Any Piano/keyboard music in ABC format for my 3 yr old?

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

Hi,

Does anyone know if there are any sites that offer very basic songs in ABCD etc format so i can teach my daughter who is nearly 3?

We bought her a simple 37 note keyboard when she was 18 months and i put the letters on shortly after so i could be silly and play the little bit of twinkle twinkle i remember from childhood:o . Now she knows the letters and has taken an interest in playing individual keys up and down the scale. My only prob is i have no idea how to read music but would love to show her how to play some simple songs.

I will probably start her in piano lessons in a year but i really want to see if it is just a phase. She is fascinated by music (actually fuelled by the Little Einstiens programs) and all she wanted for Christmas was a Violin (which i sourced a little one out and she was so chuffed). She holds it and makes a whole lot of noise - made worse by the fact i have no idea how to tune it, lol. Her 9yr old cousin plays guitar and Violin and she is always mesmerised by his playing.

Anywho, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

:T

YorkiePud_3

This brings back memories!!

I played the organ for years and years ... I will have to have a look for my books. I stored them away somewhere when my old organ conked out and couldn't be repaired, but can't for the life of me remember where!

Offhand, the two ones I started with were Largo (you know, the music to the Hovis advert, which is incredibly easy) and The Can Can ...

Now then, if I can recall Largo, it is:

E G G, E D C
D E G E D
E G G,E D C
D E D C C

And The Can Can ...

C D F E D G G G A
E F D D D F E D C
Then the next C UP the keyboard, B A G F E D
C D F E D G G G A
E F D D D F E D C
G D E C

*LOL* have just been tapping those out on my pc desk ... if I can remember any more or come across my books I will pass some more tunes on!

Reading music is very very easy .... if you look at the music, it consists of lines, with spaces in between, right?
Okidoki ... so reading from the bottom line, a note on the bottom line would mean and E ... and working up to the next line, a note on that line would be a G ... a note on the line after that would be B ... the next line D and the top line is an F.

So you have E, G, B, D F ... or, to help you remember it, "every good boy deserves football" .... or, "every good bird deserves food" ...

Now then, if you have note written IN the spaces between the lines, reading up from the bottom ... the first space would mean an F ... the second space up would be an A note, the next space up is a C note and the last space up would be an E note ...

So you have F, A, C and E ... so if you remember, "in the space, the letters spell FACE" ...

*S* .. and of course, it sounds terribly easy to someone who has been doing it for years, I understand that!! But if you remember those two sentences ... Every Good Boy Deserves Football and In the Space, the Letters Spell Face, and that will set her up well for learning to read music!

Try and find out though, if she fancies organ playing or piano ... they are both very different and I wouldn't recommend doing both together!
I took to the organ though like a duck to water and although my parents thought it not the most trendy hobby *L* I stuck at it and loved it!
It was a fabulous de-stresser if I was upset or mad .. I just got on there and played my music and it always relaxed me *S*

It really sounds like music is the way she wants to go ... so I would encourage her all the way with it because it really will help her and she will feel such a sense of achievement!!

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

YorkiePud, you are fabulous!

This is just what i was after. I will try adding the letters to some simple sheets too if i can follow your advice and find some simple enough. The thing that gets me is the timing and when do you use a black key(which are the minuses i guess, duh me - i really haven't got a clue)?

I have learnt the Largo one easily and have shown my daughter, She has picked up just 'E G G' so far but will play it over and over whilst saying the letters. Pretty good for a 2yr 8mth old who was a bit ratty because she'd had a long day. I will be interested to see if she has remembered those few keys for daddy tomorrow - she tends to have fantastic memory.

I'll add just a few keys on to learn each day and will see if she'll keep up. I'll be ever so impressed if she does.

She is quite a bit too young to learn to read music but she'll happily match the letters up to those on her keyboard with a little guidance. She has only just learnt to identify each letter of the alphabet so this'll help with that too. Double bonus!

Thank you ever so much! If you do happen to remember any more please let me know - i'd love to show her that mummy can play a few little songs and then hopefully she'll copy.

YorkiePud_3

*LOL* no problemo!!
I just know what a great time you can have learning music and playing it! It kept me sane when I was growing up, I can tell you! There is nothing like losing yourself in it, or putting your own twiddly bits in to jazz it up ... *LOL* ... I wish every child could learn the organ at school .. I know if they got into it, they would love it!!

Right, I only have a few minutes, but I've got a website you can go to and download note value cards ... you can print them out and they have the note on the front and the value on the back (they are VERY easy and simple, just like the alphabet flash cards to teach children their letters!) ...

http://linkwaregraphics.com/music/flashcards/notevalues2/

If you have them, then it will make it easier!
I could type it all out for you then you would have to keep referring back to it, but if you print those off, you've got them for good!

At first, when I was learning, I would learn the letters ... that is how I remembered those two songs! It is AMAZING how they stick in your mind! I learned those when I was around 4 yrs old and I am now 37 ... (aarrgghh how did I get to that so quickly?!!) ... if you learn the letters though, it seems to be easier.

The black notes are the flats and the sharps ... I wouldn't worry about that just yet as they can seem very confusing at first!
I would stick with the Largo until she cracks that and at the same time, I would use the flash cards to help her learn note values ... it will stand her in good stead for reading music from books then, in time!

It might be a way off just yet, but in my opinion, the best books are The Complete Organ Player series. I wonder if they still publish them ... they should do, although as I say, it is years since I played!!

But as I say, if you can get her learning her note values (and it will "go in" even at her age!) that really is half the battle!!

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

Thank you - yes the flashcards are something i'll defo print out for her. They look like i'll have to master them first, lol.

It's quite amusing actually - i don't know if its the word Largo or the actual tune but she keeps saying ''it's like 'ittle einsteins, mum!''. It might be the word because she runs about the house saying adagio and allegro (sp) and the other phrases. It's amazing - i'm not a big fan of kids TV but that program is actually really educational - even for me, lol! She remembered the three keys this morn too.

I am glad she has taken an interest in music - i thought she may go down my route of ballet and gymnastics which i did religiously as a young child but i'd be just as impressed if she takes up music. I think it's so important for children to have an interest in something outside of school/nursery to keep them stimulated- it keeps them away from all of the nonsense that is continuously thrown at them via media.

I extra pleased as all of these little things will hopefully help her pass her entry assesment for our chosen school next year.

And thanks to your advice i am now hooked too. I printed off some Silent Night sheet music and written the letters and learnt most of it this morn - i don't know if it's all correct but it sounds right. Only trouble is my daily house work is suffering, lol!

Thank you again YorkiePud!

Organ/Piano- the choice is hers, i'd be proud either way. The School she'll hopefully be attending have an amazing music department so i'm sure she'll get the opportunity to try plenty of instruments.

freda

What tunes would your daughter like to play? If you tell me what nursery rhymes or other music that she already knows, I'll write out the letters for you. It is probably best to stick to tunes that she already knows, as she will recognise it.


Here is iggle piggle's tune from itng as a start:

E E G F E F E D (Yes my name is iggle piggle)
D E F G A G F E E D (iggle piggle iggle wiggle diggle)
E E G F E F E D (Yes my name is iggle piggle)
D E F G A G A B C (iggle piggle iggle wiggle woo)

MsChazzer

Here's Twinkle Twinkle Little Star:

C C G G A A C
F F E E D D C
G G F F E E D
G G F F E E D
C C G G A A C
F F E E D D C

Have fun!

jellyhead

I did the blackadder theme tune for my son last week but she's probably not into that much?

This is the way they teach recorder playing in our primary too, starting at age 7.

freda

MsChazzer wrote: »

Here's Twinkle Twinkle Little Star:

C C G G A A G
F F E E D D C
G G F F E E D
G G F F E E D
C C G G A A G
F F E E D D C

Have fun!

Oops - should have been G not C!

MsChazzer

freda wrote: »

Oops - should have been G not C!

Thanks Freda! I was trying to visualise the keyboard at my desk!

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

Wow, thank you! Both will be great for her - she has come down a little poorly this week so she hasn't done much more. The snow hasn't helped.

She will love the both - does anyone know baa baa black sheep (i know it's supposed to be a no-no but i think thats silly, plus they still sing it her nursery), also 12345, Once i caught a fish alive; and maybe row your boat as these are ones she sings.

Also any tv show songs. I have found a website with blank sheet music so i'm making a little booklet (for me too, lol).

Thank you again everyone, i really appreciate it!