Curriculum

Please help me with what to say to this parent. Her son, age 7, doesn’t like Honey Dew and came back not liking Amazing Grace. “He doesn’t like the accompaniment ones”, mom said. I asked her, “Why do you think that is?” Mom admitted she…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• Accompaniment‏, accompaniment structure diagram, importance of accompaniment, importance of chords, Laurie Richards, playing along with audio, student dislikes songs

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

I’m still young in the SM teacher world and I have students in levels 1, 2, and 3 right now. My question is, when do I start students on Accompaniment, and then when do I start them on Reading Rhythm? Should I start Accompaniment in…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• Accompaniment‏, Amazing Grace, fitting it all in, introducing streams, managing streams, pedaling, reading, Star Spangled Banner

Any suggestions on how to approach Amazing Grace being religiously offensive to a family? They are Jewish. AG is such a key component of the program, especially in Accompaniment 1. The mother of my new student is fine with him playing it, but politely insisted…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• Accompaniment‏, Amazing Grace, changing lyrics, F1, foundation 1, I-IV-V, religious objection, songs for children, Songs for Everyone, substitutions for Amazing Grace

After the student can play the Bertini Study in C minor in Development Level 11 smoothly, how much pedaling would you suggest? Every three RH notes, light pedaling? RH seems nice without pedaling. But the LH chords sound a bit dry without some pedaling support.…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• Bertini Study in Cm, D11, Development 11, L11, pedaling, Study in Cm

Is there a point in the reading notes process where you let the students use the music books from foundation levels that they already know, to practice reading notes/intervals? With each Location Point learned, you point students to Music Book examples that use the notes…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• intervals, Laurie Richards, music books, reading, reading notes, reverse engineering, using music books

I have an adult student who has been taking lessons with me for about 4+ years. We are still doing playing based instruction, but she is into the reading program and has reading projects. Her playing is very halting. Think of a first grader reading…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• Laurie Richards, playing fluently, reading, reading fluently, reading notes

I’d appreciate your advice as I move two of my students into the conclusion of the Reading Notes program. At the end of the book, it mentions the importance of identifying note names. Does anyone revert to the easy way to remember notes on the…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• EGBDF, FACE, identifying notes on staff, intervallic reading, intervals, Laurie Richards, location points, reading notes, sight reading

I need suggestions about an 11-year-old girl in a shared lesson with another 11-year-old. They both benefit from the shared setting (both were private until 2 months ago). She practices more since being in the shared situation, and the other student (a boy) is learning…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• Alma Mater Blues, AMB, blues, claiming territory, F1, foundation 1, Laurie Richards, playing too fast, rhythm diagram, shared lessons

I’m trying to figure out the I, IV, V chords in Bishop Street Blues. I know how to play it, but what are these chords? What makes it a I, IV, and V? Are the inverted/suspended/diminished chords? I wouldn’t explain it to my students at…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• Bishop, Bishop chords, Bishop St Blues, bishop street blues, fingering, identifying Bishop St chords, Laurie Richards