Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum What do your lessons look like?

I haven't had a lesson myself in quite some time. I had been working on the Grieg pieces (65/1 and 71/5) and trying to bring the Mendelssohn Spinning Song up to speed without tension that had crept in, and decided to have a lesson with a colleague. I've also been working on Rachmaninoff Prelude in g minor.

When I got the to lesson, I pulled open the first Grieg piece and showed her where I had been having issues and played that section. She worked with me on that area then had be go back and play the whole thing since she was unfamiliar with the piece, and we addressed some other issues I was having with it up to tempo. Then we moved on to the Mendelssohn, again, I didn't play this piece at all but just went right to where I needed the work. After touching on all of those and finding solutions for me to work on, we had time to do the Rachmaninoff, which was still in beginning stages and not anywhere near up to tempo like the other pieces. Still, I knew where I was going to have trouble and worked with her on that.

It was very helpful and effective and now I know exactly what I need to practice. I feel that this was best use of the time by not first playing through everything and letting her guess where I'm feeling tense or what I feel isn't quite easy yet.

How do your lessons with your teacher look? Are you more passive and let the teacher tell you what they want to hear? Do you play through your songs for them, or just go to the problem areas?

I suspect that if you are having sporadic lessons, and are a good pianist already this would be a good approach.

My lessons, coming once a week, tend to have a routine that works well too. We start with theory; mostly my teacher checks it while I warm up and/or do the technical exercise that I have been working on (scales, arpeggios, other exercises.) If necessary we work for a while on that but most often it's just a pointer, "remember this for next time ..."

Then it's our beloved Czerny I love these mini pieces and so does my teacher. Some don't, whatever. Depending on the state of the piece I'll play all or some. Then we'll work on specific issues for a while.

For repertoire, I always bring just one of my pieces and I tend to play it through from start to finish - or, for works at early stages, to where I have got up to. And then we work on specific bits.

So if I have three repertoire pieces on the go at a time (currently four, but one of them is the Grieg recital piece that I'm not doing much on with my teacher) I will only hit each piece every three weeks. But since I have them every week I think that works out well.

<pet his big galoot of a greyhound a bit, shoot the breeze some, then>

"What'd ya do this week?"

"I was working pieces X, Y, and Z last week. I put Z aside this week, mostly focused on X and some Y"

"Okay, let's hear section A of X"

Then... either

* when I'm trying to slip by something, "Stop... you know I'm not going to let you get away with that. Repeat that measure. Hm, what fingering are you using? Try this..." and if I still don't get it, then "All right, play just the one hand..."

* on the repeats, "Doublecheck that Eb... you missed it on both repeats." At which point, I spend 15 seconds or so trying to figure out WHICH Eb... once I do, it's usually, "Crap, I learned it wrong," (and much less often, "No, it's written that way and which point my teacher is 'Crap, I learned that wrong')

* sometimes out of nowhere, "This part is the slippery part of the section... slide over and watch what I'm doing with my hand"

* "Okay, let's move on to section B..."

* Sometimes, "You played that beautifully. Whatcha wanna work on next week," yielding, "I just heard this one and want to start it" or "I dunno, really," yielding, "Here, let me play a couple for you" or "...how about this?"

* Usually ending with "Thanks, teach, these lessons are the highlight of each week"

You really want to know what my lessons look like?

Seriously....

I have an hour. Half hour isn't long enough. We easily cover more than I can handle in a week.
She has a notebook for me. Looks at it. Brings up what I'm supposed to have done.
We go through it. She sets up more for me. Might even try it for the first time. That's usually a disaster. She understands. She doesn't hit too hard.
Then, we always devote the last part of the lesson to a special piece I'm working on. She criticizes. Helps with advise. Will help with better fingering than what I'm doing. "That won't keep working". She might even play a part for me. So I can hear just how it's supposed to go just right. With this one piece I jump way ahead of where I am at in learning. She knows it. It's for motivation. To help and motivate me in my basic learning. To get it right. It works. Gets me much more determined in the songs I do in Alfred's One. I gotta get those things down, well.
Even though I'm not interested in performing. She will still address that. Especially this one piece. She wants me to practice it way beyond doing it perfect. She wants me to practice it until nothing can stop me from playing it perfect. Nothing can distract me. That's a whole lot of practice beyond getting it.

EDIT: I wanted to add. I'm getting a piece of sheet metal and a flashlight ready. This is so my teacher can do the thunder and lightning while we sway around to the tiny ship being tossed during Gilligan's Island.

This first time I did this, I had a particular busy week, and I learn by chunks, so by the end of the week, I didn't have time to play the whole piece of music together but just different chunks. I asked I could just play back the chunks. I was thinking that I won't get much out of the lesson. It turned out to be one of the most productive lesson I had. I was under less stress since I didn't have to to play back the whole piece of music when I wasn't ready to, and we used the time to focus on where I was having the most trouble. It's definitely a good approah for me, and we do that whenever I ask.

However, I still prefer to play from the beginning as soon as possible because I am still prone to making careless mistakes at my stage of development (RCM grade 5). My teacher lets me drive my lessons. She always ask me what I would like to do for our lessons each time. My last lessons we spent a lot of time on technical things because my 2 pieces were coming along, so we had a lot of time left after, and I didn't have time to pick up a 3rd piece yet, so I played a bunch of technical exercises, and she helped me learn how to relax. Again a great lesson that I didn't expect. I went into the lesson thinking I wish I had time over the week to learn that 3rd piece, but came out really glad I had time to learn new techniques.

Morodiene, I have read your post, here:


I haven't had a lesson myself in quite some time. I had been working on the Grieg pieces (65/1 and 71/5) and trying to bring the Mendelssohn Spinning Song up to speed without tension that had crept in, and decided to have a lesson with a colleague. I've also been working on Rachmaninoff Prelude in g minor.

When I got the to lesson, I pulled open the first Grieg piece and showed her where I had been having issues and played that section. She worked with me on that area then had be go back and play the whole thing since she was unfamiliar with the piece, and we addressed some other issues I was having with it up to tempo. Then we moved on to the Mendelssohn, again, I didn't play this piece at all but just went right to where I needed the work. After touching on all of those and finding solutions for me to work on, we had time to do the Rachmaninoff, which was still in beginning stages and not anywhere near up to tempo like the other pieces. Still, I knew where I was going to have trouble and worked with her on that.

It was very helpful and effective and now I know exactly what I need to practice. I feel that this was best use of the time by not first playing through everything and letting her guess where I'm feeling tense or what I feel isn't quite easy yet.

How do your lessons with your teacher look? Are you more passive and let the teacher tell you what they want to hear? Do you play through your songs for them, or just go to the problem areas?

____________________________________

Morodiene, you have a lovely name. I am not sure how to pronounce your name. You changed my music life forever. During one of the posts, I indicated that I played all my pieces over and over again and again from the first piece I have ever learned 1 and half years ago always without mistakes. You made a post and made a statement in your post generically that playing the same pieces over over without mistakes is a waste of time. If you can play the piece without mistakes, then you should move on you to a new piece so that you can grow.

Being self-taught, I think I was afraid to let go of my pieces. So now, thanks to you, when I can play a piece smoothly, musically and without errors 3 times, I move on. I do go back every couples weeks and place the pieces I have learned and I can still play them and because I haven't played them everyday for a couple of weeks, it is sort of like sight reading because it isn't as fresh as having played the piece everyday.

So now it is funny because depending on the piece I am learning and playing a few times and it is played 3 times smoothly and without mistakes, I have to say good-bye because that is my new way.

I have finally finished John Thompson Book no. 1 and am starting Book 2 witch is very, very, exciting because I am being introduced to the Thumb under the Second finger and for the first time, this technique takes my fingers and hands in all directions far removed from staying close to hand position 1 or 2, of a piece. For the first time I wanted to look at my hands/fingers because doing the thumb under made me feel very insecure that I had to stretch the finger a little bit to reach the note I wanted to play like an f. So I had a little talk with myself, if you will, and played slowly so I could prove to myself, that if I remained calm and relaxed I should be able to correctly get my fingers where they are supposed to be. So this piece In the Alps is going to leave me in the trees for a few days or weeks until the new technique is solidly learned.

Now, about the pieces. They all looking exiting. There are Chopin pieces, Czern, Streabbog which I think I recognize the name. There is one I am excited about because as a beginner, none of the beginner pieces are ever slow, sad, and melancholy witch The Gypsy Camp is supposed to be. It is on page 36, so being on page 3 on In the Alps, it is sadly going to be a while learning other pieces until I can get to play it. I don't need any incentive to play, I just love playing. There is a Mozart piece from or about the Don Giovanni opera. At page 44 it is Dark Eyes/Russian Gypsy Dance Folk Song. I have heard it and I think I will fall in love with the piece when I can play it. And thanks to you, I will be learning them soon and faster because of your good suggestion.

My lessons are somewhat like Morodiene's. I go straight to areas where I need help. Since I have a lot of these, I don't always get to three different pieces!

I often don't play through a whole piece. I feel it isn't the best use of the time unless I think the piece is getting close to ready and/or I need advice about the general musical approach or shaping of it. (Unfortunately I'm often wrong about the "close to ready" part!)

My teacher strongly encourages me to pinpoint the problems so that our time will be most productive. An hour is always too short!

The lesson always starts the same “mistress am I ready yet to be given the secret of sight reading”.........just kidding I am no fool I, know a lot more money has to change hands before I get the secret.

... Team G-major arpeggio... come in, team G-major arpeggio... one of the sleepers has awakened. Mobilize liquidation team!

Usually, my teacher will ask what I would like to play, which she knows means "what did I actually work on." If I've been having a very specific problem, I'll ask and show her immediately. We figure out how to fix the problem, then, work on the problem spot. Then, we'll do the whole piece. That may be all we work on.

If I wasn't having any problems with a piece(s), I'll play what I was assigned and she'll give suggestions, usually technical aspects, or sometimes, theory related. Depending on how much is already on my plate, she may assign a short piece related to the technical or theory issue.

If we're ready for something totally new, she usually gives me options. She knows what I like and what I tend to be better at. So, sometimes, she knows that she has to give me something totally different. At times, I'll tell her I'll play whatever she thinks is best. However, there have been some pieces I've outright refused. I don't consider myself totally passive, but I trust and rely on her expertise, so I will defer to her suggestions.

I have 45 minute lessons.

Generally my teacher doesn't keep notes on what I'm doing, (he does for the kids, but not me). I have a notebook.

He asks what I want to play for him and if I have any particular questions I tell him "I had trouble with this part". I'll sometimes just play the problem part or a section that I've practiced - then when I feel it is coming together I'll play the whole piece.

Before I start a new piece he will glance over it and often flag areas that he feels might be challenging and goes over them with me, and we run through those bars a few times before I leave with my homework for the week.

when I play for him, he listens, never interrupts, and then gives me feedback on where I've had trouble or perhaps missed something.

He'll say "You're playing G, but look, it's an E" or he'll ask if I realized that I've made a mistake - sometimes I do know it (I just played it incorrectly at that moment) but there are times I'm not aware I've got it wrong.

When we begin new pieces he always gives me background information - on the composer, on the historical context, how it compares to the style of music that came before and after.
I love hearing this, and he is so enthusiastic and knowledgeable that it really adds extra depth to the whole experience).


If I'm having trouble with physically managing a part, he will demonstrate and I try to repeat.

Things he has been particularly helpful with this year are how to manage much wider stretches than I thought I would never be able to reach - and generally managing fingering for things I find physically hard to do, -and reducing tension.

We don't really do any theory unless there is some particular information that is useful at a moment in the lesson. I am sure we could do it if I wanted to, but at this point in time I feel I have enough resources with my own books that I prefer to keep that ball in my court and just ask questions if I have a doubt.

He's also a conductor and I find that his insight into how to work to bring out all the nuances of the piece is absolutely fascinating. I have found that, in my limited way, I've really been able to improve in this area over the year I've been with him.

My lessons are usually 30 mins but sometimes an hour for make ups. We usually start with me running through how my week went very quickly. Then I do my scales and chords that were homework. We pick either the same or new ones for the next week.

Everything is kept in my little leather book I bring so that I don't forget.. I have a terrible memory. My teacher kindly writes it all down for me.

Then we go through a few songs I'm working on (more on the longer lessons.) I usually play through for her or show her my spots I'm having issues with. She's always got neat tricks to help me and usually thinks I'm doing better then I think! LOL

When there is time we work on our duet, heart and soul. It's slowly getting better but always makes me giggle like crazy. Also now I show her what I've learned on my ear training.

End of lesson I usually have a mini theory quiz to do that she writes out in my book.

I love my teacher. She's so easy to get along with, flexible and understanding and gets me to try more then I ever would on my own. Those are my lessons and they are pretty consistent.

I appreciate all your replies! I haven't had a moment to look at them and respond, but hopefully I'll have time tomorrow. I think it's very interesting to see how different teachers work and what works for different students too!

I played some duets with my first teacher, one of which had the same effect on me Those were delightful moments!

My lessons are an hour long, twice a week, and what we work on varies. They might be a little different because I came to this teacher with hand pain a year ago. She has completely revamped my hand position and my sitting posture. So a lot of the lesson is focussed on relaxing between notes and maintaining a good base of support. I now play pain free.

I usually have 4 or more pieces on the go in different stages. Warm up is generally technique - slow scales or arpeggios. Then I generally point out the areas in a piece that I am having trouble with, and we work on those. We do a lot of hand separate work to isolate and correct movement issues, or we zero in on a particular technique that has not clicked yet. We generally work on two pieces in each lesson, one at the performance stage and one still developing. So, part of the lesson is a lot of hands on instructing and the other part is more refining interpretation.

We do very little actual theory work unless I ask a question. There just is not enough time. So, I do theory on my own.

She is still trying to teach me to play SLOW ENOUGH in practice or in a lesson, unfortunately. My definition of slow and her definition of slow are finally coming into sync, but it has taken a long time!

My lesson is an hour, once a week. It's not enough time, but it's fine for now.

My teacher is Russian and by all appearances, teaches pretty much the way she was taught, if you let her. Otherwise, she's happy to "Americanize" it, which, once she discovered I was up for whatever pedagogical approach she wanted for me, she explained was really just a matter of not insisting on boring technical work if the kid isn't keen on it, and the parents aren't setting expectations for progress and technical development. Ha.

She insists on a scalar warmup, though I don't always practice scales first. She'll ask what key we're doing this week, and then sit back and start asking for things: parallel, contrary, thirds...etc. broken chords, four note chords, arpeggios, etc. She'll correct fingering immediately if there are problems. If there are no problems, then she just quietly starts asking for more speed, and fixes posture and movement errors. She'll often want to hear a particular scale a few more times though I'm not always sure what she's looking for.

From there, we've added Burgmuller. The pieces are not hard, but there is a lot of roughness still in my playing that needs to be worked out, and some basic technical issues, so it's good to do that with music that I don't have any trouble sight reading and playing in real time from the get-go. They're certainly difficult enough that to play them very well, it takes some skill. But the actual music is easy enough, so she can pick one, and I can play it, and then we'll work on the task that the etude itself is trying to teach.

Then we move on to pieces. At this point, there are quite a few (three chopin nocturnes, one mozart sonata, and a Bach English Suite), and we can't do them all each week. She likes to hear me play through a piece fully if it's one that I'm close to being done with, and will often listen to it from the other side of the piano.

Then we work on things like finger and hand placement, accuracy, velocity, movement...whatever it is the piece requires and I'm not yet doing.

And tonight--fingering heck.

My teacher has basically thrown down with a "step up your game" piece.

We worked pretty much, right hand only, on a crazy technical piece.

EDIT: Bowdlerization filter. It wasn't really "heck"