Below are some great resources for learning how to get started reading music and how it applies to our instruments.
Music theory lessons and interactive exercises. See below for customized exercises from Mr. Barnard
Note identification and instrument fingering games.
Below are customized drills for each instrument. Make sure to click on ( ... ) in right corner to reset the drill. Students should try to complete these drills several times a week to work on pitch recognition and fluency (speed). Fluency will make it much easier to process pitch reading when playing your instrument
Open up the drills in web version on your iPad.
Below are customized drills for each instrument. Make sure to click on ( ... ) in right corner to reset the drill. Students should try to complete these drills several times a week to work on pitch recognition and fluency (speed). Fluency will make it much easier to process pitch reading when playing your instrument
Open up the drills in web version on your iPad.
In these exercises, students will need to raise or lower the note on the music staff to make the pitch given below the staff. Use the up/down arrows on the left side to change your note to the correct pitch. Make sure to click on ( ... ) in right corner to reset the drill.
Open up the drills in web version on your iPad.
Below are customized drills for each instrument. Make sure to click on ( ... ) in right corner to reset the drill. Students should try to complete these drills several times a week to work on pitch recognition and fluency (speed). Fluency will make it much easier to process pitch reading when playing your instrument
Open up the drills in web version on your iPad.
In these exercises, students will need to raise or lower the note on the music staff to make the pitch given below the staff. Use the up/down arrows on the left side to change your note to the correct pitch. Make sure to click on ( ... ) in right corner to reset the drill.
Open up the drills in web version on your iPad.
These exercises contain the whole music staff, plus one note above and below the staff. Please note that there are no flat or sharp notes or key signatures.
Open up the drills in web version on your iPad.
(Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax, Trumpet, Bells)
(Trombone, Euphonium)
Sometimes, we just need to sing about it to help us remember information! Below are some youtube songs that students and their families can watch, learn AND enjoy together!
This is a great song to learn and remember notes on the treble clef staff. This is very helpful for our flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and percussion
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
ALL ABOUT THAT BASS CLEF! Check it out trombones and euphoniums!!!
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
This video demonstrates how the music staff works when reading music.
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
This video demonstrates how to draw a treble or bass clef on the music staff.
Treble Clef Instruments: Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax, Trumpet, bells
Bass Clef Instruments: Trombone & Euphonium
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
This video demonstrate how the musical alphabet works when reading music. The first 7 letters of our alphabet is our musical alphabet: A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G etc.
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
This video demonstrates how to read the treble clef notes on the music staff.
Line Notes: Elvis' Guitar Broke Down Friday, E-G-B-D-F
Space Notes: F-A-C-E (FACE)
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
This video demonstrates how to read the bass clef notes on the music staff.
Line Notes: Great Big Dragons Fly Around, G-B-D-F-A
Space Notes: All Cows Eat Grass, A-C-E-G
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
This video demonstrates how the measure works in a music staff, using barlines.
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
This video introduces the whole, half, and quarter notes. Remember ...
Whole Notes = 4 beats each
Half Notes = 2 beats each
Quarter Notes = 1 beat each
These will be the three main note rhythms we will use during our 1st Trimester of beginning band.
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
In this video, John McCallister teaches us how to read time signatures in music.
He also demonstrates how barlines work to break music into smaller chunks called measures.
In this video, we will learn about Ledger Lines for all treble clef instruments: flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, percussion. Ledger lines are extensions of the music staff that are both above and below the music staff. CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
In this video, we will learn about Ledger Lines for all bass clef instruments: trombone & euphonium. Ledger lines are extensions of the music staff that are both above and below the music staff. CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
In this video, Dr. Watson teaches the basics of standard music notation, using the music staff, treble or bass clef, bar lines, 4/4 time signatures and whole and half notes.
He also demonstrates how band students need to blow air through their instruments for 4 counts in order to play whole notes.
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
In this video, Dr. Watson teaches us how half notes and half rests work as well as repeat signs.
Remember that a half note needs to be held out for 2 beats and be careful with half rests, which sit on top of the 3rd line of the music staff. They look very similar to whole rests so make sure you know the difference.
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
In this video, Dr. Watson teaches us how quarter notes and quarter rests work. He also reviews half notes. Be aware of both the note head and the stem (line attached to note head).
Dr. Watson also does a great demonstration on how quarter notes relate to 4 quarter coins equals a whole dollar. A quarter note or rest equals 1 beat each.
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
In this video, Dr. Watson teaches us how eighth notes work in music. Be aware of how eighth notes can be grouped as 2 or 4 notes together.
Remember, eighth notes equal 1/2 a beat each and you need two of them to equal one full beat (quarter notes).
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
In this video, Dr. Watson teaches us how to play in 3/4 time signature, 3 beats per measure.
The time signature can be found at the beginning of the music staff, after the clef sign and key signature.
Work on feeling beat one as our strongest beat when playing. This will really help feel 3/4 time.
In this video, we will learn about Sharps and Flats. In music, we use sharp (#) signs to raise a note up a half step. We use flat (b) signs to lower a note down a half step.
Also mentioned in this video are enharmonic notes. Enharmonic notes are two different notes that use the same fingering and sound the same pitch, example Bb/A# or F#/Gb. This will be important when we start Opus 4 of our Measures of Success books. Eventually, we will learn about the chromatic scale, where knowledge of enharmonic notes are very important.
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
In this video, we will learn about accidentals, sharps & flats, and key signatures. CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
In this video, we learn about natural signs. Natural signs are used to cancel out sharps (#) or flats (b) in music. CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
In this video, Dr. Watson teaches us how to identify and play slurs and ties in music.
Remember that ties are curved lines that connect two notes that are on the same line or space. Tied notes are to be held together to play longer (ex. quarter note tied to a half note equals 3 beats).
Remember that slurs are curved lines that connect two notes that are not on the same line or space. When playing on your instrument, students will tongue the first note and slur into the second note.
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
In this video, Dr. Watson teaches us how to count and play dotted quarter/eighth note rhythms in our music.
A dotted quarter note equals 1 1/2 beats and the 8th note is played on the & of the 2nd beat.
CLICK HERE to view video on Youtube.
In this video, Dr. Watson shows us what a scale is and the importance of using scales to learn how to play our instrument and play music.