Today in MusIQ Club!

Hooray, we are off and running!  Welcome, and congratulations for taking on this endeavor which I know can be so rewarding.

We started off the day with some rhythmic ear training, clapping on different beats and taking turns with different patterns that proved tricky to keep steady even though they were simple.  We listened to some different music and tried to identify where the strong beats were, and while not everyone could actually name which beat was number one, everyone could find it by clapping or playing on the “downbeat.”

Everyone limbered up fingers and practiced “thumb tucks” for the C major scale, and while Katrina, Theo and Chiron practiced that Gabrielle worked on F major.  We reviewed proper hand positions and then everyone dove into Theory Thinker.  Gabrielle worked on the Alouette from Level 4 and the others worked on rhythms up through 16th notes (!).  The the end of class everyone played Mozart’s Twinkle variation together, with Gabrielle playing two note chords in her left hand as well as the melody.  We’re not ready for Carnegie Hall yet, but the progress in just one hour was truly impressive.

For next class please:

1.  Print out and practice Row, Row, Row your Boat.  Even if you can play it by ear, look at the music to make sure you are holding out the notes for their full length of time and that you are using the right fingerings.  I would love it if you can play it from memory, but WITH the correct fingerings and rhythms!

2.  Practice Twinkle (in Piano Player if you have the software already), and be very careful of the fingerings (right hand is NOT in the same position as it is in Row Row…)  Gabrielle, practice Twinkle(3), everyone else Twinkle(1).

3.  Here is a copy of the C major scale with fingerings including the thumb tuck.  You probably don’t need to look at this while you play, but it can remind you of what we talked about in class.  Remember not to move your elbows, especially while tucking the thumb under.  Practice one hand at a a time unless you are playing in mirror image.  Gabrielle — you only can try both together in parallel, and don’t forget to pay attention to the position of your arms.

Gabrielle (and the rest of you might find this interesting as well, but don’t worry if you don’t understand it)– Here is a work sheet that explains what a blues scale is, technically at least (which notes are the “blue” notes?), and here are some other scales including the C blues scale.  Some of this is review for you, but we will carry on from here next week!

See you next Wednesday!

Filed under: Fiddlesticks PSP