Foundation Songs

I have a level one student (7 yo) who learned the whole AMB (2 and 3) by watching the level 1 demo. Argh! Naughty, naughty! I point out to students when they do this, they are missing out on vital learning clues (I don’t tell…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• Alma Mater Blues, alma mater blues 2nd section, AMB, claiming territory, communication, demo, demonstration, going ahead, group lessons, Laurie Richards, learning ahead, learning clues, practice, student moving ahead, students moving ahead, students teaching, students teaching each other, students who move ahead, teaching clues, teaching with integrity

My adult (late 50s) student loves the playing-based tools but told me today that for Sit By My Side (F5) he finds them hard to use (think about) when putting his hands together, though he uses them well for hands separate on that song. Besides…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• add-on, add-ons, adult students, applying PB strategies to music, audio, audio materials, audio recording, Audio recordings, audio SHMs, BH, both hands, hands together, HT, Laurie Richards, listening to audio recordings, listening to the audio recordings, music books, PB, playing along with audio, playing with audio tracks, playing-based, playing-based strategies, playing-based tools, practice, separate hands, SH, sheet music, Sit By My Side, Sit By My Side BH, trouble with hands together, using audio recordings, using audio tracks, using music book, using music books, using sheet music, using the audio recordings to learn songs

Any advice on “Walk at 11”? I’m struggling with this one. Do just one level per week (advanced levels may need more than one week). Level 1 LH isn’t too challenging because it is based on Honey Dew chords. Make sure you have them stick…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• conscious learning, creating awareness, external speaker, external speakers, fingering, foundation, Foundation 9, foundation level 9, foundation pieces, Foundation songs, Honey Dew chords, Laurie Richards, single thought process, single thought processes, STP, target notes, Walk at 11, Walk at Eleven

Is there any such thing as readiness in the Simply Music process? I am teaching a very bright little girl who is 6, but she is struggling even with the five fingers over five notes after 6 lessons. She can play the right hand of…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• adapting for young students, BH, both hands, communication, control the events, controlling the events, CTE, dose, doses, getting student to slow down, hands together, HT, it takes as long as it takes, learning slowly, moving slowly, multiple thought processes, Ode to Joy, Ode to Joy BH, patience with slow learners, playing slowly, playing-based, practicing slowly, putting hands together in Ode to Joy, readiness, ready, separate hands, SH, single thought process, single thought processes, slow learner, slow pace, slow progress, slowing down, small doses, small hands, smaller dose, smaller doses, starting younger students, STP, struggle, struggling, teaching very young students, teaching young children, teaching young students, trouble with hands together, young children, young students, younger siblings

Continued from Piano Stories Behind the Songs (Part 1), Neil shares the inspiration behind many of his songs and song names, beginning in Foundation Level 5 through Development Level 12. Topics include: Introduction Introduction (00:05) (FL5) Shoo-Fly, The Gaz, Sit By My Side (02:59) (FL6)…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• ‘57 12/8 Blues, Beautiful Boy, Can I Share My Heart, Caught Between the Daybreak, Chorale, Church Song, Classical Pieces, composition, D-Part, dev 10, dev 11, dev 12, FL5, FL6, FL7, FL8, FL9, foundation level 5, Gold, Home, Level 10, level 11, level 12, Level 6, Level 7, level 8, Level 9, Lost, Miles, Moonlight, Neil’s compositions, Old Man Whistle, On This Day, One More Time, Panther, Pauly's Patter, Shadow, shoo-fly, Sit By My Side, Sky High, Soliloquy, The Gaz, the stories behind the songs, Time for More Music, Walk at Eleven

This is a fascinating look at Neil’s compositions and the inspiration behind them. You will learn some things about Neil by listening to these stories, and have some cool things to share with your students as they learn them. Topics include: Background & Context (00:05)…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• composition, FL1, FL2, FL3, FL4, foundation, foundation level 1, foundation level 2, foundation level 3, foundation level 4, Neil’s compositions, stories behind the songs

Advice for pedal use on Dark Blue? Just keep it down, or use your ear to know when to clear it? Or open to player’s interpretation? Every time the LH plays is a good time to pedal on Dark Blue. Have you purchased the “Using…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• Dark Blue, F1, foundation 1, Laurie Richards, pedaling, single thought processes, Teacher Workshop Series

I would appreciate advice about incorporating duets into lessons. Do you sit at the bench together? I have two pianos, a keyboard, and a guitar in my studio, so i have the option of using another instrument. I do duets at every lesson the same…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• Duet Ideas, duets, Laurie Richards

I have a very talented student who has a keyboard and he learns songs from the tutorials on the keyboard, i.e. Fur Elise. The version he has learned is more difficult than the Fur Elise in Foundation 2. I’m afraid he won’t want to learn…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• cross pollination, Foundation 2 Fur Elise, Fur Elise, learning strategies, playing-based, playing-based tools

I have a student who has been on level 7 for 14 months and still has one more song to go. These things happen to me too. Especially if we have lots of other stuff going on, and if their practice routine isn’t stellar. I…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• F7, Foundation 7, L7, Laurie Richards, Level 7, Level 7 difficulty, pacing, patience with slow learners