Adult Students
Alma Mater Adjust Fingering
I have an elderly student who can’t bend fingers 3 and 4 in his RH. We are adjusting songs accordingly. For Alma Mater Blues 3rd Section CAGE chord I, what would you suggest? C G E – fingers 5, 2, 1 – 100% C A…
Tips for Older Students
Those that also work with students 60+ might find something useful in a recent post to my students: Happy New Year! 🎉🎊 I hope you’re looking forward to an enjoyable year of music making in 2023! Here are a few tips that will support your…
Adult Walk at Eleven Challenges
I have a student in her 70’s who is working on Walk at Eleven. We have been over all the clues many times (C to A to D to G, focusing on the notes a half step above or a half step below, etc.); despite…
Potential Student with Social Anxiety
I have a potential adult student who suffers from social anxiety. After attending a FIS she messaged me to tell me of her issue. I had noticed something during the interaction. She also told me that she just wanted to try one lesson. I suggested…
Limited Access to Technology
Talk to me about older adults and challenges accessing the technology. Is there still a way to order physical materials? What are other creative ways you have worked around limited access to technology? Hi Anna – no, physical materials are no longer available to purchase.…
Teaching Fur Elise A Section
I’m generally very rigorous about following Neil’s instructions, since time and again I’ve come to understand why he does things the way he does. I’ve recently had a situation where I felt I had a good reason to do something a little differently from what…
Teaching Blues & Accompaniment to a Reader
I have a potential adult student with a traditional/classical piano background (grade 7 RCM) interested in broadening her music education. She would want to learn the blues and accompaniment streams. Is there a way to use the simply music materials to someone who already knows…
Adult Student Refusing Comp & Improv
I would greatly appreciate your feedback in a new situation that has never happened to me before. One of my adult students, who just moved into Book 4, is a retired doctor and used to getting his own way. While he initially was willing to…
Adult Students Mutual Support
Thoughts on creating some kind of buddy system opportunities for adult private students who could use some extra support beyond their own playing the coaching the role for themselves? I do have more than one, so I could approach my own to pose this to…
Student Resists Walking SDQ
One of my private adult students had agreed to start RR but when I did the first exercises with her (walking with SDQ’s) she told me she did not feel comfortable as she feels this is more suitable for children. I told her I have…