FAQs:
Feel free to send me a message if you can’t find the answer you are looking for.
Q: Where do you teach?
A: I teach at my home studio in Trenton, I also travel to student’s homes for lessons so parents can enjoy their own time at home and not have to travel and wait around for the lesson to be over.
Q: What is the best age to start music lessons?
A: Many people have different answers to this question and here is my version. Children can start music lessons at any age however, in order for each lesson to become effective and efficient (meaning they can progress one level per year), I would recommend starting at the age of 6, the child would know the alphabet (which will be used in music notes), some basic counting (in rhythm/beat) and have a longer attention spend. Before the age of 6 I would recommend taking the “Smart Start” Music class where they will be engaged to musical activities, then later on when they start private music lessons, they can progress much faster.
Q: Can adults start music lessons?
A: I have said this many times to my adult students, “Same with anything in life, it is always better to start early but it is never too late to start”. I understand adults don’t have as much time to practice and attend lessons regularly because of work/family. I do offer a flexible schedule for my adult students, you can come for a lesson whenever you are ready.
Q: How come your home studio charges more than other commercial studios?
A: A main part of the lesson fee goes towards self-development, taking various teaching courses so I can become a better teacher, I am also continuing music lessons from different professionals across Ontario to experience different teaching methods and performing styles, these enable me to continue to improve as a teacher and a performer. Students also get to play on both an acoustic grand and upright piano, the pianos are also tuned 1-2 times a year, I find teaching with 2 pianos is much more effective, I can demonstrate a certain passage right away (instead of asking the student to move over, then back)
Q: Should I get an electric or acoustic piano?
A: Let’s cover some Pros and Cons on both:
Electric Piano
Pros: They are easier to maintain, you don’t need to tune it every year (tuning costs around $200) and can get an entry-level keyboard for around $800 (CAD). It is perfect for families who have young children who just started piano lessons and are not sure how long they will stay at it. You can also plug in a headphone to the keyboard and it wouldn’t disturb anyone else. Electric keyboard offers many instrument sounds and they can transpose keys with the touch of a button (useful when accompanying singers).
Cons: Personally, I have tried electric pianos that are in the $10k range, the touch and sound are close but still not the same as an acoustic. As we progress in piano levels, we are not just focusing on hitting the right note and the right time, it’s all about the control of sound (dynamic and articulation), an entry-level electric piano key’s touch/sensitivity or rather the lack of touch/sensitivity makes it harder to phrase music in the later stage.
Acoustic Piano
Pros: The overall sound of an acoustic piano is very rich, it is difficult to replicate with speakers on an electric, it produces something called “over-tones”, which I demonstrate with my students in one of the pedal lessons. In terms of dynamic control, it is much finer than an electric piano since it is controlled by physical action between hammer and string. Imagine listening to music, one with 5 different volume levels and one with 20 volume levels, the one with more volume levels will have a much smoother crescendo (getting louder) and decrescendo (getting quieter).
Cons: The cost, entry-level upright acoustic will cost $3000-5000, it is a risky investment if you are not sure how long your children will stay at it. The maintenance cost, as mentioned acoustic piano needs to be tuned (preferably once a year and twice a year if you practice a lot), the tuning cost is about $200 each time. It is heavy! you will need a couple of people or professional piano movers to move it up or down stairs, in/out places.