Curriculum
What Key Is Dark Blue In?
What key is Dark Blue in? Look at the music book for FL4. 3 flats. Also, the first and last bass note is C hinting at the tonal center. Ian Yes. And yes. And yet: it doesn’t really ever sound like C is a definitive…
Blues Ensemble Approach
This is a question about The Blues Improv Program. When we get to The Ensemble Approach Project #15, when you use the Bishop Chords or 13ths in the LH and the Blues Scale in the RH, my students say it doesn’t sound good when we…
Teaching Advanced Pieces
Hello, I’ve got three students whose private music, found and sourced by themselves, is Moonlight Sonata. Two are teenagers in FDN 2 and 3 and one is early in TFMM and in FDN 8.The teenagers use youtube tutorials. All love the piece and I admire…
Incorporating More Music Theory
Looking for advice from the music theory nerds in our community. I’d like to incorporate more theory for some of my teens and students in higher levels. What do you use? Books? Online tools? This is for students in levels 7 and up, who are…
Using Ballads, Songs and Vignettes
TRUE CONFESSION – I’M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND HOW WE SHOULD USE NEIL’S NEW BALLADS, SONGS AND VIGNETTES VIDEOS WITH OUR STUDENTS… I FEEL I MUST HAVE MISSED A KEY LINK. THANK YOU! Here’s my response to Ruth’s question: How to Use BSV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6Emzinb12I&list=PL3o0aF_9qHn4F2sy8QRuPb_jf_r4D9823&index=2 I’ve…
Teaching Blues & Accompaniment to a Reader
I have a potential adult student with a traditional/classical piano background (grade 7 RCM) interested in broadening her music education. She would want to learn the blues and accompaniment streams. Is there a way to use the simply music materials to someone who already knows…
Expression and Playing Musically
I have an adult student (currently in Level 3) who sent me the following email and I would like to reply to this: “I would love to have more feedback on how to play better! I am very happy with my classes the following is…
Finger Substitution
I have noticed pianists do something I have never been shown nor taught. They play a note and then change the fingers so that note is still being played but the hand is being set up for the next steps. Is this something that is…
Depth or Width / Breadth
In the group training video Neil mentions that we can go either depth or width (or breadth). I can see that going into either the foundations or variations (and more) can be depth and width. What are your thoughts on which one is depth or…
When to Start Accompaniment 2
I would like to ask your advice on exactly when to start Acc. 2. As you know, the pre-reqs obviously include Acc 1: all triads in all keys, ratios, inheriting all contemp chords, ability to identify and transpose I, IV, V in all keys, ability…