Simpedia

Barbara G., Massachusetts

Do not give up on learning from the audio recordings. No you are not the only one that has found the audio tapes a slower means of learning. I also found them a challenge at first. In hindsight, I think I tried to move through them too fast. Meaning, I would listen to too large a section at a time, without making sure I could do each step easily as presented, before I moved on.

Remember, “one thought process at a time”.

The “visual materials” to help us remember these arrangements are created as we look at our hands doing what Neil is saying on the audio tape. After going through Arrangements 1 and 2 the process is much easier. It is amazing what Neil can teach us to play using just the audio tapes.

When I first started learning the Arrangements 2 long ago, my only CD player at the time was in my car so I would listen to the CD while driving and try to visualize what my hands would look like as Neil described the songs. (You can see how easy it was for me to take too large a section to learn at one time.) Then when I got to a piano I would try and remember what I had been taught. Needless to say this method did not help me to easily learn those arrangements, but the amazing thing is that I could learn them.

The Arrangements 1 & 2 come with written music as well. At first I forced myself to learn only by listening. I am a good music reader, so looking at the music would have defeated the SM learning process. When I got to some of the last songs of the Arrangements 2 CD, all of a sudden Neil started talking about the written music. This surprised me, so I asked him if I was supposed to be using the written music at that point. He said that it was ok to use this resource. I still choose to learn the new arrangements by listening only. I do look at the music book (on songs I have already learned) to prompt my memory if I hit a snag on a particular chord pattern. So don’t give up. I love the arrangements. They have made me a better musician. Be patient with yourself. Remember: SLOWLY

Cindy B., Illinois

One thing that’s worked for me in learning the arrangements is that I learn them from the written music, looking especially for repeated patters, notes that stay the same, etc. I then listen to the audio and make pencil notes right on the page of music, notes about the verbal cues to use, the fingers to use, the fun tailpieces that aren’t included in the printed page, etc. That way, once I know an arrangement, when I want to teach it to someone, I review the notes on the page of music and if I can’t make sense of them I listen to the audio again.

Mary R., Michigan

I feel the same way and was happy to find I’m not alone. All that “finger 4 on D” audio instruction was making my pea brain throb so I did the unthinkable – I got out the music and sight-read the arrangements. It WAS helpful to have heard Neil play them on the tape first but I lacked the patience to
follow the audio instructions.

Gordon Harvey, Melbourne, AU

Just wanted to write briefly on a point or two. Of course, if you’re a good sight reader, you can learn the pieces for yourself by reading, but you’ll still need to know a good deal of what’s on the audio instruction. For the most part the instructions Neil gives on the audio recordings are about
how to present to students, so you’ll need to be able to present the songs to students the way they’re outlined on the audio. Like all the pieces we teach, the devil is in the detail, and how well you can teach them depends on how clear you are on the detail. The audio instructions can be a challenge, but perhaps to that degree that makes them worth persisting with.

It’s a little like the experience can be for students. Perhaps at the very least it will allow us to empathize with the pressure students may sometimes feel doing arrangements, and give us a sense of how much to present at any one lesson.