Anybody Can Play PIANO 

HELPING YOUR CHILD WITH PIANO

Books have been written about tremendous increases in brain function from learning to play the piano. These brain functions transfer to other subjects as well - especially when the piano lessons are started at a very young age.

Do not wait! Start your child at a young age if at all possible. Just remember to make your piano time short, fun and creative…..and be excited about each step learned.

Explore this website. It website offers you several options. Under the Heading: Piano Lessons, there are Pre-school Lessons and Gramma's Piano Lessons for young children and After-Schooler Lessons that move at a faster rate for older children. All have activities, videos, games, etc. that can be done with your child alone - or maybe your child and a friend or two! All activity sheets are free downloadable PDFs and videos are on youtube (with direct links).

There are also the Gramma's Piano Lessons that compement the app. And....I would take a look at the article under the Piano Teacher heading on the BLOG page which "walks through" a first lesson for a four-year-old. Explore this website. It is ever changing....things being added all the time!

Let your child use the anybodycanplayPIANO app independently. Be sooooo impressed that they are using it by themselves! Let your child explore through the app at will, but ask them to learn the songs from the top down. The top ones are easier!

Sing the songs with words and colors with “kk” on the videos so they become very aware of using the proper fingers. Play the games for color coding and patterning.

I cannot say it enough…Be impressed! They are learning another language! When they start being interested in learning to read the notes, let them start the NOTES part of the app simultaneously with the learning of the songs. With the SILLY SONGS they are not only learning to read another language, but a language with different symbols. WOW!

And remember, this app works with any age. It might be a good idea for you to learn to play these songs as well. It will show your child true interest on your part.

MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, TEENS and ADULTS
It may seem strange that the first thing on the app is about color coding fingers. I always started the rank beginner adults with colors, but with the option of doing an “adult only” curriculum in a couple weeks if they wished. At the end of a couple weeks, EVERY adult wanted to continue with the colors.

REASONS FOR COLORS:
Most beginner pianists begin with the right hand only - or with the left hand doing far less than the right hand. Both hands should be equally trained from the start. This is the reason for Level 2 on the app. It is important to be able to play a melody with both hands separately as well as together.

Since the colors are in parallel, the “finger colors” on both hands are the same when learning to play in parallel. If we use fingering at this point, it is extremely confusing since the fingers are numbered in opposite directions. (Thumbs are both #1.)

So, do pay attention to those finger colors. And, learn to play the songs so well that you do not need the arrows. Also, be in the habit of reviewing the songs you know at least one time per day. Your finger dexterity, muscle memory and memory reflex will keep improving if you do this.

YOUNG STUDENTS
Young students can use the app independently. However, these other "lessons" on this website have all sorts of additional activities that can be used. None of them are essential to the learning process of the app, but they do complement the app and give you different things to do with your child.

Remember to be excited and impressed about each step learned….just like you were when those first words were spoken. And, with all ages, it is a good idea to have some type of “reward” when certain levels are achieved.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED
APP AND COMPUTER
1. The AnybodycanplayPIANO app (cost: $0.99).
To subscribe to the Anybody Can Play PIANO app in Windows 10 click here.

2. A COMPUTER OR TABLET UTILIZING WINDOWS 10; MINIMUM 4G: If the computer is touch sensitive there is no need for anything else, but may be used with an attached MIDI keyboard or controller. A non-touch computer needs an attached MIDI keyboard or controller in order to function.

Even with a touch sensitive computer, I recommend attaching a keyboard as soon as possible so even little hands get used to playing actual piano type keys.

A “NICE TO HAVE” - LAMINATOR: It is really nice to be able to laminate game sheets, cards, etc. Small laminators that laminate up to 5mm are great. There is no need for a stronger laminate.

USING THE VIDEOS:
Some videos are songs with words and colors, some theory lessons, some show games, some are very short piano lessons explaining just one concept..... Check 'em out!