Ear Training Challenge Activity Links

For this month students can complete Tonic Tutor.com games or choose activities from the links below to strengthen their ear training skills to prepare to complete this month's ear training challenge of their choice.

Rhythm Challenge You Be the Teacher

Every month I invite my students to complete a musical challenge. The online resources below include some options for this month's Rhythm Challenge.

You Be the Teacher Videos

Choose a video below to watch and prepare to teach a 1-minute lesson about the musical concept at the group lesson. You can create a poster, a short game, or explain the concepts in a memorable way.

Rhythm Group Lesson Activities

You Be The Teacher

One option for this month's rhythm challenge is to watch a rhythm concept video below and come prepared to teach a mini-lesson (about 1 minute) to the other students during group lessons. Students could create a poster or game, use examples from music, or just explain it the concept in a memorable way.

Elementary Rhythm Concepts

• Basic Note Values Video QHDW

• Time Signatures Video

Intermediate Rhythm Concepts

• Intermediate Note Values Video Sixteenths, Dotted Eighth, Notes/Rests

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• Eighth Note Triplets

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• Beaming Notes/Grouping Rests

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• Syncopation Video/Papaya Syncopation Practice

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• Advanced Time Signatures

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  Upbeat/Pickup/Anacrusis Notes

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Split Second Challenge Game

How do you count the first measure or partial measure of each example?

• Late Elementary Examples (up to 1:47)
• Intermediate Examples (from 1:47-end)

Is this an upbeat?

 Challenge 1: Identify if the first notes in each example are pickup notes or not. Do the beats in the first bar add up to the same # of beats indicated in the time signature? If so, than it is not an upbeat!

Challenge 2: Race to write the counts of the first measure or partial measure example on your paddle. The first person to answer correctly gets a bonus point and every correct answer earns a point.

Zildjian Rhythm Videos - Rhythm flashcards with an energetic backing track quarter, half, whole notes and rests  and ties slurs

Related Posts: 

Intermediate RhythmVideos

Split Second Music Theory Game

Piano Pedaling Tutorials by the Piano Prof

I recently discovered The Piano Prof YouTube channel hosted by piano professor Kate Boyd and am loving so many of her tutorial videos related to intermediate level music! She explains with such clarity and includes music samples demonstrating the concepts. I love using flipped learning and her helpful explanations are a great resource for my piano lab time lesson plans that correlate with method book pieces. 

Pedaling Tutorial Videos

Pedaling Basics

Half Pedaling

How to Pedal Baroque and Classical Music

How to Pedal Romantic and Impressionist Music

Related Posts

Intermediate Piano Teaching Videos for Flipped Learning

Teaching Piano Pedaling Creatively

Intermediate Technique Tip Videos

Following are some intermediate technique concepts we cover in intermediate piano group lessons about technique. The videos provide helpful demonstrations and more detailed explanations. 

 How to play scales more evenly and quickly?

Watch starting at 6:00-6:30

How can you play speedy even tone scales?

• Beware of Twist or Shift
• Focus on Opening and Closing the Hand
• Alignment
• Pop into Place 8:03
• Exercises 9:51 Do Re Mi- Pop, Do Ti La So Fa- Cross Mi

What is Rubato? How do different performers vary the same piece?

Watch examples beginning @ 2 minutes

How do you play a tremolo?

How far down should you push the pedal?

Half Pedal (4:05) 

Intermediate Pedaling Tips (8:50)

Free Piano Teaching Game: V Chord Family Reunion

I love to introduce the concept of chord symbols early on to my piano students. The freedom of playing from lead sheets not only allows them to play more interesting music early on with basic primary chord progressions, but it also opens the door for them to create and improvise using different left-hand patterns. 

Remembering all of the traditional chord symbols can be a bit overwhelming for younger students.

I created this Free Printable V Chord Family Reunion Game to help my piano students solidify their knowledge of triad and seventh chord inversion symbols that are introduced in Piano Pronto Movement 2.  It can be played with a music teacher and student for a quick lesson opener or be played with a larger group at group lessons. If you were choosing the family reunion fun would you rather parachute or hike? In this game you get to do both!

V Family Reunion Gameboard

Wunderkeys Pop 2: Wolf

  

Wolf in Bflat Major-GMinor from Wunderkeys Intermediate Pop 2 Performance Book includes changing clefs, augmented chords, inner voicing and frequent hand crossovers.

Technique Practice Tips

• For the first section use a loose wrist brushstroke motion for the left arpeggios.
• Starting at measure 15 play the right hand repeated 3rds with a flexible light relaxed wrist.
• To more easily keep a steady flow as you play the crossover notes in the treble, anticipate by glancing at the target keys before you cross your left hand over to grab them. 

Supplementary Music in B-Flat Major/ G Minor

Minuet in B-Flat by Johann Christian Bach in Piano Town 3

Spinning Straw in Gold in Piano Town 3

Alla Gitana in Gold in Piano Town 3

Minuet in Gm 115 by Johann Sebastian Bach in Bastian Piano Lit 1

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