GENERAL MUSIC periods 1,2,3
OBJECTIVE: MUSICAL ALPHABET AND THE KEYBOARD
1. ROLL
....a. MUSICAL ALPHABET GRAPHING WORKSHEET
.........1)Sheet #1: Students are to choose 7 different colors (one for each letter of the musical alphabet) and find the
corresponding squares in the graph and color them in.
.........2)Sheet #2: Students will determine the direction of the musical alphabet at the beginning of each graph and complete
the musical alphabet in the proper direction. Colors (one for each of the 7 letters) will be added in as before.
.........3)These worksheets not only reinforce the musical alphabet concept but also the idea of "patterns" used in music, art,
and math. (These charts are similar to multiplication charts and this also helps in relating music with math.)
....b. MUSICAL ALPHABET APPLIED TO THE KEYBOARD: HOW TO EASILY LOCATE THE NAMES OF EVERY
KEY ON THE KEYBOARD BY MEMORIZING THE LOCATION OF ONLY ONE KEY
To know the names of all the keys on the keyboard there are 4 main facts that need to be known:
..........1)Know the musical alphabet forward and backwards as an automatic reflex (A B C D E F G/G F E D C B A).
..........2)Know how the instrument produces high and low sounds (example: moving to the right on the keyboard raises the
sounds and going to the left lowers them).
..........3)Knowing where one note is located as a guide to finding all the other notes. (The easiest note to locate on a keyboard
from memory is the note "D" because it is the white key that falls in between the black keys that are in groups of 2.)
..........4)Knowing how to use the names of the white key notes to name the black key notes.
.............a)Black key notes are called "sharps" and "flats.
.............b)Each black keys has 2 names one for the "flat" and one for the "sharp."
.............c)A "flat" is a key (or sound) that is one key lower than (or to the left of) its neighboring white key and is given that
white key's name added with the word "flat" or the symbol "b" as in these examples: Ab or Db.
The term "flat" is easy to remember because it is like a flat tire when the air pressure is too low. (A flat is a
lowered note.)
..............d)A "sharp" is a key (or sound) that is one key higher than (or to the right of) its neighboring white key and is given
that white key's name added with the word "sharp" or the symbol "#" as in these examples: A# or D#.
..............e)To identify the 2 names for a single black key look at the white keys directly to left and right of it. [Example: G# is
also Ab because the black key to the right (or sharp) of the white key "G" is G# and that same black is also to the
left (or flat) of the white key "A". Applying this rule to the other black keys A# is also Bb, C# is Db, D# is Eb, F# is
Gb
The musical term "enharmonic (sound) equivalent (equal)" is given for a key that has 2 names.
ADVANCED VIOLIN
OBJECTIVE: DIRECTIONS/PROCEDURES-CYCLE OF STRINGS
1. ROLL
2. PRACTICED PROCEDURE GETTING OUT INSTRUMENTS
3. TUNING
4. WARM-UP
........a. Cycle of Strings (C,G,D,A,E-E,A,D,G,C)Bow Warm-Up: Explanation
..............1)CELLO: Start with open"C" string, continue to open strings "G"-"D"-"A" then place 1st finger on "D"
string for "E" then reverse.
..............2)VIOLIN: Start with 3rd finger on "G" string for "C" then continue to open strings "G"-"D"-"A"-"E" then
reverse.
..............3)BASS: Start with 2nd finger on the "A" string, continue to open strings "G"-"D"-"A"-"E" then reverse.
..............4)GUITAR: Start with 1st finger/1st fret on "B" string then continue to open strings "G"-"D"-"A"-"E" then
reverse (may also play as chords)
...............5)KEYBOARD: Play notes: C,G,D,A,E-E,A,D,G,C (may also play as chords)
5. PROCEDURES ON TAKE DOWN
BEGINNING VIOLIN
OBJECTIVE: RHYTHMIC INTRODUCTION
1. ROLL2. INTRODUCTION TO BEAT AND PULSE
.......a. Beat or Pulse: Related to the heart beat it is a steady, even pulse that may beat at different speeds (or tempos)
determined by either the composer, musician or conductor. It is as fundamental to the music as a heartbeat is to a
person.
............1) Pulse and beat are also related to everyday life such as the regular pulse of the ocean waves, the cycle of the
earth in orbit around the sun, the bouncing of a ball, the pull of gravity, the movement of feet when walking
naturally, etc. (Music is science, music is movement.)
.......b. Rhythms (related to beats) are a combination of long and short durations of sound divided by planned silences. .......c. Rhythms do not have to have a steady beat
.......d. Rhythms are also related to the longs and shorts (durations of time) of the syllables we speak that is why poetry
and music go so well together in songs. (Music is connected with poetry and with language.)
.......e. Musical notation is a way a writing down these durations of time using symbols which represent mathematical
fractions. (Music is math.)
3. QUARTER NOTES, QUARTER NOTE RESTS, EIGHTH NOTES IN PAIRS
.......a. Parts of a note: (Some or all will be found notes) Body, Stem, Flag(s) and/or Beam(s)
...........1)The more attachments added to a note, the faster its value is.
.......b. Math and Music: Note values based on fractions
.......c. Notes and Rests:
...........1)Symbols representing the length (or value) of beats within a sound or silence.
...........2)Rests are silent beats which are felt but not heard.
...........3)Notes are beats that are felt and heard.
...........4)For each note value symbol there is a relative (or corresponding) rest value symbol.
.......d. Rhythm and Body Percussion
4. APPLICATION OF QUARTER NOTES, QUARTER NOTE RESTS, EIGHTH NOTES IN PAIRS IN A RHYTHMIC
SONG: "ALLEY CAT"
........a. Review Directions:
..............1)Quarter notes are worth 1 count or 1 beat of the heart so when viewing the quarter note say the word "one."
........b. Say the counting out loud as body percussion is performed/teacher pointing to notes on a chart to help for
tracking.
..............1)Counting out loud helps keep the eyes in mental focus for note reading; helps prevent distractions from getting
in the way and the student losing his place in the music and getting lost.
..............2)Body percussion movement helps student to feel the beat and rhythm of the music; helps prevent accidental
speeding up and slowing down
..............3)Being able to learn to stay focused for the entire length of a piece of music without getting lost is how the skill
of focusing is taught. (The skill of focusing is learned, not innate, and must be taught through practice by
slowly extending the length of focusing time by playing longer and longer pieces of music.)
........c. Repeat again with music recording teacher pointing for tracking.
........d. Repeat again with student volunteer as the pointer for tracking.
........e. Class performs without pointer and each person tracks for themselves.
5. EXTENSION OF "ALLEY CAT" RHYTHMIC SONG: DEVELOPMENT OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT PORTIONS OF
THE BRAIN
6. RIGHT versus LEFT/CROSS CIRCUITING
7. PATTERNS and the BRAIN
