Students

To add value to my studio, I try to do as many activities as I can. I take my students to a recording studio every year. They record their music and cut a CD to take home. It is such a blast And my parents…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• audio recording, Audio recordings, burn CDs, burning CDs, CD, garage band, professional recording, recording, recording pieces, recording students, recording studio, student recordings

Talk to me about older adults and challenges accessing the technology. Is there still a way to order physical materials? What are other creative ways you have worked around limited access to technology? Hi Anna – no, physical materials are no longer available to purchase.…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• audio materials, audio SHMs, bringing to lessons, burn CDs, burning CDs, CD, challenge, challenges, digital materials, digital SHMs, download audio, downloading audio, electronic devices, Laurie Richards, learning from SHMs, lending DVDs, lending physical materials, managing materials, materials, mp3, music library app, organizing materials, organizing SHMs, physical materials, printed materials, printing materials, printing SHMs, SHM, SHMs, technology, technophobe, technophobia, using SHMs, using technology, using the SHM videos, using the SHMs

I’m generally very rigorous about following Neil’s instructions, since time and again I’ve come to understand why he does things the way he does. I’ve recently had a situation where I felt I had a good reason to do something a little differently from what…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• changing chapter order, context, control the events, controlling the events, CP, cross pollination, cross-pollinate, CTE, dosage, dose, doses, down-level, fragmenting, Fragmenting-Layering, fragments, Fur Elise, Fur Elise A Section, Fur Elise complexity, Fur Elise left hand, Fur Elise LH, Fur Elise order, hybrid, Laurie Richards, microdose, Neil Moore, out of context, re-teaching pieces, re-teaching songs, re-working pieces, re-working songs, single thought process, single thought processes, small doses, smaller dose, smaller doses, STP, technique for Fur Elise, up-level

Question: I have just signed on a Special Needs student. She is 9 years old. Her favorite song is Happy Birthday. Mum said they play that every day! I know we normally teach this at the end of Foundation Level 1 but I would like…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• accompaniment, accompaniment pieces, accompaniment resources, Amazing Grace, Amazing Grace LH position, Amazing Grace position, basics, changes, changing teaching order, claiming territory, finger positions, hand position, hand positioning, hand positions, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday Supplement, high functioning, Honey Dew, Honey Dew LH position, Honey Dew position, introducing accompaniment, Jackson Blues, order, parents of special needs, position, position change, positioning, positions, song order, special circumstances, special needs, teaching order, teaching special needs

Looking for some advice…I have student who stutters everytime he starts to play. He’ll replay his starting note numerous times before finally getting into the song. Once he gets going, he plays well. But if there’s a break in his playing, or the start of…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• anxiety, anxious, anxious student, autism, autism spectrum, autistic, autistic student, autistic students, beginning notes, beginning song, breaking things down, calm, control the events, controlling the events, CTE, dosage, dose, doses, first notes, fragmenting, fragments, getting student to slow down, home use of practice pads, Laurie Richards, microdose, mindfulness, on the spectrum, opening notes, performance anxiety, practice pad, practice pads, relax, single thought process, single thought processes, slowing down, small doses, smaller dose, smaller doses, special needs, spectrum, starting notes, starting positions, starting song, STP, student anxiety, students on the spectrum, stutter, stuttering, teaching special needs, trouble starting song, using practice pads

I was just speaking with an adult student about how she is too afraid to play in front of anyone in case she makes a mistake, even her husband! She also mentioned that it is always her left hand that she can’t remember and has…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• afraid, anxiety, anxious, anxious student, emotion, emotional, emotional limitations, emotional student, emotional students, emotions, fear, fearful, feelings, managing emotion, music therapist, music therapy, Neil's Responses (YouTube Videos), performance, performance anxiety, performance expectations, performing in front of others, personal growth, playing in front of others, refusing to play, scared, student anxiety, student won't play, therapist, therapy, traumatic, traumatize, traumatized

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…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• classically trained, experienced players, Neil's Responses (YouTube Videos), previous experience, prior experience, prior reading experience, student background, student with previous experience, students that already read music, students who already read, students with experience, students with previous experience, students with prior experience, traditional background, traditional experience, traditional student, traditional students, traditional students to SM, traditional to Simply Music, traditional vs. Simply Music, traditionally trained, transitioning traditional students

I would greatly appreciate your feedback in a new situation that has never happened to me before. One of my adult students, who just moved into Book 4, is a retired doctor and used to getting his own way. While he initially was willing to…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• adult, adult lessons, adult students, adults, claiming territory, coaching adults, comp & improv, comp and improv, comp/improv, enjoying the process, explaining claiming territory, life coach roles, music education role, Neil's Responses (YouTube Videos), refusing to compose, refusing to improvise, reluctant students, roles, student reluctant to improv, teaching adults, territory

I was just speaking with an adult student about how she is too afraid to play in front of anyone in case she makes a mistake, even her husband! She also mentioned that it is always her left hand that she can’t remember and has…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• active listening, advice, afraid, anxiety, anxious, anxious student, brave, bravery, coach, coaching, compassion, compassionate, courage, courageous, empathetic, empathize, empathy, encouragement, fear, fearful, friend, friends, friendship, listen, listening, mindfulness, music therapist, music therapy, offering advice, performance anxiety, performing in front of others, playing in front of others, scared, student advice, student anxiety, support, supportive, therapist, therapy, traumatic, traumatize, traumatized, validate, validating, validation

I have just lost a young student (7) who was, until mid level 2, loving the piano, practicing diligently without any encouragement needed. Then just before the school holidays we had two weeks where she barely played and then her father informed me she just…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• benefits, benefits of piano lessons, communicating benefits, dealing with losing a student, keeping them interested, Long Term Relationship, long term relationships, long-term, long-term relationship conversation, losing a student, losing student, losing students, lost interest, LTR, LTR graph, navigating a valley, quitting, quitting lessons, relationship, relationship conversation, retaining students, sticking with piano long term, student valley, students losing interest, students quitting, valley, valleys, want to quit