Simpedia

Sheri Reingold

sreingold  Do you have any questions regarding how to teach Level One?

Ruth3(Aus) Do you use Arrangements during level 1?

sreingold  Yes, Ruth, I do. I start teaching arrangement earlier than many I think. I see no reason not to usually, unless people are struggling or just not absorbing so much so quickly.  I find that the overall majority are ready to start learning without notes from the beginning, and I think it is a good thing to get them used to it.

Caroline AUS  I’m going to start getting students to “muck around” with the set pieces to personalize them.

sreingold  I think that’s a great idea. Some will, some won’t, but if you show them how easy it is by doing something simple at the lesson, they will start to see that it really isn’t a big deal.

Have you both been teaching arrangements during level one?

Caroline AUS  no I’ve only started in level 2

sreingold  I think I’ll spend some time talking about some things that I do that I have found effective in teaching level one.

When I teach a song, to help people remember the hand positions since starting positions are all over the place, I have them say aloud at the lesson the name of the song (because people seem to know songs sometimes, but not associate the name of it with the particular piece), and they say the hand position as well.

I try to have them do this at the lesson to help them develop the habit at home so they don’t spend time getting frustrated looking for the starting position, although they may discover something along the way. But in the long run I think they like to be able to go right to the starting position, and that is part of knowing the song thoughtlessly.

suec(Aus)  How would you get them to say starting position for Jackson Blues? Would it be bottom fingers on C with a free C in between?

sreingold  good question. . . I say “C Split” for Jackson.  There is an prior Simpedia post from Anneka with all the starting positions for Level One.

Dreams C positions
Night 3s on Cs
Jackson C split
Honey Thumbs or Ones on C
Chester C C Down
Ode C Position
Grace and Alma C Split
Fur Elise Night Up One

I do this for all the levels, and as much as possible I draw their attention to the name of the song or something on the page or cross pollinate.

For example, Level 4 as Lead Me to Light. . .which is Night position, but up one. . . and lights are used at night and lights (the sun, chandeliers) are up, so it’s an easy association. I do this with EVERY song.  I ask students to think of ideas too. Obvious songs tell us the positions (Minuet in G), but Pipes is on G and Grandpas smoke pipes, or pipes are underGround. . .you get the picture.

You’d be surprised how many good ways there are to remember. When you look, they are there. For honey, I have students put their thumbs (multi-sensory layering!) on the Cs on the page and that helps them remember.

When I teach Bishop I notice people not always remembering to put finger 5 on D in their right hand.  I tell them that is the front and back gate of Disneyland and they don’t want to leave!

suec(Aus)  don’t get the back gate of disney one

sreingold  In all 3 chords of Bishop, your right hand finger 5 remains on D the entire song. . . sometimes people put it on C and I tell them to remember to keep it on D, they are at Disneyland (D for Disneyland) and they don’t want to leave. Is that clear yet?

suec(Aus)  yes ha ha

Caroline AUS  yesterday in a lesson of 2 friends and family of one, I got the kids to play sep. hands togehter, they seemed to really enjoy this and I think I’d encourage them to do this at home, what do you think?

sreingold  I find that looking for ways of remembering is really helpful.

Caroline, do you have them each play a different hand but play the piece at the same time? I’m not sure what you mean. If that, then, yes I think that is a good idea. A very good idea really!

Caroline AUS yes to your qn

sreingold  I think it’s good to do that. . . it makes them really aware of the different components of the song.  It gives them experience anticipating someone else, it helps them realize they have to keep an even beat, it helps them for ensemble playing and I’m sure other things as well.

Another thing I do. . . Actually I have two students who intertwine their arms for Chester.  So it’s the left hand on the bottom for one student, then the other’s left hand, then the first ones right hand, then the last right hand. They love it!

Caroline AUS (24/05/2006 12:25:00)?wow that’s novel

sreingold  They made it up!

suec(Aus) If a mom & daughter learn together (for example) is it a good idea to get them to practise at home like this – one playing RH and one LH? This way the mom could be more advanced & learning arrangements while child is still on separate hands.

sreingold  I think that is a good idea Sue, as well as each of them playing the song separately.

suec(Aus)  I have a number of mom/daughter lessons doing this already

Ruth5(Aus)  I have an 8 year old, whose mum plays the arrangements while the girl plays the song.

sreingold  That’s good too, Ruth.

sreingold  As far as the keypad. . . Many people look at the keypad as an optional part of the SHM. . (like if their piano is in the same room as the VCR, then they don’t need it). . .

Ruth5(Aus)  Do you teach the arrangements onto Keypad first?

sreingold  Yes, Ruth, but I try to instill in them the value of the keypad, telling them that it is to be used when they are learning the song with the SHM as well as keeping their playlist alive once a week on the keypad.

I have them play their songs at the lesson on the keypad and the other students have to guess what song it is.  Often students guess without looking, just from the Rhythm. I have a cup of popsicle sticks. . . red for level one, blue for level 2, etc. with all the names of the songs, and the kids pick sticks, which they love, and play songs on the keypad and the piano, not just the piano. That way they know I’m serious about them learning and keeping alive their playlist on the keypad.. .

I tell people sometimes that I use the keypad when I learn a new song by Bach, for example, not even a Simply Music song.  It is remarkable how much easier it has been for me to memorize music without the distraction of the sound. . .

Ruth7(aus)  My students, the kids, hate the Keypad

suec(Aus)  Do they have keypad on their lap or a table mounted or unmounted?

Caroline AUS  I haven’t quite worked out the value of the key pads. I have my keybord and video next to each other and pause videeo to learn and haven’t used pads with kids yet although I do this with kds on the flute doing the fingering without playing

sreingold  it really forces one to recognize and integrate the patterns and hence learn easier.

Ruth7(aus)  But I use it to teach everything.

sreingold  I always use the keypad before going to the piano. . . it is another layer of learning, it forces people to slow down and control the events.  Of course, if you have a keyboard, turning the sound off is the same thing. The keypads are kind of a drag because they are not 3-dimensional. The value of this is not that the keypad is flat. . .it is that there is no sound.

Ruth7(aus)  Do you have your back to the students while demonstrating on the Keypad?

sreingold I do have my back to them sometimes. I have a keypad on the wall (actually bannister to the stairs). . .but I also just as often sit in front of them with my keypad on my chest.  If i have my back to them I can still turn my head and check how they are doing.

Caroline, do you teach songs in the lesson without the keypad? I don’t mean to pick on you; I just want you to see the value. I even teach my private students everything first on the keypad. I’m not sure why you don’t see how this contributes to their learning.

Caroline AUS  yes I am beginning to see the value

sreingold  What I’ve done from the beginning, because I was a novice teacher and thought, why reinvent the wheel that seems to be already so effective, is to just do the program! I of course don’t always hit the mark, but when I do, every time, I see the benefits.

Caroline AUS  I think it will keep the kids who are not playing more involved and concentrate more

sreingold  I don’t understand exactly what you mean Caroline. Are you saying using the keypad takes their involvement and concentration away?

Caroline AUS no no I think if one child is playing then the others can use the keypad and be more involved

sreingold Oh, yes, I do that a lot. They like that a lot, I find.

Caroline AUS you’ve persuaded me

sreingold But it is true that I do get complaints about the keypad and the video, but I just keep telling them it is important and it works and it is to their benefit, etc.

suec(Aus) In one location I teach, there is a round table which can fit 4 or 5 & keypads. I find it good to sit around table as soon as they come in, check their play list and then do key pad work. It also gives me time to get an overall picture of where each one is up to.

sreingold  That is a good idea. For young kids I put keypads around the room and have them go to the various stations to play so they don’t keep playing on the same keypad.  They play the same thing 3 or 4 times but it feels new, helps keep their interest up when they are moving.

suec(Aus)  Great idea

sreingold  Another idea. . . I tell parents to get an extra keypad if they want and keep on a surface somewhere (ha, if they can find one), like maybe a kitchen counter, even folded up, so the kids can practice their triads throughout the day. I’ll tell parents to just have their kids play the A chord one week until they really know it and then add more as they see fit.

Caroline AUS  why use the keypad at home if the child has already played the song?

sreingold  Good question, Caroline. The reason to use the keypad is first to learn it but then to keep it alive and really notice the patterns and structure. The keypad really helps reinforce more deeply the patterns, etc.  They’re not going so much on memory and sound, which obviously is also a good thing, but I think for future songs that they learn and noticing more things about the music, the keypads really come in handy. . .

Caroline AUS  okay.  Kids could have keypads in car, my kids have to be in the car a lot (small country town)

sreingold  also, it’s good to get them used to keypad playing so they have no excuses when they go on vacations!  In fact Caroline, I tell people the best practice session is as soon after the first lesson as possible, so having a keypad in the car is fabulous for that

Caroline AUS  yes this is really helpful to tell students

suec(Aus)  Regarding checking off playlists – how do you get success with checking off with say 6 – 7 year olds if the parent is not doing it?

Caroline AUS I have some not checking off regularly

sreingold  Yes Caroline, I find that a real challenge too. I keep on them, but don’t have the guts to send them away if they didn’t do everything I asked.

suec(Aus)  I am relieved about that

sreingold  I know Neil has done so and had a very successful studio because people did what he expected. We need to listed to some of the audio training some more that will help us dealing with all the psychology.

Ruth11(aUS)  I now have a new music studio with a waiting room and I make them wash their hands, go to the toilet AND mark their playlists before I let them into the lesson.!!

sreingold  I think it’s better to have them mark the playlist at home as soon as they’ve played the pieces, especially as the playlist grows and they can’t play every song every day anymore. In order to keep track, and make sure they aren’t losing any of their songs. it’s better not to wait til the end of the week.

suec(Aus)  How many song would that be (that you can’t play every day)

sreingold I think that’s different for everyone, depending on the quality of the piece, like can they go right to it (remembering the starting position), but if it takes more time than they have – to play the whole playlist and practice their current pieces – I tell them to break the list down into segments.  Maybe they’ll break it down by category of music, maybe by level, but they play a certain number each day of the week.

Some of my students have remade the playlist. I have some students who have had a lot of success with remaking their playlist with one level per page and much bigger spaces so it’s easier for the kids.

Ruth12(Aus)  Good idea

sreingold and they aren’t so overwhelmed with the enormity of the huge playlist, and they feel a sense of completion each day.

suec(Aus)  Is one year too long to keep a young child on level 1?

sreingold  I don’t think there is a ‘too long’, unless you’re asking for perfection before moving to the next piece.  Is it taking that long to mechanically play the songs for this child? If so, I think that is ok. Probably Level two will go faster.

Ruth11(aUS)  I taught a 7 year old for several months who did not seem to get it, but now she is just whizzing through them.

sreingold  If they don’t have parental support and aren’t practicing, it takes a lot longer!

Well, I need to go for now. If anyone has any questions, feel free to write me.

Caroline AUS  thank you

Ruth 13 (Aus)  Bye Sheri and thank you