The Playground
The Simply Music blog
Soulful Grace (Amazing Grace), Part Two
Hello again! This is part two in the Soulful Grace series. If you read my first Soulful Grace article in the previous issue of The Playground and spent some time learning the arrangement I presented there, you’ll have a good solid foundation for implementing the changes…
Playing for Others
Who likes to perform in front of others? I don’t see many hands up. It seems like there’s a rare breed of person who just loves an audience, and the rest of us recoil in terror at the prospect. You’ve probably experienced the feeling –…
A New Groove for Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace is a beautiful song. And, as is apparent from Neil’s introduction of it in both the foundation materials (Levels 1 and 2) as well as in the variations, it’s also a wonderful tool for learning! In the next several issues of the…
The Musical Brain – Documentary Review & This is Your Brain on Music – Book Review
Documentary Review by Elizabeth Gaikwad The Musical Brain – Writer/director Christina Pochmursky, producer Vanessa Dylyn, Matter of Fact Media For me this is one of the most interesting documentaries made about the scientific evidence that music and emotions are fundamentally wired into the brains of…
Walk Before You Run
How many things can you think of that have nasty side effects? Medicines. Technologies. Political policies. Even just things we’ve said or done to people we know. How many times have you been thrust into a role or responsibility you weren’t ready for? How many…
Learn Four Chord Songs
I remember hiring a car on a holiday a few years ago. We could only tune the radio to one station, playing popular music, and as the songs cycled by, I started to realize that maybe a third of them featured the same four chords,…
The Art of Coaching
The term “Coaching” brings many things to mind but perhaps the most common is the image of a professional sports coach—like Vince Lombardi or soccer coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. Professional sports coaches train athletes to perform at their very best. They spend time each day…
The Ups & Downs of Learning to Play the Piano
What do raising children, going to school, holding down a job, and taking piano lessons have in common? They each start with a goal that requires a long term commitment! In Simply Music, we talk about the goal of having music as a life-long…
From Neil Moore
In January of this year my first grandchild was born. His name is Jack and he was named in honor of my father who passed away last year. Baby Jack’s birth was very complicated and he spent the first few weeks of his life…
Why Simply Music Piano Lessons are Easier
Students and parents/coaches often believe that the Simply Music method is demanding. It can be a challenge to be as diligent as the method instructs. It can be hard for parents to actively involve themselves in supporting and taking responsibility for their kids’ practice routines.…
