The Piano Sensei Way

Do you want people to recognize your studio name around town? Have you thought about ways to get name recognition? Wouldn’t it be great if people searched for piano lessons in your area, and when they saw your website they immediately recognized it and said, “Oh, yea, let’s check them out!” In today’s very short episode, I share some fairly inexpensive ways to get brand recognition, and a fun success story, too! Related episode: Episode 5 - The Way to Get More Students From Your Website

I was interviewed by Rachel Ehring of the Topmusic Piano Podcast. The show is about creative resources, trends in piano pedagogy, and ways to grow your income. I share my journey from solo teaching to managing a team of instructors, detailing the challenges and rewards of expanding my studio. We discuss the innovative Benchmark Program for tracking student progress, strategies for building community through recitals and group classes, and tips for teachers considering a similar path. I also reveal upcoming projects, including a no-practice-required group class and my ongoing work with the American Eurhythmics Society. Topmusic Piano Podcast

What do you do to encourage your students to compose or explore more creativity? Have you thought about incorporating more composition in your teaching? And what about yourself: have you tried composing, but struggled with ideas or execution? Today’s guest is Evan Hunter, a composer and piano teacher who loves storytelling! We talk about how stories can stimulate compositional ideas for you and your students. He gives advice on how to get started with composition so it’s not so scary for students. Like doodling on paper or playing with legos, curiosity is an important factor. Once you know you’re allowed to just play around, it’s much easier to let go and see what you create! During the episode Evan shares one of his pieces, “Light Showers.” He reads the story and we listen to the gorgeous music! Evan’s Website: www.EvanHunterMusic.com Simply Music method: https://simplymusic.com/ Play-A-Story (now called “Inner Musician”): https://courses.innermusician.com/

Do you want to include more improv in your lessons? Do you want students to be more comfortable with different keys and scales? How do you start introducing improvisation with a student so it’s not scary or intimidating? Today’s guest, Sean-David McGoran has a degree in jazz composition, plays piano, trumpet and saxophone, has performed in small groups, big orchestras, jazz bands, musical theater, and church settings. He not only has amazing improv skills, he has been teaching for over 39 years! In this episode, Sean-David gives us great tips on not only how to introduce improv to students, but also how to use improv as a tool to help other skills like familiarity with keys and scales. Resources Sean-David’s studio website: https://www.thetunedinacademy.org/ Mark Davis Jazz Piano Method: https://a.co/d/bsSLKuU Jerry Bergonzi: https://www.jerrybergonzi.net/instructional-content Hal Crook, How to Improvise: https://www.amazon.com/How-Improvise-Approach-Practicing-Improvisation/dp/3892210314 Piano By Ear by Lucinda Macworth-Young: https://www.lucinda-mackworth-young.co.uk/piano-by-ear

Do your students struggle to make progress? Do you have a hard time getting them to practice and be disciplined? Is it difficult to have goals and a sense of direction for them? Do you want your students to be more well-rounded and possess comprehensive piano skills? Piano Sensei to the rescue! I’ve created a system that provides a step-by-step gradual progression of piano skills, which will give you and your students a clear outline and path. After creating this and using it with my own students, I’ve noticed more consistent practice, progress, discipline, and motivation! In this episode, I walk you through the system that I created and show you exactly how I use it to guide students through learning technique, repertoire, listening skills, reading, improvisation, and how to increase participation in recitals and events!  FREE 32-page document which is crucial in organizing and tracking student progress: https://benchmark.thepianosenseiway.com/

I was interviewed by Amit Weiner of the Rewind Podcast. His show's main focus is: How to Grow Your Music Career. He interviews musicians, composers, professors, and sound wizards, as they share their life stories and career decisions. We talk about some of my life story, how I got into music and became a piano teacher, and how I grew my studio.  Rewind Podcast  

Dr. Evan Mitchell, Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Florida, joins us to share his ideas about how scientific studies and the Montessori learning model can be applied to the piano studio. We discuss extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, goals, rewards, deadlines, the power of a question, making things into a game, and teacher-centered versus student-centered lessons. Evan’s website: https://evanmitchell.net/ Evan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evan.mitchell.pianist Resources: The Essential Montessory by Elizabeth Hainstock “Rethinking the value of choice: A cultural perspective on intrinsic motivation” by Iyengar, S. S., & Lepper, M. R. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology “Undermining children’s intrinsic interest with extrinsic reward: A test of the ‘overjustification’ hypothesis” by Lepper, M. R., Greene, D., & Nisbett, R. E. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius by Angeline Stoll Lillard The Marshmallow Test — Mastering Self-Control by Watler Mischel Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook: A Short Guide to Her Ideas and Materials by Maria Montessori “The effects of choice on intrinsic motivation and related outcomes: A meta-analysis of research findings”by Patall, E. A., Cooper, H., & Robinson, J. C, Psychological Bulletin

Amy Chaplin is a piano teaching entrepreneur — In addition to running her private studio, she is a blogger, podcaster, and presenter! Today we discuss three of her “big picture” studio evolutions: lesson formats, group class scheduling, and dabbling in other ventures. We talk about the motivation behind making changes and advice on evolving your studio. You’ll enjoy hearing her stories even if you aren’t looking to make any major changes! Podcast: https://pianopantry.com/podcast/ Presentations: https://pianopantry.com/speaking/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PianoPantry/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/pianopantryamy

How do you help parents motivate their children to practice? Is there such a thing as a parent who is too involved? Should parents sit in on lessons? Barbie Wong joins us to discuss how to educate and engage parents so their children will thrive in piano lessons! Lots of great tips and stories in this episode! 10 Ways to Inspire Kids to Make Music — Mini Guide https://barbiewong.com/inspire/ Website: https://barbiewong.com/teachers/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/barbiewong Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbiewongmusic

Every Good Boy Deserves . . . ? We’re all familiar with these sayings, but maybe every good teacher should think about the usefulness of mnemonic devices for reading music. Samantha Coates is here to explain and demonstrate how these traditional teaching tools are confusing and a waste of time!  Samantha Coates is an internationally regarded piano pedagogue and presenter. In addition to running an active teaching studio, she is the creator and publisher of BlitzBooks, the music education series that has brought laughter and creativity to music theory, sight reading, and piano repertoire. Samantha’s sense of humour and ability to connect with students through her books and online resources reflect her ongoing dedication to making all areas of music accessible, enjoyable and memorable. She is well known for her entertaining presenting style, and is regularly invited to speak at conferences around the world on a wide range of pedagogical topics. Samantha has never lost touch with what students want; she has been running her piano studio in Sydney for almost four decades and is passionate about helping students achieve the goal of a lifetime association with and love of music. Here is the blog post and bonus video we talked about, showing Samantha playing the mnemonics game with teachers. It’s a hoot! https://blitzbooks.com/every-good-boy-deserves-forgetting/   Creative Teaching Conference The Piano Sensei Way  

Amy Immerman, Founder of Cincinnati Music Academy (a school that she helped grow to 750 students), joins the show to discuss motivation! Is it our job to motivate students? How can we help spark motivation? How can parental involvement help? We both talk about our own practicing and motivation growing up. Amy describes some engaging practice games, a 100-Day Practice Challenge, how events keep students excited, and advice on vanquishing “energy vampires!” Some great takeaways from the show: Fast practice equals slow progress, slow practice equals fast progress. No practice equals no progress. You don't practice until you get it right, practice until you don’t get it wrong. Students do not fail. Teachers fail, parents fail, and society fails. Amy Immerman is the Founder of Cincinnati Music Academy, a school that she helped grow to over 40 teachers and 750 students. She has given over 80 presentations at local, state and national conferences in 19 states and Canada. She served on the Board of Directors for MTNA, is a past Ohio Certified Teacher of the Year, and an MTNA Foundation Fellow. She has served on local and state boards for OhioMTA and has an MM in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Ohio University. Energy Bus by Jon Gordon: https://www.theenergybus.com/ E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber: https://www.michaelegerbercompanies.com/product/the-e-myth-revisited/ Creative Teaching Conference: https://creativeteachingconference.com/

Prompted by a lively discussion in the Facebook Group Piano Teacher Central, I decided to host a live debate on YouTube! This is the recording of our “debate” on counting. The teachers who joined me were Mike Langer, Brian Lotter, Jeff Millis, Val Muller, Harrison Richter, and Jordan Thomas. It was a very thought-provoking discussion where we discussed the meaning of “counting”; if and how it helps students learn rhythms; other ways to learn, know, and feel rhythms besides counting; and using words and syllables instead of just numbers. Below are some of my favorite quotes from the episode. Jordan said, “They’re so worried about trying to figure out ‘am I saying the right syllable at the right time?’ that it impedes whether or not they’re able to even play the rhythm.” Jeff said, “Counting works for helping students understand mentally … it’s not really a feeling thing or a musicality thing, it’s purely academic, it’s intellectual. It’s to help students understand where we are in this music, in this measure, in this piece.” Mike said, “A metronome does not give you rhythm. It’s some sort of external thing. You have to feel rhythm. We have a heartbeat that beats at a regular interval and we can divide that in certain ways. We walk in a steady beat. So I think rhythm has to start internally.“ It’s The Piano Sensei Way, so of course one of my favorite quotes is my own! I said, “Can you know the rhythm, understand the rhythm, understand where you are in the measure, and feel it without counting? I think the answer is yes!” I know this will stimulate your mind, enjoy! Creative Teaching Conference: https://creativeteachingconference.com/

This is the second of a two-part interview. In the last episode, Jordan interviewed me about teacher pay, asking me about fair rates, negotiating, benefits, living wage, tuition rates, and teacher raises. In this second episode, Jordan asks me about other aspects of running a studio such as: What do you look for when hiring a teacher? Do you train teachers? If so, how? How much leeway do you give teachers for how they teach or what materials they want to use? How do you keep continuity if a student switches teachers in your studio? How do you prepare teachers for transfer students from outside your studio? If you don’t have an administrator, how do you manage everything and when is a good time to hire one? . . . I’d love to hear from you if you have comments or questions! Related episode: Part 1 w/ Jordan Thomas Creative Teaching Conference: https://creativeteachingconference.com/

To shake things up, our guest, Jordan Thomas, interviews Clinton! It all started with Jordan’s FaceBook post in Piano Teacher Central about the feasibility of a multi-teacher studio business model as opposed to a solo studio. Jordan is a solo teacher and has been considering expanding, but has questions about how to make it work. I answered some of his questions in his FaceBook post, but we decided to discuss it on the podcast and share it with you! This first part is all about teacher pay. He asks me: How do you pay teachers fairly? How do you provide incentive for them to stay at your studio? What benefits should a teacher consider when working for a studio? Does your tuition have to be higher in order to properly pay teachers and run the business? If so, does that deter potential customers? How and when can teachers get raises? Do you negotiate pay if a teacher expects or asks for more? . . .  Listen for Clinton’s answers and a fruitful discussion! Stay tuned for part 2 when Jordan asks me about other aspects of running a studio such as: What do you look for when hiring a teacher? Do you train teachers? If so, how? How much leeway do you give teachers for how they teach or what materials they want to use? How do you keep continuity if a student switches teachers in your studio? How do you prepare teachers for transfer students from outside your studio? If you don’t have an admin, how do you manage everything and when is a good time to hire one? . . . Here's Part 2 Creative Teaching Conference: https://creativeteachingconference.com/

Jake posted in the group “Piano Teacher Central” on Facebook about setting expectations for piano students in his studio. It was quite the lively discussion as there were strong and varying views on what kind of standards we should set, and what we should do if students don’t meet those expectations. Despite Jake being fairly new to piano teaching, I tended to agree with his ideas and was impressed at how thoughtful he was. He agreed to come on the show to talk about expectations, requirements, measuring progress, setting goals, rewarding successes, and the question: “can lessons still be fun?” Jake's website Facebook Creative Teaching Conference

After I posted in the Piano Teacher Central Facebook group saying “slow, slow, slow to keep the flow, flow, flow,” Pablo Martinez shared it in his Instagram to his followers because he was just thinking the same thing! We linked up in this episode to share stories and ideas on effective practicing. We learn about Pablo’s journey and how he had to rethink how to practice due to an injury. He had to make progress but maximize his time at the piano in order to not further injure himself. He gives us his top 3 tips for practicing: pick a tempo that allows you to do all that you want; go back and forth between small and big; and the feedback loop. The feedback loop is 3 steps: plan, play, and assess. You first plan what you’re going to play and what the goal is. Then you play it. Then you assess how it went in order to plan again, hence the feedback loop! We talk about helping students do this in the lesson, guiding them through the process instead of just telling them to do it at home. This episode has examples, stories, and “fattening the pig!” Be sure to check out Pablo’s links, the suggested book he mentions, and the video clip we discuss: Pablo’s website: https://www.pablomartinezpiano.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pablomartinezpiano/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf4-DR4KR8JZDKbNg3RsC2Q Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pablomartinezpiano Practicing the Piano by Graham Fitch: https://practisingthepiano.com/resources/ebooks/ Marc-Andre Hamelin clip saying to practice “slooooooowly”: https://youtu.be/UdykXfa6fnc?si=aA9Cr3aPwsNdROPK&t=447 Creative Teaching Conference: https://creativeteachingconference.com/ Related episode: Episode 6 - The Way to Teach Piano is to Teach Practicing (w/ Michael Richey)

Do your students want to take the summer off or want fewer lessons, resulting in reduced income for you? It can be frustrating, stressful, and depressing to have to struggle for income in the summer when your students drop off or take breaks. Don’t worry, The Piano Sensei Way has solved this problem! Not only can you maintain your income in the summer months, but I show you how to actually increase it! And you’ll be surprised to know that this is possible even when your students want fewer lessons, and even when you want a vacation, too! We talk about having a flat rate tuition, special projects or events in the summer, and different options for students to add on extras. This episode is taken from a YouTube live Q&A so you’ll hear some questions and comments from the audience. “Summer Camp Guru” Jennifer Foxx actually joined the stream to discuss her ideas and help me answer audience questions!   Slides Episode 7 - The Way Flat Rate Tuition Minimizes Stress

I was so impressed when I watched Mikey Ashmore’s students in a studio music video he posted on Facebook this past Halloween. I contacted him and he agreed to come on the show to talk about how he came up with this idea and how he pulled it off! You’ve got to see this video and listen to my interview with him, it’s so fun! He walks us through the steps of writing custom parts for the ensemble, rehearsing, having a piano camp, and then recording and shooting the video. We discuss the benefits which include social interaction, increased student practicing in order to not let down their teammates, more performance confidence, younger students being inspired by older ones, and just plain old fun! "This is Halloween" music video "Golden Hour" rehearsal video Creative Teaching Conference

Teaching theory is a must . . . and it’s even better in groups! It’s more fun, students get social activity, they gain encouragement and support from their peers, and you can increase your income! Based on the Cooperative Learning Theory, students learn faster in small groups. You can also maximize your effectiveness by teaching several students all at once! Glory St. Germain joins to give us lots of information on how to implement such a program in your studio. Start small by just offering a 6-week “camp.” Students can even bring a friend! Once the parents see that their child is not only learning but also having fun, begging them to come back, they will sign up for the rest of the year! You can also get potential students from local school bands, choirs, and orchestras. The directors will be delighted to send their students to you for theory!  Glory’s 3 things to remember: Connect theory to practical Celebrate small wins Foster a community of life-long learners Example of a class outline: New concept Implementation Gamification Practical application 3-day Music Business Mastery Training Free training Facebook group  Productivity and Profitability Podcast  Creative Teaching Conference

Is there only one way to finger scales? Do C, G, D, A, and E always start with left hand 54321? Zac Adamson says “no!” We discuss alternate scale fingerings and how they can help students (and you!) play with more natural ease and flow. During this episode, he demonstrates specific scales and their alternative fingerings on his piano and I try them out on my piano! Zac has created a diagram for you to use which simplifies things and allows you to see similarities and patterns. Zac is currently a Master’s student studying piano performance under Scott Holden at Brigham Young University. He teaches private and group classes to university non-music majors and also has his own studio of private piano students. Article “Equal Rights for the Left” by Frederic Kirchberger Article “The Subject is Scales” by Iva Loughlen Guy Zac’s Handout and Diagram Creative Teaching Conference