Simpedia

Julie T., Western Australia

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 – I feel that this is at least one part of the program where they get to learn a song they know and love

3. They do not have to keep the songs from the Accompaniment program in their playlist (unless of course they want to) with the exception of the final Danny Boy. I tell them that this is the only piece to keep in their Playlist because as long as they can play it they know how to work out any and all of the chords. I don’t necessarily wait until they have mastered the final Danny Boy before they start bringing in their own songs. The final Danny Boy can be a work in progress over quite a long time – it depends so much on the student – some devour it in 2-3 lessons others take 2-3 months.

4. I encourage students to choose songs that they like and want to learn but that also have lots of interesting chords. I tell them that they will quite likely get bored with songs that are based on 3 chords only and I train them to look through the music for lots of chord variety. They soon learn that the greater the variety of chords, the more interesting and rewarding and impressive the song will sound.

5. Some songs just don’t work that well with the style of accompaniment that we do and sometimes I just have to tell them that the song isn’t suitable.

6. I do spot quizzes quite regularly re chord structure. I will either ask the student to explain how a specific chord is made or get them to play a specific chord or get them to draw the triangular symbol of a specific chord on the white board. The more ways you get them to generate the information the better I think.

7. I have developed quite a collection of accompaniment music since I have been teaching this method, as I sometimes have students who don’t know what they like or what they want to do – they need a little prodding. Keeping a list of songs that other students have learnt is a good idea – as a quite reference or for suggesting songs to other students.

8. Depending on the song and the level of the student I will often teach parts of a song as it is written in the music e.g. the introduction, or solo sections or what I call “frilly bits” that make a song unique. These can be taught using either the play based method or utilising reading skills. They just make a song more interesting and the students love the way it makes it sound more like the real thing!

I feel it is far better to keep the chords alive by having to keep integrating them into new songs that have meaning for the student!!