12 bar blues Archives

by Doug Beney

Today we have a guest post which will help your students understand how to create, compose and understand a piano chord progression. We have experienced blogger, musician and writer Doug Beney joining us. Welcome Doug! Doug runs a blog called MIDI Lifestyle, all about technology and software in music. You can check it out here. ... How to Write Your First Piano Chord Progression: Breaking Down the Basics

by Sean Wales

This month has been all about Exploring Exams and Recitals and one phrase has popped up a few times: exam express. I’m Sean and you may have seen a few articles written by me recently featured on Tim’s blog. I learnt piano with Tim at high school for four years and during this time, Tim transformed ... How I Got off the Piano Exam Express

by Tim Topham

The first piano lesson of the year is a great time to do something different with your students. And I don’t mean just choosing a new piece of music. I mean scrapping the music altogether and getting off the page. It’s easier to do than you might think and kids love it. Want to know ... Fun First Piano Lesson: 12 Bar Blues [videos and lesson plans]

by Tim Topham

Elena Cobb didn’t start out teaching creatively. When she began teaching in U.K. she came across lots of students who wanted to “play for fun”. This was a bit of a foreign concept to Elena, having grown up with very serious classical music studies. She went on a hunt for fun repertoire for her students, and ... TTTV046: Teaching Creatively with Elena Cobb

by Tim Topham

Want a quick-win in your next lesson? One of the best ways I’ve found to get kids really motivated to play piano is by working on a 12 bar blues. There is heaps you can do with this simple framework, and it works for students of all levels – whether they are beginners or have been ... Teaching 12 Bar Blues to inspire beginners (especially boys!)