5 Days Left to Register this Go-Round! May 25, 2026 5 Days Left! I am keeping registration open in The Music Hub until the end of May. After that, it won't reopen until September. That means you have 5 days left to register! Summer is a casual time meant for exploring. It's a great time to try something new or revisit a hobby! My music-theory based approach to learning piano is the most effective way to make real progress. It helps you read music fluently play with both hands together...
3 days ago • 1 min read
The weather has been crazy here in NC. Every county in the state has been in an extreme or severe drought for some time, with water use restrictions everywhere. Well, the rain finally came. It started Thursday and has only stopped periodically. Last night, some places near us got 6-7 inches of rain in 3 hours. The ground cannot absorb that much rain quickly, so of course there has been flooding and road damage in some places hit by Helene, and in some new places too. I saw a pic of a...
4 days ago • 6 min read
Notes from The Music Hub May 25, 2026 Happy Memorial Day! It is Memorial Day in the United States, where I live, and a day we honor the memory of the men and women who have died in service to our country. Right now we are in a conflict with Iran (can we call it a war if Congress never voted to declare it?). And there's a lot of division politically, over this and many other things. But I think we can come together around Memorial Day and what it means. I was moved this past weekend to arrange...
5 days ago • 3 min read
Notes from The Music Hub May 11, 2026 Why Practice Scales? In the online piano world in places like Facebook and Reddit, people argue over the need to practice scales. Some people think that you should only practice the technique used in a particular piece. For example, if you are playing a piece and there's an F major scale in it, practice that scale. But they don't see the point in practicing multiple scales every day. I fall in the camp that it is important to practice scales. It's not...
11 days ago • 3 min read
Notes from The Music Hub May 11, 2026 The Purpose of the Pedal Did you know that most acoustic pianos have three pedals, not just one? The most common pedal is the sustain pedal, also called the damper pedal, all the way to the right. When the pedal is pressed, the dampers inside the piano that mute the strings are all lifted, which means that the sound can continue even when the key is released. The middle pedal is the sostenuto pedal which is used to sustain certain notes. Depending on the...
19 days ago • 3 min read
Notes from The Music Hub May 4, 2026 Why I Prioritize Note-Reading There are two basic approaches to learning piano. One is based on reading music notation, notes and rhythms. The other is based on reading chord symbols and improvising things like accompaniments. They both have value. And I think they are both important in the long run. And I teach both. But they can't be taught simultaneously, so one must be given priority. I give priority to note-reading. That is part of my teaching...
26 days ago • 5 min read
Notes from The Music Hub April 27, 2026 You're Invited! As I mentioned last week, my community in Skool is OPEN! The Music Hub has officially been launched in Skool and doors are open for registration. But maybe you have questions. What is it like inside The Music Hub?What is it like to learn piano online instead of in person?Am I able to help you with your piano problems?Are we a good match? I'd like to give you an opportunity to find out! I am hosting FREE online workshops the week of May...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
I just finished teaching my last class of the 2025/2026 school year. Next week I give sight-singing quizzes, and I will give the final dictation exams during the 1st week of May. So, it's over but it's not quite fully over. I still have to put together the sight-singing quizzes and create practice exams for the students to use to study. Plus, I will have a lot of grading to do. I'll be fully done by May 12. The rest of this portion of the newsletter might come as a surprise to you since it is...
about 1 month ago • 7 min read
Issue #3 Notes from The Music Hub April 20, 2026 Beginning Pianist Mistake #4 This week, I'm continuing my series on mistakes beginner pianists often make. This mistake can't be seen in the picture, but it still relates to the pedal. Using the piano pedals well is not easy, which is why I have opted to wait until the last lesson of my beginner series to bring it in. Other method books introduce the pedal earlier, but I have waited because I want to make sure that the pedal does not become a...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read