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How To Teach a Piano Transfer Student

2 Comments / Piano lessons, Piano Method Book Review, Piano Teachers / Kathi Kerr

Teaching a piano transfer student can be the most difficult type of student for a teacher. This is the student that has had lessons for 6 months or more, ranging from late beginning to late intermediate level. Inevitably, the student is going to compare you to their previous instructor. And since no two people teach the same, you’re going to offer a different style and approach. If the student has bad technique, or wrong or missing information, this can create even more difficulty. So what are the best ways to create a smooth transition into your teaching style?

Be Prepared

Before the first lesson, find out what books the student has been using and ask for any notes from the previous instructor. Take the time to become acquainted with the curriculum if needed, and read the notes if possible. This will also give you insight into the previous teacher’s style and approach, as well as the direction of the student’s past lessons.

Establish a Rapport

The very first lesson is the most critical. It’s important to start out by getting to know the student and letting the student get to know you. Spend a few minutes to let the student know your training background and experience. Then take a few minutes to ask the student questions about their past piano experience and what he or she is interested in learning. The student will feel more comfortable with you and will feel you’re interested in what their interested in. Then have the student play the last song they were studying or their favorite song. Ask him or her a lot of musical questions to find out what they know or don’t know. Even an intermediate student may have missing or wrong information.

Make Changes Slowly

Changing too much too soon for the piano transfer student is usually the biggest mistake made. This is especially true for an intermediate student that has been playing a year or more with wrong technique or information. Changing a bad habit is the most difficult part of learning. Most students want you to validate their ability, so begin by complimenting him or her on anything done well. Even though it may go against your grain to allow bad technique, it’s best to wait until you’ve given several lessons and established a rapport before making huge changes. If there are multiple changes needed, take one at a time so not to overwhelm the student. That being said, it’s also important to show the student you can challenge them to the next level, so give the new student a few bread crumbs of information and things to work on in the assignments.

Be Careful Commenting on the Previous Piano Teacher

Each piano transfer student will have had a positive or negative experience from the previous instructor. With either scenario, it’s important to keep your comments about him or her at a minimum, especially negative comments. First, you want keep the focus on the direction between you and the student. Second, if you tell the student he or she was taught incorrectly, it may cause frustration and a sense of wasted time and money. If the student had a good rapport with the previous instructor, it may create a division between you both. Once you’ve received the curriculum and notes from the previous instructor, keep the conversation on how you will be teaching and the direction you would like to take.

Not every student-teacher is a match

I believe being the right instructor for a transfer student is more difficult than for the beginning student. If the student is an intermediate level, he or she may have specific interests. You may not be able to take the student where their interests lie. If that is the case, be honest with the student, letting him or her know you have THEIR best interest at heart, and kindly refer them to another instructor you may know that can offer what they want to learn. Also, not every personality types are a match. If this should happen, don’t beat yourself up over it. There are plenty of other students your teaching style and personality will be a great fit for.

It Gets Easier

While you may feel like you’ll be the “new” instructor forever, before long, you’ll be their new favorite! Just like any relationship, it takes time to establish. Be patient and soon you’ll be the instructor they compare others to!

Kathi Kerr - owner Melody Music Publishers

Kathi Kerr founded Melody Music Studios in 1989, a nationwide music instruction studio. She also founded Melody Music Publishers in 2017, an independent piano method books written how students think and learn.

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Are Piano Method Books Needed For Intermediate Students?

Leave a Comment / Piano lessons, Piano Method Book Review, Piano Teachers / Kathi Kerr

I recently read a piano teacher’s blog that stated the intermediate student no longer needed a method book. His point was there was nothing “new” after level 3 in the method books. He continued, saying the intermediate student only required repertoire to play and practice. But are piano method books needed for the intermediate student? Before six months ago, I would have totally agreed! Most piano method books offer nothing new after level 3 except songs to play. However, after writing Drill & Excel On the Piano book 3 and Drill & Excel On the Piano Book 4, I now realize there’s actually MORE skills and concepts for the intermediate student to learn than the beginning student. Here are some of the things I’ve included in books 3 and 4 for the intermediate student.

#1 Intervals

While intervals are mentioned in most of the early level piano method books, they don’t explain the KINDS of intervals. In Drill & Excel book 3, there are interval worksheets for the student to identify the intervals in various key signatures. Then in book 4, ALTERED intervals are introduced, with worksheets for the student to identify the kind of interval (major, minor, diminished, or augmented). Giving the student writing assignments helps the student to learn in a deeper way, rather than simply reading the information.

#2 Rhythm

In teaching rhythm, most method books only show how many counts a note is held. However, in Drill & Excel On the Piano series, there are multiple rhythm drill pages for the student to play on one note and count out loud. This gives the student a lot of repetition in reading the rhythm to create fluency. And in books 3 and 4, the rhythm goes beyond most method books, including sixteenth notes, triplets, and triplets against other notes (even or other triplets). Learning to read rhythm is much like driving a car. It can’t be taught be explanation, but in DOING.

#3 Exercises

Exercises are not included in most method books, even in levels 1 and 2. Piano instructors that want their students to play exercises use a separate book for that. However, the Drill & Excel On the Piano series includes exercises in all 4 books. Books 3 and 4 are especially important, because they offer specific exercises for the skills introduced. For example, book 3 has a chromatic scale exercise, finger pedaling exercises, and repeated notes using different fingers. Not only are these skills added in the chapter’s songs, but is common among other pieces. Another exercise in book 3 is changing fingers on a held note. Book 4 has ascending and descending 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6th, and 7ths. It also includes the “independence of fingers”, playing a triad and emphasizing each note of the triad. These are important skills for the intermediate student to acquire when playing difficult pieces.

#4 Theory

For the intermediate student, theory is especially important. A beginning student has difficulty in just playing and reading to even think about theory, while the intermediate student can understand concepts. And knowing theory helps in the student’s reading skill. It can also help in songwriting and improvisation. The Drill & Excel On the Piano books 3 & 4 include a lot of theory beyond the altered intervals mentioned earlier. It includes triads, triad numbers, and transposing songs to other keys by using the triad numbers. These are important skills and knowledge for the intermediate student to acquire, which may not be understood by simply playing various pieces.

#5 Songs

Since the songs in the Drill & Excel On the Piano series are written specifically with the information and skills taught in each chapter, they’re especially valuable in the learning progress for the intermediate student. Instead of playing random pieces, the songs are strategically planned to teach what is taught. Each song increases slowly in difficulty , giving the student a challenge incrementally as he or she plays them.

To Summarize

So are piano method books needed for the intermediate student? In short, yes, because the intermediate student needs to learn certain skills that may not be taught by simply playing various repertoire. The Drill & Excel On the Piano books 3 and 4 are the perfect books for their continued learning to bring the student to the next level. Check out our books at MelodyMusicPublishers.com. Teachers receive free shipping and 20% off all orders. Click here to register.

Kathi Kerr is author and founder of Melody Music Publishers. She writes her book based on over 30 years’ teaching experience the way students think and learn.

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Piano Method Books Offer Poor Technique

1 Comment / Piano lessons, Piano Method Book Review, Piano Teachers / Kathi Kerr

Proper technique on the piano (or any instrument) is vital. So many piano method books offer poor technique or no technique at all. There are many great musicians who play well “in spite” of their technique, not “because” of it, as my piano teacher in college used to say.

Here are a list of poor to bad technique I’ve seen over the years and have read in some piano method books:

#1 Lowered wrist

I once watched a keyboardist play in a band with wrists so low they were actually touching the keyboard! He played fairly well in spite of it, but it hampered his ability to move quickly over the keys. Having a low wrist makes the fingers do all the work and may cause them to tire easily. I’ve seen the same poor technique when watching people type at a computer keyboard. When the wrist is lowered, over a long period of time can cause swelling in the wrist. This can cause carpel tunnel syndrome. If the wrists are level or slightly raised, the pressure is taken off the wrist and fingers. This allows the fingers to move more quickly and freely.

#2 Fingers holding a ball

There are some piano method books that will describe the position of the fingers like holding a ball or balloon. The problem with the concept of “holding” is the fingers will naturally tense. That is the “opposite” of what the fingers should do. The fingers should be as relaxed as possible from the knuckles to the fingertips. It’s actually easy to teach a beginning student how to position their fingers by having them put their hands in their lap, facing up, and relaxed. Their fingers will naturally curve in the perfect position on the piano. I like to give the image of a rainbow curve for how their fingers will look when relaxed

#3 Using the wrong part of the fingertip

Here’s a technique almost never mentioned in most piano method books, using the correct part of the fingertip. Having relaxed curved fingers will help. The correct place is below the edge of the fingernail but well above the first joint. There should be no fingernail growth beyond the edge of the finger to avoid playing with a flat finger method. Also the first joint should not bend when playing the piano. Bending the joint causes a delay in playing quickly if needed. It also weakens the ability to play loudly. A good way to strengthen the first joint is to press the fingertips on a hard surface and keep the joint from bending.

#4 Rolling the wrists

Another are where piano method books offer poor technique is what I call rolling the wrists. The more movement with the hands and wrists, the more of a chance to play incorrect notes. It also can hinder the ability to play quickly. Rolling the wrist has nothing to do with the actual playing of the key. It looks good, but in actuality, takes more effort to do it. Teaching this technique to a beginning student only causes frustration when he or she is learning the basics.

#5 Raising the hand too high

This is another poorly taught technique in some piano method books. I recently watched a video from one of the major method books showing an example of playing staccato. She lifted up her entire hand about 3 inches above the keys. This technique makes it impossible to play a quick succession of staccato notes. Good technique should be implemented the same when playing slowly as playing quickly. The proper way to play staccato notes is to keep the wrist stationery with a quick “jerk” with the hand. Only lift the fingers slightly above the key (about 1/8 of an inch), then right back to touching the key. Using this technique, I can play a quick succession of staccato notes easily. The hand should be as still as possible where a coin could stay without falling off and as close to the keys as possible.

#6 Hammer effect

The other poor technique I’ve seen is what I call the “hammer” effect. This is where the wrist is stationery but the fingers are raised before playing each note. The best way to play is to pretend the fingers are “glued” to the keys. Keep the fingers as close as possible to the keys. Raising each finger before playing only takes up time and space, making it impossible to play notes quickly. And it’s not necessary to raise the finger, since the weight alone will play the key. Keeping the fingers close to the keys gives better accuracy as well. When the fingers are already touching the key about to be played, there’s almost no chance of playing incorrect notes. The ONLY exception is for playing notes that are heavily accented. In this case, the entire hand should be slightly lifted to no more than an inch to give a stronger emphasis.

#7 Sitting too close and too low

The first thing I had to do when I went to college was to “un”learn how I was positioned. That was the most difficult thing to do after playing incorrectly for 12 years. It’s important to establish correct posture and positioning right from the beginning for a student. Most students (and even professional pianists) sit too close and too low. The knees should be at the edge of the keys for the correct distance (not the thigh like I’ve seen countless times), and the waist level with the keys, sitting tall and on the front edge of the bench. For a keyboard, keyboard, I suggest having a bench and stand to set it on, not a table, to ensure the right position. A small child playing an acoustic piano, put something on the bench to sit on to be at the right height. If their legs do not reach the floor, have them scoot towards the back of the bench with the back of their knees at the front edge of the bench to be at the correct distance. When his or her legs can reach the floor, then they’ll sit at the front edge of the bench.

#8 Slouching at the piano

Playing the piano is great for teaching students to sit tall, which is not only good for playing, but for most other activities in life. It takes pressure off the back and helps when getting older to have good posture. This used to be taught in schools, so now unfortunately only piano students are taught good posture these days.

Summarize good technique

To summarize GOOD technique is 1) the wrist should be level or slightly raised 2) fingers relaxed 3) using the correct part of the fingertip 4) holding the wrist still 5) keeping the hand and fingers close to the keys 6) sitting at the right position and with the correct posture. This helps in playing quickly and with accuracy, and to play longer periods of time before getting tired. I hope this has helped in your playing and in teaching students. The books at Melody Music Publishers offer great technique information as well as reading music, specific skills, and theory and improvisation! Let’s have fun making beautiful music at the piano!

Kathi Kerr, author and founder of Melody Music Publishers, writes piano books based on her over 30 years’ teaching how students think and learn!

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Piano method book movies!

Leave a Comment / Piano lessons, Piano Method Book Review, Piano Teachers / Kathi Kerr

Hello fellow piano teacher! Ever feel frustrated when researching new piano method books for your students when looking on line? How can you tell if a book will be the right one when only viewing a few pages? If you buy one of each book to find the right one, it could cost a small fortune! And you still may not find the right one.

At Melody Music Publishers we have the solution for you! We have created a movie for each of our books, along with audio examples and commentary by the author for EVERY page. So not only can you view every page, but you’ll hear directly from the author. Now there’s no guess work involved in choosing the right book for your students!

Click the following movies for a rundown of each book.

Drill & Excel On the Piano Book 1 Early Beginner. Retails $12.95. Click here to purchase.

Drill & Excel On the Piano Book 2 Late Beginner. Retails $12.95. Click here to purchase.

Drill & Excel On the Piano Book 3 Early Intermediate. Retails $14.95. Click here to purchase.

Drill & Excel On the Piano Book 4 Late Intermediate. Retails $16.95. Click here to purchase.

Color It Say It Play It and Create It A Piano Method Book Ages 4-8. Retails $8.99. Click here to purchase.

Chords & Improvisation On the Piano Book 1 Early Beginner. Retails $12.95. Click here to purchase.

Remember teachers receive FREE SHIPPING AND 20% OFF ALL BOOKS! If you haven’t registered, click here to fill out a short form. The discounts codes will immediately be emailed to you to use for ordering.

Order today and use our unique line of piano method books that teach students the way they think and learn! Thank you for doing the greatest job on earth-teaching music to others!

Author and owner, Kathi Kerr, established Melody Music Publishers in 2017, writing books from her own 30 plus years’ teaching experience.

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What Piano Teachers Think About Method Books

Leave a Comment / Piano Method Book Review / Kathi Kerr

What do piano teachers think of the current method books on the market? I’ve played piano my whole life and actually started teaching as a child to my friends that begged me to teach them. After college, I began teaching professionally in. In 1989 I founded Melody Music Studios, hiring music instructors for all instruments. I realized shortly after teaching that the method books didn’t help students read music fluently and caused a lot of frustration. So I started writing my own workbooks to supplement the method books, “Rhythm Workbook” and “Note Reading Workbook”. Even with the workbooks supplementing, I was still frustrated because most method books are basically a book of songs with little to no instruction, or a clear step by step direction.

I’m so excited about my books that I want to share with ALL piano teachers. Teachers can fill out a short form to receive free PDF samples and discount codes for 20% off when ordering. My favorite field on the form is the question: “What method books do you use, and why do you like or don’t like them?”. Here are some of the interesting answers I’ve received.

Quotes From Piano Teachers Nationwide!

“I use various method books = Piano discoveries for bright readers, Faber and Faber for the middle of the road student and Music Tree. I think Faber uses too many finger numbers and Piano Discoveries is a bit hard for the average learner. I love the Music tree philosophy, but fine their books a bit dry and academic.”

“I like Alfred Premier and Faber. I think the music is engaging and the concepts are introduced in a clear way. I’m not a fan of Hal Leonard or Bastien. I feel they are not the best way to introduce music concepts.”

“I am eclectic, founding something useful from everything since I also teach students learning difficulties and disabilities.”

” Faber, it has a lot of jazz, pop tunes. I love the progression.”

“Faber Piano Adventures. I am content to use them, but after so many years, a change of approach may be helpful.”

“Faber and Alfred–I like the multi-key approach, fun pieces, and the emphasis on correct technique.”

“Alfred, Faber – getting stale”

“Faber Piano Adventures (mostly) Logical order, enjoyable content”

“The ones that I have used with my students, I like them. “Color, Say it, Play it”, and Drill It and Kill it. It helped my students learn how to read notes with ease and made it more fun. Drill it also helped with their sense of rhythm.”

“Faber, Bastien, and Music for Little Mozarts. I like the way Faber introduces the notes on the staff and how the hands aren’t always in the same position. On the flip side, I like Bastien for some students because it does stay in one or two positions in the beginning. Sometimes I will start students in Bastien and then switch them to Faber.”

“Faber (technique, pacing); Celebrate Piano! (reading approach, theory/ear training, creative pieces)”

“Succeeding at the Piano, The Music Tree, Piano Safari, Piano Pronto”

“Alfred Premiere Piano Course. Upbeat pieces, concepts in stepwise, logical order, good explainer boxes.”

“I use a variety of methods from Piano Pronto to Piano Adventures to none depending on the needs of the student.”

“Faber Piano Adventure, I like this method but open to learn new approach. Thank you!”

“I like what I use but am always looking to improve.”

“I use Piano Safari and Music Tree. I like that they offer intervallic reading, and with Piano Safari, also do Rote teaching so students can experience more complicated pieces before being able to read them.”

“Bastien piano books- I like how they correspond with each other so that the child can feel like he/she is receiving more than one book around the same level that each teach a different technique and strength”

“I use Faber for children and generally both Faber/Alfred for adults. I think the method books move a little too quickly for a lot of adults which is why I use 2 separate ones.”

“The only one I use with all levels/all ages is Mikrokosmos volume 1 by Bela Bartok. For suppliment.”

Main theme about current method books

The main comments I’ve received seem to be that most piano teachers use an assortment of method books. I understand that, since each student is unique and different students may require different books . However, it seems like teachers use an assortment of books mostly because one book doesn’t have all the aspects of teaching they want. One book may have great songs, while another uses more theory, while another has an easier step by step learning.

Inspiration For a New Line of Piano Books

One day as I was teaching, I got inspired to write my own method book that would include everything a student needed, all in one book. So 2017 I started writing “Drill It and Kill It-Read Music Like a Pro!” This 200 page book includes the note reading and rhythm drills from the workbooks, but also exercises, special exercises for specific skills, scales, theory, composition, and 100 great original songs that include what is learned in each chapter. It’s not just a book of songs, but a text book, theory, and a history book. Finally one book for the traditional lesson that teaches everything, and lasts for a year or more. t’s so easy to use in a lesson because of the comprehensiveness and easy to follow step by step learning. I also love watching my own students learn how to sight read any song!

Learning Chords & Improvisation

For an older child or adult that just wants to learn chords and improvisation, the “Chords & Improvisation on the Piano” is the perfect book. Along with teaching scales, key signatures, triads, and inversions, it also includes assignments for the student to play what is learned with improvisational patterns. Then there’s the older student that wants to play their favorite easy song without a lot of hassle in learning to read a full score. My “Fake It Til You Make It” book includes just the treble clef notes and chords for the left hand, so the student can play fun songs from a fake book. If you have a student that just needs a little extra help in reading notes or rhythm, the “Note Reading Workbook” and “Rhythm Workbook” gives drills and writing assignments to have the student reading professionally. No Every Good Boy Does Fine is taught in the note reading workbook.

For the Young Students

There are a lot of books written for the preschool age, but this 50 page book for ages 4-8 called “Color It, Say It, Play It, and Create it” starts out as a coloring book for the 7 keys using the 7 colors of the rainbow, and includes drills, fun children’s songs, assignments for rhythm, and composition. It stresses rhythm, counting, and how to keep a steady beat, which a lot of books do not offer for this age. There is also drills for the student to listen and copy for ear training. The staff notes are not introduced, but the notes ascend and descend as though it’s on a staff, making it easy for the student to learn to read notes after completing it.

I would love to share my books with you! To order, simply go to the store and use your discount codes for 20% off! This is not a temporary discount, but a permanent discount for you to use each time you order books for you or your students. I appreciate your dedication and giving a gift for a lifetime to each of your students! Please feel free to comment below, so others can read and learn from your experiences. Thank you.

Kathi Kerr/owner and author of Melody Music Studios and Melody Music Publishers

. Author for piano method books

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Rhythm in piano lessons – the neglected part!

Leave a Comment / Rhythm Workbook / Kathi Kerr

Rhythm in piano lessons is often the most neglected part. This is mostly because it’s the difficult part. Learning the note name is black and white (pun intended), simple, and straightforward. However, rhythm is time that is “felt” rather than seen, making it difficult to teach and learn. It’s easier to pretend it’s not there! That’s unfortunate, because rhythm is the “glue” that holds the notes together, and I believe, the most important part of music. Without timing, music becomes a bunch of scattered notes. Therefore, I like to start a beginner student focusing on the rhythm.

Using steady beat in the piano lesson

The first step in learning rhythm is to feel the “steady beat”. This can be done by clapping the beats while listening to music or using a metronome. A metronome is a machine that keeps the steady beat perfectly (see picture). Today you can download a metronome app on a phone or tablet for free or at very little cost. For styles, pop and rock are usually the best for clapping with, since it’s based on a perfect steady beat. If playing in a band or accompanying a singer, keeping the steady beat is critical to keep everyone on the same beat. Taking time to focus on the rhythm is important in the overall learning, no matter what instrument.

Beat numbers

The other important factor about rhythm in piano lessons is feeling the beat numbers in a measure (the notes between each bar line). The most common meter is 4/4 meter (counting 1-2-3-4), and each beat has it’s own unique “feel”. The 1 of each measure is what I like to call the “big” beat, because it’s the prominent feel in a measure. It enables the musician to know when the beginning of a measure starts. The 1 and the 3 are called the “down” beats, and the 2 and 4 are called the “up beats”. Normally the lower register notes such as the bass (electric or upright), and the bass drum, will play the down beats. The higher register instruments typically play on the up beats (keyboard and guitar, etc).

Repetition-the key to reading fluently

Most piano method books teach very little on rhythm in the piano lesson, if at all. It may show the time value and name of each note, but that doesn’t help the student reading fluently in a sequence of notes. It’s in the continual reading from one note to another that is important. And since reading the name of the note as well as the rhythm when playing a song, being able to automatically read the rhythm is crucial. In my book, “Rhythm Workbook”, it gives rhythm without note names in a continual reading, therefore helping the student become automatic. It takes hours of repetition to become fluent when learning a language. It’s much the same when learning to read music, which is a “musical language”. Drills and repetition is the key to being fluent in reading, whether it be the rhythm or note names.

Rhythm Workbook

If you or your student struggle with rhythm in the piano lesson, I suggest using the “Rhythm Workbook” at Melody Music Publishers. Focusing on reading the rhythm and counting out loud without notation will help create a fluency. And this book can be used for any instrument. Using a metronome is suggested to keep the steady beat while playing and counting. Taking extra time to focus on the rhythm will help when reading music when the note names are added in the reading process. And once the student and musician is reading rhythm fluently, it’s actually FUN to read the rhythm. There’s no need to ignore it any longer.

To piano/music teachers: Thank you for your dedication to teaching music to others! Teachers can register to receive a free PDF sample copies of all book and discount codes to receive 20% off when ordering.

I and all other piano teachers would love to hear from you! Feel free to enter your comment below.

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Book Review by Michael Leppert of Home Schooling Magazine

Leave a Comment / Piano Method Book Review / Kathi Kerr

Reviewed and written by Michael Leppert

“Kathi Kerr, owner of Melody Music Studios and author of a complete line of instruction books, brings her wealth of knowledge to anyone interested in learning and developing keyboard skills in a fun and relaxed way. These books are excellent resources for developing any desired level of competence from a living room Lizt to a full-fledged professional.”

“The first volume, “Color It, Say It, Play It, and Create It”, is the launching pad for little students ages 4-8 to become acclimated to the world of the piano and experience the pleasure of accomplishing skill development. As the title states, Kathi incorporates coloring the keys of drawings of white piano keyboards in the book, into the process of becoming familiar with the keyboard. Part of the coloring process is learning the names of the keys being colored. (This is a brilliant application of the scientific fact that information taught through play only requires 10-12 repetitions to imprint the brain vs. 400 repetitions by rote.) Ms. Kerr continues to present more musical information such as rhythm, note and rest values, pitch values and applying these values to playing familiar simple songs.”

“The second volume, “Drill It and Kill It-Read Music Like a Pro!”, addresses in great detail, development of the all-important skill called sight-reading. This is the ability to sit down to a never-before-seen piece of music and within 5-8 minutes of preparation, being able to play it virtually correctly. Professional recording musicians and orchestral players have to possess as strong a sight-reading ability as text reading to an editor or writer. In my opinion, these two volumes should follow sequentially.”

“Third, in Ms. Kerr’s line of excellent instruction books, addresses playing chords and improvising on the piano in her book “Play Chords & Improvisation on the Piano”. These two skills follow those developed in the above two books. Chords are like the scaffolding that melodies are hung upon and learning to play them is built upon the initial note-reading skills and expands one’s sight-reading ability. Songwriters and composers know that our Western ears hear chords progress in a certain pleasing or (intentionally) displeasing manner, called “chord progressions”. After some initial discussions of music theory (the facts of music), Kathi teaches the concept of progressions and provides actual examples that are immediately familiar from hearing decades of popular songs use them. Finally, she teaches chord inversions. Space does not allow for a discussion of this part of theory, but a deep knowledge of using inversions is absolutely necessary for the professional or semi-pro musician and to a purely amateur player who wishes to enjoy playing comfortably without anxiety.”

“The last volume in Melody Music’s line, “Fake It Til You Make It”, teaches the ability to use Fake Books, which are typically, very large volumes of just the melodies of popular songs and a chord shorthand allowing pro musicians, such as piano bar pianists, to take requests at large. This edition is invaluable for an aspiring performer who envisions playing weddings, bar mitzvahs and other events that require a fluid knowledge of hundreds of songs, appealing to multiple generations of listeners and dancers.”

“If your child – or yourself – desires to develop keyboard confidence enough to play for others with joy and ease, possibly even to make a living, please visit Melody Music Studios website and see Kathi Kerr’s excellent line of instruction books.”

*Michael and Mary Leppert are homeschooling parents and co-publishers of The Homeschool Magazine, the largest homeschooling publication in the U.S.

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