Foundation Songs
Shortening Rhythmic Phrases
I find that my students who don’t like to sing often shorten the ends of phrases in Dreams, Dog, Sleeping, Fur Elise, etc. so they have to work at unlearning, then learning the correct rhythm by singing with me, reviewing the audio, playing with the…
- Last updated 2 months ago
- active listening, audio, audio recording, Audio recordings, complex rhythm, counting, counting as lyric, difficult rhythm, Dog, Dreams, Dreams Come True, external speaker, external speakers, feeling rhythm, Fur Elise, Fur Elise tempo, getting an even rhythm, helping students feel rhythm, how to play, improving rhythm skills, isolating rhythm, listen, listening, listening to audio recordings, listening to the audio recordings, managing singing, natural rhythm, play SH along with audio, play SH with audio, playing along with audio, playing with audio tracks, practice SH along with audio, practice SH with audio, processing rhythm, processing rhythms, rhythm, rhythm difficulty, rhythmically challenged, singing, singing along, singing in class, singing off key, singing off pitch, singing while playing, singing while playing struggle, single thought process, single thought processes, sleeping, speaking instructions out loud, STP, student lacks rhythm, teaching rhythm, using audio recordings, using audio tracks, using the audio recordings to learn songs, using the audio recordings to move ahead, voice, what to play
Greensleeves Project
Here’s a project I’ve done which incorporates different strategies and programs, step by step (one of my favorite things to do): 1. Preparatory Learning: Teach the 4 LH positions of Greensleeves (before we get to Greensleeves). That’s the whole assignment. 2. Comp & Improv: Once…
- Last updated 4 months ago
- arrangement, arranging, C & I, comp & improv, comp and improv, comp/improv, Greensleeves, ideas for improvisation, improv, improv ideas, improvisation, improvisation ideas, improvising, Laurie Richards, preparatory learning
Preparing to Play at Faster Speeds
HI everybody – any tips for growing skills to line up fingers accurately to play fast passages like the beginning and end of Ballade? Of course – play slowly and gradually increase speed. That alone doesn’t seem adequate. I feel like all the things I…
- Last updated 11 months ago
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Alma Mater Adjust Fingering
I have an elderly student who can’t bend fingers 3 and 4 in his RH. We are adjusting songs accordingly. For Alma Mater Blues 3rd Section CAGE chord I, what would you suggest? C G E – fingers 5, 2, 1 – 100% C A…
- Last updated 1 year ago
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Adult Walk at Eleven Challenges
I have a student in her 70’s who is working on Walk at Eleven. We have been over all the clues many times (C to A to D to G, focusing on the notes a half step above or a half step below, etc.); despite…
- Last updated 2 years ago
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Halloween Jackson Blues
I just remembered a Jackson Blues variation I like to teach around Halloween that makes it sound a little creepy: RH – for each chord, move finger 3 down a 1/2 step (makes them minor chords – they don’t need to know that if they…
- Last updated 3 years ago
- blues variation, Dog, Halloween, Halloween Dog?, Jackson Blues, Laurie Richards, major vs. minor, minor chords, minor keys, Minuet in G, new variation, Nightmares, sleeping, Spooky Jackson, Spooky Minuet, variation, variations
Alma Mater Blues Rhythm
(Over time, different teachers have faced situations in which a student finds it challenging to process the Alma Mater Blues rhythm. Here are Neil’s thoughts on how to handle such situations, video posted September 28, 2022. Below his video tip are two representative posts/questions within…
- Last updated 3 years ago
- Alma Mater Blues, BH, complex rhythm, control the events, controlling the events, coordinating LH and RH, coordination, counting, counting as lyric, counting rhythms, CTE, difficult rhythm, dosage, dose, doses, humpty, humpty dumpty, information processing, isolating rhythm, microdose, multiple thought processes, Neil Moore, Neil's Responses (YouTube Videos), physicality, processing, processing issues, processing rhythm, processing rhythms, rhythm diagram, rhythm diagrams, single thought process, single thought processes, small doses, smaller dose, smaller doses, STP, swing rhythm, swing rhythms
Curriculum Classical Playlist
At the request of a family, I pulled together this playlist featuring all the Classical pieces students are introduced to throughout the program. Feel free to share if it is useful to you! Check it out! Have you ever wondered what Classical music pieces are…
- Last updated 3 years ago
- classical, classical music, Classical Pieces, curriculum, YouTube
Teaching Fur Elise A Section
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 3 years ago
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When to Teach Happy Birthday
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 3 years ago
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