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#Post#: 812--------------------------------------------------
Teaching music to my 5 y/o grandniece
By: indigo_dave Date: August 30, 2017, 6:12 pm
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I haven't mentioned this since I thought it might not last. But
we've done maybe 7 sessions. She'll be 5 in October. He mom
brings her and sits on the sofa and participates. We are trying
to get her playing "Hot Cross Buns" on the black keys. I found
a YouTube video showing how to have the child brace their index
finger with their thumb to give them the strength and form to
hit the key. She's working on it. Practicing at home for maybe
10 minutes a day. I'm having them work with her a few minutes
per day leaning to identify the white keys. So I'll be able to
say "play a C for 4 beats - now play an F for 4 beats". I'm
making this part up as I go along. It's really fun to try to
come up with things to do.
I made a CD called "Beginning Songlist". It has "Dear
Prudence", "Here Comes The Sun", "God Day Sunshine", "Oh What
A Beautiful Morning", and "Surrey With The Fringe On The Top".
5 great classic songs in all respects. So she's going to listen
to the CD and get familiar with the songs. The 1st goal is to
get her singing on the choruses. Then later on maybe play some
left handed bass part - say the descending bass on "Dear
Prudence" -
in the key of C : C Bb A Ab C repeat .....maybe later on
down the line I can have her playing that sequence...this is the
part I'm making up. I'm going to also have a conventional
child's music book to work with. I have something called
"Mozart Mouse" that starts them on the black keys.
But it's an adventure. I'm trying to plant musical seeds into
her little psyche. I'm hoping that when she's 50 years old, she
can fondly sing through "Good Day Sunshine" and do it in tempo
and in tune. But I have he listening to Mozart too - I bought
his Jupiter Symphony at Goodwill for $1.50 and gave it to her.
And we have time spent with me playing piano and singing and her
playing one of my hand drums. I got her singing today on "Hot
Cross Buns". That's my next goal Getting her singing and
working her ears.
My other musical news is that I'm playing at another assisted
living facility (ALF) on Mondays in September. It's a wallpaper
gig. I'm not used to that concept. I'm supposed to keep the
volume down so I don't distract from their conversation. It
makes me feel a little like a musical whore. I'm not sure I
like the idea. We'll see.
Pardon the ramble. Sometimes I do that.
#Post#: 813--------------------------------------------------
Re: Teaching music to my 5 y/o grandniece
By: Luke17 Date: August 30, 2017, 6:43 pm
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aaww Dave..that is great!
I have thought basic guitar to my grandkids for the last 8
years..( 5 of them)
I think I gave you a link to my best friends website awhile
ago..we have been playing music together since we were 16. he
was a drummer, now he is a vocalist..he plays ALFs and also does
afternoon gigs in Libraries in North Carolina where he now
lives...and in NJ when he comes up to visit his daughter and
Grandkids...he is coming up to NJ next week.
His programs are educational, he sings the songs of Sinatra,
Cole Porter, Bobby Darin, Barry Manilow, Tony Bennett, to name a
few, and gives a brief history of their music, the era, the
style etc.
He never tires of what he does, and always maintains an
ambitious schedule..
If you want the link to his website again let me know.
Here are a couple of my Grandkids getting a guitar lesson from
yours truly... :)
#Post#: 815--------------------------------------------------
Re: Teaching music to my 5 y/o grandniece
By: AJ Date: August 30, 2017, 8:11 pm
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Both you fellas are to be commended for "Passing it On" to the
younguns. And those are some good lookin' kiddos there Luke! Got
a Little Lefty I see... ;D
#Post#: 816--------------------------------------------------
Re: Teaching music to my 5 y/o grandniece
By: Luke17 Date: August 31, 2017, 5:03 pm
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yeah, AJ ...thanks for the compliment..the little 'un, she is
learning Malagueña..shes no lefty but she tunes up that way..I
won't stop her, free expression,
The Lad..look at the metric socket wrench in front of him..he
loves the Allman Bros. and the sound of slide.
#Post#: 820--------------------------------------------------
Re: Teaching music to my 5 y/o grandniece
By: indigo_dave Date: August 31, 2017, 9:06 pm
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And thanks to each of you.
The pinkish guitar is cool. Are there colorful caps of some sort
on the tuning pegs ?
#Post#: 829--------------------------------------------------
Re: Teaching music to my 5 y/o grandniece
By: Luke17 Date: September 1, 2017, 3:27 pm
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very perceptive Dave.. those little caps..they make my job
infinitely easier , Each little cap marks the string E-A- D-G-B
#Post#: 834--------------------------------------------------
Re: Teaching music to my 5 y/o grandniece
By: AJ Date: September 1, 2017, 7:20 pm
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Is that a room in your home Luke? Really like the
appointments...
#Post#: 840--------------------------------------------------
Re: Teaching music to my 5 y/o grandniece
By: indigo_dave Date: September 2, 2017, 7:16 am
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Luke, did you start the children out with a method book ? As I
mentioned, I started with "Mozart Mouse" but soon set it aside
- at 4 3/4 y/o she didn't have the finger strength nor the
coordination. I found a video (YouTube is a great resource) by
a PhD piano teacher dude. He had his child reinforcing the
index finger with the thumb.
I'm experimenting, partially at least. I'm hoping to teach her
to use her ears in addition to reading music. We haven't really
gotten into reading music yet. I'm thinking we need to get her
fingers working first.
Last week I asked her if she knows what is the most important
thing to be a musician. No (of course). I said "persistence".
And then explained that it's to keep working at it, to keep
trying. I didn't use that other "P" word - "practice".
#Post#: 841--------------------------------------------------
Re: Teaching music to my 5 y/o grandniece
By: Luke17 Date: September 2, 2017, 8:29 am
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[quote author=AJ link=topic=84.msg834#msg834 date=1504311630]
Is that a room in your home Luke? Really like the
appointments...
[/quote]
thanks, Podnah..living room, we have a lot of mica shade lamps
and old oak Mission and Craftsman stuff around.
#Post#: 843--------------------------------------------------
Re: Teaching music to my 5 y/o grandniece
By: Luke17 Date: September 2, 2017, 8:52 am
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[quote author=indigo_dave link=topic=84.msg840#msg840
date=1504354611]
Luke, did you start the children out with a method book ? As I
mentioned, I started with "Mozart Mouse" but soon set it aside
- at 4 3/4 y/o she didn't have the finger strength nor the
coordination. I found a video (YouTube is a great resource) by
a PhD piano teacher dude. He had his child reinforcing the
index finger with the thumb.
I'm experimenting, partially at least. I'm hoping to teach her
to use her ears in addition to reading music. We haven't really
gotten into reading music yet. I'm thinking we need to get her
fingers working first.
Last week I asked her if she knows what is the most important
thing to be a musician. No (of course). I said "persistence".
And then explained that it's to keep working at it, to keep
trying. I didn't use that other "P" word - "practice".
[/quote]
I have no ryhme or reason method of teaching ..Not even a
schedule...if they are here and they want to break out the
guitars then we go for it.
The lad went to band camp this summer and plays brass, so he
knows a bit of theory.
The Muñequita (little Doll) loves it when I tune her guitar to
open A and she strums and picks out notes..I record her, her
eyes light up when she hears a part she particulary likes, then
we try to build a bit of a song around that.
I never ask them if they want to play, they just go upstairs,
pick up their guitars and get going..
If they want to learn, I make it a point to drop whatever I'm
doing to oblige them.
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