I made it a goal to incorporate technology into my piano teaching studio this year. My first step was to use a keyboard and computer for my students to record their own compositions. Soon, I’ll be finalizing the recordings and giving each student a CD of everyone’s work. My next step for incorporating technology into the piano studio is by using YouTube videos. It sounds simple; elementary, really. But YouTube is a medium that my students are familiar with and enjoy, so it makes sense to use it. Here’s how I am beginning to incorporate YouTube into my piano teaching.
Introduction of new genres. YouTube is a great way to introduce new music sounds to students. Not only can they hear new music, they can actually see it in action. Some videos show the musicians in action, some display the lyrics, and some even make the sheet music visible in the video. Incorporating a visual aid – such as a video- really helps all of us pay better attention, which makes it easier to understand new music.
Technique comparison. I searched YouTube for “Minuet in G Major” by Bach, and found thousands of results. Of course, there were too many to listen to them all, but I did select a few of the top search results. My students could examine and compare turns, trills, and other ornaments. They could see and hear the phrasing and technique of different pianists, gaining a wider appreciation for what can be done with a single piece of music.
Recording of student’s lessons for future reference. I haven’t tried this yet, but I think it would be a good selling point if you’re looking to increase the size of your studio. It’s also a great way to remind students at home of what they studied during their lesson. Permissions and privacy are something to take into consideration when videoing students’ lessons, so do your homework (and get parental permission!) before you bring the video camera into your studio.
Recording of my own lesson material. I thought it would be fun to create some on-line lessons as bonus material for my students. They will be able to go online at their convenience to see and hear such material as scales, slow motion piano technique, and original songs. The students can watch the lessons as many times as they want, and because the videos use the YouTube platform, it won’t swallow up any bandwidth from my website.
Fun. Dare I say that music lessons can sometimes be a bit tedious? The other day I played a YouTube video of Bach’s Musette in D Major for a couple of students. It was a video of the keyboardist interposed with video spots of a delightful, silly bird in the snow. Not only did it give the students a better understanding of the piece of music, it also helped them enjoy the music and have fun with it. It’s also a good way just to play music that the students like- it helps keep their interest in music and enjoy the lesson time, too.
The YouTube platform is easy to use, and better yet, free. A simple web cam, computer, and Internet connection will easily get the job done when creating your own videos. When I incorporate someone else’s YouTube videos in my private piano lessons, I always preview the entire video before playing it for my students. I want to make sure that it is safe, on target, and lots of fun.
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