comp and improv

Showing 11 - 20 of 28 results in comp and improv

Importance of Improvisation

Visiting a teacher’s lesson recently, Neil Moore was asked by one of the students, to say more about the importance of improvisation. Here’s his response. Importance of Improvisation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgLauBzhxTc&list=PL3o0aF_9qHn4F2sy8QRuPb_jf_r4D9823&index=13 Original video posted May 11, 2020

Improv vs. Comp in Tune Toolkit

When you teach projects from Tune Toolkit, are you assigning them as improv projects or composition projects? Do you have the students come back and play something or report on what they did? How do you keep accountability that they are trying the projects? In…

Starting Tune Toolkit with Advanced Student

Mark S. Meritt, any suggestions for starting Tune Toolkit with a student in level 7? Is there a way to accelerate through each project without impeding the layering process? I’ve been through the program a few times with other students but this particular student is…

3-Note Improv

Is the idea with the 3-note comp/improv exercise that the students are to play three consecutive white notes in the RH or can they be any three notes, black or white? I get them to pick any 3 white notes without telling them about the…

Teaching Capitals & Periods Early

Successful new idea I hit upon with a new group. These are kids on the young side, 6-7. I ended up teaching them just the Capitals & Periods from the Pause Button (Tune Toolkit Project 2) prior to teaching them the rest of that project,…

When to start Arrangements, Comp and Improv, Accompaniment‏

If you are a newly licensed teacher, you received specific instruction on your Licensing session on how and when to introduce Arrangements, Composition and Improvisation and Accompaniment.  All of the information is also available via an audio recording in the Teacher Reference Library. I realize…

Experienced Students

I find I have to remind myself to breathe as my first lesson looms ever nearer. With more information from the dad about my very first 2 students, I am getting more nervous by the minute. He has told me that he has had Traditional…

Traditional Students Learning Comp & Improv


I am a newly licensed SM teacher. I have been teaching traditionally for over 30 years. I am very excited to start teaching the SM method and especially the comp and improv program to my students that are switching over to SM. That was my…

Prior Experience Students Doing Reading-based Projects

I know this is an old thread, but I too have struggled with the student with prior experience. While I agree with introducing C& I, Arrangements, and Accomp, and boning up with the Reading rhythm and notes, my question is this: Do you still have…