Playing-Based Methodology
Locking in Church Song
In Church Song, Level 7, one of the learning strategies is “Locking”. Could I get a clearer definition of what the locking strategy involves? Here’s the definition: Locking: A learning strategy where the hands essentially lock their ‘shape’ into place, but move from one position…
- Last updated 4 years ago
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Mapping Strategy
Could someone explain the “mapping” strategy? I’ve noticed it a few times in the TTM, but I’d like to make sure I understand it completely. Here is an official definition: Observing any section or piece of music as a series of shapes, and assembling those…
Practice and Retiring as Repertoire Grows
Two questions: 1) How do practice requirements change through the foundation levels? Level one is 15-20 minutes, but as their repertoire grows, it would seem they need more time to keep everything alive and also with the addition of multiple streams and songs getting more complicated. 2)…
- Last updated 4 years ago
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Learning to Play By Ear
A parent asked me tonight “when will my daughter be able to hear a song, and just know how to play it with all the chords and in the right key?” I was unsure how to answer this, so of course I told the truth,…
- Last updated 4 years ago
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Generative vs. Receptive Learning
I’m writing a blog about the difference between generative and receptive learning. This is what I have so far on generative learning. Do you agree? How would you define receptive learning? “This is the difference between ‘generative’ and ‘receptive’ learning. Generative learning requires that a…
- Last updated 4 years ago
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Outside YouTube Pieces
One of my new students (a 16 year old, very disciplined at practicing, and he and his Dad both love SM so far, he is on Jackson Blues) just told me today that he is also learning some extra songs (songs he likes and knows…
- Last updated 4 years ago
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Readiness to Learn
Is there any such thing as readiness in the Simply Music process? I am teaching a very bright little girl who is 6, but she is struggling even with the five fingers over five notes after 6 lessons. She can play the right hand of…
- Last updated 4 years ago
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Chord Voicing
How would you answer this question from a parent? “Why does the way we learn 7th chords only have 3 notes? To make a F#m7, isn’t that an A chord?” I’m very comfortable with the practical application of the voicing idea between the notes over both…
- Last updated 4 years ago
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Value of “easy” TFMM songs
I have an adult, private student who came to me already reading. She is near the end of Foundation Level 6, has completed Reading Rhythm and Reading Notes, and is working her way through Read n Play. I’m realizing I’ve procrastinated on introducing Time for…
- Last updated 6 years ago
- big picture, Laurie Richards, playing-based strategies, Robin Keehn, simplicity of TFMM, tfmm, Time for More Music, value of TFMM
Seeing and identifying chords in non-accompaniment pieces
In many SM pieces, learning by the playing-based strategies, I very quickly see chords. For example, Dark Blue starts with an A flat chord plus G. Lullaby has C, F, and G chords all over the right hand part. It’s almost like my brain sorts…
- Last updated 6 years ago
- Accompaniment, chords, discovering chords, Laurie Richards, seeing chords in songs, seeing songs chordally