February 15, 2025: Saturday Remix
Teachers and Staff: Happy Saturday!
I hope everyone had a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Teaching Music Lessons (Part 3)
Continued from the last two weeks, here are some more ideas for guest student and guest teacher lessons, when you need to teach multiple instruments or an instrument you do not play. More ideas will be presented over time in the Teacher Resources folder.
Sample Musicianship-Focused Lesson Plan
(For use when teaching a lesson that is not your primary instrument.)
Here’s 12 things you can do in a Music Lesson with any instrument and any combination of instruments. 5-10 minutes each thing, age 5+ (tailor to age group and levels). (And you can do these things many times, even with the same students!)
Introductions and Name Game to “We Will Rock You”
Introduce each other and tell a little about yourselves.
Any brief icebreaker activity such as answering a specific question.
Name Game to “We Will Rock You”
- Learn the chorus of the song and be able to stomp and clap to the beat while singing the lyrics, “We will, we will, rock you.”
- Sit in a circle, clap the beat (use hands to thighs instead of stomping), and say, “My name is [My Name], I like [a food].” Then the next person, all in rhythm. Practice until everyone can do it. Then add other topics. Examples: “My name is Michael, I like pizza.” “My name is Beth, I like potatoes.” If a student can’t figure out a good rhythm to say their name or thing, help them, and everyone can practice, etc. Get good at it.
2. Play or sing (perform) something for the group, using their instrument or voice. Most students should be able to perform something, but help any student who feels uncomfortable or unable. Make it easy. Duets. Karaoke. Read or tell a story. Stand or sit next to you while you perform something.
3. Scales. Everyone plays a scale individually. Everyone plays the same scale in unison. Keep a steady beat while playing scales. Backing tracks can be used. Solfege can be sung. Advanced students can learn chromatic solfege and play/sing minor scales or other modes.
4. (4a) Vocabulary. See document “Vocabulary Every Music Student Can/Should Learn.” Teach and practice/memorize/define music vocabulary, terms, symbols.
4. (4b) Words in different languages. Musical terms in several languages that are useful. Practice pronunciation and definitions, the same term in different languages (examples are English, Italian, German, French, Spanish, Latin, Russian, and any others the students or teachers speak can be discussed). See document “Vocabulary Every Music Student Can/Should Learn in Different Languages.”
5. Music Alphabet and Solfege
Practice speaking the music alphabet forward and backward.
Practice speaking and singing solfege forward and backward.
Get good at multiple octaves and steady rhythms.
6. (6a) Ear Training (Intervals). Listen to and then practice the following intervals:
- Octave versus Unison
- Half Steps versus Whole Steps (Minor 2nds versus Major 2nds)
- Major 3rds versus Minor 3rds, Major Triads versus Minor Triads
- Major Scales versus Minor Scales
- Perfect Fourths versus Perfect Fifths, and can add Octaves and Unisons
- I-ii-V-I Progression versus I-IV-V-I Progression
- I-vi-ii-V-I Progression versus I-vi-IV-V-I Progression
(6b) Ear Training (Rhythm). Listen to and then practice the following rhythms:
- Is the music in 2 or in 3?
- Is the subdivision in 2, 3, or 4 (e.g., eighth notes, triplets, or sixteenth notes)?
- Which 16th note pattern is it? (See document “16th Note Patterns Every Student Should Practice and Master.”)
7. Clapping on the Off-Beat
Teach how to clap on the off-beat, and then practice clapping on the off-beat to various music.
If this becomes mastered, then work on more complex syncopated patterns.
8. Dotted Quarter Note plus Eighth Note Rhythms
Teach and practice how to read dotted quarter plus eighth note rhythms. (See document Dotted Quarter plus Eighth Note Rhythms Every Student Should Practice and Master.”)
9. Dexterity - Conducting.
Teach a conducting pattern (2, 3, or 4). Once mastered, try the following:
- Raise your non-conducting hand/arm up in the air and then lower it down again, slowly, and repeat this motion, while conducting.
- With your non-conducting hand, sort a pile of small items (such as Legos) by color, or type, while conducting.
- Tie a scarf into a very loose knot; with your non-conducting hand, undo the knot, while conducting.
10. Music Listening
Learn the difference between different styles and genres of music by listening to samples. Learn what the differences and indicators are. (See the document, “Music Listening Samples by Style/Genre/Period.”)
- Classical by Period (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Contemporary)
- Classical and Jazz
- Jazz Styles
- Popular Styles
- Church Styles
11. Sight Singing
Learn how to read lyrics from music scores, whether or not you read music notation. (Most people and many student musicians cannot read lyrics from a music score, including verses, chorus, navigation such as repeats, first and second endings, da capos, codas, etc. Teach them how!)
Learn how to determine patterns in music melodies, up and down, steps and leaps, and how to approximate pitches.
Practice singing on solfege and/or numbers (scale degrees). (Sing the correct melody by reading the solfege syllables (moveable Do) and/or numbers (scale degrees).
12. Transcribe a Tune
Play a tune (over and over).
Have students “pick out” and be able to play the tune on their instruments.
Optionally write the melody in some form of notation on paper.
Optionally transpose the melody into a different key.
Note: When choosing music/videos to view with students, be sure you have screened them in their entirety, and approved them for age-appropriateness. Never play music or show videos without having screened them alone first.
Introductory Lessons - Teachers Notes
Introductory Lesson Teacher Notes will now be written online. When you receive your email with details about the introductory lesson, look for the link to the Google form within the body of the email. Please answer all the questions and submit the form after the lesson is completed and the student / family has departed.
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Q. Who purchases books for students, and how do we request them?
A. We provide almost all books and materials for students. Please do not ask the student, parent, or family to purchase books and materials. Submit a request to office@dennisfrayne.com, naming the book(s) or sheet music, the author / composer / arranger, edition, and other helpful identifying details, and include a link to the item, if possible.
There may be some exceptions, and we will let you and the student / family know when there is an exception. Ask us first.
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Thank you, everyone, for all that you do!
Have a magical Saturday, a musical weekend, and a safe and healthy coming week.
Thank you,
Dennis Frayne
"Dr. Dennis"
Laguna Niguel School of Music
Dennis Frayne Music Studios
30110 Crown Valley Pkwy, Suites 105/107/108
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(949) 844-9051 (office cell)
(949) 468-8040 (personal cell)
www.lagunaniguelschoolofmusic.com
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