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I'm starting some whole class band teaching (I guess a little like the American Band system?) in Septempber and I wonder if anyone has any games/routines to help the kids with learning to read music.

Instruments will be in Eb, Bb and C; all in treble clef. Obviously for a unison Bb different players will need to play Bb, C and G.

The method books we have initially refer to notes by number to simplify things but I really want kids to learn the 'proper' names...

Any ideas welcomed!
Cheers,
MP

The standard for many years, and still used to quite a degree, are the Belwin Band Builder books. Contact your local publisher.

I was taught with flash cards and lots of sightreading.

Man, do these threads degenerate quickly! Now we're talking about flashing!

windshieldbug wrote:Man, do these threads degenerate quickly! Now we're talking about flashing!

I mean cards that have a note on them and you give the student a small amount of time to figure out what note it is then onto the next card, hence the flashing. It keeps the students on their toes and really forces them to learn quickly.

pulseczar wrote:

windshieldbug wrote:Man, do these threads degenerate quickly! Now we're talking about flashing!

I mean cards that have a note on them and you give the student a small amount of time to figure out what note it is then onto the next card, hence the flashing. It keeps the students on their toes and really forces them to learn quickly.

But the other kind would've held your interest...

I have a teacher in college that insists upon the Gordon method. Teach them by solfege - start on "Do" in Bb and have them sing and play the notes as they learn the scale, etc. This method is a little slow but gets their ears working magnificiently if you do it right.

I've taught beginning band classes in both full band and like instrument classes and feel strongly that you are not just teaching them to read the notes, but teaching them that each "note" has three qualities: 1. a definitive pitch; 2. a letter name and 3. a location on/above/below the staff. I use a great deal of ear training, especially with brass players, since they can get quite a varierty of sounds and pitches from one fingering/position. I sing the note (using the note letter name), they sing it (using the note letter name); I buzz the note, they buzz it; I play the note, they play it. Needless to say this takes a bit of time, but I assure you they will have success quicker than if they didn't use those three steps. Repetition is the key to success, along with taking time to check individuals and make corrections. Using this approach while reading the note/song in the book, holding the instrument correctly and taking in adequate air results in good, solid fundamentals and success. If you use a method book that takes a logical progression learning the 3 qualities of a note, they will have a fair range developed by the end of their 1st year in band. You can always challenge them with additional notes that will extend their range and music-reading skills even more.
If you have any questions, feel free to respond. Good luck with your first endeavor with beginners.

I have created both game sheets (actually little stories that require note reading to understand the plot) and flash cards (mailing labels pasted to 3x5 cards). I would be glad to send you the pdf files if you PM me your e-mail address.

P.S. I have these for both treble and bass clef, for general music symbols and for each band instrument fingerings.