Piano Safari Resources
While I use many different books and personalize each lesson to every student, Piano Safari has emerged as my favorite method book for beginners. Rote pieces allow students to sound amazing right away, while developing musical memory and aural skills. The systematic approach to note reading develops confident, secure readers; the creative technical approach encourages a relaxed, healthy technique; and supplemental accompaniment tracks help support a strong, flowing rhythmic sense. Here are some links to help students and families using the Piano Safari books.
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How to help your child practice Piano Safari rote pieces
Piano Safari Friends reminder videos Piano Safari Friends listening playlist Piano Safari Repertoire Level 1 reminder videos Piano Safari Sight Reading Cards instructional video Piano Safari Repertoire Level 2 reminder videos Piano Safari Technique Level 2 reminder videos |
Piano Safari Repertoire Level 3 reminder videos
Piano Safari Technique Level 3 reminder videos Older Student Level 1 reminder videos Older Student Level 2 reminder videos Visit Piano Safari's official website to purchase materials, access videos, and learn more about this innovative method. |
Apps
Going to be away from the piano for a few days? Need a little extra practice with note reading or rhythm? Want to sound like you're playing with a band? Guess what - there's an app for that! These are the apps I use most often in lessons and recommend for students.
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Ear Cat
Few people are born with perfect pitch, but anyone can develop the ability to play by ear if they try! Ear Cat is a fun game created to develop students' musical ear, with 80 levels that get progressively more challenging. It builds aural skills through an intuitive approach to recognizing intervals; students learn to identify pitches in relation to a tonal center, making it easier to play by ear, learn new songs, and memorize music more easily! It's free, and available for iPhone and iPad. When students answer correctly, the cat purrs; wrong answers elicit a slightly aggravated "meow!" Cat sounds can also be turned off! :-) |
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Note Rush
This is my current favorite note-reading app! It isn't free, but it is affordable. Five pre-programmed levels correspond with the reading ranges students see in their piano books. Two things make this app stand out: 1) Students play the actual key on their piano, instead of just touching a letter on the screen and 2) I can custom-design levels for students; the app generates a QR code which will take you right to that level. Another fun feature is that students can choose different themes: currently, they have Halloween, Bugs, Sports, and Outer Space themes! Read more about Note Rush here. |
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Drum Beats+
Drum Beats+ is an excellent alternative to the metronome. It is perfect for making jazz and rock pieces sound authentic while encouraging a steady beat. It also helps students learn to keep going if they make a mistake, because unlike a metronome, students must be aware of where they are in the measure to stay with the pattern. Several rhythms are free; other packages are available for purchase. |
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Rhythm Cat
This adorable app is great for reinforcing rhythmic concepts! It starts out easy, and there's lots of room to grow; as students progress through the levels, the rhythms become more complex and students need to use two hands. Students must pass a level to gain access to the next one, and stars are awarded for good performance. The company also offers the note-reading apps Treble Cat and Bass Cat. |
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MusiClock
This unique app generates background tracks for improvisation and scale practice. Students choose one of eight different scales (major, minor, blues, etc.), then choose a background style. Each scale and background can be played in any key. It's an instant win for those who want to incorporate more composition and improvisation into their piano practice. |
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PA Player
If your child is using the Piano Adventures series, this app is a must-have! It provides background tracks for every song in the series. These background tracks encourage steady beat, dynamics, articulation, and musical flow. Students can control the tempo, turn the metronome on and off, and mute different layers of the track. The app itself is free, but you will need to pay to unlock all the songs. Read more about this interactive app here. |
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The Royal Conservatory of Music's Music Theory Apps
These apps are absolutely top-notch. While they are more expensive than many apps, they are also more comprehensive; each level offers high-quality instruction and a variety of concept-reinforcing, fun games. Theory Prep may be started immediately after the first lesson. It's perfect for students in students in the early books of any method (such as Time to Begin, Music Tree 1, Hal Leonard Piano Lessons Book 1, etc.), Keith Snell Piano Repertoire Preparatory Level, or Celebration Series Piano Repertoire Prep A and B. Theory Level 1 is appropriate for students who have mastered the Theory Prep app or are in Music Tree 2A or above, Faber & Faber 2A or above, Keith Snell Piano Repertoire Level 1, or Celebration Series Level 1. Theory Levels 2-4 are appropriate for students in Classics for the Developing Pianist book 1-2, Essential Keyboard Repertoire volume 1, Keith Snell Piano Repertoire Levels 2-4, or Celebration Series levels 2-4. Levels 5-7 are organized differently. Instead of one app per level, each app focuses on one of eight specific content areas: Notation, Rhythm, Intervals, Melody, Scales, Chords, Terms, or History. These apps are designed to supplement the Celebration Series Levels 5-7 and help prepare students for The Royal Conservatory exams. They are appropriate for anyone playing intermediate to advanced classical repertoire. Read more about these excellent educational apps here. |
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Staff Wars
This note-reading app is fun for all ages! Like the old Space Invaders game, students "shoot down" notes by correctly identifying them. Students may choose Treble Clef, Bass Clef, Grand Staff, or Alto Clef (not required for piano students, but good for a challenge). Students may also limit or expand the range of notes as appropriate to their reading ability. |
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Note Works
Like Staff Wars, this is a note-reading game. There are even more customization options in this app, making it ideal for beginning students. Students may limit or expand the range of notes, slow down or increase the speed, or even allow the app to "help" by showing the name of the note after a few moments. If students play the wrong key, the note catches fire; if they finish strong, a rain cloud puts out the fire and they get a second chance! |
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Henle Library
Serious pianists know that Henle editions, with their iconic blue/green/grey covers and impeccable editing, are the gold standard of piano editions. They are works of art in and of themselves, and they are expensive! The Henle Library app allows you to purchase digital scores as whole books or individual pieces. When available, you may choose different fingerings by different editors; you may also add your own fingerings and markings to the digital score. Scores may also be printed from the app if you prefer. Henle editions purchased through the app are substantially cheaper than their printed counterparts. Read more about this ground-breaking app here. |
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Spotify Playlists
Spotify Premium is well worth the subscription cost, but a free version is available for those of you who do not mind listening to advertisements. Click the links below to access playlists I've created for students. Enjoy!
Piano Tuners and Technicians
Minneapolis, Edina, Bloomington, West Suburbs: Ken Olson, 952-443-2941
North Suburbs & Saint Paul: Mark Barnier, 763-441-6248
Twin Cities Area: Bob Anderson, 612-710-6816
Digital Piano Repair: Dale Droogsma, 763-441-6960
Piano Evaluation: Phil Kjos, 612-232-5891
North Suburbs & Saint Paul: Mark Barnier, 763-441-6248
Twin Cities Area: Bob Anderson, 612-710-6816
Digital Piano Repair: Dale Droogsma, 763-441-6960
Piano Evaluation: Phil Kjos, 612-232-5891
Podcasts
The University of St. Thomas' Project for Mindfulness and Contemplation has prepared several free podcasts to help students deal with stress and both academic and music performance anxiety. I highly recommend the Creative Visualization for Music Performance Anxiety with Dr. Vanessa Cornett. Click here to access this and other excellent mindfulness-based podcasts.