A talented student is playing during his lesson – his parents and I are the audience, listening and melting with joy. The student is flushed, entirely empowered by his passion for playing, as if each sound is turning this God’s creation into a composer and interpreter. All three as a whole unite with the music. Sometimes you get goose bumps at such moments and life is worth living.

But the human being is a very social species. A gifted child wants to share his success. He wants to play for his friends, for acquaintances and strangers. He wants to share his talent with others to confirm that someone else appreciates his skills, too. He wants to make sure they are valued by more people than just his mom, dad and music teacher.
Let’s see what is in store for him – a talented child at the beginning of the 21st century. I am going to write about his experience in the USA because I live here and witness such stories over and over again. Perhaps in other countries everything is different, but I think difference is not very large.

“Who needs your talent?” – This is the first message that society gives to any talented performer. Buried into iPhones and iPads, we learn to “call up” any music the way Aladdin called his obedient genie from the lamp. “OK, Sweetie,” we say to a live musician, “Prove to us that you can produce something better than this digital device!”
Van Cliburn, Scott Joplin (Lady Gaga, Britney Spears – you name it!) performs THIS better then you! Don’t even try to pretend to be as great as they are! You are not an original – you are just a copy. Therefore, talented kids and even professional performers mostly play in front of . . . an audience who eats while they listen. So what? While they are busy enjoying food and conversation, they also enjoy your performance as long as you are not too loud and/or impertinent.
“Keep playing, pianist, keep playing . . . Just don’t bother us while we eat and talk.”

Often I receive letters from the parents of children who learn to play piano and read music with my curriculum “Soft Way to Mozart.” And they’re not only from parents. Adult-beginners and even teens are also asking me the same questions: How do we MAKE ourselves study music on a regular basis? How do we maintain an interest in practicing now – in our busy modern times when “nobody cares” whether or not we play? How do we stay motivated for the chore of practicing in the summertime or on holidays, in winter and in spring when there are way too many activities and seemingly NO TIME and besides, “who cares”?
Here are some thoughts I want to share with you:

1. Power of Music. We should explain to our kids while we keep reminding ourselves that music education is a tool for training our minds. The solution to ANY problem – whether logical or emotional – is easier to find if you can make music, play instruments; passive listening is not as effective. You may push a button and pull a tune from your iPod. You may also sit and perform the same exact piece yourself at the piano. The quality of the performance is probably very different and most likely not in your favor.

But the quality of the IMPACT on YOUR mind will be much stronger if you will make the music and interpret it by yourself. The cells of your own cortex will be intensely stimulated emotionally and logically at the same time. And YOUR mind will be able to find the most correct decision to solve your problems. Most importantly, by MAKING music by yourself with your own body, heart and soul, you are participating in a process of changing your own life and fate. You receive a very important message from your own subconscious: you are a master of your own life even when you’re play by notes written by another creator.
For children this is one of the most important lessons of their lives. It is no accident that Plato named music education the foundation of general study, and making music should be placed in front of all of the other subjects.

2. Surroundings. Russians have a saying that a really educated person ought to have at least 3 diplomas: his, his parents and his grandparents. Create a “cult of music education” in your family. Do not be intimidated by the word “cult.” After the global pull back from music education, when music is gradually being squeezed out of public schools and pianos are given away for free to be replaced by pieces of furniture, it is time to swing the pendulum the other way.
Without a piano or even a digital keyboard, a home has no soul. This instrument has to have the most comfortable place in the house, accessible to all family members. This instrument should never collect any dust on it. If someone goes to play it, with or without headphones, everyone else should respect this creative act and never prevent it from happening
3. Social communication. Try to find “brothers in music making.” Carefully look around in your child’s day-care center or school. Are there any other parents who understand the importance of music education and whose child is taking piano classes?

Do you enjoy meeting people? Initiate some meetings – evenings – parties, where children and adults will play music pieces for each other. Make it a tradition! Communicate, have fun, eat delicious food, let kids communicate with each other, too. Why don’t we add more flavor and meaning to your parties?
Such meetings can change the quality of your communication not just with other adults, but also with children – big time! Start with a little recital. When your little “pumpkins” and you play music pieces prepared especially for the event, the bond between generations will become much stronger.
4. Virtual communication. Internet communities. Interactive communication can also be a huge incentive for teaching music for you and your children. A little more than a year ago, we founded the Soft Mozart community (a forum and network) for people who want to receive a good effective music education http://www.softmozart.com/forum/index.html.

Our experience proved to us how important is it to be heard and to have the ability to communicate while receiving a music education. Even little children love to play for their peers from different countries as well as listen to their friends’ performances. They like to hear the pieces that they are learning as well as new ones. After that they suddenly say to their parents: “I am going to learn this song, too!”
We developed our Academy with the goal of giving people not only an opportunity to communicate directly with music educators and receive individual consulting, but also a chance to get inspired by other learners and/or their parents. By being in touch with people who care about music education and who want the best for their children and themselves, our community members receive positive reinforcement and strengthen their own motivation.

I believe the day will come soon when making music will become common in every home. Then we will truly learn not just how to perform music pieces, but also how to HEAR each other and see creativity in every person.

I wish you and your families success and happiness!
Sincerely yours,

Hellene Hiner

Is it possible to get a coupon discount on teachers certification programm? Thanx

Dear Joshfaust,
I would be happy to help you with getting the discount for certification program!
Please, email me directly to discuss that!
admin at softmozart dot com

[Week September 24th-30th]

Week September 24th-30th


Credit for assembling Cards from Do to Do *optional: Re to Re and Mi to Mi or more* as shown on the following video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDzJDPZOLYM

*For new comers: please, find cards and 1-st track of the song for free download in our TRY NOW page here: http://www.softmozart.com/teaching/how-to-get-started/try-it-for-yourself.html

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Week October 25th-31th

Credits for reading/coloring 'Kingdom of Tune' book:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/GJZbe5Mp0f8&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/GJZbe5Mp0f8&rel=1</a>

or/and playing 'Stretches' (Hanon #1) exercise with at least 1 hand (1-2 sequences).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMigzo50Gf8


Week November 24th-30th

Credit for playing Guess Key or/and Note Alphabet game for 1-3 minutes. Please, keep the same time for every session and write the score down to see the progress. Press F1 to stop the game after your chosen time is expired

Week December 22th-31th

Credit HOLIDAY RECITAL: playing piano pieces (2+) from Introductory, Nursery 1 or Favorite Classics 1 songs using one or both hands with and without computer.


Video or photos of your child working with the assignments are welcome!  Please, put Soft Mozart: Semester 1/12 in the title of your videos (s).

*Please, contact us for individual consultation on choosing your piano pieces for your child, if the listed Albums are too easy for him/her*

Requirements for other age groups and levels, please, visit our academy here: http://www.softmozart.com/forum/54-semester-september-1-december-31-of-2012.html

Dear TmT,
Thank you very much for sharing the video! You have very talented baby indeed! Wonderful ear, perfect pitch, great voice!
Keep up working with them so wonderfully. I won't ve surprised to see your DD on stage one day!

Great idea, TmT!
SM is not conflicting with any method!
I have students sometimes that start from 5th and even 6th mode.
You are always welcome to let me know, if you need any help to teach Lily! Currently, for example, we are learning how to pick the right chords for different melodies. Believe it or not, but Lily can learn it too! It would enhance her learning experience and add to hear perfect pitch ability to hear harmony too!
In future she will be able to hear a new song and play it with chords. Very practical and valuable skill!
Even 2-year-old can start learning it.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/5yntCK-Hy8E&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/5yntCK-Hy8E&rel=1</a>
We have Solfeggio and Chords dedicated to these games.
Here is the section in our music academy where we learning the chords:
http://softmozart.com/forum/48-summer-curriculum/4459-summer-fun-solfeggio-chords-and-ear-training.html

Hellene,

The reason I say that the kids were frustrated with the games is that in the tree game (guess the note I beleive it's called) as the player becomes more skilled in guessing, the notes move faster and faster. As the player "fails" they slow down again. However, Lily cried in frustration when we initially played the game because the notes would fall too fast and she could not keep up. She didn't understand why she could do it one minute, and then the jump in speed was suddenly too difficult for her, so would say "Mama, make it go slow!" but I could not. So I told her when it gets to fast to miss some and it will slow down again, but it was just not ideal and that was the main reason we stopped using that game. The other game I remember playing (it's been a while) was a picture puzzle game. Again, this is one played for speed. I would play it while they watched sometimes, but it simply went too fast for them and the pieces stacked up kind of like tetris. It would be an improvement to put optional speed settings on these games in additional to a sensitive default speed setting that responds to the players skill.

-TmT

TmT, oh how much I wish to be able to write in English as fast as I do in Russian... Just finished some chapter of my book about this... You see,
our Games are not 'games' - they have to be used at the beginning in strict moderation since they are designed to develop not just kids' music ear, but also their attention span. The algorithms are feeling every move of a player and gently pushes them forward.
If to start playing the games for 30 sec - 1 min of the game time and write the results down each time, Lily will gradually develop ability to think faster and concentrate longer.
You have to work on the games by spirals. Play 1 game a month for 1 min - next cycle - 2 min etc. You will be amazed how much of concentration Lily will gain. Soft Mozart kids differ from other not just with great music talent, but also by ability to concentrate and be focused and productive in school.
Please, try this approach and you will see the difference very soon.
 

Jane, by all marketing standards, we are loosing money 
But the ultimate strength of this product is in people's EXPERIENCE in learning piano and effectiveness of the entire process.
Subscribers have to be in touch with us and we have interaction: learners and teachers. We have very powerful, creative community, curriculum, recitals etc, The success of our students is our promotion and this is the most honest and priceless advertisement in fact.

From another point teachers, who buy the program, even buying it for 800, having a bargain. Software works with all systems and brings students to them, students from 24 months to 90 year old. Soft Mozart also SAVING them the students also. For teachers it is a good investment and to sale the program for years to use for couple of hundred dollars is not a business, Taking to consideration that most of the Soft Mozart teachers prefer not to share Soft Mozart with competitors, they are not our best outside promoters.  But they tryyyy 

And people who CAN afford 800... Oh, they will investigate everything about invention! They will read and watch before making final derision. And the more they read and learn - the better clients they are, because they understand invention in more depths,

And perfect news is that people, who start as Subscribers will finally receive Perpetual code ! After being with us, learning with us successfully they will get the code and will be our successful graduates. Some will pay much less at the end just for being good students... Some will receive full scholarship just for being talanted or student with special need.

I am not good in marketing, but have feeling that it should be this way. What do you think?

Finally, I was happy to see Lily using SM pictures for Solfeggio syllables. Speech memory is the one of the most established skills. By saying the notes names and hearing their pitch at the same time every child is capable to develop ear for music drastically! Way to go, Lily!

On these videos of Rachel you can hear sometimes her singing notes Solfeggio, when she transpose French song using 2 hands. Music is a language of multiple voices. Playing French song on Do
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/PJWfVNWWAOw&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/PJWfVNWWAOw&rel=1</a>

Playing French song on Re
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/RsGcavpF1mM&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/RsGcavpF1mM&rel=1</a>

Playing French song on Mi
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/udhJS5dMJ1E&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/udhJS5dMJ1E&rel=1</a>

Playing French song on Mi Natural
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/GjPHwZzbgzs&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/GjPHwZzbgzs&rel=1</a>

Playing French song on Fa
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/9RiMA_BvY-A&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/9RiMA_BvY-A&rel=1</a>

Playing French song on So
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/YUddK5uoec8&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/YUddK5uoec8&rel=1</a>


The earlier our kids can produce melodies with chords the better. In our curriculum now we train beginners to pick the right chords to different melodies. How to provide such training you can find out in our forum!

TMT, thank you very much for sharing the videos! You have awesome results teaching kids at home music! I enjoyed watching your videos!

I was sorry to read about the SM games... It seems like it is our fault: we should educate our learners more about how to use them. They all built upon very advanced algorithms that feel every move of any player and acting accordingly. These games should be played in certain order and for very short time at the beginning, They build attention and focus skills of every child gradually along with ear training and music literacy. I wish to be aware of such issues to be able to help every family to use the program most effectively. 

Here is some videos of ear training games that we provide with Soft Mozart. We found it necessary to develop piano technique alone with ear training and voice since fine motor skills development improves brain development of young children and perfect pitch of the piano can be the point of support for kids' voice development:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/VG_bNNMiZQ8&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/VG_bNNMiZQ8&rel=1</a>

Here is the same student Rachel transposing Bach's Musette from different keys. This activity helps any child not just to recognize one note at a time, but to think musically in different keys. Rachel gained her skills to transpose from Note Alphabet game and other games from Soft Mozart (not just Gentle Piano):

Transposing Musette on Do
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/LDiGf5AH0jk&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/LDiGf5AH0jk&rel=1</a>

Transposing Musette on Re
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/kY8L9q10RCM&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/kY8L9q10RCM&rel=1</a>

Transposing Musette on Mi
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/5KBcClPIjzI&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/5KBcClPIjzI&rel=1</a>

Transposing Musette on Fa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuvQrhGn3Z8

Transposing Musette on So
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzmKrw0_NwQ

Transposing Musette on La
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgJWTqLjwfE

Transposing Musette on Ti
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BnVg2a4v1k

Please, visit our recital, where parents and kids performing piano pieces and exercises, sight-read music, saying Music Alphabet or just placing cards in order.
Today is the last day of our exam! We have participants from Singapore, Australia, Israel, Poland, Russia, Cypress, UK, India and other countries from 3-year-old and up.
The purpose of the recital is to bring family music making back to life!
Our students will be happy to hear your words of encouragement, because motivation and appreciation of listeners is VERY important for any learner.
http://www.softmozart.com/forum/47-international-soft-mozart-recital-1.html

We offer the book for free again 'till 30th of June.
http://www.pianolearningsoftware.com/Book-You-CAN-be-a-musician-written-by-Hellene-Hiner-downloadable_p_36.html

HH,

Thanks for replying as well. I was hoping you would since I wanted to know your opinion on the topic of perfect pitch and whether it is worth teaching to our kids. Some people with inborn perfect pitch say that it is more of a curse than a blessing. I know from your book that you said you acquired your ability to detect perfect pitch as an older child, and as someone who can remember having and NOT having this ability, would you say you'd rather that you never developed it at all? If you think it is worth teaching to our children, do you think that Eguchi's method has any merit to it? OR, do you think that just by following your lesson plan and using the Soft Mozart program, my daughter will pick up this ability anyway? (I am still waiting to receive my SM package so I am not certain what the scope of the program will be.) Lastly, can you elaborate more and explain what you mean when you say "harmonical ear – ability to grasp music piece from any key melodically with corresponding harmony"?

Thanks!
Anna

Anna,
It is so easy to communicate with you, because you read the book and we are on the same page!
Perfect pitch that I suddenly received as a child at the beginning became my ‘point of support’ to understand music notation. I was pretty good in writing music dictations. In Russian school of music all the students from Primer level ‘till university have to be able to hear 1-4 voices piece played on piano (or sometimes even other instruments!) and write it down on music paper. With my perfect pitch I had no problems to do it, but always wrote it as God put it per capita. But I think  it also held me from becoming creative, because I was too good in duplicating…
In conservatory I met some students who were sometimes even better in this task with no perfect pitch involved. I never forget a friend of mine who played a piano recital. After his performance his piano professor got mad. Apparently, the guy played entire piece… from different key. For him to transpose a complicated piece was a piece of cake! We all were stunned! This guy was a composer and great improviser.
I think, the combination of perfect pitch and ‘harmonical ear’ (ability that my friend had) would be the best.
I can’t back my words with research, but many people who used SM with small children testified that they developed perfect pitch with it. I can speculate, why: the kids play many pieces and singing a lot of Solfeggio. Finally the pitch, voice and ear get in tune. But unlike me in my past they recognize perfect pitch of every sound in chords and in harmony with other sounds.
Here some videos about how Soft Mozart is teaching kids to develop their ears. On this video a boy playing ‘Ode to Joy’ in different keys. He developed this ability using our software on a daily basis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMsjF5uHgtI

This video was made during one of my lessons. When I work with siblings, another one is practices usinf our software alone. This girl is learning how to pick the right chords by listening to a melody. She was so adorable that we asked if we may record:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq3xrN4xpMo
In your Deluxe version you have ‘Solfeggio and Chords’ section.

Your arrogance is unbelievable.  Your product may be spreading around the world now, but if you continue to portray yourself like this in a public arena, word WILL spread about this too, your sales will drop, and less people will learn about this "wonderful science".  If your product is so great then yes we will be missing out - but what a shame after all the hard work you put into it.  I also read your new "book" with much interest.  In this book you talk about your passion for changing music education, yet here in this forum you tell us you don't care if we use your methods or not.  You are obviously not as dedicated to your cause as you make out.

My  hard work was invested in research - not commercial bamboozling.
People will value that and I can be as bad as I am, because my conscious is clear and I don't have to kiss anybody's butt to prove anything

 

Today I took some time to take a look at the method.
First, there is a clear confusion in terminology. ‘Perfect pitch’ is an ability of any individuals to hear exact pitch of 1 sound at a time. If a chord played, the individual can name every sound of the chord one after another.
 Some people have inborn perfect pitch ability. Sometimes it is a burden. For example, in music literacy C# and Db are 2 different notes, but on piano – the same pitch (on violin you may place finger a bit closer and pitch changes). People with perfect pitch most of the time are not encouraged to develop ‘harmonical ‘  ear – ability to grasp music piece from any key melodically with corresponding harmony.
On the video kids clearly are getting trained to differentiate chords with no relation to particular tune. We have many approaches and training courses in Russian schools of music. I used to do the same with small children too. I didn’t use colors or flags, but cards with images that correlate with sounds by association. For example, ‘happy face’, ‘sad face’, jelly fish, happy/sad rabbit etc
Now I came to conclusion that the best way for ear training is practical use. Kids have to be able to take a song and transfer it to any key that is more comfortable for singing/performing.
It is also great when they can pick accompaniment to any melody.

HH, your product may be fabulous, but I will never know. There is no way I will ever purchase your product based on what I have read here. They way that you present yourself is so important in business. You are the brand! It is very disappointing to see the way in which you have presented yourself on this forum and I commend Chris for the way he has conducted himself throughout. Apart from my most important job as a mummy, I manage high net worth clients at a major Australian bank. I Really believe in our service proposition and this has been what has brought the most success. I feel absolutely no need to make attacks on the other providers and I think to do this would be extremely unprofessional. HH, it is clear that you are passionate and truely believe in what your product can offer. Please just stick to this and concentrate on educating people about why they should invest in it and not constantly rant about why we should not buy someone elses.

Thank you for trying to help me with PR! However,  what most of the people missing here that I am not having any 'product' and I am not business.  If you won’t buy the software from me, YOU are the one who is going to miss. I care less, because the idea is out there and already thousands of educators spreading it with no penny invested from my side.
Yes, we have software that was developed upon my groundbreaking discovery. My 'product' is education for educators and I am teaching Master and PhD professionals about new updates in music education.

Many people think that it is enough to have 'some knowledge' about music to come up with 'new ideas in music education'.

Would you go to a gimmick to fix your teeth? To perform  surgical operation on you or your child?

You may do what you want to do, but I have to warn you: it takes education, practice and a lot of research to create healthy and effective educational product.

Of cause, if child develops wrong habit in piano, it won't kill, but I think sometimes it could destroy self esteem and overall success in life. As an educator who educate educators  I saw some very traumatic stories, when wrong start in music education crippled lives of people.