In-home piano lessons are very convenient for busy parents who can catch up on their work while listening to their child learn the piano. The challenge is to create a comfortable and productive environment for the student to have the best piano experience. Here are some guidelines of optimal in-home piano lessons.
The Piano
The piano should be an upright acoustic piano, grand piano, or a weighted piano keyboard with a sustain pedal. The weighted keys portion of the keyboard is important as it is integral to teaching the student the correct finger strength required to play the piano. Otherwise, they may find the grand piano at the recital to be unfamiliar!
The piano/keyboard should be tuned (at least once a year), and have the ability to create dynamics (a range of soft sounds to loud sounds).
There should be no unnecessary paperwork, books or decorations on top of the piano, as it is a distraction to the student and teacher.
The Lesson Area
For optimal results, please vacate the lesson area to give the student and teacher privacy. Parents of young students are welcomed to watch, but should refrain from commentary unless it is a special circumstance. The lesson area should be free of toys, or other possible distractions. An uncluttered setting allows the student to focus on the piano.
If the piano bench is large enough for both the student and the teacher, there is no need for an extra chair. If the piano bench is small, please provide a chair that is on the similar height as the piano bench. EN Music Studio recommends a nearby table for composition exercises.
The Student
For optimal results, please dress the student as if they are heading to a studio to take lessons. This helps the student visualize that they are at a lesson, not being entertained at home.
If necessary, the student should eat before the lesson, and not during.
Siblings who are also taking piano lessons should vacate the area to minimize distractions.
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Eric Ng (B.Mus, A.R.C.T , ECE ) is a piano teacher based in Richmond, B.C. Mr. Eric has taught in a variety of early childhood education styles, including Reggio-inspired, Montessori, Play-based, and Outdoor-based settings. Along with his formal classical music training from the RCM curriculum and the University of Victoria, Mr. Eric brings a unique perspective to teaching music to young children today.