[Menvi-discuss] piano methods

Fri Jun 6 10:01:34 EDT 2014

Another possibility might be to start a listserv about method books, that 
would work sort of like Stephanie's music store.  There could be sighted 
reviewers who would report on the "in" new method books, and then the 
teachers on the list could discuss where they could find the same pieces in 
books already transcribed.  Maybe there could be page comparison charts on 
the list archives.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephanie Pieck" <themusicsuite at verizon.net>
To: "'This is for discussing music and braille literacy'" 
<menvi-discuss at menvi.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2014 11:33 PM
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] piano methods

That's a cool idea ...

Stephanie Pieck

-----Original Message-----
From: Menvi-discuss [mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On Behalf Of
Chris Smart
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2014 9:22 PM
To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] piano methods

here's a suggestion. Why don't a bunch of blind music teachers pool their
resources and pay to have things transcribed, then share the results among
themselves? If you're teaching as a legitimate business, then this is part
of the cost of doing business, albeit a high cost.

At 08:00 PM 6/5/2014, you wrote:
>The music companies are always trying to make money (can't blame them,
>of course) so keep up dating methods books so they can sell new ones.
>It is impossible for transcribers to keep up.
>
>
>On Jun 5, 2014, at 6:34 PM, Teresa Haifley wrote:
>
> > I second Marta's frustration on how hard it is to find current
> > methods in braille.  I recently had a transfer student in the Faber
> > series and to my horror and embarrassment discovered that the print
> > book edition was later than the brailled copy, which I had no way of
knowing had become outdated.
> > Many pieces were the same but the page numbers didn't match up
> > because a different piece was thrown in here and there.
> >
> > We really need someone who can stay on top of these editions and
> > keep the braille current .
> >
> > Teresa
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Menvi-discuss [mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On
> > Behalf Of Marda
> > Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2014 6:19 PM
> > To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
> > Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] piano methods
> >
> > Hi, John.  I appreciated the message about bard having the American
> > Popular Piano Repertoire method.  I know it was mentioned initially
> > by someone outside the U.S. but I wouldn't have known about it
> > otherwise and
> now that I
> > know NLS has it I want to investigate it for my own teaching.  One
> > of the things I find frustrating as a blind piano teacher is how
> difficult it is to
> > get current method books.  Is American Popular Piano Repertoire
> > available from NLS in hard copy Braille or only on Bard?
> > Marda
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Hanson, John" <jhan at loc.gov>
> > To: "'This is for discussing music and braille literacy'"
> > <menvi-discuss at menvi.org>
> > Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2014 5:57 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] piano methods
> >
> >
> >> I recognize that there are a lot of people on this list from all
> >> over the world, which is why I noted that download is available for
> >> those registered for BARD.  I don't want to squelch information
> >> simply because not absolutely everyone has access.  This is an
> >> issue that some are addressing and wish to change, including
> >> myself.  Furthermore, in this particular instance, American Popular
> >> Piano Repertoire was transcribed by Prima Vista Braille Music
> >> Services in Leeds, England. I know they sell their music at
> >> reasonable prices. One can inquire about
> > paper braille versus brf files.
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Menvi-discuss [mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On
> >> Behalf Of Stephanie Mitchell
> >> Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2014 7:04 PM
> >> To: menvi-discuss at menvi.org
> >> Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] piano methods
> >>
> >> Not all of us can use the nls, as we live outside the us.
> >> Steph
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: Hanson, John <jhan at loc.gov>
> >> To: "'Th is for discussing music and braille literacy'"
> >> <menvi-discuss at menvi.org>
> >> Date: Wednesday, June 4, 2014 11:53 pm
> >> Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] piano methods
> >>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> It should be made known that at least the American Popular Piano
> >>> Repertoire is available in brf format from NLS. Free download for
> >>> those registered for BARD.
> >>> John Hanson
> >>> NLS Music
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: Menvi-discuss [mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On
> >>> Behalf Of Stephanie Mitchell
> >>> Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2014 8:51 AM
> >>> To: menvi-discuss at menvi.org
> >>> Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] piano methods
> >>>
> >>> Thank you. I am a member of the RNIB, although it's a pity I cant
> >>> get them in brf format.
> >>> I'm going to take a look at these.
> >>> Thanks again so much!
> >>> Steph
> >>>
> >>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>> From: Stephanie Pieck <themusicsuite at verizon.net>
> >>> To: "'Th is for discussing music and braille literacy'"
> >>> <menvi-discuss at menvi.org>
> >>> Date: Wednesday, June 4, 2014 10:35 pm
> >>> Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] piano methods
> >>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> The "American Popular Piano Repertoire" method is very good; very
> >>>> well-paced so students play a lot of different music before
> >>>> making huge jumps in difficulty. You might start in Level 1 or
> >>>> 2--the preparatory grade would probably be too easy for your adult
student.
> >>>>
> >>>> I've never used the "Little Mozarts" book, but I find that
> >>>> Pauline Hall's "Tunes for Ten Fingers", "More Tunes for Ten
> >>>> Fingers," and "Fun for Ten Fingers" books generally captivate
> >>>> very young students while providing a very thorough foundation.
> >>>> These can be had from RNIB; if you can't purchase them, you may
> >>>> want to look into signing up for their international lending
> >>>> library service. I know it works; I borrowed old ABRSM exam books
> >>>> and used them for several
> > months.
> >>>>
> >>>> Hope this helps ...
> >>>>
> >>>> The Other Steph (Pieck)
> >>>>
> >>>> -----Original Message-----
> >>>> From: Menvi-discuss [mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On
> >>>> Behalf Of Stephanie Mitchell
> >>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2014 9:36 PM
> >>>> To: menvi-discuss at menvi.org
> >>>> Subject: [Menvi-discuss] piano methods
> >>>>
> >>>> Speaking of piano books etc I do have a few questions. I have
> >>>> just taken on an adult student. I'm using the "piano lessons book
> >>>> 1" by Waterman which seems quite good. She already has knowledge
> >>>> of treble cleef and seems a little shaky with the bass but could
> >>>> still read it quite well.
> >>>> She wants to do pop as well and I was wondering what I could use
> >>>> along side the book work that would keep her interest. I need to
> >>>> have a braille copy too so I can follow along. I thought of the
> >>>> american popular piano or the easy Dan coates piano, but not sure
> >>>> if they would be too hard for her.
> >>>> Any ideas?
> >>>> Also, does anyone know if the "music for little mozarts" books
> >>>> are in braille? I have 4 year old who is keen to start and I'd
> >>>> heard good things about this book.
> >>>> Steph
> >>>>
> >>>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>>> From: Stephanie Pieck <themusicsuite at verizon.net>
> >>>> To: "'Th is for discussing music and braille literacy'"
> >>>> <menvi-discuss at menvi.org>
> >>>> Date: Tuesday, June 3, 2014 9:50 pm
> >>>> Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] Yamaha piano course and gradings,
> >>>> any help?
> >>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Winy,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> One approach you can try to correlate grading systems is to try
> >>>>> and find pieces that are common to both and see which grade they
> >>>>> occur in on each scheme.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Alternatively, see when the student plays particular
> >>>>> scales--i.e., the ones with all those pesky sharps and
> >>>>> flats!--or when they move from playing scales in simpler form
> >>>>> (i.e., one octave only; hands separately; legato
> >>>>> only) to more advanced (with hands a third apart, for instance).
> >>>>>
> >>>>> An important thing to keep in mind is that grading systems are
> >>>>> highly subjective, and while they can provide a useful framework
> >>>>> for study, they aren't the be-all end-all of teaching.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Another gauge for progress is to ask the student "How long have
> >>>>> you studied?" Be prepared to take their answer with some
> >>>>> skepticism, however, because there's no guarantee that a student
> >>>>> who has taken lessons for five years will be playing Mozart
> >>>>> sonatas! If the Yamaha school has had a high rate of teacher
> >>>>> turnover, then the student may have studied for five or six
> >>>>> years, but with many changes in teaching methodology which will
> >>>>> hamper their progress. Just because a school follows a
> >>>>> curriculum doesn't mean that all the teachers employed by the
> >>>> school are equally adept at implementing it.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> In my own studio, whenever I am presented with a transfer
> >>>>> student, I use most of the first lesson to make my own
> >>>>> assessment, discussing with the student how long they've been
> >>>>> playing, what books they have used, and then having them play.
> >>>>> Prior to the lesson, I tell the student (or their parent) that I
> >>>>> will ask them to play some pieces they feel comfortable
> >>>>> with--things they may have played for a recital or exam, etc. I
> >>>>> ask them to bring the books they were last using to the
> >>>> class.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Once I've had them play their chosen pieces--which says a lot
> >>>>> about how they play, incidentally--I ask questions about the
> >>>>> books, like how far they've gotten in their current one, or if
> >>>>> they have any particular books they enjoyed using more than others.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> After that, I ask for scales, do some sight-reading (for many
> >>>>> students, this is where the real truth of their studies starts
> >>>>> showing itself), and finally, I give them a piece to start
> >>>>> working on with me.
> >>>>> This last item allows the student to experience my teaching
> >>>>> style and also lets me see their approach to learning--i.e.,
> >>>>> what do they struggle with; what comes easily; are they
> >>>>> attentive to details or oblivious to everything except the
> >>>>> current note they're staring at.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> If the student continues to come for lessons, then I begin to
> >>>>> work on technical things such as posture, hand position, etc.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I read somewhere that the average student should be at ABRSM
> >>>>> Grade
> >>>>> 1 level after about one to two years. The grades can be taken
> >>>>> annually after that, although personally I think the gradient in
> >>>>> difficult between grades--i.e., moving from Grade 5 to Grade 6,
> >>>>> for instance, or Grade 7 to 8--gets a bit steeper toward the
> >>>>> higher end of the system.
> >>>>> I also think there's a bigger jump at the low end of the
> >>>>> system--so Grade 1 to 2 to 3 requires a bit more advancement
> >>>>> than going from 3 to 4
> >>>> to 5.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Of course, all these are just my own personal opinions. I make
> >>>>> no claims to be a "great teacher" or even an expert in anything.
> >>>>> But I hope some of it is helpful.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Stephanie Pieck
> >>>>>
> >>>>> -----Original Message-----
> >>>>> From: Menvi-discuss [mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On
> >>>>> Behalf Of Winy Kwany
> >>>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2014 2:16 AM
> >>>>> To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
> >>>>> Subject: [Menvi-discuss] Yamaha piano course and gradings, any help?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Hi all,
> >>>>> I have a new student. She is still studying in Yamaha Music
> >>>>> School here with Yamaha piano course curiculum. She said she
> >>>>> will have grade
> >>>>> 7 Yamaha piano exam in July or October this year. I did an
> >>>>> acessment on her and I found her playing level is for grade 2-3
> >>>>> (She hasn't used any pedaling yet, but have played simple Bach
> >>>>> and some classical pieces). I have some questions.
> >>>>> First, does anyone ever transcribed Yamaha piano course into
braille?
> >>>>> If so, where I can obtain them?
> >>>>> Second, how I can get the grading of Yamaha and ABRSM on track?
> >>>>> I am confused with the system. Yamaha has 13 grades, from grade
> >>>>> 13 to 1.
> >>>>> I read in the website, but I am still confused. For example, if
> >>>>> the student is in grade 7 Yamaha, in what grade will it be for
ABRSM?
> >>>>> Thanks in advance. Any input, suggestions, will be highly
> >>>>> appreciated.
> >>>>> Winy.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Please visit www.menvi.org/donate.html  to make a voluntary
> >>>>> contribution to MENVIs work.
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> >>>>
> >>>> Mitchell Piano Studio
> >>>> Phone: 0450354342
> >>>> Web: www.mitchellpianostudio.com
> >>>>
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> >>> Phone: 0450354342
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> >> Mitchell Piano Studio
> >> Phone: 0450354342
> >> Web: www.mitchellpianostudio.com
> >>
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