Pieter Smit

MUSP2622 2014-09-02

Methods of Piano teaching

From the existence of the Piano there is a great many methods of Piano
teaching. In this essay I have chosen three of the universal piano teaching
methods. The Middle C, Intervallic, and Multi-key piano teaching is the most
common piano teaching approaches, these three methods is mostly used by
piano teachers around the word. The purpose of this essay is to discuss the
tree piano teaching methods individually and then to compare their
similarities and differences. Each of the three teaching methods is unique in
their own way, but another purpose of this essay is to clarify which of these
methods are the best to use for beginner piano students and which method
is the best for the musical progress of a student.
The Middle C Method
The Middle C approach is frequently used in the beginner piano books John
Thompson established the middle C approach in his beginner piano books.
This method of learning requires the learner to place both thumbs of the
right and left hand on middle C and the melodies is centred around middle C.
When using the middle C approach the learner will play his/her first piece on
middle C in a two octave range. Basic metres will be intoduced such as 4/4 ,
and 2/4 and as the student progress the 6/8 time will be introduced. The
middle C method block chord are not used frequently, broken chords is
mainly used to accompany melodies. As the method progress the teacher
will learn the student new note names and the staff notation will be learned
simultaneously. The middle C method does not explain the order of sharps
and flats, and only a few key signatures is used. If a student encounters a F#
in a pice the teacher will explain theat the piece is in G maj, this approach
does not introduce key signatures systematically. The key signatures of C,G
and F is the three main key signatures that is used for sightreading in the
middle C method. As the student makes progress the pieces will get more
notes under one hand position so that the student would me more familiar
with the notes under one hand position. This means that the student will not
play all over the keyboard, this method allows a student to play in positions
of the keyboard, and usually the center position of the keyboard will be used
were middle C lies. Finger exercizes are mostly in the key of C were the most
of the playing is done.This method requires the student to read music by
note names. The Middle C method consist of the learnig of pieces, techniqual
studies and scales.
Directional Reading Method
Directional reading is a method that that is used to teach a student to read
intervals instead of note names. This method intoduces all keys gradually.
Directional reading method is developed from given landmarks, like middle C

Pieter Smit

MUSP2622 2014-09-02

can be a landmark for the the treble clef and the low G on the bass clef can
be uesd as a landmark. This method requires studend to use the whole
keyboard an not the two octaves around middle C. Beginner students will be
required to play and read intervals of 2nds, 3ds, 4ths and 5ths. The landmark
approach helps the student to read music directionally by intervals that go
up and down. The intervallic/ landmark method makes it possible for
students to read musical staffs in contour. The first few lessons will require a
beginner student to read only one staff at a time. The directional reading
approach method teaches students to recognize steps in music, for instance
an interval of a 2nd will be a neighbor note, and a interval of a 3rd will to skip
over one note. The teacher adds further intervals depending on the progress
of the student. These skipping steps gives students the ability to see the
direction of the music that they are playing and the intervals gives the she
students certain landmarks on the keyboard which they can recognize and
use as a tool to sight read.
Multi-Key Method
The Multi-Key method requiers a beginner student to learn 12 major five
finger positions, basically five-finger patterns in all keys. Key signatures are
emphazided continually in the multi-key method, all major and minor are
explained and used , this requires the teacher to make clear refrence to the
key that is used. In the first year of beginner lessons the student wil be able
to know the order of sharps and flats. This method includes all the white and
black notes. Students must be able to play notes on ledger lines above and
below the music staff. The multi-key method introduces the major, minor,
augmented and diminished chords, the chords are presented in block and
broken chord form. The techniqual side of the multi-key mehod includes
finger exerices in all 12 keys, these vinger exercizes helps the student to
play legato and staccato , it also helps the student to get fammiliar with
musical phrasing. The multi-key method enables a student to play various
pieces in various key depending on the students ability. This method
introduces challenging repetoire, sight reading, theory and technique.