Curriculum

I have an adult student (currently in Level 3) who sent me the following email and I would like to reply to this: “I would love to have more feedback on how to play better! I am very happy with my classes the following is…

• Last updated 4 years ago
• adding expression, developing generative skills, discovery, dynamics, expression, expressive playing, generative, generative learning, generative students, musical expression, musicality, Neil's Responses (YouTube Videos), pedal, playing musically, playing softly, playing speed, playing with expression, self expression, self generating, self generative, self-generate, self-generation, soft, softly play soft, soundtracks, stories, tempo, Tune Toolkit, Using the Pedal, volume

I have noticed pianists do something I have never been shown nor taught. They play a note and then change the fingers so that note is still being played but the hand is being set up for the next steps. Is this something that is…

• Last updated 4 years ago
• adapting fingering, changing finger, figuring out fingering, finger adaptations, finger change, finger positions, finger substitution, finger substitutions, finger switch, fingering, switching finger

In the group training video Neil mentions that we can go either depth or width (or breadth). I can see that going into either the foundations or variations (and more) can be depth and width. What are your thoughts on which one is depth or…

• Last updated 4 years ago
• breadth vs depth, depth vs. breadth in knowledge

I would like to ask your advice on exactly when to start Acc. 2. As you know, the pre-reqs obviously include Acc 1: all triads in all keys, ratios, inheriting all contemp chords, ability to identify and transpose I, IV, V in all keys, ability…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• acc 2, Acc2, accomp 2, accompaniment, jazz clues, JC, Laurie Richards

I have been teaching an 8 year old for 4 months. He’s a really bright kid and generally picks things up pretty quickly. We are just finishing up Chester and I’d like to begin Ode to Joy this week. The reason I haven’t moved ahead…

• Last updated 1 year ago
• how fast to move, how to do, how to play, learning pace, learning rate, moving ahead, pace, pace of learning, pace of teaching, pacing, pacing arrangements, progress, rate of learning, rate of progress, slow pace, slow progress, speed of learning, speed of progress, student progress, students speed of progress, timing of arrangements, what to do, what to play, when to introduce arrangements, when to teach arrangements

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…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• beat, clapping, clapping the beat, dosage, dots, dotted, dotted half, dotted notes, dotted quarter, eighth notes, Gordon Harvey, half notes, Laurie Richards, quarter notes, Read and Play, Read n play, reading rhythm, RR, sixteenth notes, tied notes, ties, transcribing, transcribing Reading Rhythm - transcribing, transcribing rhythm, transcription

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).…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• beat, clapping, clapping rhythm, clapping the beat, complex rhythm, difficult rhythm, feeling rhythm, helping students feel rhythm, improving rhythm skills, isolating rhythm, processing rhythm, processing rhythms, rhythm, rhythm difficulty, syllable, syllables, Tune Toolkit, Tune Toolkit Teaching Techniques, using words in rhythm learning, voicing rhythms with words, writing rhythm, writing rhythms

I am going deeper into “scale” with my more advanced students in the Development Levels and in Accompaniment 2. Having come from a very extensive classical musical training, I understand scale, key signature, and advanced theory. However, a student has asked me, and I ask…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• comp & improv, comp and improv, comp/improv, geography, geography of keyboard, Gordon Harvey, improv, improv ideas, improvisation, improvisation ideas, improvising, integrated theory, key, key signature, keyboard geography, Laurie Richards, naturally occuring 3s and 4s, NO34, Robin Keehn, scale, scale fingering, scale journey, scale maps, scale theory, scale tone chords, scales, teaching scale, theory

I have another question dear teachers. A student has asked for advice on how to play softer in the LH to which I have suggested practicing the repertoire p/pp to develop skill in playing softly. Hopefully, with practice, one can then maintain a softer LH…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• dynamics, ghost notes, hand balance, playing softly, single thought process, single thought processes, soft, softly play soft, STP, volume

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…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• applying PB strategies to music, BH, both hands, hands together, HT, learning strategies, learning tools, learning tools and strategies, playing-based strategies, processing, processing issues, processing rhythm, processing rhythms, reading strategies, separate hands, SH, single thought process, single thought processes, STP, strategies, tools and strategies, trill, trouble with hands together, using playing-based tools while reading