Do you want to have students who sight read well? Students who get excited when they are given new and challenging assignments? Students who are able to utilize the new technology available only on a digital piano? If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions then you will definitely need to add a digital station within your studio.
Why have a digital piano station?
As you read about my digital piano station keep in mind that I have three stations in my piano studio configuration. I have a digital piano station, a computer station and an acoustic station where I teach my students one-on-one as in a traditional lesson. My students stay at each station for 25 minutes and then switch to the other two stations. They attend piano lessons for a total of 75 minutes. Understanding my studio configuration will be helpful as you read the following reasons for having a digital station. At one time I had two stations, a digital piano station and an acoustic piano station and my students attended their lessons for one hour total and spent 30 minutes at each station. If you are interested in further information about having stations within your studio I detail how to do this in a series of seminars which I have titled Susan’s Seminars for Piano Teachers* which can be found at www.musicteacherstore.com.
1) Students have time to prepare for their lessons at the bench with their teacher. This time spent at the digital station is very useful in preparation for their lesson time as it provides a run through and a warm-up of their songs. As a result, their private lesson goes more smoothly with less errors and problem measures or passages in their music . Who doesn’t like a run-through before performing in front of any audience?
2) Use of the digital station allows students time to become comfortable on the digital piano and allows more proficiency in using various settings and instrumentations on this instrument.
3) Our students are millennials and they are very comfortable with using any type of computer-based equipment—and this describes a digital piano!
How to set up a digital piano station
1) It is ideal if the digital piano faces away from any distracting scenery. Place your digital piano carefully so that your students can focus on the assignments that you would like them to complete while at the digital piano.
2) Make sure that your students have adequate lighting in this work space.
3) If you choose to have a Music Library in your studio, it is convenient to place it nearby the digital piano so that students have access to the music as they spend time at this station.
4) You can place an assignment board in front of the digital piano. This can be very helpful in helping students see their expected tasks to be completed while they are at this station.
What are some possible student assignments at the digital station?
1) Students can play at least 2 lines of sight reading. I use “What’s That Note” Books 1 and 2** for my beginning through Level 2 students as sight reading curriculum. I love these books written by my mother, Jane Calder, because they contain both rhythm exercises and gradual note reinforcement through the grand staff. For my more advanced students, Levels 3 – 5, I use “A Line a Day” books 1 – 4 for general sight reading assignments. I have made midi recordings of the exercises in “What’s That Note” and also “A Line a Day” which students use as they play along with these recordings. If the students are playing correct notes and rhythm they do not hear the recording which they are matching. If they play incorrect notes or rhythm they will hear the correct teacher recorded part which will sound different from the notes or rhythm that they are playing. Using these recordings as students play these sight reading assignments makes these exercises self-correcting.
2) After completing their 2 or more lines of sight reading my students record their progress on a personal log sheet which they keep in their assignment binder.
3) I am preparing my digital piano station at this time for my students to use the interactive Piano Marvel*** program to enhance their sight reading skills. I currently have several students in my studio who have subscribed to Piano Marvel and use Piano Marvel in their homes each day as part of their assigned daily practice time. My students who have used Piano Marvel in their homes have really enjoyed progressing through the various levels in Piano Marvel and have enjoyed being awarded trophies as they have improved their sight reading skills on various songs. In studio I will provide each student with a log sheet where they will record their personal achievement using Piano Marvel each week during their digital station time in my studio.
Good luck with setting up your new digital piano station or enhancing your current digital piano station. Your students will enjoy every moment that they spend at the digital station. The musical experience at lesson time is enhanced with the technology of a digital piano and all of its capabilities.
*Susan’s Seminars for Piano Teachers can be located at www.musicteacherstore.com under Teaching Aids (main category) Teacher Improvement (sub category). Many topics are covered and include the following three topics Maximizing one-on-one time with your students, Piano Camp is great for Teachers and Students, and Group lessons are fun and informative for both students and teachers. Seminars are downloadable and available in 8 different topics.
**What’s That Note Books 1 and 2 are available in both book and downloadable format at www.musicteacherstore.com.
***Piano Marvel can be viewed at www.pianomarvel.com. There is a discounted monthly subscription rate if you subscribe through www.musicteacherstore.com.
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