There are numerous ways to go about teaching piano accompaniment! Each musician develops a personal style that he, or she, can later add to or take away from, much like hymn playing. In this arrangement of “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)” the piano is simply playing chords in the right hand and a single note in the left hand (consider having your student label the chords in this piece for extra practice). This level would be appropriate for some intermediate pianists. The piano portion that is written out is simply a foundation. It will sound fairly basic when played exactly as written, but I hope you and your students will add on some extra things throughout to make it your own!

I’ll never forget teaching my first piano lesson! I was going into my Senior year of high school just trying to make some extra money and had absolutely no idea what to say to my student. Who would have thought this little 3rd grader could be so intimidating?!

Thankfully, I’ve overcome this fear (for the most part at least) and have established a basic routine for teaching music lessons each day. I’ve come up with a list of ideas to help those are just beginning to teach lessons and looking for some direction, or maybe you’ve taught for a while and are simply looking for some fresh ideas to spice up your teaching routine. Hopefully there is something here that you can “add to your tool belt.”

1. Choose a curriculum for your student. This is such an important step in teaching music! Different curriculum will emphasize certain concepts, while skimming over others. Find one that is right for you and, more importantly, your student. Personally, I have grown to love Alfred’s Basic Piano Library. I ask my beginner students to purchase the Lesson Book 1A only. If they complete this book and decide to continue lessons, I may have them purchase a Technic or Theory book in addition to the Lesson book. Alfred also has great books for Adult beginners!
2. Break the ice. Before jumping into all things music, get to know your student. For me this happens from the walk from the student’s classroom to our piano practice room. Ask about their family, favorite thing about school, what they like to do for fun, if they go to church, what they like to play at recess, etc. Let them know you care about them more than simply because they are taking music lessons from you. I like to open lessons with prayer periodically as well!
3. Review. Reinforcement is key when working with students both young and old. Review concept taught from previous weeks, whether note names, rhythms, symbols, etc. You can make a game out of it (Pinterest is full of great ideas!), or simply have a question/answer time.
4. Listen. Have your student play the song(s) he/she has been practicing that week. Listen for things done well and things that can be improved. When they finish a song, I like to do what’s called a “positive sandwich.” Simply, say something positive first, then mention things that could be improved, but then end with something else they did well, or how proud you are of them for their hard work.
5. Introduce new song/concept. One thing I love about the Alfred series is that they explain new concepts very clearly and systematically. A lot of my “teaching” is simply reading the book, possibly rewording it in a simpler way depending on the student’s age, and then having the student practice implementing the new concept into his playing. I like to have my beginner students play new pieces hands separately at first, then if time allows, have them play it hands together. Another fun idea is for the student to play the right hand while you play the left hand, then switch! This gives the student an idea of what the song will sound like when it’s all put together.
6. Explain practice routine. I like to write down my student’s assignments on an “Assignment Sheet” (see the PDF sample below) or in the student’s notebook he uses specifically for music lessons. I explain what songs, scales, etc. I expect them to practice. If necessary, tell them a specific number of times to practice each song. Let them know what they need to improve, whether rhythm, tempo, dynamics, note identification, expression, memorization. Whatever it may be, tell them and write it down so they have that reminder at home when they practice.

I hope this helps to establish a simple foundation of what to do and say during your lessons. I would love to hear your teaching “routine” and activities you incorporate into your lessons!

When it comes to hymn playing, one of the most common questions is “What do I do with my left hand?” The right hand has it easy by playing the melody and a few alto and/or tenor notes, but the left hand is where you get to be creative! I was taught the “octave-chord” method, which, to be honest, I had a love-hate relationship with as a kid. At times it is monotonous. However, it does help to lay a solid foundation to build upon. The left hand pattern is simple:

• In 4/4 time, the left hand will play an octave on beat 1, a chord on beat 2, an octave on beat 3, and a chord on beat 4.
• In 3/4, the left hand will play an octave on beat 1, a chord on beat 2, and a chord on beat 3.
• In 2/4, the left hand will play, you guessed it, an octave on beat 1 and a chord on beat 2.

In the arrangement of “Trust and Obey” we implement the 3/4 left hand pattern while playing the melody in the right hand.

I would love to hear in the comments how you learned to play hymns and how you teach your students as well!

Thank you for the great response on “Behold Our God”! I hope you have been able to use it or share it with someone who can! Attached below are beginner piano arrangements of two of my favorite hymns: “My Jesus, I Love Thee” and “Nothing But the Blood.” I wrote these out for some students who recently completed Alfred Level 1A and began Level 1B. By this point they’re getting comfortable playing with both hands in G Position, and they’ve been drilled on their intervals (2nds, 3rds, etc.). One of my students was able to play this arrangement of “Nothing But the Blood” in her elementary chapel service at our Christian school, and she is also going to play it for an offertory this month. It is so rewarding to see students use their talents for the Lord, and I hope you are able to use these songs to help your students do just that!

As I mentioned, I have the privilege of teaching many private lessons each week! For my students who attend our church, it is important to me that they have the opportunity to use their musical abilities at church, usually playing an offertory or singing a special during our midweek service. Sometimes it can be difficult finding good arrangements that would be appropriate for many of my beginner/ early intermediate students. I am always looking for variety in song choices and styles because a teacher can only take so much “God Is So Good” and “Jesus Loves Me”! This being said, I’ve written out several offertories for some of my students and would like to share them with you. Hopefully you can use them with your students, or know someone who can! This arrangement of “Behold Our God” is one of my favorites. It is intermediate level and is a great arrangement to use when teaching your student chord recognition. I had my student label the chords in this song so she could begin to identify chords and chord patterns in her piano playing. I hope you enjoy this arrangement! I would love to hear how you use it!

I grew up in a pastor’s home with three older sisters, and we all began taking piano lessons at the age of six. Needless to say, there was always music playing in our home! I later learned to play the violin, and even the trombone. Random, I know! Little did I know how God would end up using music in my life, but He was developing skills and a love for it from a young age. I attended West Coast Baptist College and graduated with a degree in Music with a piano emphasis. While at college I met the love of my life, Sam Forster, the most talented musician in the world (he’s the one who should be doing this!). He and I are so blessed to serve at Tucson Baptist Church where we get to lead an adult choir, children’s choirs, small groups, and teach private lessons to over seventy students! God has truly blessed us beyond our imaginations! He has given both Sam and me a love for music and a desire to share it with others, and that is the goal of having this blog. I hope you find some helpful tools and new ideas to incorporate into your ministry. Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog! Now go download those free PDFs!