Second Year Articles

If you're a second year student, let us help you find the articles and blog posts that are most helpful. 

Have a request for a topic/post? Leave a comment below. New articles come out regularly to help you get the most from music class by playing and learning at home.

Let me explain why we put so much emphasis on learning to recognize intervals on the staff, recognize by sound when heard, and audiate them as we read. You'll want to know intervals very well after reading this post.

Practice singing intervals by using reference songs (songs you know well) to mentally isolate your target interval.  I'll show you how with Turtles Tom and Tim in this post.

Learn about the roles of each bee character in Spring Bees, a puppet show starring Vivaldi. Read the post here.

Grab your lasso and your bucking' bronco for a Hoedown with an Aaron Copland puppet show. We've got extension info here.

Chords are a foundation for understanding music, composition, and improvisation. This classic song demonstrates what you can do with just one chord- check out some of the ways we use Paint to explore chords and inversions at many levels, in this post.

How much technique do we need when teaching beginning pianists? Our program focuses on building complete musicians...you may be surprised to read our take on technique.  Read more here.

What technique and posture do we cover? Find out here.

Our tiny students have brilliant minds ready to play bing things on the piano... but tiny hands that aren't very strong.  Here are some playful ways to help develop dexterity and strength without overworking those digits. Read the post here.

Now that we're playing chords, we insist your child practice the fingering taught in class. What's the big deal? We rely on muscle memory to teach your child common chord hand shapes that will help her achieve piano success.  Read the post here. 

Memorization helps you get ready for your recital AND has loads of brain-boosting benefits. Here are tips to help you memorize painlessly and keep those songs in the bank forever! Read more here.

Practice Habits: Parents need to develop habits of their own to become consistent cheer leaders and practice reminders.  Here are a few tried and true ways to get going on your habit so you can, in turn, help your child. Read more here.

You hope your child practices because he LOVES making music, but right now he's only motivated by extrinsic factors.  Here's a guide for talking to your child about piano practice in a way that nurtures the developing intrinsic motivation. Read more here.

Looking for more ease and peace at practice time? Author Carol Tuttle, the Child Whisperer, helps you adjust practice habits for your child's personality in this post here.

Frustrated with your child's practice time? One strategy for bringing peace and ease back into this family routine is adjusting expectations. Read more here.

It's summertime. Do we HAVE to practice? Find a plan that works for you and your family with some of our summer tips here.

The Purple semester begins in a few weeks! Let us help you and your student refresh your piano skills so you'll be totally prepared for the MAGIC. Find out how here.

You'll need a piano or keyboard for 2nd and 3rd year Let's Play Music classes- find out how to get one that meets your needs, and how to avoid a dud in this article here.


You have a piano, so be sure it's ready to play. How do you care for a piano? Read our post here.

Keyboard geography is essential for identifying those white keys. Alphabet pieces can be used in a variety of games to practice and learn the keys. Start having fun here.


Alphabet Gems are a crafty way for you make your pieces pretty and tangible. Learn how here.

Big Ideas in the Second Year:

• Intervals are Worth Knowing: The Power of Intervals 
• Block, Broken, Marching: Love those Chords 
• Learning Chords: Use the Correct Fingers to enhance Muscle Memory 
  
  

Extend Your Learning with Songs/Activities from Second Year:

 

• Spring Bees: A Puppet Show with Vivaldi
• Get Crafty With Alphabet Gems for Keyboard Geography
• Alphabet Pieces: Games to play with Alphabet Pieces for white keys
• Hoedown: puppet show with Aaron Copland
• Intervals Ear-Training with Turtle Tom and Turtle Tim coloring book

More Ways to Succeed in Second Year:

• It's Summer! Should we Practice?  
• Brush up on skills to get ready for Purple Lesson 1
• Strengthening Fingers and Having Fun
• Let It Go: Play the popular song from the musical FROZEN, using chords
• What Type of Musician Is Your Child? Find Peace when you practice 

A Few More Interesting Topics:

• EARN $200: We'll pay you when you refer a new LPM teacher!
• EARN $100: We'll pay you when you refer a Sound Beginnings teacher!
• Happy Money: 5 Principles to help you decide if lessons are worth the $$  
• 3 Big Ways Music Boosts your brain (from Good Music Brighter Children)
• SET A GOAL: An acrostic to help you launch your musical adventure
• How to Buy a Piano: You'll need one for second year
• How to Care For Your Piano
• Holiday Gift-Buying Guide for Musical Kids
• The Piano Guys Interview: Practicing, Composing, and the value of Friends

CLICK HERE for posts about our CORE VALUES

CLICK HERE for First Year Topics

CLICK HERE for Third Year Topics

CLICK HERE for Sound Beginings Topics