The Playground
The Simply Music blog
Simply Music is a world-leader and pioneer in the field of playing-based music education. We're interested in developing programs and projects that fundamentally impact populations of people. Basically, we focus on causing breakthroughs in creativity for humanity.
Dynamic Processing in Music Production
Today I’d like to talk about compression and dynamic processing in music production. These are common effects and tools that are used in recordings. Dynamic processing is where a recorded signal coming in will be different coming out. The level of the outgoing signal is…
From Neil Moore
It’s All About Playing Recently I was in Los Angeles and had an opportunity to attend a concert. The band was called Dukes of September, and it featured three men: Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs, each of whom are Grammy Award winning artists.…
Polly Watkins Interview on ‘Dr Sarmast’s Music School’ with Gordon Harvey
A sad marker of Afghanistan’s tragic history is that for decades music has been suppressed and even, until recently, almost completely banned. But then, after the overthrow of the Taliban, Melbourne-based music professor Dr Ahmad Sarmast braved combat zone conditions to return to his native…
Simply Music Teacher – Robin Keehn
Just about everybody who has even contemplated teaching Simply Music will know of Robin Keehn. She’s our Director of Development and has been instrumental in the shaping of several new programs, as well as spearheading our Teacher Training Program, being very active in the teaching…
How To Make Gravy by Paul Kelly – Book Review
Readers outside Australia may be less familiar with his work (although he’s spent plenty of time performing and writing in the USA), but to many of his compatriots, Paul Kelly is a national treasure, a balladeer who seems to have a direct line to the…
Learn Chariots of Fire
Every four years when the Olympics comes around, one of the tunes that always finds itself on high rotation is Vangelis’ uplifting anthem, the theme from Chariots of Fire. It’s pretty simple to work out an accompaniment that sounds good, and the melody is even…
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…
Creative Manager Bill Page on Songwriting with Gretta Dunn
Among many other things, Bill Page, Creative Manager at Mushroom Music Publishing, is currently working on pitching songs to The Voice Australia. In this colorful 40-minute chat with songwriter and Simply Music staff member Gretta Dunn, Bill shows the straight-talking and generous style that has earned him…
Simply Music Teacher – Laurie Richards
Laurie Richards and Simply Music were a perfect match from the beginning. From the moment that she spoke with Neil Moore about teaching the program, Laurie has grasped the bigger picture to the point where she has contributed to the Simply Music curriculum itself, not…
What Music Do You Love?
Why do you love music? What kind of music gets you right in the heart? We’d like to hear your thoughts on the discussion at our Facebook page.
