My question-and-answer file has many questions from parents and students and my answers. Please read the list of questions before you submit a question, as I receive the same ones multiple times and the answer may be there already. I have tendinitis, so I'd appreciate it if you'd read first. This lets me "save the day's keystrokes" for new questions. Thanks for your understanding. To submit a question: marbeth@marthabeth.com. Please put piano in the subject line, as my e-mail program is set to reject as spam anything without it.

Parent Topics

• How to Find a Good Teacher
• How to Change Teachers
• Is an Inexpensive or New Teacher OK for "Just a Beginner?
• Finding Out How You/Your Child Learns Best, including a suggestion for evaluating how well the teacher and student mesh, in terms of teaching effectiveness. This is a file written for teachers, but parents should find it of interest and assistance.
• Your Business Dealings with the Teacher

• How Parents Can Help the Teacher Give Their Child the Best Possible Musical Education
• The Impact of Piano Study on Family Life
• How Can I Tell if My Young Child is Ready for Piano Study?
• Music Readiness Activities for the Young Child
• When Getting a Child to Practice Seems Like Too Much Hassle

• How to Help Your Child Practice at Home
• How to Listen to Your Kids Play for You
• All About Metronomes

• How Often to Take a Lesson
• Minimum Amount of Time Needed for Daily Practice
• When to Arrive for Your Lesson

Student Topics

• How to Practice Efficiently
• Some Suggested Practice Techniques
• My Favorite Practice Technique: Rhythms
• Exercises for Improving Your Trills
• The Parable of the Light Bulb
• The Universal Answer to All Your Teacher's Questions at the Lesson
• Four Things to Do at Your Lesson to Make Your Playing Better
• Playing Well at Your Lesson
• Four Easy Things to Do to Make Your Playing More Musical

• Feminine Endings
• Finding the High Points of Phrases and What to Do with That Knowledge
• The Basics of Fingering
• How to Play Trills in Beethoven
• Techniques for Learning Fugues
• Tips for Duet Playing
• Hand Relaxation Exercise

• Preparing for Your Recital
• How to Handle Nervousness Before a Recital
• How to Bow at Your Recital
• Recital Attire
• Suggestions for How to Memorize Music
• How to Write Program Notes

About Instruments

• Should I Rent or Buy a Piano?
• Should I Buy a New or Used Piano?
• Where to Find Information on Specific Piano Brands, along with prices
• Information and My Suggestions on Specific Piano Brands, including the fascinating stories of which piano companies were sold (and re-sold) to which other companies and how this usually affected quality. This has a bearing on when - - and sometimes where - - the piano you are considering was made. Also included is information on sizes, serial numbers, stencil pianos, etc., etc. I also discuss harpsichords and give a review of the Roland digital harpsichord. I update this file constantly.
• Indications That Your Piano Needs Regulation and/or Voicing
• Reconditioning and Rebuilding Your Piano
• Changes You Can Make Yourself Which Affect Your Piano's Tone
• Cleaning Your Piano Yourself
• Tuning Your Piano, including why pianos go out of tune, how to talk to your technician and the difference between tuners, tuner/technicians, and Registered Piano Technicians

• Is it Damaging to Start Lessons with an Electronic Keyboard Instead of Real Piano?
• Whether to Buy a "Real" Piano for a Beginner or Whether an Electronic Instrument is Ok
• A used piano is an excellent option when you can't afford to buy a new piano. You can buy used instruments from piano dealers, piano technicians, and private parties.
• Be careful buying a piano from a private party, especially craigslist.
• Renting is an affordable option, too.
• Another solution, but less helpful to the student's development, is to go with an electronic keyboard. Although your ultimate goal doubtless will be a real piano, it is better to practice on an electronic than to delay lessons until an acoustic piano is available for home practice. As I have noted in the QA responses (see below), you will want to trade in the electronic for an acoustic piano in fairly shorter order, but an electronic is better than not starting to play.
• If you're buying an electronic keyboard for something other than goofing around with the various sounds, you want a decent one. Here are features to look for and avoid in an electronic keyboard. I include my recommendation for a brand and model at the end of the file.
• In my questions-and-answers file , with queries from parents and students, there are a number concerning buying an electronic instrument vs. an acoustic ("real") one. This question addresses buying an electronic instrument for a beginner. This one is from an adult, wondering if a digital is the right choice.

• Addresses of Harpsichord Makers and Builders
• The Difference Between Harpsichord and Piano Touch
• the above file discussing and rating various piano brands has information on finding a harpsichord, as well as a review of the Roland C-30 digital harpsichord

Miscellaneous

• Gifts for Teachers

Question and Answer File

There is also a file of questions put to me by parents and students concerning piano study (along with my answers), which might be of interest to you. This file is growing in length, so please be patient with the load. I decided to do it in one file to minimize the time spent administratively so I could use the time instead to answer questions and post more material. Thanks for your understanding. (Same .gifs as on this page, so that won't slow things down; other than the duplicate graphics, the file is all text.) I update this file constantly.