A Different Piano / Keyboard Teacher

Anyone can sound great on the piano!

Every time I start teaching a new student is an adventure.

I enjoy teaching my students. I am gentle, and patient -- and my students like me.

I have almost 8 years of experience teaching all types of students, of all ages, and different backgrounds and learning styles.

There are many types of music, and approaches to learning and developing musical ability. I would be happy to help you go in whatever direction you want to, musically -- in whatever ways that I can offer.

I teach a variety of students, ranging from young children to adults. I teach a variety of music, ranging from simple folk melodies, pop songs, classical repertoire, and (Impressionistic) Modal music (some of which might sound like some Jazz).

It can be easy to play rich-sounding music -- particularly sophisticated-sounding harmonies -- on the piano keyboard. Sophistication can be achieved without complexity; and sophistication doesn't necessarily require difficulty. It can be easy and quick to sound great on the piano. The goal of music-making is to create music that is enjoyable for others to listen to.

I want to make learning music as rewarding as possible with the least difficulty possible for the student. One way this can be achieved is by learning by ear and establishing an intuitive sense of music, and focusing on facility -- before introducing any theory, analysis, and notation reading - which can come later, once an intuitive musical foundation is established. Introducing reading from the onset is analogous to making a new student drag 6 carts up a hill, as opposed to just 2 or 3, at a time. However, if you want to learn musical notation, I'll happily teach that, as well as theory concepts. What I teach, and how quick the progress is depends upon the individual student.

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I have made some keyboard harmony instructional videos. Here are three examples. These are easy to follow along with.

"Rock 'n Roll three chords dorian mode - draft" http://YouTube.com/watch?v=y2O7rokQgCY David Crosby actually drew from Modal Jazz influences. The harmonic structure can be thought of as alternating between 'F' Lydian, and 'D' dorian modes, which are relatives, by the way.

Here's another 3-chord song, that was popular in Brasil (and covered by Sergio Mendes): "Ye-Me-Le III and IV" http://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=8MOZn-95R8Q

and:

"For Absolute Beginners : sound like a Jazz pianist, easily and quickly (draft)" http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=VmjXDY0OReQ

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Those videos feature, mostly, a Modal approach to harmony. One idea I have for teaching piano is to present Modal harmony alongside Tonality. For example, for a beginner, I can start the student with "Mary Had a Little Lamb" "Twinkle Little Star" and "Lightly Row" alongside "Scarborough Fair" , among other things.

I also have some simple transcriptions of arrangements that students can work towards playing:

http://Flat.io/sean_lewczyk

also: http://MuseScore.com/user/11498661

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Four (or five) years ago, when I started teaching piano -- I thought that it was best for a beginning student to avoid reading notation, as well as learning theory -- at-first. Instead, the initial focus should be on hearing and feeling the music -- as well as the facility and co-ordination aspects of playing. Once these aspects are well-established (with that well-established foundation) , the student can learn how to be a musician on other levels (learning notation, theory, etc.). That was my thinking (back) then, but experience with numerous students changes my perspective and ideas on how to approach lessons.

Many composers, songwriters, and arrangers use the piano keyboard to help create, refine, organize, and arrange musical ideas -- particularly the harmonic aspect of the music -- because the pitches are all laid out in a linear fashion on a piano keyboard. Those musicians have varying degrees of actual playing ability (facility) with the piano keyboard and don't necessarily perform/play the instrument. But it is useful as _keyboard harmony_.

I have played piano / digital-keyboards for over 20 years. I took Suzuki lessons for a number of years, in my childhood years.

Later, I graduated with a B.M. Music and Technology from Radford University.

I enjoy helping walk students step-by-step. I get great satisfaction from helping my students develop musically. I get the most joy from seeing my students progress. Myself, personally, I get great joy from rich-sounding musical material.