About the author

Barbara Grout

Barb Grout has been teaching piano for 35 years, primarily in her home studio. From 2012-16 she was Independent Music Teachers Forum Chair for the Colorado Music Teachers Association. She has written numerous articles on subjects like student (and teacher) motivation; simultaneous learning; teaching students to think musically; and incorporating modal music into piano lessons. Always searching for better ways to teach, she began using the Suzuki Piano Method in 1984. In 2008 she discovered Edwin Gordon’s Music Learning Theory and subsequently reinvented herself as a teacher using Gordon’s principles. Her enthusiasm for Music Learning Theory continues to grow year after year for one simple reason: “It works".

The Ultimate Guide to Teaching Musical Patterns

by Barbara Grout

Table of Contents Teaching Musical Patterns Powerful Patterns Helping students to feel and understand music Decoding patterns What do patterns look like? How to help students find patterns in music A Musical Vocabulary The Pattern-Based Teaching Approach Applying this approach in piano lessons A foundation in patterns makes the difference Pattern-Based Teaching Links How do ... The Ultimate Guide to Teaching Musical Patterns

09/06/2016 Read more

Feel the Beat off the Seat | Tips for Teaching Rhythm

by Barbara Grout

This week’s article comes from Music Learning Theory (MLT) teacher and presenter, Barbara Grout and is all about Tips for Teaching Rhythm. Rhythm is one of those fundamental aspects of music that many of us fail to help students understand and feel innately. If you’ve ever had a student not realise that they’ve ‘missed’ a beat in ... Feel the Beat off the Seat | Tips for Teaching Rhythm

07/20/2016 Read more