Parents are often confused about the difference between piano lessons and piano theory. They want to know if its necessary for their children in piano lessons to learn music theory.

If your child is already enrolled in piano lessons I can guarantee you they are learning some music theory. What parents often dont realise is that piano theory is music theory. In college, for example, all musicians have to take a keyboard class to learn music theory. So why wait until your child is in college to teach them music theory when they are already taking piano lessons?

Even young piano students can learn music theory concepts in piano lessons. And parents of young children can teach early keyboard concepts at home. Just as young children need their parents to read to them and teach the alphabet, parents can also teach the foundational "music Language" skills for learning to play the piano or keyboard.

Its easy to learn keyboard theory on the piano because you can see it on the keyboard. Once students can see theory concepts on the keyboard they can learn to find them in the music and begin to understand and listen to how the music they're playing is put together. This will greatly improve your childs note reading aptitude help develop their musical ear. So encourage your child taking piano lessons to learn their theory lessons as well, and they will learn to play piano even better.

Cynthia VanLandingham

Cynthia VanLandingham's Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources create an exciting musical adventure for children ages 5 to 11. Visit PianoAdventureBears.com for free samples of her Piano Adventure Story Books and piano resources for children. She is also the author of The Wonder Guide to Creativity.

Cynthia has been teaching piano in Tallahassee, Florida for 20 years and is the owner of TallyPiano & Keyboard Studios. She is a member of the American College of Musicians National Guild of Piano Teachers, the President of TallyPiano Enterprises, LLC, and a graduate of the Florida State University College of Education. Visit her website at TallyPiano.com to download her original, uplifting piano compositions, including "The Potter's Wheel." While you're there subscribe to her free internet newsletter, Piano Matters, and read the Wonder Guide to Creativity Online.

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