singing the melody while playing a bit of an accompaniment .As the familiar chords rang out from the piano, supported by gentle strumming and vocals, everything clicked.

My student wasn’t just practicing anymore—they were playing music. 

From practice to performance

Hearing their part in context brought a new level of understanding and confidence. It was a real collaboration, and a reminder that even simple chords can create something powerful when shared.

Moments like this are what music lessons are all about: connection, creativity, and the joy of turning practice into performance.

Never underestimate a good teacher, an amazing student and a song.

beginner tutorial, Music Composition, Music Lessons, music performance, piano lessons, piano performance, piano practice, piano teacher, Uncategorized

Mnemonic Magic: Master Piano Notes the easy Way

lizteachespiano

Plus a free resource!

Hello! I know it has been a little while since my last blog, I’ve been teaching final summer lessons for some students (so they have to be extra special!) , planning summer lessons for students still taking lessons, rehearsing for performances and working in my allotment. Along with many other things. Today I writing a blog on something lots of students struggle with, but is truly fundamental when it comes to learning piano (particularly if you want to be independent and free to play whatever you want at some point!) That is reading music. A good way to begin to read piano music is with mnemonics. With a little Mnemonic Magic, you will be well on your way to reading piano notes!

 Mnemonics are memory aids that help you remember information—in this case, the names of the notes on the lines and spaces of the musical stave (staff) for piano.

Firstly, lets get to grip with a piano staff:

🎼 Understanding the Staff:

  • The staff consists of five lines and four spaces.
  • Piano music uses two staves:
    • The treble clef (usually middle C and above, and for beginners, usually for the right hand)
    • The bass clef (usually middle C and below, and for beginners, usually for the left hand)

Tip: You can access blank sheet music at https://pianocoda.com/blank-sheet-music/

🎹 Treble Clef Mnemonics 

Lines (from bottom to top):

E – G – B – D – F
 💡 Mnemonic Magic: Every Green Bus Drives Fast
(this works well in my town as the busses are green!)

Spaces (from bottom to top):

F – A – C – E
 💡 Mnemonic Magic: Just remember: it spells “FACE”!

🎹 Bass Clef Mnemonics (Left Hand)

Lines (from bottom to top):

G – B – D – F – A
 💡 Mnemonic Magic: Good Burgers Deserve Fries Always

Spaces (from bottom to top):

A – C – E – G
 💡 Mnemonic Magic: All Cows Eat Grass

Mnemonic Magic

This is available to download as a free pdf on my resources page.

How to use the mnemonic magic:

When reading sheet music:

  • You identify whether a note is on a line or space.
  • You determine which clef is used.
  • You then apply the mnemonic to quickly figure out the note name.
  • This will become more automatic with practice and eventually gets replaced by immediate recognition.

What about B, middle C and D?

Middle C is below the lines in treble clef and above the lines in bass clef. Think of music like a diagonal line going up, not just two straight lines. You can also use the resource I’ve provided to actually picture middle C on the page.

💡Mnemonic Magic Tip:

Always try to recognise where middle C is on the music. Try to note where maybe D below middle C is (3rd line up in bass clef) and an octave higher than middle C (3rd space up in treble clef). These are good ANCHOR points. As time progresses start to remember more anchor points, and use the same idea for notes above and below the main stave (but those notes are for another blog!)

Thanks for reading 🙂