Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion piano keyboard?

Santa wrote to ask if he could bring a piano and we (parents) wrote back saying that an electronic keyboard would be better for now (volume control!). He was fine with that and he found one that had lighted keys and touch sensitivity. Amazon has a decent kit (Yamaha EZ-200). We told Santa that this will be good to see if the kids like learning the piano.

It was nice now that Santa uses email. Saves a lot of time.

JB

Sure. You can link him right to the Amazon page. It's almost like doing the shopping yourself...

Kriston (and others) how did you approach piano lessons? Was it something optional "would you like to take lessons?" or more like "hey, guess what? you're taking piano lessons!"

Just curious.

JB

My DS started asking to take piano when he was late 4/early 5. He had a little friend that started about that time and we had inherited a piano that was standing in our living room looking very lonely. Also, it was about that time when he really was driving us crazy with the constant need for information and stimulation. We knew nothing about his GTness at the time, but it sure makes sense now. Anyway, we signed him up for Suzuki lessons the year before kindergarten with the thought that it would give him something to think about.

And that it did! DS goes in cycles of speed learning/slower learning and love it/it's ok . But he's never wanted to quit and he loves to play and perform. Now that we're homeschooling, I consider it a core requirement for him. It can cover history, art, performance, music, learning to work with a mentor, incremental learning.

DD5 starting asking to take music lessons at 4 and went between wanting violin and piano. We put her on the waiting list for both and got a call for violin first. And actually it's probably best she doesn't take piano like her brother. She is very intimidated following in his footsteps.

I will say, my kids don't like to practice everyday. But both their teachers will be the first to tell them they don't like to practice every day either. If I really thought they hated it to their core, we wouldn't do it long term. Both of them love music and get a real sense of accomplishment from mastery. It's been a great way to teach long term work ethic to a GT child. But there are also many other ways to teach these lessons that might work better for some families.

One thing I was going to add - I definitely put the bug in my kids' ears about music lessons very early. We did kindermusik kind of classes and I used to tell them when they got too old for these classes they could maybe take REAL music lessons! So maybe there was some brain washing involved in there somewhere. The early childhood music classes we did were a great predecessor to music lessons - musically and for creating enthusiasm.

you have given your kids such a wonderful gift to .ove music. I hope to do something with my kids in the near future. My son loves to sing and has a beautiful voice. My daughter loves to dance.

We sort of fell into it, but they both like it, so we stick with it.

DS8 needed music of some sort for homeschooling. I could manage it, badly, but I'm not my first choice for a music teacher.

DS8 was interested in learning to play the guitar, but he had no background whatsoever in music. Several guitarists I know recommended starting with piano so he could get the basics of reading music and music theory and because at 6 or 7, he was really too young for a full-sized guitar. We had the keyboard, so it made sense to start there, at least for a year. He liked it and made quick progress.

After DS8 had taken lessons for 6 months or a year, DS5 had become really interested in taking lessons, so we added a beginner class for him, too. Actually, DS5 is the kid who plays without being nagged. He stops by the keyboard probably 5 or 6 times a day without my saying a word. (I have to remind DS8 to practice, though full-on nagging has not really been necessary.) Sometimes DS5 stops by the keyboard just to mess around with the sound effects--something our piano teacher has encouraged, actually--but DS5 has also taught himself a couple of his brother's harder songs and has figured out harmonies and chords for songs he knows without being taught. Since he is really only supposed to be playing one hand at a time yet, I think that's pretty great!

DS5's playing around has taken him way beyond where the lessons are, and that's a little weird. But the two stages of development--what he does on his own and what he does in his lessons--seem to coexist, and the teacher is thrilled with how he's doing. I get the feeling that not many kids like to play and actually practice. LOL! She has asked me to let him mess around. Fun is good, she says, even if it involves "Ode to Joy" in sound effects.

So the short(er) answer to your question, I guess, is that it was a less-than-gentle suggestion for one child, but with his buy-in, and was his own idea for the other. I have threatened to take away lessons if DS8 doesn't practice, though, and he always gets upset and protests that he does want to play. So I feel pretty sure that both kids like to play.

I've always wanted to play piano and never have, but now DS8 wants to give ME lessons. I think that might be a good experience for us both, so I'm taking him up on it. We're starting over the holiday break!

Thank you for all the responses! I got a Casio Px-130 today. They price matched an internet price at my local store. More still than I wanted to spend; but I have been looking on Craigslist for a while to no avail. The sound is amazing; and so is the touch. 88-key hammer weighted action. Feels great. My DH was shocked at the sound and the feel when I got it home. I can't wait for my Mom to try it out since she plays. I would prefer a piano; but am going to wait to see if DS hangs in there with it. Besides I need to move it around some before I figure out where it will stay as a test - small home.

DS looks forward to going now; but he is really just starting. We'll see how practice goes. Any tips on that? Length of practice, etc.? again, DS is 4.5.

@JBDad - A friend's daughter (DS's friend too) started just before he did; and I told him. Then I asked if he wanted to go. After my asking MANY times looking for the same response 'yes' from him, which I got, I went to her same piano teacher. His teacher gives lessons from "My First Piano Adventure for the Young Beginner." It has two books actually and comes with a music cd which he loves to listen to in the car. He does exercises to the cd for his lessons. I am have been shocked and pleased with his interest and focus (so far). He is the silliest kid, and likes to push buttons; so I didn't know how he'd be with his piano teacher.
He takes swimming right after it. He blows off steam there and has fun - I have to make him do this though (for safety reasons). He says he doesn't want to go to swim lessons the whole day leading up to the lesson; but ends up loving it.

I ask that both kids practice every day for 5 minutes a day. Little bits often is supposed to be much better than a bunch once a week. It gets them in the habit of daily practice, but it's so little time that it's painless. And 5 minutes often turns into more.

Letting him perform for you (or other friends and/or relatives) or teach you something are both helpful. Most people who like you will sit through a song or two in the interest of encouraging a child to play.

FWIW...

My kids at 4.0 and 3.75 years old started playing at about 15 minutes a day. It was tough to get my son to sit still initially. We would let him take run-around-the-house breaks. My daughter didn't have and still doesn't have a problem. Now at 5.75 and 4.2, they play about 30-40 minutes and 20-30 minutes, respectively. It's a bit of a struggle to get my DS5 to play that long, but the teacher advised to break it up into 2 shorter sessions. One issue is that the better the kids play, the more the piano teacher wants them to practice. The good news is that both kids will go to the piano on their own and improvise and mess around. And with more lessons, the better the improvisation sounds.

Bought little'un this one a while ago - Yamaha YDP213 - and his piano teacher was so impressed she has this on her list (when she has the funds)
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YDP213...nstruments&qid=1261477865&sr=1-5