Eric Myers has been guiding and teaching students how to learn to play piano here at Starland for over 8 years, and is very appreciated by all of us for his valuable contributions and piano teaching skills. Eric knows what a challenge learning piano can be so he sent this article over to me to share with all of you!
If you’d like to learn more about Eric Myers follow the link to his biography on our site or visit his site here.
The Internet as Music Teacher: Help or Hindrance?
Music students today have an unprecedented set of tools available to them for the purposes of learning and experiencing music. At the heart of this new set of tools, of course, lies the internet. But is there a downside to this wealth of information?
Anyone can go online and instantly hear sound files of famous works. I Googled “Mozart’s Requiem” and got several links to Youtube videos of performances by prominent choirs. A search for “Mozart’s Requiem score” turned up several links to free downloadable pdf files of scores for the piece. Once downloaded, a person can follow the score page-by-page while listening to a streaming performance all on his/her laptop and with no paper. This is perfect for students of Mozart’s music, music history, theory or composition. I’ve had piano students who wanted to learn a pop song so they go on Youtube and find a video of someone playing the song. Then they learn the song by watching the video repeatedly and imitating the finger movements. Or, let’s say you’re a first year flute student and you need a chart with the correct fingerings, or a beginning guitar student and you need chord charts – it’s all there at your fingertips. I came of age in the 1990’s, when the internet was still in its infancy and when both access and content were extremely limited. There were no streaming performances or downloadable pdfs (back in my day!); a trip to the local library or music store carrying sheet music was always necessary.
I guess this means we’re living in the “information age” and that is truly remarkable. However, I think there is a downside to this unprecedented access to endless information. Let’s say you are the music student and you want to learn online. Well, once you’ve downloaded that pdf file, what do you do with it if you can’t read music? You can view a performance on Youtube – so what? You can learn to play a song at the piano by imitating someone else but if you have no idea what notes you are playing then how will you learn the next song? You’ll have to go through the same tedious process of rote imitation. In the long run, this will make for a very difficult learning experience. Granted, you can always dig a little deeper and do more research, learning how to read music, how to interpret a music score, as well as music theory and composition, all online. This can certainly lead to a greater appreciation of music performance and music in general, but does it constitute a complete course of instruction, one that will provide the fullest possible benefit while inspiring you to continue learning?
The danger lies in the temptation to see the internet as an ‘end-all, be-all’ substitute for private or classroom instruction. I suppose, like any schooling, it depends on what your goals are. Do you want to learn to play the piano and read music? Do you want to learn music notation and create your own compositions? Or, do you just want to learn some guitar chords? You can get information on all of these things online as well as video instruction. However, I believe (and I think most teachers would agree) that there’s another side to learning that starts where ‘information gathering’ ends. First, in order to learn any skill, whether playing guitar or reading music, you have to practice regularly and practice in a way that will nurture progress. This isn’t always achievable online (at least not in my experience!). In other words, learning a musical instrument is more than just acquiring information – you have to dedicate hours of time with that instrument (whether piano, flute, voice, etc.) using proper technique and so develop a skill – incidentally, learning to read music without learning to play an instrument is a bit like learning to ride a bike by reading about bike-riding without actually getting on a bike. That is to say, the physical component of practice is crucial to a thorough understanding of music. Second, there’s a lot to be said for live personal instruction. When you meet someone who has dedicated much of their life to music and you see what music means to them, then you’ll surely foster a much deeper appreciation for music than just by watching videos and collecting information online (I’m not addressing long-distance video phone or ‘virtual’ instruction, a rapidly-developing technology; my discussion here defines the internet as a place to gather information via pre-recorded documents and videos). A real instructor can also provide focus through a comprehensive lesson plan putting you on a clear path and helping you avoid costly mistakes. Finally, enthusiasm is infectious, and a teacher’s enthusiasm for music will invariably be passed on to a receptive student.
Music is a human activity, one that requires both heart and mind. Seems today’s music student would do well to strike a balance between studying online and studying with a real person. That said, the internet remains an invaluable tool for learning and inspiration. Isn’t it wonderful that we’re here to witness it?
My music website: www.emtones.com