“Rhythm is something you either have or don’t have, but when you have it, you have it all over.”
— Elvis Presley
Every Wednesday brings Words of Wisdom here at the Color in my Piano blog in the form of a musical quote or joke, intended to bring inspiration or humor to the middle of your week. Have suggestions? Send me a message here.
My friend Susan Hong from Texas recently sent me a few photos, showing how she is using the Intervals Ice cream game in her studio.
Susan affixed adhesive magnets to the back of each card, so they can be used on a dry erase magnet board. She also punched holes on the side of each card, so she can organize the intervals on binder rings. For example, younger students can use the ring holding the Unison through 3rd scoops.
When students arrive early for their lessons, Susan’s students practice matching the intervals to the correct ice cream cone.
What a fun learning station, perfect for the waiting room area! Thanks for your inspiration today, Susan!
A few weeks ago, I added a new game to my Shop called the Ice Cream Interval game. In that post, I briefly mentioned the importance of being able to read intervalically when reading music and I’d like to discuss this further today.
While it is important for students to be able to identify the names of notes quickly, it is equally important for them to read intervals as early as possible in their studies. While I am a big believer in drilling note-naming flashcards, I am an even bigger believer in drilling intervals. Continue reading “The Role of Intervalic Reading when Reading Music”
Piano Dust Buster by JoyTunes — FREE, but in-app purchases are required to attain additional song sets.
There are two games within this app: “Germ Attack” and “Staff Master.” Each game has two playing modes: using your own real piano or using the on-screen keyboard. If you use your piano, the app will “hear” the frequency of the sounds you play through the mic to check if you are playing correctly (so cool!).
Each game also allows you to choose between a “Practice” mode (accurate rhythms are only loosely enforced) and a “Showtime” mode (the app will not wait for you to play correct rhythms). Continue reading “App Review: Piano Dust Buster”
I just wanted to let you know that I’ve added a new page to my website, where you can find a list of different music apps for piano teachers/students. The apps are organized by category and contain links to the full reviews I’ve written.
I will be adding more apps to this list in the future, so stay tuned! Let me know if you have any suggestions for apps to add to the list.
Click here to view the brand new “Music Apps” page!
P.S.: Here is the direct link to my article about rhythm which was published in the 3-D Piano Method’s “Soundpoint #12” Newsletter yesterday!
“In order to communicate to a young person the essence of the problem of performance, of projecting a musical work, it is not sufficient simply to say to the young person, this is the way it goes. Do likewise. Imitation is an obsolete method of teaching.”
— Irwin Freundlich
Every Wednesday brings Words of Wisdom here at the Color in my Piano blog in the form of a musical quote or joke, intended to bring inspiration or humor to the middle of your week. Have suggestions? Send me a message here.
I’ve recently written an article which will be published in the latest newsletter of the 3-D Piano Method, which should be sent out later today or tomorrow!
If you would like to read my article, you can sign up to receive the 3-D Piano Method’s newsletters (which are published no more than once-a-month) in your email inbox. Visit 3-dpiano.com and enter your email address in the upper right-hand corner.
While you are on their website, take a moment to read more about 3-D Piano and browse the video previews. I first heard about 3-D Piano DVD’s at an MTNA Convention, where I heard that it had won the MTNA Francis Clark Keyboard Pedagogy Award. It looks like a great resource, particularly if you teach many advanced students — it’s something I’d definitely like to invest in someday.
UPDATE: Here is a direct link to where you can find the Soundpoint #12 newsletter, which contains my article about rhythm!
“Works of art make rules, but rules do not make works of art.”
— Claude Debussy
Every Wednesday brings Words of Wisdom here at the Color in my Piano blog in the form of a musical quote or joke, intended to bring inspiration or humor to the middle of your week. Have suggestions? Send me a message here.
There are quite a few places you can download and print free music note-naming flashcards. Anne Crosby’s website and Susan Paradis’ website come to mind, for example. However, I recently realized that I wanted a set of jumbo-sized cards, to use with my Piano Readiness classes.
I can hold up these jumbo-sized cards during class and my young students can still see the note on the staff. Young beginners or students with disabilities may also benefit from having jumbo-sized flashcards.
I color-coded my flashcards according to the range of notes. I printed the Middle C position notes on green paper, the next few notes up to Treble C and down to Bass C on yellow paper, and the next notes up to High C and Low C (ledger lines) on blue paper.
You can download this FREE pdf on the Printables > Other Resources page, under “Jumbo Note-Naming Flashcards.”
Jumbo Note-Naming Flashcards (459.7 KiB, 48,445 hits)
Yesterday, I asked for your favorite game ideas involving note-naming flashcards. I can’t wait to try out some of your ideas — keep ’em coming!
Last week, we had a Forum Q&A discussion about health insurance for self-employed individuals (such as piano teachers). It has been great to hear all of your feedback about this important issue, and I have found it helpful with my research!
I have a new question for you today. Your responses will be helpful when I post a new freebie printable later this week! 😉
Please share any game ideas you have that involve note-naming flashcards. The games can be for either solo lesson or group class settings.
I can’t wait to hear about your game ideas!
I love being able to print out rhythm cards for my students to practice at home. I can give them just a few cards to start, and add more advanced rhythms and time signatures as needed. My students store their cards in a zipper bag and bring them to their lessons each week.
At first, I assign students to randomly choose a few cards clap and count at home each day. When that becomes easy, we are ready to play the Rhythm Train game. 🙂
a music game for 1 or more students
Materials:
Gameplay:
Ask the student(s) to randomly choose 2 or 3 rhythm cards with the same time signature. First, make sure that the student(s) are able to accurately clap each rhythm card separately. As they master each card, they may add it to the train behind the engine, with the caboose at the end. When all the cards have been added to the train, ask the student(s) to clap the entire rhythm. Challenge the student to see how many rhythm trains they can make, or assign the student to make a rhythm train every day at home.
Playing the Rhythm Train game makes clapping rhythms just a little bit more fun. 🙂 It works well both in the private lesson (it can be played at the piano on the music rack, or off-the-bench on the floor) or in group classes.
You can download the free pdf of the train cards and instructions on the Printables > Games page, under “Rhythm Train game.” Enjoy!
Note: If you don’t have any rhythm flashcards, you can find a pdf download to purchase at ColorInMyPiano.com/shop/. Your purchase includes a license to be able to print the rhythm cards as many times as you wish, as long as you are using them with your own students.
“Young people can learn from my example that something can come from nothing. What I have become is the result of my hard efforts.”
— Franz Joseph Haydn
Every Wednesday brings Words of Wisdom here at the Color in my Piano blog in the form of a musical quote or joke, intended to bring inspiration or humor to the middle of your week. Have suggestions? Send me a message here.
Your Cart is Empty
