All Posts by Jaime Echagüe

Opinion and analysis of the Suzuki Method for piano

In Suzuki method it is nowadays a very popular teaching system for children. This system can be included in the concept of modern music education.

Initially the Suzuki method of music was thought for violin, because its creator played that instrument but with time the same concepts have been applied to other instruments. And one of them is the piano.

It must also be said that his tremendous popularity has led him to have loyal defenders and detractors. And that’s something that usually happens when there’s money and success. But before we talk about that aspect, let’s know a little more about the detail on which this method is based.

What is the Suzuki method of teaching music?

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The method bases its general principles on the fact that music can be learned in a natural way, in the same way that one learns a child’s mother tongue. This implies that it is good for the child to start his musical education from a very young age. After three or four years, even if you cannot hold the instrument correctly or press the keys on the keyboard.

The reference centers in Suzuki are also based on highlighting the aspect of music education as a motor for a good education in our children. Promotes teamwork, perseverance and social integration.

On the previous point it must be said that the current trend in music education is to promote those values and this is not exclusive to the Suzuki method. It is true that both the Suzuki method and other similar methods provide a counterpoint to training in conservatories. Much more rigid and masterful but not because of poor quality.

If our son continues his adult education until his professionalization as a musician he will have to go through the conservatory if he wants to be a classical musician.

The method is also based on the child listening to the piece to be played and becoming familiar with it before touching it. From there you will train your skill in a similar way as you learn a language. By repetition and experimentation. It is intended to be learned with little effort. This is one of the good aspects of the method and it must be said that children develop a good ear by what we have proven.

Controversy over Suzuki method for children, detractors

In recent years voices have emerged that attempt to discredit the method and its creator Shinichi Suzuki. In general, they question the author’s biography.

This type of controversy often arises when new teaching methods arrive and the schools or systems that were there before want to maintain their commercial positioning. In the end the realities are complex enough to say that one methodology is better than the other.People we know who have brought their children to study piano with this method say that it is very effective for developing the ear and musicality. But it also depends on the teacher’s commitment.What you see is a commercial world that can sometimes be perverse. The Suzuki method encourages the child to get into the music from a very young age and that’s good but sometimes….

We simply say don’t trust just because a school tells you they have certified teachers.

How do I know if a music school is good for my children?

Whether the methodology of the centre is Suzuki or if it has other didactic approaches you are going to have to be mentally aware of one thing. Many music schools just set up their classrooms so that unconnected music teachers can give their classes there. Many private and small schools fail to develop a single methodology and take care of the child’s evolution. This is really done by your teacher and there is usually no coordination between the school and the teacher beyond the administrative.Having said that, we recommend that you know who the student’s teacher is, because it is really the one who will impose the method and lead the student’s progression. This is the first point to bear in mind. See if they have a high turnover of teachers and find out if that teacher has been teaching at the academy for several years. That’s a good sign.The Suzuki method is very useful at first with small children, many teachers then end up mixing it with other methodologies both classical and with other modern approaches. So don’t think that the Suzuki method will be the only option used. It is normal for a good teacher to use several methodologies.Ask other parents in the academy to tell you if you’ve done well and if they’re happy, and find out about the best teacher or if there’s a bad one to avoid it. There is no better system of reviews.And of course ask your son. See if he’s having fun in class, if he’s motivated or if it’s a heavy burden for him. A good thing about the Suzuki method is that it makes it easier for the child to learn, in a natural way and that it shouldn’t cost them. A good teacher motivates and makes his students want more.

Is the piano the best instrument?

Choosing the piano as an instrument for your child in the Suzuki method is a great choice and we explain why in several points:

It can play both modern music (Jazz, Blues, Pop) and classical music.
It is a highly demanded instrument in any musical training, so your child will make friends quickly and will be much sought after as he becomes a teenager.
It is easier to learn harmony than on the guitar as it is a more visual instrument.
It is a much better composition tool than any stringed instrument.
Facilitates the learning of a second instrument.

An adult can learn piano with the Suzuki method

Although it is a child-oriented method, the inventor of the method has made it clear that the methodology and exercises are also suitable for an adult. Since an adult can also learn a new language. The truth is that the old precepts of “you can only learn music if you start as a child” are behind you.The Suzuki method is based on learning and acquiring talent as well as speaking a new language. And new research on brain plasticity has shown how studying music can make adults “smarter.” If you’re interested in this topic, we invite you to read our article “learning piano after 30.It has to be said that an adult can try to learn piano in a self-taught way but to implement the Suzuki method requires a teacher. At least a couple of monthly classes supported by self-taught material. If you want to know more about how to learn piano as an adult and as a self-taught person, we invite you to visit our piano learning guide.

Books to learn the Suzuki method

The Suzuki method for piano has been embodied in several books and you will probably be asked to buy them at the academy you go to. Here is the link to the edition with texts in Spanish, Italian and French. Comes with audio and is the first book with which you start the method.

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The Hanon method for beginner pianists

Is the Hanon method a good piano method for beginners?

Well, probably if you are interested to know about this method you are looking for exercises to improve your piano technique. So you’ve come up with the right post.

Before we talk a little about this popular method and a little about the controversy about its effectiveness.

Hanon’s method and exercises “The Virtuous Pianist”

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The Hanon is a series of 60 exercises classified on the basis of their progressive difficulty and that today is taught in many conservatories, mainly in the early years. It has become quite popular apart from its application because of the heated debate about its effectiveness. Famous pianists do not like the method at all and even reject its application. But he also has fiery defenders among quality pianists.

Some pianists criticize the method for not working properly hand independence and argue that all the time spent doing Hanon exercises on a daily basis would be much more useful if invested in another way. These detractors consider them to be simple intuitive warm-up exercises.

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It must be said that it is a method of the nineteenth century, which is still widely used today, so that something will have if it is in the programs of conservatories. But it must also be said that a century of music education theory has advanced since then.

We are going to show you how some of these exercises are for you to get an idea, here goes the exercise number 2, remember that they are gradual exercises.

How to approach the Hanon method to learn piano?

The Hanon method is not an exclusive means of learning piano itself. It is a complement to a piano formation. So if you’re looking for a complete method to follow step by step and lead you through a progressive Hanon itinerary is not the option.

Hanon can complement other formations very well, of course. It is quite normal for other piano methods to include some Hanon exercises. For things are neither black nor white and the pedagogy of the piano technique has evolved a lot since then as we have already commented. But you can’t say they’re obsolete exercises at all.

The best way to get closer to Hanon is to follow a global piano method that includes or does not include Hanon exercises and yourself in parallel to get closer to these exercises. Each person is different and these exercises are very effective for some and not for others. You have to find out if they help you. Which is important for you to know that Hanon isn’t enough. It is simply a series of very popular exercises that have helped many people quite a bit.

It has to be said that for some people these exercises are the glory and it is very likely that you will end up experiencing them. Of course, trying them should always be a must.

How are you learning piano?

We asked you this because it is very possible that you have ended up in this post if you are learning piano on your own or in a self-taught way.

If you are with a private teacher, he will probably give you a compendium of the exercises you need and may or may not include Hanon.If you are looking for a piano method for beginners or books to learn piano in a self-taught way we will give you some options that will help you a lot.

One thing you have to take into account when learning piano without a private teacher is that you need a visual support of the exercises. How to buy the book or download it without any video you will despair because you won’t know how to put your hands or how to execute the exercise correctly if you don’t know something about piano. This is not good because it is not good for motivation.

One option you have is to get the Hanon in PDF and search for the first exercises on Youtube. This can be a very cheap option but quite laborious and uncomfortable, because you will have to save the videos. Many of these exercises are missing or the audio is of poor quality or is played very fast.

If you don’t want the book in cheap PDF and then have to print it here you can buy it cheap.

What we recommend is that you buy a gradual method with audiovisual support so that you can introduce yourself correctly in the piano at a basic level and while you are incorporating the first 10 exercises of Hanon, because you will find them in Youtube and here we gather them. Just click on the drop-down. But after the videos we’re going to recommend other options that you should listen to, so don’t hesitate to read the post until the end.

Hanon – Exercises 1 to 10

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Exercise 3

Exercise 4

Exercise 5

Exercise 6

Exercise 7

Exercise 8

Exercise 9

Exercise 10

How did you find out to mess with Hanon’s exercises without knowing anything about piano is a little hard. So if you’re not at that point we propose some options you have to learn piano in a self-taught and gradual way. All this so that you don’t look out of place and leave it at the end. If you know English the option of learning with computer software an electronic keyboard connected through USB MIDI is tremendously effective. Here they go:

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Studying piano from the age of 30, cerebral plasticity

A lot of people ask this question. And it is normal to have doubts because musical learning is usually linked to starting at an early age. They have not always said that music has to be studied from an early age, that children learn very quickly and that adults become clumsy and slow.

The classic argumentation was a real annihilator of creativity, motivation and personal improvement. But it is true that until recently it was not easy to refute these arguments.

And what has changed in these years that makes the paradigm shift possible? Well, mainly new neuroscientific research and the discovery of “brain plasticity”.

Surely on many occasions you have heard of the fact that over the years neurons are lost and these are not created again. Well, this is partly true, but the brain plasticity goes the other way. Human beings use between 5 and 10% of their brain capacity. I mean, there are plenty of neurons…

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In the last 10 years new neuronal studies have shown that it is possible to train neurons. So that they learn to do tasks that were not previously assigned to them. In other words, new connections and neural networks can be generated. So that new skills are acquired with proper practice and those neural networks endure over time.

This ability of any neuron to learn new things and be able to perform new functions is what is known as brain plasticity. At first it was mainly applied to people who had had brain damage and who had lost function. Basically, other areas of the brain were taught to do what damaged neurons did before.

This capacity of the neurons apart from being very useful in rehabilitation destroyed a paradigm. An adult can generate new neural structures with proper training, and literally anyone can become smarter than they used to be. You can train intelligence like a muscle.

Having explained the above, it goes without saying that this is changing the whole world of education. What you haven’t learned as a child, you can learn as an adult. And even better.

An adult with “well-trained” intelligence can be much better and learn faster than a child. Although it is true that the adult is subjected to other difficulties. Mainly lack of time, difficulty concentrating due to stress and a little less vitality. But vitality is one thing and intelligence is another, they are different variables.

An adult has to train to be smarter and learn new things, especially if he or she has never done so. But he’s got one thing the kid doesn’t have. And it’s motivation and knowing what he wants so he can appreciate the potential that playing a musical instrument such as the piano can bring him.

Well, in short, can you play the piano from the age of 30? The answer is yes and you can reach a professional or very advanced level perfectly. In order to do this, we have to take the vitality out of the motivation, because the child usually beats us in vitality. But knowing what you want is an unstoppable engine.

So don’t just accept traditional paradigms. We have already explained to you that scientifically it is already known that you can be smarter and train your constancy. The important thing is that you form yourself intelligently and in order not to lose your motivation. Your brain plasticity will do the rest and it’ll get easier and easier.Studying music increases your neural connections, they explain it very well in the following video:

We hope that we have answered the question that many people ask themselves. In my case I tell you that I also started in adult music and now I dedicate myself to it professionally. And I feel a lot smarter and smarter than when I was 14.

Don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done! And if you think this post can be useful to someone, don’t hesitate to share it on social networks. This post is part of our mega guide to learn piano and keyboard . On the other hand if you want to learn in a self-taught way we recommend our selection with the best digital platforms to learn piano. Technology is opening up many possibilities and I’m sure the post will surprise you.

What is your opinion? Leave your comment 🙂

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