accompaniment
Using the Pedal
This is my eighth week of teaching Simply Music and I have been asking students to start holding down the pedal with Night Storm, as this is what I understood Neil to indicate. I have read through everything in the Forums on the pedal as…
Introducing the Pedal Technique
I’m wondering when other teachers are introducing overlapping pedal technique with the right (damper) pedal. I know this can vary from student to student and tends to be age related. My teen students tend to grasp the concept quickly, but I find it seems to…
Pace of Learning–Reading Rhythm & Notes
I need some help in responding to some concerns from a couple of student’s parents (who have been talking to each other, by the way)! These 2 students have had approximately 145 lessons. One student is right on target according to the curriculum overview, and…
Need Large Class Tips
I remember Neil brilliantly teaching a large group at a recent seminar but I didn’t take good enough notes. I have just combined kids from 3 different lessons into one group of 6 and two of the moms are balking—want more playing time and individual…
Groups at Different Speeds
I love the concept of group lessons and would eventually wish to convert my studio over from privates to groups. I have always had my reservations but finally jumped in this fall with a group of 4 to try things out. Lesson 2 presents the…
A Case of the Blues in Level 4
I have two students, both in Level 4, who have a bad case of the blues….a definite valley syndrome. Neither of them want to mark their playlist, let alone keep all their earlier songs alive. Both moms are very supportive Simply Music moms but they’re struggling…
Advanced Players in Groups
Anyone ever run into this problem of an experienced player who doesn’t fit into a group because of how much more quickly he’s going through curriculum. He’s had 5 lessons, he’s at the middle of level 3, through the accomp. book, processed most of accompaniment…
Teaching Accompaniments in Groups
How does one handle choice of accompaniments in a group? Do they all learn the same ones at the same time or can you have a few going at the same time? How much choice do you give the students over which accompaniment to learn…
Managing Individual Accompaniment Projects
At what point do you starting allowing students within a group to be working on different accompaniment projects from each other, i.e., one’s they’ve chosen for themselves and that not everyone is required to learn? How do you manage the process of students working on…
Time Management and Fitting It All In
I’ve been teaching Simply Music for almost a year, and I now have students entering level 4. My studio space is small so my class size ranges from one to three students. Throughout the past year I have been having increasing difficultly with time management…