I don't cancel class due to snow very often, especially on a parent day, but it felt necessary after all the traffic chaos caused by the mid-day snowstorm on Thursday. If you haven't yet, it is not too late to purchase the Yellow Arrows Lesson 5 online video. Follow the link below to purchase and watch it. Then send me a copy of your receipt and I will refund you the $8 soon. Thank you.

Lesson 5 is awesome! (I was so reluctant to cancel class!) The lesson taught about Bass C and Treble C. Page 56 in your homework booklet shows their notation and keyboard placement. We sang "The C Song" to remember where those notes are on the staff - check out the lyrics below in the Purpose in Play section. It's also on the album - track #44.

Since we weren't together in class for parents to help make them, I will have a baggie of alphabet pieces for everyone to take home this week. Please use them often as it will really help your kids learn their "keyboard geography" - an integral part of learning to read music and play the piano. CLICK HERE to learn all about the Alphabet Pieces game!

One more thing! I am excited to offer some summer camps this summer! I would really appreciate your feedback on my proposed summer camps. Please fill out this survey HERE or click the button below. It should only take a few minutes. Thank you thank you thank you!

Bass C and Treble C

The 3 C’s are in a family; they have different first names and the same last name! We’ve known Middle C since last semester. This week we introduced Bass C: 2nd Space in Bass Clef is Bass C! AND Treble C: 3rd Space in Treble Clef is Treble C or 1-2-3 treble C! These anchor notes on the staff will help orient us as we expand our keyboard skills. Here are the lyrics for our "C Song"!

(Chorus)

This is my C Song, C Song, C Song

This is my C Song, sing along...

Middle C, Middle C

Has it's own line, like seriously!

The second space is C in the bass clef.

Space 1, 2, 3 is treble C!

C Major Scale

Now that we know where Treble C is on the keyboard we can play the C Major Scale going DOWN. The technique is exactly like the Left Hand, though playing it with the Right! Practice this SLOWLY to ensure correct fingerings and bubble hand position. 1) Begin with RH finger number 5 on Treble C. (This is the C right above middle C.) 2) Play Do, Ti, La, Sol, Fa using fingers 5-4-3-2-1 with a rounded bubble hand. 3) To play Mi, POP finger number 3 over thumb. 4) Reset the BUBBLE and proceed to play Mi-Re-Do with finger numbers 3-2-1.

I Am Robin Hood

Shoo-oot the Ar-row, Waa-atch it fly---, teaches us how to feel and play the dotted quarter eighth note pattern right on target. To feel this rhythm more accurately dance with the CD, stomp out the rhythm with hands and feet, or even sit them on your lap and bounce your knees up and down to the rhythm while chanting the song together. Mix up practice with this song by playing the bass clef 5th an octave lower to really sound like a deep drum!

Hickory Dickory Dock

This song introduces parallel motion by following a steady beat through a metronome (a tick-tock is what we call it in class).

Mr. Rest

Could you believe all the musical symbols Old MacDonald had on his musical farm? A rest, though played with silence, is a very important aspect of music. Mozart said “The music is not in the notes but in the silence between.” Rests are powerful!

Playing the Alphabet Pieces game every day will help us solidify keyboard geography by learning the names of ALL of the white keys. Enjoy playing this game with its theme and variations!

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

Thank you!