Music Club - Town Farm Primary School

Transcription

Town Farm Primary School
Music Club
First step: All about your instrument
(And tips for your family to help you practice!)
September to December 2014
Compiled by D. Craig
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Welcome to music club at Town Farm Primary!
The music club meets enthusiastically on a Tuesday
afternoon each week after school. Each of the
children in the club has selected an instrument of
their choice, and at each practice session, children
are developing their individual playing skills,
learning elementary music theory and how to read music in general,
and, more specifically, music for their particular instruments.
Children also have the opportunity to play in ensemble.
At the moment we have children learning to play
 the guitar,
 orchestral drums (bass, floor tom, snare, hanging toms, highhat, crash cymbal and ride cymbal),
 Recorder (soprano and contralto),
 Cuban bongo and conga (hembra, macho, tanan and doublebongo with crash cymballo),
 Keyboard and synthesizer,
 Xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel,
 Acoustic percussion (triangles, castanets, maracas, woodblock
and tambourine),
 Electronic percussion (drum box, beatbox),
 Traditional (English) handbells,
 Harmonica
We also have a range of stringed and brass instruments which we
may introduce in the future…
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A bit about each of the instruments that you (or other children in
the class may be playing).
If your child is enrolled in music lessons, they'll
invariably be provided with "homework" - chords, scales
and songs to memorize and practice. If not worked on
routinely, children will fall behind, and frustrate both
their teacher and themselves.
The guitar
Everyone knows what a guitar looks like. Many
children find the biggest physical hurdle
smaller children generally need to overcome
when learning guitar
is their lack of fine
motor skills and
hand strength.
Switching chords on
guitar needs nimble fingers, and many kids
don't develop the required level of
dexterity until they are eight or nine. Of
less importance is overall hand size we have
a few smaller guitars for smaller hands. At
Town Hill Primary, for ease and comfort on
little fingers we also use nylon strings
rather than the harder steel strings.
At the top of the guitar in the illustration is
the "headstock", a general term which
describes the part of the guitar attached to
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the slimmer neck of the instrument. On the headstock are "tuners",
which you will use to adjust the pitch of each of the strings on the
guitar.
.
The neck of your guitar
Examine the neck of your guitar. You'll notice there
are metal strips running across its entire surface.
These pieces of metal are referred to as "frets" on a
guitar. Now, here's what you'll need to keep in mind:
the word "fret" has two different meanings when
used by guitarists. It can be used to describe:
 The piece of metal itself
 The space on the neck between one piece of metal and the next
Now, that we know about the basic parts of a guitar, it's time to get
our hands dirty, and start learning to play it. Get yourself an armless
chair, and take a seat. You should be sitting comfortably, with your
back against the back of the chair. Slouching significantly is a no-no;
you'll not only end up with a sore back, you'll develop bad habits on the
guitar.
Now, pick up your guitar, and hold it so the back of the body of the
instrument comes in contact with your stomach/chest, and the bottom
of the neck runs parallel to the floor. The thickest string on the guitar
should be the closest to your face, while the thinnest should be closest
to the floor. If this isn't the case, turn the guitar the in other
direction. Typically, a right-handed person will hold the guitar so the
headstock points to the left, whereas a left-handed person will hold
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the guitar so the headstock points to the right. (NOTE: to play the
guitar as a lefty would, you will need a left-handed guitar.)
When playing the guitar sitting down, the body of the guitar will rest
on one of your legs. In most styles of guitar playing, the guitar will rest
on the leg farthest away from the headstock. This means, a person
playing the guitar in a right-handed fashion will typically rest the
guitar on his/her right leg, while someone playing the guitar in a lefty
manner will rest it on their left leg.
Unfortunately, before you begin playing, you'll really need
to tune your guitar. The problem is, it is, at first, a
relatively difficult task, one that becomes much easier
over time. At Town Hill Primary, we have an electronic
tuner which listens to the sound of each string, and
advises you (via a few blinking lights) on what you need to do in order
to get the note in tune.
Playing a scale
Now we're getting somewhere! In order to become skillful on the
guitar, we'll need to build the muscles in our hands, and learn to
stretch our fingers. Scales are a good, albeit a not very exciting way to
do this. Before we start, look at the diagram above to understand how
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fingers on the "fretting hand" (the hand that plays notes on the neck)
are commonly identified. The thumb is labelled as "T", the index finger
is the "first finger", and the middle finger is the "second finger", and
so on.
Your first few chords
Although practicing the previous scale will
certainly provide you with great benefits (like
limbering up your fingers), it is admittedly not
a whole lot of fun. Most people love to play
"chords" on the guitar. Playing a chord involves
using your pick to strike at least two notes
(often more) on the guitar simultaneously. The
following are three of the most common, and
easy to play chords on the guitar,
The G chord
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This diagram illustrates the first chord we are going to play, a G major
chord (often simply called a "G chord"). Take your second finger, and
put it on the third fret of the sixth string. Next, take your first
finger, and put it on the second fret of the fifth string. Lastly, put
your third finger on the third fret of the first string. Make sure all of
your fingers are curled, and are not touching any strings they're not
supposed to. Now, using your pick, strike all six strings in one fluid
motion. Notes should ring all together, not one at a time (this could
take some practice). Voila! Your first chord!
Now, check to see how you did. While still holding down
the chord with your fretting hand, play each string
(starting with the sixth) one at a time, listening to be
sure each note rings out clearly. If not, study your hand
to determine why it doesn't. Are you pressing hard
enough? Is one of your other fingers touching that
string, which is preventing it from sounding properly?
Playing a C major chord
The second chord we'll learn, the C major
chord (often called a "C chord"), is no more
difficult than the first G major chord.
Place your third finger on the third fret of
the fifth string. Now, put your second finger
on the second fret of the fourth string. Finally, put your first finger
on the first fret of the second string.
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Here's where you have to be slightly careful. When
playing a C major chord, you do NOT want to strum the
sixth string. Watch your pick to make sure you only
strum the bottom five strings when you are first
learning the C major chord. Test this chord as you did
with the G major chord, to make sure all notes are
ringing clearly.
Playing a D major chord
Some beginners have slightly more difficulty playing a D major chord
(often called a "D chord"), since your fingers have to cram into a fairly
small area. This shouldn't be too much of a problem, however, if you
can comfortably play the other two chords.
Place your first finger on the second fret of the third string. Then, put
your third finger on the third fret of the second string. Lastly, place
your second finger on the second fret of the first string. Strum only
the bottom 4 strings when playing a D major chord.
Spend some time familiarizing yourself with these three chords... you
will use them for the rest of your guitar-playing career. Make sure you
can play each of the chords without looking at the diagrams. Know what
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the name of each chord is, where each finger goes, and which strings
you strum or do not strum.
Play the A Major
This is another "big chord". For this, we use the 4th finger on the B
string, 3rd finger on the G string, and 2nd finger on the D string.
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As you get better at playing, you will understand that moving quickly
from one chord to another sometimes results in odd fingerings that
still work. The key is to make the most efficient use of your fingers,
and once you kick off the training wheels, don't be afraid to
experiment.
Introduction to Drums
Drums and percussion are the oldest form of
instruments. As time went on, drums were made
into newer and newer materials, until there were
medals, plastics, and many others.
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Pick your size drum stick
There are many sizes of drumsticks. They will have markings such as
5b, 7a, and many others. Go to a music store like Sam Ash or Guitar
Center. Go to the place with the sticks. Slide them out of the holders
(usually no wrappers or tape). Some sticks may be too thick, some may
be too thin.
Also, figure out how heavy you like
them. If your favorite size is 5a, find
5a sticks that are your liking of
weight. Sticks make a huge
difference. If it is too thick, you are
not capable of doing what you can do
with the size you are comfortable
with. Sticks that are too thin can
make you feel like you are hitting nothing but air, and it is weird .
The snare drum
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The first piece you will learn about
at Town Farm is one of the most
common used parts. It is called the
Snare drum.
The snare is basically a regular
drum, except it has multiple (usually
approx. 10) springs going across the bottom head. The diagram on the
next page shows what the snare looks like.
The top looks like a regular
drum. The bottom is
identical to the top, except
it has springs. On the side
of the snare is a snare
switch. When the lever is
up, the spring is against the
drum to make it sound
different, instead of a
"tom". You will learn about
the tom in the next step.
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The Toms
The toms are kind of like a snare, but no springs. The toms are almost
always diagonal from the snare. On the standard kit, there are 3 toms.
2 toms are on top of the bass drum (learned in the next step). These
are sometimes called "tom-toms".
The third one is always on long legs on the floor. This one is
called the floor tom. The tom-tom/floor toms can be used
with or without the bottom head. The diagram alongside
shows a floor tom. The first tom is always the smallest.
Second is always medium sized. And the floor tom is always
the largest.
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Bass drum
The bass drum is always the largest drum on the
set. There are many different sounds it can make.
Like a boom, thud, etc. This is under the toms, and
is in between the floor tom and snare.
The bass drum is different than
other drums. Instead of hitting it
with a stick, you stomp on the pedal. People who play rock
drums, rap drums, country drums, etc, only have 1 bass
drum. Some people who play
metal have either 2 bass
drums, or something called a double bass
pedal.
The double bass pedal is one pedal, connected to
another by a rotating pole. When the pole rotates,
it triggers the left hammer. Below are pictures of
a single drum single pedal bass drum, a single drum
double pedal bass drum, and 2 bass drums with a
single pedal on both.
Cymbals
Cymbals are metal sheets, usually slightly rounded. There are
MANY MANY different types of cymbals.
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The high hat is 2 cymbals facing each other. It has a
pedal at the bottom of the stand. What the pedal
does is if you do not step on the pedal, the cymbals
do not touch each other. If you do step on it, the
cymbals do touch each other. The closed (cymbals
touching) hi hat when you step on it can be used with any genre except
metal. If you open the hi hat, it can be used on anything.
The crash is a cymbal you hit to spice up the rhythm, to make the beat
more flamboyant and "un-dull" it. There are many variations of the
crash.
One variation is the splash. The splash is very small. The range of size
is about 3 inches to about 8 inches. It makes a higher pitched sound.
Another variation of the crash is the china. The china is like a normal
splash or crash, except the edges are large "mountains". This also
makes a high pitch sound.
A different kind of cymbal is the ride. The ride is like
a large crash, except it is thicker. Near the center
hole of the cymbal is a hill called the "bell". The bell,
well sounds like a bell. The ride usually is not used like a
crash. It is used like a high hat.
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The Recorder
Playing the recorder is easy once you master the basics
of fingering, blowing and tonguing.
Fingering
The recorder has 7 holes down the front, and
one hole in the back. Each finger on your hand
is assigned a specific hole to cover. Your left
thumb will cover the hole on the back of your
recorder.
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First, you must remember the "Golden Rule" of recorder playing: "Left
Hand on Top." It doesn't matter which hand you write with, or how
awkward it may feel, you must always place your left hand on the top
holes.
When you place your fingers over the holes, you
must create a flat, tight seal. Try to avoid
curving your fingers under. Instead, imagine you
are being finger-printed. The tips of your
fingers should reach, and possibly hang over, the
side of your recorder.
Blowing
Place the tip of the recorder into your
mouth. Remember, you are going to play the
recorder, not eat it, and so make sure that your teeth are not touching
the mouthpiece. If your teeth are touching the mouthpiece, you have
the recorder too far into your mouth. Move the recorder outward until
only your lips are around the mouthpiece. Finally, you must blow
GENTLY!!! The recorder is a small woodwind instrument, not a big, loud
tuba.
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Tonguing
To produce a clear beginning to each note, you must learn to use your
tongue to begin and separate each note. The tip of your tongue should
gently touch the back of your upper teeth at the point where the gumline meets your front teeth. It is the same process as you use when
you say the word "Du". You may find it easiest to practice saying "Du,
du, du" until you get a feel for the concept and can produce the same
action with only air (no sound).
Stopping squeaking noises
Squeaking is one of the most frustrating obstacles beginning recorder
players encounter. Whether it is a
continuous squeak or an occasional single
one, squeaks ruin good songs. Fortunately,
there is hope. Generally, there are three
main culprits of the
squeak: Fingers, Air and Bubbles.
Fingers
Leaky fingers are the most common cause
of squeaks. You must make sure that your
fingers are completely sealing the
hole. Always play with flat fingers, never
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curved ones. Imagining you are being finger-printed when you play may
help you to flatten your fingertips. Also, (according to the size of your
hand), the tips of your fingers will reach, or possible hang over the side
your recorder.
Sometimes, squeaks occur when changing notes. This is due to one of
your fingers moving enough to barely unseal a hole. When this happens,
it is often the left thumb or your first finger that is
moving. Repetitive practice moving between notes will help train your
fingers not to move.
Air
If your fingers are sealing the holes tightly and you are still squeaking,
you may be blowing to hard. Remember, you want to blow softly,
almost like whisper, when you are playing. You may also want to check
that you do not have too much of the mouthpiece in your mouth. The
tip of the mouthpiece should be in-between your lips, not touching your
teeth!
Bubbles
Occasionally, a small condensation bubble may become trapped in your
mouthpiece. These squeaks typically occur after you have been playing
on your recorder for awhile, usually longer than 15 minutes. To clear
condensation bubbles, place the recorder in your mouth as if you were
about Leaky fingers are the
most common cause of
squeaks. You must make sure
that your fingers are
completely sealing the
hole. Always play with flat
fingers, never curved
ones. Imagining you are being
finger-printed when you play
may help you to flatten your
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fingertips. Also, (according to the size of your hand), the tips of your
fingers will reach, or possible hang over the side your recorder.
Sometimes, squeaks occur when changing notes. This is due to one of
your fingers moving enough to barely unseal a hole. When this happens,
it is often the left thumb or your first finger that is
moving. Repetitive practice moving between notes will help train your
fingers not to move.
Note chart for the recorder
The conga, bongo, tumba and quinta (Cuban
drums)
Most modern congas have a staved wooden or
fiberglass shell, and a screw-tensioned drumhead.
They are usually played in sets of two to four with
the fingers and palms of the hand. Typical congas stand approximately
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75 centimetres (30 in) from the bottom
of the shell to the head. The drums may
be played while seated. Alternatively, the
drums may be mounted on a rack or stand
to permit the player to play while
standing. While they originated in Cuba,
their incorporation into the popular and
folk music of other countries has resulted
in diversification of terminology for the instruments and the players.
In Cuba, congas are called tumbadoras.
Conga players are called congueros, while rumberos refers to those
who dance following the path of the players. The term conga was
popularized in the 1950s, when Latin music swept the United
States. Cuban son and New York jazz fused together to create what
was then termed mambo, but later became known as salsa. In that same
period, the popularity of the Conga Line helped to spread this new
term.
The word conga came from the rhythmla
conga used during carnaval (carnival) in Cuba.
The drums used in carnaval could have been
referred to as tambores de conga since they
played the rhythm la conga, and thus
translated into English as conga drums
Nowadays, the conga players also use bongo drums as part of the drum
set. The bongos are defined as "African in concept, but Cuban in
invention" and over time some Moorish or European aspects may also
have partly shaped the bongos,
The bongo came to western Cuba at the turn of the 20th century, when
son migrated to the capital city of Havana. As son inspired Cuban big
band music gained international popularity, the Cuban bongo was
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exported all over the world. It is today one of the most common hand
drums.
Learning to play the bongos is an
exciting and fulfilling adventure.
These drums might be small in size,
but the music you can create with
them is anything but tiny. Consisting
of two drums joined in the middle,
bongos are usually played by hand
while being held between the knees.
The hembra, or larger drum, is usually held to the right, with the
smaller drum, the macho, to the left. Depending on usage though, there
are stands available for mounting bongos for use when standing or as
part of a larger drum set.
Choosing Bongos
The most obvious first step in learning
to play the bongos is finding an
appropriate set that is comfortable.
It is hard to say which bongos will be
right for the beginning drummer.
Considerations such as drum shell and
head materials, size and overall quality
of the instrument all factor into your
choice of bongos.
Bongo Drum materials
Bongo drums are made all over the world, so the materials used vary
greatly. Different materials will change not just the pitch of the
bongo; it will also change how the note is sustained as well as timbre.
Primarily bongo shells are wood, but are also available in fiberglass or
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metal, while the heads, normally
made from rawhide, are also
available in synthetic materials.
Bongo Drum Sizing
The size of a set of bongo drums
depends on the drummer's
preference. Smaller the heads
emit a higher pitch. Larger
bongos have a beautiful lower
range that small sets can't
achieve. However, a small set is recommended for a beginner helping
the drummer focus on learning technique before working with a larger
array of notes.
Bongo Drum Quality
The quality of the bongos will most likely determine the drummer’s long
term happiness. A low-quality bongo set
will have a head that is stretched and
tacked into place, eliminating the ability
to tune the instrument. A high-quality
bongo set will have a snugly fitted
tuning ring and adjustable steel lugs.
Mid-range drums often sport aluminum
hardware, which may or may not hold up
to repetitive use. Regardless, when
selecting bongos in any price range, it is
important to make sure the tuning ring
does not gap out from the drum shell as this will affect the sound of
the drum.
Bongos are the most popular hand drum and come in a variety of
materials, sizes and quality ranges. While bongos have been around for
hundreds of years, they are still an important sound in music all over
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the world today. Beginner bongo players are poised at the very
beginning of a journey that can bring creative fulfillment and rhythmic
joy, leading them into drumming adventures beyond expectation on
stage, at a drum circle, or even while sitting on a couch.
How to play the conga and bongos
There are five different techniques:
 Open tone is played with the four fingers near the rim of
the head, producing a clear resonant tone with a distinct
pitch.
 Muffled or mute tone (tono ahogado): like the open tone, is made
by striking the drum with the four fingers, but holding the
fingers against the head to muffle the tone.
 Bass tone (tono bajo): played with the full palm on the head. It
produces a low muted sound.
 Slap tone (tono seco): the most difficult technique producing a
loud clear "popping" sound (when played at fast and short
intervals is called floreo, played to instill emotion in the dancer).
 Touch tone (toque de punta): as implied by the name, this tone is
produced by just touching the fingers or heel of the palm to the
drum head. It is possible to alternate a touch of the palm with a
touch of the fingers in a maneuver called heel-toe (manoteo),
which can be used to produce the conga equivalent of drumrolls.
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Conga drums are tunable to different notes. The original drums were
tuned by adjusting knots and tension ropes on the drumhead, or, where
the drum-heads were tacked or nailed to the top of the shell, by
careful heating of the head. Modern congas use a screw-and-lug
tension head system, which makes them easier to tune (or detune).
The different drums are discussed in order from largest to smallest;
the sizes of the drumheads given vary considerably by manufacturer,
model, and style.
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The supertumba can be as large as 14 inches across (35.5 cm).
The tumba is typically 12 to 12.5 inches across (30.5 to 31.8 cm).
The conga is typically 11.5 to 12 inches across (29.2 to 30.5 cm).
The quinto is typically around 11 inches across (about 28 cm).
The requinto can be smaller than 10 inches across (24.8 cm).
The ricardo can be as small as 9 inches across (22.9 cm). Since this
drum is typically played while hanging from a shoulder strap, it is
considerably shorter and narrower than a traditional conga.
The Keyboard
At Town Farm Primary we start children a
keyboard with weighted keys, since little fingers
will be adjusted to the stiffness of the keys. This
way, when a child progresses to a lighter
weighted piano, their fingers fly across the keys.
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Keyboards can be 88 keys, 76, or 61. Many musicians
have the 61 and/or a 76 key keyboard. It is easy to fit in
the car as they travel from place to place.
Keyboard Familiarization:
The piano/keyboard uses the following
alphabet letters: A B C D E F G
The piano/keyboard consists of white and
black notes.
White Notes = Natural or Regular notes
Black Notes = Sharps and Flats depending on
how you address the note.
Moving one note a half step to the right =
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Sharp (#)
Moving one note a half step to the left = Flat (b)
Notice the pattern in relationship between the black and white notes.
Notice that there are 2 black notes together
and then 3 black notes together with white
notes in between. This pattern repeats over
the entire instrument.
You can move between notes via half step (E &
F. Notice that there is nothing between those 2 notes.)
You can move between notes via a whole step (C & D. Notice C#/Db is
between those two notes.
Perfect Piano-Playing Hand Posture
Hand posture and comfort are vitally
important while playing the piano or
keyboard. Poor hand posture can
cause your performance to suffer
for two reasons:
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
Lack of dexterity: If your hands
are in tight, awkward positions,
you can't access the keys quickly
and efficiently. Your performance
will sound clumsy and be full of
wrong notes.
Potential for cramping: If your
hands cramp often, you won't practice often. If you don't practice
often, you won't be a very good player.
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Cut those nails
You've no doubt heard of the piano teacher with fingernails so long
that all you could hear was the clicking of her nails against the keys as
she played. It sounds like typing class, rather than piano lessons.
The point is simple: Keep your fingernails short or at least at a
reasonable length. Your audience wants to hear beautiful piano music,
not clickety-click-click.
Arch those fingers
When you place your hands on the keys, you
must keep your hands arched and your fingers
slightly curled at all times. It feels weird at
first, but you can't improve your playing
technique until you get used to holding your
hands this way. Arching your hands and fingers
pays off with the following benefits:

Your hands don't get tired as quickly.

Your hands are less likely to cramp.

You can quickly access any key, black or white.
If you know how to type, you have already assumed this arched-hand
position — you hold your hands exactly the same way on the keyboard.
If you're lucky enough not to be familiar with typing, find two tennis
balls (or similarly sized balls) and hold one in each hand. This is how
your hand should look when you play the piano . . . of course, minus the
ball.
Pick a finger, any finger
Correct fingering — using the best finger to play each note of a song —
is always a very important part of piano playing. Some pieces, even the
easy ones, have fingerings marked in the sheet music. These fingerings
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help you plan which fingers to use to execute a particular musical
passage most efficiently and comfortably.
The fingerings you see in music correspond to the left- and right-hand
fingering you see. Think of your fingers as being numbered 1 through 5.
Begin with the thumb as number 1 and move towards the little finger,
or pinkie.
While you get used to thinking of your fingers in terms of numbers, you
may find it helpful to write these numbers on your hands. I advise using
non-permanent markers. Otherwise, you'll have to explain those
numbered fingers to your teacher the next morning!.
Scales
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During this session at the Town Farm Primary music club, we will only
be using a basic c major scale (white notes only).
Major Scale - Whole - Whole - Half - Whole - Whole - Whole - Half
―Learning the notes on the piano‖
It is vital that we learn all the notes of the piano. Unlike the
regular alphabet, the piano only uses the first 7 letters.
That is, A B C D E F G.
But instead of starting with ―A,‖ we start with ―C.‖
That is:
C–D–E–F–G–A–B–C
Notice that when we get to ―G,‖ we started back at ―A.‖
This pattern is repeated throughout the entire piano … over and over
again.
CDEFGAB|CDEFGAB|CDEFGAB
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Identify the repeating pattern of keys on the piano. Find the note
"C" on your keyboard, as shown in the image above. This is the first
note of the C Major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and back to C.
Note the pattern of white keys: three white keys enclosing two black
keys, and four white keys enclosing three black keys.
You can also see it this way: the black keys repeat a five-key pattern
of two black keys separated by one white key, then two white keys,
then three black keys separated by one white key, then two white keys.
This pattern is constant on all keyboards. Every note on the keyboard
is represented in this single 12-note octave—they're just higher or
lower in pitch.
Note that each black key has two possible names. For example, there is
C sharp (C♯) and D flat (D♭). What you call this note depends on what
key you are in or what chord you are playing. Here are the names of the
notes on the black keys:
1st black key in the group is C♯ or D♭
2nd black key in the group is D♯ or E♭
3rd black key in the group is F♯ or G♭
4th black key in the group is G♯ or A♭
5th black key in the group is A♯ or B♭
Notice that to find the note of a black key, you either go to the white
key immediately before (to the left of) it and use a sharp sign, or you
go to the white key immediately after (to the right of) it and use a flat
sign.
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Find the octave the note is in. Use the image above as a reference.
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
Start by finding Middle C. This note belongs in the octave 4, and is
highlighted in red, above.
Go down or up to reach the octave that your key is in, decreasing or
increasing the octave number respectively as you go.
Tips
Memorize all the white and black notes for one
octave—C to C. Once you have those memorized,
they are exactly the same for every octave on
the keyboard. Whether your keyboard has 2
octaves or 8, it's all the same!
When starting to learn the piano, spend time watching your
hands and learning the right position. Practice the
proper posture when playing as this is very important as you
progress. It is always harder to undo bad habits!


Using MIDI
Electronic keyboards typically use
MIDI signals to send and receive data, a
standard format now universally used across
most digital electronic musical instruments.
On the simplest example of an electronic
keyboard, MIDI messages would be sent
when a note is pressed on the keyboard, and
would determine which note is pressed and for how long. Additionally,
most electronic keyboards now have ‖touch sensitivity", or "touch
response" function which operates by an extra sensor in each key,
which estimates the pressure of each note being pressed by the
Page 31
difference in time between when the key begins to be pressed and
when it is pressed completely. The values calculated by these sensors
are then converted into MIDI data which gives a velocity value for
each note, which is usually directly proportional to amplitude of the
note when played.
MIDI data can also be used to add digital effects to the sounds
played, such as reverb, chorus, delay and tremolo. These effects are
usually mapped to three of the 127
MIDI controls within the
keyboard's infrastructure — one
for reverb, one for chorus and one
for other effects — and are
generally configurable through the
keyboard's graphical interface.
Additionally, many keyboards have "auto-harmony" effects which will
complement each note played with one or more notes of higher or lower
pitch, to create an interesting chord.
Most electronic keyboards also have a socket at the back, into which a
foot switch can be plugged. The most common function is to simulate
the sustain on a piano by turning on and off the MIDI control which
adds sustain to a note. However, since they are also simple MIDI
devices, foot switches can usually be configured to turn on and off any
MIDI control, such as turning of one of the DSP effects, or the autoharmony.
Acoustic percussion instruments
Since ancient times, percussion instruments have
been an important part of traditional British folk
music. Metal, bones, animal hides and wood produced
Page 32
rhythmic sounds by being shaken, vibrated, or hit with the hand or a
tool. Beginning early in the 17th century, the term percussion
instrument referred to either idiophones, such as rattles and bells, and
membranophones, such as drums. Percussion instruments were
handcrafted for religious ceremonies, entertainment and celebrations.
Percussion instruments in primary-school
music classes are primarily used to teach
rhythm. The largest instrument family in
the orchestra, percussion instruments
includes all those that are played by being
struck, scraped, or shaken. While most
percussion instruments such as drums produce an indefinite sound and
are therefore considered unpitched, others like the piano and
xylophone can play melodies and are classified as tuned percussion
instruments.
Struck Instruments
Percussion instruments can be struck by an implement such as a
drumstick or beater, or clapped together to produce a rhythmic sound.
These instruments include drums, xylophones, cymbals and pianos.
Struck instruments most often used in the primary-school classroom
include wooden blocks clapped together, finger
cymbals, wooden sticks called claves, castanets,
chime bars and the triangle.
Page 33
Scraped Instruments
The percussion family also includes instruments that are rubbed
together or scraped against one another to produce sound. One
example of a scraped instrument is a washboard, which is played
by running a beater along the ridged surface at varying speeds.
Other scraped instruments used commonly in primary-school
classrooms include the guiro, agogo bells, ridged claves and
sandpaper blocks.
Bones
A pair of cow ribs rattled together in the hand has long been a
traditional percussion instrument in Britain. In ancient times, cow
bones were associated with daily life and local celebrations and
festivals. Shakespeare mentioned them in "A Midsummer Night's
Dream" in the late 1500s. In the 17th century, bones were called
"knicky-knackers" in Britain, and are still a recognised form of music in
English pubs and at traditional weddings. To play this instrument, two
bones are held loosely in one hand, which is then shaken in rhythm to
produce sharp, clacking sounds.
The Tabor
A tabor is a medieval version of a snare drum. In
Britain, the tabor was made of a circular wooden
Page 34
shell, with animal skins tightened by rope tension to create a head on
both sides. It was suspended mid-arm by a leather strap, and a gut
snare was sometimes stretched across the upper drum head. Unlike
modern snare drums, only one shaped stick was used to sound a tabor.
This small drum was occasionally accompanied by a small flute wielded
by the drummer's other hand, possibly coining the term "One Man
Band."
The Triangle
The triangle is classified as a idiophone percussion
instrument, according to Medieval Life and Times.
Introduced into Britain during the 14th Century, this
instrument was, and is, a simple metal bar bent into a
triangle with one open angle. A metallic, bell-like tone is
produced by striking the triangle with a metal rod. The sound produced
can vary depending on where the triangle is struck.
We more commonly use the hand held triangle. On
this, one of the angles is left open, with the ends of
the bar not quite touching. This causes the
instrument to be of indeterminate or not settled or
decided pitch. It is either suspended from one of the other corners by
a piece of, most commonly, fishing line, leaving it free to vibrate, or
hooked over the hand. It is usually struck with a metal beater, giving a
high-pitched, ringing tone.
Although the shape is today generally in the form of an equilateral
triangle, early instruments were often formed as isosceles triangles. In
the early days the triangles did not have an opening and had jingling
rings along the lower side.
Page 35
Timbrel
The timbrel, or tambourine, is a wood-framed
drum with a single head made of animal hide or
parchment. The frame, or shell, was originally
hung with loosely attached pairs of small bells
or metal discs called zils. It was widely used
during the Middle Ages in British traditional music after being
introduced to that country during the crusades. The English renamed
the instrument tambourine in reference to its drum head. The design
of the classic timbrel has changed little through the ages.
Bells
While bells were often associated with religious
ceremonies and rites in early Britain, several
types were also used as traditional folk
percussion instruments. Cow bells, hand bells, and jingle
bells were used by musicians, and various sized bells were
often permanently strung in areas of feasting and celebration. A bell
ringer was a person designated to ring either a church bell or chime, or
a set of musical bells for public entertainment. Chord handbells are
often used in ensemble work to create the idea of sleigh bells and
winter.
Castanets
Page 36
Castanets can be made from many different materials.
Many people are familiar with the loud, plastic ones
sold at carnivals, which are used mostly by children to
drive their parents crazy! However, there are also very
high-quality castanets made from fiberglass, ebony or rosewood. The
right type for you depends upon the sound you want to achieve. Most
castanets are shaped like two shells that have small "ears" through
which a hole is drilled. A cord is looped through these holes to attach
the two halves of the castanets to each other. The two ends of the
cord are tied together with a slip knot, so that the loop is adjustable
to the size of the player's fingers.
The traditional way of holding the castanets was
with the loop over the middle finger of each
hand. Although they are occasionally still played this
way in some regions of Spain, most castanet players
loop the cord over the thumb of each hand. Loop the castanets over
your thumbs with the macho castanet in your left hand and the hembra
in your right. The loop should rest on each side of the knuckle of your
thumb. Keep your fingers curled loosely inward around the castanets.
If you have the tension of the knot adjusted properly, the castanets
should gape open slightly when at rest.

There are five basic sounds that make up
nearly all of the rhythms used in castanetplaying.
The first is called "TA." It is created by tapping
Page 37




the ring finger, then middle finger of your left hand quickly against the
castanet.
The next sound is called "RRI." This sound is
made by tapping the castanet in your right hand
with your pinky, ring finger, middle finger and
index finger in rapid succession.
The third sound used in castanet-playing is "PI."
Make this sound by tapping the right-hand
(hembra) castanet with your ring finger, and
then middle finger. "PI" is identical to "TA,"
except it's played with the opposite hand.
The fourth sound is "PAM," also called "CHIN." Create this sound by
striking the castanets against each other.
The fifth, and final, sound is "PAN." This is often used to finish a
rhythmic sequence, as it has a rather final sound. To play this sound,
use your ring and middle fingers to strike both castanets
simultaneously.
Handbells
Page 38
A handbell is a bell designed to be rung by hand. To ring a handbell, a
ringer grasps the bell by its slightly flexible handle - traditionally made
of leather, but often now made of plastic - and moves the wrist to
make the hinged clapper inside the
bell strike. An individual handbell
can be used simply as a signal to
catch people's attention or summon
them together, but handbells are
generally heard in tuned sets.
The first tuned handbells were developed by brothers Robert and
William Cor in England, between 1696 and 1724. The Cor brothers
originally made lattenbells for hameboxes, but for reasons unknown,
they began tuning their bells more finely to have an accurate
fundamental tone, and fitted them with hinged clappers that moved
only in one plane.
Originally, tuned sets of handbells, such as the ones made by the Cor
brothers, were used by change ringers to rehearse outside their
towers. Tower bell ringers' enthusiasm for practicing the complicated
algorithms of change ringing can easily exceed the neighbours'
patience, so in the days before modern sound control handbells offered
them a way to continue ringing without the aural assault. The handbell
sets used by change ringers had the same number of bells as in the
towers - generally six or 12 tuned to a diatonic scale.
Handbells were first brought to the United States from England by
Margaret Shurcliff in 1902. She was presented with a set of 10
handbells in London by Arthur Hughes, the general manager of
the Whitechapel Bell Foundry after completing two separate two-anda-half-hour change ringing peals in one day.
Page 39
The bells used in American handbell
choirs are almost always English
handbells. "English handbells" is a
reference to a specific type of
handbells, not to the country of
origin. In the United Kingdom,
there is a distinction between
"American handbells" and "English
handbells" - "English handbells" are
traditional, with leather clapper
heads and handles (such as the
bells Whitechapel makes), while "American handbells" use modern
materials, such as plastic and rubber, to produce the same effect (such
as those produced by Malmark and Schulmerich). In America, however,
they are all called English handbells.
Page 40
The two major defining characteristics of English handbells are their
clappers and ability to produce overtones. The clapper on an English
handbell is on a hinge and moves back and forth in a single direction,
unlike a school bell in which the clapper swings freely in any direction.
It also has a spring that holds the clapper away from the casting after
the strike to allow the bell to ring freely.
Furthermore, the shaft of the clapper is
rigid, such that the bell may be held with
its mouth facing upward.
Handbells can weigh as little as 7 oz
(200 g) or upwards of 18 lb (8.2 kg).
Page 41
Handbell performance
A handbell choir or handbell team (in England) is a group that rings
recognizable music with melodies and harmony, as opposed to the
mathematical permutations used in change ringing. While a smaller
group uses only 25 bells (two octaves, G4-G6), the sets are often
larger, ranging up to an eight-octave set (97 bells, C1-C9). The
bells are typically arranged chromatically on foam-covered tables;
these tables protect the bronze surface of the bell, as well as
keep the bells from rolling when placed on their sides. Unlike an
orchestra or choir in which each musician is responsible for one line
of the texture, a bell ensemble acts as one instrument, with each
musician responsible for particular notes, sounding his or her
assigned bells whenever that note appears in the music.
Handbell choirs generally ring music composed or arranged specifically
for the instruments because of their highly resonant sound, the limited
note range of a handbell set, and the unique pitch-by-pitch division of
the staff among the ringers.
The coordination of the bell ringers requires a different approach than
other ensembles. All the ringers read from a complete score. This
score is similar to a piano score, but with an additional convention: The
C# above middle C and all notes below are always written in the bass
clef, and the Db above middle C and all notes above are always written
in the treble clef. (This formatting is not always the convention for
solo and small-ensemble handbell music.) Handbell music is written one
octave lower than the actual sound the bells make, so a "middle C bell"
Page 42
or bell is actually playing a note with a high C frequency. (For simplicity,
the bell would still always be referred to as middle C or as C5.)
There are also a number of abbreviations and
notations used exclusively or almost exclusively
in handbell music: LV ("laissez vibrer" or "let
vibrate," similar to a piano's sustain pedal); R
("ring," regular ringing or meaning to end the LV);
SK ("shake," i.e. shaking the bell continuously
during the duration of the note); TD ("thumb
damp" - ringing the bell with a thumb on the casting to create a
staccato note); PL ("pluck," which means to throw down the clapper
while the bell lies on the table); a small, solid triangle ("martellato" - to
strike bell against padding of the table, pushing the casting firmly
against padding as to quickly dampen sound); SW ("swing" - to play the
bell in a normal position, swing it down to the waist, then bring it back
up); BD ("brush damp," brushing the rim of the bell against the ringer's
chest to cause a quick diminuendo); and an upward arrow, usually with a
curve at the bottom ("echo," - ringing the bell and then touching it very
briefly to the table, creating an echo effect).
Due to handbells' relative rarity outside of the confines of church
services—although less so now than in the
1980s and early 1990s—the majority of
pieces composed and arranged for
handbells last approximately four
minutes. A few composers and arrangers
write longer and more intricate works for
handbells; generally these pieces use handbells in combination with
other instruments.
How to play the handbells
Page 43
To ring a handbell, the ringer moves it in such a way that the clapper
strikes the inside surface of the bell, usually holding it against his or
her shoulder, bell-upwards, and then swinging the bell through an
elliptical shape to cause the clapper to strike the casting of the bell.
The tone of the bell will continue to resonate, decaying naturally until
it stops completely, or until the ringer stops the tone by damping the
bell with a hand, on the body, or on a padded surface.
Multiple bell techniques
Traditional ringing technique only allows one ringer to ring two bells at
a time (one in each hand). Depending on the
number of bells needed for a particular
piece of music and the number of ringers in
a choir, it may be necessary for each ringer
to ring more than two bells at a time or in
short succession. There are also many
techniques that change the sound of the
bell as it is rung.
Four bells
There are two main ways of ringing two
handbells with one hand: four-in-hand and
Shelley. In the four-in-hand technique, ringers
hold two bells in one hand with the clappers at
right angles to each other. This allows the ringer
to either move the hand normally ("ring" Primary Bell) or ring knuckles-first ("knock" - Secondary Bell) to ring
two different bells independently with the same hand (for a total of
four bells when ringing with both hands). The two bells can also be
played together by holding the wrist at a 45 degree angle. Two
opposing viewpoints exist regarding the merits of this technique: while
some believe that Shelley ringing is rendered obsolete when four-inCompiled by D. Craig
Page 44
hand is perfected, others believe that the control, balance and
precision offered by Shelley ringing makes the technique more
applicable in certain ringing situations (particularly those involving
other techniques, such as shaking and martellato, which are nearly
impossible to "perfect" with four-in-hand ringing).
In large ensembles, Four-in-hand is typically used to ring multiple
positions or pick up accidentals.
Shelley ringing is similar, except that the clappers are each positioned
the same direction. Using this technique, a ringer can then ring two
bells simultaneously with one movement. Shelley is typically used to
ring two notes, an octave apart. The motion of the clappers in the same
plane makes feasible techniques which generally require this, such as
martellato, vibrato and shake, all of which are difficult (if not
impossible) to achieve with four-in-hand ringing. The Shelley technique
can also be used to ring two notes separately by striking the primary
bell sideways and the secondary bell forward in an action like tapping
the fingers.
Six bells
There are several ways to play six bells at a time (i.e., to ring three
bells in each hand). One way is to pick two bells up as if one were
Shelley ringing, then pick the third up between one's little and ring
fingers (a 'triple Shelley'). All three bells ring together when ringing in
a knocking motion. A second way is to pick up the third bell sideways so
that the clapper swings outward. Ringers with good control can then
ring the first bell without ringing the third bell, allowing the ringer to
play three different notes in one hand.
Weaving
Weaving is the technique of playing a succession of bells by changing
which bell is in each hand as required. This is used by bass bell ringers
and solo/small ensemble ringers. The large size and weight of bass
bells makes four-in-hand ringing impractical and often a solo or small
Page 45
ensemble ringer will need to move up and down a range of bells, possibly
sharing them with others. This technique means that more than two
bells can be rung in short succession, using the table to damp the bell
and free the hand to pick up the next bell. If the ringing sequence
requires bells to be rung in tonal order, this technique often results in
a weaving pattern as the ringer must often reach across their body for
the next bell in the sequence. Weaving can also be used in combination
with the four-in-hand in a technique called "traveling four-in-hand". By
combining the ability to hold two bells in each hand, with the ability to
quickly drop and pick up the secondary bell of a Four-in-hand, a ringer
has quick access to several bells.
Other techniques
There are other ways to play music with handbells besides traditional
ringing. Other techniques include plucking,
shaking (or trilling), table damping
(or martellato), and malleting bells (both on
the table and suspended).
Echo technique adds a brief pulse of
increased volume to a sustained handbell note. This is accomplished by
gently touching the rim of a vibrating bell to the padded table.
Malleting bells involve using one of several types of rubber, plastic or
yarn-wrapped mallet to strike the casting of the bell. This can create a
staccato tone when the casing is pressed into padding, a normal ringing
tone when the bell is suspended or even a drum-roll effect when
multiple mallets are used or multiple hits on the bell are played.
Suspended malleting can be employed to create a bell tree which allows
many bells to be played by one ringer.
Page 46
Basic Music Theory
Reading the notes in a song can be very
challenging at first! Luckily there are a few ways to make it
easier. When playing the recorder, we read notes that are written on
the treble clef staff. Each staff has five lines and four
spaces. Every line and space has a specific letter name.
When learning the names of the space notes, we use the word "FACE".
When learning the names of the lines, we use the first letter from
each word in the sentence "Every Good Bird Does Fly."
Page 47
When we put the lines and spaces together, the notes move upward in
alphabetical order.
Just because we have filled up all of the lines and
spaces, it doesn't mean that we have named all of
the notes. Sometimes, there are notes that are
printed above or below the main staff lines. We can
figure out the names of these notes by counting in
alphabetical (or reverse alphabetical) order. The
most common notes for the recorder that are found
off of the main staff lines are Middle C and Low D.
Page 48
Reading rhythm is as simple as looking at
sticks. The rhythm of a song is determined by
the stems of the notes. Each type of stem has
both a real name and a nick-name. We use the
nick-name to help us recite the rhythm
pattern. The basic elements of rhythm are:
Figure
Nick-Name
Real Name
Tah
Quarter Note
Tee-Tee
Eighth Notes
Ti-ri-ti-ri
Sixteenth Notes
In addition to the rhythms above, there are two examples that use the
note head to determine the rhythm. These are:
Figure
Nick-Name
Real Name
Tah-ah
Half Note
Tum
Whole Note
Now that you know the basic elements of rhythm, we can combine them
to make patterns. To hear some common patterns, press the play
button. If you experience any problems playing the audio clip, you may
need to check your audio settings. Some of the most common rhythm
patterns are:
Rhythm Pattern
Pronunciation
Tah Tah Tah Tah
Page 49
Tee-tee Tee-tee Tee-tee
Tee-tee
Ti-ri-ti-ri Ti-ri-ti-ri Ti-riti-ri Ti-ri-ti-ri
Tee-tee Tee-tee Tah
Tah
Tah Tah Ti-ri-ti-ri Tah
Tah Tah Tee-tee Tah
Ti-ri-ti-ri Tah-ah Tee-tee
Tah Tah Ti-ri-ti-ri Tah
Tee-tee Tah Ti-ri-ti-ri
Tah
Ti-ri-ti-ri Tah Ti-ri-ti-ri
Tah
Tee-tee Tah-ah Tah
All rhythm elements relate to each other. Here is a chart which shows
how each rhythm element is a part of another.
Page 50
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Music Club - Town Farm Primary School

Transcription

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