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Lots of Questions

2012-01-01T11:13:00.000-08:00

Questions are great because a teacher can see how much a student understands different concepts. Asking lots of questions is a simple way to incorporate music theory into private lessons.

When introducing a student to a new piece, the following questions could be asked:

“What is the key of this piece—what scale has the same key signature?” Point out that the piece often ends on the tonic or first note of the scale.
If the key is minor, ask, “What is the leading tone of the key?” Point out the multiple raised sevenths that you usually find in a minor key. Also point out that this is a great hint that the piece is in a minor key instead of a major key.
“What is the time signature?”
“Which beat should generally be strongest?”

If possible, ask the student who the composer was and in which time period the piece was written. (This isn’t music theory, but it is great for a student to know!)

If the form is fairly simple, try the following:

“Where does the first phrase end?” You might even have your student mark all phrases.
If the piece is ABA form, have the student figure out the three sections. It may be easiest to first find where the opening melody repeats.
If the piece is in sonata form, figure out the exposition, development, recapitulation, and coda (if there is one).

If a student is playing a passage with a lot of broken triads, ask the following:

“Which three notes make up the passage?”
Have the student figure out the root position of the triad by stacking the three notes into thirds.
If the triad is a tonic, subdominant, or dominant triad, have the student label it in his/her music. (You could label additional chords depending on the student’s theory background.) Even if it takes a while for students to grasp this concept, it is great to at least introduce it in their music. Some day it will sink in!

If the piece changes key in the middle you could ask the following:

“What is the new key?”
“How does it relate to the first key?” Often it will be the dominant or relative major/minor.
“Does the composer ever return to the original key?”

Additional questions:

If an interval repeats several times, such as in a sequence, have the student identify the intervals.

Use the Circle of Fifths

2012-01-01T11:12:00.000-08:00

The Circle of Fifths is one of the greatest teaching tools because it relates to so many aspects of music theory: scales, key signatures, the order of flats and sharps, intervals, chord progressions, modulation, etc.

Any easy way to introduce the Circle of Fifths to students is to have them learn scales using the Circle of Fifths chart rather than scale books. Even young students can have great success with this (and they often complain less because they just assume it is expected of everyone).

If a student is not used to this method, begin with C major. Have the student first spell the scale aloud (no accidentals). They should say, “C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C.” Point out that each letter is used once—you don’t have two of the same letter used right next to each other.

Then have the student spell the next scale on the Circle of Fifths. This could be G major or F major depending on which direction you prefer. First have the student spell the scale with no accidentals. Then have him/her name the accidentals of the key and play the scale slowly.

There are several benefits to this way of learning major scales:

Students become familiar with the Circle of Fifths.
Students learn the order of flats and sharps. They can see that the key of E major has 4 sharps, but they have to think about which sharps they are.
Students learn to LISTEN to the scales as they play them.
Students learn to think about all the accidentals so they don’t have to rewrite ‘A#’ as ‘Bb’ and ‘Cb’ as ‘B’ (etc.).
Students memorize the scales.

Minor scales are not as difficult when the student is used to thinking about key signatures. (I always have students become proficient with natural minors first.)

Download a free Circle-of-Fifths Chart

Playing by Ear

2012-01-01T11:11:00.000-08:00

Playing by ear has many great advantages. One of the biggest is that a student who plays by ear generally LISTENS to his/her playing more than one who doesn’t play by ear. It can also help with memorization, improvisation, and even intonation.

An easy way to get a student playing by ear is to have him/her pick a song each week to learn by ear for the following week. At first it may be best to stick with standards: Twinkle Twinkle, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Happy Birthday, the Star-Spangled Banner, etc., but some students may prefer to learn their favorite pop songs.

Another exercise is to ask the student to play from “memory” part of a piece he/she has been working on, especially one that has not been memorized yet. The student may have to fiddle around a little, but should be able to figure out a phrase or two.

Echo

2012-01-01T11:10:00.000-08:00

A great way to begin or end a lesson is the “Echo Game.” The teacher plays a short melody (or even a 3-note motive) and the student repeats it. This game is often harder for students who are used to excelling, as it takes a lot of practice for most people and lots of “trial and error.” When introducing the “Echo Game,” you might include mostly whole steps or half steps and diatonic melodies.

There are many variations to the “Echo Game:”

Interval Practice: Choose an interval to focus on. One week you might choose thirds. Play major and minor thirds with your student. Then quiz your student. Play a major or minor interval, and have the student repeat it (“points” for getting it right on the the first try).
Rhythm Echo: Play a rhythm and have the student repeat it. Try using the metronome and having the student repeat the rhythm at different tempos.
Counting Echo: Play a rhythm and have the student repeat it. Then have the student say the counts for the rhythm. (“1 and 2 e and a,” etc.) This can be difficult but is a great skill to have.

Theory Workbooks

2012-01-01T11:09:00.000-08:00

The great thing about music theory workbooks is that the teacher can monitor the student’s understanding of concepts. Also, many students/parents are not computer savvy, so an Internet assignment can be overwhelming.

Music Theory for the Flutist is different than other music theory workbooks in that it is designed specifically for the flutist. Examples use the full range of the flute, and listening examples are played on the flute. In addition, instead of using the keyboard as a tool for explaining concepts, Music Theory for the Flutist builds on concepts that a flutist would know.

Music Theory for the Flutist includes both written and ear training exercises. Each lesson introduces a new topic, reinforces it through listening exercises, and reviews material from previous lessons. Lessons are short and concise with crossword puzzles and mazes to make the work fun.

Computer Practice

2012-01-01T11:07:00.000-08:00

Kids love computer games! If you are willing to purchase a music theory program and you have access to a computer in your studio, you can give the student 30 minutes of computer time following his/her lesson while you teach your next student. Many parents would consider this a “bonus,” and you could even charge a small “computer fee” to help pay for the program.

Computer Games to try:
Groovy Music
Music Ace
CATS

The Internet also has a wealth of Music Theory resources. Students can learn theory lessons at home for free using the Internet. Many lessons are geared towards pianists, but they can still be very helpful.

Internet Sites:
www.musictheory.net (free)
www.emusictheory.com (small monthly fee)
www.mymusictheory.com (free)

If your students (and their parents) are computer-savvy, the computer can be a great resource to help incorporate music theory into private lessons.

Interval Practice Using Long Tones

2012-01-01T11:06:00.000-08:00

My favorite interval study is a variation of a long-tone exercise by Marcel Moyse (de la Sonorite). Basically, I start mid-range and descend by a chosen interval to my lowest note. I then start mid range and ascend by the same interval to my highest note.

Step-by-Step Directions:

Play a starting note somewhere mid-range (I usually start on Bb above the staff) and descend by the chosen interval. For example, if I want to focus on perfect fifths, I will start on Bb and descend a perfect fifth down to Eb. I then start on the Eb and descend a perfect fifth down to Ab, etc.

Perfect Fifths Descending:

You will notice, especially with the larger intervals that the exercise becomes rather short. Another option is to start on your first pitch (such as Bb) and descend a perfect fifth. Then start back up one half step lower than the starting note.

Perfect Fifths Descending (Variation):

Once you are done with the lower register, start again mid-range and do the same exercise ascending.

Not only does this exercise require mental focus to know which note comes next, it also can help learning intonation between intervals. Practice with a tuner sometimes, but also work on listening without the tuner.

Younger students can focus on half steps and then whole steps for a while, but more advanced students can add thirds, perfect fifths, and then perfect fourths. I would expect that undergrads could play all the intervals easily by graduation.

(Just a side note...I don’t write out this exercise for myself or my students, as this defeats the purpose of the exercise.)

* This method came from studies with Trygve Peterson at Arizona State University.

Conducting

2012-01-01T11:05:00.000-08:00

Conducting is a great way for students to learn to feel meter. It can also help with ear training—it is much easier to dictate a piece when the meter is felt. The following conducting activities could be done in a lesson:

Before a student can conduct, he/she must be able to feel the beat. Practice finding the beat with different songs at different tempos.
Have the student conduct as you play a song. (Start with music that does not change time signatures.)
Conduct a pop tune together. Then, if the song is in 4/4 time, try to conduct it in 3/4 and show the student how the strong beats do not line up with the conducted downbeats.
Play a song and have the student figure out the meter. You could even assign two or three pieces to figure out before the next lesson.

Basic Conducting Patterns:

2/4 or 6/8 pattern; 3/4 pattern; 4/4 pattern

Terminology

2012-01-01T11:04:00.001-08:00

Familiarize your students with important music terms by using them throughout the lesson. Terms to use include the following:

Tonic
Leading tone
Dominant
Half step/whole step
Key signature
Meter
Modulation
Triad
Arpeggio
Cadence
Enharmonic
Interval names (“perfect fifth,” “minor third,” etc.)
Exposition (for students playing a concerto)

Composition

2012-01-01T11:04:00.000-08:00

When a student learns to compose melodies, he/she must think about the basic elements of music theory, such as key signatures, time signatures, and scales.

A “first-time” composition assignment could be as follows:

On a piece of staff paper, write the key signature and time signature of your piece.
Start on the tonic pitch (1st note of the scale with the same key signature).
Use pitches from the scale. Make sure that each measure includes the proper number of beats.
End on the tonic pitch.
Play your piece.

After the student masters this assignment, try some of the following:

Add accidentals outside the key signature.
Make the piece longer.
Modulate in the middle of the piece.
Add a sequence.
Include several broken chords.
Include triplets.
Make repeat with a 1st and 2nd ending.
Add a D.S. or D.C. al coda.
Write a duet.

Feeling the Beat

2012-01-01T11:02:00.000-08:00

Teaching students to feel the beat can be a challenge. Some students seem to get it naturally, while those who don’t can really struggle with it. Here are a few possible ways to work on learning to feel the beat.

Have them tap their foot while they play. Make sure that they are really tapping with the beat. If necessary, simplify the music selection temporarily so that the focus can be on tapping correctly with the music and not on the music itself.

Encourage them to practice with a metronome regularly. Let your students know that scales should always be practiced with a metronome. Assign etudes and require them to play those with the metronome as well.

Teach them how to conduct. Let them practice conducting their music while you play it.

Play the meter game. Listen to different music, especially music with a heavy beat. Have your student first try to clap with the beat; second, try to feel where the downbeat is; third, count with the beat (1-2-3-4); fourth, conduct the beat.

Encourage them to take dance lessons. Tap dance or hip hop are great for learning to feel the beat.

Transposition

2012-01-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

Transposition exercises are great not only for ear training, but also for learning to think about the different degrees of the scales. Start students with simple melodies so that they can learn to transpose using their theory skills and not just by listening/guessing.

There are several ways to teach transposition. Here are four ways using “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” Choose the best way for your students, or have them use a different method each time. It may be beneficial for the student to write out the melody in the different keys to help reinforce the theory.

1. Solfeggio

2. Numbers

3. Scale Degrees

4. Intervals from one note to the next