Notes Have Names

 

Level:            Early Book One

 

Purpose:       To learn about the names of the notes on the A and E strings

 

Purpose:       Index cards labeled A, B, C#, D, E, F# - one for each student

Paper; Markers

 

Set-up:          Have students sit with violins held under their bow arms – guitar style

The musical alphabet is a lot shorter than the alphabet you learned in school

It contains only 7 letters: ABCDEFG

All the notes on the violin are named either ABCDEF or G

You already know the names of these notes:

Pluck and name the open strings together

Let’s learn some more

 

 

Activities:

 

(1)       Name and pluck the notes in the A scale. Explain that some of the notes have the last

            name “sharp”. The sharp makes the note a little higher.

 

(2)       Choose random notes from the A scale and have the group find them

 

(3)       Name and pluck the notes in Twinkle

 

(4)       Bell Choir Twinkle

-Have students pick a card from the “Note Name” deck – they are in charge of that note

-Play Twinkle - standing and using bows - each student playing his/her assigned note

-This is also fun with other early Book One pieces

 

(5)       Compose a Song

-Hand out paper and markers

-Each student composes a measure of music by writing down four note names

-Parents become a human music stand, holding up the pages

-Students play their “measures” consecutively, forming a melody

-After you’ve practiced it so that it flows, have students add some rhythmic

 variation to their measure

-Record the group composition