Simply Music
Simply Music is an Australian-developed, piano and keyboard music education business opportunity.
Playing the piano is a high status skill, and billions of dollars are spent each year on piano lessons. For centuries however, traditional methods have remained largely unchanged and, for the most part, continue to require that students first learn to read music as the means of learning how to play.
The sad result is that this ‘read first, play later’ approach is slow and frustrating. In the end, far too many students never acquire the ability to play. Many in fact, lose their desire to learn altogether. In addition, this has given birth to a multitude of myths: “learning piano is hard”, “you have to start when you’re young”, “it takes a long time” or “you have to have a special talent”. The reality is that expecting students to read music before they have learned how to play, is like expecting children to read and spell before they have learned how to talk!
In fact, we all talked for years before we learned how to read and spell.
Similarly, the Simply Music program temporarily delays the music reading process, and begins by teaching unique concepts that unfold directly onto the keyboard. Since beginning students don’t have to worry about trying to read music they are free to relate directly to the piano. Within months, they establish a ‘hands-on’ and personal ‘feeling’ for the instrument as they build a play-list that includes popular, classical, blues and jazz styles. Simply Music’s students, from their very beginnings, also develop the ability to play complex chords and modern accompaniments.
Here’s what makes the Simply Music system so great for the budding music teaching entrepreneurs:
- It can be taught by piano players who are not advanced musicians
- It requires no formal teaching qualifications
- No prior music teaching experience is necessary.
Many of their teachers never dreamed that they were capable of teaching music. Successful Simply Music teachers are most commonly those who love to play music, are at ease with people of all ages, who love to share music with others and have a willingness to embrace and implement new ideas.
janita on March 6th, 2008 6:09 pm
I have been teaching Simply Music for the last four years and LOVE it.
It has changed my life and I would never go back to teaching traditionally.
Dane, thank you for posting about Simply Music. It’s a great business opportunity!
Lisa on March 6th, 2008 6:58 pm
I too teach Simply Music. Although I have not taught as long as Janita, I LOVE it!! Having taught the traditional method of piano, I would never go back. I have a much greater capacity for expressing myself on the piano now, after teaching the Simply Music method. I highly recommend it to anyone!!!
Whitney Maxwell on March 7th, 2008 7:57 am
another happy Simply Music teacher here. We need more teachers! Thanks for posting!
Michele on March 7th, 2008 8:52 am
I have two piano performance degrees, studied overseas, taught at a local conservatory and perform serious classical repertoire. For several years, I taught traditionally to beginners and found that it was rather dry and did not appeal to our present day culture. In spite my attempts at spicing up lessons and encouraging students, I found that traditional lessons did not hold the typical beginning student’s interest. Teaching Simply Music has breathed new life into my teaching and my business, and helped renew students’ love of playing the piano, no matter the age. I am a firm believer in this method! It just makes sense!
Holly on March 7th, 2008 3:46 pm
I’ve always loved piano music but never played myself, so I wanted my children to learn to play so that I could enjoy the sound of music in my house. When we learned about Simply Music my husband encouraged me to learn to play myself since I could start by playing real music and not just beginner piano songs. I’m so glad I did! I love playing the piano; it has enriched my life. Now I love hearing my daughter play but I’m thinking, “How beautiful…when is she going to get off so I can play!”
Diane on March 7th, 2008 8:55 pm
Thanks for this article! I have been teaching for 3 years; I never thought I could but I have seeen such wonderful success with very happy students. It is truly the BEST method.
Kerry Verdon on March 7th, 2008 10:26 pm
I had my first piano lesson when I was 39 and when I was 40 I was teaching. I didn’t believe that I could ever be playing the piano. Not only am I playing I have been teaching the Simply Music method for 8 years now and continue to love and enjoy every moment of it for both myself and my students.
Thank you Dane for a wonderful and true article. You grasp and share exactly what Simply Music is about.
Shari Schafer on March 8th, 2008 4:37 am
I am a new teacher in the Simply Music family. I was trained traditionally, but this method has opened a whole new world of playing for me. I am so thrilled to have this opportunity to share the gift of music as a life-long companion to others who thought they never could play!
Thanks for putting out the word!
Georgia on March 9th, 2008 12:56 am
When anyone would ask me if I would play for them, I could only play if there was written music. Now I play many different styles and can compose and improvise.
This is my tenth year of teaching Simply Music and it has changed my life. I love passing on all I have learned to my students and seeing them smiling and growing musically. Neil Moore is a generous genius, sharing his love of music with us all to share with the world.
Julie on March 9th, 2008 2:16 am
I have been teaching the Simply Music method for 9 years now and it just gets better and more rewarding as time goes on. It is a method that reaches out to everyone, at any age and stage of life. My 73 year old who has been learning for 4 years can now play and read music far beyond what I was capable of doing after 12 years of traditional lessons. So I would say to any one considering learning or teaching, just do it, you will definately reap the rewards in more ways than you could ever imagine.
Shannon on March 13th, 2008 8:48 am
Thanks for the great article Dane. I have been teaching Simply Music since 2000, in three different states now, and have never seen anything like this. I can appeal to all ages and almost any situation and ability level with this program. I love how I keep learning right along with my students. It does just make sense, and we are all very grateful for our Program Founder Neil Moore who helps us teach a breakthrough method and helps us manage our students with aplomb.
Crystal on October 9th, 2008 10:16 am
Simply Music is WONDERFUL. I learned through traditional methods but never achieved the musically that I have since starting SM three years ago. I am now passing that onto my students and my own family! I taught traditional lessons for 7 yrs before switching to SM. I’ll never look back. I you are considering teaching, check out the website http://www.simplymusic.com
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