Ear Training: High and Low

I came across a fun game for Preschool piano players! You may want to visit my WunderKeys Pinterest Board for additional resources. This particular game caught my eye because it's a familiar story, Five Little Monkeys! It's called, High and Low Game.

This upcoming week in the New Year I'll be sharing with my 3 to 5-year-old piano students High and Low Tones. For adults, it's an easy concept to play high melody tones with the right hand above Middle C. It's obvious to us that our left hand will grab chords and yes, sometimes single notes in the bass below Middle C.

I start kids with ear training right away. A popular free app I use is called Blob Chorus. For adults, I wrote about Jazz Musician's Ear and an article, Piano Lesson: Ear Training.

Another free app for ear training is, Relative Pitch Lite. Adults will like this one, too.

You may be interested in Hear and Play PITCH Ear Training Software.

Closing out 2016. Hope it's been kind to you... Here's looking ahead to a great New Year!

Blessings,

-- LadyD

 "The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Learn To Play Angels From The Realms Of Glory

I wrote a blog post in 2011, Angels We Have Heard On High. I have the chord charts listed in the following Keys... D, E, F, and G. So many different arrangements to choose. I love the song and it is very popular with my piano students.

One song that you may be familiar with is called:

Angels, From The Realms Of Glory

The author of Angels From the Realms of Glory was an Irishman called James Montgomery. He came from a religious family background and sadly his parents, who were missionaries died following their vocation. Angels From the Realms of Glory was written in 1816.

Chords and Lyrics

Key: Bb
Time: 4/4

Bb    
Angels from the realms of glory,
Eb             Bb           F   F7  Bb
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;
Bb                                  Gm
Ye who sang creation's story,
Gm    D   Gm   Am11 F C7 F
Now proclaim Messiah's birth:
F
Come and worship,
Bb               Eb
Come and worship,
Cm   Dm  Cm    Gm  Fsus4 F Bb
Worship Christ, the newborn King!

Shepherds, in the fields abiding,
Watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant Light;
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!

Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great desire of nations,
Ye have seen His natal star;
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!

Saints before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear:
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!


Chords and Lyrics

Key: F
Time: 4/4

F                         C             F
Angels from the realms of glory,
                                     C         F
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;
                              C          F
Ye who sang creation's story,
F                                C        F
Now proclaim Messiah's birth:

Chorus
F  D  Gm  C  F  Bb C C7

Glo......                       ria

F  C  F     Bb  F C

In ex-cel-sis Deo (repeat chorus)

F   C F    Bb  F  C7  F

In ex-cel-sis Deo.

Shepherds, in the fields abiding,
Watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant Light;
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!

Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great desire of nations,
Ye have seen His natal star;
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!

Saints before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear:
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!

Previous Christmas Song Posts

Silent Night is one of the top loved hymns. Also, The First Noel is in the Key of C, D, and E. In addition to these lovely Christmas songs, you'll find Hark The Herald Angels Sing in E.

ChristmasKeys 1 is a great resource to have for your personal library. 300pg Piano By Ear Home Study Course is a great theory book for reference and study guide for chords, progressions, and passing chords.

Many of my piano students are playing the melody line in different keys this year. Using the same fingering, they are connecting with Jingle Bells in the Key of C, F, and G. Another approach for some of my intermediate piano players is the use of chord charts. Here is one to practice with, especially if you know your chords in the progression.

Have fun practicing these awesome songs! Oh, and be sure to check out How-to-play-o-holy-night and print the sheet music to O Holy Night here.

Blessings,

-- LadyD

 "The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

How To Play Silent Night

This morning as I looked out over the land, I came upon a little bit of fog that had settled low in the valley. The town was still lit from last night with all its Christmas lights and in the distance, you can see a stream of headlights from the early morning commuters. The stillness reminds me of the famous Christmas song, Silent Night.

History

 "Silent Night" (German: Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht) is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in the small town of Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. For more history, read here.

So, in 2008 I wrote a few arrangements to Silent Night and ways to learn how to play them. I received some nice emails from the post. Thank you, dear readers. Is this one of your favorites for singing and playing at Christmas?

As you can see, there's plenty of free stuff online. So, here you go... Have fun!

Free Music to Silent Night:

http://www.virtualsheetmusic.com/score/SilentFREE.html

http://www.gmajormusictheory.org/Freebies (Key of A)

Level 2 Silent Night

Silent Night: Late Elementary

Silent Night-Primer Level

https://www.8notes.com

Silent Night: Key of Bb Chord Chart with Lead Line

http://www.music-for-music-teachers.com

For choir and congregation.

Be sure and check out Hear and Play's ChristmasKeys 1.

You may be interested in Kelly Clarkson's Silent Night

Blessings,

-- LadyD

 "The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King