“In this short amount of time I am amazed at how much my kids have learned and are able to play on the keyboard!  I have been so impressed with Mark’s patience and teaching abilities..... I love the variety in what he teaches and has them practicing.  These range from learning and practicing songs they enjoy, lesson book material, keyboard fingering practices, family duets, song memorization, music flash cards, and more.  We thoroughly enjoy our lessons with Mark and highly recommend him to everyone! “ -- Ginene N., Sierra Vista

Looking for a Piano Teacher? Here are Reasons to Choose Mark for Piano Lessons in Sierra Vista:

► Qualified Instructor / Performer. 43 Years in the Business

► Fun, Exciting Approach with Humor -- adjusted to the way you learn

► Learn as Fast as You Want. Special Techniques Can Shorten Your Learning Curve.

► Classical to Jazz! All Ages, Styles & Levels.  

► Lessons in My Studio. Rates start at $25 per half hour, and $50 for the full hour in my home studio on Carmelita Dr., Sierra Vista. Lessons in your home are available at $60/ hour for 1-hour or longer sessions, up to 15-minute drive time each way.

 

A Creative Teaching Technique 

Piano entertainer and teacher Mark Rider has been working with students for more than 43 years. His success comes from a creative teaching method, unlimited patience, and a genuine interest in helping students reach their musical goals. (His lessons are seasoned with humorous anecdotes and shortcuts that make learning a lot of fun.)

Mark defines his approach as “traditional eclectic” --- choosing among proven teaching methods and creative new techniques that are customized to the individual's needs. Learning to play chords and playing by ear are rewarding complements to his teaching methodology. “But sometimes,” he advises, “there's no getting around learning the notes and simply improving sight reading. Once you do, you can learn the music of your favorite artists much faster. Then, the whole musical world is at your fingertips.”

Choose Your Style & Learn at Your Pace

Mark's musical world of Piano Lessons combines the best of classical and modern training. And what a musical world it is! It ranges from classical and semi-classical themes to Broadway standards, contemporary popular favorites, movie themes, new age, rock 'n roll, blues, jazz, and don't forget improvisation. Even Mark's youngest students learn how to improvise, and create their own songs!

Mark's “guilt-free, painless piano policy” is great for people on-the-go who may need flexible scheduling or to skip a lesson now and then. Just be sure to give 4-hour notice of any change in the schedule to avoid a charge for a dropped lesson.*

Lessons are available to children and adults, from age 4 and up. Beginners through advanced accepted. Students may share the lesson time. In-home lessons are available within a limited driving range for a minimum of a 1-hour lesson. An additional fee may apply to a longer drive time to your home.

*Students can pay at each lesson or in advance, Cash.app, cash or check. Give 4 hours notice to cancel appointment or reschedule for lesson to take place within 24 hours. For less than 4 hours notice cancellation, you are asked to pay 50% of lesson fee for the missed lesson. Receive full refund for other pre-paid lessons cancelled beyond the missed lesson. You can set lessons for weekly or other schedule. Most students prefer weekly. Young children do well with a 30-minute lesson, older children and adults prefer the full hour. 

Success Stories

 "I had been playing keyboards/piano without knowing what I was doing and decided to get some lessons and gratefully came across Mark Rider. For one Mark is an accomplished musician and has a wonderful style of teaching. Like anything, you have to practice, do the work, Mark can guide you there to a better understanding all around, finger placement, chords and their inversions and exercises to strengthen your playing abilities.

"My personal experience with Mark opened my eyes to a whole new world of endless possibilities which is what music is all about. In 10 minutes Mark had me seeing what I had not before. You really want to learn to play music on the keyboards/piano, first know your commitment, second, make a call to Mark Rider and start a journey to learning what drives your passion."

--- Rico Perez

"When I heard Mark play a simple piece in twenty different styles, I got hooked! I started studying with Mark, planning to learn just a little bit of classical and was very excited when I found out he also taught Jazz, Blues, Modern, Improvisation, a whole array of styles. Not often can we find a great teacher who specializes in every style of piano music! I feel very fortunate to study with Mark, he is very patient and gives just the right amount of challenge that I need. I recommend Mark to anyone at all levels and styles."

--- Arianne Shimanoff

"This summer I've had the pleasure of learning piano with Mark Rider. Learning piano with Mark is fun, and easy. Mark likes to help his students create ways to simplify the experience of learning the piano. The lessons go at the pace of the student, so that the student does not feel overwhelmed. Throughout the lesson Mark remains calm and patient as he works with you to improve. Near the end of the lesson Mark helps you prepare for the next lesson, by giving you work, exercises, and piano pieces to practice on over the week."

 --- Israel Lutes

"I was worried about fitting piano lessons into my schedule. Mark has been so accommodating and has helped me fit guilt free lessons in. In fact i still have to change things around from time to time. Mark is patient, kind, and has exercises that are fun and interesting for any age. With his witty sense of humor, Mark has made me laugh and become a friend, as well as great teacher."

--- Jeremy Booth

"Mark is very knowledgeable and equally at home in many styles of music.  Once he determined my level of skill and what I specifically wanted to learn, he got me going on both structured and unstructured exercises to bone up on the fundamentals, such as chords and lead voicing, and learning to improvise accompaniments on songs of my choosing.  He’s a guilt-free teacher who enjoys watching his students improve."

--Jeff Stolle

You can learn a variety of musical fundamentals and modern technique. Lessons are available for students of all ages, and any number of feet.

Mark Rider 

Lerpner@gmail.com
520.220.8664

Memorize your music

When you’ve memorized your music the brain can anticipate the next note way before you actually play it. Therefore you’re prepared for the complications that come next. Learning your music also gives you the much-needed confidence, you’re less likely to fumble. However, don't use music memorization as a replacement for getting to know your notes; it will slow you down in the long run.

Focus on each hand separately

Every budding pianist goes through the “separate hand practice” phase where your tutor instructs you to concentrate on each hand separately instead of using both. Separate hand movement can drastically improve your technique; you can now identify the problem areas and work on them.

Left hand is weakest for most piano players, since most people are right handed. The great thing about stringed instruments like guitar and violin , along with the piano, is that they require a strong, well articulated left hand to add to a better performance. Focus more of your practise on LH.

 4 Websites that Offer Free Beginner Piano Music

https://makingmusicfun.net/htm/printit_piano_sheet_music_index

https://musescore.com/sheetmusic/beginner/piano

https://www.music-for-music-teachers.com/beginner-piano-music.html

https://www.8notes.com/piano/sheet_music/?difficulty=1

 The right hand will play the same notes you learned to play in the left hand – except, they will be played in a broken format, in the same order as the LH. So, every time you play the solid 4-tone chord in the left hand, play the broken 4-tone chord in the right. Now, move up to the next chord to do the same thing.

 Left hand is weakest for most piano players, since most people are right handed. The great thing about stringed instruments like guitar and violin , along with the piano, is that they require a strong, well articulated left hand to add to a better performance. Focus more of your practise on LH.

 Left hand improv progression for a first exercise: Play C-E-G, as a solid Chord. Then, move up to D-F-A. Finally move to E-G-B. You are working up the scale. After E-G-B, head down to DFA, and end at CEG.

This time as you play CEG as a solid chord in the LH, play CEG as a broken chord in the right. This is a warm up for a more sophisticated 7^th chord, coming up in the next post.

Referring to the last post and exercise: This time we're going to add a 7^th tone – either a major 7^th or a minor 7^th to the solid chord in the left hand. For the C major chord, add a B to the right of the chord, and play as a solid chord.

 Next add an C after the DFA solid chord. Then add a D after the E minor chord of EGB. Practise each of these chords back and forth. Guess what we're going to do with the next assignment?