Letts Music School

16/08/2026

Patterns for music 🎶

Before Juan Cabeza Hernández became one of our published composers, he was a Piano Safari teacher. He reached out years ago to tell us how the method had reshaped his teaching. That conversation eventually became Piano Train Trips and later the two Diversions books and Miniatures.

His compositions follow the same philosophy as his teaching: pattern-based pieces that build students' technical skills while sounding more impressive than they are difficult, helping them find their own artistic voice along the way.

See the complete collection of Juan's books published by Piano Safari here: https://shop.pianosafari.com/collections/juan-cabe

20/07/2026

Fur Elise - see the full piano tutorial for beginners over on my blog https://alicemeditationcoach.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/learning-to-name-the-notes-cdefgab-and-c-etc/ and on my YouTube channel Letts Music School

20/07/2026

🎹 Bringing Für Elise to Early Years Piano! 🎶
Are you ready to explore a classic masterpiece with your little ones without the pressure?

In our latest blog post, Alice Letts shares a gentle, "sound-before-symbol" approach to teaching beginner piano—featuring Beethoven's Für Elise tailored for early years and homeschool learners!

🌟 What’s inside the tutorial:
Somatic Grounding & Posture: Tips for relaxed shoulders, curved fingers, and stress-free playing.

Step-by-Step Breakdown: Easy-to-follow guidance for the iconic opening motif, left-hand octave anchors, and fun hand-crossing patterns.

Whimsical Storytelling: Join Chloe the cat, Gertrude the goose, and friends as they bring music to life in Willow Creek Meadow!

Complete Video Tutorials: Watch the 19-minute kids' piano tutorial and the 2-minute performance right on the page!

Let’s make music a joyful, pressure-free exploration where listening, movement, and keyboard patterns come first. 🐾✨

👉 Read the full tutorial and watch the videos in the comments below 👇

11/07/2026

🎹 Ready to get your boogie on? 🎹
See my blog post: "Mastering Gerald Martin’s Boogie No. 1: A Beginner’s Tutorial."

Whether you’re a student preparing for the ABRSM Initial Grade or just looking to add some bluesy energy to your practice, this post is for you!

In this tutorial, I break down:
✅ The "blueprint" of the 12-bar blues structure (I, IV, V chords).
✅ Tips for coordinating hands and mastering that signature "solid beat."
✅ Guidance on navigating time and key signatures.
✅ Plus, a fun musical story to help you feel the rhythm of the rails!

I’ve also included links to my dedicated video breakdowns for the Right Hand, Left Hand, and Hands Together practice sessions to help you every step of the way.
Check out the full guide in the pinned comments below 👇

09/07/2026

Want to learn "Pick a Pocket or Two"? Start here! 🎶

Playing Oliver! on the piano has never been easier!

I’ve created a beginner-friendly tutorial that turns this classic song into a simple, playful game for young learners. No complicated notation—just a fun, guided lesson using our "Finger Animal Friends" to get those fingers moving on the keys right away.

Watch the easy video guide and download your printable lesson resources on the blog (see comments for the link)

25/06/2026

19/06/2026

🎶 New Blog Post: From Natural Listening to the Magic of D Minor! 🎹

Looking for a way to introduce your little ones to the piano without the pressure of rigid technique or boring drills? My latest early years resource is all about **organic, multi-sensory music-making**, inspired by a beautiful summer afternoon at the Bedford Proms in the Park. 🌿✨

This jam-packed guide includes everything you need to bring playful, story-driven music education into your home or studio:

📖 The Meadow Music Festival Story:** Join Chloe the Cat (with her lovely grey stripes and white chest), Gertrude the Goose, David and Damien the black Shepherd dogs, and Beatrice the Bird as they discover the joy of live brass band music!

🎹 Tutorial 1: "The Open-Air Promenade" (C Major):** A beautiful, beginner-friendly duet designed to build natural listening and a steady rhythmic pulse.

🎩 Tutorial 2: "Pick a Pocket or Two" (D Minor):** Ready for a bit of mystery? We travel into the mischievous world of D Minor with a full 5-finger tutorial of the iconic song from *Oliver!*, utilizing **Movable-Do Solfege** and healthy, curved-finger technique (no "squashed spiders" here!).

🎨 Free Printable Companion Pack:** Perfect for neurodivergent learners and children aged 3–7! Includes an A4 Piano Animal Station Guide, a rhythmic dot-to-dot puzzle, Fagin’s Pocket Maze, and a coloring-in sheet.

🕵️‍♂️ At-Home Family Games:** Take the music away from the bench with active rhythm and listening games like *The Pulse-Thumper Detective* and *The Soundscape Walk*.

🛋️ **Music starts with free curiosity, long before formal lessons begin.** Whether you are a parent or an educator, this lesson is designed to establish emotional safety, connection, and a lifelong love for live sound.

👉 **Read the full guide, download your free printable activity sheets, and find the link to our tutorial video here:** [Insert Blog Link]

18/06/2026

🎹✨ ALL SHALL BE WELL: Bringing Ancient Wisdom and Absolute Safety to the Piano Bench (Day 83) ✨🎹

Ever noticed how a child’s little hands can instantly tense up the moment they feel the "pressure" to perform? 🐾

In Day 83 of our 90-Day Music & Mindfulness journey, Chloe the Cat is learning that we don’t have to let performance anxiety freeze our music. To find her focus, she takes a trip down a historic stone lane to discover a beautiful secret from history’s ultimate teacher of comfort under pressure: **Julian of Norwich.**

Holding a tiny hazelnut in her paw, Chloe learns a radical message of emotional safety: *“All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”* 🌰❤️

When a young beginner sits at a massive piano, the keys can feel overwhelming. But when we teach them that they are safe to make mistakes, the tightness in their shoulders completely melts away.

👉*Read the full story & grab your resources on my blog : see comments below 👇 for the link to the blog and also video.

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🌟 What’s Inside Today’s Post & Lesson:

🎬 Video Tutorial:** Watch as we dive into page one of the wonderful *Dogs and Birds Piano Method (Book 2)* to practice gentle, tension-free mastery.

🦅 Red & Blue Spatial Boundaries:** How to use simple color cues (Deep Blue Oceans for the left hand, High Red Skies for the right) to make keyboard orientation 100% stress-free for preschoolers.

*🐱 Meet the Finger Family:* Swap dry numbers for characters your child will love! Say hello to Thumbelina, Pointer Panda, and Middle Mouse as they walk up the G Major Scale.

🎼 A Royal Duet:** Learn how to play William Byrd’s beautiful, meditative *"Pavan: The Earl of Salisbury"* as a teacher/parent duet using smooth chord inversions to create a calming "musical blanket" of sound.

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🎨 Free Day 83 Children’s Activity Package!

Turn today's mindfulness lesson into tactile, creative play at home with our printable A4 home packet:

The G Major Structural Path:** A horizontal stepping-stone game where children place a real hazelnut on each stone as they sing the scale.

Gertrude's Golden Key Dot-to-Dot** (Counting 1–20).

Chloe’s Sanctuary Maze** (Bypassing the walls of performance anxiety!).

Beautiful Coloring Page:** Chloe holding the perfect hazelnut in her paw inside Julian's quiet cell.

Let's teach our little ones to use natural gravity, relaxed wrists, and a beautiful curved hand position—as if softly cradling a fragile hazelnut. 🕊️

17/06/2026

Discover the secret to effortless piano performance for kids!

Day 82 of our Music & Mindfulness journey tackles the challenge of playing under pressure.

Follow Chloe the Cat into a bustling Vintry Garden where the choir and organ demonstrate how to "allow" music rather than control it.

This lesson introduces the essential G Major Scale and Chords—the concrete skills Chloe uses to transition from mechanic drilling to true, expressed freedom.

Master foundational chords and access our unique A4 Printable Laminated Cards, designed to help young musicians anchor calm confidence.

Learn why the recommended piece, "Be Still, For the Presence of the Lord," is the perfect anchor for sensory grounding and somatic release.

Read the full post on day 82 to learn how to keep playing with ease, even when it matters most. To read the blog visit my link in the comments below 👇

13/06/2026

FIND THE PATTERNS AND UNLOCK "MAMMA MIA"! 🎵🐈🪿

Hey everyone! Overwhelmed by too many notes? I’ve got you. Check out my new blog for a fresh way to teach (or learn) ABBA’s classic "Mamma Mia" chorus!

I've included:

A fun Chloe the Cat story for young learners 🐈

A complete, color-coded adult duet and solo chart 🎹

Full Solfege and scale degrees to break down the patterns!

Ready to make "Mamma Mia" your next studio win?

👇 CLICK THE LINK TO THE BLOG IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!