Great playing in class last week!! I loved seeing C position, Firetruck dings, and red chords! We also learned the 1st verse of our Halloween song and we'll learn the minor (spooky!) 2nd verse next week. 

Don't forget to let your children play along to the accompaniment tracks! (Numbers given below). Use the app on your phone or the digital downloads - please let me know if you need the link to download them again. (I've had families that have liked putting them on their family ipad/tablet, computer, or another device for easy access by their kids.) In the past I have kids worry about messing up when they play along with the track. This is a great opportunity as the supportive grown-up in their home to empathize with feelings a frustration and also help teach perseverance and trying again. Be sure to have them mark a tally for doing their best while playing along, even if they get stuck or mess up!! It is still practice even if they mess up. Practice is NOT meant to be perfect because mistakes are how we learn.

Three Blind Mice (CD tracks #26 & #27)

We can play a Mi Re Do! How fun to be able to play along with the accompaniment tracks! This repetition is great for strengthening fingers, and training ears to hear a melodic ostinato! Make sure they are singing along and playing with the accompaniment tracks to make this even more valuable. If you or anyone plays the guitar, or ukulele, have a jam session and sing along! 

Turtle Shells (CD tracks #20 & #21)

It’s important to understand that a 2nd does not have to always be a C and a D. Any two adjacent white notes are a 2nd. The same thinking goes for 3rds (skip one white key) and 4ths (skip two white keys). Knowing how intervals look on the staff, how they are spaced on the keyboard, and how they sound when played is invaluable ear training and staff reading knowledge! 

Here's a great, quick video from our Making Musicians Blog on using "laser beam eyes" while following the notes on the page as you play! The goal is to keep our eyes on the book rather than our fingers which helps draw the correlation between what is written and what is being played. 

I value open and honest communication so please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or comments.

Thank you!