reading
Transcribing Foundation Pieces
Late in TFMM, I’ve begun assigning my students to write a few bars from Foundation pieces they’ve learned long ago. All kinds of interesting issues have been coming up – how to add articulation, how to figure out the time signature, stem directions, etc. I…
Hymns Arranged for SATB Singing
I have several students who are reading music and want to learn to play hymns from their church’s hymnal that is arranged for SATB singing (see photo for example). I’ve been reading a few related conversations in Simpedia about the process of teaching hymns (most…
Looking at Hands While Playing
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…
Outside YouTube Tutorials
Hi guys, I have an 11yr old student in ons of my groups who always tries to control the events! I have to manage her alot, bring her back to the room. She is on Foundation 1 and we have just got to Chester. After…
Greensleeves Triplets?
Transcribing question: in the score for Greensleeves, do the eighth notes in the RH have to be written in groups of 3 because of the 6/8 time signature? Rather than the groups of 4 we have been used to seeing in RR? Yes, because in…
Students Describe Reading
Wanted to share something that’s been working well for me. I have one group of boys in level 7 that moves very quickly. To help them keep at their pace, I gave them an assignment to make a video of them describing the patterns, time…
Teacher Playing with Music at Recital
At my end of year recital, for the first time I will be playing and one of my choices is Silent Night Blues by Neil Moore and my own composition Bush Christmas. I enjoy playing and hope that feeling is felt by others. Do you…
When to Introduce Outside Pieces
When Neil says, “. . . once a student has ventured far enough into the syllabus, we routinely begin dealing with the full array of pieces from any typical classical repertoire, Moonlight Sonata included”, does “far enough into the syllabus” mean once students are somewhat…
Father to Son Leger Lines
Question about “Father to Son” in Development Level 16, that is not addressed in the teacher recording. My students and I have a hard time reading the music because it is difficult to see where the staff ends and the leger lines begin. Has anyone…
Compound Time
Advanced Teachers: Talk to me about how to approach teaching compound time is this in relation to any particular piece? For example Greensleeves is in 6/8 and High Five is in 12/8. I would keep the explanation simple to students, but it’s basically dividing the…