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Rachel May
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| Posted: June 03 2007 at 2:49pm | IP Logged
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I've been thinking lately that part of why I didn't take piano for long as a child is because no one in my house played it. I couldn't see where I could go with music without it being a performance which always freaked me out so I gave up. I've also noticed that the pieces that interest my kids most are the few that I play. So, I'd like to try to imitate Pa from Little House a bit as a way of inspiring their music more, but I don't know what kind of music to start with. What music do you play (on an instrument rather than on the radio) that you find inspires your kids or makes music a part of your life?
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Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
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Fuzzy
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Growing up in my home, we listened to records  , and they were Soundtracks from movies (The Music Man, Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady, etc), and different plays/books like Hansel and Gretal, or even any kind of nursery rhymes or Disney movies. One of my favorites was Rhapsody in Blue on one side, and American in Paris on the other.
Jenn would be our pianist, and would often play many of those on the piano. She was really good at finding many of my parents favorite music (Sweet Violets, After the Ball is Over). We used to laugh because the lyrics my dad would sing were never the same each time, and were VERY different when we got the music! 
As an adult, I will play my flute with Jenn during our family get-togethers, and my kids really enjoy the music we make, but it makes it so much nicer to have music to sing along with (I am torn on some songs, as I LOVE to sing as well) and that way it gets everyone at least involved somehow, so it doesn't feel "performance-y". If you start with something that your kids know, even if it is music that you listen to in the car, then they will recognize it and sing/dance along, with or without words.
I am rambling (of course  ), but I was remembering that when I was growing up, we didn't do a lot of TV, but we did do music!
I hope this helps you!
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 Fuzzy
Mom to DS 12, DD 10, DS 7, and DS 4, and DD 1!
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Rachel May
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Perfect, Fuzzy! I can just see the whole big family gathered round to sing together with you and Jenn making the music. I found a Little House song book with piano music at the library, and we know some of the songs from listening to the books. Maybe I'll try church hymns next and then go from there. Thanks!
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Rachel
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Fuzzy
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Of course we used to sing Church hymns! I am chuckling to myself, as my mom was a choir director for years, and we were all "recruited" with her built in 4-part harmony! I can't believe I forgot to mention that.
I hope everything goes well!
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Fuzzy
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JennGM
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I thought I'd chime in. This book Singing Bee is my favorite to play for the littles. Since playing the piano is an automatic magnet, this is the next step. This has lullabies, nursery rhymes, fun children's songs. We sing along while I play.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Lisbet
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3 of my kids play piano, 1 plays violin. 1 starts guitar next week! I play a little piano and a little claronet. It is really fun to have our own 'family recitals'. We all play one or two songs for one anther. 2 of the piano kids play duets often, and they love to write songs for all of them to play together.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
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Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
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chicken lady
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I play the guitar, trumpet, and french horn. My dc play piano, violin, and recorder. My dh plays the bodhran and the littles play an assortment of instruments that I have put together in our music basket. My oldest dd is also learning from me the guitar, as it is great outside by the fire for sing alongs. I love the piano for winter sing alogs and the string instruments for the campfire. I am recently teaching myself the mandolin that dh gave me for x-mas! We love Irish music so our goal is to cover as many of the instruments as possible.
Just have fun with it and encourage your family to give it a try!
I have already put away for this years x-mas a drum set for oldest ds, and bag pipes for oldest dd! I cannot wait, I am so excited for them! The bag pipes really have me excited! My mother and friends think I am crazy, then again this would not be the first thing I have done that would make them think this
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Mary K
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i play piano. 2 dds took piano lessons and will play once in a while. oldest dd takes voice lessons and has been in several musicals. 3 dds are in a summer musicals. we often have music playing here-classical, christian, soundtracks and musicals.
mary-ny
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Rachel May
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Sounds like enthusiasm and variety are major elements too. Anthony is going to start recorder next week (this is my opinion of the recorder  , but I've decided to offer it up) with hopes to play at mass with another boy. I guess things are going the right direction.
It's neat to see what everyone else does. I looked up the bodhran--very cool--is it loud enough to call in the kids to dinner or should I take up the bugle?
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Rachel
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chicken lady
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[QUOTE=Rachel May] (this is my opinion of the recorder
Rachel think of the von Trapps get some of their music, the recorder is absolutly beautiful when played well. Having quality instruments is another major factor, don't be tempted by the less expenseive versions. Treat yourself to a Renesaince and Baroque society concert, my dc LOVE going we have season passes, I promise you will walk away with a  instead of .
As for the Bodhran...it is really a fun drum, I don't know about a dinner bell, but hey why not 
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JennGM
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chicken lady wrote:
Rachel May wrote:
| (this is my opinion of the recorder |
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Rachel think of the von Trapps get some of their music, the recorder is absolutly beautiful when played well. Having quality instruments is another major factor, don't be tempted by the less expenseive versions. Treat yourself to a Renesaince and Baroque society concert, my dc LOVE going we have season passes, I promise you will walk away with a instead of . |
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I was going to suggest the exact same thing. The older recordings from the Trapp family has wonderfully inspiring recorder music. It definitely changed my attitude. PLUS, like mentioned, quality instruments help. So after learning basics, if they want to keep pursuing, a wooden recorder is wonderful. And not all recorders are soprano. There are other alto, bass, etc.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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marihalojen
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Have you all watched The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band? It was one of my favorites as a kid. I think I'll add it to my NetFlix queue today! I really enjoy rewatching these movies I remember with Marianna.
Regarding what we play, we have guitars and recorders onboard the S/V Mari Hal-O-Jen and my dh is desperately wanting a chanter for bagpipes next unless he can find a squeezebox! Good sailors' hornpipes should result, right?
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guitarnan
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I play guitar, dh is scraping together a few spare minutes every year to work on bodhran (Irish drum) and dd is totally in love with the piano. Someone gave us an old, old piano because she saw dd try to play by ear after Mass each week. It's an out-of-tune blessing...she's really done well. Ds has studied trumpet in the past but I haven't found an affordable and nearby teacher for him. He mentioned learning mandolin, too, but they start at about $600!
We don't do the family concert thing often, but when we do, it's usually Irish music. Good fun.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday
Topic: What do you play?
