| Author | |
Barbara C.
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 11 2007
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 882
|
| Posted: Feb 11 2010 at 2:33pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
This is for serious musicians among you or the parents of serious musicians:
My oldest daughter is seven and in the 1st grade. I was thinking that for her first semester of 2nd grade (in the Fall) about adding Music Theory and Composition.
This is not something I would normally consider (I tend to stick with the three R's), but she has been "writing" songs for about two years now. I'm not talking about "the make up a song today and it's forgotten tomorrow" variety; she actually has a small repertoire of self-composed songs that she performs regularly in "concerts". Some of them are actually pretty catchy.
However, she can not write or read music yet. We've mainly been trying to make videos on the camera to preserve some of her creations.
She wants to learn how to play keyboard and guitar and possibly taking voice lessons (can we say American Idol 2020?). I've put off any sort of instrument lessons, because I read that it's best to wait until they have bigger hands, basic math/reading skills, and are able to understand the importance of practice, discipline, and desire on their own more (recommended age 8).
So, now I'm trying to figure out what to do to encourage her love and enjoyment of music composition and performance.
I've looked into a few programs for music theory/composition in the Rainbow Resource catalog. I particularly liked Theory for Young Musicians (grades 3-7) and Let's Learn Music (grades 1-6). I also thought about supplementing with Quick Notes flashcards and some music tablets to practice writing. There's another program called Keyboard Capers that apparently incorporates games with a piano or keyboard.
What I was thinking is that we might start with something like that at home in the Fall. Then maybe in the spring I might introduce the recorder just to give her a feel for relating theory to an instrument, sight reading, etc.
I am hesitant to start formal instrument lessons until Fall of 2011. This fall I'll be dealing with a newborn, and our springs get pretty hectic. I also do not want to teach her keyboard (even though I can play a bit) or attempt guitar (which I am clueless about) myself. I'm too scared of setting up bad fingering habits that a formal teacher would later have to undo. This is my only concern with using Keyboard Capers.
Does anyone have any thoughts? Has anyone used any of these curriculum that I mentioned or have any other suggestions?
ETA: Her reading has really taken off this year, and she's about a quarter of a grade ahead in math if those weight into any considerations.
__________________
Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SeaStar
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 16 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9068
|
| Posted: Feb 11 2010 at 4:55pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I use Keyboard Capers with my dc (5 and 7). It is a very gentle program that does incorporate games with learning music theory. We like it- my ds is doing well with it. Right now we are learning about 2nds and 3rds. There is a fun game for this called Gotcha! that ds loves.
I include these short lessons along with singing (we use Our Musical Year) and listening to real music (right now we are enjoying " Can You Hear It?").
Also I read picture books stories of the composers and music in general from the library.
Mondays are music day here, and the kids look forward to it.
__________________
Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Barbara C.
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 11 2007
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 882
|
| Posted: Feb 11 2010 at 5:40pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'm not really planning on doing music appreciation (composers, etc). I don't think she would really be into that. She's more concerned about her own music.  I looking more at practical aspects of music.
Thinks for the review of Keyboard Capers.
__________________
Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
violingirl
Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 27 2008
Location: Missouri
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 219
|
| Posted: Feb 11 2010 at 9:03pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'm a professional musician, theory major. :) I start kids on the piano as young as 3, but a lot of teachers don't like to work with kids that young. I love preschoolers. :) I love theory a ton though and composing is my very favorite topic!
I highly recommend you check out the book Music Mind Games by Michiko Yurko as well as No H in Snake by the same author. I use this book with my 3 year olds and up to early teen students and there are TONS of games to teach all the theory you need through the first 2-3 years of theory. It's a very nice scope and sequence. I easily made most of my own materials, but you can also purchase them from the website. It looks like the Music Mind Games book is out of print and they're doing everything through online venues now, but if you can find a hard copy it is worth the money if your daughter pursues this interest for any length of time.
The curriculum feels very Montessori to me- you hang out on a few games until showing mastery and then move on to the next grouping.
Once she can read on the staff you can get a free download of Finale and she can print her music on the computer for a professional looking piece of music. It's so exciting for them to see their own music in print. If you need other resources just let me know!
__________________
Erin
DS (2005) DS (2007) DD (2012)
Mama In Progress
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
vmalott
Forum All-Star
Joined: Sept 15 2006
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 536
|
| Posted: Feb 16 2010 at 8:43am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Former music major here. 
I don't see any harm in your daughter learning to read music at this age. I have the Hayes "Let's Learn Music" series here and they are a very basic introduction to learning rhythm, note values, and note names on the staff. They are also nicely inexpensive.
Maybe a used xylophone/glockenspiel (chromatic) would be a nice introduction to the keyboard. I know they can be kind of pricey, but it's just a thought.
__________________
Valerie
Mom to Julia ('94), John ('96), Lizzy ('98), Connor ('01), Drew ('02), Cate ('04), Aidan ('08) and three saints in heaven
Seven Times the Fun
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Barbara C.
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 11 2007
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 882
|
| Posted: Feb 18 2010 at 9:35pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I decided to go with Ready to Read Music. I think it will fit my teaching/her learning styles best, and I think I can incorporate our keyboard some. Plus it's reproducible in case my other kids take an interest.
We actually have a toy xylophone (about 7 or 8 notes)---it's a running joke between my mom and her brother to hand out xylophones to each other's kids and grandkids for irritation purposes.  I've caught my daughter pecking out a few tunes on that as well.
I also consulted with a good friend of mine who teaches music theory and composition at Radford University, so I feel a little more grounded with what we are doing. The real fun will come in a year when we try to hook up keyboard/piano lessons.
__________________
Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
Forum Locked) 
4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday
Topic: Music Theory and Composition 2nd Grader
