Why It's Time to Noodle!
When was the last time you scheduled some Noodle Time? Time away from the printed page to explore what comes from your innate superpower—creativity.
Is noodling a lost art?
Nope, we are born with it, but it can easily bumped to the side by productivity and other life stuff.
My grandnieces in the 24-second video below are perfect role models for noodling. They are discovering how to produce sound with a stick.
Little sis did NOT wait for permission to copy big sis, and neither were corrected for how they hit the chime. Their unbridled curiosity and noodling ignited their music-making.
And notice what the older sis said at the end with pure joy and no judgment.
Creativity is the new literacy.
One of the presentations that stood out to me at NCKP (National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy) in July of 2023 was given by Robert Duke titled: Propelled by Joy: The Neuroscience of Skill Learning and the Accomplishment of Meaningful Goals.
My ears perked up when he stated…
“The telling and showing and correcting isn’t what’s actually going to create lasting changes in learners, what creates lasting changes in learners are strategically structured experiences through which their activity actually teaches them and changes the way they think and behave.”
-Robert Duke, author of Intelligent Music Tearning
Duke went on about the difference between competence and comprehension. Students giving you the right answer does not indicate that they understand something.
His statements underscore the importance of convergent vs divergent questions. Creating something new at the keys gives students space to practice divergent thinking—where there’s more than one “right answer.” It’s when students experience the art of putting into practice what they know and discovering what they don’t.
Duke challenged his captive audience:
If you really want to know if your students understand something, what kind of experiences will you create for them that reveal gaps in their understanding that might not be readily apparent?
-Robert Duke
If you’re human, you’re programmed to create.
So, why is it time to noodle?
When WE (music teachers) regularly visit the “judgment-free noodle zone,” and make discoveries through experimentation, it becomes easier to guide our students there, too.
I have one student who loves to learn new pieces and then noodle with them—add his own fresh twist on things. I believe it’s because he struggles with reading. I work with him weekly to help him discriminate between landmarks, intervals, and even line and space notes, but it can be challenging for him to connect the dots. He’d much rather learn by ear and play away from the page.
The best way to keep him learning AND smiling at the piano is to honor his requests. Recently, he asked to play “Somewhere in My Memory.”
As expected, after a brief search, I found nothing to match his reading level. Because I’ve been arranging for a while and work almost daily with Noteflight, I created an arrangement JUST for him.
The first “level” is right-hand only. The second adds a single bass line in the C 5-finger pattern. I downloaded the PDF and an MP3 of the score from Noteflight to help with home practice.
This pianist was over the moon! It will give him the boost he needs to read, play, and then noodle with it.
Creativity is a superpower
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Creativity is a superpower 〰️
Andrea West scheduled in “noodle time” when she signed up for a Composium and then an Arrangium this year at LeilaViss.com.
She recently added group teaching to her thriving studio and was in the same boat as me. She needed an ensemble tailored for her beginning pianists and couldn’t find one.
Andrea was so excited to share her clever arrangement with me. I adore Andrea’s honesty in a recent email about catching a video of her original ensemble:
“Jolly was a disaster yesterday. One kid shows up sans music and practice; another just wanted to play games, the other two were brilliant.
Group teaching is full of challenges, but I'm getting there. Actually, my little group of 1st graders sounds amazing on the Jolly Old I arranged for them. It's nothing special, but they seem to get it!”
Andrea’s ensemble is an accessible 8-hand arrangement for four elementary-level pianists. Each part is easy individually, but combined, the resulting ensemble sounds impressive.
BONUS: This comes with the primer level “Jolly Old St Nick” and other bonus content.
Get Andrea’s arrangement below
Ready to noodle?
What if there was a place to treat and develop your creativity? A gym where you can stretch your creative muscles, receive regular “noodling” workouts, and stay accountable to your goals.
And that’s not all! What if you could learn how to compose, arrange, and notate your work at a professional level? What if you could make your compositions and arrangements to suit YOUR students?
Creativity is a muscle that requires daily training.
Space to Create offers just that, and it is coming in 2024!
This unique space offers the following:
a safe place to explore sound and morph noodling into compositions
access to a community of like-minded creatives
accountability to take action with your creativity
personal coaching to help you meet your goals
a routine to keep you noodling
access to The Full Scoop On Chords
reserved spots at 2024 Composiums
quarterly meetups with the Space to Create Community
and much more.
“Skills get imprinted through action.” -Twyla Thwarp
Is it time to commit to your creativity?
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