Category: Lessons

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Grasshopper

Introduction

This is a hopping song that we’ve played before in Book 1!  We’re adding a chord to our left hand in this version.

Are you ready to hop???

Don’t be afraid to jump up in the air!

Hop! Hop! Hop! 

Listen

The Lesson

At The Piano

Full Speed

Slower

Sheet Music

Piano
Piano Challenge Version
Ukulele
Guitar
Recorder
Xylophone or On-Screen Piano

Don’t Forget!

You can look up the ukulele chords and guitar chords and get help with reading tablature,
playing the recorder or rhythm (percussion) instruments right here on my website!

Enrichment

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In The Hall Of The Mountain King

Introduction

Edvard Grieg is best known for the incidental music he wrote for Henrik Ibsen’s play, Peer Gynt. Incidental music provides background or atmosphere for the action in a play. Peer Gynt is a tale about one man’s epic journey to the four corners of the globe. Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King” describes Peer Gynt’s adventure in the underground Kingdom of the Trolls. Can you hear the trolls creeping up on Peer? They are coming faster and faster!

Video

The Lesson

Sheet Music

Piano
Ukulele
Guitar
Recorder
Xylophone or On-Screen Piano

Don’t Forget!

You can look up the ukulele chords and guitar chords and get help with reading tablature,
playing the recorder or rhythm (percussion) instruments right here on my website!

Enrichment

An animated version of the scene from the play.  Thanks for finding this, Kellan!

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I Don’t Care If The Rain Comes Down

Introduction

This is a school yard song about doing what makes you happy no matter what.

What could be more carefree than to dance in the rain?

This song is played in C Position.

Video

The Lesson

Sheet Music

Piano
Ukulele
Guitar
Recorder
Xylophone or On-Screen Piano

Don’t Forget!

You can look up the ukulele chords and guitar chords and get help with reading tablature,
playing the recorder or rhythm (percussion) instruments right here on my website!

Enrichment

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Hokey Pokey

Introduction

Dancing People Sillhoette

This is a song that we all know.   A game we’ve all played, and now it’s time to learn to play the song!

The challenge in playing this song is the rhythm.  As with all the other songs we’ve been playing lately, it’s important to make you know what it’s supposed to sound like before you try to play it.  Don’t let the complicated rhythms scare you!  It’s just the hokey pokey!!

Play this song in C Position.

Have fun!

Video

The Lesson

Sheet Music

Piano
Ukulele
Guitar
Recorder
Xylophone or On-Screen Piano

Don’t Forget!

You can look up the ukulele chords and guitar chords and get help with reading tablature,
playing the recorder or rhythm (percussion) instruments right here on my website!

Enrichment

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Pentatonic Waves

Introduction

Isn’t the ocean special?  One of my favorite things in the world is to be near or on the water.  There is a rhythm in the waves that harmonizes with all of nature.  The sounds and the sights are the most beautiful on earth.

The rhythms repeat in a perfect pattern over and over.   It’s the rhythm of life!

This song is based on the pentatonic scale.  “Penta” means 5 and whenever you see a word that begins with “penta” it means there is a 5 in the idea.  For example, the pentatonic scale has 5 notes in it and any of them can give the scale its name.

“There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.”
– Sun Tzu

Listen

The Lesson

At The Piano

Full Speed

Slower

Sheet Music

Piano
Piano Challenge Version
Ukulele
Guitar
Recorder
Xylophone or On-Screen Piano

Don’t Forget!

You can look up the ukulele chords and guitar chords and get help with reading tablature,
playing the recorder or rhythm (percussion) instruments right here on my website!

Enrichment