Web Assignments

10. World Music

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:53:10 -0500

Most of the music that we play at our piano lessons was written by composers from America or Europe. People all around the world are writing and playing music and it sounds very different from what we are playing.

This week we will experiment with the sounds of world music. PBS has a great Website to help us try out the sounds of different instruments and beats.

Click here to hear and learn about a few instruments from other countries.

Click on “Go Mix Music” to experiment with the instruments and world be sounds.

Drag the Instruments, World Beats or Sounds into the 3 different tracks. Find different combinations of sounds.

Write in your assignment book your favorite combination of sounds.

9. The 60 Second Club

Sun, 2 Mar 2008 18:42:44 -0600

Students who can name all of the bass and treble clef note flash cards in under 60 seconds will become members of the 60 Second Club and get a prize at the end of the semester!

This week’s Web Assignment will help you practice. You can try once at each lesson until the end of the year.

Use these links to practice naming your notes! Come back to them as often as you need to.

musicards.net - Online flash cards, select “No Ledger Lines - Natural Notes Only” for each clef
emusictheory.com - timed drills - before you begin, click on settings then “No Ledger Lines”
musictheory.net - more drills!
pedaplus.com - practice beginner level bass clef or beginner level treble clef under “Flash Notes”

8. Student Composer, Gabrielle Chou

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:11:09 -0600

Gabrielle Chou is a 12 year old piano and violin student in Florida. She is a very talented musician and composer. She began playing the violin at age 4, piano at age 5 and composing at age 9.

Watch the video below of Gabrielle performing her composition “Etude in Thirds”.
Click here to visit her website. Write something interesting about her in your assignment book.
Have you ever thought about composing? See if you can come up with your own composition this week to show me at your lesson. Be creative!

7. Tempo

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 20:58:07 -0600

A metronome (pictured above) is a device that helps musicians practice playing to a steady beat. It ticks like a clock, but you can adjust how fast or slow it ticks.

In music, tempo means speed. Most music was written to be played at a certain tempo. It is our job to play the music at the tempo that the composer wanted. A metronome will help you do that.

Click here to experiment with the different speeds of a metronome. (Click the metronome to begin.)
In your assignment book, write the music terms for the following speeds: (Click on each of the speeds and the music term will appear.)
-very slow
-slow
-medium
-fast
-very fast
Try playing your pieces this week at different tempos. See if you can discover what tempo the composer wanted

Optional: If you don’t have a metronome, you can use an online version at metronomeonline.com. If your piano is not near a computer imagine playing your pieces to the steady beat that you hear.

***Every pianist needs a metronome, so if you don’t have one yet you should save up for one or ask for one for your next birthday! :)

6. Practice Tips

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:48:35 -0600

Practicing is the most important part of playing the piano. Your piano lessons are only valuable if you spend time practicing at home. Sometimes it can be hard to practice. We might not know what or how to practice.

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra offers some suggestions on how to make the most out of your practice time.

Read the Who, What, When and How of Practice.
Find at least two new ideas for practicing. Write them in your assignment book and try them in your practice this week.

5. How A Piano Is Made

Sat, 2 Feb 2008 20:10:19 -0600

Pianos are very complex instruments that are made after a very long process. In this week’s Web Assignment we will find out how a piano is made.

Watch the video below about how Grand Pianos are made and answer as many questions as you can.

What were piano keys once made out of?
How long do the piano rims stay in the room to dry?
What will go on the notches carved in the bridges?
How many pounds of tension are in the strings?
What happens when a hammer hits the string?

4. Orchestra Instruments

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:22:17 -0600

Good piano players know about other kinds of instruments, not just the piano. This week we will learn about the instruments in an orchestra.

Click here to go to the Website for kids for the San Francisco Symphony. You will see the different families of instruments that make up the orchestra. How many families are there?
Click on each family. For each family, click on each instrument and then click on the button that says “Hear It Play”.
In your assignment book, write down your favorite instrument from each family.

There are a lot of other fun activities on this Web Site, so look around if you have extra time. Tell me what you found at your lesson!

3. Mozart’s Birthday is Coming!

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:48:53 -0600

January 27 is Mozart’s 252nd Birthday! In this week’s Web Assignment, we will listen to some of his music and learn about his life.

1.) Click here to read about Mozart’s life (in the green box). In your Assignment Book, answer these questions:

-How old was Mozart when he composed his first piece of music? -What 2 instruments did Mozart play?
-How old was Mozart when he died?

2.) Under the green box you just read, you will see snowy pictures. Follow along with these pictures as you listen to this Turkish Rondo by Mozart. Were you able to keep track of the pictures?