Playing by Ear
Sometimes parents of my Let's Play Music students will share concern that their child wants to "pick out the notes" of a song at the piano by listening to the sounds of the keys rather than reading the music during practice time. An on target concern, we do not want the children to develop the habit of looking at their hands when they play. This slows them down, creates pauses and stops, and hinders their development of reading music.
At the same time, a Let's Play Music student whose ears and brain are soaking up all the ear training we began since the first day of the Red Balloon semester is truly audiating (hearing music inside). This is not a skill typical to a child without such rich ear training. Ear training is something to celebrate and praise in your child!
We also continue to guide, instruct, encourage, require, and praise the child to keep their eyes on the written music as they play (Mom and Dad, remember to point to the book as they play, and say, "point to the notes with your lazer beam eyes."). Utilize the child's inner hearing/musical ear by asking, "As you play this chord, or this section without looking at your hands, let your ears tell you if you played it right." Mom or Dad can also cover the child's hands with a sheet of paper during practice time to discourage looking down at the hands while playing. In any case, praise the child's ear while requiring proper playing technique.
More Ways to Celebrate and Develop Inner Hearing:
At the same time, a Let's Play Music student whose ears and brain are soaking up all the ear training we began since the first day of the Red Balloon semester is truly audiating (hearing music inside). This is not a skill typical to a child without such rich ear training. Ear training is something to celebrate and praise in your child!
We also continue to guide, instruct, encourage, require, and praise the child to keep their eyes on the written music as they play (Mom and Dad, remember to point to the book as they play, and say, "point to the notes with your lazer beam eyes."). Utilize the child's inner hearing/musical ear by asking, "As you play this chord, or this section without looking at your hands, let your ears tell you if you played it right." Mom or Dad can also cover the child's hands with a sheet of paper during practice time to discourage looking down at the hands while playing. In any case, praise the child's ear while requiring proper playing technique.
More Ways to Celebrate and Develop Inner Hearing:
- Embrace the Let's Play Music puppet shows and model the thrill of hearing all the sounds in these classical music selections.
- Encouragey our child to sing along as he/she practices at the keyboard and plays the bells.
- Regularly groove to (and sing along with) the Let's Play Music cds and other high quality music.
- Enjoy the dictation exercises during the 3rd year of Let's Play Music. Show interest in and praise students as they practice putting the notes they hear on paper. What a fun puzzle each week!
- Encourage free exploration at the keyboard outside of practice time. Celebrate the invention of short melodies and harmonies students create. Enthusiastically anticipate the creation of each student's unique piano composition during the 3rd year -- recognizing that it is the child's inner ear that will guide them to discover and create their own melody.
