Success Music Studio

Geoff

Geoff (pronounce Jeff) Keith has taught instrumental music lessons for over 30 years, and special needs students for over 20 years, accruing over 6,000 hours working with special needs and LD students. In the 1990’s, he developed FBC Sudbury’s Kid’s Music Club program (children’s choir). His articles on teaching music to students with learning disabilities have appeared in the Dyslexic Reader. The information in the blog is similar to the information he presented at Berklee College of Music’s ABLE Assembly, which is a special needs arts conference for teachers. Also, he has been included in Marquis Who’s Who biographies.

Meet Special Needs Music Expert Geoff Keith at Lexsepta 2025

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be manning a table at the 2025 Lexsepta Special Needs Resource Fair. If you’re in the Lexington area, you’re invited to drop by the Lexsepta Fair and say, “Hi.” Keep reading to learn more. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.

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How to Read Piano Sheet Music for Beginners - Piano with Sheet Music and Roses

How to Read Piano Sheet Music for Beginners

Are you a beginner pianist and want to know how to read piano sheet music? Or are you a parent and want to figure out if your child is ready to play piano? This post covers the basics of how to read piano sheet music. In addition, it has links to practical examples so you can get an idea of what it’s like to play and read piano music. Keep reading “How to Read Piano Sheet Music for Beginners” to embark on your musical voyage. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.

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Learn the Secret of How to Play Guitar Trills - Guitarist with Les Paul

Learn the Secret of How to Play Guitar Trills

Do you want to learn the secret of how to play guitar trills? Trills add excitement and flash to your playing. However, if you want to know how to master guitar trills, you must first become proficient at two other guitar techniques. Keep reading to learn what these techniques are and how to best perform them. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.

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How to Tune Your Incredibly Cool Microtonal Keyboard - Woman with Keyboard

How to Tune Your Incredibly Cool Microtonal Keyboard

Do you want to know how to tune your microtonal keyboard so that your chords sound incredibly cool? The term microtonal covers a lot of different types of tuning systems. Some which will sound like a cappella music, and others which will sound exotic and otherworldly. Keep reading “How to Tune Your Incredibly Cool Microtonal Keyboard” to learn how to have beautiful sounding harmonies. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.

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How to Play the Sad Sounding D Minor Chord - Hollow Body Electric Guitar

How to Play the Sad Sounding D Minor Chord

Do you want to know how to play the open D minor guitar chord? Do you want to know why it sounds sad? Minor chords have a sweet, haunting sound. Open D minor has medium difficulty, but with the right fingering strategies, it’s not that hard to play. Keep reading “How to Play the Sad Sounding D Minor Chord” to find out how to best play open D minor. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

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Enjoy the Bold Song Battle Hymn of the Republic - Union Soldier

Enjoy the Bold Song: Battle Hymn of the Republic

Do you want to enjoy the bold song “Battle Hymn of the Republic?” In this article, you’ll get three essentials: 1) a video of the song, 2) the complete words to the song, and 3) free easy-to-read lead sheet style sheet music using shape notes, including a sing along soundtrack. Keep reading to learn more. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.

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Powerful Popular MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) - MIDI DAW

Powerful Popular MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)

Have you heard about MIDI and need to know what it is? Do you want to know how it can help you create music? MIDI is short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It’s an industry-wide open-source keyboard design protocol proposed by Sequential Circuits in the 1980s, and it’s still relevant today. Keep reading “Powerful Popular MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)” to find out what it is, and what it can do for you. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.

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Learn the Secret of How to Sing Consonants - Woman with Guitar Singing

Learn the Secret of How to Sing Consonants

Do you need to know how to accurately sing consonants? Do you want people to be able to understand your song lyrics as you sing? Diction is the study of how to accurately sing lyrics. Vowels are critical for your tone and your tuning. However, you need to also pay attention to your consonants, or no one will understand what you’re singing. Keep reading “Learn the Secret of How to Sing Consonants” to find out what they are and how to sing them. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.

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How to Avoid Writing Annoying Cliches - Woman Typing

How to Avoid Writing Annoying Cliches

Do you want to know what cliches are and how to avoid them? Cliches are phrases that have been used so often that they lose their impact on your audience. Writers, poets, and songwriters need to be aware of them, because they can drain emotional energy from your work. Keep reading “How to Avoid Writing Annoying Cliches” to learn what they are and how to stay away from them. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

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How to Teach Music to Neurodivergent Students - Girl with Guitar

How to Teach Music to Neurodivergent Students

Are you a teacher with neurodiverse students? Do you need suggestions for how to best teach them? Neurodivergent and neurodiverse are non-medical terms that refer to people with non-traditional ways of thinking and learning (e.g., ADHD, ASD, dyslexia, etc.). It attempts to give dignity to individuals by looking at the whole person and avoids looking at them as a problem that needs to be fixed. Having said that, neurodiverse students will often need special teaching methods to have success in music. Keep reading “How to Teach Music to Neurodivergent Students” to learn more. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.

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