PS 159 MUSIC
Your teacher gave you a what?!?!
Losing your already limited peace and quiet to the recorder may be one of the most difficult life circumstances a parent can face. This page offers some resources that are meant to guide you, help you achieve inner peace, and regain the strength to carry on after your child begins playing the recorder. Learn what you can do at the start of this journey to help yourself or someone else through the process.
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There's a light at the end of the tunnel!
Ninja Playing
Recorder
Mutes
Breathing
Not
Blowing
Students place the recorder on their chin and finger the notes as they would if they were playing with sound while softly singing the letter names of the notes as they go.
All students receive a mute with their recorder. It consists of a folded index card and a rubber band. When adjusted as shown, allowing no more than 1/16" of the sound window to show, the recorder becomes VERY quiet. Students must use gentle breath while using the mute.
When ready to finally play with sound at the correct volume, students should be exhaling or sighing into the recorder not blowing into it.
Class Expectations
1. Children must come to each class with their recorder, music booklet and completed practice sheet.
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2. Practice sheets must be filled out showing a minimum of three days practiced, for at least 15 minutes a day and signed by a parent.
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3. A student is marked unprepared if they forget any of the above items, did not fill out the practice sheet or did not practice for the minimum suggested time. For every three classes a student comes unprepared they will receive an OFI slip (Opportunity For Improvement) which lets parents know that their child has been unprepared.
The 6 Steps of a Good Practice Session
In your recorder packet, label each note with the letter name of the note as well as the number of fingers used to play it. For instance, if the note is on the bottom line of the staff it would be labeled E5. This should be completed each time a student proceeds to a new song.
Clap the rhythms of the song using rhythm syllables.
Get ready to use your fingers. Each hole should be completely covered by the appropriate finger assigned to that hole. Look for the "eyeballs" growing on your finger tips. If you don't see them right in the middle of your swirly finger print, your fingers are not using the correct amount of force or not enough of your finger is covering the hole .
4.Ninja Numbers
Ninja play the song while correctly moving your fingers and singing the number of fingers for each note. For example, Hot Cross Buns would be, "One, Two, Three. One, Two, Three. Three, Three, Three, Three. Two, Two, Two, Two. One, Two Three." Do this until your fingers move smoothly and you don't feel confused by where your fingers should go.
5.ninja Letters
Ninja play again but this time sing the letter names of the notes. Don't forget to check for those eyeballs!
6.use sound
Adjust your mute and play with soft breath. Also, remember to use your tongue to start each new note. Do this by whispering the word "Too" each time you make a sound.
