75 Things To Say Besides “Good Job” to Music Students

For parents and teachers, it’s a big job to encourage and support budding musicians. When a child, whether your own, a friend or relative, or a student puts forth an effort to create and share music, the easiest response is “good job”.

These are certainly nice words to hear, but they’re also pretty generic and don’t require much thought.

Take just one extra moment to find new words that can be really meaningful and inspiring to a kid. You never know when the words that you say are going to stick with a child for the rest of their lives.

Here are 75 other phrases you could use to encourage young music students.

Acknowledge the work that has gone into the performance

1. “Wow, I can tell you have been practicing hard!”

2. “That took a lot of work.”

3. “It took a lot of focus to prepare for this.”

4. “It’s not easy playing the piano with both hands, but you did it!”

5. “I know there were some frustrating moments practicing for this, but it all paid off!”

6. “You’ve been preparing for months and it really shows!”

7. “You made it look easy, but I know you really worked hard.”

8. “You’ve made so much progress this year!”

9. “Just a few months ago you didn’t know how to play this song and now you’ve mastered it!”

10. “You learned that music really well; you’re really smart!”

11. “Memorizing music is hard work.”

12. “You’ve been practicing so consistently. I’m not surprised you did so well!”

13. “I can tell you’ve listened well to your teacher.”

14. “You’ve been a real trooper sticking with your practice and perfecting this music.”

15. “You kept going, even when it got hard!”

Compliment the artistic side of the music

16. “You create such a dreamy, beautiful sound on the piano. I could listen to it all day!”

17. “I was imagining a beautiful sunset as you played.”

18. “Wow, your music was really intense. I could tell you were really into it!”

19. “Your music sounded really mysterious; I was on the edge of my seat listening.”

20. “I love watching your hands on the keys.”

21. “I can tell you’re really feeling the music as you play.”

22. “Your music fills the room with energy and excitement.”

23. “I just wanted to get up and dance when I heard you play.”

24. “You got such a warm, rich sound out of the piano.”

25. “You made the music come to life.”

26. “I can tell you’re having fun when you play”

27. “That was a really thoughtful performance. It was very touching.”

28. “You have a really calm stage presence. You didn’t even look nervous.”

Compliment the technical work

29. “Your music was so clean and crisp.”

30. “I can’t believe how fast you can play!”

31. “You get a really strong sound out of the piano.”

32. “You learned every detail!”

33. “You were playing some really complex music.”

34. “You nailed the rhythm on that song.”

35. “Your hands were moving so fast up and down the keys.”

36. “You had a big range of sound coming from the piano.”

37. “Your musical phrasing was really lovely.”

38. “You played so many big, impressive chords in that piece!”

39. “You created a really nicely balanced sound. It sounded really professional!”

Notice character strengths that helped the student succeed

40. “You play your music really confidently.”

41. “Your creativity really shines through in your music.”

42. “You are such a diligent worker.”

43. “It took a lot of courage to play in front of everyone.”

44. “You play with so much passion. I can tell you put everything into your performance.”

45. “You’re really smart for figuring out how all of that music works.”

46. “That’s great that you love learning new things.”

47. “I love how you create art through music.”

48. “It took a lot of discipline to learn this music.”

49. “That’s a big deal that you saw this out to the end. It’s easy to give up, but you stuck with it!”

50. “You’re already a really strong musician. I can tell you’re always going to excel in music.”

51. “Your persistence has really paid off.”

Tell the performer how their music made you feel

52. “I couldn’t stop smiling when I was listening to you play.”

53. “I was tapping my foot the whole time! Your music was really fun to listen to.”

54. “Your music was so peaceful and calming.”

55. “I’m really proud of your performance.”

56. “I’ve been humming that catchy tune you played all day!”

57. “I’m really impressed by how well you played.”

58. “Hearing you play put me in a good mood!”

59. “Your music was so dramatic, I felt like I was at the movies!”

60. “I was blown away by your talent!”

61. “It was really special for me to get to hear you play.”

62. “Thank you for playing for me!”

63. “I’m your number 1 fan.”

64. “It’s a privilege to hear you play.”

Things to tell a student after a disappointing performance

65. “You put forth your best effort.”

66. “I’m proud of you for trying.”

67. “It’s normal to make mistakes.”

68. “You made a strong recovery.”

69. “It’s okay to be disappointed.”

70. “I’m still your biggest fan!”

71. “I’ve made mistakes like that, too.”

72. “You did the right thing.”

73. “I hope you’ll try again.”

74. “You did something really hard.”

75. “I still believe in you.”

Bonus:

When words like ‘awesome’, ‘amazing’, or ‘incredible’ feel overused, here are 50 less-conventional words you could use to describe music:

1. Sparkling

2. Brilliant

3. Sneaky

4. Melancholy

5. Riveting

6. Perky

7. Lyrical

8. Touching

9. Uplifting

10. Energizing

11. Exhilarating

12. Breathtaking

13. Calming

14. Complex

15. Peaceful

16. Elegant

17. Dramatic

18. Enthusiastic

19. Grand

20. Majestic

21. Funky

22. Inspiring

23. Moody

24. Melodious

25. Playful

26. Mischievous

27. Rhythmic

28. Swinging

29. Sassy

30. Soothing

31. Somber

32. Soulful

33. Thrilling

34. Jazzy

35. Thoughtful

36. Snappy

37. Cheerful

38. Introspective

39. Silly

40. Heartfelt

41. Joyful

42. Enchanting

43. Engaging

44. Bright

45. Dynamic

46. Upbeat

47. Glimmering

48. Vibrant

49. Moving

50. Zippy

This post was written by Megan, piano teacher and author of Pianissimo: A Very Piano Blog. Visit her website for more piano related blogs for teachers, parents, students, and all things piano.

Published on June 7, 2022