New Instruction Method

Age-Appropriate Technique 

At Let's Play Music, we are always pursuing quality. We have re-written our approach to teaching proper piano technique as we have developed some simple age-appropriate standards. 

It all starts with proper distance from the piano. If your student is too close or too far, too high or too low, the proper technique can never be achieved.

Our NEW, updated "Bubble Hands" song includes all of the technique standards right in the lyrics. So sing along! 

1. Distance & Height

• The chair or bench should be placed so that the student's knees are right under the edge of the keyboard.
• The chair or bench should be the height that places the student's elbows at keyboard level. Student's forearm should be parallel with the floor. This will give the student's arm makes an "L shape". 
• If heals can't reach the floor, add a low stabilizing foot rest. Make sure foot rest is not so tall that the knees create an L-shape or bump into the bottom of the keyboard.

Too close to keyboard

2. Posture

• Now that the student is sitting the appropriate distance and height, we need him/her to sit up tall. Not tense, just nice and straight. 
• A great verbal reminder is "sit up tall" or "tall torso". 
• A great non-verbal reminder is to tap your child lightly between the shouider blades.

Too slouched

Too tense (shoulders)

3. Wrists & Fingers

• Wrists need to be relaxed and loose. The line from the elbow to the middle knuckle should be straight. 
• Fingers should be rounded and strong. The finger tips touch the keyboard, not the pads of the fingers.

Flat fingers

Knuckles are buckled 

(too tense)

4. Press in, Roll off

• When all of the above is mastered, the student is ready to 'press in' using the weight from the shoulders into the finger tips
• The release is a high-wristed 'roll off' that results in expressive playing, and a rounder tone in the sound of the piano (see video)