Piano Lessons

Some of the areas we may explore can include:

The Piano & Technique

For students of any age that are beginners, our teachers will introduce you to the piano: its components, its sounds, the effects of pedals on the sound, and more.

Technique is something all students can benefit from to help grow their command of the piano. If needed, we'll cover posture, hand & arm position, and techniques to prevent and mitigate potential strain for a healthy lifetime of playing.

Music Theory

Music theory is a study of the concepts, structures, & rules that help explain music and give musicians a common language to talk about it.

Music is as old as human sound and existed millenia before its theory was explored. While there are many accomplished musicians and performers that don't necessarily have a mastery of music theory, an understanding of this common musical language helps make it easier to understand what you're playing, hearing, composing, or arranging.

Lessons in music theory can include basics such as the structure of music notation (the staff & clefs, notes, rhythms, etc.) intervals, scales, melody, and chords, or more advanced study, depending on your goals and your knowledge level.

Styles & Genres

Depending on your goals, we may explore a variety of styles. For instance, while a student may wish to increase their abilities in pop/rock keyboard, we often find that exploring some jazz piano concepts can be a helpful grounding and jumping-off point. Likewise, for a student interested in growing their jazz improvisation chops, some classical studies may help build a foundation to help take their playing to the next level.

Sight Reading

We've all seen incredible musicians that can have a previously-unseen piece of music placed in front of them and who proceed to play the piece to perfection.

Just like reading printed words without practice, sight reading is a skill that can be learned. With New York Piano Teacher's training and exercises, and by practicing, piano players can learn to not only play the notes and instructions printed on the paper, but imbue them with emotion and context for a more compelling performance.

Ear Training

Related to sight reading, ear training involves learning to hear and analyze music and its components in a way that's beneficial to the performer, such as finding the connective tissue between genres and songs. Music is a language with many different dialects; ear training helps us study those languages and see their connection

Improvisation & “Jamming”

A common misconception is that improvisational playing is only for jazz. This couldn't be further from the case! While you likely won't be improvising much if you're playing specific written music in-studio or with an orchestra, improvisation is an unbelievably important part of most circumstances where you'll be playing music. From pro/amateur bands to worship to playing for friends & family — in any genre — the ability to improvise is a skill that is invaluable. In addition, studies have shown that nurturing this ability also has benefits in non-musical settings that require problem solving and creativity. Fortunately, just like any other skill, it's one that can be learned and practiced!

Performance & Musicianship

You may find that you are growing comfortable with the technical aspects of keyboard playing, but feel like you're lacking a certain something in your playing and performance — that you don't feel as if you can "take the next step" in your music. This is where performance & musicianship come into play.