#43 Rhythm and Pitched Instruments - Updated 12/16
TOPICS (Just click on the title you want to view)
PITCHED INSTRUMENTS
Autoharp
----Chimes, Bells, Handbells
----Dulcimers
----Glass Harmonica
----Kazoos
-----Keyboard Instruction
Keyboard Brands
----Homemade Mallets
----Mandolins
----Marimbas
----Xylophones
----Rosewood Xylophones(in favor of)
----Cleaning Xylophones
----Xylophone Activities
----Violin Instruction
RHYTHM INSTRUMENTS
Teaching Ideas
----Keeping Instruments Quiet!
----Passing out Instruments
----Sharing Instruments
----Lummi Sticks, Tinikling
----Cowbells
Drums
----Finger Cymbals
----Spoons
----Sandblocks
----Sticks-Rhythm, Drum
----Triangle
----Rhythm Tubes
----Recordings
----WOODBLOCKS
MALLETS: Mallets: Brands, Making, Repairing, Using...
Note: For Boomwhackers, pipes, etc., see: #27 Making & Playing Instruments
MICROPHONES: Karaoke
Note: for Making and Using Kazoos, Bass, Trumpet, Bells, Oboe, Wind, Brass, Glass Harmonica, Marimba, Boomwhackers,
Thunkers (etc.,) Didgeridoos and Making Instruments, see #27 Making Instruments
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HOMEMADE MALLETS
06/14 HOLDING MALLETS Hold the mallets like on a bike, 4 o'clock, 7 o'clock, ready to strike.Bounce the ball right off the bar, In the middle, now you're a star! ---- D. Brian Weese
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12/07 MALLET PREPARATION (USING MALLETS) 1)"Mummy mallets" rest position- Arms are crossed, with mallets straight up in the crooks of the elbows.
2) "bug antennae" - looks how it sounds...mallets on the head. (focus)
3) "Pinocchio" - mallets on the nose (more focus)
4) "Unicorn" - one mallet out your forehead (FOCUS ALREADY!!!)
5) "Ear-o-corn" - mallets out your ears (pure silliness)
6) "Lollipops" - don't lick 'em- yucky. mallets straight up - can sing the "lollipop lollipop, oh lolly lolly lolly lollipop" song. - (correct hold)
7) "windshield wipers" - back and forth, swish swish, swish...
(correct hold)8) "caterpillar" - fingers crawl up to the top of the mallets, and back down again...BUT NOT ALL THE WAY DOWN! (correct hold, finger dexterity)
8.5) "Wag the tail" - wiggle the tail of the mallets (makes sure mallets are not held at the very end)
9) "harley handlebars" - angle the mallets like chopper handlebars -"vroom vroom!"- twist them back and forth (keeps pinkies and pointies in, makes a nice playing angle)
10) "heads down" move mallet heads down to the bars you are going to start on. (prepare to play)
11) "Flatten out" move the shafts flat to the bars (correct wrists)
12) play...
13) "Mummy Mallets" - when finished
14) "Put 'em together" - hold both in one hand
15) "Bunch o' roses" - hide them behind your back
16) "Give your friend some roses" - give them to a friend
17) "smell the roses" - hold both mallets together as the new player goes to the instrument - only smell them if you REALLY want to
18) "Put 'em together" - hold both in one hand, heads up (when finished last time)
19) "pat them on the head" - (keeps them from indulging in an impromptu jam session)
20) "Lay them in bed" - with hand on the mallet heads - puts the mallets on the instruments
21) "Tiptoe away" - don't wake them up, they'll be awake all NIGHT!!! -- David Thaxton
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12/07 MALLET PREPARATION (USING MALLETS) UPPER ELEM.: We sit in a circle and I pass out a pair of mallets to everyone. They treat them just like any other instrument they might have in the circle, i.e. mallets go "on the floor in front of you, hands in your lap, waiting for directions." This way they respect the mallets just like any other instrument right from the start. They practice correct holding position, including how their fingers, hand, arms, shoulders and upper body should look. When I see that they all are holding correctly, we bounce the mallets in the air and talk about how they need to bend their wrist, and keep the arm movement minimal. This helps those who feel they have to raise their entire arm to play. Movement should be from the elbow down, not the shoulder down. We move all those joints and talk about them to refine the movement. I bounce a wall ball in the circle for them to see how little time it is in contact with the floor. "This is how long your mallets should be in contact with the bar!" We talk about how it bounces like that because it's filled with air. "Are the balls at the end of your mallets filled with air?" No! How do we make them bounce like the ball? We have to use our muscles. We then practice bouncing them gently on the floor as I go around and check holding position and arm movement. And don't forget to insist up front that their arms should not be toughing their legs when playing. (I tell them that their arms shouldn't touch their body anywhere while playing, except where they are attached at the shoulder!) They may have to adjust the way they are sitting to make that happen. Then we "play" the beat (on the floor) to one of our songs and we're done with mallet circle that day.
LOWER ELEMENTARY: My younger classes do mallet circle several times before I add any xylophones to the circle. As you know, everything changes when there is an instrument in front of you! They tend to forget everything I taught them about mallets until I remind them. I like to use a few alto xylo's at first. I find they are just the right size. I have 4 and spread them evenly around the circle and the students rotate for turns. When playing them on the floor, I ask that they sit up on their feet, as this puts their body in a good position, at a good height. This way I really get to keep an eye on each one and correct any problems that crop up. I also remove the "neighbors," both sides, of the bars I want them to play.
ROCKIN' RHYTHM RAPS with my K-6's and after reading & clapping the patterns, we'll transfer them to various instruments.
1. Crib playing:
2.Passing out inst.
3. I place variety of rhythm inst. in circle; call up kids one at a time to choose the inst. they wish to play; once they've played a short piece, I have kids place inst. on the floor and kids move to the right to the next inst. Kids wait for "magic music" (xylophone glissando) as their cue to pick up the new inst. Even my wild kinders behaved perfectly anticipating their chance to get their hands on the goodies! I also place mallet inst. in circle, but keep all bass xylos in together, etc....this way whole sections of players can rotate. When rhythms are layered, I give each team an opportunity to practice. (I guess noise doesn't bother me if I'm in charge of it!)
4. The real trick is persistence and raising them. My 6th graders love to play instruments and remember those early lessons about crib playing.
2. Organize by tone color - drums, wood, metal. This gives you immediate small groupings if the sound is just too much. Sometimes we put on some music with a steady but calm beat and "conduct" an accompaniment - the kids sit by tone color (all like instruments in a group). The conductor points to the group that is to play.
3. Have a signal that means stop. I say, "rest position" or "stop sign" and anyone who still plays has to put their instrument away for a few turns.
4. Choose instruments by turns - I usually use something like, if you have white shoelaces, get an instrument - then "no" shoelaces, or black, or whatever. There is usually a natural grouping that can be random and seems fair to the kids - much better than by rows or (heaven forbid) gender.
SARASPONDA: Hear Paul Jennings' arrangement of "Sarasponda."at musick8.com
BINGO PARODY: There was a man who had a band and Music was his name - o. M-U-S-I-C, M-U-S-I-C, M-U-S-I-C, and music was his name - o. (We clap the letters only.) My behavior chart has 30 numbered disks on the green area. When a child breaks a rule I tell them to move their number to the yellow warning. Forty five classes - one chart! It's great!
TAKING TURNS BY ROWS: TECHNIQUE 2 If I want to space the playing of instruments over a couple of class periods, on the 1st day: Row 1 and 3 will play; 2nd day: Row 2 and 4. Other rows sing, chant rhythm, etc., etc.
CIRCLE TECHNIQUE: students are in a circle, with alternating students getting instruments. Repeat song as often as desired with instrument being passed to right OR placing instrument on floor and students moving.
CIRCLE/PARTNERS TECHNIQUE: (good method of involving everyone) Students sit in partners (or small groups): one student plays while others "help" (keep beat, say rhythms, point to bars on bells, etc., etc., etc.); then another partner takes a turn, etc.
PAPER RECORD: I have the secretary print off list of students by class and paste that list on a special form I've prepared. For some special game/song activities that I use all year, I keep track on that list who has had a turn. On the wall, I staple a paper for each class with those specials activities listed. The student who begins the activity the next time, has their name listed.
I can ask particular instruments to play to reinforce learning the names, I can instruct on proper technique and have all of their attention, I can reinforce rehearsal etiquette and hand signals. I have students return instruments to crates by naming the instruments. 07/05 I use the shape drums with 3-5 year olds and these were a great improvement over all others which were too big for the children. They have decent sounds with different pitches (higher and lower) -- Sandy Toms
I got 4, one in each size, just to see what they were like. I had not seen them in person when I got them. On the plus side, they are much more manageable for the K-1's. You can stand them (the drums, not the kids!) on the floor because they have little 'legs'. My K's have such a time withhand drums; they want to lay them on the floor and play with both hands. Well, with the finger drums you can do just that. On the down side, the sound is not so great. Like someone said, I wouldn't use them in a performance, I don't think. But they are fine for instructional purposes in the classroom, they are inexpensive, and they are easy for the kids to manage. I have 3 sets of the Remo hand drums, in all 6 sizes (6" to 16", I think it is.) The kids love the great big ones, but they absolutely have problems handling them. But sometimes you want that deep, contrasting sound, sooo........ I bought the little ones just to see. I may at some point get some more, but not right now. Don't let the kids actually put their fingers through the loops. Have them simply hold the loops as though they were short little fabric handles. Then they play them by tapping them together (one moving upward, one downward). I also have kids use them where one is used as the "mallet" to hit against the other which is being held by the loop. – Jennifer Schneider Several years ago when I ordered some npp instruments for the kids at church, though, I ordered one or two pairs of CAST BRASS finger cymbals from Music Is Elementary (the choices in the catalogue were cast brass and stamped brass) I *love* them - they're good and heavy and make a wonderful sound! They were just a little bit more expensive than the stamped brass, but well worth it! -- Ann Wells I found a solution! However, my finger cymbals may not be exactly the same as yours. I stuck the little elastic thingy in the finger cymbal, where it was supposed to be, then put a bead of hot glue on the little band on top of and under the finger cymbal. The band won't pull out now! It worked! --Meredith Harley Inserra
Remind your kids that the games were skill- and strength-builders for young warriors. Instead of the wimpy sticks we use today, the actual sticks were about 2 feet long and 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Not a game for wusses! (And about the stick-tossing parts of the games -- they can be done successfully in a class with strong classroom management and clear consequences for misbehavior.) -- Contributed by Peg Wallan As to "creative things or lesson plans"...I spend much of the first month teaching technique. After the first basic ringing lesson, the kids learn a simple 8-bell cross-and-stretch to teach them "Plain Hunt" and the history of handbells and their relationship to tower bells. We then learn some of the other basic ringing techniques such as plucking (pizzicato), shaking, mart, mart-lift, tower ringing and swirls. We then move into different 3-bell drills to teach them chromatic changes and, later in the year, I audition the older kids for two ensemble groups of four-or-less ringers. I had an 8th grader play the Bach-Gounod "Ave Maria" as a solo two years ago for graduation. - Contributed by Nancy Scwerdt I have had Schulmerich bells at four different churches through the years. They are ok but tend to get a lot of clapper noise as they get older. I did have a D4 handle snap in a performance once! The casting sailed up in a beautiful arc and landed on the carpet beside me while I was conducting. It was a key bell for the next piece, so my quick thinking engineer hubby ran back and put the D# handle on it to get by. Memories! I had Malmark bells at a previous school. They were great, but to be fair, only two years old as opposed to 10-12 yr Schulmerich sets I used before. I have Malmark Chimes at both school and church now and love them. I have a friend that feels only Whitechapel from England will do. They are gorgeous, but I've never had the hutzpah to raise twice the money for them. - Contributed by Laura McDonald I use Suzuki Tone Chimes with my elementary kids. We do level 1 handbell music. They get it sometimes quicker than my adults. - Contributed by Patty Conway I took this same plan to an assisted living center for senior citizens this summer. Several of my fifth graders joined me as assistant teachers and we showed the adults how to make music when they thought they couldn't do it. It was an experiment on my part, but the chimes playing in chords turned out to be very encouraging to these seniors. It helped that they did not have to not feel responsible for maintaining a melody. If everyone didn't come in on the downbeat, it was OK too. My students were a good sound core though, because they came in at the right time and set the example for the adults! . I also order music from Agape, which is a division of the Hope Publishing Company. http://www.hopepublishing.com/ You should be able to get more info, possibly a catalogue? from them. I use fifth graders for this serious music, but I have let fourth and third play in a chordal style, which they really enjoy. So, depending on where you want them to go and depending on your level of PATIENCE (!) you may want to keep just the fifth graders in the group that plays the "real thing"! Today I had a rehearsal with my fifth grade group (there are 18 of them, so most of them only have one bell). It was difficult!!! And, we have a concert in three weeks. We'll see if we can squeak by on that one... It takes alot of teamwork and repetition.
USING TO SIGHT READ: I am using the tone chimes to develop an ensemble feeling, to learn to sight read. I also use them to reinforce theory concepts. For example; major/minor. Last year was the first time I used the chimes, and it was also the first year I thought that the kids REALLY understood major/minor. We built chords. We listened to them and categorized them as major or minor. Then when we got good at that, we figured out HOW to change them! That took some experimentation, but they figured out that the middle guy (I only dealt with 1-3-5) was the important one. I also use them to chord pieces (instead of autoharp or piano). I use them to discuss scales. I have used them to play melodies instead of singing the melodies. Also, anything a boom whacker can do, chimes can do! I like to use them to back up Orff pieces that we are working on. It gives more kids an opportunity to play.
07/11 TUNING TO MINOR KEY: You can tune it to play in a minor key, I love to play “Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier” on mine. You can't exactly follow chord symbols, but you can tune it so that the two drones go along with the
minor scale you are playing it in. [I]had to look it up online because I can't find my Jean Ritchie book. But anyway, here's the deal - if you were in the key of Dm, you would tune the strings D-A-C. In other words, bass string is tonic, middle string is a 5th above (for your two drones), and melody string is a m7 above the bass string. So for Am, it would be A-E-G. And, now that I am writing this out, I can see where she might be right. Most written instructions for dulcimer use D as the starting point for the low string, although I've seen some in C also. But still, right around that pitch. So she may not be able to tune to those pitches - they might be either too low, so the strings would be too loose to tune down to it, or it would stretch the strings too much to tune up to it. So - minor keys on the dulcimer, yes (aeolian mode, actually, if you want to google it) but possibly not Am. But Am is relative minor of C, so if you tuned it to C-Ionian (bass C, middle and melody strings G) and started on the 1st fret instead of the 3rd like you would for major...but I don't think that would work because the drones would be wrong. ---- Ann in SC
WEBSITES:
http://www.larkinthemorning.com they have everything you can think of and things you can't think of. 1. Day One - we take advantage of the Folk Instrument connection and talk about both folk music and folk instruments. We discuss characteristics of both, etc. Then, we talk specifically about the dulcimer....parts, how to hold, strum, what the noter is for, "fret", drones, tuning, etc. It's not the most exciting day...and I GUARANTEE them it's the only day in the unit I'll do so much talking (!!). Really, though, if they are expected to play the inst, they must have some background and understand how to play. 2. The rest of the unit is set up so that they, with a partner, learn a few dulcimer songs. I let them choose their own partner (this is the ONLY small group activity I EVER let them choose their own partners for.) Our first song is Mary Had a Little Lamb. I put the fret numbers on an overhead. I arrange the numbers so they show the melodic movement. They work independently with their partner......one strums and one does the noter. They may switch "jobs" when they want. (They usually find that one is better with the noter, vice versa). I tell them to raise their hand if they need help....otherwise, I circulate, trying to get to each duo in the class period. 3. Each duo received a grade on each song learned. (the others are Twinkle and Are You Sleeping?) I tell them that if they play the song w/no mistakes, I'll be happy to give them an A. But, if they want an A+, they must create an ending or introduction or use a special strumming pattern. (Good time to hit the improv/composing element) Most do this. 4. I have lots of dulcimer resources placed in the room for them to use after they have the grade for the assigned song that day. 5. I usually try and have a specific goal for the class period. "By the end of class today, I would like to have all grades taken for Twinkle." Stuff like that. 6. This year, I added a composition element. Each duo composed a dulcimer song......we had some specific guidelines. (had to be at least 12 fret numbers long, they had to use at least three different lengths of notes, they had to be able to play what they composed, they had to play it for me, (playing for the class was optional), they had to end on fret 3 (do), they had to write down their composition, etc.) Right now, these are on display in the hall outside the music room. I encourage the student doing the strumming to "call out" the fret numbers for the person doing the noter. (The strummer maybe has an easier job and is free to look at the overhead) Without realizing it, most students SING the fret numbers instead of saying them. It's really cool! As I visit each duo, I hear all this great singing.......by kids who would not normally volunteer to sing alone. So, this is a wonderful bonus from the unit....I think. Only once in a while, do we all play the songs together as a large ensemble. Dulcimers teach a lot....melodic direction, steps, skips, repeated notes, rhythm, composition........they are GREAT for ear training. On Twinkle, I only give them the first 1/2 of the song. They must figure the rest out by ear. -- Contributed by Dan Fee I teach simple melodies by fret number. We only play on the melody string, and leave the others as a drone. We also watch several ed. tv programs that demonstrate dulcimers and KY music. Our public tv station, KET, has a wonderful series of 15 minute programs of many types of folk music called "Old Music for New Ears" - 2 segments showcase Jean Ritchie! My kids all look forward to this. Most can at least play "Mary/Lamb" several get "Twinkle/Star" down, but one of our favorites is "Go Tell Aunt Rhody". There are several "beginner" books out there to help you, and are pretty easy to follow directions in. There's one I really like that is color-coded by mode and teaches how to tune for each mode - not so much for the kids, but for myself - and also addresses Orff instruments with them - blue cover and spiral bound - I think it is called "The Mountain Dulcimer" (mine is at home and I'm writing this from memory). If you want help learning how to play, check festivals.com for dulcimer festivals and you will find beginner sessions at most of these. It is one of my favorite instruments, and I sing and perform with it in many different situations. Hope you enjoy learning it! 1. Make them share-another music teacher and I split the set I had at school so we wouldn't have to keep passing them back and forth every year. The students' playing level simply leaped, because they were able to have instant peer help and the dulcimers didn't slide all over the place because their partner held it.
Anyway, after 5 years of teaching these I am still in love with them. They are also great for reinforcing staff reading, steps, skips, and leaps, and ear training. I've been pleased and they are a great investment! After 15 years, the bodies finally were finally worn out so I ordered new ones for $3.00 each from the company and replaced those, so they definitely hold up well. As for storage, I have space on top of my cabinets where I prop them up on their end. My husband nailed a narrow strip of wood to brace them against. After a few weeks of enticing the students during recess, I bring the dulcimers out in class and we get a little more technical. I usually do this throughout the spring season of the year. One year I had such excitement over them, I started a club. Any child who wanted to come to school at night, one night a week, could do so as long as his parent came. ***********************************************************************
ROSEWOOD: I agree with the rosewood thing. It sure is tempting to go cheaper, but it makes a difference in whether they're cut with the grain or whatever. I don't know about the fiberglass but I can't imagine that would really work. I liked my Sonors. LOVE IT!!!! I uses it primarily for 1st through 3rd grades, but I have fifth graders that still ask to do songs from it. A couple of songs (If You're Happy and You Know It -or- Pudding on the Hill) can be used as early as kindergarten. -- Camille in WA
To measure what size violin best suits you, you need to know the length between your neck and the middle of your left-hand palm (when your hand is fully extended and raised perpendicular to your body, just like holding a violin). About 50% of the teachers prefer students to use the length from the neck to the wrist for measurement instead of the neck to mid-palm approach. The violin size determined by the neck/wrist approach would be the size that is more comfortable for students to hold. The violin size determined by the neck/mid-palm approach would be the biggest size students should use. If you have a teacher, you should ask for your teacher's recommendation. If you don't have a teacher, we would recommend using the neck/wrist approach for students not using full size. For students who are deciding whether to used 3/4 or 4/4 size, use the neck/mid-palm approach. This is because it is always better that students feel comfortable holding and playing the violin. However, while deciding between 3/4 or 4/4, if neck/mid-palm approach allows for 4/4 size, then buying a 4/4 size is more economical since you don't have to buy another bigger size violin later. This is completely based on economical consideration. You should still decide what best suits your need. The following chart lists the length of each violin size. Find your length using the your preferred approach and use that to determine the size of violin to get. Violin Size Length (in inches) 4/4 (Full Size) 23 3/4 22 1/2 20 1/4 18 1/2 1/8 16 1/2 1/10 15 1/16 14 Another more general way of determining the size is by age. If the above, arm length information, is available, it is the more accurate way to determine size. Otherwise, you can use the age chart below to make the determination. Violin Size Age 4/4 (Full Size) 12 year and older 3/4 10-11 1/2 8-9 1/4 6-7 1/8 5-6 1/10 4-5 1/16 3 and below -- Barbara Walton
http://makingmusicfun.net/ - many great free resources here but there is a method book for free that is meant to be BEFORE the first beginner piano book (of any series). Also has music games students can play on computer.
Andrew Fling has been busy...there are now 5 beginner titles ...and scads of solos for students of all levels
http://www.music-for-music-teachers.com/beginner-piano-music.html - This site has free music for teachers, you can preview. This site also has a list of great links, the one below intrigued me, but I have not visited it yet, you can find the link for this one on the site above. Piano Music for Boys (Teach Piano Today) -¬---- Chris Ann McClure
WHOLE ARTICLE ON KEYBOARD CLASS: http://music3t.blogspot.com/2012/09/ebony-and-ivory-okay-black-plastic-and.html - Norm Sands
Mr. Everybody's Musical Apartment would be my first choice. Not very expensive. Very appropriate for elem. ---- Martha Stanley, NBCT The beginning of each class is spent as a group review, going over things like middle C position, fingering practice (we play our "air pianos"), how to count a rhythm, or whatever else that class needs to know. The last part of class is individual practice. They learn how to set up the keyboards and put them away gently. Two to three students share a keyboard. They learn how to take turns with practicing and how to help each other by holding up the music, pointing out the notes, etc. To encourage self-motivation, the students are allowed to choose which piece they want to practice (this is also a method of differentiation!). I make packets for K-2 with 3 songs each, and they can choose one of those 3 songs. (I use Bastien Piano for the Young Beginner.) 6th grade is allowed to choose from a selection of method books organized by difficulty. (I encourage Alfred's Adult series.) In all grade levels, students are invited to bring books from home and practice from those instead. I actually got a lot of books donated this way! During individual practice time, I go around to each group and listen to each student play. I give them a grade based on their success: 4=no help needed; 3=some help needed; 2=a lot of help needed; 1=goals not met at all. --- Mallory Kroon I hang mine on the wall, so it's much more visual at showing high/low and melodic direction. This material is appropriate for students in grades 2 - 6. I find that it is a bit easier to play for younger students than the Mr. Everybody materials. I also like the fact that I can have the students sing the songs with both solfege and letter names and read and clap the rhythms, thus covering as lot of my curriculum objectives with the same activity. There are also reproducible worksheets that periodically allow the students written practice in identifying the notes they are playing. Some of the worksheets even allow them to compose short pieces (and that is one of the hardest of the National Standards for me to meet!) Since the entire book is reproducible, you can also afford to send song sheets home with the students who have an instrument of their own. They love to show off what they have learned.
Since I am left handed, not playing cross handed was far more natural to me. I let my students do whatever was most comfortable to them. If they are right handed I have them cross, because the dominant hand should strum. If they are naturally a lefty they do not cross hands. I teach only the basic strum. We switch to guitars in 4th, and I usually have a few 5th graders who are able to add a down-up to the strumming pattern.
Another technique I use for mallet training is to have the 4 alto's in the middle of the circle, and as the students rotate, they come in to the middle when it's their turn and they are all right there within reach for me. The time we spend learning about mallets really pays off. And yes, I re-teach mallet skills every year. Even the older classes are vested in mallet circle because they know they aren't going to tonebars until they know and can demonstrate correct mallet technique! -- Martha Evans Osborne
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12/07 MAKING MALLETS I made mallets using wooden balls that already have a drilled out hole and dowel rods that will fit into the hole. They have lasted over 10 years. I've used them on buckets as well as glocks. I bought the supplies at a store like Michaels. I used wood glue. I made enough that every student in my largest class (at both schools) could have a pair of mallets in hand any time we used them. (I had the students without instruments play what every we were doing on the floor. I selected different students to play the instruments/buckets. Because I had two schools I ended up making close to 70 pair. I'd say 5 mallets have broken during the last 10 years. The handle has not come out of any of the mallets. They has even lasted four three years with my middle school students! -- Pamela Rezach
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12/07 RE-WRAPPING MALLETS: If you want to re-wrap your own, my best tip is to use cotton yarn. The synthetic materials (i.e. acrylic) shred almost instantly. The ones I wrapped last year with cotton yarn haven't frayed at all yet.
How to re-wrap: Start at the bottom of the mallet ball - wrap yarn around stick a couple of times. Go over the top and back to the bottom, and over the top again, right next to the other loop you just made. Keep going all the way around until everything is covered. Leave a couple feet of yarn trailing at the end and cut it. Take a large tapestry needle and thread the yarn through it. Use it to "sew" the yarn on the mallet head. Use a back-stitch like method -- take the needle and go in the mass of yarn and bring it out a couple of yarn rows later. Then loop back over the same spot. Do this all along the bottom of the mallet head and then at the top. It doesn't have to look pretty, just be usable! To finish it off, insert needle again and go through a lot of the mallet yarn. Pull it tight and snip close to the mallet with a scissors. The end will shrink back in and be invisible. If you are having a hard time figuring out how to wrap one, take a mallet that is fraying and un-wrap it. That will give you some idea of how it was wrapped. -- Jody Eggen
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12/07 RE-WRAPPING MALLETS: I actually re-covered some soft fuzzy Orff timpani mallets (that had lost most of their fuzz) by crocheting a new cover! I used a small hook and lightweight soft baby yarn, crocheted a small ring. then proceeded to increase in succeeding rings (you who crochet will understand what I am saying) to match the size of the mallet ball. After a few rings, I inserted the mallet stem through the starting hole of the first ring, and continued to increase, or then decrease as I got to the top half of the mallet ball, until I had a cover that perfectly fit the mallet. I finally fastened off at the top. It was strictly improvised-- just kept making the crocheted cover fit the mallet. But it worked--and held up forever! -- Louise Eddington, Muncie, Indiana
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12/07 WHAT KIND OF MALLETS? I would say save the rubber mallets for a harder ³solo² sound, for the higher instruments and use wrapped or felt mallets for an accompaniment- lower and less intrusive sounds. Orff instruments should to sound like marimbas (a warmer sound) rather than xylophone (a more piercing sound). Besides the instruments you are using, much of this has to do with the mallets you choose. Using rubber or harder mallets is also harder on your ears to use rubber mallets on xylophones and metallophones.
Kids won¹t care, but if you are using the instruments to accompany singing, then you will be well served to use softer mallets, in general. I use harder mallets for Soprano xylophones and glocks. Rarely do I use hard mallets on metallophones or lower xylophones.
As for wrapping mallets, use a synthetic yarn and they should stay in good shape for a long while unless you are having the kids play solo and loud performances. -- Rob Amchin
You will quickly see which yarns wear out easily and which are more durable. Also, look for yarns that are very thin rather than the thick bulky ones (although these can also produce wonderful sounds).
To wrap the mallet, start with a loose end of yarn and make a slip knot about 30 inches from the end of it. Slip this over the mallet handle, right up to the mallet, and pull it snug. You will need to keep the 30 inches of yarn dangling down while you wrap the mallet. To wrap, pull the yarn tightly and simply wrap it over the top of the mallet but NOT directly over the top--just slightly off center. (Imagine that the mallet shaft extends through the top of the mallet and you are wrapping around it.) You do this because you are going to leave a small opening at the top of your mallet-- look at the mallets you've got now and you'll see what I mean. There's usually sort of a hole at the top.
Anyway, you continue wrapping around the mallet, always a bit off-center, trying to keep the same amount of tension on the yarn. Count each wrap, because you will need to wrap the other mallets the same number of times to get the same sound from them. For kite string, I used to use about 170 wraps. The wrapping itself doesn't take long--maybe 3-5 minutes per mallet AFTER you get the hang of it. (Your first few will be frustrating and slow, believe me.)After you've built up enough yarn (more on this later), it's time to tie off the mallet and sew it down. Stop your wrapping by ending at the joint of the mallet shaft and ball. Tie it around the shaft very snugly twice.
Cut it off, leaving about 20"-30". Now, this is where the curved upholstery needle comes in. You are going to have to sew a circle around both the small "mouth" you left at the top of the mallet and in a concentric circle about 1/4" down from the top mallet. If you don't, the whole thing will come unraveled when you play! Thread the yarn through the curved needle. Sew the little "mouth" at the top by pushing the needle through the hole and out through the wrappings. The first one actually brings one last wrap up the mallet, so snug it very tight. Repeat this, sewing around the entire "mouth." This helps anchor the wrappings at the very top of the mallet. Next, keeping the same length of yarn--which is now down to about 15"--you need to sew the concentric circle about 1/4" from the top.
Look at how your store bought mallets are made and emulate that. You stitch under about 3 or 4 strands of yarn, pull up, make a loop, pull it snug, and continue around the mallet until you complete the circle. (This keeps the yarn from shifting back and forth on the mallet ball while you play). To finish off, thread the yarn back through the top "mouth" a few times and tie it off. Snip the yarn.
You're not done yet!! Remember the loose 20" at the bottom of the mallet from when you started? You now repeat the previous few steps at the bottom of the mallet, stitching first around the yarn where it raps around the shaft of the mallet, similar to the way you did for the top "mouth." After that's done, you stitch a concentric circle about 1/4" up from the bottom, just as you did at the top of the mallet. After completing that, stitch the remaining thread through the bottom of the mallet and tie it off.
Repeat for the remaining 3 mallets.
These things affect mallet tone:
1. Hardness of the ball at the core of the mallet. The softer core produces more fundamental, less overtone. Harder core gives more overtones, masking the fundamental pitch. You can experiment with different cores, ranging from large wooden macrame beads to soft rubber test tube stoppers. The roundness of the core also affects tone. In general, the more material that touches the bar, the more dampening of sound. A certain amount is good, because it prevents too many harsh overtones and produces more fundamental pitch. But too much gives you a dead sound.
2. The number of wraps--more wraps soften the hardness, but too many give you a thuddy sound. This happens because the mallet wrapping is so soft it's squashing against the bar, staying in contact long enough to deaden the sound.
3. The wrapping material. The more fuzz, the richer the tone, because the fuzz dampens the overtones, just like a loose wrap.I spent many years experimenting with different wraps, core materials, and so forth. I also used to wear out my wrappings alot, because I played in a lot of noisy situations. I've since shifted my playing style and rarely play on jobs where I need to bang. Mallet wear has decreased noticeably!-- Contributed by PatriciaAlbritton
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TEACHING IDEAS
06/14 I have a new book called Rhythm Instrument Fun. It's pack full of ideas for using non-pitched percussion with preK-Grade 5 students.
There are some great songs and ideas for getting the kids to watch and listen and play just when they are supposed to play. (Class management ideas), listening lesson ideas, play along with classical music, reading rhythm ideas (for older students) using stick notes, and there are three sound stories and suggestions for other storybooks by Robert Munsch. The Rain Rain Story that is an app for iPad/iPhone/Google Play is included in the collection for those who can't use apps, as well as two other stories. There are also worksheets for assessment.---- Denise Gagne
http://shop.musicplaytext.ihoststores.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=RIF
07/11 BOOK: I have a book that I got from Amazon called 101 Rhythm Activities For Young Children. It uses a lot of familiar songs with new lyrics, and what I like about it is that it isolates individual rhythm instruments. ----- Julie Jones
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07/11 GAME: I have someone play the instrument behind a tipped over table and the class has to guess what instrument it is. The person who guesses correctly gets to be the next person behind the table choosing an instrument to play. Hope this helps! ----- Caryn Mears
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ACTIVITIES: Here are some things I do with rhythm instruments:
1) Echo rhythms
2) Ella Jenkins's "Play Your Instruments" (We sing and play along then take each instrument category - those kids play those instruments.) Then play together again on 'Play Your Instruments.'
3) Kindergarten and older: "Willum, he had seven sons" (song in minor key) On first verse, we play together then each instr. group plays:
a) on first part of verse (A section) they play steady beat
b) after words, "this is what he did" - they play their choice of quarter, eight notes with rests (we've covered various patterns by this time)
4) March with instruments (encouraging steady beat)
5) Have each group play separately to a brief song or one verse:
Triangles: Twinkle Little Star, Tambourines: Zoom Gali, Drums: Aiken Drum,
Woodblocks and sticks: Hickory Dickory, Cymbals: You're a Grand Ol' Flag
Bells: Jingle Bells, Maracas and Shakers: Tinga Layo, Guiros: Down By the Station
Kids love being featured. They are not allowed to play until it's their turn. If the noise is too great, I ask for a quieter beat. --- Sandy Toms
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12/07 SONG: “SOMEBODY’S KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR” We sit in a circle to sing and play this song. We sing the song one time while I hold a wood block and strike it three times after the word door. We sing the name of the child on my right, "Oh, Jessica, why don't you answer?" While we sing this, I pass the instrument to her and get another instrument to play.
The next time, we sing the next child's name and continue to pass each new instrument around the circle. If there are 15 children in the class, we sing the song 15 times. At the end of the song, each child has a different instrument. We set them down in front of us and put our hands behind our backs. We go around the circle and name each instrument. They have watched me play it the first time and now I re- instruct the proper way to play. It's a great way to review basic rhythm instruments. If we have time, we sing the song and continue to pass the instruments until everyone has tried every instrument.
The next class, I set out the xylophones. I only have three, a bass, alto and soprano. I put the xylos at the end of each row and set up a pentatonic scale. The kids get to play any two notes simultaneously at the part of the song where there are three knocks. This is really fun. The kids love it. We change positions and sing the song again until everyone has had a chance to play. If we have enough time, we change instruments and do it again. -- Kristin Lukow
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06/07 I do an activity with "HICKORY DICKORY DOCK" with 1st grade and younger with a cymbal. The kids are mice moving, some are ticking clocks with woodblocks, and one is the clock chime. When the clock strikes "one" my chimer strikes a hanging cymbal and all the mice freeze for as long as they can hear the vibrations. I've used that with kids as young as 3 [years of age.] I always hold the cymbal. Loved it when I had a really big cymbal left over from a band because it rang and rang and rang.....Ardie Roddy
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07/05 My kids enjoy playing instruments with the book "CLICK CLACK MOO" - have them make the sounds of a typewriter while reading the pages with the notes that the cows have written. - Rhythm sticks, (typing) triangle (ding sound), ratchet (moving the drum back). Teach the song to the tune of "Three Blind Mice" Click, Clack, Moo. Click, Clack, Moo. Clickety, Clack, Moo. Clickety, Clack, Moo. Farmer Brown doesn't know what to do. His Cows are causing a hullaballo The ducks and the chickens don't know what to do. Oh, Click Clack Moo. Add instruments to accompany song! :) RaeAnna Goss
there's a sequel book, also by the same author. It's called Click Clack Quack. It's too cute, too!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0689845065/jimloyshomepage/002-4836149-5097660
-- Patricia Albritton
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07/05 HAP PALMER has a great CD that involves all kinds of instrument, “Rhythms on Parade”
http://www.happalmer.com/Files/CD%20Page2.html
http://www.buy-scores.com
Often I'll assign certain rhythm values or short patterns to specific instruments which we'll all perform, then switch instruments. ie. Drums play quarter notes, sticks play eighths, triangles play half notes, etc.
Here's a cool activity. Prepare on a large piece of poster board a giant spiral (like a snail shell). Within the lines of the spiral draw repeated shapes like o o o o o = = = = = = = # # # o = = =, etc. in whatever fashion you'd like. Even over lap a few. Then explain that each symbol refers to a specifically assigned instrument. Pass out instruments and with a pointer, start at the outer end of the spiral and tap each shape in a steady beat manner. Students play on their assigned symbol when you tap them. Vary the tempo. Then, try it again, but this time drag your pointer so that there is no actual sense of pulse and the changing of instruments will be more blended. Again, vary the tempo. -- Gretchen in IL
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07/05 RAINBOW MAKERS-LEGEND: I have a really cool Native American legend called "Rainbow Makers" that I tried with my K's and 1's yesterday, and they loved it! Basically I let them assign instruments to the different main characters, then we decided how we would play (steady beat, one hit only, specific pattern, etc.). Then I read the story and they played the instruments. We also learned how to watch a conductor for cues and cutoffs. I was worried that the story might be too long for them, but they were glued to the activity! I know many of you are doing a rainbow unit (or will be soon) and I thought I'd share this activity.-Sabrina LaPointe
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04/03 MAORI CHANT: You can hear a marvelous version of a Maori chant on Kiri Te Kanawa's cd "Kiri: Maori Songs." If you haven't heard this cd, get it right away. It'll blow you away. I bought it shortly after an Orff workshop here on Polynesian music and have listened to it a gazillion times (well, close to it). You could build whole units around it: the operatic Dame Kanawa, the development of Maori music from war chants to the missionary-influenced harmony singing, etc. There are some GREAT stick ideas (using the erroneous Lummi name) in DANCE DOWN THE RAIN, SING UP THE CORN by Millie Burnett, from the basic to the very complicated.
Remind your kids that the games were skill- and strength-builders for young warriors. Instead of the wimpy sticks we use today, the actual sticks were about 2 feet long and 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Not a game for wusses! (And about the stick-tossing parts of the games -- they can be done successfully in a class with strong classroom management and clear consequences for misbehavior.) -- Contributed by Peg Wallan
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04/03 RHYTHM STICKS: Check out www.kimboed.com for rhythm stick music info. I used multi cultural rhythm stick fun & simplified rhythm stick activities in my workshops. Simplified has cute tunes like: Sesame Street, Wizard of OZ, & It's a small world. They offer several other CD's on all types of movement. -- Contributed by Nancy Williams
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04/03 RHYTHM BAND JAM CD: Plank Road Publishing: http://www.musick8.com/, For those of you looking for new Rhythm instrument music, this CD is pretty decent for young students (K-3) The cd has 2 numbers for just identifying sounds, then several numbers where the instruments take turns playing. At least one number is accumulative (instruments play their rhythms again in reverse order). Frank uses words for each instrument (drum = boom, etc., and recites these words in rhythm asking 2-3 instruments to play those rhythms consecutively. The numbers are progressively more difficult. Frank Leto's "Rhythm Band Jam" -- Contributed by Sandy Toms
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02/03 Here are a few suggestions:- Look at MK8, vol.13-3, p.4,5 in the Network section. (Plank Road Publishing: http://www.musick8.com/ )
"Hey, Groundhog," by Susan Eernisse, is a cute pentatonic song which incorporates rhythm instruments and speech in the B section.
With K's and 1's, any song with a steady beat that moves at a decent tempo provides an excuse to get out the classroom percussion.
Any version of the song "Bingo." Besides the traditional words, it's easy to make up ones that fit your situation. We do "Piggy" in 1st before we ever begin reading notation. We just "play the way the letters sound." Our words are: "There was a farmer had a sow, and Piggy was her name, oh. P-I-G-G-Y, .......". We use it when the classrooms are doing a pig/farm unit in the early fall.
Separate your instruments into groups, such as woods, metals,skins and explore the sounds made by each group. Or divide by method of playing: shaking, scraping, striking. Take turns playing the beat or rhythms, depending on age, and then trade instruments.
My older students (4th up) always enjoyed reading rhythms and performing them on the unpitched percussion. It doesn't even need music or speech if used as a class warm-up.
We used Denise Gagne's rhythm flash cards and played our way around the class. -- Contributed by Connnie Herbon
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01/02 NAME IT, PLAY IT !! To add to the musical games, for 1st and 2nd grades (K) we sit in a big circle. I take out about 10 percussion instruments with very different sounds (shaker egg, maraca, triangle, mini-cymbal, etc). We go over the names of every instrument and listen to their sound. Then everyone turns away from the circle (but still sitting in a circle). One person is chosen to select an instrument (now all placed on the window sill) and that person plays the instrument. The children have to aurally identify (guess the sound) of the instrument being played and of course the first one whose hand goes up gets to guess. They must call the instrument by NAME. If they're right, they get to pick the next instrument, etc.
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PLAY IN TURN: Each instrument has a "resting position". Mallet instruments, the mallet heads rest on the shoulders, the hand drums, head to the chest and give it a hug, etc. I demonstrate playing position and resting position. Instruments stay in resting position until time to play. In small groups, each child practices their instrument, it goes back to resting position while the next group plays. It IS important for students to experiment with sounds. When it's time to put instruments to accompany a song, every starts in resting position, to playing position, then fits their part in when instructed to do so. If they play out of turn, they lose their turn.
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GAME: The instrument game: I would show the class certain instruments that I would hide out of sight and then one student would pick a hidden instrument and play it and someone would guess which instrument it is.
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ROTATE PLAYING: After introducing the various types and how to play them. Review for some. I set the kids up for Rhythmic Snake. We sit in three rows. I go around and tell the kids what instrument they will start with so that no two of the same instruments sit together. I do let them explore the sound and how to use it while they are getting the instrument but when my hand goes up they need to be quiet and fast. If they're not, the instrument can be taken away from individuals. Rules are established ahead of time. Basically no playing while I'm talking and no abusive playing. I tell them that it is their job to control the instrument at all times. Any infractions they are spectators.
After each child plays their instrument I tell them to slide to the next instrument. 1st row slides to the right. Last child moves up to the
second row. 2nd row slides left, last student moves up to the 3rd row. 3rd row slides right, last student comes down to the front, and we start over.
Some of the uses:
Rhythm echo
Play along with a song I play on the piano
Steady Beat accompaniment.
Music in 2's and 3's
Pick a rhythm and accompany the piano or CD. (Don't let the rhythm of the song throw you off.)
MK8's song I Like School has a nice little accompaniment for introducing quarter notes, whole rests and repeat signs.
I love doing this with the kids and they always love rhythm snake! It's really neat to see their progression. I can ask for solo, duet, trios etc
to accompany me, the sky is the limit with this activity.BACK to Recorder topics
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KEEPING INSTRUMENTS QUIET!!
WAIT FOR THE CONDUCTOR: I have a classroom rule that states that "We do not play instruments until the conductor is conducting." The conductor's job is to help everyone start together, play together, and stop together. Failure to follow this rule results in losing your instrument for that day. At the beginning of the year I very carefully model how I would like the children to place their instrument before them and keep their hands in their laps until everyone is ready. Then we begin. I like to use visual materials with instrument playing to reinforce music literacy concepts as well as keep the group together. Some of my favorites are the Threshold to Music Charts, and the Rhythm Band Kit for Little People which includes charts with pictures of instruments for the children to follow, rather than notes. The Rhythm Band Kit also has a cassette with an accompaniment for each piece at both fast and slow tempos. My K-1's have had much success with these materials, but even my older students (2,3,4) enjoy playing along with these. I purchased the Rhythm Band Kit from Music in Motion for $35.00.
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STOP WHEN THE TEACHER STOPS: Here is yet another idea for introducing instruments to primary age children. I hold up each instrument one at a time and we learn it's name and how it is played. (Some are familiar; some are not). I then place each instrument in turn on the floor to form a circle. Sometimes I place more than one of each kind so that I have the same number of instruments as children when finished. Each child is then directed to stand behind an instrument in the circle. They cannot touch it until the music begins. I play something on the piano and they play along. When I stop playing, they must put their instrument back on the floor and walk to the next instrument in the circle. We proceed around the circle until each child has played each instrument. They love it and are only touching an instrument when playing along to the beat.
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CRAZY TIME BONUS: I saw another teacher do a really cool thing with the kids playing instruments. You know how they always have that urge to play as soon as they get the instruments? Well, if they followed directions he would give them 10 seconds at the beginning of the lesson to "Go Crazy" with the instrument they had. (within reason of course). At first I thought "What is this guy doing?" but after the children worked out that initial urge to play they were great the rest of the time.
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UH OH, NOW IT'S MINE: When it comes to playing musical instruments, I'm really "mean". I demonstrate proper playing ONCE, and then, if the students play out of turn or mistreat the instruments, their instrument is mine. I have to get them trained early, or else future instrument sessions are migraine producing. I also tell the students to "draw or pull the sound out of the instrument" instead of hitting. This phrase usually works wonders for me.
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CRAZY BEATS: I am also strict on the rhythm instruments...especially at first. As the year progresses and I can tell if a class can handle it, I add a little "spice" to instrument playing. So many children want to play the different instruments and I know that they are disappointed if they're not the ones to get the bongo drums or whatever that day! So......call me crazy but we put on some music with a fast beat and they imitate me keeping and changing crazy beats to the music. After about 30 seconds, I say "SWITCH!"...the person on the far right hand end of the row (as I face them) races down to the other side and HANDS the other end person their rhythm instrument. In the meantime, everyone else HANDS their rhythm instrument to the person on their left. Then they wait for my signal...and they start following my crazy beats again! It's a good reward type thing towards the end of the year! I admit...it's a little crazy but the kids absolutely love it and they have to keep on their toes to follow me changing the beat patterns!
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All I have to say is "Birthday Candles" and they are sticking up on their knees... faaaaar apart so they can't hit. They shouldn't tip them either or the "wax will run off!" Then we "blow the candles out" and get started with our music. I have the tape "Rockin' Rhythm Band" and it is an excellent resource for not breaking your ear drums with rhythm instruments. I love it and so do my students. I tend to use it k-2. The older grades, it's fun to do rhythm echoing with them or even reading rhythms from 8x11 cards. I've even had them do a rain storm with various instruments. You start out soft then crescendo, then decrescendo for the end of the storm.
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PLAY YOUR INSTRUMENT & MAKE A PRETTY SOUND: THere is a great piece by Ella Jenkins called play your instruments and make a pretty sound, it is on a CD by that name. I put the instruments in a circle and they play along, steady beat. The song emphasies making a pretty sound, playing as softly as you can. I put the instruments in an order so the kids can move to the next instrument or pass the instrument on. I almost always start the kindergarten this way so that it is a very controlled activity. Naturally before I let them go to the circle of instruments I explain how each is played.
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EXPLORATION DAY: We have an instruments exploration day. I group the instruments according to timbre, (drums, xylophones, wood, metal, etc.) and scatter the groups around the room. I then name and demonstrate every instrument. Each group is assigned a responsible student leader, to help students play the instruments correctly. Students then get to spend about 30 seconds on each instrument in that group. I play a chord on the piano, and then they rotate groups. After this one day of chaos, the students have gotten to play every instrument in the room!!! And they now know HOW to play them all. A visual arts teachers once told me that kids need to scribble before they can draw. Instrument exploration day is our "scribbling" day.
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TRICKS: I've come across a couple of tricks that take the headache out of inst.playing.
My kids know that "crib playing" is against the rules. We talk about a baby in a crib who shakes a rattle making noise, not music. The term "crib playing" caught on and kids DON'T want to be thought of as babies! The first student who plays at wrong time or inappropriate manner hears "I'm so sorry, you aren't ready to play music on your instrument", the instrument is returned and they sit out. Of course, they get a chance to redeem themselves. I also remind them that you can't whisper an instrument. If you crib play, everyone in the class knows it. I say this with complete sympathy and praise them lavishly when they are in control of their "organized sound."
Each student has a tongue depressor with their name on it. I call the students to the inst. randomly by drawing from the sticks. They sit quietly behind the inst. until all are seated, then demonstrate their skill.
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INSTRUMENT FAMILIES TAKE TURNS: We have the woods play along with a rhythm song. Then the metal, then shakers, then everyone together. We've done patriotic marches, The Baby Elephant Walk (that one was really good), and some of the Wee Sing sing-alongs. They are getting better about keeping a beat. We even march around the gym towards the end and hand us their instruments as they go out the door. It does get a little noisy but they have a blast and are in a large area so it doesn't seem so bad. We have fun too. It helps that we have 2 aides but the kids are really good because they really want to play those instruments.
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WOODBLOCKS/TRIANGLES: I like to use The Syncopated Clock (Leroy Anderson) early on in the k or 1 rhythm instrument experience. I give half the students woodblocks and the other half triangle. I'm the conductor. While the music is playing, I conduct the students to play along. The form is ABA so the woodblocks play the tick-tock part of the A sections, the triangles join in on the ringing parts of the B section. Then we switch instruments and do it all again. This teaches them to play when it's time, keep their instruments quiet when it's time, watch the conductor, what a conductor is and does, what a baton is, play musically so we can hear the other instruments in our orchestra (on the stereo), ABA form, steady beat, conductor's cues and cut offs.
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ADVICE: Most of my classes (k-6) involve some instrument playing, usually with every child having an instrument. Here are some thoughts about how I make it work.
1. Be really clear about the importance of SILENCE in music. With the youngest, we do a simple start and stop improv with a conductor. I do it first, then kids do. The conductor puts hands together,(palm up, palm down) and playing begins when her hands open. All playing must stop when hands close. At first we just do start/stop, and when control is pretty clear we do dynamics - the wider the opening, the louder the sound. The kids love this, especially being in control of the sound and if you have a kid who has trouble stopping, being the conductor really opens their ears.
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LEROY ANDERSON CD: I also use the old folk song "Grandfather's Clock" with listening to "Syncopated Clock" by Leroy Anderson. I bought a L. Anderson's greatest hits CD several years and it has several delightful pieces that appeal to the "not so sophisticated" classical music listener.
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STICK IT IN THE PITS: I know this probably sounds gross, but...my students really get a kick out of it. One of the safest places to keep rhythm sticks is under the arms. I say "sticks in the pits" and they immediately put them under their arms so as not to play. I know it sounds weird but I guess that is an example of elementary school humor (although even my jr. high kids got a kick out of it.)
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GET IT OUT OF THEIR SYSTEM: The temptation to play right away is just too great for some of them, and I use this very brief activity to help them understand the difference between noise and music. They much prefer music to the noise. On bell sets and barred instruments the kids LOVE running the mallet up and down, so that's the first thing I have them do with those (if they had been following directions). Takes about15-30 seconds. I found that students focus much more readily after this.
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CHOPSTICKS: I use chopsticks..beautiful, light , clicking sound. No one can play too loudly!!!!!
I used instruments with my 6th grade today and I told them that if their instruments did not behave they'd have to go back on the shelf. They got a kick out of that and I am happy to report that all of the instruments behaved beautifully!
Chopsticks are wonderful instruments! You can get them in the foreign foods section of your local supermarket. We use them at all grade levels or playing. We play stick on stick, sticks on chairs, sticks on the floor, sticks on our hair (not heads, just the hair - great for pianissimo), sticks in the air, etc. I write rhythms to go with all sorts of things that I want the kids to hear.
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INSTRUMENT LICENSE: [The students] put these on whenever we
play the instruments. They are just a card (like 3x5) with the words instrument license on them. Punch two holes on top and string enough yarn for them to slip over heads and a bit more. Laminate. I explain to them that these work like a driver's license their parents have. They have to follow the rules or they get taken away and they do not play the instrument any more that day. My rules are simple: "Don't play ‘til I say", "NO hitting or bothering others with the instruments" and "Respect the instrument(iow--do not break it!) They put the instrument away if a rule is broken, hang up the license (they are on a hook just inside the entryway) and come back and sit down with rest of group and they pat or clap whatever rhythms they were playing before.
Next time they enter they may try again. If they break this rule 3 class periods in a row, they may no longer play on the instrument until after 3 more class periods. If they lose it once--they get a bit sad and sometimes embarrassed that they put it away so it usually doesn't happen but once. I am always sure to ask them WHY they are hanging up the license. This has been quite successful for me. I end up having to make new ones each year as they get "worn" out by the end of the year. --- Brenda in MO
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06/10 TIME OUT FOR INSTRUMENTS: Whenever we use drums, either hand drums or my larger tubanos, djembes, congas, etc., the students know they are allowed to rub them - not tap or pat, but rub. Of course, at the beginning of the school year, and once in a while throughout the year if we need a "review," I go through a process of teaching the students this. Rubbing the drums keeps their hands busy, but it is a quiet enough sound that it isn't disruptive. The students also know that when the "stop" signal is given or spoken, that "stop" means "stop." Consequences for not stopping is that "your drum will have to go into 'time out,' and if your drum is in 'time out,' you won't have a drum to play."
HANDS BEHIND YOUR BACK! We were playing drums, mostly tubanos and others where they stood to play, so, remembering the discussion of "rest positions" for instruments, I created one for the drums - hands behind their backs. Worked pretty well! --- Ann in SC
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06/10FIRST LESSON: with the Ks started with free play. The instruments were already set up in pentatonic. Their very first instructions were that when I said "GO" they could play absolutely ANYTHING they wanted to, as long as they weren't banging or hurting the instrument, but they HAD to stop immediately and put their hands (with mallets in them) on their shoulders when I called out "stop". This combined the free play element with learning to comply with my instructions. After 3 or 4 cycles of go/stop, I began to add instructions each time, such as "play anything you want but only with one hand" or "very quietly like you are whispering" or "loud but don't hurt the instrument" or "walking" or "running" or "2 hands together like you are jumping" (that one took a quick demonstration) or whatever. We'd take a good part of the lesson with this. I always felt it was a good way for them to get acquainted with the instruments on their own terms, while still learning that I was running the situation. Win-win. --- Louise Eddington, Muncie, Indiana E. Luane Campbell Elementary Music Instructor & Talented and Gifted intervention specialist Mt. Gilead Schools, Ohio
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06/10 LET KIDS BE KIDS: They've got these wonderful instruments in front of them and the delayed gratification part of their brain is on super duper overload! I give them 20 seconds of "noodle time" before starting any instructions. If we are in a pentatonic, I have them set the bars up first so my ears don't go crazy. But, lets face it, kids are kids and they want to PLAY. Then, if they don't stop when I give the cutoff or if there are big problems with them playing afterwards once the lesson has started, I tell them I will not give them "noodle time" next time if they are going to abuse it now. I've only had to take away "noodle time" a few times. By the time we are in 4th grade - they've got it. --- Alison in IL
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SHARING INSTRUMENTS
01/16 I also do a lot of improvisation with unpitched instruments. We do what I call the instrument snake. Each child is assigned a type of instrument to start off with. Wood, metal, drum, shaker/scraper. This is so no two kids get the same instrument in a row. I play various song styles, meters, tempos etc on the piano while they chose a rhythm to play with their instrument. When the song is finished everyone leaves their instrument behind and moves to the next one. Since we sit in three rows we move in a snake like fashion. Front row moves to the left, middle row to the right, last row to the left. Each end person moves to the next row and the tail of the snake moves to the head. We sometimes do solos, duets, trios, etc. Sometimes play by instrument grouping, or perhaps by rhythm chosen. Variations are endless. Another favorite of my students. Mostly done in 2nd and 3rd grade.
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06/06 SARASPONDA: Section A:
1. Tap floor (Sara) 2. Tap own sticks together (Sponda)
3. Tap each other's right stick (Sara) 3. Tap own sticks together (Sponda)
4. Tap each other's left stick (Sara) 5. Tap own sticks together (Sponda)
6. Tap each other's both sticks (this is the "ret set set")
Section B Part: 1. Trade right stick with partner's right stick (Ad do ray oh)
2. Tap both of each other's sticks (quickly, on the rest)
3. Trade left stick with partner's left stick (Ah do ray boom-day-oh) Tap each other's sticks (on rest)
4. Tap floor (Ah do ray)
5. Tap own together (boom day)
6. Tap each other's both sticks three times (ret set set)
8. Floor once (Ah say) Own once (Pah say)
Together once (Oh) Repeat -- Julie Rhodes
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06/06 SONGS: The first song with instruments that I teach in kinder (and again in 1st and 2nd as a review) at the start of the year is "Mr. Music's Band." I got the idea from someone on the list and have adapted it to suit me. I also made a poster - get this: I, yes I, DREW the pictures of Mr. Music (he has glasses and a large red bow tie) and also the instruments. Then they can tell what the order of playing is. Sorta pre-reading, tracking, etc.
On the other verses we use sticks, drums, shakers (mostly maracas) and jingle bells. I show them correct playing position and then they play when we sing about their instrument.
There was a man who had a band. The (sticks, bells, drums, shakers) played together.
I have them figure out words that describe each instrument's sound which we then say during the appropriate verse..... shake or shhh, click, ding and boom usually reveal themselves. They only play on the "letter" section of the song. It is quite a feat to get them to quit at the right time. We follow the order shown on the poster ... did I mention that I actually DREW this poster?? Not a computer in sight.
Then the verse changes to There was a man who had a band. They all played together. I let them choose their favorite sound -if we're doing it with our voices only, which I have them do before they get instruments - and say it and mime the playing movement. When they're holding the instruments, they all play at the same time on the letters part. Then I add a last verse that matches the first verse and they go back to clapping the words. Helps them calm down, gets the instruments out of their hands and generally sums it up nicely. This lesson gets me a LOT of mileage and it's cute on a program. Martha in Tallahassee
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02/03 PASS THE INSTRUMENT: My kindergarteners (and older kids, for that matter!) love the "pass the instrument game." I have all the kids sit in a circle on the floor. I give each of them a percussion instrument which they may not play until they hear the piano playing. When they hear the piano, they play to the beat (they try, anyway!) When the music stops they set their instrument in front of the person on their right. We continue passing until every child has played every instrument. I am very strict about them not playing when they're not supposed to. They love it so much that they usually do a great job.
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03/02 I use assigned numbers also. It's been a great time saver! I have a number can with poker chips in it with all the numbers up to the number in my biggest class.
In most of my 45 classes the teachers assigned the numbers. I discovered that they do this anyway - I just ask the students what their classroom number is the first time I see them for music and I write it on my class lists. It's usually alphabetical, but it doesn't matter. I'm sure this isn't just something the teachers do at my school. I think lots of classroom teachers do it to help with filing papers into folders, cubbies, lining up, etc. Ask them!
I even have my Orff instruments numbered with index cards so that when it's time to go to instruments they just look for their number. I randomly move the numbers around about every other week. I have their spots on the floor numbered too. It helps them get to their seat quickly.
Anytime I need one or two students to do something, I use my number can. I love it! I even reward the classes occasionally by drawing a number from the can at the end of class and giving away a prize to that person.
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"IT" CAN FOR WHO PLAYS: (requires storage space) - Each student writes name on a piece of paper; paper is placed in a small can (container) with the classroom name on it. As students play instruments, etc., slips of paper are drawn out. Then those names are placed in a baggie until everyone in class has had a turn at being "it".
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BY ROWS: TECHNIQUE 1 My students sit in 4 rows of chairs. If I'm using more than 1 instrument, each row gets a different instrument. Since I do have plenty of rhythm instruments, I can complete this in 1 day if needed. Song is done 4 times with each time rows changing instruments ("pass the instrument to the person behind you. row 4 brings up to row 1") Even K students catch on to this!
I STRESS the fact that they work together to help each other and need to pay attention to directions so that repeats go quickly. THIS works especially well with Orff instruments.
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TAKING TURNS: I am a real 'stickler' about each kid getting a turn playing instruments. I believe that they all need the experience. I have built my instrument program up through the past 5 years to include 11 bell sets, 11 drums, and a lot of rhythm instruments. My plan was to have at least 25 bell sets so that most every child could have one, but I realized this year that 11 bell sets going all at once is enough noise for me. I have 35 kindergarteners in my morning class and we usually go through songs 6 times giving each child a chance to play 2 times. If I'm lucky 3 or 4 are absent and we don't have to sing it 8 times!!! When it comes to games I just tell them before we start that everyone might not get a chance today but we will finish next time. Sometimes I put the names of the children in a cup and draw them out. The kids do not whine because they know I have been fair and that we will finish in a few days or so.
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YOUNGER STUDENTS: I will have them in a circle, usually, and space out the instruments we are using every 5 or so kids. Don't have too many different ones, it'll create the "I didn't get that one" syndrome. Each child gets to play an echo pattern or written pattern on their instrument or play at random (They like that). We pass clockwise after a few seconds and can cover the whole class in about 15 minutes.
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KEY TAGS: I use round metal/paper key tags and print each student's name on a white dot and place on the key tag. The tag then goes into a margarine container, one container for each class. When it is time for student participation, I draw a name out of the container and that student gets to play an instrument, etc. The name then goes on a pegboard hook. Once all the names are out of the container and on the hook, they all go back into the container to start over again.
I used to struggle with a fair system for participation, and this way seems to work well for me. There is also no arguing from students. I'm sure there are many variations that could also be used.
At the beginning of the year I put all new names on the tags and sort the students by class. I teach K-5, so the outgoing 5th grade tags are used for the new kindergarten students and the rest are just moved up a grade level. It's a lot of busy work starting up the system, but once it's in place it just takes a little maintenance.
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POPSICLE STICKS: Many times I have all of my students get a turn but sometimes it is not reasonable. I will sometimes start a class with 5-10 minutes of the same game until everyone has had their turn. My system for choosing is simple because I have so many classes. I have popsicle sticks numbered 1-30. Each student has a number in their class and I can use the same sticks for every class. I just mark in the book who went on that day. (often I am grading them anyway- on the concept or just participation)
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CIRCLE/MOVE TO NEXT: When we do songs with instruments, which is often, I place the instruments to be used in front of one person in a row...I have 3-4 rows of kids sitting on a rug...15-25 kids in a class. Each row gets a different instrument. I only have 3 xylophones.
When we finish the song or activity we chant: "Move on over. Move on over. Move on over and we'll do it again!"
They move over one spot and we "do it again!" (I got this from an Orff book.)
This way, everyone gets a turn playing something. It may not be the big bass xylophone...which everyone loves the most...but, they get to play something. Still they ask..."Will everyone get a turn?" I usually say, "I hope so! But, if not, you'll get a turn on another day." and they always do.
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NAMES ON CARDS: At the beginning of school I cut scrap paper into smaller strips (like note cards) and ask each classroom teacher to have students write their names on the cards and bring them to the first music class. For the K and 1st graders the teachers graciously write the names on the cards. Once I get these the first day of class I use them to make the roll for each class and then use them for turn cards. When I have something special - instrument, puppet, game leader, etc.- I pull out the cards, shuffle, and chose the top one or number needed.
After the turn has been taken I quickly write on the card what it was (AX if they played the alto xylophone, dice if they rolled the dice for a game, etc.) and put those cards in the back of the pile. If kids are disappointed that they didn't get a turn I tell them to SMILE! - your card is in there somewhere and you will get a turn - sometime. Of course, there are always "freebie turns" - I pick or other students pick kids for turns. But with the cards every child knows they will eventually get a turn and I have a quick tracking system for who has played what.
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COWBELLS
06/06 I show mine to cradle it in their left hand and hit it with their right (if they're right handed). Sometimes, if they're sitting on the floor, they simply sit the cowbell on the floor, standing up, and hit it on the side. It seems to make a good sound that way too. -- Meredith Harley Inserra
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06/06 A cowbell is played horizontally. You grip it in the palm of your hand with the large end away from your and strike the large edge. You can minimize or maximize the amount of "ring" you get by holding the bell closer to the smaller end, middle, or large end. -- Stephanie J. Carey, General Music, McKinley and Harding
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06/06 The handle area is known as the neck. The open end is known as the mouth. The neck sounds a higher "pitch" as the upper bell of the agongkwa does and the mouth sounds a lower pitch as the lower bell of the agongkwa does. The neck area is laid in the palm with the mouth facing forward or out away from the body. Hit the upper rim of the mouth (low sound) and the neck side that is facing up (high sound). You will have both a high and a low sound that way. If you want more intrument type information go here: http://www.drummingweb.com/lessons/lesson16.htm -- Patricia Albritton
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REPRODUCE COWBELL SOUND
I did some experimenting and found that if you dampen one finger cymbal with your fingers and gently hit the edge with a rhythm stick it sounds exactly like a cowbell! -- Elizabeth Dick
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DRUMS
07/05 REMO SHAPE DRUMS I have the shapes and I ordered them because they were cost effective - I think there is one more in the circle pack than the shapes pack. I also use them to demonstrate pitch and sound production. I love them and so do the kids. -- Pam in Ohio
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07/05 The REMO CIRCULAR DRUMS (a group of about 8 for $55.00) are difficult for the little ones to hold.
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01/02 I used two flower pots (very hard and stiff ones) taped end to end, pit cloth on both open ends, and laced between the two pieces of cloth. This created a "squeeze rim" or "talking drum. We didn't dilute the glue at all - just spread it liberally on the cloth after it was pulled tight by the lacing.
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10/01 I have used the basic Remo brown hand drums for years. We bought them so they nest inside of each other. Then you have only 5 or six boxes to deal with when traveling (if that is an issue). The smallest size doesn't have much of a sound, so I'd skip those. If you'd like to have variety in tone, buying them this way seems to work. The 22" is too big for K's to hold well (although they love to prop them up on the floor) and I cant remember what size is the next smallest. When we bought them we got 4 sets of 20 drums. What fun we had wheeling and dealing! 80 of something like that does wonders to the price....Anyway, my drums have had very hard use (we do a big unit with 5th grade on Taiko drumming and use them for that) and they sometimes need a little glue on some tape but other than that they are going on 6 long years
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10/01 You should check out the drums that look like lollipops. I ordered these one year-- I only ordered 2 because I needed to replace a couple of my older hand drums. I was not sure how they would sound...I was skeptical because of the lollypop design on it, figuring it was just a gimmick ..but I will tell you they have a WONDERFUL sound!!! You end up paying a little extra for them but IT IS DEFINETELY WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!
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FINGER CYMBALS
10/08 FINGER CYMBAL HANDLES: I have been known to buy good sounding FC's with wooden handles which is a great help to younger kids. And I like to use those plastic tie-wraps (like portable handcuffs that the cops use) on FC and also they make decent handles for triangles. – Martha StanleyBACK to Rhythm Instruments topics
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SPOONS
KID FRIENDLY SPOONS: Materials:2 heavy duty plastic spoons,
2 long pieces of masking tape, at least 2 feet in length
Directions:
-Take one piece of masking tape and wad it into a ball.
-Put the spoons back-to-back and place the wad of tape in between the spoon handles close to the end but not completely.
-Pinch the ends of the spoons together to get the tape to adhere. Make sure the bowls of the spoons don't touch when you pinch the ends.
-Take the other piece of tape and wrap around the end of the spoons about an inch from the bottom of the handles, wrapping some of it below the spoon ends to make kind of a handle - maybe a half-inch below the spoons. This is tricky because you want to leave about a finger's width between the bowls of the spoon so that they'll clack together. --- Tina Morgan
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SANDBLOCKS
06/14 I replace sandpaper on my sand blocks every year. Having a good stapler
helps. I just cut the paper to size and staple it to the edge of the
block. ---- Barb English
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10/05 Whatever you do, do NOT glue the sandpaper directly to the rubbing surface, glue only to the sides of the woodblock. Found out the hard way that using a glue gun on the large rubbing surface wears the sandpaper in the shape of the glue!!-Amanda Bragg
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10/05 It would be pretty easy to cut and staple new sheets of sandpaper onto the worn out blocks. A heavy duty construction stapler would do it! -- Denise Gagne www.musicplay.ca, Musicplay - the Sequential Text Series
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10/05 You could remove the old sandpaper (if necessary) by soaking in water to loosen the glue. And then glue new sandpaper on the wood (Elmer's glue or carpenter's glue) -- Alan Purdun
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RHYTHM AND DRUM STICKS
There are two types I have that I love. The SMALL (6 inch, I think) wooden ones from Basic Beat. Great for little hands. One smooth, one ridged. VERY hard with no splintering. Maybe due to size. The others are PLASTIC HOLLOW lummi sticks from US Game -a PE supplier. Kids like the colors (R,Y,B,G). Also the sound you get from popping the open end. We call that "fish talk." ---- Artie
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PVC pipes make a great hollow sound
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RIDGED ONES: I used rhythm sticks a lot. I never liked the ridged stick, although the students wanted them. I always used the plain ones. If a student misused them, which could cause splintering, they lost theirs. I threw it away, to prevent getting hurt. Mine were from Rhythm Band and lasted a long time. Also, I would want same length on both sticks. ---- Shirley in Ga
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RIDGED ONES: The kids rub the ridged ones, the paint comes off as splinters, leaving the wood unprotected and somewhat splintery as well. Rubbing the sticks is a "put them away" offense in my class. If you show the kids how to tap instead of beating the stew out of the sticks, they last for years. If you want rasp instruments, get some guiros or
something else.
DRUMSTICKS: I much prefer drum sticks for this reason. They last a lot longer and we use them some as drumsticks on the carpet. Kids think they are all that and more if they get to drum with drumsticks! ---- Linda in MD
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DRUMSTICKS: I was able to purchase a classroom set by purchasing discontinued models at a music store. I've been using them for over 15 years and only one has broken! ---- Rita Oglesby
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WOODEN DOWELS: Wooden dowels are soft wood and don’t give the same sharp sound.
DRUM STICKS: I don't see how drum sticks work well but if they do for some, then they
obviously do work. The tips keep breaking off on mine. And the kids are not abusing them. ---- Martha Stanley
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ON CARPET (no padding): This is one of those items that I just plan on purchasing every 4-5 years or so. We have carpet, but there is no pad underneath so they really get beat up quickly. ----
POOL NOODLES: An alternative I've seen are pool noodles cut to about 18 inches each (about a 1/3 of the whole noodle). They make a fun sound...though I'm sure you'd have to train little fingers not to pick at them. I think I've done a few dances with pool noodles instead of sticks...---- Alison Rohrbach
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CHOPSTICKS are a good alternative to wood – they’re quiet and the kids think they’re fun.
---- Sandy T.
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TRIANGLES
11/08 HANGERS: MPI has replacement hangers. They are rubber. They'll come off, but you
have to deliberately take them off, they won't slide like everything else
http://mpimusicproducts.com/proddetail.php?prod=222247 --- Susan Simandle
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11/08 STORAGE: You could wrap them in a small piece of cloth. I keep my triangle I use with the symphony and the opera inside of a pillow case. You can also buy triangle cases with zippers, or if you know someone who is handy at sewing you could make some pretty cheap. --- Mary Ellen Hodges
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11/08 Just put a big piece of velcro through each triangle - 1 long piece through many triangles and bundle them up. --- Martha Stanley
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11/08 STORAGE: I have little hooks on the side of my wooden instrument shelf that I use. Works great! ---- Jill in NC
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11/08 RUSTED: I spray painted chrome spray paint on some old rusty break drums this year. I washed them off and scrubbed them and they look quite impressive. I used the non rust kind of chrome or silver spray paint. --- Julie Peterson, K-6 Music
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11/08 RUSTED: Try using Tarnex metal cleaner. Throw the whole lot in a glass bowl and then rinse 'em and wipe them down. The rust may require a rust remover. You might also experiment with some of the rust stopping paints likeRustoleum. I'm not sure how that would effect the sound. ---- Cynthia Coulson, NBCT 2004
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11/08 RUSTED: If they are chrome triangles you can use chrome cleaner like you use to clean the bumper of a car. (the shiny silver color kind not the painted ones) If they are iron triangles use rust cleaner and then oil them with something like 3 in 1 oil but then they might be toxic. --- Listee, MK8 Newsletter
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11/08 RUSTED: Naval jelly gets rust off. Slather it on and wait 12 hours to wash off. Sometimes you can find naval jelly at grocery stores.--- Patricia Albritton
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RHYTHM TUBES
01/02 Oriental.com has inflatable plastic rhythm tubes, 12 for $6.00 I think. They are about 6' long and have maybe a 3" diameter. You bend them in the middle and whop the ends together. It makes quite a smack with some weird vibrations. It takes some coordination to smack them together. The 4, 5, 6 kids think they are so cool. I got them to give to the kids who were waiting on a turn for a boom whacker, and now everyone wants the rhythm tubes making for too much smack and not enough whack.
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RECORDINGS
MAORI CHANT: You can hear a marvelous version of a Maori chant on Kiri Te Kanawa's cd "Kiri: Maori Songs." If you haven't heard this cd, get it right away. It'll blow you away. I bought it shortly after an Orff workshop here on Polynesian music and have listened to it a gazillion times (well, close to it). You could build whole units around it: the operatic Dame Kanawa, the development of Maori music from war chants to the missionary-influenced harmony singing, etc.There are some GREAT stick ideas (using the erroneous Lummi name) in DANCE DOWN THE RAIN, SING UP THE CORN by Millie Burnett, from the basic to the very complicated.
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RHYTHM STICKS: Check out www.kimboed.com for rhythm stick music info. I used multi cultural rhythm stick fun & simplified rhythm stick activities in my workshops. Simplified has cute tunes like: Sesame Street, Wizard of OZ, & It's a small world. They offer several other CD's on all types of movement. -- Contributed by Nancy Williams
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RHYTHM BAND JAM: Plank Road Publishing: http://www.musick8.com/, www.erckids.com For those of you looking for new Rhythm instrument music, this CD is pretty decent for young students (K-3) The cd has 2 numbers for just identifying sounds, then several numbers where the instruments take turns playing. At least one number is accumulative (instruments play their rhythms again in reverse order). Frank uses words for each instrument (drum = boom, etc., and recites these words in rhythm asking 2-3 instruments to play those rhythms consecutively. The numbers are progressively more difficult. Frank Leto's "Rhythm Band Jam" -- Contributed by Sandy Toms
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CHIMES
10/12 MUTING BELL BARS: I have several bell sets in c. The bars don't come off of the instrument, so how would you suggest deadening the B and Fs?
I didn't have any felt or foam, so I just used a heavy card stock paper that laid on the bar, and then I placed the magnet on top of the paper. It seemed to work just fine. I used the magnet idea, because the "don't play" note will change.
I have some old bell sets ( white and black bars on a red wooden holder). I cut felt the size of each bar and put stick on magnets on them. Then we just cover the unwanted bars.
----- Tari McKee
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01/02 BELLS: MATCH THE PITCH: I put two sets out. I play on one set, a child plays on the other. I play a note. They try to find the matching note. They cannot see which note I play as I have mine all jumbled up and hidden behind the cover of the resonator bells. But as they search, I remind them "Is mine higher? or lower?", "That is very close", etc.. Of course before this, we have discussed size vs. pitch. When everyone has had a chance, then THEY try to STUMP me! They play a note and I have to find it on the first try! They think it is magic that I can do this!!!
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11/08 NUMBER SYSTEM: Write your scale and then transfer into a separate page for each bell or chime. If the note plays in the song write a note, if not write the number of the measure. Divide the measures into lines. I had a Handbell Choir for 15 years in several schools with this system. We started rehearsing in Sept., played 2 songs at Christmas and two at the end of the year. It was a great success. We practiced after school from 3:15- 4:00 2 x times a week. We played 12 players and 2 alternates. I used 5th graders and learned this method at Ga. In-Service. Good Luck. It is the fastest method that I know of. A little time to write your music. Jingle Bells, O Come All Ye Faithful, were our Christmas songs. --- Shirley F. Melton, Columbus, Ga. rsmelton@bellsouth.net
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11/03 SCHULIES(SCHULMERICH) BRAND: Our school has a 4-octave set of Schulies (Schulmerich) that are about 20 years old and have never needed replacing, just a few replaced collars and one handle. The C-4 has survive two drops to the floor from the table with no cracks and no major loss of tone. We have one children's bell choir for grades 5-8 with, currently, 14 ringers (8 of them being beginners). I've been a member (off and on) of the guild (AGEHR) for the past 30 years and have done occasional clinic work (I've started 6 bell choirs and 5 different churches and then set them off on their own after a month of basic lessons and director training). The Schulies used to belong to the church, but were passed on to the school when it was discovered that they would be used more often by the kids than by the diminishing adult group.
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11/03 WALMARK BRAND: They are just great. I have a choir of three octaves and we have 11 players. Works pretty well, except that I always want to do really hard stuff, and they are just beginners so I have to go slower than I want to.... But I look forward to the day when we can move on to harder things and feel successful about it!!!!!!
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04/02 CHOIRCHIMES is a registered trademark of Malmark, but the generic name is handchimes. You should buy the same brand handchimes as your handbells, assuming you have either Schulmerich or Malmark. If you have Whitechapel you'll have to choose one of the other two. We're very happy with our Malmark handchimes.
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04/02 I have Malmark chimes here at school -- we don't have handbells (too expensive and too much maintenance)
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04/02 I have MALMARK choir chimes at school and really like them. Our church has Schulmerich handbells and has the Malmark choir chimes and they go very well together.
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04/02 BOOK: I also ordered Suzuki Tone Chimes Method Vol. 1 and 2. Does each child have their own method book or is photocopying allowed by that series? " The series comes with individual parts. The note they play would be highlighted. Each sheet is highlighted (it uses shapes, not colors) and is separate.
I have ordered this and it may just be me, but it is sitting in a cabinet - it didn't seem to work for me. I found that my students seemed to respond much more enthusiastically to the real thing. I order hand bell music, Level 1. I just highlight their specific part and make sure to number each measure and to number every beat. It works. And it is wonderful to know that they are reading from a piano score. Be sure to get three octaves if you can. It sounds so much fuller and you have more chimes for more players. Also, most of the music is written for at least three octaves and sounds empty with less. Again, that is my opinion, but you DID ask! There are some beginning exercise books that would work too - chordal type of exercises that are easier to read, and with the part highlighted would be pretty straight forward. I just LOVE my chimes. I use them whenever and wherever I possibly can. For example, today, we added them to "Ebeneezer Sneezer" in first grade. FUN!
Actually, some teachers have been given as much as $1,200 from the Foundation. Three octaves will cost you at least that.
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01/02 BOOK: I ordered Suzuki Tone Chimes Method Vol. 1 and 2.
These are good for beginners, especially since they mark the note to be played. I wrote in additional chords to add harmony, and my Tone Chime Choir performed 5 selections at Christmas.
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ADVICE: Get in touch with th American Guild of English Handbell Ringers (AGHER). They have wonderful advice and I bet would help you get started without a membership yet.
Also, Jeffers handbell supply usually has helpful, competent people on their phone and you can still get approval samples from them.
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10/01ACTIVITIES: I got a 3-octave set of chimes last spring at my K-5 school and have really enjoyed using them. I found playing chords to be helpful in getting everyone to play together initially. I took several familiar songs that only used the I-V chords or I, IV, V (such as Yankee Doodle or the Battle Hymn), and we provided the melody with our voices or my accompaniment on the piano. I printed the words on a chart and underlined the words when there was a chord change with a certain color. These colors were then matched to colored dots that I placed on each chime. (You just need 3 colors for the 3 chords.) Students just had to know which color they played on. Some chimes were in 2 chords so those students followed both colors. Everyone played and sang together well. It was almost instant success and they really enjoyed their sound.
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10/01 METHODS: I use real hand bell music with my tone chime players. I bought the Suzuki Tone Chime Method and really don't like it at all. However, it is very basic and may be a good way to introduce kids to the sound and feel of tone chime playing. I use level 1 hand bell music, and although it takes a while, the kids really catch on. I like that because the music is usually good quality and they are actually reading a score!
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10/1METHOD: I love the hand chimes and so do the kids. It is a real treat for them. I am currently doing an arrangement of "Chopsticks" for three octaves. It is just plain old hand bell music, Level 1, of course. It is difficult (5th grade) but it is beginning to resemble something. We rehearsed it the other day for about 15 minutes (our third rehearsal on it), then I asked them to turn the page and sightread Coventry Carol. I could have jumped up and down, it actually sounded like COVENTRY CAROL!!!
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CHORDS FIRST: I got a 3-octave set of chimes last spring at my K-5 school and have really enjoyed using them. I found playing chords to be helpful in getting everyone to play together initially. I took several familiar songs that only used the I-V chords or I, IV, V (such as Yankee Doodle or the Battle Hymn), and we provided the melody with our voices or my accompaniment on the piano. I printed the words on a chart and underlined the words when there was a chord change with a certain color. These colors were then matched to colored dots that I placed on each chime. (You just need 3 colors for the 3 chords.) Students just had to know which color they played on. Some chimes were in 2 chords so those students followed both colors. Everyone played and sang together well. It was almost instant success and they really enjoyed their sound. I took this same plan to an assisted living center for senior citizens this summer. Several of my fifth graders joined me as assistant teachers and we showed the adults how to make music when they thought they couldn't do it. It was an experiment on my part, but the chimes playing in chords turned out to be very encouraging to these seniors. It helped that they did not have to not feel responsible for maintaining a melody. If everyone didn't come in on the downbeat, it was OK too. My students were a good sound core though, because they came in at the right time and set the example for the adults!
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COLORS ON HANDLES: When I use these at church, I use squares of felt in different colors with a slit cut in them to fit over the handles. That way, if a pitch is played in more than one chord it is easy to just slide on another piece of felt! Our former music director showed me how to do this.
I buy my cardboard ones from West Music. Three years ago, I purchased 4 ready-made ones for around $50 each, and they have held up wonderfully. They are called Simplicity dulcimers. They also come in a kit for less money - I bought 3 of the kits at the beginning of the year, and they are still in the plastic bag - I have not had time to make them - I opened them up long enough to see it was more of a project than I thought. I will deal with them this summer. My students love them! I use them with a 4th grade unit on KY history of music.
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DULCIMERS
ONLINE COURSE: http://www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/music.html
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06/07 TUNING: I do start beginners in DAa tuning because it keeps the fifth below the tonic on the melody string(s). Begin with strumming coordination, making sure the strong strum always goes the same direction (in, or out) add the eighth note in between strum, still making sure the strong strum stays consistent.
Then add left hand index finger to the third fret every other strum (open, third, open, third, etc.) to play the ding dong ding of Frere Jacque and sing the song. Some students may go on to play the melody.
I make sure they have the correct finger placement behind the frets and have them strum certain frets, moving to my calling out fret numbers (yes, I have them numbered with commercial foil numbers) until I have them in an order of a tune they can recognize. Play (and sing) the tune. Some will strum just the melody string(s) some will strum across all strings....I'd have them all eventually try either way
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My mid school students have a great time with the Backyard Music (or other) song sheets with lyrics (traditional songs) that have the coordinating fret numbers above the corresponding lyrics. This could be an individual and/or group activity. If things go well I move to Hot Cross Buns. If really well (!) you could add finger picking by pinching the melody and bass strings and putting the middle string in between while fretting the melody.-- Mary B in NM
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12/09 COMPOSITION: My 3rd graders composed pieces for dulcimer today! It went very well. I created a page with 8 hearts (beats). I told them they were to write either 1 or two fret numbers per beat. We went through and decided this would be either quarter or paired eighth notes. I wanted them to start and end on fret 3 (Do). We did a class composition, I played it for them, then we passed out dulcimers, papers. and pencils and I gave them about 10 minutes to compose. They could just do fret numbers. If they wanted to write in the rhythm, great. If they wanted to write words, even better! At the end of the time period, I allowed all who wanted to play their creations to do so. They were FABULOUS! Composing never has been a strong part of my curriculum, but wow, it works so great with dulcimers. --- Jill in NC
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07/05 DULCIMER KITS: I used the Backyard Dulcimer kits this past spring at school. It was an afterschool class that ran once a week for 6 weeks. The students made the dulcimers & learned to play the instruments and the best benefit was now I have 12 dulcimers in my classroom ! I was very impressed with the sound of the cardboard body. All Backyard Dulcimer kits are pre-cut--no sharp tools are required. Geared tuning machines, solid pine fret boards and die-cut sound boxes make these instruments durable and great sounding. The cost was $36.99 each. Do a search online and put in Backyard Dulcimer. Joyce from Michigan
http://www.dulcimers.com
http://www0.shopping.com/
http://www.music123.com
http://www.dealtime.com
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07/03 UNIT: (Grade 6 until next year when I'll do it w/gr 5.....re-alignment. Gr 6 is off to middle school.)
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10/02 UNIT: I do a unit in gr 5 each year. It's lots of fun...one of my favorites. I run it as whole-group instruction, though. We ALL learn Mary's Lamb, Twinkle and Are You Sleeping? I do provide extra resources for those who learn faster and need a challenge. I also give them opportunities to create/compose/improvise. That may not be how you want to DO dulicmers....it works for what I want to accomplish. Also, my kids play w/a partner.
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06/22/02 TEACHING: We use two students per dulcimer. One does the strumming and the other slides the noter from fret to fret. It's one of my favorite units. This year, it was also one of the kid's favorite units. We included a composing element, which was fun. Every single year, kids who have previously just been "taking up space" really blossom during the dulcimer unit.
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TEACHING: I play mountain dulcimer, and teach 4th graders to play during a unit on KY music history. I have 8 good cardboard ones, and 8 small inexpensive wooden ones called "Plicketts" (I think the company is out of business now). After only 3 years the plicketts are coming apart, so I plan to add to my cardboard ones a couple each year until I get to 13 - that would be enough for me to have 2 children sharing one instrument.
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06/22/02 STORAGE: To those buying several cardboard dulcimers and wondering how to store them - giant Rubbermaid storage boxes work well. I measured length of dulcimer and went shopping at a nearby Rubbermaid outlet store. I spent $17 on a container that will hold 10-12 dulcimers placed on their side with a piece of cardboard separating the two layers. They fit nicely into the back of my mini van when I travel between buildings
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06/22/02 STORAGE: I keep mine in individual rubbermaid containers on little nests I made by cutting up egg carton mattress pads. They don't move around inside at all. I prefer them packed individually because I often lend out one or two at a time.
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06/04 STORAGE: We have 30 of the cardboard dulcimers, and I went to the Rubbermaid Outlet store and bought the huge tubs with lids. (At that time, $17.96 ea. Sorry I don't know the dimensions...I just took my dulcimer measurements with me) Three tubs hold all 30 dulcimers. I stacked the dulcimers on their sides, laid a piece of cardboard I cut from a big box over top of them, and then stacked the next layer with the wide end of the new layer of dulcimers at the opposite end of the tub from the bottom layer. (This way they even out and don't stick up higher than the tub) There is even room to lay 2-3 dulcimers flat on top of the 2nd layer.
With keyboards, could you do the same thing with storage tubs.....only put styrofoam blocks (a little higher than the keyboard) at either end of the keyboards to prevent the next layer pressing down on it and making it sound? Contributed by Suzanne in OH
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06/22/02 ADVICE: I was fortunate enough a year later to take a workshop and found out how easy it is to play on a beginning level. I have used them for two months a year ever since with 3rd and 4th grades (5th when I can). I start that young because it is so easy for them! They love it!!I one year I ended up teaching one 2nd grade class for 3 extra classes than the rest of the 2nds, so I had a very brief introductory lesson with them and that was even successful!!Anyway, some tips:
2. Lois Hornbostel's book The Classroom Dulcimer is wonderful! She usually teaches at the Silver Burdette Workshop at Appalachian State University.
3. Big triangle medium picks-they have to work to get those little suckers through the holes in the dulcimer! Smaller picks drove me completely insane, I had to fish at least 2 out of the dulcimers per class.
4. Number the frets with a Sharp, placing the numbers where you want their fingers to go.
5. Remember: fingers not one the fret, but beside them.
6. Huge charts or overhead charts.
7. Give them at least 5 minutes of independent practice, bare minimum. I used to be bad to make it all group work and we weren't getting anywhere! We play, we practice and I wander around and help. It works beautifully!!
8. Model, model, model: have them echo you, play by rote at least the first day if not more. It is a folk instrument and that is perfectly OK, as a matter of fact that is probably how it was taught in the first place!
9. You don't have to have a "noter", your finger will do.
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06/22/02 USE A GUITAR STRAP TO HOLD: Did you know that you can use one with a dulcimer to help keep it in your lap? If your dulcimer has a large peg on the end (as many do), you can widen the hole in the strap at one end to go over this peg, then tie the strap to the other end of the dulcimer (shoestrings work well) near the tuning pegs, and there you are! If you can't picture this, you would sit down with the dulcimer in your lap, fit the strap over the peg, run the strap behind your back, and tie the other end to the dulcimer. Some people, some way or another, use hooks they put on each end of the dulcimer to fasten the strap, but I haven't gotten a good look at how this works.
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06/22/02 The teacher was Lois Hornbostel (not sure my spelling is correct). She has published some dulcimer books. She's great!
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http://www.dulcimers.com
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06/22/02 CARDBOARD DULCIMERS: Lyons also has these for around $48. finished. (I believe they are also the Simplicity dulcimers) You can also get the kits to make your own for a little less. They come from a company in CT called Backyard Dulcimers. The guy who founded the company used to do workshops where you made your own dulcimer from the kit. He was at our state convention years ago and that's where I got my first cardboard dulcimer. We now have purchased 30 over the years. This is a good quality dulcimer
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CARDBOARD DULCIMER: I buy my cardboard ones from West Music. Three years ago, I purchased 4 ready-made ones for around $50 each, and they have held up wonderfully. They are called Simplicity dulcimers. They also come in a kit for less money - I bought 3 of the kits at the beginning of the year, and they are still in the plastic bag - I have not had time to make them - I opened them up long enough to see it was more of a project than I thought. I will deal with them this summer. My students love them! I use them with a 4th grade unit on KY history of musicBACK to Rhythm Instruments topics
06/22/02 CARDBOARD DULCIMERS: I love these things! I have 16 that I use with 3rd and 4th grades and sometimes 5th. We have a great time, they can play Hot Cross Buns the 1st day. I had a write up published in MK8 Network in the Jan./Feb 1999 issue about working with dulcimers. If you don't have it, let me know and I'll give you a more detailed explaination of what I do. In short, I chart every song with the fret numbers and regular notation, and I have them work in pairs. This works really well. I give them 5 or 10 minutes to practice, then we will go back to group work.
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06/22/02 We (the 2 elem. music teachers in our district) have accumulated 30 cardboard dulcimers and we use them with our fifth and sixth graders. We purchased them for about $46. from Lyons (who gets them from Backyard Music in Conn. I believe). They are of sturdy construction, and have great tone quality (for cardboard!). We do a 3-4 week unit on dulcimer playing and each student has his/her own dulcimer to learn several songs on. We don't learn chords - we just play melodies using the noter and pick. That's what we've done in the past. . With your dulcimers, could you set up a center that one or two students could go to each music day to practice playing songs? You could train a couple of student assistants to help get the dulcimer players started. Most all of my students love playing the dulcimer...and some of the best players have been students who didn't like music before that.
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06/22/02 YOUNGER STUDENTS: Sometimes I take my older instrument and let the little ones strum it while I finger the tune. If you have 2, you could teach even young ones to double up and do a mi-re-do tune like "Hot Cross Buns." I usually play in DAD tuning, but our cardboard instruments would only handle CGC. Either will allow you to play mrd on frets 3-2-1 with a drone on the other 2 strings. (We also have 6 autoharps for K-3 and guitars for 4-5, so this is where our classroom string-playing time usually goes.)
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06/22/02 During noon duty (outside), I take the dulcimers outside. I place them on a blanket along with the noters and picks near where I stand and watch everyone. Any student who wants to, can come and learn to strum the steady beat. (I already have tuned them.) Once they have accomplished that, I begin bringing out simple songs. The students catch on so fast! (The hardest thing I've found is getting them to hold the noters correctly.) GLASS HARMONICA
05/03 There is a lot of information at www.glassarmonica.com
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05/03 Go to http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/musician/musician.html and you can play an armonica as well as on a keyboard.
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05/03 CD: I have a wonderful CD by Thomas Bloch who plays this instrument! I used it with my Famous Americans lesson plan about Benjamin Franklin and the kids loved it! Will try to insert a link to the CD and more info. This is a really cool instrument of long ago that is enjoying a recent comeback!
http://www.thomasbloch.net/en_glassharmonica.html-- Contributed by Judy M. in VA
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05/03 CD: Dennis James - Glass Harmonica Vol. 1 (10 selections by various composers) The Glass Harmonica invented by Ben Franklin is considered to be the first truly American instrument.
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05/03 Here is a cool link for the Glass Harmonica. You click on "Play A Tune On Ben's Glass Armonica. It will take you to a page where you can click on glass bowls and hear the sound. Also, on same page is a keyboard to click on. This is really neat! http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/musician/musician.html Contributed by Judy M. in VA
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05/03 British Museum says the instrument died out due to players contracting lead poisoning from the glass.
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KAZOOS
www.kazoos.com
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05/21 I have had very good luck with LMI in Chicago. I collect the money from the kids, and then charge the order on my credit card. The kazoos are always shipped quickly. The quality is very good. They sell for .50 each.
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05/21 Kazoos are inexpensive at orientaltradingcompany.com
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05/21 Do not buy the ones from Oriental Trading. The kazoos that I ordered through them I threw away. The wax paper came out the first time we used them. They were only about 3 inches long, I was not impressed. I ended up buying them through musick8.com. I had to absorb the extra money myself, but it was worth it. The kazoos from Plank were much better quality, had a better sound and were much bigger.
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If you have one of those scrapbooking specialty places near you- you might find one. I found a smaller size round circle there last year that I used for "gold medals" for an Olympic team thing. I was cutting quite a few circles from gold, silver and bronze papers, and the sales lady told me to use waxed paper to "re-sharpen" the surfaces, and sometimes I had trouble with the waxed paper going through. Maybe try one out first and see if it will work on waxed paper.
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ROSEWOOD INSTRUMENTS (in favor of)
ROSEWOOD: I've asked about claves before and the consensus is "get Rosewood". At West music there are Basic Beat for $10.50 and Sonor for $22. I checked Music123.com for some price comparisons and found 2 more brands. Studio 49 for $16.90 and Rhythm Band for $12.99. (Music123.com's Sonor rosewood claves were only $18 with free shipping...seems a lot of things from here have free shipping)---- D. Brian Weese
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ROSEWOOD: I only love the sound of rosewood! ---- Catherine in DC
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ROSEWOOD: I have studio 49 rosewwod [xylophones] Beautiful sound. I also have basic beat --and they sound good also. They have a clickier sound--shorter, not as resonate as the 49. You can't go wrong with studio 49 at all. I think I also have Peripole's claves---bought them on my last mallet order.---- Deanna Peters
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CLEANING XYLOPHONES
11/08 CARE: I always took my xylo. bars off, oiled them with lemon oil, and wrapped them in tissue paper. Our school was not air conditioned and it got very hot in summer so I always took my xylophones home for the summer.....only had a few so it wasn't a big problem. --- Judy in Wi
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11/098 CARE: I take my bars off, clean the wooden bars with furniture oil, wipe the metal bars with Clorox (or any such brand) of wipes, and place each instrument's bars in a pillowcase. Each pillowcase has a piece of masking tape on the end (hem?) with a "sharpie" number taped on it that corresponds to the resonataor box that it belongs to. Since I have 24 larger tone bar instruments, I have found that it is then quite easy when school starts again to put the bars back on the correct instrument box. I store the bars in a locked cabinet for the summer. I really like the idea of vacuuming out the boxes before I cover them with thin plastic trash bags obtained from the cafeteria/custodian. --- Donna Mason
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10/05 REMOVE RUST: On glockenspiel or metallophone bars, use emery cloth (kind of like sandpaper) and sand LIGHTLY use a little oil to loosen the rust. If you get too energetic, you might change the pitch of the bars--then you would have to file the end of the bar to raise the pitch, or file the (underside) middle of the bar to lower the pitch. Alan Purdum
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10/05 CLEANING: Use Scott's Liquid Gold. You can find it in the furniture polishing aisle of the grocery store. It doesn't take much. Rub it in with a soft cloth.....be careful not to get slivers in your hand!..... and give them time to "cure," ie to absorb the oil. It will clean and nourish the wood. It's perfect. I usually do it in June at pack-up time, and wrap in unprinted newsprint for the summer. When I set in Sept., they look like new! -- Martha Evans Osborne
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06/06 XYLOPHONE TUBING STORAGE: Remove your bars for the summer and wrap them in newspaper and store them down in the body. Saves lots of problems later. -- Ardith J. Roddy
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06/06 STORING XYLOPHONES: I'm in the Midwest (hot, humid summers). I try to take the bars off of the instruments each summer, wrap them in left-over bulletin board paper and store them in a closet. I used to store the bodies of the instruments in the closet too, on shelves, but now we have the carts for all of them, and they won't all fit on the floor in the closet. I'm the only one who uses my room, even in the summer, so it really isn't a big deal to leave the bodies in the main room. I just like to remove the bars in case it gets really hot. Don't want the bars melting the tubing and sticking! I also try to rub some lemon oil on the wooden bars each year to hopefully keep them from drying out and cracking. -- Jennifer Schroeder
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12/05 BENT PINS: GENTLY try to bend the pin back. You may need a pair of pliers or a light hammer. I found replacement pins through www.West Music.com. Today I have my own Peripole instruments in my private teaching. Love them. Those pins will take a lot but that aren't going to get it because I insist kids take off the bars carefully and properly with the following chant I got somewhere - Hand on top, hand below, lift them high, and away they go. I even make my adults say it so they'll remember to take off bars properly. -- Ardith J. Roddy
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10/05 REMOVE RUST: On glockenspiel or metallophone bars, use emery cloth (kind of like sandpaper) and sand LIGHTLY use a little oil to loosen the rust. If you get too energetic, you might change the pitch of the bars--then you would have to file the end of the bar to raise the pitch, or file the (underside) middle of the bar to lower the pitch. Alan Purdum
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10/05 RE-TUNING BARS -- All barred instruments can be tuned the same way: If you file the end of the bar you make it shorter and it vibrates faster, raising the pitch. If you file the middle of the bar you make it more flexible and it vibrates slower, lowering the pitch. You can return the bars to the manufacturer for re-tuning or you can do it yourself. If you want to do it yourself, make sure you have the correct file for either metal or wood (all files are metal, but they are designed for different purposes). For larger (BX) bars you may want to use a rasp--which is a coarser file that will take off more wood with each scrape. Your high school shop should have files you can use. File off only a little bit at a time and check the pitch frequently with an electronic tuner. If you go too far, just file the other area to bring the pitch back where it should be. It shouldn't take a lot of filing to return bars to the correct pitch, since they probably aren't too far off. I have done this several times and it is not a really hard job. - Alan Purdum
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10/05 CLEANING: Use Scott's Liquid Gold. You can find it in the furniture polishing aisle of the grocery store. It doesn't take much. Rub it in with a soft cloth.....be careful not to get slivers in your hand!..... and give them time to "cure," ie to absorb the oil. It will clean and nourish the wood. It's perfect. I usually do it in June at pack-up time, and wrap in unprinted newsprint for the summer. When I set in Sept., they look like new! -- Martha Evans Osborne
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XYLOPHONE ACTIVITIES
11/08 WARM-UP: This week I tried a new recorder warm-up that my classes really enjoyed. I put hula hoops around the room--one for each note that we've learned so far. In the center of each hoop, I placed a flash card w/a fingering chart for the note as well as what the note looks like on the staff. I placed another flash card w/a rhythm pattern on the whiteboard at the front of the room. We clapped and spoke the pattern as a whole group. Then I used magnetic letters (BAGED) and placed them in random order on the board. Each group then played the rhythm pattern on "their note" when it was their turn. We then rotated to new hoop and started all over again. --- Kim Good
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01/02 MYSTERY TUNE: I use them when the children start learning the notes on the staff in 2nd grade. I put the notation for a "mystery melody" on a chart and the children try to play and name the tune. (I give one bell to a child.) I use songs like Mary had a little lamb, Oh Susannah, Jingle Bells. They love it.
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01/02 PITCHES FOR CHARACTERS: I use them for -sound effects for stories like Goldilocks or the Three Billy Goats Gruff
(different sized bears or goats, different sized bells) -playing rhythm patterns; I have lots of four beat rhythms on flashcards, and we can use a different bell for each card, or for each note, or have several bells play the rhythm together, etc. -the black bars can be used to improvise pentatonic melodies
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01/02 SCRAMBLE SCALES: I use them for an activity that I call "Scrambled scales" I take out an octave of resonator bells (not necessarily in C major) and scramble them up. I pass them out to 8 children in the scrambled order. They may not show anyone else what bell they have. Each child plays his/her bell and the class determines who is lowest. That person moves to the head of the line. From that point that person plays first, then the next person in line, back to the lowest bell then the third person in line, then to the 4th, etc. until "re" is determined. Continue until all bells are in order from lowest to highest. They love the challenge of adding sharps/flats and also to put the in order from the highest to the lowest. After they successfully put them in order, they exchange amongst themselves twice and then go back into the line where they were when the bells were in order. Then they pick someone to take their place. That person goes up to where the child is standing so that the bells are already scrambled for you. Great for grades 3, 4, and 5.
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01/02 UP/DOWN, SOL/MI, HIGH/LOW: I use them mainly in my primary classes as step bells. I set them on one of those wooden ladder frames at the appropriate step. All can see the up/down, high/low , sol/mi, etc. relationships. All have a turn to play an ascending and/or descending scale, and we play a high/low identification game with them. They're also really handy when we add sound effects to things like "Halloween Time," a poem from Mk-8, vol. 6-1. I also have lots of diatonic and chromatic bell sets, so all can play at the same time after the concept or song is taught. The resonator bells also work for chord work, but I tend to use our autoharps and barred Orff instruments more for this.
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XYLOPHONE MALLETS
10/12 HOLDING MALLETS: I have referred to that pointer finger as a worm crawling up the mallet. Tell them I don't want to see any worms while playing and they instantly look at their hands and if they see the "worm" they remove the finger and make it correct. They love this. They are always checking each other for the worms and telling them if have them. It works!! ---- I have referred to the elbows out a bit as spreading their "chicken wings". Also use the reference to the hands like a bike but also to hold a glass of water on top so they don't spill the water on my floor (then they have a pretend puddle to clean up). These little quirky things they remember. So I just say "water", "chicken wings", and "worms" and they self adjust if they are wrong. Also have used the phrase "don't paint my walls" when they start to use stiff arm motion to play the mallet instead of flexing the wrists. ---- Brenda in MO
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06/10 MALLET HEADS COMING OFF: I use Gorilla Glue - but you need some way to clamp the head to the stick overnight- I use giant (inch wide) heavy duty rubber bands. --- Cara Swenson - Washington State
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12/09 MALLET QUESTION: I bought mallets from the discontinued bargain bin (about $14/per pair). Unfortunately, they are the acrylic-covered- by-wrapped- rubber kind. I know acrylic is death to Orff instruments, and I know that children strip the rubber. A particularly crafty math teacher suggested a rubber dip- I think you heat it, you dip, it hardens, voila, good-as-new mallets? --- Becky Dougan
ANSWER: the rubber-dip stuff can be purchased at a store like Home Depot or Lowe's. It is what is used to coat the handles of tools such as pliers, hammers, screwdrivers and anything that needs to be gripped. When we manned the boutique in Rochester, in 200, we used it to dip lengths of steel rods to make cover one end of triangle strikers. It comes in red. I'm not sure of any other colors. The stuff we used doesn't need to be heated, but once it is opened you have to use it all up because it hardens when the air hits it. You'll have to devise a way to air dry them without dripping all over the place. --- Rose Grelis
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11/08 USING MALLETS: I tell them bicycle handles, and my kids have fine technique. You can still have the "little hole and flexibility." --- Jennifer Schroeder
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11/08 BRAND: One of the main reasons I love my mallets from American Drum is that they have blue handles with 3 white lines on them, right where the thumb and pointer finger go. It's great to be able to say "pinch the lines". And they know that pinch doesn't mean pinch hard - it means to use the two correct fingers. If those fingers stay super glued on there, and if they have knuckles on top, then their technique is great. ---- Martha Stanley
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MARIMBAS
MARIMBAS
BOOK: Marimba Music for Little Kids (accomp. CD) I just LOVE LOVE LOVE this book...I can use EVERY piece in it. One needs to be able to accompany the mallet instruments sometimes...either with a guitar, piano or piano accordion. The children have begged OVER and OVER for certain pieces. You can download one of the pieces for free...TRY IT...You will be hooked! The age range is quite wide...from about 5 to 12 [approx.]. My pupils performed quite a lot of pieces in concerts from this book... Lesley-Anne Hill BACK to Rhythm Instruments topics
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KEYBOARD BRANDS
12/13 BRAND: I got them from Rhythm Band (they are Bontempi brand - made in Italy).? They take six AA batteries which tend to last quite a while.? I bought one of those battery charger things to save on constantly replacing by buying new ones - so far, so good (especially with the El Cheap-O batteries the school warehouse supplies!? Those tend to leak every once in a while).? I've had these keyboards for three or four years now and they seem to be holding up. They have 32-note polyphony and tend to stand up to the little drops and so forth that happen with third graders.? I do have a couple that refuse to function with battery power, but I found a plug adapter that fits them on Amazon for cheap - so when I have one of those huge classes when I have to use EVERY keyboard, I have a couple kids sit by the wall and plug in.
http://rhythmband.com/ I got them to come down a little on the price because I was ordering an entire class set. I don't know if they'll still do that, but it's worth a phone call to find out! They used to sell a smaller model, BUT...and this is VERY important...those models did NOT have a headphone jack!? You definitely need headphone jacks if you want to do the individual assignment stuff. ---- Norm Sands
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12/13 BRAND: Rhythm Band (they are Bontempi brand - made in Italy). They take six AA batteries which tend to last quite a while. I bought one of those battery charger things to save on constantly replacing by buying new ones - so far, so good (especially with the El Cheap-O batteries the school warehouse supplies! Those tend to leak every once in a while). I've had these keyboards for three or four years now and they seem to be holding up. They have 32-note polyphony and tend to stand up to the little drops and so forth that happen with third graders. I do have a couple that refuse to function with battery power, but I found a plug adapter that fits them on Amazon for cheap - so when I have one of those huge classes when I have to use EVERY keyboard, I have a couple kids sit by the wall and plug in. ----- Norm Sands
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11/08 BRAND: I love using my MIE keyboards from Yamaha. I don't always use the curriculum that comes with them, but my students love it. I don't use them with K, but begin during the second of third six weeks with 1. By second grade we use them a bit every week. I only see my students once a week for 50 minutes. I consider them a great teaching tool. --- Judy R. Haley
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11/01 BRAND: I just got a Yamaha Clavinova and love it because its really versatile - i got the model with the disc drive so I can pre record accompaniments, etc. After 9 weeks of using it, the only thing I dont' like is that the speakers face the performer, not the choir. My local piano store sold them, so you could start there.
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11/01 BRAND: I also just got a Yamaha Clavinova and what a BLAST! I love it. I am orchestrating my upcoming performance of "HMS Pinafore" and the kids are intrigued by all of the various sounds. I am thrilled because I will be able to do all of the songs at OUR tempo and in OUR keys! AND make it sound professional. I wouldn't just "settle" for whatever you can get - get something good. It will be with you for a long, long time...
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11/01 BRAND: I bought a Technics in the spring, and have been since learning it. It has a disk drive and some fine preset instruments and rhythims. I had the same question as you last spring and visited my local piano dealers, tried them out and settled on the Technics. I **LOVE** the instrument. Check it out.
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11/01 BRAND: I purchased the very basic, but very nice YDP-101 from Yamaha. The sound is terrific and I don't think there are any other pianos with so many features (a built-in two-track recorder plus numerous voicings: piano, electric piano, strings, organ, harpsichord) and great sound in this price range. It was just $995. We purchased from Brook Mays in Dallas, but that $995 price was common at most all of the stores that carried it.
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MANDOLINS-Tuning
The mandolin is basically an 8 string violin with frets. The pairs of strings are tuned to the same notes as the violin.
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Tuning: Low (4th) strings are G (below middle C), 3rd strings are D, 2nd strings are A, 1st strings are E
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PASSING OUT INSTRUMENTS
06/15 ACTIVITY: I put 6 hula hoops on the floor. ('Cause I only have 6. You could use more)
Inside each hoop, I put one kind of instrument. Triangles, tambourines, shaky eggs, wood blocks, Boomwhackers, etc.
"Charlie, Jenna, and Kate will start at the eggs." They sit around the hula hoop -- but DON'T TOUCH YET!!! Assign all the kids a starting instrument.
Pick up your instrument and play. I let them experiment for 15-20 seconds, then we all play the same way. Examples are fast, slow, loud, soft, next to your ear, behind your back, standing, marching in place, between your feet (low to the ground), over your head, marching around your hula hoop, jumping in place, lying on the ground..
Then I play any song that's about 1-2 minutes long. A fast-paced AB song works well for this, so that they can hear the contrast and know when to change how they're playing.
* "Great! Put your instruments down gently inside the hula hoop and sit around it. Now, if you just played the eggs, go to the tambourines..." etc.
Experiment with the new instrument and repeat! This can take up anywhere from 15-40 minutes depending on class size, number of hoops, etc. I call it "Hula Hoop Groups".----Nikki Febinger
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06/15 My students sit on risers and I will usually have one section be the ones
who get the instruments out (about 8-10 students). While they set up I
will have the rest of the class sing a song or do some rhythm reading.
When it's time to put the instruments away, I will have a different section
put them away. My students are getting pretty good about doing it quickly and being safe.
They have learned to work together and not to bicker over who does what..
They know if they take too long to set up, we won't have time to play them. ----- Tami Mangusso
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06/15 I have a set way to pick up and put away instruments. My procedure never
varies. It gets pretty fast......
I go stand by the instruments. I have the mallets right there.
I also have my kids play in partners for several reasons (another time we
can talk about that). So, since they are assigned partners they must sit
next to every class period (another discussion), they come to me in a
straight line, shoulder to shoulder. Kid closest to the mallets gets two,
other kid carries the instrument to their spot. When they put them up,
they reverse roles but yet still line up shoulder to shoulder and in a line
to give me the instrument and mallets back.
The kids sitting closest to the instruments have to go to the back of the
line so that others don't trip over them and their instruments, and get
their instruments last. They also give me the instruments back first.
When I pass out ukuleles, we don't share. But they line up in a line. I
hand them a uke, they have to say "thank you" and then I release the uke.
Thank you is the signal that they have a firm grip on the neck. Then they
leave in a direction that prevents them from running into others or
crossing the line of kids waiting. ----- Martha Stanley
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LUMMI STICKS, ETC.,
06/07 TINIKLING: I did Tinikling with my 5th graders last year, and plan to do it again with them this year. I used a video from Sanna Longden, and showed it to my kids before actually trying it with them. She has a pretty good progression of skills, so that you can avoid bruised ankles when you start out! Plus, she shows some native dancers, who do a beautiful job with it, as well as some upper elementary or young middle school kids. Some interesting variations on the basic pattern, too. And yes, it is a wonderful way to incorporate 3/4 time into your curriculum, along with the lummi stick game that is in MusicPlay (Ma Koo Way, or something like that), as well as a funny Butterfly Dance from the Step Lively folk dance series. Julie Jones in Williamsburg, VA
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01/07 MAORI SONG: This website has the sheet music, translation and information on [a Maori] song: http://folksong.org.nz/epapa/
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01/07 RHYTHM STICKS: I use rhythm sticks with the game Bee Bee Bumblebee with my 1st graders. They stand in a circle, with their rhythm sticks on the floor behind them. Either I stand in the center of the circle or a child does, with a bee puppet. The rhyme is a counting out one: Bee Bee Bumblebee, Stung a man upon his knee, Stung a pig upon his snout, I declare that you are out! The person with the bee points to each child in the circle, in turn, on the steady beat. Whoever is "out" then sits down in the circle, picks up their sticks and plays the rhythm of the rhyme as it continues. Game continues until only one child is left standing. Great game to segue into internalizing the rhythm of the chant; determining the number of sounds per beat; reading the rhythm of the chant; useful for a number of different objectives. I also use the rhythm sticks for a Native American singing game, Mock Too Way (this is the phonetic spelling; have no idea how it is really spelled). I believe the directions for this game are in one of Denise Gagne's texts. Used the rhythm sticks for the 5th grade's Mexican dance, Los Machetes. This is on one of Sanna Longden's videos/books/CDs. I think there may be other dances of hers that use sticks. - Julie Jones in Williamsburg, VA
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01/07 GET LAMINATOR ROLLS FREE: No money to buy lummi sticks? Go to your local Office Max, Office Depot, Kinkos, Holcolms, or other educational store that laminates. Ask them to save their laminator rolls for you. Have someone with a power saw cut them to the desired size. Have someone else spray paint them and you've got GREAT heavy duty lummi sticks for practically nothing. -- Cak
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PVC PIPE: My rhythm sticks are what I made out of 1/2 "PVC schedule 40 and are 8" long. The pipes come in 10' lengths and I cut them on a circular saw. I have over 200 of them which are stored in my favorite storage container: the free one gallon cans from the cafeteria. They make a much better sound than the plain old lummi sticks. We have even attached crepe or tissue paper fronds when used in perfomances by stuffing the fronds in carefully with a pencil. The kids thought they had gone to heaven! -- Sue Michiels
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02/03 PVC PIPE: I bought two- 10 feet lengths of 1 inch pvc pipe and cut them into the length that I wanted. I think they are about 10 inches long. They have a nice sound and only cost about $5.00.
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After working with both lummi and rhythm sticks with Kinders, I highly recommend using the blunt-ended lummi sticks. The lummis (sp?) are easier to handle (no poking eyes, heads, etc.) and lummis are more practical in exploring other movement activities like "hammering", "sanding", "drilling" etc. (Check activities in the Cycle of Seasons by Lorna Heyge of "Musikgarten".
If money prohibits your situation, go to a hardware store and look for dowels, 3/4" or 1" and cut them the desired length. My sticks are shorter than 10" (am at home, sticks are at school). Then sand the edges (maybe get your older students to do this as a project for the younger ones).
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VIOLIN INSTRUCTION
06/09 NON STRING TEACHER TEACHING STRINGS: I remember my mentor college string teacher telling me, "You know, Kara, you could teach strings if you had to." I replied, "Mrs. Donellan, I'm sure I won't have to do that." Four years later, I was hired by that same school district to teach K-6 general music and 5th grade beginning strings. I got myself into a string workshop that summer, and wow, those teachers were very understanding! I got a violin so that I could practice over the summer and I picked out the book Artistry in Strings because that was the book the school district was using at the time. Then I went to work practicing almost every day. I teach private piano lessons and found both to be similar. Baby steps with strings. I started out by teaching the left hand position first, then a couple months later adding in the bow. Thankfully, I called up Mrs. Donellan and she met with me a couple times to explain the basics with me of how to teach beginners.--- Kara Telgenhoff
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06/09 NON STRING TEACHER TEACHING STRINGS: I started teaching after one year of study - as with you, no choice. I use "Strictly Strings." I used the Suzuki book for the first year but without the background in Suzuki it wasn't all that helpful.
1. Make sure your students have tuners on all 4 strings, rosin, a shoulder rest of some kind and a tuner (instruct parents)
2. If private lessons, Keep careful records of paid lessons, etc.,
3. Position (holding vioin, bow, etc.,) is key - spend time on this.
4. Teach 'hearing' as well - listening for correct pitches.
5. Have them echo you in some exercises.
6. Make SURE the student gets the proper size instrument for their size. --- Sandy Toms
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08/15 SUZUKI COURSE: I strongly recommend the book I course for methodology.
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07/05 RENT QUALITY: Your best bet is to encourage them to go to the music store, pay the money and be sure that you have something worth paying for! I was just having a conversation with my colleague who teaches instrumental music and she told me horror stories of some people buying an instrument off of ebay. Not everyone has bad luck, but, and maybe I am cautious, but I would never take that chance. I would never buy a piano unless my good friend, the piano tuner looked it over from top to bottom first. Are there cracks in the sound board etc. etc.??? Violins can be found in peoples' closets and have never been touched much less played in a zillion years. Lord knows what you are getting! I rented my daughter's first violin when she started at 3 - it was a sixteenth size violin and she was a tall JUST 3 year old. I continued to rent until she moved into her 3/4 size which I bought. I had her teacher look at it and play it. Then, when she grew into a full size, at about 3rd or 4th grade (I don't remember), we had some of my Dad's to play. When she first began, I remember having her teacher look at her and hold the violin (16th size) in her arm and somehow she knew that that was the correct size..I wish I could remember more but it was awhile ago! My advice is to send her to the music store and have a string person measure the child for the violin. -- Kathleen Bragle
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07/05 MEASURING FOR VIOLIN: There is a way to measure for the correct size of Violin. I think you measure from the sternum to the palm. There are websites which will tell you the exact size to order. I wouldn't think a 2nd grader would play a full size, but you never know. Here is a site to help you. It details measuring and everything:
http://store.musicbasics.com/howtodetrigs.html
Violin comes in 8 different sizes: 4/4 (also called full size), 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/10, 1/16. 4/4 size being the biggest and 1/16 size being the smallest. All adults, regardless of their size, use the 4/4 violin. There is another uncommon size, 7/8, usually used by female professional violinist who wants a full-size violin sound but whose hand might be a little small for the full size violin. BACK to Rhythm Instruments topics
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KEYBOARD INSTRUCTION
12/13 RESOURCES:
I think www.joytunes.com has a piano curriculum you can use iPad's with. --- Lori V.M.
http://www.theperfectstartforpiano.com/ - Books in this series are now $8.95.....so worth it. I have used book 1, glad to see a few more. There are free resources at this website meant for the book that include sound files to listen to, flashcards, etc. I used this book specifically for a special needs student. Although she usually had short term memory loss, she was able to READ music when practicing this book daily. It would be a great start for your piano unit.
http://www.susanparadis.com/ - Fabulous blog and graded pieces from pre primer to intermediate. Love her music games!
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12/13 PIANO CLASS - An article about curriculum:
http://music3t.blogspot.ca/2012/09/ebony-and-ivory-okay-black-plastic-and.html ---- Norm Sands
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12/13 SPACE PROBLEM? - If you are pressed for space, I highly recommend the SA-76 by
Casio. You can fit 20 in the storage space that you would fit 3 full size
keyboards. you cannot control dynamics with your touch, but it is
polyphonic for up to 5 keys at once, I believe, takes 6 AA batteries or a
power supply, and has an automatic shut off after a minute or two of
inactivity to save battery life. It also has a display of the grand staff
that shows you the notation of each note you play. Here is a video of how i
have my set-up. I bought these little desks at Michael's for 3 dollars a
desk. They stack up and create a good arm angle if the kid is sitting on
the floor. They also have a headphone jack. This is the only way possible
that I can teach keyboard! And it has been working out great!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ5L-kVN-Gs ---- Gary Heimbauer
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06/09 UNIT (about 1 to 1.5 months). Each grade level is run the same way. I teach K, 1, 2, and 6. The first class is spent going over the "anatomy" of a piano and proper playing position. I have them look at a keyboard and see if they can discover the pattern "hidden" in the black keys (2,3,2,3, etc.). I will open up the piano, explain how it works, and maybe let them play a few keys. It gets really quiet when I begin to lift the lid on the piano! :)
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11/08 UNIT: I invited the students to bring their own keyboards to school to share. Of course they needed parent permission. They brought them home again after the unit was over. It ended up working out perfectly... a very small number (like 6 or 7) actually brought keyboards and headphones. But, combine that with the 2 pianos and 2 keyboards I already have, and we had enough to share with 2-3 kids per keyboard. I handwrote packets with 1 song per page because I don't have enough books to go around. We started out each class period with a quick lesson or review, then the rest was practice time as I walked around to monitor, listen, and assess. The individual time was great for the advanced ones who could play ahead in the packet, and allowed me time to see each child and give help where it was needed. It was kind of a makeshift thing, and they only learned a few songs over 2 months, but they have been quoting it as their favorite part of this year. --- Mallory Kroon
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07/05 ACTIVITY-UPPER GRADES: I got the keyboard going, using a G-flat major auto-chord with a medium tempo swing auto-rhythm, so that once it was going, it just kept on by itself. Then I had the kids line up in front of it, and I stood behind it. On the upper (treble) end of the keyboard, I played an 8-beat (2 measure) one-finger improvised melody, on BLACK KEYS ONLY, and then they were to respond with their own 1 finger answer. For the most part, each Q or A was just 7 quarter notes, ending with a rest. The electronic accomp. was what made the kids think they were really doing SOMETHING COOL!!! As long as the kids stayed on black keys and the upper end of the keyboard, it was virtually foolproof. They loved it, since it was upbeat and sorta jazzy. To keep it moving smoothly, there were no breaks between my q, their answer, next q, next a, next student, and so on. When their turn ended, they had to step quickly out of line so the next one would be up and ready for their turn. NO TALKING IN LINE was permitted, penalty was they were motioned out of line and back to their seats, and they really wanted to play on this one! Your kids might enjoy this too. Louise Eddington, Muncie, Indiana, E. Luane Campbell Elementary Music Instructor & Talented and Gifted intervention specialist Mt. Gilead Schools, Ohio
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01/02 OBTAINING KEYBOARDS: I have found that SO many kids have some kind of keyboard at home, that when
I want to do a keyboard unit I ask for volunteers to bring theirs in for the
duration, and I then have enough usually for two to a keyboard. Yes, it's
noisy, usually I set the volumes and all buttons with instructions that NO
ONE may change the settings. But they are happy that all can do the same
thing. This seemed to work for me, but it may or may not be what you had in
mind!
Also, I even found that if I put a note in the school newsletter that if
anyone has a keyboard to donate to school, I got a couple of really
serviceable ones that families weren't using.
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10/01 FLOOR PIANO: I bought a vinyl floor piano about 3 years ago. It's great for demonstrating concepts such as
High-Low, Melodic Direction
Figuring out or deriving the solfa for simple reading songsPlaying scale songs while we sing them - I use Jack & Jill, Elevator, I know a Little Pussy, Icicles, and 5 little Pumpkins
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UNIT: I did a keyboard unit with my 3rd graders this winter and I used Mayron Cole's "Blast Off with Piano." This little book is relatively inexpensive and teaches basic keyboard geography and rhythm reading, does not present notes on the staff, just letter names. It has some nice ensembles. I took in my sequencer and played the accompaniment discs with them and the kids though it was wonderful. Mayron's website is: www.mcpiano.com
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TWO NOTE SONGS: K-1: I've "scored" some 2 note songs using the black keysonly, with finger numbers and stems of notes. They manage to play See Sawor Rain Rain in K, On a Long Mister Frog by 1st, more difficult songs in 2ndsuch as Hot Cross Buns, Mary Had a Little Lamb in C, for 3rd - reading simple folk songs on the staff in C, F or G, right hand only, and in 4th Ihave them write their own songs & play them, & some kids are able to go beyond the right hand only songs & play with a melody alternating to the left hand, for example "Home on the Range" or "Bingo". I've used Encore to score these for my students. Each student works independently at their own pace, but I've let them know that there are some basic songs for each gradelevel that I expect them to play as a minimum.
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I had great success with having students play LH chords, and listen for the chord change--in key of C, use C-G for I chord, and G-F for V7 chord. Perhaps some students could try the LH chords while others are playing melody with RH. (In fact, I had two students at a keyboard.)
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ACTIVITY: At first, we identified keys with the power turned off. (I had 6 keyboards loaned to me for 2 weeks by other teachers in my building). Then we did it with the power on. Students quizzed each other; lots of noise, but productive, everyone was on-task. We tried a C scale with the power off and then again with it on.
Our next step was to play along with the sound track for "Whomp Out Loud". Students played the C scale at the beginning, middle and end. All of the echo chords that are supposed to be on boomwhackers contain a C. I had 3-4 students on each keyboard, so we had several octaves going, but I could easily hear if most everyone was on a C! We followed this process each of the 4 times we had the keyboards and I saw(heard!) a definite improvement.
We also went to the black notes and found you could play "Hot Cross Buns" and "Mary had a Little Lamb" there too. These songs were the first they learned on the recorder. Students had a real sense of accomplishment because they figured it out with very little help.
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DUETS: There are adaptors for headphones so duets can be played, or one student playing chords. I just haven't really tried it because I don't have enough adaptors. (maybe I'll invest in more)! But I have had students who take lessons already partner with each other & work on simple duets with the couple sets that I have. I got the duets out of the Silver Burdett books! They like it, and it's good practice for counting & playing with a steady beat, as piano players typically need help with that, as they often stop & start whenever they goof, since they practice alone usually.
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BOOK: I would like to recommend Loretta Mitchell's Music Reading Activities Kit. Because of it's title, many think that it is only a collection of worksheets for theory, but actually it teaches student to play any keyboard instrument (I use songbells) using the Kodaly sequence for rhythm and pitch. The book begins with songs using quarter & eighth notes rhythms on G & E. This method also teaches the students that these notes can be called So & Mi. The songs add one new rhythm or pitch element at a time until the entire Cmajor scale has been covered. Then accidentals are added and there are songs in F and G major. BACK to Rhythm Instruments topics
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KARAOKE
10/01 I use mine a ton!!! I use it as the main stereo in my classroom. I just bought a new player last year. It's called a VocoPro Duet and it ran about $350.00, but they come in a variety of prices. The great thing about them is that they have dual cassette, CD, and PITCH CONTROL, which doesn't change the tempo! I use that function a lot! You don't really need the graphics part, but I do Karaoke for my students at the end of the year and they absolutely love it, and it gets some of them singing solo that you would never imagine!! The CDG's are very reasonably priced compared to $20.00 a song, like regular accomp. tracks. Last year I did a music program about food and found a "Kid" version of "Cheeseburger in Paradise", but couldn't find the actual music anywhere. So, I just typed the new words, ordered the CDG with Jimmy Buffet's original "Cheeseburger" and then changed the pitch. It was a HUGE hit! It's very handy!
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10/01 WEBSITE: www.karaoke-warehouse.com I looked at the site - not familiar with the "Top Hits" brand, although we might have some CDs of that brand - so I can't vouch for the quality. But Kim's right, it is a good price. Might have to get it for our karaoke collection, especially with all the Air Force guys who come sing with us on Saturday nights.
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AUTOHARPS
07/05 INTRODUCING THE AUTOHARP: When I introduce the autoharp, I mention that it is an automatic harp (so far no one has gasped about the batteries....smile). "It automatically takes out all the wrong notes. That's why it's automatic." Then I tilt the instrument so they can see the felt bars. I tell them they look like first graders' teeth.... lots of missing areas. They all smile.
Then I demonstrate what happens when I play a string and then touch it. "What happened?" I ask. "The sound stopped, " they answer. "Why did the sound stop?" I ask. They think and guess and eventually I let them know that when I touch it, my fingers make the string stop moving (vibrating) and that without a vibration, there is no sound.
Oh--- they say. "So now I wish to demonstrate music math. Are you ready?" "HUH???" they query. "Yep. Every one of these bars is in charge of taking out certain sounds. And each bar takes out different sounds. For example, watch this bar at the end." I exaggeratedly press down the bar that has the felts that they can see and then strum all the strings. The chord appears into thin air.
"Now watch this music math. If I strum all the strings, good and bad sounding, and take out all the bad sounds, what do I have left?" "The good ones." "Right. Watch and listen." And then I strum allll the strings and grandly press one bar. "Ooooooh. It sounds like an organ. Do it again!" And so I do till I'm tired of it and then I demonstrate a song like Old Joe Clark (only 2 chords). Sometimes I follow up on this with a Bryan Bowers tune on CD.
This gives me a chance to show how to hold the autoharp Appalachian style (on the shoulder), how to put on finger picks, and how to fail miserably at showing them how you can play a tune and strum at the same time. "....which is why Bryan Bower is famous for his autoharp playing and I'm not!" And to tune autoharps: Get a melody bell - I like it because it has all the black keys on it. Use it as for the reference tones. Tune the lowest string (say F); then do ALL the f's; then do the F chord notes.
Then do the all the G's; all the g chord notes. Etc. Then do whatever notes is the next one on your autoharp. Mine is C, I think. Check the chords as you go along in the I, IV, V of the chord you are working on. So when I get to the C chord, I play C, F, G to see if they're still in tune. Hopefully, I haven't messed anything up in the tuning. Tuning it by chord is a lot faster and your ear doesn't wear out. When you get used to doing it this way, you can tune an autoharp that is badly out of tune in less than 5 minutes and often a lot less. ---- Martha in Tallahassee
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12/13 USE IN CLASSROOM: When I work on the string unit, I do a massive comparison of the parts of the family across several instruments. I include the autoharp as well (where is the bridge, the sound hole, the tuning keys/pegs, the nut, etc.). I drag one out when we learn about vibrations AND when we're learning the L rule (long, low, loose, large, left) to determine pitch. It's great for comparing those strings by length and by size (gauge). ---- Martha Stanley
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12/13 USE IN CLASSROOM: I have 8 autoharps. I use them in 3rd grade and we do a unit on folk songs. I lay them out across the floor as I have 8 students across and then four deep behind. Each one in the front row gets to play the song about three times and then they move to the back and the next row moves up. We continue this AD Nauseum until everyone has had a chance to play the song three times. We usually only do two chords and we usually only do the choruses. Sometimes we do a "Lightening round" where each child plays the song once and then we move. They think that's fun! --- Caryn Mears
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Get a bell set of some kind or a xylo.
Tune all the G's, then all the D's, then play the G chord and strum. Find
the strings out of tune (the B's) and fix them.
Then do the D chord. Strum and find any A that is out of tune, then the F#.
Then do the F chord. Etc.
12/13 TUNING: Tuning by chords is the fastest way to tune.----- Martha Stanley
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12/13 WON’T HOLD TUNING: I tried to tune them, but they won't hold the tuning. I even paid a piano tuner to work on them and was told they would not hold the tuning. -- Here's a thought ...a luthier sent me a piece of mahogany veneer and told me to cut thin strips and insert them in with the tuning pins. I gave my old black autoharp away and still have the piece of veneer;
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06/02 K, 1, 2: Autoharps-partner holds "buttons" while other strums, 1 chord songs until 2nd grade
2 chord. Easy handbell activities using written letters only in 2nd grade using resonator bars and boomwhackers.
3rd : Autoharps, at 1st with partners, then alone with 2 chord songs. Easy handbell activities using notes on the staff and resonator bars and boomwhackers. Appalachian dulcimer unit with our classroom set.
4th grade: 3 chords and more on autoharps. Easy handbell activities using notes on the staff and resonator bars and boomwhackers. Appalachian dulcimer unit with our classroom set.
5th grade: Use autoharp some, Ukuleles unit with no more than 3 chord songs, if I can get that far! Easy handbell activities using notes on the staff and resonator bars and boomwhackers.
6th grade: Review all instruments: dulcimers, autoharps, (no ukes this year, this will be my first year trying those) Recorders, add various instruments to recorder activities.
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CHORDS/GRADE LEVEL: My 1st graders only play one-chord songs, and they pair up to play. In 2nd, we begin with one chord, but we don't use partners. I let them begin the year without cross-over, but encourage the change. By the end of second, most can do the cross-over and handle 2-chord material. I even had some willing to try holding the instruments up the correct way for a song on our spring concert, but, although the spirits were willing, the bodies weren't able to handle it! All 3rds play cross- over.
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RESTRINGING: I have sent old autoharps in to be restrung but have only done
selected strings myself. It's quite an expensive thing to do, even if you
do it yourself, so check out the condition of the instrument first to
make sure it's not warped or cracked. Elderly Instruments did have
autoharp strings. Check their on-line catalog or call to find out. I
usually get mine from Rhythm Band Inc., as that is where my
instruments came from. There are at least 2 styles of strings, so
you need to be sure to get the right kind. You can get full sets or
individual strings from RBI, but I'm not sure if they offer both styles.
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WOODBLOCKS
12/16 I started buying the Basic Beat guiro crow sounder (has grooves like the
guiro) because the woodblocks can be annoying. The crow sounder has a much
mellower wooden sound than the woodblock (especially the ones I have). I
do use a rubber mallet on the woodblocks, but it's just not the best sound
either. The crow sounder also has a handle making in easier for students
to play. --- Tami in CO
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