Tag: music

Music Theory, Printables, Worksheets

Just Added: Musical Terms Worksheet #2

Joy Morin

Just added to the Printables > Worksheets page:

Musical Terms Worksheet #2

This worksheet is intended for elementary level students who have learned basic note values and musical terms. The first section of the worksheet, which is Fill In The Blank, reviews the 10 terms which were introduced in Musical Terms Worksheet #1. The second section, Matching, introduces seven new terms: crescendo, decrescendo, ritardando, barline, double barline, repeat sign, and time signature.

Complete list of covered in this worksheet:

  • treble clef, bass clef
  • quarter note, half note, dotted half note, whole note
  • piano, mezzo piano, mezzo forte, forte
  • crescendo, decrescendo
  • barline, double barline, repeat sign
  • ritardando

Stay tuned – more muscial terms worksheets are to come in the upcoming weeks!

Announcements, improving as a teacher, Resources

Michigan Teachers: 2010 State Conference October 17-19

Joy Morin

For any fellow teachers in Michigan:

The Michigan Music Teachers Association (MMTA) State Conference is to take place Sunday, October 17 – Tuesday, October 19 at the Detroit Novi Sheraton (21111 Haggerty Rd., Novi).  Click here to for more information (including a link to the conference schedule), and click here to register.

Martha Hilley is this year’s Conference Clinician and Leon Bates is the Conference Artist.  There are many other sessions that look like very promising as well!  I am so excited for the conference to get here!

Not a member of MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) or your state association?

Just a few quick reasons to consider joining a professional organization such as MTNA:

  • Continue your professional development as a teacher by attending national and/or state conferences and local chapter meetings.
  • Network and share ideas with other teachers at conferences and local chapter meetings.
  • Become a certified music teacher (read more here).
  • Enter your students in competitions, SAT testing, and other events.
  • and more!  (Share your reasons in the comments!)

Read more about joining MTNA and your state association here.

Music Theory, Printables, Worksheets

Just Added: Musical Terms Worksheet #1

Joy Morin

Just added to the Printables > Worksheets page:

Musical Terms Worksheet #1

This worksheet is intended for beginner/early elementary students who have learned basic note values and musical terms.  The student is instructed to match the musical symbol pictured on the left to each corresponding term on the right.  Terms covered include: treble clef and bass clef, basic rhythms (quarter note through whole note), and  dynamics (piano through forte).

Complete list of covered in this worksheet:

  • treble clef
  • bass clef
  • quarter note
  • half note
  • dotted half note
  • whole note
  • piano
  • mezzo piano
  • mezzo forte
  • forte

Stay tuned – another muscial terms worksheet is to come in the upcoming weeks!

Memorization, Music Theory, Practicing, Technique

Top 5 Reasons to Learn Scales

Joy Morin
an excerpt from Kuhlau Sonatina Op.20 No.1

Why do we learn and practice scales?  Have you (or your students) ever asked this question?  Is it just for tradition’s sake that piano teachers assign scales to work on?  I think it’s important not only for we teachers to know the WHY behind scales, but also for our students to know!   Continue reading “Top 5 Reasons to Learn Scales” →

Music Theory, Printables, Worksheets

Just Added: Five-Finger Pattern (b’s) Review

Joy Morin

Just added to the page of free Printables:

Five-Finger Pattern Review (b’s) worksheet

This worksheet is intended as a review of all the major five-finger patterns (5FPs) with flats; however, using the “WWHW” pattern template, students can easily figure out any 5FPs that they might not already be familiar with.  This worksheet will help students become more familiar with the accidentals needed for each FFP and what each FFP looks like when played on the keyboard.

A worksheet such as this works well in group lessons, or as an extra theory assignment for the private lesson.

To download, visit the Printables > Worksheets page and scroll down the F’s for the “Five-Finger Pattern Review worksheet.”

This worksheet corresponds to previously posted Five-Finger Pattern Review worksheet for FFPs with #’s.

Early Childhood Music, Group Classes, improving as a teacher, Rhythm

Developing a Good Sense of Rhythm

Joy Morin

Developing a good sense of rhythm is one of the most challenging parts of being a piano teacher.  It’s not something that arrives overnight, and it’s something that must be maintained as the student advances to music with more advanced rhythms and time signatures.  It truly is something that must be developed.

I’d like to suggest that there are three components to having and developing what we so loosely refer to as a “good sense of rhythm”:

  1. A sense of beat. This means the ability to maintain a steady beat/pulse.  This is probably the most common and most basic problem that students encounter when it comes to rhythm issues in their piece.  The inability to maintain a steady beat/pulse is crucial for developing #’s 2 and 3 below.
  2. A sense of rhythm (i.e., note values).  This involves being able to accurately identify and execute the various note values within a variety of tempi.  Beginner students may struggle with placing eighth notes within a quarter note beat, while more advanced students may struggle with syncopated rhythms or playing 2 against 3.  It is nearly impossible to develop a sense of rhythm without first developing a sense of beat (#1 above). Continue reading “Developing a Good Sense of Rhythm” →
Music Theory, Printables, Worksheets

Just Added: Five-Finger Pattern Review (#’s)

Joy Morin

Just added to the page of free Printables:

Five-Finger Pattern Review (#’s) worksheet

This worksheet is intended as a review of all the major five-finger patterns (5FPs) with sharps; however, using the “WWHW” pattern template, students can easily figure out any 5FPs that they might not already be familiar with.  This worksheet will help students become more familiar with the accidentals needed for each FFP and what each FFP looks like when played on the keyboard.

A worksheet such as this works well in group lessons, or as an extra theory assignment for the private lesson.

Look for corresponding the Five-Finger Pattern Review worksheet for FFPs with b’s coming soon!

Announcements, Music Theory

Rallentando & Ritardando: What’s the Difference?

Joy Morin

Ever wonder about the difference between rallentando and ritardando?  Well, I did….so I decided to look into it and add my two cents to the debate.  =)

According to the Music Dictionaries…

Many musical dictionaries simply state, “slowing down” as the definition for both rallentando and ritardando.  Some state that the two words are synonyms.  However, I would still like to think there is some slight difference in meaning or emphasis between the two words.  After all, they are two different words in the Italian language.   And composers have been making use of both words in their compositions for centuries.  So I decided to do a little more digging. Continue reading “Rallentando & Ritardando: What’s the Difference?” →

Music Theory, Printables, Worksheets

Just Added: Scales & Primary Chords 4 (DbC#GbF#)

Joy Morin

Just added to the Printables > Worksheets page:

Scales & Primary Chords 4 (DbC#GbF#) Worksheet

This worksheet is a continuation of set of worksheets that practice writing out scales and primary chords on the staff (click here to view the first one which is for the keys C, G, D, and F, click here to view the second one which is for D, A, E, and Bb, or click here to view the third one which is for Bb, Eb, Ab, and B).

Ideally, this worksheet is designed for the intermediate+ student who is already familiar with the scales and primary chords for the keys of Db, C#, Gb, and F# major, and perhaps could use some review in writing them out on the staff.  However, this worksheet could also be used during a group lesson while introducing these ideas for the first time.

Terms/concepts covered in the worksheet:

  • An understanding of key signatures for Db, C#, Gb, and F# major.
  • Practice writing out scales.
  • Practice writing out primary chords.

To download, visit the Printables > Worksheets page and scroll down to the S’s for “Scales & Primary Chords worksheet.”

Music Theory, Printables, Worksheets

Just Added: Scales & Primary Chords 3 (BbEbAbB)

Joy Morin

Just added to the Printables > Worksheets page:

Scales & Primary Chords 3 (BbEbAbB) Worksheet

This worksheet is a continuation of set of worksheets that practice writing out scales and primary chords on the staff (click here to view the first one, which is for the keys C, G, D, and F, or click here to view the second one, which is for D, A, E, and Bb).

Ideally, this worksheet is designed for the intermediate+ student who is already familiar with the scales and primary chords for the keys of Bb, Eb, Ab, and B major, and perhaps could use some review in writing them out on the staff.  However, this worksheet could also be used during a group lesson while introducing these ideas for the first time.

Terms/concepts covered in the worksheet:

  • An understanding of key signatures for Bb, Eb, Ab, and B major.
  • Practice writing out scales.
  • Practice writing out primary chords.

To download, visit the Printables > Worksheets page and scroll down to the S’s for “Scales & Primary Chords worksheet.”

One more worksheet in this set is on the way!

Printables, Worksheets

Just Added: Scales & Primary Chords 2 (DAEBb) Worksheet

Joy Morin

Just added to the Printables > Worksheets page:

Scales & Primary Chords 2 (DAEBb) Worksheet

This worksheet is a continuation of set of worksheets that practice writing out scales and primary chords on the staff (click here to view the first one, which is for the keys C, G, D, and F).

Ideally, this worksheet is designed for the intermediate+ student who is already familiar with the scales and primary chords for the keys of D, A, E, and Bb major, and perhaps could use some review in writing them out on the staff.  However, this worksheet could also be used during a group lesson while introducing these ideas for the first time.

Terms/concepts covered in the worksheet:

  • An understanding of key signatures for D, A, E, and Bb major.
  • Practice writing out scales.
  • Practice writing out primary chords.

To download, visit the Printables > Worksheets page and scroll down to the S’s for “Scales & Primary Chords worksheet.”

Two more worksheets in this set are on the way!

Ear Training, Games, Group Classes, Music Camps, Printables

Just Added: “Listen & Sign” Game Printable

Joy Morin

Just added to the Printables page: “The Listen & Sign Game.”

This printable corresponds to the game originally described in this post – a game I used in a Piano Mini-Camp held about a month ago.  Continue reading “Just Added: “Listen & Sign” Game Printable” →