Do you play along with your students during lessons? Clearly, much of the time it’s important for students to get used to playing on their own, and for you to be able to focus, listen, and watch them without trying to play yourself. For piano teachers, of course, playing along requires a second piano or a high or low part on the same piano.
But sometimes it’s very useful to play along. The benefits of doing this stood out this week with one of my students in particular, so I thought I’d throw it out for discussion.
As a student is learning a tune, or piece of music, playing with them can model for them what you find important. At times, it may be your priority that the student play through a section for the sake of continuity. By playing along and not stopping for mistakes, you communicate your priority without a word.
Another time, you may want to stop when a note is out of tune or a wrong note is hit, modeling a certain kind of awareness you want the student to think about.
When you play along, mistakes are pretty obvious because of the dissonance. Probably more importantly, however, when you are playing in unison, the student knows he or she is getting things right. The student doesn’t have to second guess what they’re doing, or wonder if you’re about to criticize them for something. They can focus on the bigger picture and play more to potential.
They’ll have less need to say, “I played it better at home!”
If the student is prone to being nervous about playing in front of you, playing along with them can relax them more and allow them to focus. You can still watch and listen, even as you play, but they feel you are participating with them.
As they get the music down a bit better, and are confident about getting through the piece or a part of it, you can play a harmony, or second part along with them. Then they know they are responsible for their own part, and the result is a feeling of playing and enjoying real music, and not just showing the teacher what they can do.
When you as the teacher play along, it also shows the student you enjoy playing. You can bring to the music the kind of spirit you want to model for the student. Sometimes I play fiddle along with a student, in unison, in harmony, or back them up on piano.
Of course, the core of a lesson usually involves having the student play solo, but if a certain percentage of lesson time involves playing together, there can be more variety, more music, less feeling of being on the hotseat, and more reassurance and encouragement. An overall positive experience at a lesson is sure to result in more playing during the week on the part of the student.
—Your comments are always welcome; just enter “Add Comment” below. Thanks to Chris for his recent comment about websites matching students and teachers; he has started a new one and invites you to try it–see the blog article and Chris’s comment.
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About the Author
Ed Pearlman has focused on performing, teaching, and judging fiddle music for over 30 years, offering performances and workshops throughout the USA and in Canada and Scotland. His original training was with members of the Chicago and Boston Symphonies, and he played with orchestras and chamber groups at Yale and in Boston. He currently teaches privately at two music schools affiliated with music stores in Maine. Ed directed the Boston Scottish Fiddle Club in monthly workshops for 18 years, directed major concerts and festivals, and recorded 2 solo CDs and several with a fiddle orchestra and top soloists. In addition to Scottish and Cape Breton fiddle styles, Ed plays other Celtic, American, and Canadian fiddle music, classical and some jazz, klez and Hungarian. Ed created and for 11 years ran a CD distribution company to bring music to the USA from Scotland, Atlantic Canada, Ireland, Brittany and Wales. He's the music columnist for Scottish Life magazine.
by Stephanie Holler — Fri Mar 16, 2007 @ 3:44 pm
Usually line 3 of the piece is where the "tricks" are: A A B A form. So prepare an A line and a B line before going through the entire piece. Show and repeats and 1st and 2nd endings, and codas. Have a plan!
When the students are older, they will be more eager to perform duets with other students as partners. At home, if a parent plays piano, it makes a good musical activity for family enjoyment. Don't put duets off until later!
by Betty — Fri Mar 16, 2007 @ 4:18 pm
by James Ellis — Sun Mar 18, 2007 @ 1:12 pm
!!! I do play along much of the time, especially when students are working on "hands apart." I find it helps them to hear the parts together.
by Miss Lynda — Mon Mar 19, 2007 @ 6:48 pm