Studio Management

In the left hand of Night Storm and Jackson Blues, some of my students leave the little finger down while playing the thumb notes correctly. They seem to focus so hard on getting the thumb movements that the little pinky sits resting! Do others have…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• controlling the events, holding finger 5, left hand, Neil Moore, Night Storm

I have a couple of five year old students (they’ll be 6 in a few months) who are having difficulties grasping the concept of half-steps & whole steps, therefore Bishop Street Blues is not progressing much either. We have worked on these things in lessons for…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• bishop street blues, Laurie Richards, level 1, teaching half and whole steps

Under the subject of “claiming territory” are we to ask that students don’t try to sound out songs from the audio recordings? I have had a few students who have assured me they are not watching the video ahead of time but are trying to…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• claiming territory, listening to audio recordings, permission, using the audio recordings to learn songs, using the audio recordings to move ahead

I have a tablet in my studio as a tool to help me deal with excuses/struggles that students sometimes come back with in regards to their homework being incomplete. When a student comes to lessons, and I ask them to play their home work, and…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• re-teaching songs, using the SHM videos, working with parents on how to practice

How do you guys do this? I spend HOURS and HOURS learning these different streams, and planning them into lessons. I’m just about to start learning Foundation 5 (I have two students right on my tail) and I can now see how wrong I’ve been…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• acc, accompaniment, arr, arrangements, blues & improv, C&I, comp & improv, Laurie Richards, lesson planning, new teacher, reading notes, reading rhythm, RN, RR, streams, teacher preparation, teacher training, teaching streams, time for training, time management, TTM

I have read the posting “Joanne Jones Tools and Strategies List” in Simpedia  “About Teaching and Learning” and appreciate the overall listing of the “Lego pieces” that can be pulled out of our” arsenal”. However, I am still curious if anyone has ever compiled a…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• learning strategies, learning tools, Learning tools form

From time to time I’ll run across a student who is just plunking out notes on the piano without a care to the ear. At that point, I’ll take out my audio recorder and say “Now, let’s listen to what you just played.” Very often,…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• generative correction, group lessons, musicianship, receptive correction, shared lessons

I’ve been teaching Simply Music for about 9 months. I started with teaching only private lessons, then I have added 2 shared lessons with 2 students in each. By fall I hope to feel comfortable enough to add groups of 3 & 4.  But I…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• controlling the events, playing slowly, practicing slowly

I’m still grappling with how to define thoughtlessness to the student. To my way of thinking, and I’m not sure I’m right, if you can play a song without thinking about the elements in it, but can’t start in the middle or remember what the…

• Last updated 11 years ago
• cross pollination, Gordon Harvey, Laurie Richards, learning tools, memorizing, strategies, thoughtlessness

I recently received materials on Accompaniment, Accompaniment variations and Reading Rhythm, and found all of them very good. Actually, my adult (recent retiree) was so excited when with CFG set she could play several familiar Christmas songs almost at once, “Can you believe it, the…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• foundation, Robin Keehn, streams