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> The Language of Music

The Language of Music

Introduction to The Language of Music

When people think about studying music, they often picture the student learning one particular instrument.  And while playing an instrument is often the end goal, learning fundamental concepts that apply to music in its entirety will form a solid foundation to build instrument playing technique upon.

Many of the most successful and popular music methods have come to realize that route repetition is not the best way to start as a beginning music student.  Instead, students are more successful learning to play by mimicking accomplished musicians, gaining listening skills, recognizing patterns...similar to the way one learns to speak, read and write their native language.

Course Objectives:

  • Develop Listening Skills
  • Fundamental Music Terminology
  • Learn to read, write and play rhythms in 4/4 and 3/4 time
  • Learn to read notes on the treble clef

Tools:
Ennbom 25 Notes Vibraphone ($30 - required)
Claves ($9 - optional)

Start Playing by Ear (Xylophone)

This PDF guide is designed to play along with the color coded keys on the Ennbom 25 Note Vibraphone.  The PDF guide will help you with color coded stars that coincide with the notes on the xylophone.  But don't rely entirely on the colors, try to mostly use your ears and start developing your listening skills.  Active listening is a crucial component of music education.

Sing this familiar tune Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and then try to "sing" through the instrument as you sing along with your voice.  Once you are able to make your way through the song, close your eyes and visualize yourself playing.  This concept is called Mental Play, and will become a valuable skill to gain as your musicianship progresses.

  PDF - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Counting in 4/4 Time (Claves or Clapping)

  PDF - Quarter, Half, Dotted Half and Whole Notes

Time to practice playing quarter, half and whole notes clapping or playing the claves!

You don't need to follow exactly what I'm doing, just use the videos as a guide to understand what quarter, half and whole notes sound like counting out loud and playing with music.

Watch the Video and Play Along to "Ice Cream Shop"
Watch the Video and Play Along to "Habanera" from Bizet's Carmen

Now you try using the same audio tracks!

Try playing the same rhythmic value for the whole song (for instance whole notes for the whole song or quarter notes for the whole song), or switch it up throughout song like I did in the videos.

Ice Cream Shop

Habanera From Bizet's Carmen

Counting in 4/4: Mixed Quarter, Half and Whole Notes

This is a continuation of the previous lesson where we learned how to count quarter, half and whole notes.  In this lesson, we will mix and match to create our own rhythmic compositions, and learn to read real sheet music with the familiar tunes Old McDonald and Mary Had a Little Lamb.

  PDF - Intro to Mixed Rhythm Values in 4/4: Lesson and Exercise

Play by Color

You might not know how to read note names but that's okay!  The notes are colored like the keys on your xylophone.

PDF - Old McDonald Sheet Music
PDF - Mary Had a Little Lamb Sheet Music
  PDF - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Sheet Music

Links - The Language of Music

Music as a Language: Victor Wooten at TEDxGabriolaIsland

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For Your Pontification

If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.

― Albert Einstein

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