Reading
Hymns Arranged for SATB Singing
I have several students who are reading music and want to learn to play hymns from their church’s hymnal that is arranged for SATB singing (see photo for example). I’ve been reading a few related conversations in Simpedia about the process of teaching hymns (most…
Looking at Hands While Playing
A new adult student with a small amount of previous experience told me that it’s hard for her to watch her hands because she took a beginning piano class in college with a teacher who insisted that students never look at their hands and would…
Reading Rhythm and Previous Knowledge
If a student already knows the names of the rhythm ingredients (whole through sixteenths) can we use those or should we actively use the informal terminology anyway before the note naming process? This comes up from time to time with students with prior experience! Personally,…
Reading Rhythm Tips
READING RHYTHM TIPS For students who struggle to play the MORs using 5SS – especially those who have trouble keeping the 3 ingredients even within a steady beat 1) Match a metronome playing only singles until smooth and even. Then only doubles until smooth and…
Location Points Diagrams
Here ya go folks! There are 2 versions. One with and one without G and F. Scroll down to see the other one. (You may want to draw the C ledger lines a bit longer with a felt tip.) Keyboard-staff-landmark-notes Original discussion started October 4, 2022
Absence of Tempo and Expressing Markings
The below question was asked in response to a video Neil posted to help answer a question about what key Dark Blue is in, covered in a separate Simpedia post: https://simpedia.info/what-key-is-dark-blue-in/ Neil Moore hearing Joe’s playing also made me realize you don’t put tempo markings…
Transcribing Ties and Dotted Notes
I am at the end of the Reading Rhythm TTM in my own learning process and have a question about transcription. I see that ties and dotted notes (like all the other ingredients) include the step of “Continuing to process transcriptions into MOR.” As someone…
Writing Spoken Rhythm
Hi I’ve got a question about students who find it difficult to clap words taking note of where the syllables fall. It came up from assigning a footy chant to a sport lover (e.g. ‘ see the bombers fly up” – from Aussie Rules footy).…
Processing Trills
Hi Teachers, I’d love your input on how to coach a student through introducing a trill as this is not something I have learned myself. Up to this point controlling the events and breaking it down into groups/fragments and using a TLTR or similar clue…
Greensleeves Triplets?
Transcribing question: in the score for Greensleeves, do the eighth notes in the RH have to be written in groups of 3 because of the 6/8 time signature? Rather than the groups of 4 we have been used to seeing in RR? Yes, because in…