Color In My Piano » by student’s level

Music Motor Match – A Rhythm Matching Game

joy (admin) — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:21:07 +0000

A large percentage of my studio right now is beginner/early elementary students. I like having simple and short games to play with them at the end of the lesson that reinforce concepts we are learning in their books. Motor Music Match is a game that I created with these things in mind. Take a look:

The point of the game is to match each car and sign to its proper place on the road where the rhythm value’s names are. It’s a great game that only takes a minute or two, so it’s perfect for the end of the lesson where you have a little bit of extra time. It would also work well to keep a copy of this game in your studio’s waiting room area.

When I first tested out this game with a student, he said, “There should be another level where it’s harder.” That’s when I added the street signs. :) So, to follow his suggestion, first ask your student to match the cars. When they are able to do that successfully, clear the road and add the signs to make the game a little harder.

To download the pdf for this game, visit the Printables > Games page and scroll down to the M’s for “Music Motor Match.” Enjoy!

[Visit Music Motor Match – A Rhythm Matching Game to view the original blog post at Color In My Piano.]

Listening Sheet for Young Students

joy (admin) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:24:28 +0000

As I mentioned last week, during my recent Piano Party/recital rehearsal I gave a listening sheet to my young beginners to complete as they listened to their fellow students perform. Here’s what it looked like:

I put each sheet in a plastic sheet protector and gave them a dry erase marker with a piece of felt so they could re-use the sheet for each piece they heard. It worked pretty well — my students were very attentive and really liked telling me about what they circled between pieces!

This worksheet would also work well for private lessons or group classes with beginner students to use while listening to recordings — like Carnival of the Animals, or whatever.

I do wish the sheet protector cleaned off a little better. The ones I used have kind of a matte surface…maybe I need to get some of the thicker, shiny ones? Or try laminating?

Anyway, my students really enjoyed this listening sheet! I found the clip art on some various public domain clip art sites. You could easily design your own the same way. Or if you’d like to download mine, visit the Printables > Worksheets page and scroll down to the L’s for “Listening Sheet for Young Students.”

P.S.: As requested, I added a page to the Rhythm Value Cards pdf: three beamed eighth note cards for use in compound time signatures. (Thanks for catching that, Bee!)

[Visit Listening Sheet for Young Students to view the original blog post at Color In My Piano.]

Review: Daniel McFarlane’s Repertoire for Students

joy (admin) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:11:04 +0000

Australian composer Daniel McFarlane has composed a number of student-level repertoire books which are available on his website. Daniel was kind enough to send me digital copies of his books so I could review them here.

In appearance, all of Daniel’s books have easy-to-read scores with no illustrations. The titles of each piece are in fun fonts depending on the subject of each piece.

All of Daniel’s books can be purchased in hard copies or as digital copies (be careful that you’ve selected the right one when you check-out! The digital ones clearly say “Digital Edition” in the title, and allow for one print-out of the book). The prices for the music of Daniel’s website are in Australian dollars. Daniel assured me that when you check-out, the conversion to your currency would be made properly. The current rate of AUD compared to USD is about 1:1.

Soundscapes Book 1

The pieces in Sounscapes Book 1 have a pop-ish and almost rock music sound to them, while retaining elements of classical music and good educational writing for students. The pieces feature repetitive patterns and chord progressions, catchy tunes, lyrical RH melodies, syncopated rhythms, and repeated LH notes.

I would use this book with an early intermediate student (probably no younger than age 9) who has good technique and an excellent sense of rhythm. It could also be a great option for teenagers or adult students at that level of playing. The pieces are very appealing in sound and would be a great option for boy students.

As you read this review, open another window and listen to the pieces here.

Soundscapes Book 2

The 12 pieces in this book are longer and more advanced than Soundscapes Book 1. Daniel gives all of his pieces exciting descriptive titles that will appeal to the student, such as Predator, Night Flyer, The Dominator, Steppin’ Out, and Light Up My Life.

The pieces require things like an octave reach, more advanced fingering stretches, more syncopation, and ledger line reading. As in the previous book, many of the pieces sound a bit like rock pieces — but there are also some calmer “ballades” in this book too. They are exciting and appealing pieces.

Listen to the pieces here.

Soundwaves

The pieces in the Soundwaves book are more virtuosic and mellow than those in the Soundscape books. Soundwaves contains a 3-movement piece called “The Lake” and a 4-movement set entitled “Lost,” and a single piece called “Monsoon.”

These pieces would make wonderful pieces for an advancing student for a recital or other performance. I think most students would find these pieces ”cool-sounding” and advanced-sounding.

Listen to the pieces here.

Supersonics Book 1

The pieces in the Soundsonics Book 1 are at an early intermediate level.

The 19 pieces in this collection are short and fun. Many of them are in the pop/rock style, but there are other varieties too. These are not your typical pedagogical pieces with simple tonic and dominant harmonies. It’s wonderful to expose our student’s ears to interesting harmonies and modes as those used in Daniel’s pieces!

My favorite piece in this book is called “Coconutty.”

Listen to the pieces here.

Supersonics Book 2

The pieces in Soundsonics Book 2 are slightly more advanced than the previous book. The book contains pieces with the same driving rhythms and pop feel as his other books, but there are also some lovely contrasting pieces such as “Lullaby” and “Reflections.”

A few of the pieces require pedaling. There are 14 pieces in this collection.

My favorite piece in this book is called “Funky Chicken.”

Listen to the pieces here.

Supersonics Book 3

The 12 pieces in Soundsonics Book 3 are more advanced than the pieces in the previous book. My favorite pieces in this book are Fairytale and Autumn Mood.

Another great piece is “Jingle Jangle,” which is a fun theme and variations of Jingle Bells. I hope Daniel plans to write more Christmas arrangements in the future, because I think Jingle Jangle is a something great and very different from the typical Christmas arrangements out there!

Listen to the pieces here.

Please take a moment to check out Daniel’s website here!

[Visit Review: Daniel McFarlane’s Repertoire for Students to view the original blog post at Color In My Piano.]

Music Worksheet: Identifying Space Notes on the Staff

joy (admin) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:00:26 +0000

Here’s a new free music worksheet that I just added to the Printables page:

This worksheet introduces the idea of identifying the space notes on the staff using the mnemonics FACE and All Cows Eat Grass. These are the only two mnemonics I use. I don’t teach separate mnemonics for the line notes anymore (like Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge or Great Big Dogs Fight Animals) because it’s simply too much to try to keep 4 different mnemonics straight! I have found that it’s easier for students to remember just two mnemonics and then learn to jump up a step from the nearest space note to identify a line note.

To download, visit the Printables > Worksheets page and scroll down to the I’s for “Identifying Space Notes on the Staff.” Enjoy!

[Visit Music Worksheet: Identifying Space Notes on the Staff to view the original blog post at Color In My Piano.]

Rollin’ Rhythms Worksheet Activity

joy (admin) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:59:10 +0000

I have a new Printable to share today:

I was inspired to create this set of worksheets after I saw a math worksheet on Pinterest that involved rolling the dice, recording what was rolled, and adding up the numbers. Here’s a musical version! I used this worksheet with my homeschool music class last week, and they really enjoyed it.

You’ll just need to create a rhythm die using a wooden cube or foam cube. Students are instructed to roll the die, write down what they roll, and build measures. If the note they roll is too big to fit in the measure they are working on, they must re-roll until the right one is rolled. When each line is complete, students can clap and count the rhythm to see how it sounds.

The pdf contains 4 worksheets:

4/4, 3/4, and 2/4 time (2-measure examples)
4/4, 3/4, and 2/4 time (3-measure examples)
3/8 and 6/8 time (2-measure examples)
3/8 and 6/8 time (3-measure examples)

To download, visit the Printables > Worksheets page and scroll down to the R’s for “Rollin’ Rhythms worksheet activity.” Full instructions are included in the pdf.

Speaking of the Printables page, I’ve been giving it a makeover! I discovered that the description boxes for each file allow for html code, so I’ve been adding preview photos. A picture speaks a thousand words, right? I think it should be much easier now to browse the downloads available over there. :) I have also combined some of the individual worksheets into sets if they are related (for example, the theory review tests are now all in one pdf).

[Visit Rollin’ Rhythms Worksheet Activity to view the original blog post at Color In My Piano.]

The Amazing Keyboard Race

joy (admin) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:17:33 +0000

I had a wonderful extended weekend in Michigan, giving my presentations and spending time with my family! Now I’m busy back at work, playing catch-up. :) However, I do have a little game I’d like to share with you today.

I am not the original inventor of this game, I’m sure — but in case you haven’t seen it before, here’s how to play this keyboard game with your beginner students!

I call this game “The Amazing Keyboard Race.” It’s a great game for beginners who need more practice remembering the letter names of the piano keys. It works well both in private piano lessons and in group classes.

Materials:

Game pieces — enough for as many players that will be playing. You can use colored glass gems, buttons, erasers, etc.
A random way to choose a letter of the musical alphabet. E.g., musical alphabet cards, a spinner, dice, or Musical AlphaGems.
Piano keyboard or a Silent Mini Keyboard.

Gameplay:

All game pieces start on the left side of the keyboard.
On each player’s turn, they must randomly choose a letter of the musical alphabet (via flashcard, spinner, etc.). Let’s suppose the first player gets an “A.” They must move their game piece to across the keyboard to the next “A.” If a player incorrectly identifies a key or goes to the next octave instead of finding the very next “A,” they lose their turn.
Continue play by taking turns. Game play ends when a player reaches the end of the keyboard!

Extensions:

Once students are comfortable finding the piano keys when moving from left to right on the keyboard, make the game harder by making the gameplay start on the right side of the keyboard and go towards the left.
This game is also perfect with students who have learned about sharps and flats. Just add accidental flashcards or an accidental die to the game, so the possibilities include both black and white keys.

I created a ready-to-print pdf of the instructions above, if you are interested in downloading it. Just visit the Printables > Games page and scroll down to the T’s for “The Amazing Keyboard Race game.” Enjoy!

[Visit The Amazing Keyboard Race to view the original blog post at Color In My Piano.]

Just Added: Treble & Bass Clef Worksheet

joy (admin) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:38:27 +0000

Today, a new worksheet was added to the Printables page, all about the treble clef and bass clef!

This worksheet uses dotted lines to teach the student how to draw the treble clef and bass clef. I also included a couple of illustrations in this worksheet showing the development of the clefs over the centuries. Our modern clefs still bear some resemblance to the letters G and F, which can be a helpful tool for students for remembering those landmark notes. Students will find this bit of history interesting and memorable as they learn about the clefs!

To download this worksheet, please visit the Printables > Worksheets page and scroll down to the T’s for “Treble & Bass Clef Worksheet.” Enjoy!

P.S.: Don’t forget to enter the giveaways from last week if you haven’t already. Winners are going to be announced this week starting tomorrow!

[Visit Just Added: Treble & Bass Clef Worksheet to view the original blog post at Color In My Piano.]

Just Added: Music Staff Paper for Stickers of all Sizes

joy (admin) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:22:07 +0000

Guess what! Tomorrow is Color In My Piano’s THREE YEAR anniversary! Woohoo! I’ve got a few fun posts and giveaways planned for later this week in honor of our anniversary. But today, I thought I’d share this new printable:

I love having my piano students compose their own music, even when they are young beginners. I try to make it easy and fun for them. That’s why I created this pdf: music staff paper for composing with stickers! I must give credit to my friend Michelle from Michigan for the idea of using stickers for composing with students (Thanks, Michelle!).

This pdf contains a variety of various sizes of staff paper for use with any stickers you might find. You can find plain, round stickers at most office supply stores or even the dollar store. Other stickers like star- or heart-shaped ones will probably work fine too, and might be a fun way to reflect whatever holiday is coming up. I would recommend using large stickers with young students, and smaller stickers with older students. On the bottom of each page in the pdf, it indicates what size stickers you’ll need with each sheet of staff paper. The various colors of the stickers can represent certain rhythm values or sections of the composition. Be creative!

(Please forgive the gray markings on the paper you can see in the photos — my printer’s toner is low!)

Here’s a couple of quick ideas for using this printable:

Send students home with a sheet of stickers and a few pieces of staff paper, and assign them to create a short composition using whatever concepts you are currently learning about. E.g., steps, skips, forte and piano, eighth notes, etc.
Composing with stickers could be a fun activity during group lessons too! It helps speed up the composing process too, because writing out notation can be a laborious activity for young beginners. Students could later be assigned to transcribe their piece into tradition notation. I plan to use this staff paper to compose with stickers during one of my summer camps: “So, You Want To Be A Composer?”.
Try doing melodic dictation with stickers!

You can download this pdf by visiting the Printables > Other Resources page and scrolling down to the S’s for Staff Paper for Composing with Stickers.

Let me know if you have requests for other staff sizes to fit whatever stickers you have. Enjoy!

[Visit Just Added: Music Staff Paper for Stickers of all Sizes to view the original blog post at Color In My Piano.]

Just Added: Piano Finger Twister game

joy (admin) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:01:15 +0000

I have a new game to share today: Piano Finger Twister!

This game was inspired by a “Finger Twister” Happy Meals toy I found at a thrift store recently. I saw it on the shelf and instantly thought, “I can make a music game out of that!” Here’s a photo of the original game that inspired me:

This game is a great way to teach RH versus LH, and the piano fingering 1-5. Here’s how it works: The student spins the spinner (pictured below), which tells the student which hand and finger to put on a colored dot on the playing mat. After a few rounds of this, the students hands and fingers will be pretty busy on the mat…and when it’s no longer possible to hang on to all the right dots, it’s game over!

To download the printable, visit the Printables > Games page and scroll down to the P’s for “Piano Finger Twister game.” The only materials you will need once you print and cut out the parts is a spinner. I found the package of spinners below at Hobby Lobby. You can often find spinners at teacher supply stores too.

Enjoy!

[Visit Just Added: Piano Finger Twister game to view the original blog post at Color In My Piano.]

Just Added: “Gallery of Music” Symbol Drawing Worksheets

joy (admin) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:03:31 +0000

Happy Valentine’s Day! I have a free printable to share today…

This is a set of simple worksheets for having students learn to draw various music symbols. The worksheets can be used singly or in groups, depending on what concepts your students are currently learning. I would encourage students to use colorful crayons to draw the symbols.

Here are the symbols covered on each page:

Quarter, half, dotted-quarter, and whole notes.
Quarter, half, dotted-quarter, and whole rests.
Single eighth note, beamed eighth notes, eighth rest, and dotted quarter note.
Treble clef, bass clef, staff, and grand staff.
Barline, double barline, repeat sign, and time signature.
Forte, piano, mezzo forte, and mezzo piano.
Sharp, flat, natural, quarter note with flat.
Slur, tie, staccato, accent.

If you have suggestions for more symbols to include in additional worksheets, let me know!

To download this set of worksheets, visit the Printables > Worksheets page and scroll down to the G’s for “Gallery of Music – Symbol Drawing Worksheets.”

P.S.: I received an email yesterday from the MTNA Collegiate Chapter at Butler University, asking if I’d send a link to the survey they created about online marketing for piano teachers. They are looking for responses to help them with a session they will be presenting at the MTNA National Conference in NYC next month. Please take a minute of your time to help them out! http://tinyurl.com/butlersurvey2012

P.S.S.: Today is the last day to sign up to attend the MTNA National Conference at the early registration discount! Visit mtna.org to learn more. Hope to see you in NYC!

[Visit Just Added: “Gallery of Music” Symbol Drawing Worksheets to view the original blog post at Color In My Piano.]

Color In My Piano » by student’s level

Music Motor Match – A Rhythm Matching Game

Related Posts:

Listening Sheet for Young Students

Related Posts:

Review: Daniel McFarlane’s Repertoire for Students

Soundscapes Book 1

Soundscapes Book 2

Soundwaves

Supersonics Book 1

Supersonics Book 2

Supersonics Book 3

Related Posts:

Music Worksheet: Identifying Space Notes on the Staff

Related Posts:

Rollin’ Rhythms Worksheet Activity

Related Posts:

The Amazing Keyboard Race

Related Posts:

Just Added: Treble & Bass Clef Worksheet

Related Posts:

Just Added: Music Staff Paper for Stickers of all Sizes

Related Posts:

Just Added: Piano Finger Twister game

Related Posts:

Just Added: “Gallery of Music” Symbol Drawing Worksheets

Related Posts: