Practicing & Playlists
Playlist Review
The question has come up, “How do I review the playlist each week in a timely manner?” I’d like to suggest some things and open this up to more of you contributing your ideas of how to manage this important component of lessons. If…
Blues and Improv Program
The B&I training materials describe many of the projects, or groups of projects, as being able to be taught concurrently with earlier projects. It’s also mentioned that many or most of these should be done in different keys but not necessarily all keys. All of…
Arrangements
I have a quick question about the Arrangements program. Will every student eventually learn all of these? I know that the Foundation songs are absolutely ALL essential for learning and knowing but what about the arrangements? I thought they were but some how I got…
Chat – Justifying Arrangements
Gordon (Aus) The first part of this presentation will be mostly my pre-written notes. We’ll have time for questions after then. This chat is about introducing, justifying and ordering arrangements. We can get into specifics of presenting individual pieces at the next session [More Teaching Arrangements].…
Remembering Arrangements & Variations
Knowing that variations and arrangements are primarily memory exercises and secondarily exposure to different performance techniques and only after these things pieces for the repertoire, and if students forget them, it’s on some level “okay” in a way that is not true of Foundation pieces,…
Keeping Accompaniments Alive
With regard to questions about keeping the accompaniment process alive, my approach to students who have finished the accompaniment level one book is:- 1. They have to be working on an accompaniment piece at all times 2. They get to choose the song they learn…
Keeping Accompaniment Pieces Alive
Do any other teachers have any ideas on how to keep accompaniment pieces alive and fresh on a student’s playlist? They seem to be given the least attention at home, because there’s no “tune”! I give students several suggestions: singing along if able and willing,…
Tips for Preparing and Teaching Level 4
I’ve heard a bit about how much harder Level 4 is. As I’m moving into that now with my students, could you share experiences of how Level 4 did or did not work well for you, and how to avoid pitfalls. In a nutshell –…
Fragmenting and Level 4
OK, I know I had this same issue on Greensleeves in Level 3. And, I’ll be the first to say that it has become one of mine and my students favorites, and did come easy once it was learned. The LEARNING is what is killing…
Teaching The Star Spangled Banner
I now have 6 students (all adults) who HATE playing SSB, resist practicing it and groan whenever asked to play it at lessons. These are normally very upbeat, cooperative people – they are not in a group (2 shared lessons, 2 privates). I’m starting to think…