 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-06-12 17:19
I teach a lot of beginners, and high schoolers who have not previously had private instruction. This means that I have to have some fairly bulletproof devices with which to teach them their basics, TEST those basics, and draw them in to a world where they appreciate the value of their basic skills, and become encouraged to practice more.
Songs (usually played by ear) have become my favored application of many basic skills. They give the student a real-world application for the skill, they often cause the student to recognize pitch mistakes that would otherwise get by them, and they help me demonstrate to that student that it is actually possible for him/her to make music out of thin air. Playing without written music also helps me coach the kid in playing boldly, and in thinking of the written notes as simply a graph of the scale that the key signature indicates.
The downside of this is that instructional songs need fairly exacting characteristics in order to avoid overburdening (or sometimes UNDERburdening) the student in the pursuit of whatever skill is involved. Also, they get OLD. I desparately need fresh songs in order to have a rotation. Seeking out songs can be a burden, and I am opening up this thread in hopes of seeing what some of you may be using with success out there.
Here are a few examples of what I use at very early stages:
The First Noel (Major Scale) - My favorite scale song. It confines itself to one octave, moves completely along adjacent pitches (with one exception), and avoids sounding the same pitch twice in a row. Anyone who knows their major scale, and who can hum this song, can easily play it. It is my primary weapon in tightening up lydian-sounding flat scales, and mixolydian-sounding sharp scales.
Bonus for non-Christian kids: You can call it "No L." Sing the alphabet over the form of this 25-syllable song, but leaving out the L. Then the chorus is "No L." (a student recently showed me this)
[my problem: I need more familiar songs with those characteristics! As you will see below, none of the other scale songs can touch this one for ease and range.]
Ode to Joy (Major Scale) - Surprisingly, this is more familiar to many kids than My Country Tis, or The First Noel. (and thus, its primary advantage) The bridge does not confine itself to the tessitura of a formal one-octave scale, but the A-sections do and the bridge can be easily modified.
My Country 'Tis (Major Scale) - Similar characteristics to Noel, but doesn't cover the entire octave, and dips below the first note of the scale. Still useful for those who know it. Repeated pitches sometimes confusing, but less so than in Joy to the World.
Joy To the World (Major Scale) - Confines itself to one octave of scale, but novice musicians find all the repeated notes and similar-sounding motifs confusing--even if they can sing the song flawlessly. I've learned to avoid pushing this one with newer students, except for that very first phrase.
More limited-range scale songs - This Old Man, London Bridge, Twinkle Twinkle. (good for rank beginners in written C)
Beatles scale songs - All My Lovin, Nowhere Man, Hey Jude (plus one note above and one note below) And I Love Her (extended range, tough bridge)
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (A-key technique) - Playing this in written A minor creates a great workout from slurring E-A-E-A-E... This teaches kids that they can't use the same part of their left index finger for both E and A. Very helpful as time to cross the break approaches. If students are really good, I'll show them how to get a pitch drop on the last E by gently nudging the RH rings.
Sleigh Ride (pinkie alternation, key changes via accidentals) - This is for intermediate and advanced students. Played in written C, it contains a major laundry list of clarinet problems to solve. I provide an annotated version for practice. Students on B-flat clarinet can play it along with either a band recording, or the Boston Pops itself.
Do Re Mi (major scale/accidental recognition) - What better scale song than one actually written about the major scale? Added bonus includes three accidentals on the bridge, caused by secondary dominant and relative minor activity. Many kids, with no prompting, notice that the scale is less than satisfactory on the bridge. It makes the accidentals THEIR discovery, and all I have to do is provide a methodology for finding them. Awesome! Added bonus: I believe that the movie score has it in concert B-flat!
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Major Arpeggio) - A very cool little piece, often recorded as a jazzy ballad. Major arpeggio (plus an inversion!) is mixed with major scale for a very doable melody--even in the first year or two of playing. We do it in concert F with Kenny G. at Christmas. There is one accidental in the entire form, and most students figure it out easily. (great song for comparing arpeggio vs. diatonic vs. chromatic)
Bugle Calls (major arpeggio) - Some students really like this and some really don't. It is an inverted arpeggio, of course, but add it to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and you have root position plus both inversions.
Sesame Street Number Song (diatonic triads) - It's not a complete set, and I haven't watched lately to see if Sesame Street has replaced it with something new.
These are not my only instructional purposes for songs, but they represent a lot of hard-core basics that I want kids to practice and see purpose in.
I'd like to hear what song's YOU'RE using in your own instruction (for whatever purposes), and anyone's ideas of songs to reinforce the root-position one-octave major scale, and the root-position one-octave major arpeggio.
Not trying to limit the scope of this thread--just requesting ideas of songs that I feel a particular need for. Actually, I'm dying to see what other purposes may be served by yet-undiscussed songs!
Allen Cole
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-06-12 18:17
Allen -
I use many of the same songs you've chosen for similar reasons.
One that works well for my beginners is the Irish (drinking) song "Rakes of Mallow".
http://www.contemplator.com/midimusic/mallow.mid
It teaches intervals of thirds, scalewise movement, the I/ V7 chords, tonic arpeggio, and finger technique all within the 9 note melody (or 6 notes if you only use the 1st half of the tune).
After the students memorize the tune perfectly (which doesn't take very long) I let them try to impress me with how fast they can play it accurately.
Just when they think they have it really quick, I make them change the articulation to 2 tongued/2 slurred or eventually all tongued.
Other ideas: play it an octave higher, "trade 2's" (student plays the first 2 measures/teacher plays the next 2 measures), play it in a different key (by ear) etc.. etc...
They seem to like the different challenges and it keeps them motivated for weeks.
Another song which is a beginner favorite is the theme song to the TV show "Jeopardy" (thank you, Merv Griffin)
I like using this tune because it clearly demonstrates the intervals of 4ths and 5ths as well as giving a very clear example of modulation (minor 3rd higher)
Also, if you find a good written copy of the "Jeopardy" theme song it will also show a Da Capo and Coda sign. A very painless way to introduce this concept...GBK
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Author: Francesca
Date: 2006-06-12 20:51
To expand your repertoire of songs, talk to anybody with Orff or Kodaly certification. The Kodaly sequence especially is based on teaching sol fege through folk songs. I'll be starting my level I next summer, otherwise I'd probably have a few songs to toss out.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2006-06-12 21:27
Alan -
I'd use songs that are themselves great music.
I taught my nephew (who had been playing for 6 months) to play by ear the "cat" solo from Peter and the Wolf. It's all in the low register, and the harmony is strong enough to hear what's going on.
Stephen Foster songs are great for playing by ear -- Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair, for example.
Open up Schumann's Dichterliebe. There's one superb piece of music after another. If necessary, you can transpose them to avoid register breaks. The same goes for Schubert Songs.
The famous (to singers) Schirmer collection Twenty-Four Italian Songs and Arias http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp_detail.html?cart=335871190010827120&sku=HL.50481592 has many gorgeous melodies.
Any John McCormack record will have songs that are worth playing over and over.
How about the opening of the Tchaikovsky 5th?
For a player who can manage clarion high C, try the slow movement solo from the Tchaikovsky 6th.
The slow movement of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik can be played all in the low register by beginners, or left where it is for those who are ready to cross the break and need practice.
Finally, don't be afraid to teach the silly stuff. Every kid knows and loves The Worms Crawled In, the Worms Crawled Out. Turn it into something that improves their playing.
Ken Shaw
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Author: ginny
Date: 2006-06-12 21:42
If you're doing ear training rather than finger training I would recommend a Kodaly based method, which is what I used for very very young kids when I taught guitar. It worked rather well, and they learned to sight sing and get some ear training as well. Kolday takes a very grade approach, primarily for singing which has been converted to use on some instruments.
http://kodaly.hnu.edu/search.cfm
Has a list of American folk tunes sortable by grade level and rhythm/pitch problems, but you need some Silbelious plug in to see the music.
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Author: beejay
Date: 2006-06-13 10:45
There is a wealth of Stephen Foster and other early American songs on the Library of Congress web site.
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-06-13 20:22
I generally avoid Orff/Kodaly, but will definitely check out the list of graded folk songs.
Anything that I teach in the way of theory or ear training must be within the context of an instrument lesson, so I would say that most of what I'm doing is finger training with small amounts of ear training thrown in using the guise of problem solving. The idea is to instill a sense of purpose in learning scales and to provide some reward for the accomplishment. I'm less concerned with full-blown ear training than I am with reducing finger hesitation and providing an avenue the the student to make his/her own observations about pitch. (for deeper study, I have a 5-step system for reverse engineering & notation)
I prefer pieces that the child already is familiar with, because teaching the song by playing back and forth can be time-consuming in a weekly half-hour lesson, which may involve several activities. I also need the song to be securely in the child's ear so that he/she is free to work on it in individual practice.
The most pressing purpose that I have is to reinforce major scales and arpeggios, but to increase the number of different songs that I use, so it won't always be the same one or two. Most other instructional goals come and go. Major scales and arpeggios need constant review, and I would like to be able to increase the amount of variety available.
For general exposure to good music, I like "Tunes for Clarinet Technic" from Belwin. For songs with no task other than playing it by ear, there is no shortage. I prefer to pick something that the student really wants to play, unless it's too difficult. (Boy, am I glad to see Star Wars fading from the scene!)
Yesterday (Beatles), for example, gives a very nice example of ascending and descending melodic minor, with a dash of the relative major/minor relationship. I probably don't need but one of these. But scale songs like The First Noel and arpeggio songs like Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas are badly needed in numbers as quick-and-dirty testing/fixing on the bare basics.
I'm very interested in anything specific being used for any specific purpose, but for scale/arpeggio songs I'd like to ask for songs with few or no jumps beyond adjacent scale notes (and preferably a full octave or less of scale), and/or any clear, unmistakable arpeggios.
Another helpful area might be songs which begin on scale degrees other than 1, 3, or 5. (hint, I've already mentioned one such song in this post)
Allen Cole
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Author: YCL-450
Date: 2006-06-13 23:08
Sleigh Ride (pinkie alternation, key changes via accidentals) - This is for intermediate and advanced students. Played in written C, it contains a major laundry list of clarinet problems to solve. I provide an annotated version for practice. Students on B-flat clarinet can play it along with either a band recording, or the Boston Pops itself.
Do you happen to have the annotated version of sleigh Ride you could share?
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Author: YCL-450
Date: 2006-06-14 00:50
You might want to consider the tune "You Are My Sunshine". It's catchy and really easy to learn by ear. And you can play it with out crossing the break.
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-06-14 05:19
The Can-Can is a VERY good one. Common knowledge song, full octave of scale, minimal note repetition, and small, logical jumps. It actually sounds like it could've come out of an exercise book!
...and that brings up another educational value to this song: It will make students who use chromatic fingerings for the B-flat, D-flat and F# scales completely trip over themselves. Normally, I let the scale-in-thirds do that little job, but this song does more effectively and repetitively. Yee-haw!
Keep 'em coming, folks. This is a fantastic dual-purpose lesson song, that will really improve my teaching. Exactly what I'd hoped for when starting this thread.
Allen Cole
Post Edited (2006-06-14 05:55)
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2006-06-14 13:58
This is one for which I use music and haven't tried to teach by ear, but Mission:Impossible is totally awesome for the Eb/C pinkie alternation.
Allen, I really like the Good the Bad and the Ugly lick for the E-A. but I seem to have a number of students that aren't familiar with it. Have you experienced this?
Oh, and Skip to My Lou for I and V7 arpeggios.
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Author: D
Date: 2006-06-14 18:36
Tunes which have come up again and again when I have been learning different instruments and are always good for a laugh (or make your ears bleed):
In the Mood (Glenn Miller. Put the break in the most akward place possible to really see them sweat!)
Somewhere over the rainbow (the old version not the warbly new one...although I suppose that could be a homework challenge)
Pink panther
Hall of the mountain king
Sorcerer's Apprentice
The Entertainer
Greensleeves
Summer time (great for sustained notes)
Moonlight serenade and Dance of the Hours (both great if written as simple two parts pieces for making kids see how two parts can fit seamlessly even if on first glance the counting looks like an utter headache)
If you can stand it the TV theme from the 1960's Bat Man is good for a laugh
The main James Bond theme is a great one for grace notes.
Frere Jacque (which I couldn't stand to play again)
and lest we forget....the best beginners tune of all time! TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR!!!!
Also, if you are teaching them to write out music, 'Heads, shoulders, knees and toes' is a great one for introducing the concept of the music continuing even if there is no actual sound. (For those that don't know it, with each repetition a body part is left out and by the last run through there is only miming left.)
I really liked this question, and am looking forward to seeing more responses. Is there a prize for best question of the month?
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-06-14 20:43
On The Good, The Bad and the Ugly:
Yes, there are an increasing number of kids unfamilair. Most who know it, probably know it from secondary sources.
On Skip to My Lou:
Another good one. Both for arpeggio practice and a demo of how the I and V chords feel to the ear.
On the Pink Panther:
This is a big one for me. Most of my sax kids learn to play it along with the original recording in the first few years of playing. They learn their concert G scale, learn how to extract E minor, work the tune out by ear, and then fix up their rhythms via a 5-step process. The single best motivator/self-esteem earner of anything I've found!
On Twinkle, Twinkle:
My favorite category for this is "Songs you can play in C without crossing the break." My Country Tis, Jingle Bells, Mary Had a Little Lamb, This Old Man and London Bridge all fall in that category--a very valuable category for small kid having a tough time. This is another area in which we would do well to collect some titles.
Allen Cole
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Author: BobD
Date: 2006-06-14 22:20
"Songs (usually played by ear)".... I think this is a very good method. Melodys that the student is familiar with and likes are probably best.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Bruno
Date: 2006-06-15 04:30
A sweet lonesome and beautiful warm-up song is "Goin' Home", first in (clarinet) C modulating to Db for a second chorus. It's been recorded by several jazz artists and the student can lay into the emotion of it and wail. It's a great long-tone builder and because it's so evocative, helps a student turn notes into real music.
Another I love is "America". And for the same reasons.
B.
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-06-16 05:00
I carry around a duet version of Goin' Home in several different keys. Great tune for dotted quarter-eights, and two-part harmony. And yes, a killer tone/expression builder.
By "America", do you mean "America the Beautiful?" If so, I heartily agree.
Another duet that I carry in C, Bb and Eb transpositions is Love Me Tender. Most kids play Aura Lee in their first-year band books, and this gives them a familiar song to dress up. Also nice for some chromatic motion and enharmonic note spellings in the harmony part.
I have taken more and more to arranging easy duets, because I get so aggravated by easy duet books that fail to harmonize the last note of the song. (generally because most songs end on "1", and must be harmonized a 6th down)
Allen Cole
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Author: Bruno
Date: 2006-06-17 17:32
Yes, I meant America the Beautiful. And I'd love to see the duet version of Goin' Home that you carry around.
National anthems of various countries are also good tunes to practice - Italy, France, Canada, Germany, the UK, and on and on. some are marches, some not. and there are many from which to choose.
B.
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2006-06-18 01:56
Based on the interest of a few students, I taught basic improvisation with a blues pattern to my "older" elementary students. They were fascinated to realize how the combinations of chords worked in sequence. I showed them just the basic triad for each of the I, IV and V chords. They then could choose how to put those notes together until the chord changed. I really was very surprised that they could do this, but this was a particularly precocious group.
And of course, that basic pattern opens up a huge wealth of songs.
Sue
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-06-18 03:51
There's a lot of potential in playing around with those triads. My older students have a key familiarity warm-up in which they have memorized a sequence of I-IV-V-I distributed evenly over two 4/4 measures. A some point in their work on this, I spring a recording of "Hot Rod Lincoln" on them (I favor Asleep at the Whee'ls version in concert E) so that they'll know the chord changes actually go with something.
I also like to have them figure out the chord changes to some of those short etudes in Rubank Intermediate or duets in the yellow Rubank duet book. Anything that gets them used to the sounds of chords is like gold later on if/when the jazz bug hits. It's also a good way to reinforce what's been learned in theory, so that it won't fade away.
Here's a little more far-fetched song that I was thinking about. Play "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (or just the opening phrase) in written C to help with over-the-break technique. I like to have something that goes from LH B to throat tones so that the right hand can stay down and the student can keep the left pinkie 'reaching' for the B while departing from it for a note or two. Usually, I just have them play C-B-A-B-C, but this might be almost as good. It might also work to get L/R sequencing down for the D scale.
Can anybody think of one that would accomplish this actually playing 8-7-6-7-8 instead of the more dijunct pattern offered by 'Rainbow'
Allen Cole
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-06-18 04:28
allencole wrote:
> Can anybody think of one that would accomplish this actually
> playing 8-7-6-7-8 instead of the more dijunct pattern offered
> by 'Rainbow'
Even though the following are not specifically 8-7-6 (tonic, leading tone, sub mediant) some of the tunes that I use for this type of over the break drill are:
Heart and Soul (clarinet starting note C)
I Don't Know How To Love Him (clarinet starting note B)
Strangers in the Night (clarinet starting note C)
Undecided (clarinet starting note B)
California Dreamin' (clarinet starting note A)
I Can't Give You Anything But Love (clarinet starting note C)
...GBK
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-06-19 02:04
Nice GBK!
Heart & Soul will be familiar to most of the girls, fits the requested pattern beautifully, and I can even do the 'dinky-donkey' part behind them on the piano. Would also be great to do in D with a friend accompanying. I've got a pair of twin sisters that would probably eat this up.
Undecided would have to be taught to most kids--I suppose I'd break down and write it out--but it's a literal gold mine of over-the-break activity in the key you recommend. Do you have them learn the bridge as well? That oughta fix ANYBODY's fingers!
Strangers in the Night impresses me as a real prize-winner for more than just working on the break. Great tune for bridging two adjacent octaves of any scale, and the pattern seems so repetitive that a lot of confusion could be avoided both visually and aurally. And no accidentials, right?
Are you aware of a recorded version of Undecided in concert B-flat? (I seem to recall playing it--possibly a Les Brown version--in concert C) These two are right up there with the Can-Can in terms of their instructional possiblities.
I wonder if we could get someone to publish the best of this stuff in a play-along book so that kids won't suspect that they're actually learning?
Allen Cole
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2006-06-19 12:03
Hi All,
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the very old method book "A Tune a Day" by Herfurth (I think there is even a CD with this book now). Nothing seems to entice a young student to practice more (and please the parents as well) than "listen, Sally can play blah, blah, blah." And to have a CD accompaniment is a technological miracle.
When I was doing a lot of private teaching, the reward for a good lesson was at the end, we'd play from the popular song book (or their contest solo). I'd either play the piano part or just use the 3 or 4 basic chords that fit just about everything. OK, dealing with the Mozart accompaniments was pretty scary at times but...
BTW, one my best undergrad series of lessons was when my piano professor had me use the Pete Seeger Folk Song Book. I either improvised the acccompaniment or sight-read something new. He put a big piece of cardboard over the keys so I could not see my fingers; that was really clever. Man, I still appreaciate that skill.
Now with an electronic keyboard is so readily available, there is an opportunity for any private teacher to dabble with some simple song accompaniments. And to be able to accompany your student playing all those cool tunes mentioned above, priceless.
HRL
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-06-24 09:25
Now that we've exhuasted most technical instruction purposes, I'd like to start fishing for good songs which illustrate the feeling of particular degrees on the major scale. The major problem here is that we have a plethora of songs which begin on notes 1, 3 & 5 and most other scale degrees have only a handful of songs associated. This makes familiarity/common knowledge a difficult factor in many cases.
Also, some songs begin with the proper scale element but don't come across to the listener as well as others.
I would like to make a goal of finding really good example songs for each degree of the major scale, where the scale degree in question is the FIRST melody note, and where it comes on a strong beat if possible. For example, I think that we feel the low 5th in "Here Comes the Bride" much stronger than we do in "O Tannenbaum" or "Amazing Grace."
Here's a few items thus far:
1 (Root, Do)
My Country Tis of Thee - Meets all my critera PLUS it really holds tight to the scale element in question.
Joy to the World - Starts on the octave and drops down the scale. Pretty sweet.
Over the Rainbow - Has the 1's at both the top and bottom of the scale, with a fragment of upper scale to provide some nice context.
There will be a googleplex of songs starting on 1. But what songs would be a real improvement on these?
2 (Re)
Yesterday (Beatles). Starts on two, and on a stong beat. And having 1 as note #2 really helps bring it home.
Actually, I can only only think of two songs with start on 2. The other is "Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday" by Stevie Wonder. Any others come to mind?
3 (Mi)
Jingle Bells - Great in terms of familiarity. Secondarily The First Noel, which helps guide our ear by going straight down the scale to the root. (ditto for Mary Had a Little Lamb, Three Blind Mice and Blessed Assurance)
4 (FA)
Still (Commodores/Lionel Ritchie) - Has note four as very first note, on a strong beat, and heading straight for 3 as it's second note, providing a very good illustration. Downside is the fact that it's a pop song approaching 30 years old. Familiarity is definitely an issue.
Shine On, Harvest Moon - also starts on 4 and goes right to 3. Familiarity is also a bit of an issue, and I think that the aural value is diluted by the fact that the songs starts out pretty far removed from its key center, much like "Sweet Georgia Brown."
5 (Sol)
Away In A Manger (the version that's NOT "Flow Gently Sweet Afton") Starts on 5 on a strong beat, and starts working its way down the scale. Keeps going, in fact, until the lower 5th is reached. Definitely my choice for illustrating the 5th.
"Here Comes the Bride" - A zillion songs start on the fifth below the root, and usually it's a pickup note harmonized by the V chord. But here, we have a low 5th which is on a strong beat and harmonized by the I chord. And being followed by the root is icing on the cake.
"Happy Trails" - Nice example of both low and high 5th, not unlike "Bali Hai." Written almost as quickly as "Silent Night" which is also a fantastic 5th song. Both deserve honorable mentions, I think.
Again, there are a zillion songs which start on the 5th, but I would love to idenfity more examples of this quality.
6 (La)
The Way We Were - starts on a strong beat, and goes straight to 5, providing a nice basis for comparing 6 to 5. Familiarity would be my main issue with this example.
For Sentimental Reasons - (do I have the title correct?) Starts on a pickup which causes a lot of emphasis on th 5th and has some familiarity issues, but has lots of scale travel to help place 6 in context.
Along the Santa Fe Trail - Starts with a strong, in-your-face 6th and goes up to the root, providing good comparison. A gorgeous song, but very obscure. Included in order to list ALL the songs I know which start on 6.
7 (Ti)
Fascination - Starts on 7 and on a strong beat, going straight to 1 which makes for great comparision. Familiarity is certainly an issue, but it is the only song I can think of which actually starts on 7.
[by the way, I DIDN'T think of it. I've known it forever, and having been looking for a "7" song for years that would be better than "Stella by Starlight" and enlisting the aid of many colleagues with no success. On a gig one night, I posed the problem to our keyboard man who instantly replied, "You mean like Fascination?" That instant response was much of my inspiriation for initiating this thread.]
So songs which start on 2, 4, 6 or 7 are scarce as hens' teeth. Anybody have some other good ones?
Allen Cole
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2006-06-24 13:17
Allen,
If you're teaching young people, the familiarity will be different than for us more "experienced" listeners. They won't recognize standards, but I thought of a few from my elementary music books.
2nd - the bridge for "All I Ask Of You", from Phantom. Technically, I think it's a 9th, but works as a 2nd also. Not a little kid song, though. Also not perfect, but useable, is "Music, Music, Music" (put another nickel in, in the nickelodeon), if you go in a few bars.
"For Sentimental Reasons", I believe the title is "I Love You".
6th - "Abiyoyo"
4th -" Let's Go Fly A Kite" (from Mary Poppins) , "A Ram Sam Sam", "I Like To Eat" (Apples and Bananas) , La Bamba
5th - Whistle While You Work, He's Got The Whole World In His Hands, America The Beautiful, Winter Wonderland, Rudolph, Over The River And Through The Wood
Bali Hai doesn't start on the 7th degree of the scale, but gets the idea across pretty well. Also a familiarity issue.
Hope these are of some use.
Sue Tansey
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-06-24 23:01
3dogmom wrote:
> 2nd - the bridge for "All I Ask Of You", from Phantom.
> Technically, I think it's a 9th, but works as a 2nd also. Not
> a little kid song, though.
Even though it's internal to the song, that is really a strong example of 2--which for my purposes would be the same as 9. Actually Ma-Nah-Ma-Nah from Sesame Street would work well, but I'm wondering if it's now as geriatric as most of my examples.
> 6th - "Abiyoyo"
Don't know this one, but will definitely look for it.
> 4th -" Let's Go Fly A Kite" (from Mary Poppins)
Do you mean the verse or the chorus?
> "La Bamba"
Nice! Dangling in front of my face for years and I never saw it. At least one beginning band book has this one.
> Bali Hai doesn't start on the 7th degree of the scale, but gets
> the idea across pretty well. Also a familiarity issue.
Bali Hai is a temptation, but tough to apply to inexperienced listeners. Within the context of the song, that 3rd note is a sharp 4th. What I think you're referring to is how well it outlines the INTERVAL of a major 7th.
This brings up the reason why I'm looking so hard for first notes, and even strong beats if I can get them. I can't get too deep into intervals in the course of an instrument lesson...but I CAN have a student sing the last note of a song (usually Do or 1, right?) and then compare it to the first note of the next verse. The application for this is to know what note to start a song on when playing it by ear using a particular scale. In order to do this, I have to keep everything within the context of the song's overall key center. I don't even use the word 'interval' in the early years.
The idea is to form a simple problem-solving process that I can tap a couple of years later when they're ready for intervals per se. I'm pretty happy if they can distinguish between 1, 3 & 5, but some of these guys are very smart and I need some curves to throw to the adventurous.
Another problem is the fact playing by ear is mostly a first-year activity for my guys to get them to listen and to confidently move their fingers. After the first year or so, they get so busy with their normal instrumental instruction that it's hard to keep ear activity going other than using certain pat songs to work their scales. I'm hoping that the responses to this and other inquiries will develop a pool of songs which can be used sporadically to increase challenges and decrease boredom in this subject as their instruction becomes more advanced. MY problem is that familiarity issues make me need a huge trick bag to bridge the gap between that first shot at Twinkle Twinkle and the time when they can actually try to play along with recordings of whatever they want.
Thanks for putting these songs out there. I'm going to make a list of the ones I don't know and start looking them up!
Allen Cole
Post Edited (2006-06-24 23:14)
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-06-26 06:23
Just thought of another one for note 4 of the major scale...All My Lovin' (Beatles). Nice flow, uses exactly one octave of scale, and no accidentals.
Allen Cole
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2006-06-28 02:03
I have been using tunes from a fiddle book with bluegrass and traditional fiddle tunes. They tend to be in the clarinet range and give great and fun work on chordal melodies. There are few scale passages and so they provide opportunities for working out finger movement problems.
I usually put them on Finale so I can put in some places for breathing and alter the articulations.
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-06-28 17:32
Devil's Dream would be a great wake-up for any student! I've transcribed a few from Spade Cooley incl. Hollywood Hoedown and Indian Scout.
Along those same lines, I find that the sound of twin *clean* electric guitars shares a lot of the roundness that we enjoy in the chalemeau register and have been starting to jot down some things out of the Bob Wills & Spade Cooley inventories. Diggin' with Spade, Fat Boy Rag, and the Texas Playboy Rag are looking good for use as duets.
On the side of familiar tunes with instructional value, two have appeared in the last few days:
Mexican Clapping Song (good I/V demo, and decent familiarity due to band books and Bugs Bunny's famous cartoon bullfight)
Mexican Hat Dance - A high school kid was talking about wanting to learn this in every key for improved jazz soloing. Great idea! Scales, arpeggios & chromatic lower neighbors... Also has a range to confined to one octave (from 5th to 5th)
Country Gardens - a good full-octave scale song with increased jumps over most of the others I use. Familiarity is no doubt fading. (actually the bridge pops over the octave, come to think of it)
Allen Cole
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-07-04 15:58
Okay, now that we've exhausted another phase of the song collection, I'd like to move on to the next phase:
SONGS THAT BEGIN ON NOTES BETWEEN THE MAJOR SCALE ELEMENTS
Looking for
Sharp 1/Flat 2 -
Sharp 2/Flat 3 - Jailhouse Rock...
Sharp 4/Flat 5 - Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet (Tchaikovsky)...
Sharp 5/Flat 6 -
Sharp 6/Flat 7 - Surfin' USA
As we get this far out, familiarity for kids obviously gets to be even more of a problem. Additions/improvements appreciated.
Allen Cole
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Author: Markael
Date: 2006-07-05 13:17
I was in the process of gleaning notes from this thread, and I had an idea that may be helpful.
Allen Cole said: Quote:
I prefer pieces that the child already is familiar with, because teaching the song by playing back and forth can be time-consuming in a weekly half-hour lesson, which may involve several activities. I also need the song to be securely in the child's ear so that he/she is free to work on it in individual practice.
In my teaching I sometimes use recordings in the form of general MIDI files that can be played on the computer. This could work for catchy tunes that a student may not know as well.
One downside of making recordings is that you can get carried away and spend a lot of non-lesson time working on them. That shouldn't be too much a problem for ear training songs, however. Most of the songs would be short, some would require only a melody line, and they could be used over and over with different students.
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2006-07-05 13:25
I'm a little unsure of what you're looking for - the sense of what degree of the tonic scale you are on will be off if you're not in the tonic chord - so if the song starts on another chord, like "Surfin USA" does, the impact of that flat 7th will be different. That's a pretty sophisticated concept, I'm not sure what level students you're dealing with here. Am I making sense? Maybe I'm not following what you're saying correctly.
Sue Tansey
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Author: Markael
Date: 2006-07-05 13:46
Sue,
You bring up an interesting point.
It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to call Surfin' USA a blues. As such, the flatted 7th is really a part of the scale.
This kind of sound is so much a part of today's musical palate that it almost has to be included if the ear training songs are going to sound cool.
Otherwise, this whole exercise will begin to sound as if it belongs to another era. The song that comes to my mind to illustrate the point is, "I give to you and you give to me true love." Although the second "give" is an accidental, my point is about the "sweet" sound of the 7th, as opposed to the more "biting" sound of the flatted 7th.
Which gives me another idea. What about songs like Smoke on the Water and Iron Man?
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2006-07-05 14:13
Gee, I don't know those two songs. What was it about them that you were going to use as examples?
You're right about "Surfin' USA", and it's true, the blues scale and the millions of "rock" songs that use it are certainly good teaching material. They're also great for teaching chord patterns, because they're relatively easy to hear. It's great that you are teaching your kids this way, because so many adult musicians struggle with solfege and hearing tonal and chordal patterns. This is part of musicianship that we should be teaching.
I'm imagining my students listening to "True Love". If they have any inkling as to what the lyrics are, they'll squirm! You make a good point about the 7th, though. I like to explain 7ths as part of chords, playing each on the piano and as they occur in familiar songs. Also, with the maj 7th, it goes up to "do" so easily, and students are used to (or should be!) hearing it as "ti" from their music classes.
So, are you seeking examples which start on the tonic chord but on altered tones?
Sue Tansey
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Author: Markael
Date: 2006-07-05 14:43
Sue,
I guess one might identify Smoke on the Water and Iron Man as part of the heavy metal genre. It is not the melody line, but the chord progression that students would recognize.
They both use "power chords," consisting of a tonic and fifth with no third.
Smoke:
E G A
E G Bb A
E G A
G E
Iron Man:
E G
G A A
C B C B C G
G A A
I suppose that, in these two examples, it might be a matter of debate whether the key center is E or A. Melodically, playing the roots of the chord progression is roughly equivalent (not exactly) to the sound of a blues scale.
In terms of scales and keys they probably wouldn't be a good theory lesson, but they are good ear training. Students would recognize and enjoy the tunes, and they might learn something about intervals.
M
Post Edited (2006-07-05 14:45)
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2006-07-05 14:54
Markael wrote:
> I guess one might identify Smoke on the Water and Iron Man as
> part of the heavy metal genre.
But ... not contemporary music and hardly identifiable by teenagers (mine I'll bet wouldn't know 'Iron Man' (1970, Black Sabbath), but might recognize 'Smoke on the Water' (1972, Deep Purple). They're more songs of my era ... and I'm 52 
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Author: Markael
Date: 2006-07-05 15:22
Mark,
You and I are the same age.
You might be surprised at how many kids have retro tastes of one type or another. I have taught those two songs to a couple of piano students who are not good readers.
I teach alongside of a guitar teacher who is very much into classical guitar, which he came to by way of heavy metal. He uses heavy metal in his teaching, along with Hendrix, etc.
And what about Surfin' USA? The Beach Boys are even more retro, even though they are still performing. In 2000 I did a long term subsitute teaching gig for a middle school chorus teacher. Most of the kidds thought Fun, Fun, Fun till your daddy takes your T-Bird away was dumb.
About three years ago I spent the New Year holiday at my brother-in-law's beach house. He was playing his old vinyl of Crosby Stills and Nash, and his college age son and friends were jamming along on their guitars. They had claimed it as their music, too.
You never know what will work and what won't work with kids and young adults.
Mark B.
Post Edited (2006-07-05 15:23)
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2006-07-05 15:30
I'll again point out that there is an excellent resource available to the teacher that will both teach lyric performance as well as open up some new musical horizons for the student and teacher alike.
There are vocal arrangements (usually called SSA) that are produced for "swing choir" groups. These are three part arrangements with piano accompaniment, with the melody line shared between the three voices throughout. Most are two or three tune medleys, often a group of tunes from the same source or same Broadway show. And, most are of "modern" tunes, songs that parents and students are more likely to recognize than most of the stuff used by instrumental music teachers.
They also teach "swing" as well as syncopation, for what that's worth.
You will find them in the vocal music section of any well stocked sheet music source. Use the term "SSA", and make sure that you are talking to the vocal music person rather than an instrumental one; I've been greeted with blank stares on several occasions when I made that mistake.
While pitched in C concert, they are quite usable for a group of Bb instruments I used to have two students play the soprano parts while I did the alto part on the bass clarinet. (If you simply must have the piano part (and some do require it for a "quality" rendition), it will have to be transposed.)
Range is never a factor (remember, these are vocal parts originally), and articulations are sometimes challenging but never out of reach. All three vocal parts are given something to show off (no pointless 2nd clarinet parts), and even then you can swap them off between students. When I got to this stage in the lessons, I would arrange to have on student stay an extra half hour, one to arrive a half hour early, and then work them up during that time period.
The students love them (since they will actually have heard of the songs being played). The parents love them for the same reason. And, I loved them because they were dirt cheap ($2.00 to $3.00 back then, probably no more than five or so now).
I generally brought them into the mix about three quarters of the way through the first year. Most competent students are able to handle the range and other issues involved at that point.
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-07-05 16:06
Markael,
I'll have to agree with you that "Smoke on the Water" and "Iron Man" are well-known to many of my middle schoolers. With some of the brighter ones, I'll even encourage them play together a fourth apar--if they haven't already figured this out themselves. What is it about Metal?
As for "Surfin' USA", that is not really a blues or blues scale situation. There is simply a blue note present in the melody. I would compare it more to something like "Old Joe Clark." In fact, I'm trying to remember if the melody even contains a flat third. In fact, the song appears to have no dominant chords other than the fifth, which really helps in making the flat 7th identifiable.
I'm with you on the MIDI thing and am considering something along those lines. I use Noteworthy Composer to produce such examples for my website, and this may be the direction that I need to move in.
Sue,
Anything that comes between the elements of the major scale is something that I'm definitely NOT using with rank beginners. And there is risk in context. That's why I started this thread. There are plenty of good minds here who can both think of songs (or who are already using them) and who can intelligently discuss context.
I agree that the flat seventh doesn't have the same impact when sounded on the V7 chord that it would if sounded on the I chord. But I see Surfin' USA as a good example because 1) they pound that note to death, and 2) it keeps getting pounded until it reaches the I chord. Also, the lack of dominant chords outside of the V, helps further to avoid confusion. I disagree that there's all that much problem if you're not on the tonic chord. I think that you're fairly safe if the first chord is I, IV, or V. I see more of a danger as we move away on the circle, or slip into relative minor. (using Shine on Harvest Moon to demonstrate the 4th would be a good example f the problem) As I may have mentioned before, I often use the transition from the end of one verse to the beginning of another to drive the comparison home--thus providing a tonic chord (and note) for convenient comparison.
I strongly agree with you that trying to exemplify the 'accidentals' is a difficult task. If it wasn't, I wouldn't bring it here. There is also a lot of difficulty in terms of confusing major and minor context--i.e. the 5th of a minor piece sounding a little too much like the 3rd of a major piece. On some of this stuff, I'm really grabbing at straws and I think that this is a good place to be doing that. Some solutions work better than others, and not all are winners. But this is a good group for hashing them out. Perhaps someone will find a better flat 7 song than Surfin' USA--which is certainly less than perfect.
Challenge #1 is finding anything at all. Challenge #2 is improving on what was originally found.
Allen Cole
Post Edited (2006-07-05 16:12)
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2006-07-05 19:09
Finding songs to start on these altered tones is tough. I can come up with tunes "featuring" them - but they're not the first note. Are those useful as well?
Maj 7th: What's New (from the 40s - not recognizable by kids)
It's rather dismaying to note that most songs made available to children in school are based in major keys. I've never really agreed with that - I think they are capable of comprehending the difference. That may be why we're having such a difficult time with this exercise.
Yes, now I know what you all meant by those 70s tunes - - "Smoke On The Water' we all called "Frankenstein". And "Iron Man" - well, I never knew the name of that, but we all knew it anyway. Yes, I was around then, too.
Sue Tansey
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2006-07-05 19:43
3dogmom wrote:
> "Smoke On The Water' we all called "Frankenstein".
"Frankenstein" was by Edgar Winter ...
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-07-06 14:27
Nice!
"What's New" is a big improvement over "Fascination" to demonstrate the 7th--even if it is similarly dated.
As for the altered tones, three of them are minor tones. I wonder if we could find minor songs that demonstrate them.
Allen Cole
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-07-07 15:59
Just thought of another couple for the in-between notes:
Dark Eyes - starts on sharp 4 and features the flat 6. Will stipulate to major problems with familiarity and tonal ambiguity.
Voices of Spring/Fruhlingstimmen (first strain) - Sharp 4, but it goes by awfully quick. Terrific upper/chromatic lower neighbor stong, though.
Allen Cole
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2006-07-08 19:48
Minor 6th - "Hernando's Hideaway", from The Pajama Game. Not kid friendly, either, but likeable.
Sue Tansey
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-07-09 05:38
Very nice, Sue!
Extremely strong examples there. More than I could've wished for in how clear they are and how unusual the notes
"Impossible" would also be a nice illustration of what makes and augmented V7 chord tick, and would provide a nice sharp-2/chromatic-lower-neighbor thing to contrast with a blue flat 3rd.
"Hernando's Hideaway" is a fantastic example not only of the scale element, but how it is typically used. While it does rate low on familiarity, it rates high in every other respect. Would make a fun, campy solo or chamber piece for young players.
I know both of these songs very well, but neither has crossed my mind in years of thinking on this subject. Thanks for pointing them out--I think they're some of the best finds to come from this thread. Exciting!
Thanks to clarinet brainpower, we now have examples of every note of the chromatic scale except for Flat-2/Sharp-1. Sharing this task has sure made it a lot more fun.
Allen Cole
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-07-09 07:55
One song involving flat 2/sharp 1, is "Temptation" (from Singing In The Rain) Since it starts on 1, it's really more of an interval song...but I thought I'd try to prime the pump a little.
Allen Cole
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2006-07-09 13:29
Allen,
I thought I was the only one who thought of this stuff at 3:55 a.m. I'm busily trying to think of a lowered 2nd tune. Is that the same "Temptation" played by Artie Shaw?
Sue Tansey
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Author: Markael
Date: 2006-07-09 20:00
Lowered 2nd? You mean like Hava Nagila?
For a sharp 4th, there is the phrase "Meet George Jetson." To compare it with a perfect fourth, use "O When the Saints..." (Go Marching In.)
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-07-10 01:22
Lowered 2nd or raised root--and Hava Nagila does come to mind.
"Meet George Jetson" vs. "Oh When the Saints" is a terrific comparison.
And as for Temptation, I feel sure that it's the same as Artie Shaw. Starts on 1, next pitch is flat 2. If we can find one that STARTS on that note, it's going to be time for some serious celebrating.
In fact, Mark & Sue, your posts just hit me like a lightning bolt. In the middle of typing this, I thought another flat 6 tune--Blue Lou. Now we have one in major key as well as Hernando in minor key.
I'm sure that this is exactly what Al Gore had in mind when he invented the internet. <g>
Allen Cole
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-07-11 18:00
Okay....here's another specific question to throw out. How about familiar melodies that follow the Pentatonic scale--either major or minor?
"Amazing Grace" would be at the the top of this list.
"My Girl" is also fairly handy.
In addition, the signature guitar lick to "My Girl" is a one-octave major pentatonic scale. I encourage younger kids to play it, so that this sound is in their ear further down the road.
Now that our ears are all perked up from looking for scale elements, what else might come to mind?
Allen Cole
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2006-07-11 23:24
Allen:
If you want a list of pentatonic songs, I've got hundreds. Seriously. I teach elementary school and this gets major focus. I'll work up a list.
But - isn't there always something - did you know that there has been a real shift in the whole pentatonic thing, within the Kodaly association? If I understand it correctly, the concept of pentatonic as described by Kodaly in Hungary originally was applied to their folksongs and particular tonality. Then we Americans slapped that moniker onto any of our songs which utlized do, re, mi, so and la, which some specialists now say is not enough to truly qualify a song as pentatonic. The song needs to not utilize the other scale elements harmonically, either.
It's still a useful teaching tool, whatever you call it.
Sue Tansey
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Author: ken
Date: 2006-07-12 00:20
Allencole wrote: "Thanks to clarinet brainpower, we now have examples of every note of the chromatic scale except for Flat-2/Sharp-1. Sharing this task has sure made it a lot more fun."
--What about Gleason's theme song, "Melancholy Serenade?" v/r Ken
C minor; Db-Dnat-Fnat-Enat-Eb-Dnat-Db - Db-Dnat-Fnat-Enat-Dnat-Db-Cnat
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-07-12 03:26
Hi Ken,
I have a recording of that, and will study it. But I think that the notes you're giving me are for and actual tonal center of G minor. It is a fascinating song, though, and definitely worth checking out.
Sue,
I would go against the purist side of the Kodaly thing, and this is one of the reasons why I avoid getting too deep into their methodology. I followed Ginny's link to their website and found that their list of American and English folksongs was a pretty short one--and what you tell me provides some explanation.
Besides, neither My Girl nor Amazing Grace would qualify as pentatonic under the purist standard. Ditto for tunes like "Cindy Cindy" and "Camptown Races." So feel free to list what you think are the best examples overall for western music.
My primary purpose in trying to provide more pentatonic material is the fact that being immersed in this scale and its sound is dynamite for the beginning improviser. I also find that having some melodies on hand to try is therapeutic for improvisation students who stiffen up and turn into 'scale machines' when put on the spot.
I also recently heard some very nice pentatonic melodies in themes that Mischa Bakaleinikoff wrote for Gene Autry flicks like "Riders of the Whistling Pines" and "Rim of the Canyon." Simple as dirt and gorgeous in their orchestral settings. (but talk about familiarity problems!)
"Rim of the Canyon", for example, could be played along to the traditional "Heart and Soul" accompaniment. This is the kind of option that I would like to have more of as a teacher.
Allen Cole
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2006-07-12 13:07
It could be said that, if you're using the pentatonic melody to improvise against traditional harmony, such as "Heart and Soul", that you are 1)technically not using a pentatonic song, but 2) it doesn't really matter for your purposes because the melody is pentatonic, even if the harmony isn't. You're trying to teach improvisation over a set of changes, so there have to be some chords! If we were to follow the purist guidelines, most of these songs would go away, and I don't see where that is beneficial. I think more needs to be considered on this topic. For your needs, "Amazing Grace" would work fine, then, wouldn't it?
some possibilities:
Land of the Silver Birch
Sakura
Cotton Eye Joe
Down In The Valley
Farmer In The Dell
Little Wheel A'Turnin In My Heart
Oh, Freedom (and countless other spirituals)
Old Texas
Yellow Bird
Auld Lang Syne
Found in my searching:
Another tune that starts on the 4th - - "I Got Rhythm".
Scale pattern: "Another Openin', Another Show"
Somewhere to start, anyway. Most of my pentatonic materials are at school, and I am not. I'll keep looking.
Sue Tansey
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Author: Markael
Date: 2006-07-12 15:19
Sue,
I agree completely with what you are saying, although I disagree with a couple of your examples.
Yellow Bird has too many half steps that are integral to the melody to work as a pentatonic example.
I Got Rhythm has a bit of problem on "who could ask."
Others would work as long as they are played a certain way. Folk songs, especially, come to us in a variety of forms. For instance: With "Should auld acquaintance be for-got..." you would not drop a half step on the syllable "for."
Since the melodic examples are so short, they need to adhere fairly strictly to the pentatonic guidelines.
Overall, though, I think you are right on. In fact, what you said about the pentatonic form could apply to other forms as well--modes, the blues, etc.
Post Edited (2006-07-12 15:22)
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2006-07-12 16:46
Sorry, it's not the "Yellow Bird" you are probably thinking of, it's a children's song. Yellow bird, yellow bird through my window, oh, johnny, I'm tired.
Maybe too little, I don't know.
It's true that you have to fudge a little bit with versions and styles to make some of them fit.
Sue
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Author: Markael
Date: 2006-07-13 00:33
Hey, I don't know how you would describe this combination, but check this out:
1) In the Hall of the Mountain King
2) Comin' Home Baby
3) Wishing You Were Here (Chicago)
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Author: allencole
Date: 2006-07-13 06:44
Hey Mark,
I'm not sure what those three were meant to outline, but each has a section that has a pattern of chromatic descent.
Sue,
A lot of those I don't know, but the spirituals are definitely a big one. "Deep River" also seems to have strong pentatonic adherence, unless there is a bridge that I'm unaware of. "The Farmer in the Dell" is pretty much on the money and so is "Auld Lang Zyne" if you don't perceive the third note as slipping down to 7.
"Down in the Valley" departs as soon as we get to "hang your head over" although it is pentatonic up to that point. Sakura (at least the version in Standard of Excellence) doesn't seem to add up, but an awful lot of oriental things should.
On "I Got Rhythm" I think you'll find that it starts on the 5th rather than the fourth...at least for the main 32-bar tune. If there's an intro, I've never heard it. As far as pentatonic compliance, it is pretty close.
These lists are waking up the brain, and we're really looking at them hard now. There are plenty of real bell-ringers coming along, and each one that turns up is gold. Not all are going to be perfect, but we're getting a lot of good examples to consider.
Allen Cole
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The Clarinet Pages
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