I must insert here a word of warning against permitting beginners to play by ear, which many of them are inclined to do. This should be immediately discouraged, at least temporarily, as it usually indicates that the pupil does not want to make the necessary effort to learn to read. After he has learned to read, playing by ear may then help him in memory work.

A pianist who plays frequently by ear is apt to be an untrained musician. This ability affords the player satisfaction, but he cannot progress professionally as long as he relies on ear alone. A person who plays by ear is often careless when reading. It is unusual to find a pianist who plays by ear and reads music equally well. I consider such a person doubly blessed. Mr. Schlossberg, a trumpet player in a large orchestra, once said, "Only gypsies play by ear."~~~ from Success In Piano Teaching by Julia Broughton

Evolution of the piano

At the beginning of the 18th century there were two types of domestic keyboard instruments: the harpsichord and the clavichord, which, despite its very small sound, had considerable qualities of expression. Through the desire to combine the tone of the harpsichord with the less mechanical and more expressive qualities of the clavichord, the pianoforte was evolved

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By the middle of the 18th century the square piano was produced, and it quickly became very popular.... Some models were made to look like tables, and were fitted with drawers for music. (In sales catalogs today they appear wrongly labeled "spinet".)

At the beginning of the 19th century the familiar Upright piano was produced. In this kind of instrument the strings, mounted on a metal frame, extend below the level of the keyboard.

Today several sizes of grand piano are in use, ranging from the Baby Grand, only 4 feet long, to the full Concert Grand which is 8 1/2 feet long. Many experiments and improvements were made in the construction of the piano, but it was not recognized as an independent instrument until the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th centuries when composers such as Weber and Beethoven, to mention only two, were writing specially for it. ~~~From The Observers Book of Music by Freda Dinn

Performance Goals

It is helpful for a child or pupil to have a feel for how the music should sound before he or she attempts to play it. This doesn't, of course, mean that children are "supposed" to play the music exactly the way it's performed on a particular record or tape, but it does mean that an acquaintance with the music will help them to understand what they are hoping to achieve. Making records or tapes of solos and études available to students (whether by purchasing them or by obtaining them from your local library) can be a real help.

A portable cassette player can be an in valuable gift to young students. It allows them to listen to the music they are going to play and can also be used to record lessons, thus serving as a reminder of their learning and performance goals for the week.

Taking students or children to professional and student recitals is another way to encourage them in their musical goals.... Listening to both live and recorded music will enlarge the pupils' taste, style, and repertoire and elevate their standards of learning and performance.

Encouraging your child or pupil to keep a musical journal will help them to keep track of what they learned in one lesson and what they will be playing in the next.

It may seem obvious, but parents can encourage and inspire a child to practice by providing good instruments and an attractive space and atmosphere in which to practice. In physical terms this is likely to mean providing appropriate chairs, stands, a metronome, and good lighting. Even more important, perhaps, it means respecting your child's practice time. ~~~The Inner Game of Music, by Barry Green with W. Timothy Gallowey