About

I’m a passionate believer that learning, playing and creating music on the piano can have extremely beneficial effects on the development of the brain.

There is plenty of research that confirm that children who learn to play music early tend to do better in math and science.  In addition, they benefit from learning the importance of discipline and time-management.

Neurologists have pointed to the idea that playing piano, especially while extensively using the left hand in a complex manner, can stimulate areas in the right-hemisphere of the brain, contributing to a multitude of creative and problem solving benefits.

For those of us not so young, there is still hope for us as well!  I didn’t “really” start playing music until later in my life.  But having the ability to express my creative side through music has done wonders in providing balance in a hectic life.

I’m in the process of creating this “Tutorial System” to teach anyone how to read and play music on the piano, especially for those that don’t have the time or resources to take traditional lessons.  It’s a work still in progress, but I hope at any stage someone will find the inspiration and resources to just play music…especially our kids.

Now Start Playing!

We’re aiming to design the concepts and materials to appeal to children so they may learn the basics of reading music. Once they learn how to read and translate to the piano, we’re hoping they’ll be excited to learn their favorite Disney, Pop Artist, and Old Children’s Favorite Songs, or any music that inspires them to keep playing and stimulating their minds.

We’re continually working on the processes and hope to have something that will also appeal to adults – as it’s never too late to learn or jump back into it! There is extensive research that indicate the learning, playing and creating music on the piano has tremendous cognitive benefits no matter what age, and that perhaps may even reduce the progression of Alzheimer’s.

Once we provide the basics of learning music on the piano to anyone, we hope that some will find an internal passion to seek formal lessons and challenge themselves to climb as far up the performance ladder or aspire to become an inspirational instructor to children.

Are you trying to replace Piano Teachers?
No, quite on the contrary! We’re extremely adamant in expressing the importance of teachers, and that our system isn’t intended to replace them at all. More so, we highly, highly encourage those parents with the time and resources to find a piano teacher that is a good fit for their children, and will foster an environment that will inspire them to continue on. There is a special bond, feedback and encouragement that Piano Teachers can provide that our system can not. But schedule inconveniences and cost shouldn’t be obstacles for anyone wanting to benefit from music and piano, and that is where our passionate efforts aims to help.

If you are a teacher, we’d love to help promote you and your services. Contact Michael for more information.

What is your philosophy?
We have what some might consider an “Overly Dreamy” perspective of the importance of Music and Art for a well-balanced humanity. Essentially, we believe our society is moving towards an overly competitive and logically based society due to the socially comprehensive influence of our “Love of Sports”, and the prevalence of behavioral patterns now being assimilated by Computers and Systematic Programming (or Left-brain accentuation through 85-95% right-handedness society).

You can see Music Programs effectively being pushed out of School Curriculum and Budgetary Considerations, and more parents are electing to encourage or support their children in after school sports activities – perhaps for physical development and team/social bonding. Unfortunately, music studies, particularly the piano, can be a solo and lonely endeavor with efforts seldom recognized by peers.

However, we strongly believe that artistic expression through music and the bi-hemispheric stimulation of the brain through the coordination of two hands and ten fingers while playing the piano, can increase cognitive processes that will help our children compete in the impending future of Automation, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.

What is this Left/Right Brain Theory?
In short and in a very basic, rudimentary concept, we believe we’ve become a dominantly Left-Brained society due to the idea that 85-95% of us are Right-handed. Our bodies are neurologically controlled by the opposite hemisphere of the brain. Increasing Right Hemispheric activity through Art and Left-Hand coordination might increase neural stimulation in regions of the brain responsible for many cognitive processes not prevalent in today’s society.

Since we are an overly dominant Right-handed society, perhaps more of the Left Brain attributes may be accentuated. Increasing Left-handed coordination, particularly in a creative and deftly controlled manner may accentuate more attributes associated with the Right Brain.

Learning to Play and Create music on the piano, especially in a spontaneous or improvisational (imagination) mode while using both the left and right hand in complex manners may also help to facilitate better communication between both brain hemispheres, or increasing neural stimulation through the Corpus Callosum.

We understand this is all theoretical without empirical data, but deductively we think it might make sense from an extremely rudimentary understanding. In addition, the Creator of this site has noticed an extremely profound change in his cognitive processes after embarking on a two year exercise schedule to increase Left Hand/Finger dexterity and creative expressionism. Or, perhaps it provides a stimulating thesis and reason for families to learn music on the piano!

Can Anyone Be A Musician?
We’re not actually trying to create musicians, “rock stars” or “pop stars” as that’s a lofty goal that requires a certain perceptual change on the value of one’s purpose. More so, we are trying to bring out the Musical Mind that is in us all by actively stimulating regions of the brain responsible for Artistic Expression, Creativity, Abstract Reasoning and Empathy. Through musical expression and neural stimulation of the Right Hemisphere of the brain by left-hand pianistic movements, we believe we can help unlock latent or new cognitive processes, often associated with Musicians and Artists, and increase overall bi-hemispheric accessibility.

Many people say they don’t have a Music Mind and can’t keep a beat. We believe in the contrary and that everyone can play – it’s just a matter of effort and initiation…and perhaps some solitude for the Stage-Frightened people like we once were. But similar to riding a bike, once you learn to play you’ll have a life-long ability to enjoy the fruits of playing and creating music on the piano – just be sure to practice and enjoy as often as possible to stimulate the mind!

What is Neural Stimulation and Plasticity?
Engaging in creative exploration of music on the piano and other instruments may help to stimulate brain regions and neural networks that can enhance cognitive functioning, along with increasing empathy and self-esteem.

For children and the developing mind, comprehensive studies validate the positive benefits to cognitive processes, emotional awareness, self-confidence, language, math and science, and memory when active in piano / music lessons. These traits then often contribute to successful career endeavors and lifelong interpersonal skills.

For us adults, studies show that learning music on the piano can induce Neuroplasticity (creating new neural mapping) in areas of the brain not engaged in passive entertainment. Furthermore, studies reveal that it’s never too late to learn and play music on the piano, and that adults who learn to play, though later in their lives, improve both their cognitive processes and their emotional “i.q.” Other studies, like any activities that challenge the brain, can reduce the onset of Alzheimer’s.

Do you recommend a Piano or Digital Keyboard?
An actual piano has almost a “romantic” appeal to it given it’s historical significance and continual evolution. The sound and feel of a properly tuned and conditioned piano provides for great finger dexterity and strength development, along with resonating harmonic vibrations appealing to the audible senses. There really is nothing like performing on a highly crafted grand piano in the right acoustical setting.

However, pianos can be expensive, cumbersome and impractical for many families and their living situation. Digital Keyboards (or Digital Pianos) are often economically and conveniently more practical. Most digital keyboards have a headphone jack so that students can practice in private, and will typically have numerous sound samples to help keep the younger learners creatively engaged. And with all the new software programs and innovative technologies, learning music in a digital environment is more feasible for those strapped for time or money.

If you do find the appeal of a Digital Keyboard over a piano, we highly recommend one that has “weighted” keys to simulate the feel and pressure of a real piano. This will ensure proper finger strengthening and allow for emotional expressionism through touch sensitivity (or graded pressure response – the heavier you hit the key the louder the sound). Also, we recommend one that has the full 88 keys and 128 polyphony. A sustain pedal (dampening pedal) is a must. But recording, sampling, midi control surfaces and nobs are not necessary – but will add to the creative process, which is our fundamental goal.

What is Free Association Playing?
I conceived of Free Association Playing as a way to really free your mind and open that “3rd” eye that I believe we all have; it is really exploring and using the imagination and Right Hemisphere/Consciousness of the brain. Essentially after you learn a series of chord patterns and finger movements within those patterns, you practice generating musical ideas or expressions that correlate to whatever your thoughts or emotions are. Most importantly, you must free yourself from the strict aspect of Timing, Rhythm and “Proper” modalities, and just let your mind and hands freely explore in synchronicity – or imaginative exploration.

I believe along with rote performing and strict adherence to proper musical standards, which is essential in learning music, developing the creative and Artistic performance is just as important. Perhaps the improvisational and free association playing can further stimulate neural areas of the brain not necessarily utilized in Rote Performances.

What is that you hope to achieve through your passion?
We hope to inspire as many people as possible to Learn, Play and Create music on the 88s, especially our younger generation. As a result, we hope to increase Artistic Expression in our overly Logical Society, and perhaps give our kids a positive channel to be creative and nourish their “Other Self”! Some might say that we are simply creating processes and methodologies to stimulate the brain by using the fun and Power Of Music. In reality, we’re just being Cheerleaders of Music and Piano studies because we fervently believe it Artistically Benefits our world!

In Closing
Again, we can’t express how sincerely and urgently we recommend that you find an actual Piano Instructor that is a “good fit” for your child, and can properly nourish and encourage the learning, playing and creating of music on the piano. There is so much the brain can do, and the active neural stimulation through these musical processes can help to activate certain regions not stimulated in our present pop-culture behaviors. The young, developing mind of a child makes it easier to learn and absorb the techniques and understanding of playing music on the piano, and the benefits will endure life long – in our Musical Opinion!

EDIT: In our times of social unrest, impending automation in the work force, and the rising mental illness leading to atrocities in our younger generation, I believe it is absolutely essential for all forms of Music and Artistic Expression to be promoted. There is neuroscientific and psychological proof on the benefits of Music, Art, and Creative Self-Expression for a healthy, cohesive, and adaptive society.