Semesters - Answers To Your Most Common Questions - Updated Spring 2021

Whether you are a current student, a parent of a current student, or you are interested in enrolling in piano lessons soon, I'm sure you have a lot about how piano lessons work with STL Piano Lessons.

Worry not.  We have answers for you and here they are!

When does the Spring semester begin:
January 11th, 2021

What are some other important dates for the fall semester:

• Enrollment opens:  December 6th, 2020

• Enrollment closes:  January 4th, 2021

• Vacation:  April 26th - May 2nd

• Recitals:  TBA

How do I enroll:

• If you ARE NOT a current student, you will be able to enroll a month before the next semester.

• If you ARE a current student, you will be automatically enrolled.

What if I want to enroll after enrollment closes?  Can I enroll mid-semester:
No.  Once enrollment closes, we will not be taking any new students until the next semester opens for enrollment.  If you do not enroll by January 4th, you will have to wait until our next semester to get in.

How much is tuition:
We are excited to now offer simplified tuition!  No more variable tuition.  The rates are as follows:

• 60 Minute Lesson​s

  • Pay Up Front For Semester:  $1040

  • Monthly Payments:  $285

• 30 Minute Lessons

  • Pay Up Front For Semester:  $720

  • Monthly Payments:  $190

How do I pay my tuition:
You now have two payment options.  You can either pay upfront for the semester at a discounted rate or you can make monthly payments.  When you enroll you will have the option to choose which one you want to do.  Tuition will be auto-charged to your account just like our monthly tuitions are now.  Once you enter your payment method into your account (credit card, debit card, or checking account), you are all set.  All billing will be done automatically.  Semester payments will be billed when the student enrolls or on the first day of the new semester.  Monthly payments will be billed on the first of every month.

Do I need to re-enroll every semester:
No.  Current students will be automatically enrolled in the upcoming semester unless they give written notice (via email) that they want to cancel lessons.

What if I want to drop out mid-semester:
We ask all of our students to commit to a full semester of lessons. If a student wants to drop out mid-semester, that is their prerogative, but they will still be responsible for paying for the entire semester. No refunds. If you want to cancel at the end of a semester, you can do so by sending us an email.

What if I want to take a vacation during the semester:
Students, and teachers, will get a one-week vacation at the end of each semester.  If you want to take a vacation during the semester, you will have to cancel your lesson(s) with your teacher that occur during that time.  If you let your teacher know 4 hours or more ahead of time they will send you a video lesson through your online account for the week(s) you miss.

Are there any other changes to the school policies due to the change to semesters:
Not many.  Most of our policies will remain the same, but there are a few that will change.  Please CLICK HERE to download a PDF of our new school policies.

What if I have more questions:
If you have any other questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page by CLICKING HERE.  You can also hit reply with any questions you have and I am happy to answer them for you.

We could not be more excited to have you on board this spring!

Semesters - Answers To Your Most Common Questions

Whether you are a current student, a parent of a current student, or you are interested in enrolling in piano lessons soon, I'm sure you have a lot of questions about how semesters will work once we begin them in September.  

Worry not.  We have answers for you and here they are!

When does the fall semester begin:
September 14th, 2020

What are some other important dates for the fall semester:

• Enrollment opens:  August 2nd, 2020

• Enrollment closes:  September 8th, 2020

• Vacation:  December 21st - January 3rd

• Recitals:  TBA

How do I enroll:

• If you ARE NOT a current student, you will be able to enroll starting August 2nd.  You can enroll via our Enroll page on our website by CLICKING HERE.

• If you ARE a current student, we will contact you via email to get you enrolled in August.

What if I want to enroll after enrollment closes?  Can I enroll mid-semester:
No.  Once enrollment closes, we will not be taking any new students until the next semester opens for enrollment.  If you do not enroll by September 8th, you will have to wait until our next semester to get in.

How much is tuition:
We are excited to now offer simplified tuition!  No more variable tuition.  The rates are as follows:

• 60 Minute Lesson​s

  • Pay Up Front For Semester:  $1040

  • Monthly Payments:  $285

• 30 Minute Lessons

  • Pay Up Front For Semester:  $720

  • Monthly Payments:  $190

How do I pay my tuition:
You now have two payment options.  You can either pay upfront for the semester at a discounted rate or you can make monthly payments.  When you enroll you will have the option to choose which one you want to do.  Tuition will be auto-charged to your account just like our monthly tuitions are now.  Once you enter your payment method into your account (credit card, debit card, or checking account), you are all set.  All billing will be done automatically.  Semester payments will be billed when the student enrolls or on the first day of the new semester.  Monthly payments will be billed on the first of every month.

If I am a current student, do I have to make the switch over to semesters:
Yes.  All current students will be converted over to semesters and will be asked to commit to a full semester of lessons starting on September 14th.  When enrollment opens, we will contact you via email to get you enrolled for the fall semester.  You will have your normal month to month lessons right up until the week of September 14th.  Please note that you will have two separate charges in September.  One will be a prorated charge for the first two weeks of lessons in September as you finish out your month to month lessons.  The second will be your charge for the upcoming semester with your new tuition.  

Do I need to re-enroll every semester:
No.  Current students will be automatically enrolled in the upcoming semester unless they give written notice (via email) that they want to cancel lessons.

What if I want to drop out mid-semester:
We ask all of our students to commit to a full semester of lessons. If a student wants to drop out mid-semester, that is their prerogative, but they will still be responsible for paying for the entire semester. No refunds. If you want to cancel at the end of a semester, you can do so by sending us an email.

If I am a current student, will my tuition be changing:
Yes.  All students will be paying the new tuition.  When we contact you to enroll in the fall semester, you will have the choice to pay upfront for the semester or set up monthly payments.

If I am a current student, will my schedule be changing:
No.  Unless you and/or your teacher would like to change your schedule before then, your schedule will not change from what it is now.

What if I want to take a vacation during the semester:
We are eliminating our current vacation allowance policy.  Moving forward, students, and teachers, will get a two-week vacation at the end of each semester.  If you want to take a vacation during the semester, you will have to cancel your lesson(s) with your teacher that occur during that time.  If you let your teacher know 4 hours or more ahead of time they will send you a video lesson through your online account for the week(s) you miss.

Are there any other changes to the school policies due to the change to semesters:
Yes.  Most of our policies will remain the same, but there are a few that will change.  Please CLICK HERE to download a PDF of our new school policies.

What if I have more questions:
If you have any other questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page by CLICKING HERE.  You can also hit reply with any questions you have and I am happy to answer them for you.

We could not be more excited about this new direction and the way it will impact our students, our teachers and our school as a whole!  We can't wait to see our students shine this fall!

Why people quit taking piano lessons

Starting piano lessons is really fun. It’s always really exciting when someone starts. They get excited and see the possibility of it all. They dream about all the songs they are going to learn how to play. They picture themselves playing at the next family gathering and everyone singing along.

And we, as teachers, can see the hope in their eyes. It is such an inspiring and fun time for any student as well as any teacher.

But the inspiration and excitement never last forever. Those are just chemically induced emotions that go away as soon as the chemicals dry up. And the chemicals always dry up eventually. What is left after the initial inspiration wears off?

Reality. And the reality is this…

Learning anything new is hard

Learning the piano is hard. Learning anything is hard. And it takes a lot of time and effort. I think the number one reason people quit taking piano lessons is they start to see how hard it really is. Once they realize it is going to take some time and effort, they become overwhelmed. The voice of self-doubt starts to kick in and they begin to doubt that they have what it takes to stick it out.

The truth is they do. We all do. But many times we let that voice become so loud that we can’t hear the truth anymore. Once that voice is yelling in our ear, we will do anything to make it stop. This is when most people quit. Quitting makes the voice stop.

But there is another way to make it stop. And that is by NOT quitting.

The voice goes away either way. By running away from it or from facing it and yelling back. So many people choose to run away. It’s easier. It’s quicker. And then they can move on to the next thing they hope will bring them the happiness they crave. But those of us who stick it, get to feel something that these other people don’t.

Victory.

Victory shuts the voice down for good. It closes the argument. It allows you to settle into the life you have chosen. It gives you the freedom and solace from the wariness of constant searching. If you are continually searching for the next best thing, you will never find it. If you constantly live in the mentality of “I’ll be happy when…” you are by definition damning yourself to a life of unhappiness.

If you give up when it gets hard, you will never experience the good part. The victory. The victory is what causes the inspirational and fun emotions to return. The victory is where we all crave to be but tend to give up or let ourselves off the hook right before we get there.

Simple, but not easy.

The answer is simple but not easy. The answer is don’t quit. Don’t give up on something that you cared enough about to look up how to learn it, reach out to a stranger to teach it to you, and then give that stranger some of your hard-earned money to show you how to do it. You would never put that much effort into something that wasn’t really important to you.

If you took all these actions to get here, don’t give up on yourself now. The good part is coming. It is closer than you think, but you will never find it if you keep bailing right before it happens. You need to yell back at that voice of self-doubt and tell it you are doing this no matter what it takes. It will shut up eventually once it sees you are serious.

And then you will be able to settle down and get to work. Even more, you will be able to enjoy the work because you will know why you are doing the work. You are no longer teetering between giving up and sticking it out. You have made the conscious choice to go on.

Our promise to you.

Once you make that choice to go on, it is only a matter of time until you finally experience the victory you have so badly craved. It’s all up to you. It’s all in your mind. And we are here to help you along every step of the way. We won’t give up on you if you promise to not give up on yourself.

Why The Piano Is So Much Cooler Than Any Other Instrument

That’s right. I said it. The piano is way cooler than any other instrument on the planet.

That doesn’t mean I don’t love all types of musical instruments, because I do. I actually used to play trumpet in my younger years and I loved it.

I love my brother and sister musicians and have huge respect for anyone who learns to play an instrument well, so please understand this blog post is all in good fun.

I can’t play the guitar, at least not very well. And I sure can’t play the trombone, so hear me when I say that it takes time and dedication to be good at any instrument. Every instrument is needed to make the world of music the full and wonderful place that it is.

So that being said, here is why the piano is better than any other instrument.

Why The Piano Is So Much Cooler Than Any Other Instrument

1. The piano is the only instrument that is laid out horizontally instead of vertically. It is easier to see what you are doing and understand what is going on. The guitar is vertical. Wind instruments are either vertical or use valve combinations. Most instruments tend to be very confusing at first. But the piano makes sense. You can look at a piano and start to see the patterns. You can see the black note pattern of 2 and 3. That’s why I think the piano is the best instrument to learn first. It’s not just because I am a piano player. It’s because of the way it is laid out which makes it easier to understand and learn music theory.

2. It is super easy to play the piano. Anyone can do it. You don’t have to worry about the proper breathing techniques. Or proper mouth placement. You can just bang on the keys and music comes out. Now, that’s not to say it doesn’t take some time to learn how to make the piano sound good. But to create a sound on the piano is pretty easy compared to other instruments.

3. You can’t play the piano out of tune. As long as the piano has been properly tuned by a professional, you will play in tune every time. There is nothing you can do in your playing to make the piano sound out of tune. I can’t think of any other instruments like that. With the guitar, you have to make sure your fingers are placed right in the center of the tabs. With wind instruments, there are a million things that can cause you to play out of tune like breath support, proper embouchure, your mouthpiece, etc. But with the piano, you just sit down and play.

4. The piano makes you a one-man-band. More than any other instrument, you have everything you need in the piano. Your left hand can cover the bass and rhythm. Your right hand can cover the harmony and melody. You don’t need any other instruments to make a full sound. That’s why you see a lot of piano bars around the world. Have you ever seen a guitar bar or a drum bar?

5. Piano players can play two things at the same time. With piano you have two hands, each playing different parts. Piano players have to be able to read bass clef and treble clef. We can do it all. It’s true that guitar players use both hands, but one is only for strumming or picking. Drummers are for sure the kings of rhythmic coordination, but still, they don’t have to read notes, only rhythms. With piano, we do it all - rhythm, harmony and melody. Left hand and right hand. Bass clef and treble clef.

The best place to start.

I could go on and on but my main purpose for this blog post is to show you all the wonderful qualities of the piano. If you are thinking of learning more about music, or you have a child that you want to expose to the world of music, I highly recommend starting with the piano. They may move on to other instruments down the road, but starting with the piano is going to give them a huge jump start.

What if I don’t want to buy a piano?

The one thing that can be challenging with the piano, is buying and making room for an actual piano. But I have good news for you. With all the amazing technology in the world these days, there are some amazing keyboards out there that sound and feel just like a piano. These keyboards are easy to move, easy to make room for and always stay in tune.

I actually made a Keyboard For Beginners guide. It will give you my top 5 suggestions for really affordable keyboards that sound and feel great. Hit the button below to get the guide for free!

Whatever instrument you land on, I can’t wait to see where it takes you. There is nothing like being able to play a musical instrument. I may be partial to the piano, but the truth is you can’t go wrong. Just pick one and get started today.

Why do I need a piano teacher?

We live in an amazing age. Anything we want to learn is just a Google search away.

Just last weekend I learned how to change the headlight lamp in my car. A simple task for a mechanic, but for me, it was a mystery until I watched two and a half minutes of a YouTube video and suddenly I was an expert.

I think it is amazing what we can learn at the drop of a hat. You used to have to at least get into a car and go to a library. But now all the answers we need are in our laps. Pretty cool.

There are some things, however, that still require some human interaction. Especially if you want to get really good at something.

For instance, to figure out how to fix my car headlight, I just needed to watch a video. But if I wanted to become a mechanic and open my own garage, I would need something more. I would need a mentor to teach me and show me the ropes.

I would also need a guide to help me sort through the information overload that is the internet. Sure there are videos for everything I want to learn, but to become an expert, what order do I watch the videos in? What do I do first? Who do I trust? Which videos are giving me correct information and which videos are creating bad habits in me?

So when people ask me “Why do I need a piano teacher?” here are the 5 reasons I give them:

1. You need a guide. To learn something so complex as piano, you need a guide. There is so much information out there, how can you possibly know where to start? You need someone who can make sense of all the noise out there and show you exactly what to do. They can give you a step by step plan and help you figure out what your musical goals are.

2. You need a mentor. An expert who knows their craft inside and out, can teach you all the subtle things along the way that videos can’t teach you. You can watch them do their thing, in person. You can literally look over their shoulder and see how they do it. Then you can ask them questions and have an instant dialogue instead of hoping some YouTube creator answers your comment when they get around to it.

3. You need accountability. We all have done it. We say we want to do something, we may even start, but usually, we give up quick. We get distracted and make excuses. A teacher keeps you accountable. When you know you have a lesson on Tuesday, you are much more likely to sit down and practice.

4. You need motivation. A teacher is more than just a human YouTube video. They are an actual person. And since they are a person, they can tell when another person needs a push. Your teacher is there to encourage you, to remind you why you started taking piano lessons in the first place. You can think of your piano teacher as a personal trainer. They are there to give you the push you need when you need it. They will keep you focused and headed towards your goal.

5. You need a chance to perform. This may be the biggest thing a YouTube video cannot give you - a chance to actually perform in front of people. A really important part of learning any instrument is being able to show off your hard work. Knowing that you are going to perform a piece in front of people will drive you to work harder. It makes you a better musician. You get to perform in front of your teacher weekly. And then, as a student of your teacher, you get to participate in student recitals where you can perform in front of your friends and family. The feeling of accomplishment you get after performing something in public that you have worked really hard, is truly an amazing feeling. And I promise, once you do it once, you will want to do it again.

The bottom line is if you are serious about becoming a piano player, you need a piano teacher. With all the amazing strides in technology, there is no substitute for the real thing. The tried and true mentor to apprentice relationship still wins every time.

And surely there are some videos you can use along the way to help you learn certain things in more detail. The combination of YouTube and a teacher can make you anything you want to be. And if you want to be a piano player, we have got some amazing teachers just waiting to meet you!

Why New Year's Resolutions Are The New Black?

It’s a new year. Are you ready?

This is such an exciting time of year. This is the time to set new goals. Try new things. Make new plans. Dream and hope for the future. This is the time to get back to work on the person you truly want to be.

A lot of folks, however, get skeptical about this concept. They are the ones who make it very clear that they are against making new year’s resolutions.

And sure, we all have made a few that we didn’t stick to, but that doesn’t mean we should stop trying.

The History Of New Year’s Resolutions

I think many years ago making New Year’s resolutions was the “it” thing. Everybody was doing it. Every year people would make big proclamations about what they were going to accomplish in the upcoming year. They would gather around the water cooler and share with each other what their plans were. People got excited and people did some big things.

But then the next generation came along. We saw all these people, our elders, making these big proclamations. Even though some of them did big things, we chose to focus on the ones who did not follow through. Time after time, year after year, we watched these people fail at what they said they would do.

When it came time for us to make our resolutions, we didn’t want anything to do them. We didn’t want to be like those who came before us. We felt embarrassed for them and vowed to do whatever it took to be different.

So then NOT making resolutions became the “it” thing. The cool thing to do became talking about how much better you are than others because you don’t make New Year’s resolutions.

Don’t believe me? Try telling some people at your next party that you made a New Year’s resolution. You won’t finish the sentence before someone jumps in to tell you how stupid you are for doing it and how much better they are than you because they don’t.

People love to share their opinions, whether they are right or wrong. But what are these same people accomplishing in their lives?

Here is the truth that all these bitter people ignore…

People who win at life are people who make goals.

And goals are just another fancy word for resolutions. I challenge you to find one millionaire who doesn’t set goals every year. You won’t find one. At least not one who earned the money instead of inheriting it or winning the lottery.

Do you think the great athletes in history became that way by accident? Of course not. They set goals. And the same goes for musicians. You don’t become a great singer or piano player by wishing or hoping. You become great by setting goals and going to work.

People who win set goals. So if you want to win at life, it’s time to start making New Year’s resolutions again. It’s time to make resolutions cool again. We have had plenty of years of being too cool for them, it’s time to bring them back.

This is the time.

This is not the time to try and “cool” ourselves into a worldwide depression. This is the time to get up, set goals and try again. This is the time to push ourselves to do new things. This is the time to show all those who gave up that hope is alive and well.

It’s up to us as the next generation to take New Year’s resolutions back and show what they can really do. Don’t be afraid and don’t be too cool to win at the things you want to win at in life. We only get a short amount of time to do these things, so make some goals and let’s get to work.

Why you are practicing the piano too long

We’ve all heard it a million times. To be good at something, you have to practice.

It’s true. There is no way around that.

Matter of fact, the truth is, to be good at something, you have to practice A LOT!

For most people, the piano is an extra-curricular activity. We all have jobs, school, friends, sports, Netflix shows to catch up on, and we’d like to get some sleep in there too if possible.

How are we supposed to fit in piano practice? Even more, how are we supposed to fit in A LOT of piano practice?

Here is the answer.

Stop practicing so long.

So many of us think that in order to get good at the piano, we have to sit there and practice for hours on end. In a perfect world, yes that would be great. But here is what happens in the real world.

You tell yourself that in order to get good at the piano you have to practice at least an hour a day. You start off strong, but then life gets busy. Next thing you know, you have one full day after another and you can’t find an hour anywhere to practice. So instead of practicing a little bit, you blow it all off saying something like “If I can’t get my full hour of practice in then what’s the point?”

After a few weeks of that, you stop trying. Eventually, you don’t even touch the piano anymore. You quit taking lessons because you are frustrated and not making the kind of progress you wanted to.

Sound familiar?

Here is the truth that most people won’t tell you.

You don’t have to practice for an hour for it to count.

You don’t even have to practice for 30 minutes for it to count. Little chunks of practice go a long way.

What if you could practice 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there? Do you think you could find that time? Of course you could.

And you know what else? You would probably enjoy yourself more because you feel way less pressure to sit there for an hour torturing yourself.

And guess what? 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there still adds up to the same amount of practice. Matter of fact, I guarantee you will actually get MORE practice in this way because you are not blowing the whole thing off because you can’t get a full hour of practice in.

So here is your permission to let yourself off the hook. Stop telling yourself you have to practice an hour every day. Stop telling yourself if you don’t, then it’s not even worth practicing at all. It’s not true.

You don’t have to practice as long as you think you do.

You don’t have to be a piano practice superhero. Try getting in 10 minutes before and after work or school. Those 10 minute practices will add up fast and by the time you are sitting at your next lesson, you will see some serious improvement.

And remember, the whole reason you got into this piano thing was to have fun. Let those 10 minute practices be a break from your busy day. A little mini-musical meditation.

I’ll take 10 minutes of peace over 60 minutes of torture any day.

How to trick your brain into thinking you have practiced something longer than you have

Learning to play piano is not just about showing up to your piano lesson and playing some scales. Most of the learning actually happens at home when you practice. And really, the majority of your learning happens in your brain when you are sleeping.

Let me explain.

Have you ever had the experience where you are trying to learn something really hard on the piano. You figure if you just practice long enough, you will be able to do it, right? After an hour or so, you start to hit the wall. You start actually making more mistakes than when you started?

How can you actually be worse at something after practicing it for an hour?

When you practice, you can only practice for so long straight until your brain starts to shut off. We’ve all experienced it. We start getting sloppy, making more mistakes.

It’s because your brain has not had time to process everything you just practiced. Our brains are busy keeping us a live during the day. Telling our lungs to breathe, our heart to pump blood, taking in information, telling our hands and feet to move.

When our brains shut down for the night, that is when they finally have a chance to process all the other information, like all the practicing you did.

Most of our real learning happens in our sleep. Your brain needs some peace and quiet to connect all the dots. To create new nuero-transmitter connections and to solidify into your body and soul all that you practiced.

That is why when you come back to something the next day, you feel refreshed and you can play what you practiced just a little better than the day before.

Yes it does take a lot of repetition to get good at something. But it also takes a lot of downtime. There is no way to rush that process. Well, there is one way.

What is “Spaced Repetition?”

The answer is Spaced Repetition. All this means is having multiple shorter practices spread out over time instead of one long practice. It means doing 10-15 minute practices followed by breaks. These breaks can be minutes, hours or days, but the breaks are crucial. The breaks allow your brain to process all the information and in doing so, they actually speed up your progress.

You could compare this to a HIIT workout. These are all the rage in the fitness world right now because they work great and take a fraction of the time of a “normal” workout.

In a HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workout, you do short bursts of high-intensity training followed by short bursts of recovery time. Each burst lasts 30 seconds to a minute. You do this cycle 4 or 5 times and your workout is done in 15-20 minutes.

And here is the best part - these workouts work! They have been proven to do just as much for your fitness if not more than a lower intensity, longer workout.

Practicing piano works the exact same way.

When you do hard cardio for shorter intervals, you are tricking your body into thinking you have worked out longer than you have. When you practice piano in short bursts more often, you are tricking your brain into thinking you have practiced more than you have.

Here is what to do…

Instead of practicing for hours and hours on end, try practicing something for 15 minutes. Then walk away for 15 minutes. Come back and practice it again for 15 minutes. Break. Repeat.

This process over a few days will trick your brain into thinking that more time has gone by than actually has. It will make the connections quicker. And suddenly you will be able to play that thing like you have been playing it for weeks or months. You basically sped up the process by getting your brain to process more in smaller chunks.

Say you are getting ready to play a recital and you only have a few days to get a very hard passage down. Is that even possible?

If you beat your head against the wall with super long practices, you will just get frustrated and you won’t be able to play it that well. But if you practice smart, and give your brain the rest it needs, you can absolutely learn something hard in only a few days.

It totally works.

Give yourself a break.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan of hours of practice sometimes. But you just need to know when to walk away and give yourself a break. This is especially true if you are just practicing one little part of a piece or a riff over and over. If you practice for hours, that is fine, just make sure you mix up what you are practicing. Take breaks. And get some sleep.

I am giving you permission to practice less. I am giving you permission to take more breaks. Now it’s up to you to try it and see if it works. I think you are going to like the results.

And your brain will thank you for it.