Rock & Roll 101

March 20th, 2023

Finn and I worked through the verse of Imagine some more. I tried to get him to play both hands with the proper fingerings, and not just using a pinkie to do everything with the left hand.

March 6th, 2023

Finn did a good job today. I encouraged him especially to work on his fingering, try to use the middle and pinkie, and not just the thumb, and two first fingers.

We have just been working on the verse of Imagine. I'll be away next week, so he has two weeks to work on it, and the fingering before I'm back.

See you then!

February 27th, 2023

Finn did a great job today! He was attentive and engaged for the whole lesson.

We started learning John Lennon, Imagine today... I've simplified it a little bit to make it easier to learn.

February 13th, 2023

Finn didn't practice this week, and seemed tired or something. It was a bit difficult for him, I think.

I'm not confident that he is learning and growing, so I'd appreciate hearing from you about whether we should continue with lessons, or perhaps this is beyond Finn's abilities right now-- if you're fine with the progress he's making, let me know.

Thanks!

February 6th, 2023

Finn found his book!

He'd bee practising the arpeggios a lot this week, so I decided to focus on that, and talk a bit about making up melodies to put with arpeggios, as well as trying to play some of his older songs using arpeggios in the left hand.

At the end of the lesson I showed him inversions as well, but I'm not sure he really grasped them.

I'm always open to suggestions if I'm heading in the wrong direction with Finn. Please let me know. :)

January 30th, 2023

Finn has misplaced his book, so we did some other things today until it's found.

We tried playing along with Post Malone's Circles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gkRJONZPSA&ab_channel=PolarRecords

It's fun to play with a pop song (at least for some kids!) I think Finn enjoyed it. The simple version to play this are the chords "C" and "F".

I tried to get Finn to use his right hand to play the chords, but his dexterity wasn't quite there yet. Something to work on.

We also did some arpeggios on the C, Dm, Em, and F chords.

January 23rd, 2023

We decided to pause the Grinch this week and do review instead. I started with the first song in his book, and we just played them through, working on the tough spots together.

He can keep doing that, and even practising all his past songs.

January 16th, 2023

Finn is feeling unwell today and will not be coming in.

January 9th, 2023

We went through Jingle Bells first and then O Canada. Finn struggled a bit with the latter, but did well on the former.
We then added Mr. Grinch (You're a Mean One), which took a bit of stretching for Finn, because it uses a combination of minor and majors which he hasn't been able to memorize yet.

There are three unused piano keys between the 1st and 3rd notes of the major chords, and 2 unused keys between the notes of the minor chords.

January 2nd, 2023

December 19th, 2022

We went over Jingle Bells a few times and then Oh Canada, before returning to work on Jingle Bells again.

We focused specifically on looking ahead in the music and anticipating what's coming... so he's not rushing to play the chord and getting out of time.

Tim said he'd play with him at home on the guitar to help with that.

December 12th, 2022

We worked through Jingle Bells a few times, trying to work out the places where Finn stops to recalibrate.

December 5th, 2022

Finn played through O Canada for me. Keep working on it.

Then also practice Jingle Bells!

November 28th, 2022

Finn and I worked through Oh Canada, and he guessed chords, and I wrote them out for him.
Then we each took turns playing through the song melody / chords, while the other did the opposite.

Try to put both hands together this week!

November 21st, 2022

Finn played Happy Birthday for me (because his birthday was the 17th! He is now 10 years old@! So cool!

Then, we wrote out Oh Canada!, and he did the notes and I wrote them down. He is gong to practice every day this week right? Then bext week we'll do the chords.

November 14th, 2022

Finn is sick today, I won't charge you for the lesson this week.

You are owing $150 for past lessons plus the amount for November 21 and 28th.

Thanks!

November 7th, 2022

Finn is sick today.

October 24th, 2022

Good job on the C scale! We did both directions today, and Finn got down to 2 seconds for both directions! Try getting the left hand too.

We then worked on Spooky Scary Skeletons a few more times.

October 17th, 2022

We worked on the C scale with both hands, going in opposite directions. I timed him to help him practice accuracy and using the right fingers.

We then added the wrong version of Spooky Scary Skeletons:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mrGdGMNsv0

October 3rd, 2022

We played through Do Re Me a few times, and then stuck in Ba Ba Black Sheep and London Bridge in before going back to Do Re Me.

Finn still has trouble with reading the notes on the page... he guesses, or tries to remember, instead of just playing it through as it's written.

I like it when students memorize, but he's not really doing that, he's sort of "guessing," as he goes, and I'd rather he read than do that. :)

I know he has problems with focus, and that's completely fine, we'll keep chipping away!! :)

September 26th, 2022

Finn had both copies of his music this week, we just did the one on the first page...

I then wrote out Do Re Me for him and we went over it with separate hands and together, and with me playing the other part for him.

Good job! Try not to just guess what note is coming next, but to check the music.

September 19th, 2022

NOTE: I was not able to cash the cheque because the account numbers were cut off along the bottom,

Today I wrote out London Bridge and Baa Baa Black Sheep again on a piece of paper. Tim said he'd copy them into his book, since the chords might be a bit different.

Finn was very attentive and diligent today. Great job!!

September 12th, 2022

We started kind of fresh today, with me quizzing Finn on what he remembered. He was able to get the key names on the piano right, and also played some chords for me and figured out some melodies from last year.

I wrote out Old MacDonald for him to work on, and we went through it a few times. I introduced him to repeats as well:

[|: :|]

We listed a few songs to try in the future. Lucie is going to introduce him to some of these.

June 22nd, 2022

Finn went through Happy Birthday for me a couple of times, and then we tried to add a song from Frozen. That led us to looking into some ear training for a while, and trying 2nds and 5ths.

June 15th, 2022

We didn't have the book tonight, but Finn was able to play from memory on Twinkle Twinkle.

We then reviewed Happy Birthday, and worked on the chords.

June 8th, 2022

Today Finn played through Down By the Bay and did a great job! Then we reviewed Twinkle Twinkle Little Star... it wasn't quite as smooth as the first one, but wasn't too bad!

Then we added Happy Birthday, and sang through it a few times together.

If jasonsilver@crookedbush.com isn't working still, try my other email which is music@jasonsilver.com

June 1st, 2022

Finn is still struggling with not knowing the names of the piano keys. If there's any way you can help him with this, it will really make the music lesson experience so much better. Perhaps flash cards, or if you have any devices, some sort of piano key game would help.

May 25th, 2022

Finn isn't able to come tonight.

May 18th, 2022

We worked through Twinkle Twinkle Little Start together, and Finn is doing pretty good on it!

I decided it was time to add a new song, and we added Down By the Bay - I focused especially on getting him to use the right fingers (and all the fingers). After doing the right hand and left hand separately we put them together.

Keep working, you're doing great!

May 11th, 2022

Today we worked on playing the chords faster - practice switching and get your mom and dad to time you by counting, "One one thousand, two one thousand, etc."

Keep working on getting that ring finger to obey you!

May 4th, 2022

Finn is feeling unwell today.

April 27th, 2022

April 20th, 2022

Finn could spend some more time learning the names of the keys on the piano, so he doesn't have to count up to them every time.

There are some apps you could download as little games that help. I also made some games on my other website:
http://readsheetmusic.info/games/save-the-city/

April 13th, 2022

Finn has a doctor's appointment on this day.

April 4th, 2022

Today we added chords to the right hand. Finn had a book, and we went over his favourite artists.

He will practice the C and G chord and the left hand.

Also keep working on the other week's stuff.

March 21st, 2022

This was Finn's first lesson! I had him show me what he new, which unfortunately wasn't very much, so we decided to start fresh.

I did the animal stories with him to help him remember where the keys are.

We then drew out a picture and asked him to copy it into his book.

We then learned our first song... please copy all that stuff into your book.