Students

I am a new teacher to Simply Music but have been teaching traditional piano for the last 10 years. As a result, I’ve been transitioning a number of my students over to Simply Music. I have a girl who has been with me for the…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• previous experience, reading, transitioning students, written music

I have two students who play very well (at about grade 5 AMEB level) and can read music reasonably well whom I have recently converted to Simply Music. They have had about 5 years experience with traditional lessons. I am currently taking them through foundation…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• accompaniment, arrangements, beginning SM project ideas, free introductory session, generative, Gordon Harvey, lead sheets, learning tools and strategies, previous experience, reading, self generative, students who play well, traditional experience

Yesterday, an amazing 16 year old boy looking for a piano teacher came by my studio to talk with me. Although he had traditional lessons in the past, he has been his own teacher for the last several years but feels the need for some…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• accompaniment, advanced students, Gordon Harvey, jazz, prior experience, reading, technique, traditional lessons

A friend from church has talked with me a couple of times about her 15-year-old daughter who has been taking traditional piano lessons for 6 years. She doesn’t want to take from her teacher anymore because the teacher wants her to play only classical. She…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• arrangements, friends, learning a new way of learning, omitting pieces from the program, prior experience, starting at the beginning, traditional lessons, variations

I know this is an old thread, but I too have struggled with the student with prior experience. While I agree with introducing C& I, Arrangements, and Accomp, and boning up with the Reading rhythm and notes, my question is this: Do you still have…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• accompaniment, arrangements, claiming territory, comp and improv, prior experience, reading, students that already read music, traditional students

I have an adult student that can already read some (childhood traditional lessons) that I recently started in Reading Rhythm. She is having trouble playing 5SS on the first few pages of the MOR book. She is only playing one finger because she says that’s…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• reads rhythm, traditional student

I have an adult student who had her first lesson today. She has traditional background. She was wondering if it was OK to still play her traditional music while learning SM. I suggested she not play them at least the first 2 or 3 weeks,…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• adult student, learning a new way of learning, notation, playing at home, traditional music

Teachers, what do you suggest for adults who learned years ago (traditional) and want to resurrect their playing? I want to help them get going, but if they don’t want to learn SM what then? For me, its Simply Music or nothing. I only offer…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• accompaniment, adult students, adults, alphabet analogy, arrangements, Robin Keehn, traditional experience

I have been in this situation many times – i.e. students who are only marginally behind my own playing ability. Sometimes I’ve kind of fudged it by avoiding playing the entire piece, if it isn’t sounding smooth yet but I can still teach chunks of…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• accompaniment, arrangements, Gordon Harvey, rate of progress, variations

Hello, I am a new S/M teacher and learner. I have learned through level 3, although I have just ordered level 4 and rhythm. I am having difficulty in the following way: I have a new student, an old student, and a middle aged student.…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• claiming territory, confidence as a coach, group lessons, Kevin Meyer, previous experience, reading, Robin Keehn, student background, traditionally trained, watching videos