Composition & Improvisation

Successful new idea I hit upon with a new group. These are kids on the young side, 6-7. I ended up teaching them just the Capitals & Periods from the Pause Button (Tune Toolkit Project 2) prior to teaching them the rest of that project,…

• Last updated 4 years ago
• benefits of improv, capitals, capitals & periods, capitals and periods, comp & improv, comp and improv, comp/improv, composition, DCT, Dreams, dreams 1, Dreams Come True, fingering, improv, improv at lessons, improv for beginners, improv ideas, improvisation, improvisation ideas, improvising, pause button, periods, single thought process, single thought processes, STP, toolkit, tracking Tune Toolkit projects, Tune Toolkit

Is there anywhere in the program that explains how to count and play triplets? (of quarter, eighth or 16th notes)? When doing the blues improv in some keys, like Eb, the blues scale notes don’t seem to fit with I, IV, V. In other keys…

• Last updated 4 years ago
• blues, blues & improv, blues & improvisation, Blues and improv, blues and improv program, blues chords, blues fingering, blues harmony, blues scale, blues scale fingering, blues scale in different keys, blues scales, blues scales fingering, counting rhythms, don’t like blues, fingering, Gordon Harvey, improvisation, rhythm, rhythm words, triplet, unfolding blues scale

Teach a very small portion of something without revealing what it’s leading to. This works great with Arrangements, e.g. Soapy Dreams (Dreams #2): I teach just the LH chord shape and ask students to try it in different locations on the piano. Once everyone’s got…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• arrangements, C&I, comp & improv, Laurie Richards, preparatory learning, single thought processes, small doses, Soapy Dreams

This webinar is driven by teacher questions. Topics range from the rationale behind some of the curriculum to supporting coaches to the future of Simply Music. Enjoy! Topics include: Intro: Funny Story About Neil (00:05) Helping Parents be ‘Requirement-Based’ (2:06) How Teachers Can Improve Their…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• 30-40 songs, blues, blues & improv, blues in every key, creative projects, developing creativity, engaging students, future of simply music, improving rhythm skills, notation changes, repertoire, requirement-based, requirements, rhythm, RR, shared lessons

In this webinar you will learn the importance of developing your own self-generative skills in supporting self-generative students. Practical steps are shared with regard to how to accomplish this. Topics include: Distinction Between Receptive & Generative Skills (00:00) Importance of Supporting Self-Generative Students (05:55) Developing…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• developing generative skills, development, generative, Long Term Relationship, LTR, managing content, Playlist, receptive, struggling students

I have a group of home schooled students. Three are siblings. The oldest one catches on much quicker, and the youngest one struggles, especially with blues pieces. There is one other student in that group from a different family. If they were all different families,…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• different pacing in group, homeschoolers, improvisation, Jackson Blues, pentatonic, shared lessons

Improv duet ideas (student/teacher): 3-note improv with any blues song (G-A-Bb, G-Bb-C, C-Eb-F). Choose any of these combinations for the student to improv on while you play a blues song. 5/5, 1 on A with Night Storm Accompaniment arrangement 5/5, 1 on C with Dreams…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• blues, chester chills out, Dreams Come True, duets, duets with students, Honey Dew, improv, improv for beginners, Laurie Richards, Whisper

Today my mid-level 2 group came in and we started with a playlist check. I had them choose Level 4 songs and play something that sounded like the song name. One got Lullaby, so he played Night Storm in the upper register of the piano…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• improvisation, Playlist

Any advice for an adult student who is extremely resistant to comp and improv? She hates improv every time I bring it up and stomps her feet. She does it reluctantly, though. She is also showing resistance to arrangements and is practically hitting a wall…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• #ttci, arrangements, claiming territory, comp & improv, comp/improv, resistance to c&i, Tune Toolkit, variations

Neil provides an overview of the background and scope of the Special Programs – one of the 3 required components of the Core Curriculum. Topics include: The Genesis (00:06) Introducing Special Programs (07:53) Fitting it All In (13:07) About Composition & Improvisation (15:35) About Arrangements…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• acc, acc1, Accompaniment‏, accompaniment 1, arr, arrangements, C&I, comp & improv, fitting it all in, Laurie Richards, managing playlist, managing time, Neil Moore, special programs, variations