comparing traditional to Simply Music

I want to share something I’ve been reflecting on as a teacher — not as a criticism of traditional classical training, but as an explanation of why I choose to teach the way I do. Traditional classical music education has given the world incredible discipline,…

• Last updated 3 months ago
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I’m really interested in everyone’s perspective. Multiple studies over decades report that roughly 50–70% of musicians (including pianists) experience playing-related musculoskeletal pain or injury during their training or careers. Given that traditional piano pedagogy relies heavily on standardised posture rules, prescribed hand positions, and visual…

• Last updated 3 months ago
• addressing poor technique, classical, classically trained, comparing traditional to Simply Music, competing methods, hand position, hand positioning, hand positions, hurt, hurts, injuries, injury, method, method comparisons, methodology, methods, other methods, pain, painful, pedagogy, poor technique, posture, SM vs traditional, technique, technique questions, traditional, traditional background, traditional experience, traditional lessons, traditional student, traditional students, traditional students to SM, traditional studio, traditional teacher, traditional teachers

Hi all, I wanted to let you know that my TEDxTalk has been approved for public release, and is now Live on YouTube. Over the years, many people have said to me that I should do a TEDTalk about Simply Music. And whilst promoting oneself…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• applying PB strategies to music, benefits, benefits of piano lessons, brain health, brains and patterns, communicating benefits, comparing traditional to Simply Music, competing methods, creativity, critical neurological nutrition, developing creativity, developing musicality, expression, FIS, free information session, future of simply music, How music can future proof your brain, info session, information session, method, method comparisons, methodology, methods, music making species, musical expression, musicality, musicianship, natural musicality, natural musicianship, Neil Moore, Neil's Responses (YouTube Videos), neurological nutrition, other methods, PB, playing-based, playing-based strategies, playing-based tools, profoundly musical, self expression, simply music, Simply Music Philosophy, Simply Music's value, talking about Simply Music, TED Talk, TEDTalk, TEDx Talk, TEDxTalk, traditional vs. Simply Music, trust the method, trusting the method

A new adult student with a small amount of previous experience told me that it’s hard for her to watch her hands because she took a beginning piano class in college with a teacher who insisted that students never look at their hands and would…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• comparing traditional to Simply Music, eyes on hands, eyes on sheet music, eyes on the page, look at hands, look at sheet music, looking at hands, looking at page, looking at sheet music, looking at the page, outside reading knowledge, PB, playing-based, playing-based while reading, previous reading knowledge, prior reading experience, RB, reading, reading concerns, reading music, reading problems, reading process, reading program, reading-based, sight reading, SM vs traditional, source from the page, source instructions from the page, starting SM with traditional students, student wants only to read, students that already read music, students who already read, tracking the page, traditional, traditional background, traditional experience, traditional student, traditional students, traditional students to SM, traditional to Simply Music, traditional vs. Simply Music, traditional vs. simply music reading, traditionally trained, transitioning into SM, transitioning students, transitioning to SM, transitioning traditional students, using playing-based tools while reading, watch hands, watch sheet music, watching hands, watching page, watching sheet music, watching the page

Who has a nice response to this missive that I received today? “I am happy to pay you for your time, and am overall pleased with the program (and with you especially), but paying for the books is more difficult when they are, quite frankly,…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• answering questions about fees, audio, audio materials, audio SHMs, benefits, CD, communicating benefits, comparing traditional to Simply Music, cost, cost of materials, cost of SHMs, DVD, expense, expenses, expensive, fee, fees, Laurie Richards, material cost, materials, new material, passing along fees, perceived value, purchasing SHMs, Robin Keehn, setting fees, SHM, SHM costs, SHMs, Simply Music's value, student home material, Student Home Materials, talking about cost, using the SHM videos, using videos, value, value of materials, value of program, value of SHM, value of SM, video, video materials, video SHMs, videos

Most people who inquire for lessons with me are not wanting the traditional approach, but this past week two mothers came to me who seem to want the best of both worlds – their child learns tons of songs and enjoys playing and has fun…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• comparing traditional to Simply Music, confidence as a teacher, Laurie Richards, SM vs traditional

I have a prospective student coming to an FIS. She has a woman from her church teaching her traditional lessons. The teacher told her Simply Music is “mostly memorization”. I’ve heard the objection twice from her already. How would you address this concern with a…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• comparing traditional to Simply Music, memorization, playing-based, SM vs traditional, talking about Simply Music, talking about SM

I had an adult come for a FIS today. He was very eager to start piano and has never had piano lessons or played any kind of instrument before. He said that he felt it would be something fun to do and that he saw…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• adult lessons, comparing traditional to Simply Music, other methods, traditional lessons, traditional vs. Simply Music

I recently spoke with a mother who is considering SM for her daughter. She is more comfortable with the traditional approach. I would like to hear from previous traditional teachers and why you switched to SM. She wants to know why she should go this…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• comparing traditional to Simply Music, talking about Simply Music, traditional lessons

I am working on my phone sales pitch and was wondering if some former traditional piano teachers could give me some info. On the average: How many months did it take to get a student to be playing with both hands, a song equivalent to…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• comparing traditional to Simply Music, how quickly students learn, lesson prices, rate of progress, Simply Music lesson prices, traditional lesson prices