manchester piano tutor in-studio & online;
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editorial
didsbury piano teacher and writer diane paul MA, MISM
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pass exams, or play for fun!
mindful playing
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mindful piano playing, being focussed and in the present.
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being in the moment you begin to the time your lesson ends
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being focussed on what you are doing, leaving your cares and worries behind.
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being oblivious to any other person in the room or any distractions.
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not thinking about what you are going to make or eat for dinner or the work you do at home.
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OK to make mistakes. That's what I'm here for. I'll correct them!
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being kind to yourself and to other people. And especially to me!
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forgetting your mobile for a while and learning to make beautiful music instead. Turn it off before you begin!
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this is your time, so enjoy it! We aim to have fun here, while learning. We work as a team.
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TIP: take a course in mindfulness for stress or for health and wellbeing at Manchester's Buddhist Centre, online.
lessons
lessons
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​lessons are booked and paid for in advance. You can pay singly or in blocks of four weekly sessions lasting 30, 45 or 60 minutes.
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we begin with 30 minute sessions, until you feel you would like longer lessons; you can then extend them.
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you can learn for fun or take Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) exams. Exams have 100 per cent pass rate here. Once you have mastered the basics, you can learn classics, pop music, or jazz.​
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lessons are first-come, first-served.
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TIP: beginners need to take regular lessons - dipping in and out at intervals means you are unlikely to move forwards; not having time to practise between lessons will also hold you back and you will be repeating the same lessons over and over if cancelling frequently or taking excessive time off. You will be asked at the first lesson for confirmation that you have both practise and lesson time available and if not, this may not be the hobby for you! Learning the piano is a commitment.
instrument
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your most important investment will be your instrument. A list of piano suppliers, removers and tuners is available by email on request.
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you will be unable to take lessons online if you don't have an instrument.
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keyboards are 'stage pianos', made for accompaniment for singers and easy transport. They are not pianos and can't be used for learning piano techniques. The touch, tone and mechanism differs from a piano, unless your keyboard is fully-weighted. You cannot do things on standard keyboards that we have to do on pianos.
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the following options are fine: acoustic upright or grand pianos; digital pianos; fully-weighted 88-key keyboards with pedals. For the leading supplier of 'as new' Yamaha pianos, we recommend Mark Goodwin Pianos in Oldham, Manchester. They offer a 100-day money-back trial, a lifetime warranty, free nationwide delivery and 0% finance up to £5000.
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you will need to buy your own music - first, the tutor book I recommend and a notebook. Music can be bought on the internet from Amazon UK or Forsyth's online or Forsyth's Manchester shop. Please discourage friends/relatives from buying you music before you begin lessons. I know they mean well but I will tell you which music to buy. You will need to obtain the music I suggest and, once you are playing with both hands, you may bring other pieces of your choice that you would like to learn.
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It is essential that we both of us have copies of the same music when learning online.
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TIP: you can download FREE sheet music from several sites on the internet. A good one is from IMSLP, free public domain sheet music. https://imslp.org
gift vouchers !
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why not treat your friends or relatives to some piano lessons? Manchester Piano Tutor's gift vouchers are great gifts for any special occasion.
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gift vouchers can be bought in singles or multiples, starting at £22 for 30 minutes, £30 for 45 minutes or £38 for 60 minutes and they're simple to order
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email or phone with the recipient's name and number of lessons. An invoice will be emailed to you
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pay in advance by bank transfer, cheque or cash. Instructions are on the invoice.
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the voucher will be emailed to you or handed to you if you pay at the studio.
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the recipient can contact me and arrange a convenient slot for their lesson. ​
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TIP: gift vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of issue, so check that the recipient uses it before it expires!