Simpedia

Neil Moore, California

In response to the following statement:

“… It just seems wiser to wait until students can process almost a song a week…. Seems the intention of Simply Music is to have students playing right away…”

Here is a paradox, and there is more to this than semantics.

Firstly, Simply Music’s intention is not to have students playing right away. The intention of the program is to have students experience success right away. We achieve that success as a function of the way we teach. A symptom of the way we teach, is that we routinely have students playing right away – but it is essential to know that playing songs immediately, is a symptom of our approach, not its intention.

I can feel great about a lesson where what was achieved was a really good set-up conversation, all the logistics/paperwork/fees issues handled, and presenting half of The Basics, and leaving the student being excited and challenged about getting 5 Steps of Sound going for themselves.

At the same time, I’ve had countless students do all the above, as well as Dreams and Storm, with both hands together, in Lesson 1.

Both scenarios are average.

I have had plenty of students who take longer, sometimes much longer than one week to learn a song – even with the entry level pieces. And I am completely unattached to how much is achieved. What I am attached to, is making sure that my focus in teaching is never about my agenda, but rather, that it be entirely about what contributes to the student’s positive experience of themselves. Their progress, and subsequent rapid progress is a function of this.

Regarding starting students when we believe they are ready to play ‘a song each week’, I suggest a different perspective. In fact, on numerous occasions I have talked about the fact that there are commonly three levels of ‘normal’ results – 1:1, 1:2 & 1:3.

1:1 is where a students, over the course of a year, learns about a song each week (50 or so songs over the year).

1:2 is where a student, over the course of a year, learns a song about every two weeks (25 or so songs over the year).

1:3 is where a students, over the course of a year, learns a song about every 3 weeks (17 or so songs over the year).

I say that each of the above is a normal result, and each is an outstanding result, provided that it occurred as a result of the student experiencing success. As it happens, you won’t have a majority of your students achieve a 1:3 result. Likewise, nor will the majority achieve a 1:1 result. For the most part, the majority will fall into the 1:2 category (or slightly higher).

Some students take a while to get going, regardless of their age. And apparent slow progress, which is often about the neurology trying to figure out what the heck is going on, can ultimately turn itself around and become very rapid, very solid progress.

In the beginning it may take a student a couple of lessons to begin integrating The Basics. It might also take them several lessons to get Dreams, several to get Night Storm, a few to get Jackson and Honey Dew, a couple to get Ode To Joy, and thereafter, they are up and running. But even then, a song a week is not a goal. As songs become more complex, they might take even your faster students two or three lessons to unfold. The goal is not the quantity.

Just get back to the Curriculum Overview. Have your attention on our four declared goals. You’ll never go wrong if you stay focused on these.