This post includes activities for Let's Play Music Connections Lesson 8
Music and Movement
Listen to the audio of a video of your choice below as you march a steady beat with your feet and clap the rhythm of the melody. This song is sometimes called “Prince of Denmark’s March.”
For Echo Edison improvise an “answer” using notes from the C Scale or create your own song using the same chord pattern. You could also try to use the broken or marching style chords to create different moods.
Listen to the First half of the demo of Heart and Soul if you need a reminder of the chord pattern.
Play the I vi IV V chord progression as you listen to I Love the Mountains (or play duet) Can you change between root chords quickly enough to match the tempo of the song?
Improvisation
Watch the sample improvisation tutorials below. Then create black key melodies as you play repeating 5ths or 4ths in the left hand or improvise melodies with 3 chords.
This post includes activities for Let's Play Music Connections Lesson 5: Intervals and Staff Relationships
Music Samples
Listen to this Alouette Animated Variation as you clap the rhythm of the piece. Can you spot 2 measures in your music where the melody is different than the video?
Theory
Choose some games to play and review spotting and hearing intervals.
Click the rhythm pattern that you hear. It may help to echo the rhythm bug language that you hear (quarter=bug, 2eighths=beetle).
Print the “Rhythm Trick or Treat” Game.Choose a card. Earn a “treat” or do the “trick” by clapping/counting the rhythm.
Improvisation
Activity 1:
Improvise a melody using the rhythm pattern on the “trick or treat” cards with notes from the scale of your choice.
Activity 2:
Borrow the rhythms and harmony from "No One's in the House" and change up the melody notes using notes from the C Scale to create your own improvisation. Hint: Choose a note from the left-hand chord to start each beat.
Activity 3:
Watch Create First Agree to Disagree Duet and Solo. Then create melodies in your right hand that include eighth notes and quarter notes while your L.H. plays the steady quarter note beat.
Watch Part 4 Bug Slug (Bug Slug then climbing up, Bug Slug, then climb back down, etc.)
Listen toFive Four, Three, Two, One… Blast Off! (starting at 9:08). As Jerald Simon (the composer) plays it the 2nd time, count out loud, and say the ACCENTED counts louder. (1 and 2 AND 3 and 4 AND).
Listen to Gold Star Audio Playlist Songs as you follow along in the music and count and clap the melody rhythms. Choose a Song You’d Like to Learn Next Week
This post includes activities for Let's Play Music Connections Lesson 3 on Note Naming and Chord Variations.
Music Sample
Listen to this version of the A section of Russian Sailor Dance as you clap on the staccato notes and slide your hands together on legato slurs and half notes.
Theory
The B section of Russian Sailor Dance has a different time signature than the A Section. Watch this Time Signature Video to learn about the meaning of numbers in the time signature and hear music examples.
Try the PedaPlus Flash Notes Game to see how quickly you can identify notes on the staff and piano keyboard.
Chord Variation Improvisation
Improvise melodies using notes from the scale in any order while you play left-hand chords in the style of your choice. Listen to these Sample Improvisations for ideas.