Playing with a lead sheet gives you the power of choice to stylize songs however you like.
And there are so many options! Listen to a few below. Then choose some of your favorites to use as you accompany the melodies of simple folk or Christmas songs you already know.
Piano Guys Ode to Joy (sheet music in Lullaby book)
Listen to the 12 Days of Halloween.
12 Days of Halloween with Lyrics
12 Days of Halloween Piano Version
Print the 12 Days of Halloween Free Printable.
Can you dictate rhythm patterns below each picture? Hint: 3 Black Cats= 3 Quarter Notes
1-Owl in a Rotten Oak Tree
2-Two Trick or Treaters
3-Three Black Cats
4- Four Skeletons
5- Five Scary Spooks
6- Six Goblins Gobbling
7- Seven Pumpkins Glowing
8- Eight Monsters Shrieking
9- Nine Ghosts a Booing
10- Ten Ghouls a Groaning
11- 'leven Caskets Creaking
12 Bats a Flying
Challenge: Can you change the "12 Days of Christmas" into the "12 Days of Halloween" by transposing it to the Relative Minor key? (Music on "Making Music Fun")
1- Add a flat to the 3rd and 6th notes of the scale. Remember to check the key signature!
2-Change the melody rhythms to match the Halloween lyrics. For example "Halloween" has more syllables than "Christmas" so change the quarter note in the first measure to an eighth note.
3-For an easier version add primary chord symbols (i, iv or V) above each measure and play as a lead sheet instead of playing the left hand as written.
Hint: Owl in a Rotten Oak Tree= i-iv-i-V-I
If your piano lessons are focused on just reading music from the method books, improvisation can feel a bit scary. Some students are so stuck to the printed page they are scared to make mistakes.
This is similar to reading a speech from a script. But with a little guidance, exploring improvisation can be much more exciting than a speech read just like hearing a speech given from the heart can be more engaging than a recited speech from memory.
I was first introduced to Jerald Simon's music over ten years ago when I reviewed his "Cool Songs for Cools Kids" books. This energetic series has a lot of appeal for the teens and boys in my studio because of the video game, new age and fast-paced songs with repeating patterns.
He recently released a book of Christian primary songs, "I Want to do What Jesus Taught". This is definitely a different genre and style compared to the "Cool Songs" series.
I love that the central theme of the song lyrics focuses on basic Christian principles and values of prayer, kindness, and reliance on God and family.
It includes a good mix of slower calm songs and more upbeat energetic styles. Some songs are very short with just one or two lines that children could learn to sing easily in just a few minutes. Most songs are about 1 page in length with a single verse although a few include multiple pages and verses.
The melodies are easy to sing and I like that he chose lyrics that are understandable to children without complicated vocabulary words that would need explanations.
The difficulty level of the accompaniment of the majority of the songs is intermediate level. As a piano teacher, I like the wide variety of left-hand patterns found in the music including alberti bass, 2 8va arpeggios with finger crossings, 7th chords, and some simple intervals or chords.
Some of the large leaps and finger crossings may be more difficult for students with small hands to play, but I love that chord symbols are included in the music so accompaniments could be adapted if needed. The songs could also be played as lead sheets for additional chord variation practice.
There are a few songs limited to 5 finger position that a late elementary piano student could play, and others that are more advanced with 7 sharps or 4 flats that typical piano students wouldn't encounter until at an advanced level in method books.
If you are interested in learning more about how to improvise or compose using a variety of left hand patterns, check out this free YouTube video of Jerald's workshop "100 Left Hand Patterns Every Piano Player Should Know."
It definitely inspired me to want to experiment more with arranging!
Practicing chords doesn't have to be boring. I love to pair chord practice with pop songs since the majority of pop songs are limited to just 3 or 4 chords.
Although pop songs can have some pretty complicated rhythms for beginning piano students, they can enjoy accompanying YouTube videos with an understanding of chord symbols. Or they can sing along as they play the accompaniment. Choosing songs that they are familiar with really ups their ambition to practice and helps with audiation.
I've compiled a list of familiar primary songs from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints with just 2 or 3 chords for my younger students, but having some fun pop songs in the makes chord practice more appealing for my older students.
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