Today in MusIQ Club!

Fiddlesticks PSP Wed. March 10, 2010

It was nice to have all four of you here today!  We started today with a quick review of melodic intervals (second, third, fourth, fifth etc.) and tried to identify thirds, fifths and octaves by ear.  Everyone got better after the first few tries!  The trickiest thing seemed to be remembering that when you are counting notes by step you need to count the first note that you are starting FROM as number “one.”  We also did some melodic playbacks where I asked everyone to play three notes in time with the metronome, so everyone was playing together with a steady beat.  After the first one or two you all did really well with this.

We also worked on the C major scale again keeping elbows straight, and Gabrielle was challenged to play with both hands together in PARALLEL motion, which means her two hands were playing with different fingerings.  Everyone is doing well with the “thumb tucks” and playing in contrary motion (starting with both thumbs on middle C and moving outwards, the fingering for each hand is the same: 12312345).

The repertoire played today was Row, Row, Row Your Boat which some played by ear and others played with the music.  You started to get this pretty well in two parts and rhythms were steady.  Next week we’ll improve on that and perform it as a three part round at a faster tempo!  We also worked quite a bit on Pop Goes the Weasel.  The biggest challenge was incorporating the rests into the music.  We clapped the rhythms a few times, and once everyone understood how to count the beats and incorporate the rests you were able to play the piece all the way through.  Good work, everyone!

For practice at home this week:

1.  Scales – Everyone: C major, one octave, hands separately and then together in contrary motion.  The fingering is 12312345, and the reverse to go back.  Remember not to move your elbows!  Gabrielle and Chiron if you want a challenge – C major in parallel motion.  You can print out a technique sheet for this scale here. Gabrielle – G major and D major, parallel motion.  Chiron if you want a challenge – G major hands separately and then parallel motion.  There is one black note, you figure out which one!  The fingering is the same as for C major.

2.  Everyone:  In Piano Player keep playing Pop Goes the Weasel until you can keep it really steady and are comfortable with the hands switching back and forth.  Remember to use the fingerings that are in the music.  If you want a hard copy you can print out Pop Goes the Weasel or Row, Row, Row Your Boat (which we will be sure to play again).

2.  Katrina, Theo and Chiron — practice Twinkle (2) in Piano Player, hands separately.  (First click on the right hand for the G clef part, then click on the left hand for the F clef part)  Once you can play both parts separately, THEN if you are feeling ambitious you can try hands together.

3.  Gabrielle – Twinkle (3) and Allouette with notes AND timing.  If the built in metronome drives you crazy you can use a regular metronome.

4.  Everyone: If you are looking for some doodle sheets which can give you extra practice and help remembering what we did in class here is an activity sheet you can print out for some fun with rests and rhythms, and here is one for practice with intervals.  Remember, you can always go back into Theory Thinker to review rests and note values.

5.  Spend some time in the Composers Corner and let your hair down (so to speak).  I can’t wait to hear what you come up with!

See you next week.

Filed under: Fiddlesticks PSP, Uncategorized