Mrs. Vee's Piano Studio

 Ask any piano teacher!  Counting out loud is near and dear to our hearts!  We view it as our favorite form of torture--second only to metronome use!

Just kiddin' of course, but this is exactly what some students seem to see it as.  But let me explain the reasons why I hound, cajole, threaten and bribe students to count out loud:

1. To keep the beat steady

2. To play the right note values (whole, half, quarter, eighths, etc.)

3. To know where you are in the measure--"Am I on the first beat or the third?" Etc.

4. It keeps the student focused on the music (it's hard to think about other things if you're counting out loud.)

5. For some reason no one seems to be able to explain--the person seems to play the notes better--not as many errors.  One of my teachers used to say: "Saying it---makes playing it!"