Foundation Songs

Showing 111 - 120 of 135 results in Foundation Songs

Level 5 Using the Music Book

I have been keeping students’ music books for each level so they don’t ‘read’ their music, as suggested. Now I am teaching level 5 to people who can read. In the TTM for level 5 it suggests to show the student the music book to…

Overall Strategy for Teaching Level 5 Pieces

In the first song in Level 5, Neil uses the written music to teach the song. Is this the standard? In my experience, students are usually just beginning the reading rhythm program when they are learning ‘In My Eyes’, so even though the music may…

Tips for Preparing and Teaching Level 4

I’ve heard a bit about how much harder Level 4 is.  As I’m moving into that now with my students, could you share experiences of how Level 4 did or did not work well for you, and how to avoid pitfalls. In a nutshell –…

Fragmenting and Level 4

OK, I know I had this same issue on Greensleeves in Level 3. And, I’ll be the first to say that it has become one of mine and my students favorites, and did come easy once it was learned. The LEARNING is what is killing…

Lead Me to Light Rhythm

On the TTM video, Neil tells us to have the students count out sentences 1-3 of Lead Me To Light, “1-2-3-4.” When I first learned this song, I thought, “That doesn’t seem right,” but did it that way anyhow. Now I’m going back through, preparing…

Billy at the Footy Turn Around – Ending

I have taught Billy at the Footy numerous times already and am finally getting around to asking about this. In the reference book the last line of this song is shown as V IV I V, however I don’t find the V used anywhere—in the…

Billy At The Footy Improvisation Idea

I love to use Billy at the Footy as an improvisation accompaniment. I do as Neil suggests, throwing in the V chord at the end when we intend to repeat the 12-bar cycle. I do it a little differently to Neil, so I hope it’s…

Walking with Billy Fingering

My right hand naturally wants to use fingers 1, 3, and 5 rather than the suggested 1, 2, and 5. Is the specified fingering always crucial, or can students discover what feels right for them in instances such as this? My thinking is similar to…

Using the Diagram for Sleeping

This diagram represents the basic hand positions (BH) for the first section of the song. Put the page down flat and look over the page as though you are looking directly down onto the keyboard. Top Line: LH fingers 1 and 5. RH fingers 1…

Ode to Joy & Controlling the Events

Hi everyone! Can you help me? Re: C section to Ode to Joy. I’m not sure if the problem is that I am not ‘controlling the events’ even when teaching each little bit, even each sentence in the right hand as well in putting hands…