Simpedia

Sue C., Australia

I tried the Jingle Bells Blues this week. With students in early level one, it would be enough for them to play this as a duet with teacher playing with them or another student. They can play it as a solo next year and advance the LH with a more involved blues base.

This is a great last minute Christmas song idea to teach in one or two lessons.

All of the nursery rhymes in Children’s Songs can be played as duets with one person playing the melody and the other playing accompaniment.

At my end of year recital I have families playing a nursery rhyme each. Where a parent is willing he or she will play the melody with a child playing the accompaniment and in one case a young child will stand at bottom end of piano and play with his left hand only the notes C F or G. Some are singing as well.

It is a good way to involve family members.

JINGLE BELLS BLUES
Can be played as a duet with:
(1) One person playing the RH chords and the other playing the LH which is
just the same as LH for level one Jackson Blues. The order is not the same as
for Jackson Blues, but the I (C), IV (F) and V (G) patterns are the same.
For example the LH of I (C) position is:
LH number 5 finger on Bass C (C below middle C), with number 1 (thumb)
finger on G for the count of 1. For the count of 2, move the thumb up one
note to A (replay the 5 on C as well). Repeat this pattern in the IV and V
positions.
(2) one person playing RH melody with the other playing the LH which is
just the same as LH for level one Jackson Blues (as described above).
SOLO – Play as solo for the more advanced beginner.
Ratio 1:1 or 1:2
C C C C
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
F C G G
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh, hey,
C C C C
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
F C G C
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.