Let's take a more in-depth look at how the "Rhythmic Patterns" piano lessons technique differs from traditional piano lessons that have been taught down through the years

Traditional piano lessons have focused almost exclusively on reading music. This is simply because down through the years, there has been absolutely no course available that would teach a piano lesson student to play by ear. Now there's always been musicians who had the gift of playing by ear, but for the most part, they weren't teachers, and they had absolutely no idea how to pass on this skill to other musicians.

Because of this, traditional piano teachers simply stuck to their books and focused on teaching their students to read music. Reading music is a great skill to acquire, but it's really not the whole musical picture. In order to be a great piano player in every situation, you have to be able to toss the sheet music and play piano by ear.

During the last century, very few piano teachers were able to teach their piano lesson students how to play anything that wasn't written down on the page. Personally, as a performer as well as a piano teacher, this situation drove me crazy. On the weekends, I'd play with my rhythm and blues band, and we'd have a great time, even though nothing was written down. Unfortunately for me as a teacher, there were many times that my piano lesson students would be in the audience. When I'd see them, I'd know exactly what was going to happen the next week: Sure enough, at their next lesson, they say "Hey, can you teach me to play by ear?".

It was a dreaded question. Although playing piano by ear was one of the highlights of my life, I (like all the other piano teachers) had absolutely no idea how to teach someone else that skill. My answer would usually be to sit down at the piano, play something by ear, and then help them imitate what I did.

Of course, my piano students would learn how to do a few things by ear, but for the most part, there really was no musical handle that they could hang onto from start to finish and really learn how to become a great "by ear" piano player

There simply wasn't any piano course available that would teach this skill.

As a piano teacher, I finally couldn't stand it anymore. I had to find a way to teach my piano students a step-by-step method to playing the piano by ear, without always having to rely on sheet music. I took a break from teaching and dedicated the time to developing "Pattern Piano and Keyboard" - the course that's demonstrated on this website. When I began teaching again, I had a powerful new tool available to teach my piano lesson students to break free from written music and learn to play any song on the piano by ear! It was an awesome experience when I was finally able to give my piano lesson students a thorough, step-by-step, well thought out plan of action that enabled them to learn to play the piano by ear!

Since that time, I've had the privilege of teaching literally thousands of students this technique. On the internet, I've been connecting with piano lesson students around the world and have really found a place in the music community as a teacher to pass on the gift of playing by ear. The truth is, I'm very honored and grateful by the whole process. Every day, I'm totally blown away by the fact that I get to be involved in so many piano lesson student's lives around the world. Through this course, I hope that I'm able to encourage you as well!

As you go through the online Audio and Video demonstration of this technique, you'll understand the details of how this powerful piano lessons course works, but first, here's a quick overview:

Within the first twenty minutes of the course, we'll focus on understanding music theory. We'll study how notes and the distances between them are used to create chords. From that point on, we'll dig right into playing the piano.

Using the "Rhythmic Patterns" technique, you'll learn how to break up any chord up into a rhythmically interesting pattern on the piano

It's so much better than just learning to play chords. "Patterns" give a whole new life to your music. By itself, each pattern is very simple. However, with each new song, we'll learn a new "Rhythmic Pattern". Then, throughout the course, (and this really is the key to learning to play by ear) you'll learn to weave these "Rhythmic Patterns" together in an infinite variety of ways to create your own fantastic arrangement of any song on the piano - by ear!

Of course we'll start very simply. However, by the end of this course, you'll have gained an entire arsenal of "Rhythmic Patterns" that you can mix and match, any way that you'd like, to play any song on the piano by ear! It's a phenomenal way to learn to play the piano.

Because a creative musician is a lifelong musician, the course devotes quite a bit of time to teaching you to develop your own unique "Rhythmic Patterns". Once you get to this point, you'll be creating your own sound on the keyboard - even to the point that when you play, people will recognize your own style. Sound interesting? Thousands of piano lesson students around the world have used this course to become outrageous musicians on the piano and the keyboard. If you're looking to become a great musician, free from the chains of written music, this is the course for you.

The study of becoming a creative musician is limitless. In addition to learning to read music as well as learn to play the piano by ear, progressive piano teachers incorporate many more fields of study into their piano lessons. Additional studies would include such topics such as ear training, music theory, music history, studies of different styles of music (of course this is also a limitless musical field as well, including styles of pop music, rock music, jazz music, blues music, folk music, gospel music etc.) as well as practical hands-on studies such as playing in ensemble groups, recitals etc.

After going through our initial course titled "Pattern Piano and Keyboard", you may want to dig into these various areas of study in our advanced style development courses. By signing up on our e-mail list, you'll receive links to these advanced piano lesson courses that will allow you to dig in and continue your piano studies as you're on your way to a lifetime of playing the piano.

I'm an adult piano lesson student brand-new to the piano. Where should I start?

Adult students who are brand-new to music or are coming back after many years away from the piano will find that learning to play the piano and keyboard by ear using the technique of rhythmic patterns is an ideal way to quickly understand music. In addition, it's a great way to learn the skills needed to play popular music, gospel music, country music, blues music, folk or jazz music.

Now if you're an adult piano lessons student, I bet I can guess your musical history pretty good. Let me give it a shot - you took piano lessons when you were younger and quit for a whole variety of reasons. As an adult things got busy as everybody's life does and then when you got around to really wondering what the valuable things in life were your mind wandered back to the piano and the piano lessons of your youth. You wish you would've never quit! Have I got it? Um-hmm. That is the single most frequent history that most of my adult piano lesson students give me. The thing that might have sparked your interest again may have been a concert when you heard someone playing the piano with passion, or simply a song on the radio. Whatever the reason you're now ready to dig and again and hit the keys and become a creative musician.

Are you ever too old to start piano lessons?

Absolutely not. We have thousands of seniors who are digging into the piano for the very first time, or are coming back to piano lessons after many years away. In either case, a whole new horizon of joy and interest in playing the piano has been opened up to them. Now some older folks may think that because they feel the years creeping up on them it might be a waste of time to try and develop a new skill. Not true at all. Remember the joy is in the journey and music is no exception.

If you are a senior wanting to learn to play the piano I hope that I can encourage you and give you confidence that learning to play the piano by ear using the technique of rhythmic patterns can be enjoyable from the very beginning.

My personal belief is that I'm practicing the piano in preparation for heaven. No kidding. It's a wonderful outlook because every hour that I spend playing the piano is an hour that's banked away for eternity, never expiring, always growing. I hope you get this mind set as you dig into your piano lessons. One of the fingerprints of God that I can see in music is the creative process itself. This is an eternal journey that makes me smile every time I sit down and play. Now you know where I'm coming from in these piano lessons!

Here's where these online piano lessons really get interesting:

Just like music, the Rhythmic Patterns technique is infinite! Piano lessons students who really advance their skills learn to develop brand new Rhythmic Patterns that are unique to their own style. This is where the real fun is. Never lose sight of the fact that musicians are always growing and expanding their knowledge.

With that in mind...

My recommendation is that after you have gone through "Pattern Piano and Keyboard", and have learned to play piano by ear, dig into our advanced piano lesson studies online. (You'll receive the link by email) From there, I'd encourage you to take a local class where you can continue to broaden your musical skills by learning to read music, learning to play classical music, learning to play with other musicians, as well as learning how to compose and arrange music. Mastering all of these skills together is truly how master musicians are born, and how a lifetime of musicianship is cultivated.

Where should young musicians start?

Learning to play the piano by ear using the Rhythmic Patterns technique is an ideal way for young musicians to quickly understand how chords fit together, how intervals are the basis for music construction, and how to quickly put together fantastic arrangements of songs heard on the radio, the Internet, their iPod etc.

The reason that Rhythmic Patterns are so helpful for young musicians is they really provide "instant musical gratification" as well as long-term satisfaction on the piano. This is because the vast majority of today's music can be can be played and made to sound fantastic using Rhythmic Patterns!

Do Rhythmic Patterns apply to different styles of music?

Absolutely. Beginning piano lessons that are based on the Rhythmic Patterns technique are not "style specific". The songs that we use in this piano lessons course are extremely simple songs. The goal is not to learn these specific songs as we play them on the piano, but rather to use these songs as tools to practice the rhythmic patterns piano lessons technique. Because of this emphasis on the technique instead of the songs, you'll be able to take these powerful tools and apply them to other songs that you want to play on the piano. These musical skills lend themselves very well to a wide range of piano music. In developing the piano lessons, I've made a point of emphasizing how powerful the tools are while de-emphasize the songs. You've got your own taste in music, and no single piano lessons course will fit your musical taste exactly. However, if the piano lessons course gives you the tools to create your own style of music, (and that's a hallmark of "Pattern Piano and Keyboard") you'll become a fantastic "by ear" piano player! Developing this course, I made a huge point to emphasize the creative process so that you learn to take all these musical tools, musical patterns etc. and apply them to your music. My number one goal as your piano teacher is to see you succeed as a creative musician on the piano.

So where to begin? Dig into this course titled "Pattern Piano and Keyboard" to begin your musical journey. By the end of the course you'll find that you've got a powerful library of Rhythmic Patterns under your hands and you'll be able to quickly play almost any song you hear as well as songs that you're composing on your own. Don't be shy about digging in - this is an ideal technique to learn to play the piano and become an awesome musician.

Once you've gone clear through this piano lessons course, dig into our advanced style development lessons which cover many other "style based" piano playing techniques. Get on our e-mail list and the link to these new lessons will be sent to you as they are published.

Go practice!

Online demo c. Music Unlimited Inc., another Piano Lessons success story!

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