Great class today guys!
We split into teams and played a note naming game called "Face off". It was really fun - you sure have a lot of energy. (Next week we'll find out who is the fastest team, once and for all!)
Here's a tip: For the treble clef space notes the rhyme is F-A-C-E, and for the bass clef space notes All Cows Eat Grass. If you know the space notes, then you can figure out the line notes quickly and easily by counting up or down using the musical alphabet. (The direction of the alphabet goes by line and space from bottom to top!)
Practice your note naming. The faster you become at recognizing notes, the more fluent you will be as a piano player. It is like learning a second (or third, for you in French immersion) language.
Keep practicing your C major scales as a warm up exercise. Use the correct fingering and keep a round hand position.
Perfect the five songs that I've given you. ("Mary had a little lamb", "Ode to Joy", "Oh when the saints", etc.)
If you've done all that, and you'd like something more, why not try reading some piano books that you may have at home? You can also look up songs on the internet and print off easy sheet music. Show me that you have been doing extra practice at home next class and we will move you up even faster through the levels!
For those of you who would like to do independent work with Piano Suite - that would be the absolute best way to practice for MusIQ club.
You can order the whole package online at www.musiqclub.com/software.php
Remember to always feel the pulse when you listen to or play music. It is very important keep a steady beat. Next week we're going to do rhythm exercises in 4/4 time.
You're learning so much and I'm very happy with all your progress so far J. W.
Thanks - have a good week :)
Friday, November 9
Thursday, November 8
Kingswood School Thurs. Nov. 7 11.40-12.40pm
We had a good lesson today. Everyone's becoming familiar with the musical concepts and I'm really impressed with how much you've learned so far.
Today we learned how to play our C major scales. Practice these hands separately with the correct fingering:
Right hand - 1 2 3, 1 2 3 4 5, 4 3 2 1, 3 2 1
Left hand - 5 4 3 2 1, 3 2 1, 2 3, 1 2 3 4 5
We played a game called "Face off", naming the notes on the grand staff.
You practiced the song "Old Grey Goose" in the Piano Player and exercised your right hand with the Theory Thinker. Great work!
Remember to keep your fingers curved and your wrists high when you practice your songs this week. There are five hand-outs currently in your folders: "Mary had a little lamb" (finger #), "Oh when the saints", "Twinkle Twinkle", "Ode to Joy" and "Mary had a little lamb" (letter names).
Keep a steady beat when you practice. Sing or hum the tune as you play to know which notes are short and which are long.
If you have some piano music at home that you'd like to learn on your own with the note reading skills that you've learned, please go right ahead! Bring the music to class and show me what you can do - we can move you through the levels even faster, if you want. (Lauren, Renee, Neil, Micheal... I'm thinking of you!)
Remember your note values. Quarter notes, half notes and whole notes.
We're going to do more work on rhythms next week.
If you have the Piano Suite software at home you can practice "Old Grey Goose" and "Pop goes the Weasel".
If you would like to purchase a Piano Suite kit for home practice you can order it online here: www.musiqclub.com/software.php
Have a nice Remembrance day weekend. Thanks for all your enthusiasm and interest - you're a a fun group of students. I'll see you next week!
Today we learned how to play our C major scales. Practice these hands separately with the correct fingering:
Right hand - 1 2 3, 1 2 3 4 5, 4 3 2 1, 3 2 1
Left hand - 5 4 3 2 1, 3 2 1, 2 3, 1 2 3 4 5
We played a game called "Face off", naming the notes on the grand staff.
You practiced the song "Old Grey Goose" in the Piano Player and exercised your right hand with the Theory Thinker. Great work!
Remember to keep your fingers curved and your wrists high when you practice your songs this week. There are five hand-outs currently in your folders: "Mary had a little lamb" (finger #), "Oh when the saints", "Twinkle Twinkle", "Ode to Joy" and "Mary had a little lamb" (letter names).
Keep a steady beat when you practice. Sing or hum the tune as you play to know which notes are short and which are long.
If you have some piano music at home that you'd like to learn on your own with the note reading skills that you've learned, please go right ahead! Bring the music to class and show me what you can do - we can move you through the levels even faster, if you want. (Lauren, Renee, Neil, Micheal... I'm thinking of you!)
Remember your note values. Quarter notes, half notes and whole notes.
We're going to do more work on rhythms next week.
If you have the Piano Suite software at home you can practice "Old Grey Goose" and "Pop goes the Weasel".
If you would like to purchase a Piano Suite kit for home practice you can order it online here: www.musiqclub.com/software.php
Have a nice Remembrance day weekend. Thanks for all your enthusiasm and interest - you're a a fun group of students. I'll see you next week!
Wednesday, November 7
Hammonds Plains Elementary School Wed. Nov. 7 8.00-9.00am
From Hannah:
In our first class we began by introducing ourselves.
Then we worked through Piano Suite's "Theory Thinker" I from "The Piano" to "Finding the note C". We learned about good piano posture, and good hand position (fingers curved, each finger on one white key, with relaxed arms and shoulders). We also learned that our fingers are numbered. Remember thumbs on both hands are called "1"!
We found that the black keys on a piano are grouped in 2s and 3s. We learned that the note "C" is the white key just below (to the left of) any group of 2 black keys, and that the note "F" is the white key just below any group of 3 black keys. We practiced finding all the Cs and Fs on the keyboard. Then we learned the musical alphabet: A-G, and practiced finding notes by playing the "Word Play" game in Theory Thinker.
We practiced learning to recognise when pitches are "high", "low" or moving up or down. Everyone closed their eyes and I played high notes or low notes; students had to signal whether they heard high or low by raising their arms high in the air, or lowering their arms toward the ground. Then everyone tried this same exercise with their partners.
Finally we logged into Children's Music Journey and everyone played the "High Bird, Low Whale, Middle C" game (1). Then we all had a chance to improvise in the CMJ "improv room".
In our first class we began by introducing ourselves.
Then we worked through Piano Suite's "Theory Thinker" I from "The Piano" to "Finding the note C". We learned about good piano posture, and good hand position (fingers curved, each finger on one white key, with relaxed arms and shoulders). We also learned that our fingers are numbered. Remember thumbs on both hands are called "1"!
We found that the black keys on a piano are grouped in 2s and 3s. We learned that the note "C" is the white key just below (to the left of) any group of 2 black keys, and that the note "F" is the white key just below any group of 3 black keys. We practiced finding all the Cs and Fs on the keyboard. Then we learned the musical alphabet: A-G, and practiced finding notes by playing the "Word Play" game in Theory Thinker.
We practiced learning to recognise when pitches are "high", "low" or moving up or down. Everyone closed their eyes and I played high notes or low notes; students had to signal whether they heard high or low by raising their arms high in the air, or lowering their arms toward the ground. Then everyone tried this same exercise with their partners.
Finally we logged into Children's Music Journey and everyone played the "High Bird, Low Whale, Middle C" game (1). Then we all had a chance to improvise in the CMJ "improv room".
Tuesday, November 6
Westmount Elementary School Tues. Nov. 6 12.15-1.15pm
Hello ladies,
We had a fun class today up on the stage in the gym. You got to meet Mr. Bach - he's even older than Mr. Beethoven. A composer who wrote for organ and harpsichord and had 20 children! What an interesting guy.
We practiced holding notes for different lengths of time. We also learned how to read circle notes above and below middle C. Putting all of these things together can be a little tricky, but I think you're all doing great. Everyone ended up at the same level at the end of class - excellent work Josie, catching up with us.
Practice counting 4-beat rhythms at home, the way we did in class. You can clap different combinations like 1+2 3+ 4.
Or, 1 2+ 3 4
Or, 1+2+3 4+
Try playing these rhythms on your keyboard. First use just middle C. Then try changing notes while keeping the same pattern.
Make sure you know your two black keys and three black keys.
Next week, we're going to start learning about playing 2 notes at the same time.
Morgan - I must say, you made an improvisation today that was just amazing. Congratulations!
See you all next time!
Alice
We had a fun class today up on the stage in the gym. You got to meet Mr. Bach - he's even older than Mr. Beethoven. A composer who wrote for organ and harpsichord and had 20 children! What an interesting guy.
We practiced holding notes for different lengths of time. We also learned how to read circle notes above and below middle C. Putting all of these things together can be a little tricky, but I think you're all doing great. Everyone ended up at the same level at the end of class - excellent work Josie, catching up with us.
Practice counting 4-beat rhythms at home, the way we did in class. You can clap different combinations like 1+2 3+ 4.
Or, 1 2+ 3 4
Or, 1+2+3 4+
Try playing these rhythms on your keyboard. First use just middle C. Then try changing notes while keeping the same pattern.
Make sure you know your two black keys and three black keys.
Next week, we're going to start learning about playing 2 notes at the same time.
Morgan - I must say, you made an improvisation today that was just amazing. Congratulations!
See you all next time!
Alice
Monday, November 5
Fleming Tower Elementary School Mon. Nov. 5 2.15-3.15pm
Nice work guys!
Today everyone got to meet our new teacher Mr. Bach.
Do you remember some of the things he told us about himself?
He was a great German composer, who lived even before Beethoven. He had 20 children and worked for a church. We learned about the keyboard instruments he wrote for: the piano, organ and harpsichord.
Mr. Bach taught us about 'holding notes'. You got to play the train game, where you have to count the right number of beats to hold open the door and let the passengers out. That was fun!
We practiced clapping different combinations of long sounds and short sounds while counting: 1+2+3+4+.
This is how we can make rhythms over a steady beat.
We used a tom-tom drum to practice our 4-beat rhythms!
We are also learning how to read circle notes above and below middle C.
You're all doing very well, and I hope we can do some more practice with the drum next time.
At home, you should practice the way you do with Ms. Melody. Play high notes and low notes. Find middle C and groups of 2 and 3 blacks keys. Practice short and long notes, and holding notes. Always keep curved fingers and thumbs over the keys.
Next week is Remembrance day, so I will see you all in two weeks!
Today everyone got to meet our new teacher Mr. Bach.
Do you remember some of the things he told us about himself?
He was a great German composer, who lived even before Beethoven. He had 20 children and worked for a church. We learned about the keyboard instruments he wrote for: the piano, organ and harpsichord.
Mr. Bach taught us about 'holding notes'. You got to play the train game, where you have to count the right number of beats to hold open the door and let the passengers out. That was fun!
We practiced clapping different combinations of long sounds and short sounds while counting: 1+2+3+4+.
This is how we can make rhythms over a steady beat.
We used a tom-tom drum to practice our 4-beat rhythms!
We are also learning how to read circle notes above and below middle C.
You're all doing very well, and I hope we can do some more practice with the drum next time.
At home, you should practice the way you do with Ms. Melody. Play high notes and low notes. Find middle C and groups of 2 and 3 blacks keys. Practice short and long notes, and holding notes. Always keep curved fingers and thumbs over the keys.
Next week is Remembrance day, so I will see you all in two weeks!
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