One of my many occupations, and the one I enjoy the most, is teaching music lessons – for schools, for churches, and sometimes for private groups. It is partly lessons and partly a performance.
At a competent level I play piano, guitar, flute, drums, and harmonica. I write songs.
I am not a virtuoso musician. I am not even really at professional level. But I am capable of playing the simplified versions of the songs I play very well. That’s the key to my theory of music. Don’t try to play music that is too complex for you. Stick with easier songs. Play fewer notes. But play them with your heart and soul. Play them in turn. Stay on the beat. Make use of dynamic range (playing softer and louder). When you play with others, take turns and give everyone an opportunity to play the lead.
I believe that the first instrument any child should play is rhythm. Buy your child a bongo drum, some drum sticks, a practice pad, and other inexpensive rhythm instruments. Staying on the beat is the fundamental ability for a musician. If you cannot keep a beat you are not a musician. If you sing a sour note or play the wrong chord on a piano, but it you keep going, staying with the beat, you can pass off your mistake as an experiment, and the music does not have to come to a stop. You can buy a used electronic drum set. Your kid can bang away using headphones and not drive the neighborhood crazy.
The next fundamental is intonation, staying on key. Some are tone deaf. All can be taught to listen. If you sing or play off key, you music will just not be as pleasing to listeners.
I teach parents how to be good teachers for their musical children. They do not have to be musicians themselves to help their kids get better. One key is to make sure to encourage your child when he does something well.
I teach the do-re-mi system. It is very easy. Once you know it, you can read music more easily. You can write music more easily. You can ad lib more easily.
I teach the basic chords, The One, the Five, the Four, the Six, the Three, and the Two chords.
I teach piano students to start out by playing very simple pieces. A simple piece can be very beautiful, if it follows the fundamentals, if you play on the beat and add dynamic range, and play with your heart.
I like to teach lessons at churches. I like to teach at schools. I like to do lessons and perform for parties.
I like to combine a lesson with a performance. Some parents hire me to come to a birthday party for their child.
