Tag: piano practice tips

Why Piano Performances are Key to Becoming a Better Musician

When I was a young piano student, I often participated in local piano competitions. After one particular competition, all the finalists were asked to perform one of their pieces for an audience filled with families, teachers, and fellow students. I felt prepared and confident—until a giant bug landed on my hand mid-performance! I’m not a fan of giant bugs, so I let out a tiny scream and waved my hand in the air to get rid of it before continuing to play. Was I mortified? Absolutely. But I also learned some valuable lessons from that piano performance, lessons that shaped me as a musician and performer.

Performing for an audience is an important step in every musician’s journey. It’s not just about playing the right notes; it’s about gaining confidence, building resilience, and connecting with your listeners. Here’s why stepping into the spotlight (bugs and all!) is so important for your growth as a pianist. Continue reading “Why Piano Performances are Key to Becoming a Better Musician”

Piano Practice Bingo Card

If your kiddo has ever looked at the piano bench like it personally wronged them, you are not alone. I’ve been teaching piano for a long time, and I can tell you with complete confidence that “practice resistance” is one of the most universal struggles in music education. It doesn’t mean your child doesn’t love music, or that you’re doing something wrong. It usually just means practice needs a little spark.

Which is exactly why I made this: a free printable Piano Practice Bingo Card.

The concept is simple, and really, that’s the point. Each square on the card has a different practice task — things like playing scales, sight-reading, improvising, working on dynamics, and more. As your student completes each task, they mark off the square. The goal? Fill a row, a column, a diagonal, or if you’ve got a particularly ambitious kid, the whole card. It’s still practice, but now it has a game layered over it, and that shift makes a surprisingly big difference.

Why it works (without feeling gimmicky)

What I love about the bingo format is that it introduces variety naturally. Your student isn’t grinding through the same checklist every day — they’re making choices, working toward a goal, and covering a truly broad range of skills along the way. Technical work like scales and tricky passages builds finger strength and coordination. Playing with dynamics helps them understand how emotion lives inside music. Improvising and experimenting with different tempos or keys builds the kind of creative confidence that sticks around long after the bingo card is done.

And if you want to add a small reward for completing a line or finishing the card? Absolutely do it. It doesn’t have to be elaborate — extra screen time, a favorite treat, a trip to get ice cream — the point is that your student has something to work toward that feels worth the effort.

How to get it

Just click the link, download the PDF, and print it out. It’s ready to use as-is, so there’s no prep work on your end. Slip it into your practice space and let your student know the game is on.

Download your free Piano Practice Bingo Card here.

If your family gives it a try, I’d love to hear how it goes — tag me on social media @busymomsdopiano. Happy practicing!

Carly

What Should Piano Practice Include?

In the past, I’ve written about how piano practice shouldn’t be structured by requiring a specific length of practice time. A student who is required to practice for 30 minutes a day, for example, won’t necessarily make steady progress in his piano abilities.

So how, then, should a piano practice be structured? How can you ensure that piano practice will mark forward progress? Continue reading “What Should Piano Practice Include?”