| Sometimes children in piano lessons have difficulty | | | | of colors" in their explanation. They'll have a hard time |
| understanding simple music concepts. Children who | | | | explaining the difference, but let them use their |
| lack experience need examples they can easily relate | | | | imaginations. All their answers are okay. |
| to. This helps students develop a musical vocabulary | | | | 4. Now go to the piano and have them play a simple |
| that is on their level and corresponding playing abilities | | | | melody in the C five-finger hand position (C-D-E-F-G |
| when they are young so they can be nurtured over | | | | for each hand). This is the first position students learn |
| time, rather than waiting until they can understand more | | | | to play in. |
| technical definitions. Here's a seven step teaching plan | | | | 5. Then have your student move their hands to G |
| for the musical term Transposition. | | | | position (G-A-B-C D). Help the child do this if you need |
| The technical definition of transposition is: The process | | | | to. Now ask them to play their song again. Ask how |
| of changing the key of a composition. Not very helpful | | | | the two versions are different, besides the fact that |
| for a child is it? Now follow this 7 step teaching plan to | | | | they moved their hands, or are playing different piano |
| give young students an explanation they can relate to. | | | | keys. Listen carefully to their answers which are all |
| Parents can do this with their piano student at home. | | | | okay. Then suggest this explanation of transposition. |
| 1. Make two copies of the same coloring page and | | | | Transposing a song on the piano to another key or |
| give your student a box of crayons. Ask them to | | | | hand position is like choosing different colors for your |
| choose three crayons to color one of the pictures. | | | | coloring page. It's the same picture painted in a |
| 2. Then give them the other copy of the same coloring | | | | different shade of sounds. |
| page. Ask them to choose three different crayons to | | | | 6. Ask which of your pictures is brighter? Which |
| color this page. They should do their best coloring. | | | | version of your song sounded brighter? |
| 3. Now as the student is looking at the two coloring | | | | 7. Explain that changing the key of a piece of music |
| pages, ask them to describe the difference between | | | | lets us play the same musical idea in another "shade or |
| the two, but without using the word "color" or "names | | | | color". This is called transposition. |