U Play self teaching music program

asmileaday

Mon, Jan 26 2015, 12:24 pm

I know this thread is old. Bumping it up because I'm looking for info on this system. My 9yr old is musical but real beginner (plays with one hand only and makes nice few mistakes in each song). I want him to learn the proper way to play so he can play anything (he has a good ear) not just the songs in the book.

We currently cannot afford music lessons (but maybe in the future yes). Is this system gonna ingrain in him wrong habits or is it universally correct? Is her labeling of chords accurate? (I love music but am musically illiterate)

I glanced thru my friend's books (she didn't end up using them) and was disappointed at the lack of written instruction. Like someone mentioned upthread, each of the 3 books have the same exact instructions.

So is this a system that can benefit my son?

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Apr 13 2015, 11:05 am

This is not going to teach someone to be able to read music and play, but her chord labeling is accurate, and can help a motivated kid get used to playing by ear after learning the songs she has put in her books. Once you know several basics, you can expand on those especially since many Jewish songs are similar (e.g. in the A minor scale) and since you have started figuring out when to use which chords, you can apply them to your newer songs.

My kids still use the book, but mainly #1, and they listen to the CDs a lot. They have taught themselves several of the songs, but never the chords (they are not motivated though).

Rachel Levy

Wed, Dec 28 2016, 11:56 pm

I see that this question is a bit old but I just sew it and wanted to share with you how it worked for my children. Personally, I play a few instruments, have them in the house and always wanted my children to play. I sent my daughter to lessons when she was 8 years old for a few mouths and I realized that she wasn’t motivated, she hardly practiced and didn’t enjoy it. I was disappointed and stopped the lessons. About 3 years ago we got the uPlay books and I left them out by the piano. That same girl who was then 13 years playd from them a lot. She is so motivated that she plays every day at least a half an hour. Over the last few years she became so amazing at playing, that she was just asked to play for a school function! (She is a 10th grader now).
At the beginning she played with the book practicing the right hand with the CD then the left and then both hands together. Next she started figuring out songs with chords on her own based on the experience and the rules from the books, and then she would ask me to teach her nice ways to break down the chords on the piano, and playing chords with 2 hands as accompaniment to singing. She would use the uPlay songs to practice. The fact that they are clearly marked as 4 or 3 beats made it espier for her to choose songs. Recently she decided that she wants to read notes and started working with the Belwin Piano Method books. She is in now the middle of the third book. I did have to help her with the notes, but the fact the she is used to playing with proper fingers and she knows scales and chords from uPlay made it much essayers. My other children also play some songs ocatinaly but nothing to compare!
My 6 and 8 year old play with just the right hand and my 10 year old plays with 2 hands but the same 5 songs from level 1. I still hope that she will have more interest, and play like her big sister. But I’m not pushing her…