Curriculum

In teaching Humpty’s Twins (Jackson Blues arrangement 3), I generally teach RH3 for the middle note of all the chords. I had a student today ask why not RH4 for the middle note of the top chord. Thoughts? I teach the same way, and just…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• adapting fingering, alternate fingering for chords, arrange, arrangement, arrangements, big fingers, blues fingering, chord fingering, chords, figuring out fingering, finger 4, finger adaptations, finger positions, fingering, fingering chords, fingers, hand, humpty, Jackson Blues, large hands, learning arrangements, playing-based arrangements, small hands, teacher preparation for arrangements, Teaching Arrangements, teaching arrangements 1 and 2, thick fingers, unfolding arrangements in class

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

I am wondering if anyone here has experience with high school jazz bands. One of my student’s parents emailed me telling me her daughter wanted to try out. She is a very talented student, quick learner, hard worker, etc. But she has only just finished…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• accomp, Accompaniment‏, accompaniment program, chords, high school, high school jazz band, importance of accompaniment, introducing reading, jazz, Jazz 1, jazz band, jazz bands, jazz clues, jazz musicians, jazz program, Laurie Richards, not reading soon enough, note reading, parent pushing reading, readiness, reading, reading expectations, reading goal, reading music, reading outside Simply Music, reading preparation, reading program, reading readiness, ready, starting reading, teaching reading, when to introduce reading

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

How would you answer this question from a parent? “Why does the way we learn 7th chords only have 3 notes? To make a F#m7, isn’t that an A chord?” I’m very comfortable with the practical application of the voicing idea between the notes over both…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• 7th chords, accomp, Accompaniment‏, accompaniment 1, accompaniment program, chord diagrams, chord inversions, chord strategies, chord structure, chord theory, chord voicings, chords, defending accompaniment, extended chords, forming chords, identifying chords, inheriting chords, Laurie Richards, learning chords, playing chords, playing-based, playing-based strategies, playing-based tools, root chords, shortcuts, theory, trick, tricks, voicing chords

So how do you encourage or console a student who really struggled in performance? He did many things beautifully, but a few errors started to throw him off and it deteriorated rapidly with him visibly upset by the end. I feel for him! He left…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• ccs, communication, console student, creative coaching series, emotion, emotional, emotions, encouragement, encouraging students, errors, failure, feelings, Gordon Harvey, Laurie Richards, Long Term Relationship, mistakes, nerves, nervous, nervousness, performance, performing, playing in the moment, playing through mistakes, public performances, struggling students

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 6 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

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

Hear from Jy Gronner and Sheri Reingold, creators of our Supplemental Program, Playlist Management. Learn about all the wonderful content included in this program as well as how to implement it in your studio. Topics include: Introducing Jy & Sheri, Creators of Playlist Management (00:05)…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• arrangement names, arrangements, double pipes, jy gronner, keeping the playlist alive, parties, piano parties, Playlist, playlist management, Shakin’ Bishop, sheri reingold, variations