Teaching a 12 year old who initially learned by ear

[zgmusic0114]

I have a pre-teen piano student who initially learned piano by ear.  I'm trying to get her to learn to play by reading the notes on the page, because she has the skill to play pretty difficult music. I want her to be able to play the things that she wants to play, but accurately and with correct fingerings and the way that they are written on the page. The trouble seems to be that she only wants to play things the way she wants to play them. She's used to making up the fingerings and playing things by ear, so when I try to get her to do things my way, she resists and puts up a fuss. She is intelligent, but seems to be sort of entitled about the way she wants to learn the piano. My question is, should I allow her to continue to read by ear? I don't want to encourage her to do anything that will be a detriment to her furthering her skills. Also, she's been very stubborn and I'm not sure how to handle that. Any suggestions?

[m1469]

I grew up playing by ear, and my Mom plays by ear, so I had been under the impression that because of my own upbringing, I would be more sympathetic to individuals who also only (want to) play by ear, as well.  But, it's the opposite, in fact.  I agree it is limiting if there is no ability to read or think through fingerings, but what it comes down to for me, I've realized, is that I simply have almost zero patience for individuals who say they play by ear but can't actually pick out a tune on their own.  That is different.  

Growing up, I heard the music and figured it out myself, and recently during a visit with my Mom, I could sing a tune once and she could figure it out almost instantly on her own on the piano.  I also taught myself to read, completely on my own and had the desire to learn how.

I am not fundamentally opposed to people playing by ear, but I have a difficult time if they do not have pitch memory, note-grouping memory, and a basic understanding of how to find those on the piano - or at least zero real desire to cultivate these, which I actually believe are important to cultivate whether the individual reads music or not.  If you absolutely need the students, keep her on and do whatever you possibly can, but if you can let her go, let her go.

[quantum]

I also started out playing by ear.  However, around the time I was able to pick out a tune on the piano, I started formal lessons.  I did commit to learning the skills play and read.  My ear was naturally more developed than my reading, so it did take a while for me to develop that aspect.  There was a tendency to rely more on the ear, especially when reading certain passages felt difficult or overwhelming.  Nonetheless, I persisted and my reading skills eventually caught up.  

In my own teaching, I have observed that music reading is a separate skill that needs to be taught.  Especially for a student that struggles with reading, it is not enough to teach the lines, symbols and notes, and what they mean.  Just because the student knows what they are, doesn't mean they know how to apply them.  One needs to teach such student, reading as part of the playing apparatus.  

Your student needs to realize that taking the next steps forward will involve tackling certain things she finds challenging.  Nonetheless, she has to be willing to go through with it.  There will be unfamiliarity, uncertainty, a sense that reading is so much more difficult than what she is doing now to make music.  But assure her, if she persists, the results will be rewarding.  

There is no need to have her stop playing by ear.  In fact, cultivate the skill and build upon it.  You can say that reading is just another skill to add to her toolkit.  Not the way to play music, rather an option she can choose to pull out when called for.  

[ranniks]

My absolute pitch sucks beyond words. You couldn't ask me to name the C note if you played it.

But my reading skills are decent.

Not sure if that makes me a bad pianist:(

[quantum]

Having a skill that needs work does not automatically make you a bad pianist.

[xdjuicebox]

Have her read Neuhaus's "On Piano Playing," specifically the section about fingering. Explain to her that some motions are simply in nature more efficient than others, and give her reasons why, and how you can't play "La Campanella" going 1-2 instead of 1-4/1-5 or something like that.

Then explain to her how every finger sounds different, and you could potentially butcher a song by getting horrible sound if you don't use the fingers that the composer wanted, and how composers right fingerings for good reason.