Random access: do your students take their teacher home?

American Music Teacher, April-May, 2004 by George F. Litterst

If you have been using any interactive piano instructional software with your student in your studio, your student should be able to use the same software at home by connecting an existing MIDI keyboard to the computer. If the family already owns the keyboard and computer, the only investment will be in the software program, the connecting cables and perhaps additional MIDI repertoire files.

Other students who work interactively with ear training, music theory or music composition software usually can take advantage of a MIDI keyboard connected to the computer.

Taking the First Steps

To get your students working with the most useful tools at home, it is important that you become comfortable using these tools in your studio. In many cases, it is important to show your students exactly what you want them to do with these devices. Obviously, you can't do that if you don't own some of this equipment yourself, or if you have never tried these things.

Once you know what you would like your students to be able to do at home, ask some probing questions about what is already available. You will be surprised to find out what many families actually have on hand.

The rest is up to you. If you already are a creative teacher, you now will have the opportunity to craft ways of providing additional interactivity and structure to your student's practice at home. Although these tools don't provide a complete replacement for you, your students will feel as though they have brought a bit of their teacher home with them.

George F. Litterst is a nationally known music educator, clinician, author, performer and music software developer. He is co-developer of the intelligent accompaniment software program Home Concert 2000, from TimeWarp Technologies.