. The Keyboard Express John F Keller, 009 A beginner piano method with pre-staff kids notes and keyboard guides by John Keller
Express Stave by John Keller The Keyboard Express and Express Stave by John F Keller, 04
To the Teacher: This book is designed to be used in both orientations. Start with the book upright (portrait orientation), so notes go to the left and right. Later have the book in the usual (landscape) orientation, so notes go up and down. How to use this book: Begin with the book in the upright position. Start at the top and read down the page. This way is easier for very young children. notes keys T
Black Key Groups of and Find all the groups of. Then find all the groups of. This plays on this side. This plays on this side.
Middle Group T Note to teacher: Middle group of two: White note heads indicate the playing of black keys (Express Stave notation). They do not indicate time values. splash! Next is group of three: Back to group of two: splash! Black key group of three: splash! splash! middle of keyboard
Twos and Threes Two black keys. T For each bar, teacher plays and sings first, then student copies. rest Three black keys. rest Threes and twos. rest Twos threes! rest and
Fingers Walking on the White Keys. Standing side-on to the keyboard, 'walk' your left along the white keys, all the way from one side to the other.. Stop on the way and walk on the spot for a while. The key should stay held down and not repeat its note. The white keys are called the naturals ( ). They were the first keys to be invented. But then all the keys looked the same! So they added the extras - the black keys in groups of and. n. Facing the other way, 'walk' your right along the white keys, all the way back. extras naturals 4. Stop on the way and walk on the spot for a while. The key should stay held down and not repeat its note. Right Hand
The Groups of Black Keys ( Extras): These are notes. They tell us which keys to play. The black keys will have small white notes. T The teacher can move a coin on the page to help student learn these two notes. Teach the student to hold each key down until playing the next one, aiming for a firm, smooth and clear legato action. Kids Notes This plays groups of on this side. Lets pretend they are two eyes! - and call them I and J. (Write them with small letters i, j.) This plays groups of on this side. (line for group of )
(Play black keys) On This Side Walk along then have a rest. On this side we walk along. (rest) (rest) Which side do you like the best? middle of keyboard Keep in time and sing this song. Play this side first Walk Along How to come off the keys: (for rests and at the end of a piece) Hold elbow slightly out. Raise your wrist sly. Let your hang loose, with the forearm muscles soft and relaxed.
One Is My Thumb T Copy -cat routine: For each bar, teacher plays and sings first, then student copies. Echo with clapping and chanting at first if desired. One is my thumb. Finger number one. One little bell. One big drum. middle of keyboard Black notes mean play white keys (naturals). Start here.
5 5 Wiggle Finger Number... 4 4 one two three four five
Fingers and One two three Write in all your finger numbers. Left Hand Fin - gers play Technique: Hold each key down, only lifting the finger off after playing the next note. Thumb plays on its side. Curve the other fingers. One two three Right Hand Go this way Start here.
twos twos twos twos Pair of Naturals ( ) Both s play near the middle of the keyboard. This is an exercise for clinging on to the keys right up until you play the next ones. Join notes up! legato Both s play near the middle of the keyboard. n A pair: - no black key between. (Cling on) Find all the pairs on your keyboard. They are called pairs because of their shape. (Cling on) Pair pair pair of nat - rals Pair of nat - rals threes threes threes
croak croak? tweet tweet? Bird and Frog Sounds Where on the keyboard do the notes sound like birds? Where on the keyboard do the notes sound like frogs? Draw: Draw:
One two three four five, we heard Notes that sound just like a bird. One two three four five, we found Notes like frogs down on the ground. 4 5 side side Sky Play this side first. 4 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 Ground (Play next-door white keys.) rog ird centre
Stems When those notes are in the cen - tre, Stems can show which to use. stem up on right use. centre When in the cen - tre, show which those notes are Stems can to Repeat stem down on left Don t for - get when notes are black, It s nat - ral white keys we must choose.
Where all the birds Sing ve - ry. This Way Goes Up up This way goes up, Up to the sky, This way goes down, Down to the ground, down Where all the frogs Make their sound. Up and Down This Way Goes Down (Use finger all the way.) middle of keyboard Play black keys. Starting note: (for both s) (Start on the same black key.)
Bird Apple Jug Cat Frog Firstspace Girl Easter Egg Edgeline Duck Lamb Ball Icecream Jelly Ant Hat I Spy With My Eye I spy, with my eye, some - thing start - ing with... Keyboard Cloud Key High Hand Low Dog Fish Ground Grass Fingers Iris Line Kite centre centre
The Groups of Black Keys ( Extras): T The teacher can move a counter or coin on the page to help student fol these three notes. The black keys have large white notes. High side of the line On the line Low side of the line 4 4 Find all the groups of on this side. We will call the black keys KLH (Write them with capitals.) Find all the groups of on this side. (line for group of ) Kids Notes
If You re Happy If you re happy and you know it, play for me: First play it all somewhere on the side. Then play it all somewhere on the side. If you re happy and you know it, play for me: If you re happy and you know it, then you really ought to show it, If you re happy and you know it, play for me: Trace and copy: line notes - -and space notes.
Copy Cat Copy this Copy that Copy this Copy cat! middle of keyboard Start here.
Every White Note That way they ll be notes Every white note So easy to see. Goes on one black key. keys Play this side first.
Sing Up High Play this side first. ird Sing up, Sing up. Sing up where black birds fly. Sing down, Sing down. Sing down where bull - frogs go. middle of keyboard rog Sing Down Low
Link Lines Play copy-cats. Here are the Link - Lines, Mid - dle of the threes. When you see white notes, Play on black keys! rest Link Line Link Line T Copy -cat routine: For each bar, teacher plays and sings, then student copies. Or echo-clap and chant at first.
4 Play this side first. Count to 4... Count to four in every colour, count to four in every bar. Link line Link line Start from at every bar-line, 4, Here we are.
Short and Long Notes Notes are short or notes are long. One beat long or two beats. How long will each note cling on? One beat long or two beats.
Two Hands Play Play each separately first. 4 4 4 beats in each bar Two s play, Two s play, Both to - ge - ther here to - day. middle of keyboard 4
Skip Across 4 Skip a - cross, Skip a - cross. See these lines and skip a - cross. 4
Two Friendly Eyes First play it with above be In between the groups of threes, Two black keys I see. Repeat centre How many beats are in each bar? Repeat it with They look like two friendly eyes, Staring back at me. centre of keyboard
Play in group of two: Play in Group Next is group of three: Back to group of two: Black key group of three: ird rog bottom middle top (Move!) (Change!) (Move!) (The end!) bottom middle top
Threes and Twos Go! bottom middle top bottom middle top It s a race! My timings:
Group of and Group of Group of three and group of two. Making music just for you. bottom middle top Repeat Extra key groups, big and small. Move your and play them all. bottom middle top
Big Notes and Small Notes Big notes for threes, And small notes for twos. That way we ll know Which ex - tras to choose. bigs smalls bigs
. First play it all with Next Note : Next note up, Next note down. Group of two to groups of three. bottom middle top Repeat : Chan - ging groups, Mo - ving round. Mo - ving to this next black key.. Then repeat it with bottom middle top down up
Degree Card (in the key of i) Place doh on I. doh for Left Hand soh doh for Right Hand soh Play copy cats. Mark the plays and easys doh doh doh doh doh doh soh soh soh soh soh soh soh 5 ea-sy play play doh doh doh Us - ing this de - gree card, Play, ea - sy, play-hold. Doh and soh. High and. hold soh soh soh soh soh soh soh soh soh doh 5 doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh Play with your left. Doh, soh, doh. An - y where it goes, Play the keys it shows.
. Play Fingers slightly curved. n Naturals ( ) Next To Group of Three : Naturals next to group of three, At the edge and floating free. bottom middle top Repeat. Play Thumb plays on its side. : Thumbs like playing natural keys, Thumbs lie down and play with ease.. Play both s together. : Play together everyone, Different notes all having fun. rog ird
Notes On This Side ird rog Tied note (hold note on) Notes on this side sound up. Notes on this side sound down. centre ird Put these notes up in the sky. On the ground these notes should go. rog Find the keys by feel.
Taking Sides I like sun. And I like rain. I pre - fer it hot. Not me! centre 4 I like day. But I like night.... We just don t a - gree. That s right! 4
One-thumb and Tutu Ready, steady, off you go: Now, One - thumb was a race - horse, and Tu - tu was one too. centre Well, One - thumb won one race, and Tu - tu won one too! Repat at a faster speed!
Same Direction Play s separately at first. Go up and down with both s, In the same di - rec - tion. Repeat Prac - tice for per - fec - tion. DOWN UP DOWN UP
Frog Clef Start With Frogs Sometimes we must start with frogs to make it sound down. So we have these clefs that tell us where we have to go. 5 ird rog Bird Clef 5
Merrily We Roll Along Merrily we roll along, roll along, roll along, 4 Merrily we roll along, O er the deep blue sea.
Find all the single naturals on this side of the keyboard. Find all the single naturals on this side of the keyboard. Single Natural ( ) crossing the line single natural centre Repeat Repeat with Start with n In between two black keys, there lives a single natural. White notes for each black key, and black notes for each natural. centre
Thumb plays on its side. Other fingers are curved. Next-door white keys have nextdoor fingers. pair of naturals pair of naturals Play these notes as your teacher points to them, or moves a coin on the page. Remember to hold each key down firmly until you smoothly play the next one. Extras In Express Stave notation, the two extra keys I and J are written as small white notes close in to the line. n Naturals ( ) line note space note moved away space note moved away The three naturals near them are written as larger black notes touching the line. The two next naturals are written as small black notes moved away from the line. Naturals ( ) Near Twos n Low side High side Kids Notes (line for group of )
Bass Clef: This sign means to play naturals on the side, to the left of the centre. rogs centre Repeat irds Treble Clef: This sign means to play naturals on the side, to the right of the cemtre. I Sit In the Centre I sit in the cen - tre and I al - ways will. My two s can tra - vel, but I just keep still. First play it with centre of keyboard Repeat it with
High Side, Low Side High side, side, sky and ground. Fingers feel their way around. Repeat Find the keys by feel. centre ommon time: 4 beats per bar Over, under, up and down. Children sing with middle sound. middle
middle Let s play co - py cats. side Let s Play Copy Cats T Play ea-sy play rest Copy -cat routine: Student chooses a colour. Teacher plays and chants that pattern ( play, easy, rest, etc). Student copies. Student can also mark the rhythms with a pencil in real time as you chant. middle Black notes for white keys. side side side rogs irds
Line and Space irds Line and space, Line and space. line note Space notes al - ways touch a line. space above space be centre side rogs 4 Un - der line, O - ver line. Next to lines they call it space. side 4 space line space space line space
Centre High Go Down, Down, Up, Down... : Play s together, getting wider, getting closer, same notes. Go down down up down same Low : Play. Go up up down up : Play. irds... rogs
Next Door Naturals ( ) n Next door nat - urals, next door fin - gers, Play - ing with my friends next door. centre side 4 side Fin - gers curve and walk on tip toes, Thumb lies on its side for sure. Low D-line High D-line
All Touch This Line (All On the High Side) Stay on the side. Touch this line then move a - way. Peo - ple say that s not o - kay. Still Moved a - way notes need a line. Then the peo - ple think it s fine.
Treble Clef This is the treble clef. Treble clef, treble clef. Right plays white keys up. Treble clef, treble clef. Seagulls fly up in the sky. This is the treble stave (staff). treble D-line Edgeline Firstspace Repeat centre side The treble stave is only for white keys (naturals) on the side, and notes are all the same size. Number the lines upward from the bottom Edge-line. How many lines are there? Also number the spaces upward from the First-space. How many spaces are there? side
Touch This Line (All On the Low Side) Stay on the side. Touch this line then move a - way. Peo - ple say that s not o - kay. All Moved a - way notes need a line. Then the peo - ple think it s fine. Still
The bass stave is only for white keys (naturals) on the side, and notes are all the same size.. Number the lines upwards. How many lines are there? Number the spaces upwards. How many spaces are there? This is the bass clef. This is the bass stave (staff). bass D-line Bass Clef Repeat side centre side Bass clef, bass clef, Just play naturals on the left. Bass clef, side. Down there where those white frogs hide.
Baby Monkey Find the -black-key groups by feel. treble D-line Ba - by mon - key, cling on tight. Don t fall off and get a fright. Hold on to your mo - ther s coat, like we cling to ev - ery note. centre bass D-line
Stepping treble D-line Step down, down up, line space line space. Ev - ry note is one white key. bass D-line Next door naturals, next door fingers. Stepping up and down with me.
Three Groups of Two Play copy cats: Three groups of two, High goes up down, Low goes up down, Both go up down, Low, High. ea-sy bottom centre top play bottom centre top
Finger Exercises top middle centre bottom The D-clef means play in the centre. Fin - gers do their ex - er - ci - ses on the pia - no key - board. Fin - gers do their ex - er - ci - ses on the pia - no keys. centre -line guide
Double Naturals ( ) n One on each side of this link, Closer to this line we think. Double naturals inside threes, Find all double natural keys. LINK LINK Find all of the double natural keys on this side. double naturals double naturals Find all of the double natural keys on this side.
Singles and Doubles bottom middle top bottom middle top It s a race! My timings: double single double
Drink Time Doubles, twos and link lines, Bottom, middle, bottom, top. ird bottom middle top Take a break at drink time. Head off to the bottle shop! Repeat rog two double double
Single Middle Key top middle centre bottom See this single middle key. What is that? What is that? I don t know so you tell me. Here s a clue, Quack quack quack! centre bottom middle top
Music Alphabet Se - ven nat - rals A to G. In - side these links we see don t for - get, In - side links, That s the mu - sic al - pha - bet. middle
Three Alphabets A, B, C, D, E, F, G, Link... Bass Alphabet Middle Alphabet Treble Alphabet LINK LINK LINK
Happy Children centre Happy children laugh and play. In the centre every day. And the centre keys they share, Cause they know its only fair. centre middle alphabet
Inside These Links In-side these links, lives A, and G. They are the first, and last, white key. middle Play one of these, and I will say, Whether that note was G or A. middle alphabet LINK LINK middle A middle G
Lines or Spaces middle A (Ant) Notes are ei - ther lines or spa - ces In these pla - ces nat - rals go. Bass Clef Treble Clef 5 middle G (Girl in the Curl) On these white keys, play the right keys. Line then space, all in a row.
Doh Can Be Any Key (in the key of J) Place doh on J. doh soh Play copy cats. soh soh soh soh soh soh soh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh Doh can be a - ny key. Ea - sy, ea - sy, play, play. Doh is called the first de - gree, Doh, soh, doh. doh soh soh soh soh soh soh soh soh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh A - ny-where that doh goes, That is called the key. Play, play, play-hold. Play on these de - grees.
Pairs of Socks I just don t know what you mean. centre D-line centre Next to D there s pairs of socks. Where there s no black key between. centre Pairs of naturals shaped like socks, centre of keyboard pair pair pair pair
How many pairs are on the side? All Pairs brace
Edgeline and Firstspace Mark the plays and easys Point to notes, tapping the rhythm. Use left. Edge-line and First-space, Bottom of this treble clef. Middle Alphabet pair pair Play these keys: They live there, On that pair, Middle-E and middle-f. Play with right
Pair Of Keys : Pair of keys that s on the right. -------------- That s where treble clef will start. centre (same note) : Pair of keys that s on the left. --------------- They prefer this other clef. centre : Hands together we can play. Notes go out and in this way. pair pair Ball Cat Edgeline Firstspace
Treble Clef Duck Walks Down This Lane 4 middle D Bass Clef Duck walks down this lane between treble clef and bass. Notice in this photograph, that note becomes a space. Duck under! uck
I m Only an Ant I m on - ly an ant, just - ly and small, But seeds that I plant can grow ve - ry L L L L L L L L L Bass Clef tall. You would not be - lieve the tun - nels I dig, Or how I a - chieved a net - work so big. L L L
n Naturals ( ) at the Edges : Nat - urals at the ed - ges of this black key group of three. LINK line D-line 5 LINK line 5 : They do not touch link lines, and they also don t touch D. : Play - ing s to - ge - ther is as ea - sy as can be. Link line D-line Link line
This Top Line Fold finger over thumb. This top line is for threes group, And mid - dle line for twos. So that is how we work out Which group of keys to choose. bottom middle top
. Play Point to Notes Point to notes, count - ing beats. Left lets you see a - head. Repeat 4. Point and count.. Play Right plays. Left holds. That is what the teach - er said.. Play both s together.
Mary Had a Little Lamb Ma - ry had a lit - tle lamb, lit - tle lamb, lit - tle lamb. 4 Ma - ry had a lit - tle lamb, Its fleece was white as snow. 4 tie: just hold note on Ev - ry - where that Ma - ry went, Ma - ry went, Ma - ry went, Ev - ry - where that Mar - y went that lamb was sure to go.
Happy Birthday Fold finger over thumb. slur: play smoothly
Seven Characters In this mid - dle al - pha - bet, Se - ven cha - rac - ters we met. In this tre - ble clef and bass, Some on line and some in space.
Duck Underneath 4 Duck, un - der - neath that tre - ble clef, To shel - ter from the storm. Then Duck back out a - gain when the wea - ther is fine and the sun is warm.
Wake Up Sleepy Head Place doh on B. (in the key of B) Play copy cats. doh soh soh soh soh soh soh soh soh soh soh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh Wake up, sleep - y head, Get up out of bed now. This is what your mo-ther said, Get up out of bed now. I Like Yel (in the key of H) soh soh soh soh soh soh soh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh doh I like yel -. Yel - makes me mel -. I play a cel - lo which is paint - ed yel -.
Express Stave
Traditional Staves