Is It Still a Real Lesson If You Didn’t Use a Method Book?

Jade Robinson
Jul 17
3 min read

What if your pupil’s first piano lesson didn’t include middle C at all?

What if they didn’t open a method book for weeks?

What if they explored, listened, created and expressed themselves before they ever read a note?

Traditional piano teaching often starts with a book. One hand, one note, one page at a time. It’s neat, predictable and familiar. But if that’s the only route we offer, we’re not developing well-rounded musicians. We’re training followers, not creators.

Reading Isn’t the Only Way In

We tend to treat creativity like a reward you unlock later. “First learn to read. Then you can compose.” “Do your scales. Then you can improvise.” But this delay can actually stunt musical development. It can separate sound from meaning. It can turn lessons into decoding exercises instead of musical experiences.

Improvisation helps pupils develop a deep connection with sound, expression and their own ideas. It builds confidence, strengthens aural awareness and gives them ownership over what they play. And it doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming.

From "That Sounds Rubbish" to Proud and Beaming

I recently took on a new pupil who had previously learned with another teacher. He’s a fantastic listener with a natural talent for copying what I model, but he finds reading notation difficult and often second-guesses himself.

This week, I introduced something completely new. I’d created a video with a backing track to What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor?. After learning the melody, we moved onto exploring improvisation using the D Dorian scale (all the white notes between D and D). After listening to an example of improvisation using that scale, I asked him to have a go.

To begin with, he was well out of his comfort zone. After playing a few minims, he stopped and said, “That sounds rubbish!”

We talked about why he thought it didn’t sound good, and I showed him how varying the rhythm could make all the difference. I modelled some simple, varied patterns using the same notes. When he tried again, it clicked.

Within minutes he was confidently creating his own patterns, fully engaged and smiling from ear to ear. That transformation - from anxious to beaming - was the real magic of music making.

What Can Improvisation Look Like?

Improvisation in early lessons can be short, simple and joyful. A few ideas:

Explore white-note improvisation over a low drone
Play a "question and answer" pattern with the teacher
Respond to an emotion or image with sound
Use a structure like “play three quiet sounds and one surprise”
Take turns adding notes to build a pattern

It’s not about freewheeling chaos or jazz solos from day one. It’s about play, curiosity and expression. And it’s accessible to every pupil, even complete beginners.

What About Progress?

Improvisation is not a distraction from progress. It is progress. It helps pupils:

Build fluency and familiarity with the keyboard
Hear and predict patterns
Develop rhythmic confidence
Learn to listen actively
Understand structure, dynamics and phrasing in a hands-on way

These are not extra skills. These are core musicianship skills. And they often develop faster when reading is supported by creativity, not placed in opposition to it.

But What If I Don’t Feel Confident Teaching This?

You don’t have to be an expert improviser yourself. Start with something small and structured. Play a simple four-note pattern and ask your pupil to copy. Play a drone and let them find notes that fit. Set a tiny challenge: “Play a sad piece using just two fingers.” Keep it short and low-pressure.

If you're not sure what to say to parents, explain it like this:"Improvisation helps your child connect with music deeply and creatively. It supports their confidence, listening and expression, and builds skills that will make them a better reader and player in the long run."

Let Them Surprise You

Pupils are capable of so much more than we sometimes expect. If they’ve only ever followed instructions, it might feel strange at first to be asked to invent something. But given the chance, many children will astonish you with their ideas.

You don’t need to throw away the books. Just make space for moments of exploration alongside them.

A minute of improvisation can breathe life into an entire lesson.

Ready to bring creativity and confidence into your piano lessons?

Discover how improvisation and playful exploration can transform your teaching and your pupils’ experience. Explore Piano Umbrella’s video-based curriculum for inspiring ideas and practical support to make music-making fun from day one.

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