Popular Piano Teaching Styles

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When a child begins learning to play the piano, they are at the mercy of their piano teacher. It is up to the teacher to decide which method will be used for teaching their students, as there are several different teaching styles available for teaching piano. Generally speaking, the teacher will use one teaching style for piano and then add in a smattering of other books and songs along the way, as the teacher sees fit.

Standard Parts

There are some fairly standard parts of all piano teaching styles. First, there needs to be time where the student experiences a new theory using a hands-on approach. This is often done through games. Second, the student needs to work on theory on written pages. Third, there is an application level, where the student applies what was just learned. Fourth, the student remembers the concept and applies it to new pieces as they go forward in their musical instruction.

Various Teaching Styles

One of the most popular teaching styles used is Bastien. In the Bastien books, the musical concepts are logically approached, and the method is easy to follow. The hand is used in one position for several pages, which some find useful in strengthening the memory of that position, but others find too likely to result in confusion once the hand position is changed a page or two away.

The Alfred method is popular as a piano teaching style. This includes many different musical styles. They also incorporate music theory throughout the course. It is a great traditional piano method. In it, the student learns to read written piano music right from the start.

With the Suzuki teaching style of piano instruction, the key factors are listening and repetition. It is based on the way we learn language, by being immersed and by imitating. There are four specific points addressed in this method including immersion in music (listening to music every day and attending concerts), ear training (learning by ear precedes the other learning), repertoire (reviewing and playing over all the music learned) and performance (regularly playing for other students, parents and in recitals to eliminate performance anxiety). This method only uses classical music.

The Mayron Cole method is a relative newcomer to the piano teaching industry, available just since the late 1980′s and not available in music stores. It can be bought over the Internet. This method differs from the others in that the students are taught in piano classes, with at least four students in each, instead of individual lessons. The materials also have larger notes to follow, which become progressively smaller as time goes on and the student gains experience. They do not use finger numbering. They say they emphasize note reading, consistent counting and creative thought in each lesson.

Finally, there are piano teachers who use none of these established teaching styles. Instead, they prefer to make up their own versions of folk songs, patriotic songs and classical pieces. They can write variations of established pieces at a level that is appropriate for the student. They introduce the concepts and music theory at the times they feel are appropriate.

So which is the best piano teaching style? Different students respond better to different methods. Students, or parents of students, need to give the time and energy needed to find the right piano teaching style and teacher.