Our Approach

The Problem

When learning music, the various interconnected elements such as pitch, rhythm, and dynamics must be taught independently. The greatest challenge for teachers lies in both clarifying these individual components and weaving them into a unified whole. This delicate balance of breaking down details while fostering a broader understanding makes music education particularly complex, demanding both precision and a holistic perspective.

Solutions:

1) User-Friendly Notation

2) Visual Association

3) The Articulation Principle

4) Sight Reading & Answer Keys

User-Friendly Notation

Learning traditional music notation is complex and challenging, with a long on-ramp that requires patience amid uncertainty and confusion. Our user-friendly notation ensures a successful first piano experience, offering thousands of classical, pop, and jazz songs in a simple format. As it becomes easier, students will transition to traditional notes and use what they’ve learned for the next step, "Visual Association."

Visual Association

When kids learn words like ‘happy’ or ‘sad,’ we may use happy or sad faces to teach the meaning. This works because the child already understands the concept before learning the word. This process is called “Visual Association”

:) = Happy

:( = Sad

The Stockner Method™ uses visual association but instead of faces and words, it’s user-friendly colored letters and traditional notes.

Articulation Principle

With music being as complex as it is, teachers tend to mark up their students’ music to correct mistakes. By the time the teacher has finished marking everything, students are looking at quite a mess, and every time they see the mess, they are reminded of their own confusion. This is not a great way to empower one’s self-esteem!

The Articulation Principle breaks music sheets into "Identification Sheets," where students first state a note’s location, name, finger, and beat before playing from the score. This ensures they’re learning actively and getting ahead of potential errors. That’s why we say, “If you can say it, you can play it!”

Sight Reading & Answer Keys

Using the Articulation Principle, students feel well-prepared to read music successfully on their first try. After learning dozens of details from the teacher—such as note location, name, finger, hand, and beats—they’re thoroughly equipped. This shows when their sheet music doesn’t need excessive markup. If a mistake occurs, they can use the Answer Keys at the back of the book to verify their work.