I’ve added a new sign to the pdf pack called “Signs for Beginner Piano,” which I originally posted in September. This new sign shows the 2 mnemonics I use when I teach piano:
You can find the whole pdf on the Printables > Other Resources page, and scroll down to the S’s for “Signs for Beginner Piano.”
Published by Joy Morin
Joy Morin, MM, is a teacher, pianist, composer, speaker, and writer of a blog at ColorInMyPiano.com. A devoted teacher and lifelong learner, she teaches students of all ages at her independent piano studio near Ann Arbor, Michigan. Joy is a frequent attendee and presenter at conferences and workshops, and enjoys connecting with fellow piano teachers through her blog and beyond.
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Just thought some might be interested in the story I tell my kids to help them remember the lines and spaces. First of all, I make a big deal out of telling them about “Mrs.” Treble Clef… and how much she loves to make fudge – for “Every Good Boy (who) Deserves Fudge” to stuff in their “FACE”. “Mr” Bass Clef has a name – George Brown – and he’s a farmer (it helps that we own a dairy farm in this instance!) “George Brown Danced Friday Afternoon” while “All (his) Cows Eat Grass”. Usually when the kids start in September, our cows are still out in the field… literally eating grass… so my circumstances help out.
Right now we are in the middle of “mad minute note challenges” where the kids have to name 22 notes in under one minute. For each note they name correctly, they get one small candy. This game is fast – and the kids love to try to beat their last weeks score. When they get all 22, then we move on to level 2 of the game where they point them out on the keyboard as I show them the flashcard. We’ll do this all winter – and you’d be amazed at the results and how it affects how they read their notes.
Thanks for sharing, Mary!
Hi Joy – your website is SO useful – thanks for sharing all your great ideas so generously! Just one tiny comment about your mnemonic for the left hand – I find it better to say A Cow Eats Grass, as the ‘A’ is phonetically correct whereas ‘All’ sounds like ‘or’ . This is more in line with children’s reading process, at least in UK – not sure about US?
But thanks again for all your fantastic ideas and resources.
What an interesting idea! I’ve never had a student have difficultly connecting the word “all” to “A”. In the U.S., the pronunciation of “all” doesn’t much sound like “or.” I found a website that allows you to hear a U.S. speaker say “all.” (click here: http://www.forvo.com/word/all/#en) Maybe you can tell me if it is much different from the U.K. pronunciation?
I typed a lengthy reply about phonetics and then it told me it was too ‘spammy’ to send! Shame!
My students love the giant staff too. One thing I learned from a 6 year old… “All Cows Eat Green Beans” I like it because it includes the “B” space in the middle as well. Needless to say, my “cows” haven’t eaten grass in a while… LOL!
Great website. My kids loved the lap books on Bach we did last month too.
Thanks for sharing your resources.
I like to teach bass clef B as “balancing” on the staff, and the treble clef D as “dangling” from the staff. 🙂
I’m so glad to hear that your students enjoyed making the Bach lapbook, Michelle!
Louisiana here — we use All Cajuns Eat Gumbo
Hi! My kids are just starting piano and I was wondering if you have a sheet for Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge and Great Big Dogs Fight Animals. I’d love to print that out for reference when practicing with them if you have it.