FREE GIVEAWAY FOR CHORD PIANO IS FUN!

Thanks for coming to my blog site! And because you are here, I am offering a GIVEAWAY CONTEST for a free copy of my book, CHORD PIANO IS FUN!

CHORD PIANO IS FUN is the perfect book for the person who has played piano in the past, but wonders, "What have I done with my piano?"  (And this doesn't mean that it's hiding somewhere.)  Maybe you walk by your piano every day and wish that you could remember something that you learned when you took piano lessons all those years ago.

OR, this book is for the current piano student who wants to learn how to play popular music, learn to play by ear, or learn to write music.  It also teaches you how to play the blues!

OR, this book is for the piano teacher who is looking for JUST the right book to teach your students how to play chord piano and learn to read lead sheets or chord charts.

If you are any of the ABOVE, then this book is for you!

Here are a few reviews:  

I have to tell you that I have only made it through three lessons so far and I already feel so successful! This is fantastic!

Danny, Portland, Oregon
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"Chord Piano is Fun" really is fun. I took piano lessons when I was a teenager, and again when I was in my forties, (I am now in my eighties) but I am so poorly coordinated I could never get two hands together. Both times I gave up before I really learned to play anything. Now I do a mean rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In", and other recognizable pieces. This is something I can do so I am grateful for this book and wanted everyone to know!

Myra, Clear Lake, Texas

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Max's book came yesterday, he opened it this afternoon when he got home from school and he's pretty much been play ever since! =)"

Leigh Ann, West Virginia

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As a seasoned piano/vocal teacher, I have been looking for a book to teach a chording method without having to write it myself! This book is exactly what I have been looking for!  Read more...

Laura Beasley, Music Teacher, Mandeville, LA


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Don't you just love it when someone else does all the hard work and puts together a systematic approact to teaching something that is just the way you would do it?  Honestly, it's pretty rare to find something that's a perfect fit, but T.K. Goforth has done that with her book, Chord Piano Is Fun!  Read more...

Natalie Wickham, Music Matters

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"Chord Piano is Fun!” is the perfect resource for those that long to play piano but can’t seem to make sense of all those black dots on the page....This book is very well put together and the kind of resource that I wish existed when I first desired to play piano in my teens....Read More


Marty Nystrom
Songwriter and Author
 

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And, you can WIN copy free for yourself or a friend!   

This is an EXCELLENT book to have for your music library or if you want to learn more about how music is made up and how you can make more of it yourself! 

Here's what you have to do (BOTH of the items):

1. Become a "FOLLOWER" of this page to the right by either "Google Friends"  or Networked Blogs.  (You'll need a Google account if you follow Google friends, but if you already have a Gmail account you are set.  If not, it will lead you through the process.)

AND

2. POST a comment in the comment section below. (BE SURE to click on the pink link "Subscribe by Email" to the right of the POST COMMENT button to get updates via email and to know if you have won!).  Please make sure your comment "takes", but checking the comment section below after sending your comment.  If it doesn't please try again.

This contest will last until Sunday, March 20. The winner of the drawing will be informed on Monday, March 21.

I will contact you via this blog if you are the winner, so be sure to follow! I will be using a random count generator to pick the winner.

ALSO, if you enter, you will be able to purchase Chord Piano Is Fun at a discount and I will give you all the details after the contest.  So enter even if you don't think you will win!


I will need at least 20 comments and follows in order to offer this giveaway, so be sure to tell your friends!!! Good luck! And, I'm looking forward to your comments! (Comments can be posted right below the "Share The Love" bar... Click on the link that says Comments with the number of comments made.)

God bless,
T.K.

Music Teachers -- great offer for you!

Calling all Music Teachers!  

If you have a website or blog, and would be willing to promote Chord Piano Is Fun with a photo link on your site, you can receive a discount of over 30%!

Please complete the form below and I will send you all the details!  


MUSIC TEACHERS ONLY!

Great review by Marty Nystrom for Chord Piano Is Fun!

New Review by Marty Nystrom, Songwriter ("As The Deer" and other worship songs) and Author of "Don't Mess With Moses!"


"Chord Piano is Fun!” is the perfect resource for those that long to play piano but can’t seem to make sense of all those black dots on the page. The book will get you quickly creating music at the keyboard through a step-wise and enjoyable understanding of chord construction. I like how things are broken things down to approachable and achievable bite-sized steps, which is especially good for busy adults. This is not only a great tool for the pianist but also for songwriters who want to write music at the piano. This book is very well put together and the kind of resource that I wish existed when I first desired to play piano in my teens.


Marty Nystrom
Songwriter and Author

How to demand more money for piano lessons AND have a WAITLIST a mile long!

Music Teachers:
Teaching chord piano is a great addition to your teaching curriculum

As a piano teacher, I created Chord Piano Is Fun to teach my students how to play chord piano and be able to read chord charts or lead sheets.  Many of them wanted to learn how to play popular music, but were still too new in their ability to follow many of the popular music books' left hand line along with the melody line.  So, after spending hundreds of dollars on other chord methods to try to find one to teach well and for my students to follow, I realized I had to write my own.

A FANTASTIC benefit with teaching chord piano is that you will have a "niche" that other teachers in your area may not.  I advertise that I teach chord piano and because of that I can charge more for lessons -- and have a waiting list a mile long!

This is a very easy book to follow and use. Chord Piano Is Fun integrates very nicely with methods such as Alfred, Piano Adventures, etc., and gives a deeper insight into the theory of music.  Teachers have found that with use of this the students have a greater understanding of what they are learning and tend to progress at a quicker pace.  I use this in addition to and along with my other method books and music pieces for my students.

Because Chord Piano Is Fun is a spiral-bound book, it lays very nicely on the piano and is easy to flip through.  It is packed full of resources, such as How to Create All Types of Chords, All of the Family Chords for each Key (Major and Minor), All the Major and Minor Scales, Circle of 4ths/5ths, How to Write a Song, How to Play the Blues, etc.  With purchase, you will also be able to sign into the Customer Page to download new additions, such as Christmas Music, etc.

I have found that once the student understands their chords and how they are created, they are able to pick them easily out of their music, thus helping them to learn their pieces easier because they have a "visual" in their mind.

The Songwriting Chart in the book is a great way to get a child starting on writing his/her own song.  Once it is written, and with the help of a notation software (I use Capella), it's so exciting to watch a child create their first song, put a name to it, and the copyright on the bottom.  They are published!  I have each student perform their songs at a recital and with their permission give copies of each student's song to the other students so that they can try them at home.

Please see below or go to my Reviews page for reviews from other teachers and students.

I hope you decide to give Chord Piano Is Fun a try.  I know you won't be sorry!

And, please email me if you have any questions!

God bless!

T.K. Goforth
EMAIL ME!

Here are a few reviews from teachers using Chord Piano Is Fun:

From Natalie Wickham, Music Matters:

Don’t you just love it when someone else does all the hard work and puts together a systematic approach to teaching something that is just the way you would do it? Honestly, it’s pretty rare to find something that’s a perfect fit, but T.K. Goforth has done just that with her book, Chord Piano Is Fun!

The book begins with a fabulous introduction of How to Create a Major Scale, then moves into chords, scale degrees, chord inversions, key signatures, 7th chords, and more! All of this is introduced with the objective of helping pianists learn how to play from a lead sheet (a.k.a. fake book). The layout of the book is very clean, with lots of helpful images, and some of the most concise explanations I’ve read for various theoretical elements in music. This would be perfect for a student who wants to learn chording skills on their own, or for a teacher who is struggling to know how to introduce scales, chords, key signatures, and playing from a lead sheet to his or her students.

I love that the terminology used is accurate, but is broken down in such a way that even beginning students can begin to grasp the concepts. The one exception to this that I’ve discovered is the use of the term, “Family Chords” rather than “Primary Triads.” I could definitely work around this, though, for the value to be gained from the rest of the book. There is even a brief lesson on song-writing in the back that I think would be appealing to a lot of students!

The primary reason that I rarely use theory books with my students is due to a lack of relevance. The written material is divorced from the music that they are playing and it becomes more of a busywork assignment than a real learning tool. A book like Chord Piano Is Fun! is a wonderful approach to learning theory because what is being learned is immediately relevant to music and styles that the student wants to learn to play. I am excited to begin using it in my studio!

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From Laura Beasley, LHB Music:

As a seasoned piano/vocal teacher, I have been looking for a book to teach a chording method without having to write it myself! This book is exactly what I have been looking for! Chord Piano Is Fun is a fantastic tool -- a very clearly written, easy-to-understand, and thorough method of piano chording.  It can be used to self-teach as well as used as a method book with a teacher.   I have added Chord Piano Is Fun as a mandatory supplement for even my youngest students to the traditional method lesson and theory books.

I have found "Chord Piano Is Fun" to be a very helpful tool in the areas of ear training and improvisation as well as a fun way to teach my students how to play popular music.  I have further found that some of my students who were not responding quickly (or at all) to the basic method, yet were very bright as well as musically talented, were becoming so discouraged that they wanted to quit taking piano lessons altogether. At that point, in trying to salvage their self-esteem as well as their interest in piano playing, I gave them a copy of Chord Piano Is Fun and basically started over with them. What I found was renewed interest, increased passion, and a super sense of success in each of those students! At my last recital, one of those students accompanied herself with chords while she sang a beautiful song, and the other played a fairly difficult Disney piece (Under the Sea) using only the treble clef and chord symbols along with some improvisation on his part. Both were FABULOUS performances and I accredit both to the fresh start with Chord Piano Is Fun!

I also put two of my students with learning disabilities (particularly in reading) as well as ADD/ADHD students on Chord Piano Is Fun and all are excelling and enjoying playing piano when other teachers gave them no chance of learning how to play the piano!   THANK YOU FOR "CHORD PIANO IS FUN!"

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From Carolyn, Former Piano Teacher, Camano Island, Washington

"Chord Piano is Fun" is a well-written, easy-to-understand resource for learning to play the piano using chords. The book is so logically organized that it is possible to start at the beginning, with little or no understanding of HOW TO PLAY or HOW TO BUILD CHORDS, and to complete the lessons with the ability to play many songs in various styles! The method is not just for beginners, but also for the seasoned pianist who wants to play with the freedom chords allow in many kinds of music from hymns to pop. It is especially useful for the church musician who wishes to embellish the hymns or praise songs.

As a retired public school music teacher, private piano teacher and church musician, I know how valuable learning chords can be in the areas of theory concepts, ear training and just enjoying playing whatever you wish. I regret that I did not have this book when I was teaching, as I spent many hours creating my own worksheets for chord study. CHORD PIANO IS FUN.......REALLY IS!

ORDER CHORD PIANO IS FUN!

Wonderful note learning software!

When I started teaching piano lessons, I was looking for a fun, easy way for the students to learn their notes. After searching the internet, I found Dr. Anthony Fernando's  software that I think you will love. It is easy, fun, and has great graphics.  Although it was written for children, adults have found it fun and helpful as well. There are fun rewards that provide motivation and keep the students wanting to succeed.

I highly recommend this software! Click on the screen shot below to check it out!

Wonderful new review for my book "Chord Piano Is Fun!"

I just learned of a wonderful new review for my book, Chord Piano Is Fun!  The review is from Natalie Wickham, who blogs at Music Matters Blog.  This is an excellent blog with a lot of wonderful information for music teachers.  She is offering a free giveaway for my book HERE, so if you would like to enter a drawing for a free copy of my book, leave a comment on her site! 

Here is her review:

Don’t you just love it when someone else does all the hard work and puts together a systematic approach to teaching something that is just the way you would do it? Honestly, it’s pretty rare to find something that’s a perfect fit, but T.K. Goforth has done just that with her book, Chord Piano Is Fun!

The book begins with a fabulous introduction of How to Create a Major Scale, then moves into chords, scale degrees, chord inversions, key signatures, 7th chords, and more! All of this is introduced with the objective of helping pianists learn how to play from a lead sheet (a.k.a. fake book). The layout of the book is very clean, with lots of helpful images, and some of the most concise explanations I’ve read for various theoretical elements in music. This would be perfect for a student who wants to learn chording skills on their own, or for a teacher who is struggling to know how to introduce scales, chords, key signatures, and playing from a lead sheet to his or her students.


I love that the terminology used is accurate, but is broken down in such a way that even beginning students can begin to grasp the concepts. The one exception to this that I’ve discovered is the use of the term, “Family Chords” rather than “Primary Triads.” I could definitely work around this, though, for the value to be gained from the rest of the book. There is even a brief lesson on song-writing in the back that I think would be appealing to a lot of students!


The primary reason that I rarely use theory books with my students is due to a lack of relevance. The written material is divorced from the music that they are playing and it becomes more of a busywork assignment than a real learning tool. A book like Chord Piano Is Fun! is a wonderful approach to learning theory because what is being learned is immediately relevant to music and styles that the student wants to learn to play. I am excited to begin using it in my studio! And the great news is that you can win a copy for you or one of your students, too! Just leave a comment below (at Music Matters Blog) and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win your own Chord Piano Is Fun! book! The drawing will end at noon (CST) on Thursday, February 17, and the winner will be drawn using a random number generator.

Thank you, Natalie!

The Suzuki Method for Piano???

I have never been a "fan" of what I had seen  regarding Suzuki Piano, and had somewhat ignored it, believing it to be a one-dimensional series that only taught memorization.    But, when I spoke with an adult student who learned piano with the Suzuki method and showed me the songs she was playing after six months, I started paying attention.

I'm looking very seriously into this method for some of my students.  I bought the book Studying Suzuki Piano-More Than Music along with Volume 1 of the Suzuki Piano School, just to see what it was about.

Studying Suzuki Piano: More Than Music : A Handbook for Teachers, Parents, and Students (Suzuki Piano Reference)Studying Suzuki Piano-More Than Music is essential for starting the Suzuki method, and it is recommended that you even get "certification" for this method, but I found some GREAT stuff in here.  It gives suggestions for all aspects of learning the piano, from the first lesson through the more difficult pieces in each Volume of the Suzuki Method.

After reading through some of the book today, I followed its suggestions and tried this method on my newest student, who is a wonderful 16 year old with ADHD and mild autism.  She took to the first lesson famously.  Because she wants to write music and play quickly, I had introduced the construction of scales and chords to her in her first few lessons from Chord Piano Is Fun.  When I opened the book to the first lesson, and showed her which "C" the song began on (Twinkle Twinkle), it was easy for her to follow and read.  She was excited that she was able to play Twinkle Twinkle with several rhythms (this is discussed in the Studying Suzuki Piano), so I gave her a quick overview of the rhythms with their useful phrases such a "Mississippi Hot Dog", and "Peanut Butter Sandwich" (for four 16th notes and two 8th notes). 

Suzuki does not include note reading, so that is something to do in addition to this, but they give suggestions as to which method is good for doing so.  Since the methods they suggest are too "young" for her, I will be using the The Complete Piano Player: Omnibus Edition (Complete Piano Player Series for her.  I plan on looking at the Music Tree series for the younger students, but may decide to stick with the Alfred method books, which have worked well for me.


In addition, I will use Chord Piano Is Fun, which will provide a wonderful, well-rounded musical education for her, as well as my other students.  She will be hearing, playing, and writing her own music in no time!

The Alexander Technique and Piano Playing

The Alexander Technique and Piano Playing

New Year!

It's the start of a new year, and new things will come! I love New Year's in that I often need times of "refreshment" to put things back into perspective and start anew.

This year some of my New Years' Resolutions for piano lessons will be:

Incorporating site-reading "games" into lessons and even combining lessons for students with classes next to each other.

• Incorporating a Hanon "contest" for the students, with a reward for those who have mastered the most Hanons per quarter, based on ability.

• Making sure that each of my students truly understand the minor keys and their relationship with the major keys (Lesson 18 of Chord Piano Is Fun!.) 

• Have each student write a song in a minor key to perform at recital (Lessons 25 of Chord Piano Is Fun.)

• Planning another performance for the retirement center.

• Planning more "outings" to watch a piano performance.

• Making "piano dates" with my other piano teacher friends in the area to talk about new ideas, what works, what doesn't, etc.

• Connect with more piano teachers and their blogs and on facebook and twitter...what a great way to resource!

Would love comments on other ideas piano teachers might have for this new year!

"Chord Piano Is Fun" is mentioned....

on Erfurt's Music Resources! 



Check it out!

"Just Hear Those Sleigh Bells....what?!"

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned here how much I love Christmas and Christmas music.  I love, love, love it!  I'm one of those who will start listening to Christmas music on Thanksgiving Day.  Gets me into the festivities RIGHT NOW.

So, imagine my excitement when I was asked to sing a mini-concert of Christmas music to a large group of Kiwanis Club members in one of the swanky athletic clubs in the Seattle area.  I had not done specifically Christmas music before, although I have been a soloist for years, but this was right up my alley.  So, I got right on it.

I called my ex-roomy, who was an excellent pianist, and we met at her house to "rehearse".  We picked a set of songs and ran through them maybe once.  After all, Christmas music -- how hard could it be?!  Easy as pie.

As I sat up on the stage in front of these several hundred people I felt confident, maybe even a bit smug.  I was going to be singing the songs that I love the most and I was going to blow them AWAY!

How wrong I was!   The second I got up to the microphone I knew there was something wrong.  Something was rising up inside of my body that I had not ever felt to that extent before.  And, my friend felt it, too.  She started playing.  Fast.  Faster than we had practiced.  And all of a sudden I realized...."I DON'T KNOW THE WORDS TO THIS SONG!"

But, I could do nothing about it.  The intro had completed and it was my turn.  My turn to sing.  My turn to wow them.  My turn to make a complete fool out of myself...


"Just hear those sleigh bells ringling, rijerjlelijlkngln-ing, too,
Come on it's sdlkjf;oasdkf for a a;sldjfa;sodjf ;laskjfdl asf with you!
Outside the asodjfaslkdmf;l and oeoirj;oasiejr asff YOO HOO!
Come on it'sapsodfijaosdifja;soidf for a poajsdf;oajsdlkfja sdd with you!"

What had come over me and taken over my voice?  What was taking over me that I couldn't make stop?!  My mind is racing as quickly as my mouth is spewing out nonsense.  "Wait!  Those aren't the words!" I am thinking to myself!  But, I didn't know what they really were, and  it only got worse:

"There's a birthday party apsodfjalmwe;lrjlj asdpofjasdofj Farmer Gray,
It will fpeoajs;eljejfoij l  sadpofiasd of a perfect day!
It will poasijdf;laskdjfl;asdkjf o o;tijasoito sf asotija;soti;oisdj
POUOIWEurpoawesrj;laskjrpoasuerj;soifdoisaufd......."

I looked at my incredulous audience.  Many had their mouths open in disbelief.  Others were adjusting their hearing aids.  Many of the faces said to me, "I can't believe I have to sit hear and listen to another 20 minutes of this!"

But, in my professional training I KNEW I had to keep going, to not quit, and to keep a smile on my face like I knew exactly what I was doing.  And finally, the song was over.

It was not the end, however, as I had 5 more songs to peform.  And the rest of them were not much better.  It only got better when I got to "O Holy Night", my closing number, which I actually DID know because it is my favorite Christmas song on the face of the earth.

My friend and I left that place holding on to each other necks both laughing and crying together as we walked out to our cars.  Several weeks later, I called to ask when we might be receiving our checks in the mail.  The agent replied, "Oh -- that was a charity gig."

Needless to say, I use this constantly as an example to my students to know their music 100% or they will end up like me.  I hope they listen.

Piano Parties - Woo hoo!

We are just heading into the Christmas season, and I can feel the excitement. My students love to play Christmas music, and for my Jewish students I offer Hanukkah music for them to play as well.

In the past, I have had a Winter Recital, which has been a great mid-season event. This is where they can play their Christmas or Hanukkah songs for the guests, as well as an additional song they have been working on. I have had up to 35 students, so instead of having one recital, I would do two on the same day, and it makes it so much more enjoyable for the listeners -- I have found that even with great music the guests get a bit restless.

However, this year I knew I would not be up to a full-fledged recital due to a recent minor surgery, so I have decided to do smaller "Piano Parties" in my home for the students to play their Christmas music. The kids LOVE these.

Piano Parties are events I have at my home the week before a recital, and are used as a "Dress Rehearsal". Parents are typically not invited -- this is for the students to perform their piece in a non-threatening environment and "work out the nerves." I show them how to walk in, enter the piano bench (if they need refreshers on this), play their piece, then exit the bench and take a bow. They also have to learn how to be good "guests". After they have performed, we embark on some fun games, and then they eat some nummy snacks – cookies/cupcakes that some of the parents might bring, and fruit drinks. The game of choice is always "Flash Card Challenge". I split the students up so they are competing against each other in two lines (two teams). The first child (in the front of the line) who names the note correctly receives the flash card and goes to the back of the line. Once all the flash cards have been "guessed", we count up the total of "points" and that team wins. (Typically the cards with ledger lines are “bonus questions.”) The winners get a small prize and get to choose from the snacks first. Piano parties typically have 8-10 kids in each party and usually run about an hour, and take the place of their lesson for the week. I have them sign up on the wonderful website that I use called "Music Teacher’s Helper."

This year, however, I will hold Piano Parties as mini "recitals". I don’t want to “jip” the parents out of hearing their children play their Christmas music, so I will hold Piano Parties next week that the parents will be invited to. They will not be long – probably 45 minutes long at the max, due to the fact that people are so busy during this season, and the kids are studying for finals, etc. I will offer three different evenings for these events, which they can register for using my Student Website at Music Teacher’s Helper. (If you are a teacher and have not checked out this website, please do so…they offer a free trial and website! It is a time saver and wonderful way to keep a calendar and do billing, etc.)

I'm so looking forward to next week and my Piano Parties!  So are my students!

It's 11 ...who?

Ok....so, my friend, A, just bought a whole set of Tiffany-priced ornaments that depict the 12 Days of Christmas -- with one ornament for each phrase. These things are beautiful, delicate, and the DETAILS!!! With bird feathers and everything...

However, we were a bit confused with the way they came down... A and her daughter, Merideth, were convinced that they had it wrong. Here's how the set was created:

12 Pipers Piping
11 Ladies Dancing
10 Lords a Leaping
9 Drummer's Drumming
8 Maids a Milking
7 Swans A Swimming
6 Geese a Laying
5 Gold Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
1 Partidge in a Pear Tree

The confusion is in the first four... Isn't it
12 Drummer's Drumming
11 Piper's Piping
10 Lords a Leaping
9 Ladies Dancing
???

What do you think?

Great New Review of Chord Piano Is Fun!

The following is what I think is a very nice review about Chord Piano Is Fun.  She mentions the need for several more songs and more have been added since this review:

http://pianoaddict.com/2010/11/chord-piano-fun-and-3-practicebooks/

Thanksgiving, Chord Songs, and Christmas

I love the start of the "season"...first Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Years.  I know some people don't like it, but I like listening to Christmas music early -- which is a good thing, because I'm giving Christmas music to students early enough for them to play for family on Thanksgiving.  This is their request. And, the parents love it -- as do the kids themselves.

A wonderful way to get kids to play a lot of Christmas songs, is by teaching them to play by chord.   I've included several Christmas songs that are written with chord symbols with Chord Piano Is Fun!  This way, they can play the melody with their right hand and the chord with their left, without having to read any notes in the left hand.  I also have the students try different left hand patterns to make the Christmas songs sound even more professional, and they get so excited to be able to play 4 or 5 songs right away and learn a few more at home after getting their Christmas music "packet".   Christmas music is a great way to teach chord piano, because they are motivated to play it because they want to be able to perform it for their loved ones.

If you haven't checked out my book, please do so!  It's a great way to learn how to play your favorite Christmas carols yourself, or if you are a teacher, to teach your students!

We all have so much to be thankful for.  I thank God for the gift of music!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

The JoDog Therapy

Everyone should have their own personal JoDog.  Honestly, I never really liked dogs before we got ours.  But, when I realized that when I saw a baby and I actually wanted to hold it, I realized it was time for me to get a dog (because I certainly wasn't going to have another baby, as MUCH as I love and adore my son and would go through it all over again to have him).  So, we got a beagle.

If anyone has a beagle, maybe they can relate to how great these dogs can be.  My son wanted to name the dog "Dave" even though it is a girl dog.   But he then decided that that was too masculine, so he named her "Jo".  Go figure.  Still confuses people.  They still call her "he".  And, since you can't shorten "Jo", we've lengthened it and call her "JoDog".  There are plenty of other things we call her, too...

This dog (like many other dogs, I am sure) believes that she is the center of the universe and that I have piano lessons in my home just for her and her alone.  When a student arrives, her butt wags back and forth so far that you think she will fling herself against the wall.  Often, with her most "favorite" people (I don't know what designates them as such, but it is usually those who have cared for her in the past when we leave town), she rolls on her side and whines and cries and is just plain pitiful.  (In fact, I have also put a tag on her that says "Pitiful".) When I interview students, often times they want me to be their teacher because, not only do I give out candy, I also have "this dog."

I've found this little beagle has been a HUGE help when I teach piano lessons.  When I've worked the kids pretty hard on a section of music, or if I can sense that they are a bit frustrated, I always give "doggy breaks".   I'll just say, "Doggy break!" and here scurries JoDog and jumps up on the piano bench.  She digs the attention. 

Sometimes, just to lighten everything up, I put JoDog's ears in a pony tail.  She tolerates it, but it gives the kids a good laugh.  Then, after a few minutes of them petting and oogling and googling the dog, and JoDog drinking it all in, I say, "OK JoDog, time to get down", and she jumps off the bench and heads back to her bed, or the top of the stairs, which is her perch.  She's been loved on, had some good attention, had her endorphines stimulated to her satisfaction and can now rest.

And, the kids, once they return to their music, are refreshed and will actually play the part of the piece we were working on with major improvement.  The kids have had a chance to calm down and let their subconscious brain do the work on the piece while they get their therapy from the small furry hound.

And they feel so proud. And I feel so proud.  And they have a smile on their faces.

Every piano teacher should get themselves a JoDog.  If you are new to the dog thing, I can help and have something called  "How to Care For Your JoDog".  Maybe I'll post that sometime.

I think I'll go hug my dog.

Be "Passionable!"

LA, the mom  of my student Hannah, was telling me the story of her daughter's private clarinet lesson teacher, who is of Asian descent.  These kind of stories warm my heart, because I am married to a man of Asian descent, and his little mom lived with us for a time.

Hannah's teacher, I'll call him "Mr. L",  had been working with her for a few weeks, and one day expressed his pleasure -- "You are gorgeous!  Gorgeous!"  Hannah was a bit concerned, and felt a little awkward, until he completed his thought, "You play just gorgeous!  Gorgeous!"  Ah.  Phew.  That was better.

Then, recently, she got that awkward feeling again.  When she walked into lessons, her teacher exclaimed, "You are very passionable today!"  Hannah was thinking to herself, "OK, now should I be concerned?" And again, he finished his thought..."Your headband and your shoes match each other!  You are so passionable!"  She realized he was trying to say "fashionable" and just thanked him and smiled.

I love that word, "Passionable!", Mr. L!  So, this is the word I use with my students when they are playing their piano pieces.  "If you don't remember anything else remember this:  Be passionable!"

T

Gabs and Izzy

My student, Gabby, who is 10, LOVES piano.  She LOVES music.  But, she is also very busy with lots of other things.  I had been wondering if she should continue with piano because she never had the chance to practice but loved coming to lessons.  We had a song she wanted to learn, Fur Elise, but didn't have much time to work on it, and recital was coming up really quickly.

Gabs loved working with chords.  She picked up very easily and was actually more excited about doing chord songs and writing music from what she learned in the book about how to write a song than anything else.  So, one of her recital songs was going to be the beautiful song that she wrote based on the chapter on how to write a song.

However, she wasn't learning Fur Elise quickly enough.  So, I asked her, "Gabs, your little sis Izzy likes to sing, right?"  She said, "Oh yes she sure does!"  I said, "How about if you accompany her on the piano for the recital -- that way she'll get to sing and you will still get to do another piece!"  She LOVED that idea, so the song she wanted to learn was Eye of the Tiger.  And Izzy LOVED that song! So, I found a chord chart for Eye of the Tiger and Gabs and Izzy practiced at home and put it together.

They did GREAT.  Gabs played the bass note of the chord with her left hand, and the chord with her right, creating her own rhythm that matched with the style of the song and with what Izzy was doing.  And, she decided to sing along with her during the chorus, so I had her miked up for that, as well.  They were a smash!   And, they had everything to be proud of!

That's what's so great about playing with chords -- it's flexible and fun.   My students love it!

T

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Reviews of Chord Piano Is Fun

Here are some great reviews of Chord Piano Is Fun:

I have to tell you that I have only made it through three lessons so far and I already feel so successful! This is fantastic!

Danny, Portland, Oregon
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"Chord Piano Is Fun" is the perfect title for this easy to follow, fun approach to learning to play chords on piano. There are 26 lessons which most beginning piano students will be able to follow and practice. Each lesson takes about 25 minutes or less. The book explains the basics of music clearly and concisely. It provides worksheets, technique practices and pages of scales and harmonized scales making practice time practical and fun. This book has inspired me to return to learning to play piano after taking a 12 year hiatus. I will be using this accessible method when my nine year old begins lessons later this year. If there was one thing about this book I would change it would be to have had this book published years ago when I first started piano lessons!

Kim S., Bellevue, Washington

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As a seasoned piano/vocal teacher, I have been looking for a book to teach a chording method without having to write it myself! This book is exactly what I have been looking for! Chord Piano Is Fun is a fantastic tool -- a very clearly written, easy-to-understand, and thorough method of piano chording.  It can be used to self-teach as well as used as a method book with a teacher.   I have added Chord Piano Is Fun as a mandatory supplement for even my youngest students to the traditional method lesson and theory books.

I have found "Chord Piano Is Fun" to be a very helpful tool in the areas of ear training and improvisation as well as a fun way to teach my students how to play popular music.  I have further found that some of my students who were not responding quickly (or at all) to the basic method, yet were very bright as well as musically talented, were becoming so discouraged that they wanted to quit taking piano lessons altogether. At that point, in trying to salvage their self-esteem as well as their interest in piano playing, I gave them a copy of Chord Piano Is Fun and basically started over with them. What I found was renewed interest, increased passion, and a super sense of success in each of those students! At my last recital, one of those students accompanied herself with chords while she sang a beautiful song, and the other played a fairly difficult Disney piece (Under the Sea) using only the treble clef and chord symbols along with some improvisation on his part. Both were FABULOUS performances and I accredit both to the fresh start with Chord Piano Is Fun!

I also put two of my students with learning disabilities (particularly in reading) as well as ADD/ADHD students on Chord Piano Is Fun and all are excelling and enjoying playing piano when other teachers gave them no chance of learning how to play the piano!   THANK YOU FOR "CHORD PIANO IS FUN!"

 Laura Beasley, Music Teacher, Mandeville, Louisiana
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"Chord Piano is Fun" really is fun. I took piano lessons when I was a teenager, and again when I was in my forties, (I am now in my eighties) but I am so poorly coordinated I could never get two hands together. Both times I gave up before I really learned to play anything. Now I do a mean rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In", and other recognizable pieces. This is something I can do so I am grateful for this book and wanted everyone to know!

Myra, Clear Lake, Texas

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"Chord Piano is Fun" is a well-written, easy-to-understand resource for learning to play the piano using chords. The book is so logically organized that it is possible to start at the beginning, with little or no understanding of HOW TO PLAY or HOW TO BUILD CHORDS, and to complete the lessons with the ability to play many songs in various styles! The method is not just for beginners, but also for the seasoned pianist who wants to play with the freedom chords allow in many kinds of music from hymns to pop. It is especially useful for the church musician who wishes to embellish the hymns or praise songs.

As a retired public school music teacher, private piano teacher and church musician, I know how valuable learning chords can be in the areas of theory concepts, ear training and just enjoying playing whatever you wish. I regret that I did not have this book when I was teaching, as I spent many hours creating my own worksheets for chord study. CHORD PIANO IS FUN.......REALLY IS!

Carolyn, Former Piano Teacher, Camano Island, Washington