FOURS, A PIANO COUNTING GAME
The first event of any significance in a child’s first piano lesson must be the act of actually making music. It can’t be an exercise, or a dull and lifeless “pretend” piece.
Step back and think for a moment of what music really is. By this I mean the end result, not the process that gets you there.
Think of yourself or your child when you hear a bouncing beat and catchy tune. It’s impossible for a human not to respond to appealing music, especially children.
So after I have subtly reassured the child in the first few minutes that I am even more determined than them to have some fun, we play a game called “Fours.”
A little background may help understand this deceptively simple game.
When I first started teaching in the “transparent” manner, I saw that I had to have a piece of music that any child could play instantly. And no piece that existed would do it, for they are all too complicated for the very first experience at music making.
Mary Had A Little Lamb comes close, but is still too complex:
3 2 1 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 3 3 3
The truth is that introducing any complications at all in the first lesson will result in play that becomes work, becomes effort, becomes exhaustion, becomes frustration, and on and on. Avoid that complication, especially IN THE VERY FIRST LESSON.
Later, you might get away with complexity, but how do you make the piano instantly available to a child as a toy in the very first lesson?
I realized that any child would understand the white keys starting with Middle C if I numbered them to give them a visual order.
Next I realized that if the child simply walked up the keys, one at a time, like a stairway, they would quickly understand the task.
Like this, in Piano by Number:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Then I played a bouncy, Chico Marx-like beat, that any child would find fun and interesting to hear an adult play. It’s really just “oom-pah,” or a simple alternation of the left and right hands similar to what underpins many a folk song and nursery rhyme.
I asked the child to play each white key four times as they went up, to their right. Younger children may be able to play each key only twice, a subtle sign that their attention is already being stretched by this simple task.
Also try to get the child to not SAY the numbers, but THINK them instead. I found that their instinctive speaking of the numbers interferes with their ability to draw all the tasks together. If the child counts aloud, try getting them to stop speaking and think the numbers instead, and you will see an instant improvement.
Here is the child’s part in Piano by Number:
1111 2222 3333 4444 5555 6666 7777 8888
You will probably have to take their index finger and demonstrate the events physically. I note that kids often do better at new tasks if you physically put their hands and fingers in the right place, no matter how awkward. Be gentle with their little hands, they are not used to big people moving their fingers around.
The feeling in their fingers is worth a thousand words. Show the task more than you tell about it. Actions are louder than words in this complex little world of children and the piano.
As soon as you get them going, they will laugh and start to race with the elation of a speeding skier. But the timing will become irregular, so start again and ask them to play it evenly, like a clock.
You may need to play some games being a clock, putting out a regular rhythm by another means, such as clapping your hands.
Almost all kids can put the two tasks together in a few minutes:
Task 1: Play the white keys ascending to your right, not skipping any white keys.
Task 2: Play the white keys as above, but in groups of four.
1111 2222 3333 4444 5555 6666 7777 8888
I begin by saying, “I’ll follow you, so start whenever you like.”
Lavish praise on the slightest success.
Next, add your part. Your part is what makes it all seem fun, like joyous music making.
CHILD: 1111 2222 3333 4444 5555 6666 7777 8888
TEACHER: C G C F C F G C
The teacher plays chords, as mentioned above, in a jaunty, happy 2/4 beat.
As long as you approach it as fun, the child will try again and again to play it exactly with you. Kids instinctively understand and realize when you are both playing on the same beat, and the moment that “ensemble” occurs, even for a few seconds, you have connected with the child’s deepest pleasure center, as all toys and games do.
Kids will want to try other numbers, like “Fives” and “Twelves.” Give in and try it. Come back to “Threes” and Fours” (and “Twos” for the kiddies) for those counts are most useful for further musical experience. Musician’s minds are filled with counts, and numbers and wordless sequences of quasi-mathematical thoughts. Encourage this type of thought.
The youngest kids may only be able to play “Twos,” but that’s natural. Some kids can only play “Ones.” If that happens, take it in stride and enjoy the “Ones.”
The skills learned from this ridiculous little game are:
- Counting as an abstract mental act.
- Counting while expressing that count through the fingers.
- Counting in a certain tempo and rhythm.
- Being able to count and move your fingers at the same time
- Knowing left from right.
- Knowing up is to your right at the piano.
- Keeping track of a sequence of events.
- Enacting a series of events repeatedly
- Enacting a series of repeated events in a changing set of positions
- Finding out that the piano can be a lot of fun without reading music.
- Finding out that music is a good feeling that you want to have.
Every one of the skills above is essential to learning the rudiments of the piano. All these skills and many others can and should be introduced and refined LONG before the child knows that there is such a thing as sheet music.
In fact, a child’s chance of succeeding at reading sheet music is astronomically enhanced if the child is exposed to many of these musical elements OUTSIDE of the confines of musical notation.
Don’t forget that the same skills in the above list are essential to reading music, and until the child is familiar with them it is usually useless to proceed further with reading music.
Once these skills have been started using Piano by Number and piano games, it is much easier to slowly introduce more complex tasks such as reading music.
Remember what “Fours” is for: it is the simplest manifestation of music that a child can easily express.
It is the closest they will be for a while to the zest of rhythm and coordination, because the “song” is so absurdly simple. “Fours” makes children into instant musicians, giving them a preview of the real thrill of making music.
Unless you show children the reward, making music, all the teaching in the world is useless. Show them why they will be doing all that work.
Course One
TEACHING TOOLS
#1 TEACHING CHILDREN'S PIANO
#2 WHAT A CHILD SHOULD EXPECT FROM PIANO LESSONS
#3 WHAT IS FINGERING AND WHEN DO WE USE IT
#4 PIANO BY NUMBER AND OTHER STARTING METHODS
#5 THE FIRST PIANO LESSON
#6 MINUTE BY MINUTE PIANO LESSON
#7 TOYS AND ACCESORIES FOR FUN PIANO LESSONS
#8 READING MUSIC FOR KIDS STEP BY STEP
#9 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORST AND BEST TEACHER
#10 A CHILD'S CLASSICAL MUSIC LISTENING LIST
Course Two
TEACHING BACKGROUND
#11 A SHORT HISTORY OF THE PIANO
#12 A SHORT HISTORY OF PIANO METHODS
#13 A PLEASANT PIANO LESSON ATMOSPHERE
#14 ADVICE TO A YOUNG PIANO TEACHER
#15 WHY I TEACH PIANO
#16 A PIANO TEACHER'S EMOTIONS
#17 PACE AND CHILDREN'S PIANO LESSONS
#18 CHILDREN'S PIANO MOTOR SKILLS DEFINED BY AGE
#19 CHILDREN'S PIANO FINGERING OVERVIEW
#20 GUILT IS THE WRONG WAY TO BUY ATTENTION
Course Three
PIANO GAMES
#21 FOURS, A PIANO COUNTING GAME
#22 THE PIANO DICE GAME
#23 PIANO HAND POSITION GAMES
#24 THE USE OF HUMOR IN PIANO LESSONS
#25 HAPPY OR SAD: EAR TRAINING FOR KIDS
#26 FOLLOW THE LEADER: VISUAL PIANO GAMES
#27 PIANO GAMES TO PLAY WHEN ALL GOES WRONG
#28 PRECURSOR SKILL PIANO GAMES
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
See also: PIANO BY NUMBER, a series of fun books for beginning piano students of all ages.
See also: EZINE ARTICLES, a list of publications which include John Aschenbrenner's writings about the piano.
See also: ARCHIVES at pianoiseasy.com, which contains a large collection of games and articles about children and the piano. Below is a list you will find on that site:
ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND PIANO
Click here for the FREE EBOOK, a good place to start.
Click here to read the NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES, including lots of valuable information from teachers and parents from various sources.
Click here to read ARTICLES FROM NEWSWEEK and other periodicals regarding children and piano study.
Click here to read an INTERVIEW with the author of PIANO IS EASY.
Click here to read the essay, HOW CAN I HELP MY CHILD READ MUSIC?
Click here to read the entire tutorial HOW TO TEACH YOUR CHILD TO READ MUSIC
Click here to read the report WHAT IS A GOOD AGE TO START PIANO LESSONS?
Click here to read the essay PIANO LESSONS: A CHILD'S POINT OF VIEW
Click here to read the essay WHEN IS LEARNING FINGERING NECESSARY?
Click here to read the article A CHILD'S BILL OF RIGHTS FOR PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article IS PRESCHOOL A GOOD AGE TO START PIANO?
Click here to read the article BRAINS, CHILDREN AND PIANO
Click here to read the article WHY THE PIANO IS THE BEST CHILD'S MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
ARTICLES ABOUT PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AND PIANO
Click here to read the article TEACHING PRESCHOOL CHILDREN PIANO
Click here to read the article PRESCHOOL PIANO ACTIVITIES
ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND READING MUSIC
Click here to read the article HOW TO HELP KIDS FIND MIDDLE C
Click here to read the article WHAT KIDS REALLY UNDERSTAND ABOUT SHEET MUSIC
Click here to read the article WHY DELAY READING MUSIC
Click here to read the article AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY FOR KIDS LEARNING TO READ MUSIC
SPECIAL EDUCATION AND PIANO
Click here to read the article AMAZING MUSICAL ABILITIES OF AUTISTIC AND ADHD CHILDREN
Click here to read the article HYPERACTIVE KIDS AND PIANO
Click here to read the article PIANO BY NUMBER FOR A SEVERELY DISABLED GIRL
Click here to read the article DOWN'S SYNDROME AND PIANO BY NUMBER
ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND PRACTICING
Click here to read the article WHY NAGGING YOUR CHILD TO PRACTICE WON'T WORK
Click here to read the article RULES FOR PIANO PRACTICE
Click here to read the article DON'T CALL IT PRACTICE, CALL IT PLAY
Click here to read the article SETTING UP A CHILD'S PIANO PRACTICE REGIME
Click here to read the article WHY CHILDREN SUCCEED AT THE PIANO
ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND PIANO BY NUMBER
Click here to read the essay THE PIANO WHISPERER
Click here to read the article STARTING TO PLAY PIANO BY NUMBER
Click here to read the report USE PIANO BY NUMBER WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN
Click here to read the article BUILDING A CHILD'S CONFIDENCE WITH NUMBERS
Click here to read the article TURN YOUR PIANO INTO A TOY
ARTICLES ABOUT ADULTS AND PIANO
Click here to read the introduction to EASY CLASSICAL PIANO BY NUMBER
Click here to read the introduction to TEACH YOURSELF PIANO, an excellent guide to important self-teaching points.
Click here to read the article RULES FOR PIANO PRACTICE
Click here to read the article TIPS FOR ADULT PIANISTS
Click here to read the article PIANO FINGER STRENGTH IS CUMULATIVE
Click here to read the article THE PIANO ZONE
Click here to read the article MAKING EVERY MINUTE OF ADULT PIANO PRACTICE COUNT
ARTICLES ABOUT THE PIANO
Click here to read the article HOW GOOD ARE TOY PIANOS?
Click here to read the article ORIGINS OF THE BLACK PIANO KEYS
Click here to read the article HOW TO BUY AN INEXPENSIVE PIANO OR KEYBOARD
Click here to read the essay WHY GRAND PIANOS ARE BETTER THAN UPRIGHTS
Click here to read the essay PIANO WARS: EVOLUTION OF THE PIANO IN AMERICA
Click here to read the essay THE GREAT PIANO CRAZE OF 1910
Click here to read the essay THE BALLET OF THE PIANO HANDS
Click here to read the essay A PIANIST'S MEANS OF EXPRESSION
Click here to read the report HUMIDITY AND YOUR PIANO
ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO TEACHING
Click here to read the article HOW TO FIND A GOOD PIANO TEACHER
Click here to read the article SO YOU WANT TO BE A PIANO TEACHER
Click here to read the article MY CHILD WANTS TO QUIT PIANO
Click here to read the article WHY KIDS NEED FREEDOM TO LEARN PIANO
Click here to read the article PSYCHOLOGY OF HOMESCHOOL PIANO
Click here to read the article THE PIANIST WITH TWO BRAINS
Click here to read the article YOU CAN ONLY ENJOY PIANO MY WAY
Click here to read the article TEN WAYS TO BE A BAD CHILDREN'S PIANO TEACHER
Click here to read the article KIDS SONGS FOR PIANO
Click here to read the article TEACH YOUR CHILDREN PIANO
Click here to read the article ARE KIDS PIANO RECITALS HARMFUL?
ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article DISGUISING REPETITION IN KID'S PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article PIANO LESSONS FOR CHILDREN: HOME OR TRAVEL
Click here to read the article PIANO METHOD BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Click here to read the article GUITAR OR PIANO: WHAT'S BEST FOR A SIX YEAR OLD?
Click here to read the article TEACHING GUIDE DOGS IS JUST LIKE TEACHING KIDS PIANO
Click here to read the article HOW COME MY KID HATES PIANO?
Click here to read the article USING FAMILIAR SONGS IN CHILDREN'S PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article HOW KID'S COMPUTER TIME AFFECTS PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article PIANO SOFTWARE OR PRINT BOOKS: WHICH IS BETTER
Click here to read the article FOLLOW THE CHILD'S PACE WITH PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article TOYS YOU SHOULD BRING TO A CHILD'S PIANO LESSON
Click here to read the article THE TRANSPARENT PIANO LESSON STRATEGY
Click here to read the article WHAT KIDS LIKE ABOUT PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article WHY CHILDREN FAIL AT PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article ATTENTION SPAN, CHILDREN AND PIANO
Click here to read the article PIANO FOR KIDS
Click here to read the article CHILDREN'S HIDDEN PIANO TALENT
Click here to read the article SELECTING CHILDREN'S SONGS FOR PIANO
Click here to read the article KIDS MUSIC AND THE PIANO
Click here to read the article CHILDREN'S PIANO POSTURE
Click here to read the article SHOULD PARENTS FORCE CHILDREN TO TAKE PIANO LESSONS?
ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO STICKERS
Click here to read the article WHY PIANO NUMBER STICKERS WORK FOR CHILDREN
Click here to read the article WHY PIANO STICKERS WORK FOR READING MUSIC
ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO GAMES
Click here to see the game QUARTERS: A PIANO GAME KIDS LOVE
Click here to see the piano game FUN PIANO GAME WITH A PAIR OF DICE
Click here to see the piano game MOZART'S FAVORITE MOVIE
Click here to see the essay BASEBALL, KIDS AND PIANO
Click here to read about PIANO CHORD GAMES FOR KIDS
Click here to read about VISUAL PIANO GAMES
Click here to read about THE FUTURE EFFECT OF KIDS PIANO GAMES
MUSIC HISTORY AND HUMOR
Click here to read the article PIANO LESSONS WITH PAPA BACH
Click here to read the article PIANO LESSONS WITH FREDERIC CHOPIN
Click here to read the story HECTOR BERLIOZ AND THE TRAIN WRECK
Click here to read the story TCHAIKOVSKY'S GREATEST FAN
Click here to read the story STRAVINSKY'S GOOD LUCK
Click here to read the article CHOPIN'S SINGING TONE
Click here to read the article MUSICAL FEUDS
Click here to read the article MUSICAL GENIUS
Click here to read the story FRANZ SCHUBERT: THE FIRST BOHEMIAN
Click here to read the story BEETHOVEN'S RAGE OVER A LOST PENNY
Click here to read the story MOZART'S LAST DAYS
Click here to read THE STORY OF HUGO WOLF
Click here to read the story THE WORLD'S LARGEST BLUE DANUBE WALTZ
Click here to read the story BEETHOVEN WAS NO BEAUTY
Click here to read the story VLADIMIR HOROWITZ GOES TO THE RACETRACK
Click here to read the story EINSTEIN'S GYPSY VIOLIN
Click here to read the story IGOR STRAVINSKY LOSES HIS COOL
Click here to read the story ARTUR RUBINSTEIN WAS A VAMPIRE
Click here to read the story EINSTEIN'S PIANO
Click here to read the essay WHY BRAHMS MUST HAVE BEEN FAT
Click here to read the article PIANO HANDS
Click here to read the article THE MASTER'S HANDS
Click here to see the article TAKE YOUR KIDS TO THE OPERA
Click here to see the article GEORGE SAND KILLED CHOPIN
Click here to see the article I MEET AARON COPLAND
Click here to see the story CARL TAUSIG COOKS HIS CAT
CULTURAL CRITICISM
Click here to read the op-ed opinion column WHY AMERICA IS LOSING THE CULTURE RACE
Click here to read the op-ed opinion column WHAT KILLED THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIANO
Click here to read the op-ed opinion column AGAINST FILM MUSIC
Click here to read the op-ed opinion column CARNEGIE HALL STARTS IN YOUR LIVING ROOM
CHORDS AND MUSIC THEORY TUTORIALS
Click here to read the tutorial ROOT POSITION CHORDS
Click here to read the tutorial FIRST INVERSION CHORDS
Click here to read the tutorial SECOND INVERSION CHORDS
Click here to read the tutorial THE SIX BASIC CHORDS FOR CHILDREN
Click here to read the tutorial TWO NOTE CHORDS FOR KIDS
Click here to read about PIANO CHORD GAMES FOR KIDS
Click here to read the article WHY CHILDREN SHOULD LEARN ABOUT PIANO CHORDS
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