Learn Music in Flow
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Accessible learning
through Play
Music is Easy Method has been in development since 2016 by London Music Educator and Jazz Musician Edward Cubitt. Building on Kenny Werner's 'Effortless Mastery' and informed by the first Flow-State study aimed at Musicians, conducted by Goldsmith's University, Music is Easy makes accessing Flow State cognition simple and easy through the use of learning Games.
These Games were created, tested and refined over thousands of hours of use in the practice room and classroom (and above several Pubs!), with learners of all ages, skill levels and access needs developing intuitive mastery of their instrument, improvisation, and written music through composition, collaboration and performance.
Understanding
Neurodiversity
Many learners struggle with learning through written Music, with certain cognitive neurotypes finding an abstract system-of-systems particularly overwhelming and inaccessible.
By breaking down these systems of codification into their individual parts, Music is Easy gives Neurodiverse learners a way to develop familiarity with individual systems and cognitive processes. At the same time, it gives those supporting these learners a clear and detailed picture of exactly what cognitive challenges are experienced.
For example, by taking away all codification but the Note letter, The Word Game gives learners a way to practice just thinking of the note they want and playing it on their instrument, and the power and agency to increase the difficulty and try it again - with 2 letters, 3 letters, entire sentences (DAD FED ED A BAD CABBAGE?).
In a short session playing Words, a learner may practice finding each note several dozen times, building intuitive mastery of this process that they can translate to reading written music.
The layered building of intuitive familiarity is key to accessing Flow State in Musical performance - 'Effortless Mastery', 'The Space', 'The Zone'. In this state lie confidence, compassion, bravery, public speaking, singing without fear, and feeling the groove.
All learners will find value in this approach, while also learning more about themselves, their cognitive strengths and weaknesses, and any mal-processes or access challenges they have. The varied and multi-sensory Games, involving puzzles, movement, and communication, provide an unprecedented diagnostic and support framework for cognitive access needs, as well as easy and accessible methods to overcome specific cognitive challenges.
"As an experienced music teacher, I had been looking for something like this for some time. Ed's method is unusual in that it doesn't start from 'this is how we read middle C, let's start there and slowly introduce the other notes, rhythms, etc.'. Instead students are basically composing from the first lesson. And they find it easy. It is all based around bringing out an intuitive understanding of the ingredients of western music. By going 'with the grain' of a students interests we can access flow.
The method is centered squarely on self-directed learning and giving the student agency through games, in stark contrast to the rather dry way some students are made to stare at sheet music from lesson 1, after three years of which we start to wonder 'why do my students hate sight-reading?'.
The only drawback is that it may not be self-explanatory how to teach/ learn from this book without some understanding of the methodology behind it. However, I have been in touch with Ed who is super passionate about his work and was more than happy to go into great detail about how his method works and what outcomes we are looking for, I recommend tracking him down for the full breakdown. I started using this method in lessons as soon as I found it, with amazing results."
Accessibility and Inclusion
Access Needs disappear when an effective support framework for Accessibility and Inclusion is implemented. With an understanding of Autistic and ADHD cognitive patterns, activities can be delivered in such a way as to not just mitigate access challenges, but harness the incredible power of Neurodiverse individuals for Hyper-Focus, compassion and collaboration in the school and workplace.
These support frameworks are effective at any level and in any setting, helping individuals understand themselves and one another, supporting effective teamwork and compassionate agency. They can help understand, identify and prevent Neurodiverse Burnout.
To arrange a Neurodiversity Access and Inclusion Consultation, or for further information on delivering Music is Easy Method beyond resources available on this website, click below to email us!