Frequently Asked Questions

How can parents contribute to a student's learning?

Parental involvement is necessary for student success at all ages. Parents provide crucial guidance in practice sessions, differentiating practice and playtime, hearing right vs wrong notes, correcting technique, and more. The responsibilities of the student must be completely understood by the parents as if they were the student themselves. Parents also provide vital moral support and guidance through the mental aspect learning piano. Learning an instrument nurtures life-long lessons far more valuable than the music itself where parents pass on valuable knowledge in learning attitude, problem solving, handling challenges, discipline, and perseverance.

Generally speaking, students up to 12 years old benefit greatly from parents being active in the learning process. Even for older students, an outside ear can be extremely helpful. For beginners to Level 1, parents are expected to join every lesson and practice with the student daily (not merely supervise). Parents are expected to be able to do this whenever necessary in the learning process, no matter the age/level of the student. Structured practice, repetition, and active listening is new and foreign to children - it is the parent’s responsibility to learn alongside the student so that they are able to take the role of the teacher in practice sessions.

When parents participate in lessons, a few things should be kept in mind. During a lesson, parents should take the role of an observer - abstain from answering for the child, rushing, punishing/scolding them, or trying to teach the student themselves. It is important for the student to understand that the teacher is the authority figure in the piano lesson. This allows the student’s attention to be focused on the teacher, and not divided between two voices. It also avoids any contradictions or opposing directions which can be very confusing. In a lesson, a parent should aim to understand the responsibilities of the student, what they are to achieve for the following lesson, and how to do so. Parents will learn to understand note values, how to break down the rhythm and counting, guide dynamics, and hear whether notes are right and wrong. Parents are welcome (and encouraged) to play, participate, ask/answer questions at the right time in the lesson to ensure to their understanding.

If you are a parent without music training - fear not! A vast amount of knowledge in music and technique can be learned by a careful observer. Concepts that may require more time for a young student to grasp are often more easily understood by parents who can provide a watchful eye for many things during practice or simply ensuring focus at the piano.  Believe it or not, the majority of music student parents are not musically trained. Many pianists, students, and piano teachers come from families without any music background - my own parents included.

Should my child be more independent in learning? 

The path to independence is one which requires much guidance. Much like how a child being taught to swim would not be taught by being put in the water alone, a child learning to play piano should not be taught by being put in front of the piano alone daily. Independence is learned and developed through guidance in foundational stages. While there are students who lean towards independence early on, parents always monitor lessons and practice carefully and be ready to contribute to the learning process at any time. Gradually, over time, students will develop independence in practicing. This is a process which takes several years and learning independence should not be expected to be present immediately when beginning lessons.

How early can I begin learning piano?

The minimum age for beginning private lessons with Kim is 7 years old.  However, all students are different, and this may vary depending on the individual student.  A student younger than the age of 7 may be equipped for private lessons and a student older than the age of 7 may not.  

Students are often better suited to private lessons after having some experience in school where they must listen, and follow instructions from teachers. and concentrate on tasks independently. Learning music through private lessons requires these qualities in a student as well as consistent, daily effort.  Both the student and parent must be ready for this commitment in order for success in lessons.

 

What is good practice?

Practice is the process of travelling from problem to solution.  In order to achieve this, the student must understand precisely what needs to be corrected, why, and what the final product should be. This could be in accuracy of notes, in tone production, articulation, rhythm, or more. Whatever it may be, both problem and solution should be precisely understood through guidance from your teacher. Once this is established, the learning process is almost entirely in the hands of the student. Proper practice is structured, strategic and requires careful listening - it is a constant feedback loop, where the student must always be aware of their output, so as to optimize their input.

While practice requires a great deal of repetition, it should be always engaging. In its highest form, practice becomes a deeply intriguing search for mastery in every sense - through problem solving, using your body effectively to execute fine motor movements, musical interpretation and exploration, as well as developing a healthy mindset for life.

There are 2 main types of practice: 1) building accuracy & technique, and 2) executing the musical interpretation. Both types of practice are equally important and should offer input to support the other. Both types will require practicing in small sections, hands separate playing, metronome work, and more. Type 1 is more mechanical than musical - the aim is not to produce the sound of the final product, but instead, to build the tools which will allow it. Type 2 focuses on the artistic aspect of music making. Type 1 forges the tools to create the art, where Type 2 is where you use said tools to create. It is almost as if you must construct a paintbrush you use to paint with. Through painting, you may redesign and rebuild the paintbrush to create new strokes.

An example of type 1 is practicing in exercises - to strengthen the fingers, improve rhythmic control, aid memory, etc. Some examples include practicing in staccato drills, rhythmic patterns, and adding stops. This is often the first step of practice, requiring more time in the early stages of learning a piece. However, at any stage, it should be immediately followed by putting the music back into it’s final form, practicing for musical execution. Type 2 requires much interpretation of the score, reflection, and experimentation - in musical ideas, and in movements used to produce sounds. There is an odd paradox in these 2 types of practice. On one hand, practicing should always sound good - as you must never forget the musical expression of what you are playing. On the other hand, practicing should never sound good - as it may mean you are getting to carried away playing, and not practicing in small sections to reinforce high quality repetitions.

The process of learning music is a lifelong and neverending. A healthy mindset must be taught and supported by teacher and parent. An unhappy relationship with music will be an unproductive one. There is so much emphasis on identifying problems - what is “wrong”, what should be fixed, etc. on a regular basis. Discouragement and negativity is an easy to fall into for musicians and students. As such, it is important to recognize that the purpose of identifying problems is to seek a solution, improvement, and growth. Beyond the skill of playing an instrument, one must gain the mindset to learn how to learn. This is perhaps one of the most valuable aspects of music education, as one discovers how to recognize shortcomings yet trust their ability to overcome them on a regular basis.

Practice is a multi-faceted journey of self discovery which offers lessons far beyond the instrument. But in its most basic from, good practice should be goal oriented, consist of many repetitions, and always with careful listening.  Each repetition is a reinforcement of what you are learning - ensure you are reinforcing the correct things.  As such, everything you practice should be as close to perfect as possible.  This is possible at any stage of learning a piece with a controlled tempo in small sections.

Highly RecKIMmended articles regarding practice:

 

How much should I practice?

Daily practice produces optimum results - this builds momentum and allows students to build on top of what they’ve learned each day, making exponential progress as compared to inconsistent practice. Skipping days is comparable to taking one step forward, then one step back. The feeling of stagnancy or backsliding is very detrimental to the learning process, as well as the motivation of the student.

Consistency is key to developing any skill. Learning piano also requires learning discipline.  Making practice a part of daily routine will create a positive feedback loop - the student will see themselves making progress, feel motivated by it, then continue the routine. It is important for students to learn to move forward in the face of adversity and see that they can overcome challenges.

A helpful tip to make practice a part of your daily routine by attaching it to an already existing habit. Do you always have a snack after school? Practice immediately after. Perhaps it can be a short session before school each morning or before dinner each night. Making practice a daily habit is necessary but creating new habits can be challenging - try building new habits by attaching it to a pre-existing habit.


Practice time will vary depending on level and goals of students.  Practice must increase at each level of musicianship to ensure substantial progress.

RecKIMmended minimum daily practice times:

  • Primer level students (the first months of lessons): At least 15 minutes daily

  • Early Beginner (Prepatory RCM to Level 3): At least 30-60 minutes daily

  • Beginner (RCM Levels 3-5): At least 1-1.5 hours daily

  • Early Intermediate (RCM Levels 5-7): At least 1.5-2 hours daily

  • Intermediate (RCM Levels 7-9): At least 2-2.5 hours daily

  • Early Advanced (RCM Level 10 and up): At least 3 hours daily

*Practice length alone does not ensure quality learning.  It is important to remember: quality over quantity.  Students looking to greater enhance their progress can increase the quantity of their practice while ensuring the quality is maintained as well.

Seeking out practice length may seem intimidating initially.  It is beneficial to focus practice on many specific goals which you want to achieve.  This is given in the form of weekly assignments and exercises by the teacher.  Goal oriented practice often feels more purposeful and productive.  This is the best way to ensure and maintain a high quality practice session.

Practice as much as necessary to reach the improvement you seek.  Learning anything requires much time and consistent effort.  Keep in mind that learning music is a process. Realize that after each practice session, you are one step closer to your goal, and after each night of sleep, everything will sink in a little more.

What piano should I get?

An acoustic piano is necessary to learn to play the piano well.   This instrument allows students to develop not only proper technique & strength, but also to builds an awareness to sound, developing vital listening skills required to play music. An upright piano will be suitable for most students but a student will always benefit most from practicing on a grand piano.  When studying advanced repertoire, a grand piano becomes the recommended instrument.  As a general rule, grand pianos are superior to upright pianos, which are superior to digital pianos/keyboards. Due to the favourable sound & experience of a good instrument along with the tactile qualities, students often find practice more enjoyable on a quality instrument and in return, are also more motivated.

Keyboards/digital pianos do not have real piano actions and function entirely differently from acoustic pianos.  This is apparent in the touch/action of the keys, as well as the tone produced - the two most important qualities of an instrument. Recreating the sound of an acoustic piano is a feat even the most expensive keyboards can not match.  Keyboards offer minimal benefits in the first few lessons, only when students are learning the basic, visual aspect of recognizing white keys.  Even with weighted keys, students primarily trained on keyboards often lack sound, strength and control when performing on an acoustic piano. It is worth saving to purchase a piano and it is not recommended to commit to lessons until one is able to commit to a quality instrument. Used uprights may be available for $1,500-$2,500, sometimes, even for free, with only the cost of moving and tuning necessary. Even an old acoustic piano will be more beneficial than a high end keyboard.

Upright or Grand? Upright pianos will be suitable for most students from beginner to intermediate level repertoire.  Grand pianos are usually superior to uprights, largely due to the action, which is heavier and more responsive.  This allows for enhanced control, as well as faster repetitions of notes. The longer strings allow greater dynamic range, enhanced tone quality, control, and range of expression. When students reach advanced repertoire, upright pianos can be limiting.  Once students reach this level, a grand piano is the recommended instrument. However, a grand piano is always more beneficial to students at any stage of learning.

Having a good instrument to practice on opens up a world of possibilities musically and technically. Students are often more inclined to practice when playing on a higher quality instrument because of the many favorable qualities and expanded possibilities.  A good instrument is an invaluable investment.  A grand piano may allow an intermediate level student to explore new levels of artistry, breaking through to an advanced level.  An acoustic upright over a digital piano will undoubtedly allow a beginner to develop foundational skills correctly from the first lessons.

 

How can I get inspired?

A great way to become inspired in music is to listen to others.

Go to concerts, listen to different styles of music, as well as different pianists/artists for their individual style and approach to a piece.  Hearing fine artists play can open up a world of possibilities to explore and apply to your own music in practice.  The detail and quality found in live concert performance is unmatched by any recording or technology.  It is thrilling to experience the performance: seeing the pianist’s flying hands painting a blur in front of you, feeling the vibration of the music your feet on the ground, being able to see exactly where that tiny detail in a symphony is coming from in the orchestra.  There is nothing like riding the rollercoaster of a live performance, seeing the music being created in the moment, all within arm's reach.  Witnessing musical masterpieces come to life in front of you offers a spark of inspiration for even the most accomplished performers. Creating music is truly a magical thing.

Another source of inspiration is participation: performances, recitals, masterclasses, festivals, etc.  It is possibly even more inspiring to rediscover this through the music of a fellow student – one whom you can identify with and put yourself in the shoes of.  It is powerful to see that musical magic is capable every step of the way, and not only from a professional pianist.  Kim's students can stay updated on student events through the events calendar on the current students page, also keeping an eye out for any RecKIMmended Events.

Discover Classical Music in Calgary here and visit the RecKIMmended page here.  

 

How can I stay motivated?

The first step of maintaining motivation is to understand you will not always, constantly be motivated.  What is motivation?  Motivation is not the foundation which we rely upon for success, but a bonus - the boost that accelerates us towards it.  Motivation is fickle and unreliable - even those who are the best at what they do experience days where motivation is nowhere to be found.

Habit is the number one factor of success.  Habit does not take a day off.  Habit keeps you moving forward even when all you want to do is relax and do nothing.  It is with this discipline that we are able to maintain constant forward momentum which in turn creates the spurts of motivation occur. Our work ethic – our habit – creates the forward momentum and best environment to create motivation.  Our work habits are what we must rely on.  Motivation is the bonus.  So, how can we create good habits?

  • Set a goals.  What do you want to achieve?  What is a realistic point to reach in a month?  What is a realistic point to reach this week?  What step can you take to get there today?

  • Set a daily practice time.  Dedicate a block of time each day for your practice - make it a daily habit. A tip to develop a new habit is to attach it to a pre-existing one. Setting a schedule and sticking to it is step number one.

  • Have fun.  It is always nice to have a fun aspect in your work that you know you will enjoy. For some students, it may help to have this – a dessert at the end of your meal.  Understand this is the cherry on top – a bonus – not the sole purpose of your work.

Practicing all aspects of your learning may not be 100% fun 100% of the time. Expect to work through difficult times, and remember, the sweetest success is usually on the other side of the most challenging parts of your work.

Create a schedule, build good habits, and stick to them.  This is the best way to create success for yourself and spark a motivational boost.

 

More coming soon . . . 

 

 

Have any questions not answered?

Feel free to contact Kim here.