
The Playground
The Simply Music blog

Recording Yourself, Part Three – How To Record Yourself
Credit: http://www.intuneaudio.ca/ In the last two articles, we talked about the benefits of recording yourself and what to listen for when reviewing your recorded efforts. In this installment, we’ll discuss some practicalities of making recordings. Even if you’re simply making a cheap and cheerful recording…
- Written by Gordon Harvey on Jul 12, 2016
- chords, coaching, gordon harvey, listen, music, neil moore, pedal, play piano, record, simply music, tempo, the playground, tutorial

A Graphic Speaks a Thousand Words
Here in the Information Age, there’s no end to the opportunities to learn stuff. Trouble is, there’s no end to the stuff we ought to learn. How do you narrow all the available information about your favourite subjects down to the nuggets you can use in your…
- Written by Mel Karajas on Jun 12, 2016
- create, infographics, knowledge, music, simply music, the playground, visual

A World Where Everyone Plays
“Some people think music education is a privilege, but I think it’s essential to being human” – Jewel Since 1998, Simply Music has provided transformative music education via our Teacher Training Program, giving musicians, from the relative novice to the most formally trained,…
- Written by Mel Karajas on May 16, 2016

Keeping the Music Alive – Vicki Lee with Dame Vera Lynn
2015 was a landmark year for the remembrance of war, especially for people in Australia and New Zealand, marking not only the end of World War 2, but the centenary of the Gallipoli campaign, commemorated on April 25 each year in both countries. The event…
- Written by Guest Contributor on Apr 21, 2016

Celebrating Piano Day on a Grand Scale!
Credit: www.danaevalenza.com On the 88th day (yes, that’s a piano reference!) of 2015, accomplished composer and producer, Nils Frahm, launched Piano Day. Not just a day to celebrate the piano, but also an official body that houses various and exciting piano-related projects. The first…
- Written by Mel Karajas on Mar 24, 2016
- 5 easy pieces, madame sousatzka, music, music lessons, nils frahm, piano, piano day, piano lessons, play piano, simply music, teach piano, the pianist, the piano, the playground

Taking the Lead – Our Favourite Movies Featuring the Piano
A piano in the background has helped set the scene in countless movies, but it’s rarer for it to take a leading role. Here’s a selection of our favourite movies featuring our favourite instrument. The Piano I guess we have to start with a film…
- Written by Gordon Harvey on Mar 23, 2016
- david helgott, movies about piano, piano, piano movies, shine, simply music, the pianist, the piano

The Serious Business of Playing Toy Instruments
All good music resembles something. Good music stirs by its mysterious resemblance to the objects and feelings which motivated it – Jean Cocteau The resemblance to the objects and feelings from which the following music stirs may not be so mysterious, although, the personal…
- Written by Mel Karajas on Mar 20, 2016
- adele, hello, jimmy fallon, Margaret Leng Tan, Modified Toy Orchestra, music, piano, simply music, the playground, the roots, toy instrument, toy orchestra, virtuoso

Music is not a Talent to be Developed, but a Gift to be Shared
Mel Karajas’s interview with renowned voice coach Per Bristow in The Playground drew a lot of interest, inspiring this story from Simply Music Teacher Jacqui Graham. She draws parallels between Per’s approach and the design of Simply Music, and makes a wonderful case for the…
- Written by Guest Contributor on Mar 6, 2016
- jacqui graham, music, Per Bristow, simply music, sing, sing with freedom, talent, the playground, the singing zone

Watching Music Change the World
You probably don’t need any convincing that music is a powerful force for good. These inspiring documentaries demonstrate how much and in how many ways across the globe extraordinary people are using music to make a positive change in the world. Alive Inside If you’re…
- Written by Gordon Harvey on Feb 28, 2016
- alive inside, autism, crescendo, documentary, landfill, landfill harmonic, music, music changes lives, musical, simply music, the playground

Breaking Down and Getting Back Up Again – A Story of Perseverance
Most of you will know Robin Keehn – in fact, most of you will have been impacted directly or indirectly by Robin’s enormous contribution to everything we do, fuelled by her unstoppable drive to be the best teacher/coach/manager/developer she can be, and her equally unstoppable…
- Written by Guest Contributor on Feb 18, 2016
- aspire, inspire, learn music, learn piano, motivate, music, music lessons, perseverance, piano studio, robin keehn, simply music, teach piano