Piano people, Any SIMPLY MUSIC users/fans/despisers/believers/teachers out there?

[PygmyShrew]

I just read about this piano program this week on the web/website/reviews and am skeptical of the tauted marvelous results.

 

Do you have any experience with it or info you can share?

 

:thumbdown: OR :thumbup1: ?

[mom2abcd]

I bought it used and we used it for awhile. The thing I like about it is that it helps learners have success and become familiar with the "feel" of the keyboard.

 

That said, I do think it's important also for people to read music. Simply Music does teach this, too.

 

We went with a little different approach. I have my kids enjoy the piano and learn to have fun with it. I teach them songs like Heart & Soul, Chopsticks, or just any song they want to learn in a simple version. I let them have fun with Music Ace and homeschool music classes (where they learn music theory in a fun way.) Then I teach them to read music. Ds 11 is whizzing through the Alfred Music books for older beginners. He was already very comfortable playing the piano by ear and for fun.

 

We didn't go through much of the Simply Music system. The kids didn't enjoy it a lot. I think for an adult or teen it might be a good program. (Could be a good program for youngers, too, as far as that goes.) They did like Pianimals (which would be too "childish" for a teen).

 

So just because it wasn't right for us doesn't mean it wouldn't work for you. I do like their intentions.

 

HTH.

[Jenny in GA]

Years ago, when I taught piano, I heard people rave about it and I called the number to inquire.

 

I got very bad vibes from the whole thing.

 

First of all, I asked if they could explain their method to me so I could understand it. They said "it was impossible to explain." The best they could tell me was that it was wildly different and superior to traditional methods, and "based on patterns."

 

So I asked if I could see a brochure, or buy one of their books, or anything so I could see what the heck they were all about and what their approach was. They told me there was nothing like that. The only thing they could offer me was me taking the first level in training, which was at least a few hundred dollars.

 

This is absolutely bizarre in the world of piano teaching methods. I was NOT interested in spending hundreds of dollars for something they could not show me or explain to me in any way.

 

The other thing I heard, on Piano Teacher forums, was that if you had their training and started using their methods, you owed them a small percentage ... a royalty or something, I can't remember the terminology ... I thought that was the most absurd thing I'd ever heard. Several piano teachers were plainly discussing this and no one disagreed with that point, so it seems likely that there is at least some truth it in.

 

This was almost a decade ago, so maybe it's different now ...? But that made me want to stay far away from them. And it's a shame, because I would have been curious and open to whatever they claim their wonderful method is.

 

Jenny

[bairnmama]

I haven't used it personally, but I have a friend who simply raves about it. She has her 3 dc (7, 9 and 11) using it and is amazed by how quickly they are learning to play and understand chords. They way I understand it, it teaches how to listen and play with both hands to train your ear before teaching terminology. Her ds 11 is already starting to compose his own beautiful sounding pieces with the concepts he's learning even though he's only in the first year of lessons. They're doing the DVD course at home.

[Cindy in NY]

We are currently using Simply Music. We all enjoy it. The boys can play impressive sounding things and that keeps them motivated to practice. We are using the DVD's at home. I would be interested in continuing on with a Simply Music teacher when we are finished with the DVD's, but there are none in our area.

[Peela]

Both my kids have done Simply Music with teachers for a period of time so I am familiar with the lower levels of the system. I have 2 friends who are Simply Music teachers and my kids have several friends who play very well who have gone right through the system.

I think the system is great. It teaches you to play great music from the beginning. I learned a lot. It teaches classical, blues, jazz and popular music very early on. I loved that.

I wouldn't like to do it without a teacher though.

My kids however did both do well with classical music and dd16 asked to change to classical after a year of Simply Music because she wanted to learn to read music more quickly than it was teaching her. She has played classicla ever since and is fine with it.

Ds14 however learned classical recorder for 5 years before trying Simply Music for a year. He did well with SM but lost interest as puberty hit.

The system is fun and interesting. The whole family can do it. For a kid who isnt suited to learning in the traditional classical music style, Simply Music can be great. My son is dyslexic and needed "alternative" means of learning music, although he is very musical. Simply Music can bring out talent in a kid who might be intimidated or turned off or unable to read music easily, because you learn to play through learning patterns rather than reading dots on a page- at first anyway.

I think Simply Music allows a lot of people to play music who might not otherwise get to, and it has value for that alone. Not everyone wants to play classical- I myself played some simply music blues pieces and reallyenjoyed them. I was classically trained and I found that my training inhibits me in terms of being able to improvise and play popular music, wheras Simply Music opens up all areas.

[KidsHappen]

Basically it teaches you how to play songs before teaching any music theory. My children have had piano lessons at the lower levels and then they used this to learn to play some songs and then they taught themselves to play several songs but they still haven't had thorough training in theory and reading sheet music. The one good thing about this method is that they are able to play music almost right away which motivates them to want to learn more. When a child spends years learning theory and reading before they can play anything at all well it can be frustrating and they lose their motivation. My kids have recently taught themselves to play Fur Elise and Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies on there own and are trying to perfect it now.