“The Adult Beginner” by Albert Rozin
From Clavier Magazine 1967
Many piano teachers face the challenge of teaching adult beginners. Challenge is the proper term, because teaching adults presents both academic and psychological problems.
The American College Dictionary defines adults as those having reached the age of 21. However, this article deals with students somewhat older--say from 25 to 65 and over. You cannot, of course, use the same approach and method for a student 60 years of age as you would for a 25 year old. Nevertheless, these students do have one thing in common. They wish to study on their own accord, just for the joy of it. They are not prodded on by their parents to study music as a child might be.
Most students, especially those 30 and over, will tell you, during their initial telephone interview, that they think they are too old to begin studying music. They will usually question whether you “can teach an old dog new tricks.” The most reassuring answer I have found is to remind them that while this may be difficult with animals, it is not necessarily so for human beings. I gain a prospect’s confidence by telling him emphatically that it is never too late for anyone to learn to play the piano, or almost any instrument, provided he has a desire to do so.
Generally, I ask prospective students if they have studied during their childhood. Some will say that they have, but feel certain they have forgotten everything and suggest starting from the very beginning. Since they are apprehensive about their ability to learn at their age, they also appeal for patience, and caution you not to expect too much progress. This anxiety is due, in most cases, to their recollection of the rigidity and discipline of their early childhood music teachers.
It is good practice to inquire of the prospective adult student why and what he hopes to learn. If a student tells you, “All my life I wanted to play my favorite song, “Carry Me Back to Old Virginny,” you can promise him confidently that this can be achieved easily in a relatively short time.
The best approach I have found for adult beginners is to start with a good Adult Beginners book. Introduce them to theory and keyboard harmony during the very first lesson. Show them the structure of the major scale, by pointing out the whole and half steps in the composition of the scale (avoid the minor scales at this time). Let them practice by building the major scales, starting on any note of the keyboard. After this is absorbed, start building the three fundamental chords. . . tonic (I), subdominant (IV), and the dominant seven (V7). It is simple to point out that the tonic chord is composed of the first (root), third, and fifth notes of the major scale. When they have learned the tonic chord in the elementary keys, they can go on with their inversions. The same can be done with the IV and V7 chords. Assign a book of folk songs that contains elementary chord symbols and have students harmonize the melodies. There are hundreds of well known melodies that can be harmonized effectively with the I, IV, and V7 chords. The students will find this approach creative and stimulating. If interest is in more serious music, you can assign early Bach, Clementi Sonatinas, easy Mozart etc. The brevity and musically of this material will encourage most pupils to further study. By this time, the students should be familiar enough with keyboard harmony to enable them to analyze the simple harmonic structure of this music. The analysis will help them considerably in sight-reading.
Another effective system in learning keyboard harmony is the half-step formula approach. You demonstrate that a major third consists of four half-steps; a minor third, three half-steps. Thus a major triad has a 4/3 half-step formula. You can also point out that a major third, topped by a minor third, builds a major triad. The reverse is true of a minor triad (3/4 half-steps). You then demonstrate the dominant seven --4/3/3; the diminished seventh--3/3/3. The augmented chord (usually in triad position) is 4/4. I have found this approach very effective and a real short-cut. The student should record all this information in a music manuscript book. Incidentally, a printed chord chart, preferably with all the inversions, is very handy for reference.
Most older students will make slow progress, especially in the beginning, regardless of their intelligence. The reasons are principally psychological. These students feel “stupid” because they are mature people and yet find themselves awkward. A prominent psychiatrist who once studied with me was so self-conscious and tense at his first lesson that his wife had to feed him coffee and cigarettes throughout the period. Ironically, I was the one to suggest that the Doctor try to relax.
The anxiety and clumsiness is much the same as most adults experience during their first driving lesson. The teacher must exercise much patience with this tense type of beginner. Let him know that you anticipate mistakes, as they are normal when learning something new.
It is always a good idea to inquire about the student’s vocation and avocation and then remark how “stupid” you would feel if you had to learn his skill from the very beginning.
Confidence will be gained if the teacher does not push too much, overburdening the student with material that is beyond his technical level. Of course, one must avoid using nursery or juvenile material except in those cases where young mothers or kindergarten teachers express such a need.
In the last few years, many adults have begun to study the home organ, as indicated by the thriving sales of this instrument. Adult beginners seem to do better with the organ than with the piano. The electronic sound of the organ seems to be more satisfying to the student. The few basic foot pedals are easily learned and since there are various stops, even on the spinet type of organ, the student is thrilled by the orchestral sound he can produce. Here, too, the harmonic approach, utilizing chord symbols, is most successful.
There is a wide and growing field of interest in adult music study, mainly for relaxation and enjoyment. This is a worthwhile activity that needs no apology. Teaching the adult beginner should be a rewarding experience for the teacher as well as the student.
