Lesson 19 (4/29/15)

Review scales (C, G, F, D) – Add A major

Practice scales using a different technique each time (technique book pg 10-15)

Practice Assignments this week:

• Review your Easter Song and ask your mom or dad to record a video of you playing it. 
• Work on playing “Kiss the girl” with both hands.
• START working in your sight reading book (it should come in the mail by Friday).
• Finish unit 5 in your Lesson book: Pg 42-45
• +Review units 1-4 in your other books:

Make sure you have completed all of the following (do a little each day)

Theory: pg 1-25 (These are activities to do with a pencil. Do one page per day and ask me questions next week. You might want to make a copy so you can each do the activities on your own.)

Technique: pg 1-17

Performance: pg 1-13

Lesson 18 (4/22/15)

Keep working in your lesson books!

Quincy: Pg 38-40 + pg 12-13 in Performance Book

Elliot: Pg 40-43 + pg 12-19 in Performance book


Print out the "Kiss the Girl" music (posted on lesson 17) and practice the notes we've learned how to read.

Keep working on your Easter songs and I am a Child of God until you can play them completely without pausing.

Next time we'll review your theory and technique books to quiz you on some of the notes and other musical terms we've been learning!

I have another "Name that tune" ready, but we'll wait until you finish some of the songs you're working on.

FLASHCARDS:
There are many printable flashcards available. Here are some I like:

If you prefer to buy flashcards, I really like these ones because they have the note name and the picture of the keyboard on the back.

Here are a few other EASY, FUN songs you might like to play:

Snake Charmer

A collection of Star Wars Songs

A collection of songs from movies

If you want more fun music to practice, check out the companion books that are available. Many of them are listed on the back of the performance or technique book. The popular repertoire is fun, but choose what looks like most fun to you!

Happy Playing!!

Lesson 17 (4/15/15)

1) Last week you worked on the left hand from the song "Kiss the Girl" from the Little Mermaid. Now we're going to try playing a full (shortened) version of the song. Click here to print it out. Notice that I didn't write the names of some of the notes because you should know how to read them now! I left out a few others, too. Try to figure them out!
NOTE: When you see notes that have curved lines connecting them, you should hold the notes longer, like you're "tying" them together.

2) Continue working on your 5-finger scales as a warm-up every day. Remember that you can play them piano (soft), forte (loud), in between, with the pedal, short (like hot potato) as well as arpeggios (skipping notes up and down) and chords.

ELLIOT: Also practice the full 7-finger D major scale (has F# & C#) to go along with the song "In the Leafy Treetops".

3) Don't forget about "I am a Child of God." The goal is to try to record yourself playing it in a video! Are you ready??

4) Please review page 34-35 in your lesson book. This week is exciting because we're starting to learn to read the REAL notes!  Just remember to focus on LINE or SPACE notes, and the numbers of the lines and spaces. #1 is always at the bottom.

Individual Practice Assignments

QUINCY:

• Review your Easter Songs (“Little Bunny Foo Foo” and "Jesus is Risen")
• Please practice the songs on page 36-37 in your lesson book.

ELLIOT:

• Review your Easter Song ("In the Leafy Treetops")
• Please practice the songs on page 36-39 in your lesson book.

And most importantly, have fun! 

Lesson 16 (4/1/15)

Happy Easter!

I thought it would be fun to take a bit of a break and learn a few Easter songs today.
Here are links to the plain sheet music:

• "Little Bunny Foo Foo"
• "In the Leafy Treetops"
• "Jesus Has Risen"

And here are images of what each should look like after the notes I asked you to write down.

Remember that on "In the Leafy Treetops" and "Jesus Has Risen" you should only play the PINK notes. Also, remember that #(sharp) means to go up to the black note and b(flat) means to go down to the black note.

We'll continue with your lesson books next week. Have fun!