Helping Students Learn a New Piece

Are you working with a student who struggles with keeping rhythm? Or maybe you are helping a student learn a new piece. I have found the following strategy to be beneficial.

Have the student play one part - either the right hand or left - while you play the other part. Then switch who plays what part.

This helps the student with a couple of things:

• he gets to hear the piece - or the section - in its entirety twice
• he is forced to focus on timing, but has to only concentrate on one hand at a time
• he gains experience in playing with another musician