Customer Reviews

Making Music at the Piano: Learning Strategies for Adult Students

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I am an adult beginner and found that this book provided an excellent adjunct to my lessons. I read and re-read many sections as it moved me along the difficulties inherent in learning as an adult. When I practiced (just me and my piano without the encouraging presence of my teacher), this book frequently got me over the "I can't learn this" hurdle. Making Music at the Piano helped me examine my goals, analyze my practice problems, and prepared me for a group class that was my first time playing before others. Most of all, I relied on it to provide the voices of other learners talking about their challenges, successes and tips. I continue to refer to this book and highly recommend it.

"Making Music at the Piano: Learning Strategies for Adult Students" is a must-read for any adult who is beginning, resuming, or considering taking piano lessons. It is also important reading for piano teachers. Based on decades of experience as a university piano teacher and performer, Dr. Maris offers numerous tips and insights on the process of learning to play the piano as an adult. The book covers many diverse topics including: characteristics of adult learners, rehearsal strategies, evaluating mistakes, the role of the body in piano playing, and dealing with common pitfalls (e.g., "I sound so awful I don't like to hear myself play"). With warmth and a sense of humor, Dr. Maris convincing makes the case that adult piano students can learn to play sensitively, with musicality, AND have a great deal of fun in the process. Don't miss this book!

Have you ever started something completely new? Maybe you wanted to build your new house; or you wanted to play the piano? In either case -- and because it is new to you -- you need to gather a lot of relevant information, understand the facts (conceptual learning) and utilise a physical skill (kinaesthetic learning) to arrive at your set destination, your goals. "Making Music at the Piano" provides you with most of the relevant information you will need to learn about making music as well as developing learning strategies suitable for the adult learner.

The blurb on the back cover of Barbara English Maris' book is true to its words. Adults require a different learning strategy; adults like you have questions that you either think are too early to discuss with your teacher or you don't dare asking. When I started learning the piano I was wondering why I had my tune down pad at home, and at the studio it fell to pieces. You will find the answer in this book. Is the gym philosophy "No Pain, no Gain" applicable to piano training? Absolutely not, as you will learn in this book. In particular when you begin learning the piano -- at least for me -- I had almost an endless number of questions, such as set-up of the environment, what is loud, what is soft, what to practice, in which order; Which exercises to do, etc. When I started with piano lessons, I did a lot of research; in particular regarding body posture, finger, hand, wrist, and arm movements. Good research produces a lot of good information, but is also overwhelming for starting a new activity or project and can even be an inhibitor to start in an organised fashion. This book will bring a structured approach to your "Making Music at the Piano". I don't know where to start with the highlights in order to promote this book, because there are simply too many.

Barbara English Maris must have seen it all in her teaching career and as a result has produced a very informative piece of work with a holistic approach -- beyond the mere piano playing -- to Making Music at the Piano. Amongst the many sources I have quizzed, this is the book I can strongly recommend to any adult beginning or returning to the piano.