History of Treble and Bass Clef

Nice graphic representation of the evolution of the Treble Clef and the Bass Clef

http://www.cybermusicacademy.org/lesson5.htm

Teach musical finger numbers early

Ask a friend to hold up his/her first finger. Many adults will hold up their "pointer," or their second finger. In music, your thumb is finger number one, pinky is number five and so on. Make up a game or a song in the car and have your child sing it with you as they wiggle each finger. Remember, one through five for each hand, not one through ten. That would be another error for future musical success. The left hand mirrors the right hand so put your right hand up to a mirror and talk about that with your child as well. When your child traces his or her hand on a piece of paper, help them number the fingers one through five on the right and five through one on the left.

Link to a great site for teaching methods

Here is a fun site for parents and for music teachers. Learn a little more about solfege here and music and movement - go to
http://www.classicsforkids.com/teachers/training/handsigns.asp

Sweet Potato Ocarina is Fun to Play

Looking for something fun for your elementary-age child to play? Try the ocarina, or the sweet potato. You'll find it on amazon. It may be easier to learn than the recorder. Here is the definition from wikipedia...

The ocarina (pronounced /ɒkəˈriːnə/) is an ancient flute-like wind instrument.[1] While several variations exist, an ocarina is typified by an oval-shaped enclosed space with four to twelve finger holes and a mouth tube projecting out from the body. It is often ceramic, but many other materials, such as plastic, wood, glass and metal may also be used. http://wikipedia.com

I got one from a music store, and the directions on the back appeared to make learning this easy (I hope). I sent it to a nephew for Christmas, so now I'm hunting for another one. I may just get this from amazon today!

Recipe for Swine Flu Protection

Recipe to protect yourself from the swine flu - or to use if you get it to speed recovery!

2,000 units of vitamin D a day
12 caplets of probiotics such as "Garden of Life" Primal Defense - daily - (if you use another brand, you'll need to calculate the safe dosage)
2 to 4 TBSP pure coconut oil
12 drops of oil of oregano
Use as a mouthwash twice a day – 2 TBSP colloidal silver solution (do not swallow)

A friend of mine - his teenage daughter got the swine flu, and he says this recipe helped her to get over the flu fast. A couple of months ago, a report on www.cbn.com stated that there is scientific evidence that vitamin D and probiotics boost the immune system, helping to ward off any flu.

Circle dances and singing create a sense of community

Even the very young begin to enjoy the pleasure of the circle, and listening and moving together. Rhythm, melody, and form are experienced directly in singing games. Because they are so joyous, the group will often want to repeat the games frequently. The repetitions of song combined with movement/dance are helpful in aiding auditory, muscular, and kinesthetic memory in a positive way. Forming a circle is an age-old way of playing together. Circle dances are tied to the tradition of folk dance, and both the songs and dances learned in that context are children's treasured memories. They are shared and passed on from generation to generation.

How to learn musical intervals

Musical intervals are easy when you use these mnemonics (memory aides) - the beginning(s) of "Oh When the Saints" is a perfect third, "Here Comes the Bride" is a fourth, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" is a fifth, and "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" is a sixth! - Thank you Allen Webber of Palm Beach Community College!