Author: Jackmo

Part 2 of the Solo Piano Arranging Series After walking through the general approach to solo piano arranging, let’s dive into a specific example: how I arranged Peter Gabriel’s iconic tune, “In Your Eyes.” This song has so much rhythmic nuance and textural depth that creating a solo piano version is both achallenge and a…

If you’ve ever sat down at the piano and wished you could just play your favorite song — not from sheetmusic, not copying a YouTube video — but truly make it your own, welcome to the world of solo pianoarranging. Arranging music for solo piano is one of the most creative and rewarding skills a…

A piano teacher’s honest answer…. One of the most common questions I get is:“How much should I practice?” My answer? It’s not really about how long you practice — it’s about how often. Spaced Repetition: A Fancy Term for “Don’t Cram” Practicing piano is a lot like learning a new language. If you study 10…

Hi! I’m Jackie, and I’m a piano teacher here in Van Nuys. I work with kids of all ages — even total beginners — to help them learn to play songs, read music, and have fun making music on the piano. Here’s what you can expect when you take piano lessons with me: 🎹 We’ll…

Let’s be real — learning something new as an adult can feel like climbing a mountain… in flip-flops… while holding a latte. You start out excited, full of energy, and then bam — discouragement sneaks in. If you’ve ever thought, “Why am I so bad at this?” or “Why is this taking forever?” — you’re…

Thinking about learning to play piano? Here’s a little motivation: it’s not just fun — it’s actually amazing for your brain. Seriously. Whether you’re picking it up for the first time or returning after years away, piano lessons can do way more than just teach you a few tunes. Bottom line? Piano lessons aren’t just…