The Playground
The Simply Music blog
The World of Music in a Few Clicks
I previously wrote an article for the playground discussing how the way you listen to music compensates the artists that create it. But putting aside that issue, streaming music services are worth exploring if only for the huge selection of music they offer you, the…
DJ Sasha – From the Booth to the Barbican
Sasha is one of the most successful and respected DJs and electronic music producers in the world. A multiple award winner and Grammy nominee, he has performed worldwide to huge audiences and remixed artists like Madonna, Seal and Hot Chip. So what does this have…
Music and The Art of Long-Term Relationships, a book by Neil Moore
Beyond the breakthrough nature of our methodology, another unique feature of the Simply Music Program is its deep concern with the nature of learning itself – the behavioral aspects of the way we learn. Many people – teachers, students and parents – have…
Story of a Song: Happy Birthday & How to Play It!
This month we celebrate a birthday of an unusual kind. You might call it the birthday of the right to properly celebrate birthdays. And surprisingly, it’s just a first birthday, because on June 30, 2016, after a very long and tortuous process, the most familiar…
‘Less is More’ – One Chord Songs
I once attended a workshop with the British singer Sheila Chandra in which she sang a whole bunch of songs from various world cultures over a two-note drone. It was amazing the rich variety of sounds that flowed from such a simple source. It made…
Notable Portrayals of Musicians & Composers in Film
The Playground has previously posted a list of some of films worth watching in which our favorite instrument, the Piano, was featured prominently. Following up on that post, I’d like to share some notable films that not only featured pianos, but are about the process,…
Meet the Team – Dwight Chesbro
We asked Dwight Chesbro some questions to gain some insight into his role here at Simply Music, what lights him up musically and some facts that make him the person he is. Your full name: Dwight Chesbro When did you start and what is your…
A Piano Day Wishlist
March 29, 2017 isn’t just any ordinary day when it comes to the world of Piano. A worldwide group of likeminded individuals decided that because this day is the 88th day of the year it would only make sense to designate it Piano Day. The…
Beatboxing – The Most Unique Form of Self Expression
Our voice is the original musical instrument – portable, always available, universal and versatile. Instruments created entirely new worlds of sounds. With those new sounds came different layers of music, no longer strictly melody but now additionally rhythm, harmony, accompaniment, dynamics and texture. However, that…
How to Listen to Music that Supports the Musicians You Love
The 21st century is a great time to be a music lover. But it’s not such a great time for musicians. Not all of the new ways of finding and listening to music pay the artist well. If you care about the people actually creating…
