Quick Video: Making Scales Fun with DecideNow!

by Tim Topham in Creativity on June 12, 2014. 1 Comment

Spin the wheel!

I’ve recently been having fun with my students using a nifty little app called DecideNow.

Join the the preeminent professional development, learning and networking community for instrumental music teachers.

I posted about it a while ago on my Facebook page, but thought a quick little 2-minute video might be the best way to explain how I actually use it in my studio.

Have fun with it and let me know what you use it for in your teaching.

by Tim Topham

Last December Nicola Cantan and I ran something we called the 5 Day Piano Pivot or “5DPP” for short. This free challenge was designed to help piano teachers really think through and plan the future of their piano studio. Too often as self-employed piano teachers we can get stuck in the weeds of the teaching, ... CPTP149: How the 5DPP revolutionised one teacher’s studio with Lisa Kiernan

by Tim Topham

Lucinda was trained in a traditional classical system, but when she realised that she couldn’t even play Happy Birthday at a party (without sheet music) she felt a little cheated. Why couldn’t she do something so simple after all these years of study? She wished that someone who had these playing by ear skills would write ... CPTP110: Why Every Student Should Know Happy Birthday with Lucinda Mackworth-Young

by Tim Topham

When it comes to teaching modes, teachers can come across all sorts of stumbling blocks. For one thing, they may not have the in-depth knowledge they feel they need – or they may just be unsure of where modes fit in the piano curriculum. I get questions about modes all the time from teachers. How ... CPTP102: Teaching and Exploring Modes in the Piano Studio

by Tim Topham

Through his own musicianship and teaching, Tom Donald gradually came to realise that something was missing. There was a disconnect between what students wanted to learn and what teachers were teaching. Students were also coming out of lessons without a true comprehension of how music works. By teaching harmony first, students get a much richer ... TTTV068: The Importance of Harmony with Tom Donald

by Sean Wales

Practicing aural skills is one of the most important music theory exercises for any musician. From beginner students to more advanced musicians, boosting listening skills helps everyone when it comes to playing piano. But some music students want to skip the ear training exercises and just play piano without any extra theory lessons. This is ... Quick Video: Making Scales Fun with DecideNow!

by Tim Topham

Ever wondered how the master of contemporary piano music, Christopher Norton, teaches improvising to beginners? Interested in learning the secrets he’s gleamed about teaching improvising over more than 30 years of composing, teaching and presenting? Like the idea of teaching improving by starting with written music rather than thin air? It’s great to be spending time ... TTTV002: Using piano improv to create a musician for life with Christopher Norton

About the author

Tim Topham

Tim Topham is the founder and director of TopMusic. Tim hosts the popular Integrated Music Teaching Podcast, blogs regularly at topmusic.co and speaks at local and international conferences on topics such as integrated teaching, creativity, business, marketing and entrepreneurship. Tim has been featured in American Music Teacher, The Piano Teacher Magazine, California Music Teacher and EPTA Piano Professional. Tim holds an MBA in Educational Leadership, BMus, DipEd and AMusA.

1 Comment

Natalie Gibson Grimes says:

06/17/2014 at 7:19 am

I am so glad to know about this app! So many possible uses in the teaching studio. Thanks for the demo!

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