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Private Piano Lessons: Traditional/Creative Combo- Beginners Welcome! Ages 8-18

This course offers a hybrid between the reading/piano technique focus of traditional piano lessons and the improvisation/creative focus of jazz lessons. Beginners welcome!
Paul McFarland
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(223)
Star Educator
Class
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What's included

Meets on Demand
schedule meetings as needed
25 mins
per session
Teacher support
Homework
1-2 hours per week. 1-2 hours of practice is recommended per week.

Class Experience

Beginner - Advanced Level
Get $15 off my class "Private Piano Lessons: Traditional/Creative Combo- Beginners Welcome! Ages 6-18" with coupon code MCFARV8D3Q15  until Sep 23, 2024. Get started at https://outschool.com/classes/private-piano-lessons-traditionalcreative-combo-beginners-welcome-ages-6-18-hbt2X6E7 and enter the coupon code at checkout.

*No previous piano experience is necessary for this course* 

Traditional piano lessons focus on reading, piano technique, and song performance. Jazz, pop, and blues piano lessons focus on improvisation, ear-training, and creativity. I say, why not have both from the very start? This course offers a hybrid between the more-traditional style lessons (we’ll work through a method book), and the more jazzy style of lessons (each lesson will have a creative element). 

You can choose the focus of the course: 
*Option 1: Emphasis on traditional-style teaching with a splash of improvisation
*Option 2: Emphasis on improvisation with a splash of foundational skills (reading, piano technique, etc)
*Option 3: Equal emphases on traditional-style instruction and improvisation

For the traditional portion of the lesson, we will be working through the “Bastien New Traditions All In One Piano Course.” (Or you can continue working through your preferred method book if you have one). For the improvisation part of the lesson, we will be working through chord progression, scales, and other various improvisation techniques to be determined by the learner’s desired track.

Because each learner will enter the course with a different skills repertoire and a different focus, the students will progress through each week differently. 

I really value the experience I’ve had from learning traditional lessons, but I didn’t love them at the time. My heart was focused on improvisation and creativity. I hope that you’ll find that this course is a good blend of both, focused on the needs and wants of each individual learner. Learning piano was always meant to be fun.

I can’t wait to see you in class!
Mr. Paul
Learning Goals
The learning goals will be directed by the specific needs and skills demonstrated by each individual learner.
learning goal

Other Details

Supply List
Students will need a keyboard or a piano. 

Students will need the Bastien New Traditions All-In-One Piano Course. Level A for new students is currently $9.99 and is available at Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/WP450-Bastien-Traditions-Course-Primer/dp/0849797853/ref=sr_1_3?crid=15WUWBDYNHA8O&keywords=bastien+new+traditions+all+in+one+piano+course&qid=1654551752&sprefix=bastien+new+traditions+all+in+one+piano+course%2Caps%2C57&sr=8-3 

If you'd like to, feel free to wait until after the first lesson to purchase a book-I can give your child an informal assessment so that you know which level is a best fit for your child! 

To optimize your experience, please enable Original Sound for Musicians. 
*For PC/Mac, you will need to download Zoom Client & follow these instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEZMRtrSsYY 
*For iPad/iPhone/Android phone, you will need to download the Zoom app & follow the above instructions.

Chromebook is not recommended for music lessons. However, if you choose to use a Chromebook, please install the Zoom Cloud app from the Google Play Store. Click settings, meeting, and turn on original sound.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
Bastien New Traditions All-In-One Piano Course
Joined May, 2020
5.0
223reviews
Star Educator
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Maryland Teaching Certificate in Music/Theater/Arts
Master's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from Loyola University Maryland
Bachelor's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from SUNY Fredonia
I'm a certified music teacher with over a decade of experience teaching music in the public schools. My Bachelor's Degree (from SUNY Fredonia) is in music education, and my Master's Degree (from Loyola University Maryland) specializes in Kodály Music Education. 

My mom was a piano teacher and my dad was a public school music teacher, so in one sense you could say I've always grown up around music and the piano. I had traditional piano lessons growing up and in college. However, around Middle School I discovered that my real love for piano is Boogie Woogie music, the blues, and improvisation. I would have given anything at the time for improvisation instruction; that's one of the reasons why I'm so passionate about passing on my love of piano improvisation with young students today! 

Reviews

Live 1-on-1 Lessons
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$30

per session
Meets on demand
25 min

Completed by 92 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 8-18

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