NOVEMBER 2012 CREDITS QUESTION

KHAILO wrote: Hi,

Can someone clarify for us the Novermber 2012 credits requirements for beginners: age 5 to adult. In particular ;" Credit for piano sight-reading. Nursery Songs Primer play on 2, 4, 5 or 6 presentation by Right, Left or both hands. Make no more then 5 mistakes. "

Our question is: It is not indicated how many songs are required to receive credit. Is it all the songs in this album that are required to be played on the levels 2,4,5 or 6 or just a few?

Also same question for the same month credits for First level graduates.

"Credit for piano sight-reading. Nursery Songs 1 play on 2, 4, 5 or 6 presentation by Right, Left or both hands. Make no more then 5 mistakes. "


The Khailos

Hello dear family!

In both cases, you should sight read the whole album. Press R2, then R4 and so on.
Here's a post with template table for sight-reading, with a link to my own scores: http://softmozart.com/forum/28-share-print/7141-sight-reading-table-template-for-keeping-scores.html

KHAILO wrote: Our 6 year old is working on Beginners credits and 13 year old on First level Graduates. They both are trying to catch-up to May graduation to get their diplomas. Any suggestions are welcome.

The Khailos

Please tell us how they have been doing so far, what have they been practicing.
Do they practice finger exercises (Hanon #1, Chromatic scale etc)? Can you video record them so piano teachers can make recommendations and help each acoording to his own abilities and learning pace?

Don't stress about catching up, we are a considerate lot and will take into account that you may have started half way through. enthusiasm and consistency score credits too
Sight reading takes such a small amount of time that the whole album is played. Usually most kids can get through it it one sitting at age 6 but beginners may want a couple of sittings. Try not to play them over and over until you make no mistakes as you will begging to memorise them which defeats the purpose of sight reading. It's best to play each song 2 or 3 times through. have your six year old choose either view 2 or view 4 to play them all in, 2 is our preference for beginners. Right down each score, time doesn't matter just correct and incorrect notes. The idea is to play the entire album with less that 5 mistakes I total for all the songs. If after playing the album through you have more than 5 mistakes try again the next day until you nail it
As you get better and better change the view to harder views 2 becomes 4 then 5 then 6. By the time you can do it on view 6 you can read music.
Your 13 year old may want to start on view 4,5 or 6 if they can read music.
You can then decide if just one hand is enough of a challenge or if they can manage both hands ( either together or separately)
If you can post even one video of your kids playing something we will be better able to offer specific advice.

bella wrote: ok I am missing something here . I thought a child should play the song till he memorize it . Actually tina is happy after few practice to turn the screen off and play ??? now you say this is not good . please help me out , i have been up since 2 am trying to play catch . his is something unpractical with softmozart that we have to go through the forum posts to leanr how to use the program. I wish there is a user guide that will tell you step by step all that we need to know , so we don't have to do it wrong , struggle with it , get frustrated , come here then do it right /Am i making any sense ??
xxx
viv

Dear Viv, we are working on a user guide. Until we release it (now we are busy with the upgrading process then we have more time to work on it), here is what you should know:

There are pieces to memorize AND there are pieces that we first use as sight-reading.
For instance, we begin with Introductory Songs, and play presentation 1,2, 3, etc. and memorize the songs and play it screen covered.
In the same time, we open Nursery Songs Primer and play just 2,4, 5, 6 for sight-reading, for being able to learn to read notes.

Of course, after that, as we are advancing in learning, we shall also memorize the Nursery Songs Primer album. But first, as Hellene is guiding us, we are using them for sight-reading.

You see, we have different ways of learning, each developing abilities needed for us to play piano well and develop in the same time the ears, the eyes, the brain, the hands.

It will help you if you read again Hellene's book, "You Can Be A Musician". If you need help downloading it, in case you don't have it anymore, let us know.

Andrea

bella wrote: ok I am missing something here . I thought a child should play the song till he memorize it . Actually tina is happy after few practice to turn the screen off and play ??? now you say this is not good . please help me out , i have been up since 2 am trying to play catch . his is something unpractical with softmozart that we have to go through the forum posts to leanr how to use the program. I wish there is a user guide that will tell you step by step all that we need to know , so we don't have to do it wrong , struggle with it , get frustrated , come here then do it right /Am i making any sense ??
xxx
viv

Vivian, the learning is a process and experience. There is no computer or software can replace communication between a teacher and a student. We can published a detailed guide for thousands of pages, but our experience show that people do not even read the guide for couple of pages that we include with our package

This is why we had developed the forum and community between students and teachers and suggesting to keep Progress Diaries. Without guide lines, interactivity with professionals and structure it is very difficult, even impossible to get professional results.

Software is just a tool. But without detailed learning how to properly use it, you won't get the results that you truly want.

Today we have technology and may communicate. We can post videos, meet on Skype, post messages. Let's use for our advantage. I am very happy to teach you in Gambia, I am proud that technology connected us and I hope to bring music education through you to this country too!