Playing-Based Methodology

This past month, I started making a point of assigning students to both LISTEN to the audio tracks and practice playing along with audio tracks HANDS SEPARATELY. Specifically, I’ve started directing students to try playing one hand alone with the audio tracks on a routine…

• Last updated 2 months ago
• audio, audio materials, audio recording, Audio recordings, audio SHMs, BH, both hands, control the events, controlling the events, coordinating LH and RH, CTE, external speaker, external speakers, hands together, humming, humming along, humming while playing, listening to audio recordings, listening to the audio recordings, multiple thought processes, playing along with audio, playing with audio tracks, RH/LH, separate hands, SH, singing, singing along, singing while playing, singing while playing struggle, single thought process, single thought processes, speaking instructions out loud, STP, trouble with hands together, using audio recordings, using audio tracks, using the audio recordings to learn songs

I have a 10 yr old girl student at level one – we’re coming up to Fur Elise and she wanted to learn to play piano so she could play Harry Potters theme. She has now with the help of internet video and her mother…

• Last updated 2 months ago
• accompaniment, chords, developing generative skills, generative, generative learning, generative students, generative tools, Harry Potter, Hedwig's Theme, learning the melody, melody, playing-based, playing-based strategies, playing-based tools, self generating, self generative, self-generate, self-generation, simplified melody, teaching melody

I have a class of 5 middle-schoolers who love music, and are trying to do every musical activity available to them. They are in Level 3. A couple of them are in the school band (actually an orchestra), and a couple of them are joining…

• Last updated 2 months ago
• expectation, expectations, high school, high school jazz band, managing expectations, middle school, outside materials, outside music, outside pieces, outside reading pieces, outside sheet music, parent expectation, parental expectations, pieces outside the program, playing-based, playing-based arrangements, playing-based strategies, playing-based tools, public school, public schools, reading expectations, reading outside Simply Music, school, school band, school jazz band, school music, school orchestra, songs outside the repertoire, talking about expectations, teaching outside music

Chariots of Fire seems to be a theme song at the Olympics and not too difficult. It is a good time to introduce this piece to students while it is popular. Has anyone heard any other theme songs at the Olympics? I wonder if you…

• Last updated 2 months ago
• Chariots of Fire, Gordon Harvey, Olympic, Olympics, Playground, The Playground, tutorial

Hi everyone. I’ve had two students request to learn the Happy Birthday song. Any suggestions…SM method? I briefly came up with one but wondering if anyone else has a tried and true version to share? So easy and fun. I do not tell them what…

• Last updated 3 months ago
• cross pollinating, cross pollination, cross-pollinate, Happy Birthday, Minuet in G, Minuet in G Level 2, Minuet in G LH, Minuet patterns, playing-based, playing-based arrangements

Just wanted to share with you a happy Simply Music experience. I have been teaching SM for about 3 years now. This year I entered 2 of my students in the Toowoomba Eisteddfod. Unfortunately, the piano section has preset boundaries as to what can be…

• Last updated 4 months ago
• AMEB, Australian Music Examinations Board, Ballade, competitions, concerts, eisteddfods, exams, Fur Elise, Gordon Harvey, medley, Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, Michigan School Vocal Music Association, Minuet in G, MSBOA, MSVMA, Neil Moore, Ode to Joy, playing-based

EMBODIED MUSIC COGNITION Has anyone else heard of this fascinating new field of research related to Embodied Cognition Psychology? I am finding the topic extremely groundbreaking, especially related to -Simply Music’s unique multi-layered approach, -the importance of teaching in groups, -and now the challenges of…

• Last updated 6 months ago
• benefits of online lessons, Dalcroze, distance lessons, embodied cognition psychology, embodied music cognition, entrainment, Fragmenting-Layering, gateway, groups, InterPlay, layer, layering, learning online, learning via webcam, movement, music & movement, music therapy, online, online learning, online lessons, shared lessons, Simply Music Gateway, teaching online, using a webcam to teach, videoconference software

What are some top reasons that you think playing based is a useful approach? One for me: It helps the student see the piece holistically – understanding through patterns the form of a piece. (The ‘puzzle pieces’ as it were.) My favorite is just that…

• Last updated 7 months ago
• applying PB strategies to music, benefits, communicating benefits, confidence as a student, expressive playing, freedom, identifying patterns, Laurie Richards, LAWOL, learning a new way of learning, learning a way of learning, learning by doing, learning strategies, learning tools, learning tools and strategies, memorization, memorizing, memorizing harder pieces, memorizing pieces, memorizing reading pieces, memorizing songs, notation, number of songs on playlist, patterns, PB, playing, playing fluently, playing with expression, playing without looking at hands, playing-based, playing-based strategies, playing-based tools, playing-based while reading, Playlist, playlist size, rate of learning, reading, reading-based, remember, remembering, remembering patterns, size of playlist, speed of learning, using playing-based tools while reading

A student has note names taped to the piano keys. What do I do? Have you ever seen an instance where this was necessary? I don’t want them to get used to that. I always say it’s cheating and it makes the process 10 times…

• Last updated 1 year ago
• geography of keyboard, key, key names, key naming, keyboard geography, keyboards, Laurie Richards, learning note names, names taped on keys, names written on keys, naming keys, naming notes, naming the keys, note names, note naming, piano keys, stickers, stickers on keys, writing names on keys, writing note names on keys

In the TTMs Notes for Foundation Level 5 song In My Eyes (5.1), there is a reference to “Fragmenting-Layering” in 5.1.2. I know what fragmenting is, but layering in this context is confusing to me. 🤔 In the TTM video Neil does say something about…

• Last updated 1 year ago
• applying PB strategies to music, FL5, Foundation 5, foundation level 5, fragmenting, Fragmenting-Layering, fragments, In My Eyes, layer, layering, learning strategies, learning tools, learning tools and strategies, Level 5, library, playing-based strategies, shapes, single thought process, single thought processes, STP, strategies, tool, tools, tools and strategies