Piano Guidance
Piano Guidance
Photo: Jean Pierre
Find an ADHD-friendly instrument. The string bass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments are good choices, because a child can stand and move while playing them. Let your child choose his own instrument. If he decides on drums, buy earplugs!
You are never too old to learn to play the piano, but you'll never learn unless you decide to start. Jun 30, 2017
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Speaking of Spotify study playlists, do you know what the longest Spotify playlist is? Answer: The record for the longest Spotify playlist is held...
Read More »Children do not come in tidy packages — they come with spontaneity, energy, and delicious individuality. Some have learning challenges that affect them physically, cognitively, emotionally, and/or behaviorally. The good news is that music can help with most of them. In 1982, my third son, Brandon, suffered a traumatic birth that left him with pre-frontal cortex damage. He was a fussy baby, cried all the time, and had constant ear infections, speech and language delays, and severe separation anxiety. At six, he was diagnosed with ADHD, auditory processing, auditory discrimination, visual-motor, visual perception, and sensory motor problems. The difference between his oral and written IQ was 38 points, indicating severe learning disabilities. A team of school and professional experts concluded that he would have a hard time learning, focusing, and concentrating. They said he may not graduate from high school; college was out of the question. I decided to take the experts’ conclusions as one possibility, and not get too discouraged. I researched ADHD and learning disabilities — asking questions and aggressively networking. I learned that it takes time to solve such challenges. I learned that all learning disabilities start with auditory processing — the child can hear, but has difficulty processing what he hears. This can affect his ability to concentrate and focus. I enrolled Brandon in learning programs, many of which helped. But music — and particularly musical instruments — were the real keys to unlocking his ability to learn.
As you can see in the accompanying graph, rock maple is the hardest of these four hardwoods - about 15% harder than red oak, which ranks second....
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Ebony. Although the white keys were made from ivory, the black keys on a piano were often made from ebony which is dense dark hardwood. They were...
Read More »Start group music lessons. When he is about 18 months old, find a group music program for your child. Get into the rhythm. Our biological systems work on precise rhythms (think heartbeat). If these rhythms are out of sync, it is hard for anyone to focus and stay on task. Using rhythm instruments is a powerful way to sync the natural biorhythms of the body, allowing the child to feel “in tune” with his environment. So put on music with a strong beat — the “Baby Dance” CD is good — and beat out, bang out, or clang out the rhythm of the music with your child. Dance to the music. Movement for a child with ADHD is a must! In fact, movement is an indispensable part of learning, thinking, and focusing. As a child moves to different cadences and rhythms, his physical coordination and ability to concentrate improve. Draw what you hear. Many children with ADHD are creative and in search of creative outlets. Drawing or doodling engages motor skills, organizes the brain, and stimulates artistic juices. After a busy day at school, and before your child jumps into homework, give her paper and crayons, put on some classical music, and let her draw.
If you want to be a professional classical performer, you're looking at a minimum of 10 to 15 years of concentrated study with a master teacher,...
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In 1990, he and the other Queen members were awarded the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music, and one year after his death,...
Read More »Sing your way to school. Teachers want students to be ready to learn when they come to class. So, on your way to school, sing in the car or play classical music. Singing demands total focus. “The Alphabet Operetta,” by Mindy Manley Little, is perfect. Orchestrate homework. Some classical music changes the way the brain processes information by changing its electromagnetic frequencies. As a result of listening, children and adults are able to absorb, retain, and retrieve information better. When doing homework, try listening to George Frederic Handel’s Water Music or Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerti. Combine music and nature. Studies show that listening to music while walking in nature has a beneficial effect on the brain. The combination re-sets the brain — increasing its focus and priming it for learning. How is Brandon doing today? He is married, works in the film industry, and writes blogs on philosophy. Music is still an important part of his life. He listens to classical music while traveling to work each day and plays the piano weekly. Brandon has the tools and understanding to make ADHD his “friend.” He will always be somewhat of a round peg expected to fit in a square hole, but he is a happy, successful adult who embraces the differences in people.
Composers wanted to expand the range of their music But the instrument's four-octave range was limiting. So, piano manufacturers designed new...
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Kawai pianos offer a warmer, fuller quality of tone when compared to a normal piano built by Yamaha. This has made them the preferred choice of...
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