When to introduce more advanced modes

gutierrem wrote: My daughter is 7 years old, we started with the program about one month ago and she loves it, however, I've noticed she will memorize the songs before even going to modes 2 or 3, so when we go to the more advanced modes of presenting the staff (horizontal and without icons) she is not even looking at the screen when playing except to correct to correct some errors.

My understanding is that going to the more advanced modes helps with the ability to read music from a sheet of paper. I´m afraid she is not getting this benefit by memorizing the songs.

Could you please help me understand how to approach this issue, maybe going into more complex songs will help or moving her to advanced modes even with lower scores.

She has done most of the introductory songs this way.

Appreciate your advice!

Thank you,
Gutierre M.

Yes, Gutierre, you got the right point! With Soft Mozart we do everything differently.
There are 2 kind of activities learning how to play piano:

1. Piano pieces that develop piano technique. We usually choose more difficult pieces and learning them on more easy visual mode (so, the muscle system won't be stressed out)
2. Piano pieces for sight-reading. We usually give the students such pieces in bulk (by 4-5 or entire Album). They supposed to be not as challenging for motor skills, but have less visual support.

It would be great to see at least hands of your daughter, when she plays piano with Soft Mozart to be able to guide you, which pieces/albums better choose for her both technique and sight-reading developments.

gutierrem wrote: Here is a video of her playing one of the Introductory songs. She pretty much has all of them memorized but she never got to modes 3 or above.
Is there a target score to start with the other modes? when they score 10, 20.. etc?

Thank you,
Gutierre M.

I see... You have a girl with excellent ear and music memory, good fine motor skills and perfect both hands coordination - a foundation for very solid academic start in playing piano.

There are couple of problems we should avoid asap.

1. Fingers. We need to focus on exercises in playing piano: softmozart.com/forum/55-teaching-videos/...the-first-level.html

Playing these exercises using 2 hands asap is very important. They will have to manage her fingers in all future learning more wisely.

She needs more challenge in performance pieces
2. Suggested piano pieces for future performances (she may start practicing them on 3: she will handle it!)
Fav Classic 1 - Morning Mood, Ode to Joy, Largo.
Nursery 1 - Lazy Mary, Old Mac Donald
Boogie 1 - Cat Boogie, Rock group, Robot Rock

It is time for her to start music sight-reading
3. She can start reading music. Album Nursery Primer on mode 2 (with no pictures or icons):
she needs to play all pieces by R, L and P on 2. Make no more then 4-5 mistakes.

Please, let me know, how is it goes.