Supporting Your Piano Pathway
Written by Andrew Eales
Long established as a memory tool for note reading, well-worn mnemonics such as All Cows Eat Grass and Every Good Boy Deserves Football seem to have fallen out of favour in piano teaching circles these days.
Some suggest mnemonics should be avoided altogether, claiming that they are detrimental because:
- they add an extra step for the learner decoding notation
- they mitigate against the development of intervallic reading, harmonic understanding, and pattern recognition
- they don’t scale for reading ledger lines, different clefs, etc
- they can create a level of dependency that makes the transition to fluent reading harder
These are certainly important points to consider.
But when we explore the research into the use of mnemonics, a very different picture emerges. And teachers may notice that they are often recommended for learners who are dyslexic or with neurodiversity such as ADHD.
So what is the truth of the matter: are mnemonics useful, and if so for whom? Perhaps a balanced reassessment of the topic, grounded in academic and scientific research, is overdue. So let’s begin with the science bit…
Why we should use mnemonics
The use of mnemonics aligns with core principles from cognitive psychology and neuroscience.
Mnemonics are widely used in school classrooms, and have been shown to support memory retention, particularly in the formative stages of learning. Research suggests that learners who use them often show higher recall of factual information compared to those using traditional rote memorisation.
Studies report significant improvements in academic test performance, and it is suggested that they may help reduce anxiety for learners.
They can help reduce cognitive overload for beginners by structuring information into manageable chunks, and may provide early success experiences that can support confidence and motivation.
Though often recommended as a support strategy for neurodiverse learners, it is well-established that mnemonics more widely support learning and memory, and their use should not be confined to any one group.
However, mnemonics may particularly help neurodiverse learners, because rather than relying on rapid visual decoding and working memory alone (which can be challenging for some) they tap into alternative pathways such as verbal patterns, creative imagery, and associative thinking.
Some find language or auditory patterns easier to process than visual-spatial information. Mnemonics can help by converting visual input (such as notes arranged across five lines) into something verbal or rhythmic. For learners who do not easily decode abstract symbols, this can meaningfully improve their ability to recognise and recall information.
For example, the mnemonic All Cows Eat Grass can be helpful when learners are initially struggling to identify bass clef notes. It transforms what may appear to be an arbitrary visual pattern into a structured and memorable sentence, providing a strong pathway for retrieval later during practice.
Rather than introducing an extra decoding step, mnemonics thus reduce cognitive load by replacing multiple unfamiliar visual elements with a single meaningful chunk that unlocks them, so making note reading more accessible during early stages of learning.
So what’s the problem?
Research suggests that while mnemonics provide strong support for initial encoding and recall, they can be less effective for developing deeply connected conceptual understanding, so need to be complemented by other approaches that support this over time.
This aligns with common observations in piano teaching practice. Many concerns raised about mnemonics relate not to their initial use, but to their longer-term misuse. The challenge, therefore, is not their inclusion, but ensuring that teaching strategies effectively support progression beyond them.
If we dismiss the research-based early learning benefits of mnemonics, we are in danger of overlooking their value as an inclusive and accessible entry point for learners. We need to remain flexible and responsive to individual learning needs, rather than adopting a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach, especially if we might thereby inadvertently disadvantage some learners.
To summarise, the key issue is not whether to use mnemonics, but when and how to move beyond them, supporting learners in transitioning toward fluent recognition and deeper understanding, without undermining their confidence.
How to use mnemonics effectively
Here are some strategies which I have found helpful when using mnemonics for identifying pitch names:
1. Avoid using mnemonics too soon
The first notes I introduce on the stave are G in the G (treble) clef, F in the F (bass) clef, and Middle C in both. These can be referred to as landmark notes, and visually decoding and identifying them only rarely proves difficult.
These initial landmark notes frame the stable five-note positions favoured by many method books. Provided we avoid the mistake of writing letter names or excessive finger numbers into the score, recognition of them can be firmly embedded before moving on too soon.
2. Avoid using mnemonics when not needed
Many learners I have worked with never needed or used mnemonics. But as the range of notes expands beyond the initial landmark notes and incorporates wider intervals, some learners do.
For these learners, they can prove crucial for retaining confidence and lightening the cognitive load, as explained by the science. But mnemonics are only one learning tool among many, to be accessed as, when, and if needed.
3. Avoid using too many mnemonics
When students are taught four note-finding rhymes all at once, they are likely to muddle them, compounding confusion. This is perhaps one reason that some teachers avoid mnemonics altogether, but the problem here is not with their use, but with their over application.
When using note rhymes, I introduce just those for the space notes: FACE for the treble clef and All Cows Eat Grass for the bass clef. Learners can usually then work out the line notes by step with ease, intervallic reading having already been encouraged through position playing in the earlier stages.
4. Use mnemonics alongside other long-term strategies
Mnemonics are most effective when used as one of a range of strategies, such as recognising landmark notes, position playing to embed a limited note range, recognising and understanding intervals, and always introducing fresh notation and concepts sound before symbol.
And of course, as musical understanding is but one element of a three-dimensional approach, lessons should equally and holistically include activities that focus on creative and technical development, not solely focusing on notation
5. Methods and resources
I generally use a method series which offers a variety of strategies in a fun, non-dogmatic way, thereby providing an appropriately inclusive approach to meet the needs of different individuals. This makes it easier to find the most effective strategy for each learner, building their reading confidence as effectively as possible.
I also use note flash cards regularly in lessons, including a game in which the learner is presented with 24 note cards to name aloud and find on the piano in under a minute. Their timed scores improve until, after a few weeks, they can quickly name and play the whole pack.
When to stop using mnemonics
Simply put, the time to stop using mnemonics is once the learner can quickly and easily name and play the notes. I have never found it necessary to consciously phase out or remove mnemonics as a learning scaffold, because it naturally drops away once its purpose is fulfilled.
Progressively moving from flash cards and rhythm games to easy sight reading exercises and quick studies, it soon becomes apparent when they are no longer being used or required.
However, I have frequently taken on transfer students at intermediate level who struggle with basic note recognition. In such cases, flash card games and space note mnemonics can usually fix the reading block they have inevitably been struggling with.
Closing thoughts
Today’s piano teachers benefit from a wealth of excellent resources, both traditional and contemporary, alongside well-established pedagogical approaches. It would be a pity if in our excitement for newer trends we lost sight of the tried and tested strategies that allow us to work effectively with each student according to their individual learning needs.
We should bear in mind that many widely adopted methods are designed to be effective for the majority, but might be less suited to neurodiverse learners. Where teaching practices become overly rigid, and the needs of some are unintentionally overlooked by those promoting fresh resources, it is important to remain alert to bias or structural limitations.
Encouragingly, there is growing recognition that music education should be inclusive and accessible to all learners, including those who are neurodivergent. Let’s ensure that all with curiosity and enthusiasm for the piano can access supportive teaching and the most effective strategies.
And yes, this includes the use of mnemonics. Used thoughtfully, they can help learners (neurodivergent or not) overcome short-term barriers, and are unlikely to create long-term dependency.
Alert to the specific learning needs of each student, let’s positively support their transition towards fluent reading, so opening wide the wonderful repertoire of the piano.
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