I'll never forget a piano course I took when I was attending the Community College of Philadelphia. It was a "class" piano course where about 20-25 people were seated around keyboards. Each keyboard had headphones and we were supplied with a standard piano textbook.

The course lasted 4 months or so and I learned how to play triads with both hands. I also learned how to read treble and bass clefs.

I can't say that I was thrilled with this course. In fact, I remember thinking how boring it was. And dry. Why couldn't we learn something that would allow creativity in?

I guess most "teachers" don't think you can be creative in music until you spend about 2 years learning what they consider to be the basics. This is all nonsense and only serves to mystify music and make it inaccessible to the masses.

I can only say that during the 16 weeks or so of attending this class, I learned that I didn't really want to play the piano. Why? Because I wasn't having fun! And fun is the impetus for further exploration. It seems like common sense to me. Yet this idea of actually enjoying the process of making music eludes music teachers at the college level.

Ironically, elementary school teachers know that their students MUST HAVE FUN first or they won't be interested in learning more. Children spend their time in musical activities that inspire imagination and create a sense of joy. How interesting that this same educational technique is not employed for the grown ups among us.

Of course I'm not saying that adults should spend their time skipping and hopping on musical notes to learn them. What I am saying is that it's important that joy and love of music be placed before theory and discipline.