Lately we've been exploring how learning piano gets easier when you see groups of notes as little neighbourhoods around your piano. Today, let's talk about ways you can learn your Note Neighbourhoods gently, in a way that honours your natural energy, attention, and emotions, so that every part of you feels welcome in the learning process.

In my previous post, I introduced you to a concept I use in all my beginner lessons: note neighbours!

In today's video, I'll explain the three note neighbourhoods I usually start with when teaching beginner piano students, and why they work so well!

In my previous post, we explored why reading music can feel unexpectedly difficult for adult learners, and how it often has more to do with mental exhaustion than motivation. In today’s video, I'll introduce you to a concept I use in all my beginner lessons: note neighbours!

If reading music leaves you feeling drained or discouraged, it's easy to feel like you're doing something wrong. But you're not alone, and you don't have to give up! In this video, I'll explain one of the hidden challenges that many adult beginners face when learning piano: re-learning how to use the alphabet.

This Bonus video explores an optional, more advanced ending for those of you who want to learn the beloved soaring melody that Canon in D is so famous for! We’ll also learn to pair it with the left hand accompaniment pattern that we learned in Part 4.

Finally, we’re combining all the left and right hand patterns we’ve learned so far and shape them into a complete musical performance!

Today, we’re showing our left hand a little more love and adding two new left hand pattern options for our piece. We’ll also discuss creative decision-making and things to consider when developing your own left hand patterns.

In today’s video, we continue to expand our right hand pattern, adding two more lines to our piece. We also discuss how you can tap into your creativity and start inventing your own playing patterns!

Welcome back! In this second lesson of my Canon in D tutorial series, we’re building on everything we learned in Part 1 by expanding our right hand pattern. Now we know the first four lines of the song!