Welcome back to Let's Play Music! It's going to be a great year. I loved seeing the kids' (giddy) excitement about getting to play on the keyboards. They all did so great yesterday - I was really impressed with their eagerness, listening skills, and participation. It was a great first class!

Here at the beginning, practice only needs to take as little as 2 to 5 minutes, 5 times a week! Think of ways you can focus on making your playing on the piano time as fun as possible - smile a lot, be a little silly. This is the beginning of the practice relationship you will be building this year that will be essential to their success in Let's Play Music. The more positive interaction, the more solid this habit will become. And they will realize how special this one-on-one time is with their parent!

Put a red sticker on Middle C! If you need help locating Middle C on your keyboard, check out the video below: 

After doing your assignment for class, allow your child to fool around and experiment on your keyboard/piano if they want to. If you know how to play, you can play a song for them. Tinkering on the piano can be so fun AND so valuable. Musical connections happen during practice, yes, but they also happen during self-directed PLAY. Start getting them used to the idea that sitting at the keyboard to do the assigned practice is pleasant and brief. In my home I try to use the words "playing the piano/keyboard" instead of "practicing the piano/keyboard" because the latter can sometimes carry a negative association. 

Album Listening - Emphasize listening to the music album often: Listen, listen, listen to the tracks. If you are having any hang-ups with listening to the music, please let me know so I can help! Sometimes the new album that you purchased doesn't show up on your app and I have troubleshooting tips.

Reward system - Kids earn music money to use in my music store on Lesson 15, Station Day! (I will also most often have a few items for the kids to buy with their music money on parent days throughout the semester.) Below is a chart that shows how they can earn music money.

Tuition - An invoice will be sent to you in a few days on Sept. 5th. An automated receipt will be sent to you. 

Do is Home

Just a reminder to put one RED STICKER on Middle C (Do is Home) this week on your piano or keyboard. Each practice time should begin with THINKING OF middle C, then SINGING it, then PLAYING it! This will continue to strengthen the goal for each student to acquire relative pitch.

Kit Kat Keyboard

The first verse of this song emphasizes the black keys in groups of 2 and 3. Dividing the keyboard this way helps build 'keyboard geography' in our minds: a mental image formed from visual conclusions. As we look, study, and play at the keyboard, a mental map is formed. Use the entire hand to see, feel, and hear the black keys!

Bubble Hands

Practice with the bubble to build finger strength and good form. Finger numbers will be emphasized more next week. For now make sure their elbows are close together and their fingers are aligned with each other, spread apart and not overlapping.

Spring Bees

Click here to download some fun puppet show coloring pages or mini puppets that you can make at home. Print them out, and turn on "Spring Bees" and have your child listen while they color. 

As you start out this year, check out this article on starting the year with joyful music practice from our Let's Play Music Blog. 

Click HERE to access the Spring Bees coloring pages. Just print them off and color as you listen to our new "Spring Bees" puppet show! Can you hear the characters that you are coloring? 

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

Thank you!