Piano Lessons: How to Convert Piano Quitters into Piano Lovers

All I want in life is to convert every kid into a piano lover through my piano lessons. I can’t tell you how many students come to me from other piano teachers, on the verge of quitting. This breaks my heart because there is a world in which piano is FUN, and where students can find true and long-lasting love for playing beyond their middle school and high school years. However, it’s ALL about the teacher and the way they teach piano lessons.

Teaching Piano Lessons:

If that passion isn’t there, how can you instill it in your students? The reason I teach piano lessons is that I have such a deep-rooted love for piano, but also a love for kids and seeing them succeed and feeling happy, proud and accomplished. That switch from feeling like “piano is boring” into “piano is fun” is literally what I live for.

While I absolutely encourage and reinforce note-reading skills, I have found that my real secret sauce in my piano lessons is teaching students pop songs! They are truly my way into any kid’s heart. I can without a doubt, hook ANY student who comes to me for piano lessons.

Your Piano Lessons Need A Change…

So often, I get calls and referrals from parents who are looking for a change because they see their child slowly drift away and lose interest in the instrument. Those calls are my favorite because I know if I take on those students, I’ll turn them into mini, life-long pianists! However, those calls also kill me because their current teacher isn’t bringing out that fire and passion. It truly depends on how you teach. So many children continue with piano lessons because their parents want them to- not because the kids want to. Most of these kids don’t have a choice for piano lessons. I realized I had to come up with something to hook these kids and show them that piano doesn’t have to be boring! That’s where teaching cool, kid-relevant pop songs come in.

My Secret Sauce during my Piano Lessons!

Three years ago I had a student come to me who was the oldest of three kids and completely over piano. However, he came from a family whose mom is a pianist, and not learning the instrument was not an option… so I HAD to convert him! And guess what!? From the moment I introduced pop songs, he was hooked! During our first lesson, I asked him ‘What were some of his favorite songs?’ to which he mentioned Payphone by Maroon 5. I was in luck because I had already taught this song to another student!

I started playing it for him on the piano, and his EYES. LIT. UP. I wrote down the first verse and taught him the melody in that very first lesson. I came back the following week only to see that he had continued figuring out more of the melody on his own! Within a month, he learned the entire song- both melody and chords. Fast-forward to today, he has a sizable collection of pop songs, but he found a new passion for writing music and says he wants to compose songs for a living… What a turnaround!

Here is his first ever composition. Click here to hear his performance!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Words can’t describe what it feels like to see a student come from almost losing total interest in piano into discovering a whole new passion. Seriously, as soon as I can instill even a “tiny piano love seed,” my job is done! If they have a love for it, you can truly teach them anything you want and they’ll listen to anything you have to say. They become music sponges because you’re no longer fighting to convince them they love piano!

The Question I ask in Every First Piano Lesson:

When I first meet a student there is always ONE question I ask during that initial lesson. I’ll be about halfway through the lesson, and out of the blue I’ll ask: ‘What is your favorite song on iTunes?’ As soon as I ask, they look utterly confused, ‘ok, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Youtube!?’ – and from the expression on their face, I can tell they’re wondering, ‘Why are you asking me this? And what the heck does this have to do with piano?’ ‘Well, what’s your favorite song? Do you like Adele? Maroon 5? Bruno Mars??? …’

By this point, they are intrigued as to where this might be going. I can literally see their wheels turning, thinking, trying to pinpoint their favorite new song. I anxiously await their answer because I know their world of piano is about to be turned upside down.

After a minute or two of mental debate, most students will finally name a song they love and that’s when I get to DROP my PIANO TEACHER BOMB!! I start busting it out on the keys and watch as their jaw literally drops to the FLOOR! The look on their face is PRICELESS!!! They are HOOKED!!!

Piano Lessons? Game over.

My job is done! You can just see it in their eyes – ‘You can DO THAT with piano?? I can PLAY that? I’m allowed to???’ Those are the moments I live for and I am blessed to say that I am one of those people that doesn’t “have to go to work.” I’m living the dream and doing exactly what I’ve always dreamt of doing, teaching what I love and passing it on to children.

 

I had another student, Juliet, who was not super excited about learning piano, but as I introduced her to pop songs, you could feel in the lessons her old attitude around piano shifted. Of course, we were getting our theory and piano pieces in, but we were also learning the fun stuff! The COOL stuff she could show off to her friends and family!

The stuff that makes her excited to come to lessons every week. Juliet got so fired up, she learned Mamma Mia from Mamma Mia in ONE MONTH and is an absolute natural! She even told me that her 2019 resolution is to learn an entire pop song every month so that by the end of the year, she’ll have twelve songs in her repertoire, (in addition to all the other pieces we’ll be learning with real notes). This is coming from a young girl who came to me with a mediocre desire to learn piano but has made a complete 180 and practices, almost, (if not) every day.

Above is the first page of her “Mamma Mia Pop Song Sheet Music” and a video of her playing.

How to Use the Pop Song Method in Your Piano Lessons:

There is no way you can teach a beginner student how to read pop song sheet music because the rhythm, keys, and notes are years from their current level. WELL, YOU CAN with the POP SONG METHOD! Not only do I teach these songs in their original key, but my pop song method also reinforces ear training and chord knowledge. Not to mention, it’s a total confidence booster and provides that WOW factor! We all know how important it is for kids to feel empowered and have something they can show off to their friends. What better way than to teach them songs that everyone knows?

On January 19th, 2019, I am doing my first ever, LIVE Pop Song Workshop, and couldn’t be more excited to share with all of you “my secret sauce!” Again, all I want is for everyone out there who isn’t so sure about piano, to think again. I have such a love and passion for this instrument and truly know what it’s like on the other side when you can play anything you want. That world exists and teaching young students pop songs is a door into the magic world of piano!