About The Method

I want to share something I’ve been reflecting on as a teacher — not as a criticism of traditional classical training, but as an explanation of why I choose to teach the way I do. Traditional classical music education has given the world incredible discipline,…

• Last updated 3 months ago
• active listening, asking why, benefits, casual performance, classical, classically trained, cognitive understanding, communicating benefits, comparing traditional to Simply Music, competing methods, confidence as a student, creativity, developing creativity, different facets of musicianship, engage, enjoying the process, informal performance, keeping children engaged, keeping students engaged, listen, listening, method, method comparisons, methodology, methods, music as a lifelong companion, musicianship, natural musicianship, other methods, performance, performing, performing in front of others, playing-based, public performances, reading-based, SM vs traditional, tradition lessons, traditional, traditional background, traditional experience, traditional lessons, traditional studio, traditionally trained, training, training students, trust the method, trust the process, trusting the method, trusting the process, trusting the program, well rounded musician

What is your approach with young people who come to you after teaching themselves with online videos? I’ve encountered several who will work for months to master one difficult piece like Bohemian Rhapsody or Moonlight Sonata, but they can’t play anything else. They can’t read…

• Last updated 1 year ago
• experienced players, Laurie Richards, learning from video, learning online, online, online learning, online tutorial, online tutorials, other material sources, other methods, other music, other songs, outside materials, outside music, outside pieces, outside repertoire, pieces outside the program, previous experience, prior experience, songs outside the repertoire, student with previous experience, students with experience, students with previous experience, students with prior experience, tutorial, video, video tutorial, video tutorials, YouTube, YouTube tutorial, YouTube tutorials

I just reread Laurie Richards’ book yesterday ‘I Found Your Keys’ on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. It is so packed with good information. Every now and then we need a 30,000 ft view of what it is that we are all apart of and why…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• books, I Found Your Keys, Laurie Richards, Neil Moore

Hi all, I wanted to let you know that my TEDxTalk has been approved for public release, and is now Live on YouTube. Over the years, many people have said to me that I should do a TEDTalk about Simply Music. And whilst promoting oneself…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• applying PB strategies to music, benefits, benefits of piano lessons, brain health, brains and patterns, communicating benefits, comparing traditional to Simply Music, competing methods, creativity, critical neurological nutrition, developing creativity, developing musicality, expression, FIS, free information session, future of simply music, How music can future proof your brain, info session, information session, method, method comparisons, methodology, methods, music making species, musical expression, musicality, musicianship, natural musicality, natural musicianship, Neil Moore, Neil's Responses (YouTube Videos), neurological nutrition, other methods, PB, playing-based, playing-based strategies, playing-based tools, profoundly musical, self expression, simply music, Simply Music Philosophy, Simply Music's value, talking about Simply Music, TED Talk, TEDTalk, TEDx Talk, TEDxTalk, traditional vs. Simply Music, trust the method, trusting the method

Metaphor I came up with today while coaching a student, expanding on the notion of working slowly to learn quickly. Student wasn’t speaking instructions. I reminded. Student resisted, said it’s harder. I said, you know what? You’re right. It’s harder to do two things at…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• control the events, controlling the events, CTE, external speaker, external speakers, fast playing, getting student to slow down, how fast to move, how quickly students learn, learning pace, learning slowly, learning strategies, learning tools and strategies, pace, pace of learning, playing fast vs slow, playing slowly, playing speed, playing too fast, playing-based strategies, practicing slowly, resistant students, slow practice, slow-steady-musical-even, slowing down, speaking instructions out loud, speed of learning, speed of progress, strategies, student processing and resisting approach, students moving quickly, students speed of progress, tools and strategies

Feeling a bit disheartened- I did a free information session yesterday and said to the lady there was more Information at Simply Music website and she emailed today thanking me and has enrolled in the free foundation course 😞 I guess I’m just a bit…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• 4-song workshop, attending FIS, competing methods, competing teachers, competition in market, cost of SHMs, FIS, FIS followup, FIS success rate, free, free information session, free introductory session, free introductory session chat, Free Introductory Sessions, info session, information on website, information session, intro session, introductory session, LAH, LAH vs SMP, LAH vs teacher, Laurie Richards, learn-at-home, linked students, linked teacher, linking students, linking teacher, live teacher, MAC, MAC Foundation Program, MAC Program, MAC vs SMP, MAC vs teacher, Music & Creativity, other methods, other teachers, Play with Simply Music, purchasing SHMs, PWSM, Robin Keehn, self study, self study programs, self-study program, SHM, SHM costs, SHMs, Simply Music website, simplymusic.com, SIS, SM website, Student Workshop, students attending FIS, too much information on website, website, workshop, workshop SHMs, Workshops

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 4 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

Years ago I created an exercise to help students really learn, experientially, the value of Controlling the Events. Something that could, in a single exercise, give real felt clarity about the different results that come from CTE vs. not. I’ve done it for years in…

• Last updated 4 years ago
• conscious learning, control the events, controlling the events, CTE, fast playing, getting student to slow down, how quickly students learn, how to practice, learning, learning a new way of learning, learning a way of learning, learning pace, learning rate, learning slowly, learning strategies, learning tools, learning tools and strategies, mindfulness, pace, pace of learning, playing fast vs slow, playing slowly, playing speed, playing too fast, practice, practice guidelines, practice habits, practicing, practicing slowly, rate of learning, relearning, slow-steady-musical-even, slowing down, speed of learning, speed of progress, students speed of progress, teaching how to practice, working with parents on how to practice

A local traditional teacher is thinking of transitioning her current students to Simply Music. I found one (very helpful) entry in the FAQs library and would like to get some more info from all of you. What tips do you have for her? What can…

• Last updated 4 years ago
• starting SM with traditional students, traditional, traditional and Simply Music enrollment, traditional background, traditional experience, traditional student, traditional students, traditional students to SM, traditional studio, traditional teacher, traditional teachers, traditional to Simply Music, traditionally trained, transitioning into SM, transitioning students, transitioning to SM, transitioning traditional students

I recently met a local guitar instructor who is considering becoming a SM teacher but also apply the SM ideas/tools as much as possible to guitar. To what extent have any of you been able to do this with guitar? Obviously many principles like CTE…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• applying PB strategies to music, guitar, learning other instruments, method, methodology, methods, other instruments, other methods, PB, playing other instruments, playing other instruments with patterns, playing-based, playing-based strategies, playing-based tools