Happy Birthday
Found in: Accompaniment
Carol P., South Carolina
The recent video of Neil teaching Happy Birthday the Simply Music way is fantastic! Easy to remember and transpose in any key, I taught all my students in just a couple minutes yesterday in class and they loved it!
Video link:
How to Play Happy Birthday in Any Key
Michelle H., Australia
It’s pretty cool. Especially when you show them how to transpose and when they get it it’s like this light bulb moment for them. I love it. It’s the best thing… and it’s so easy. They just gobble it up and go home very pleased with themselves.
Unmani U., Australia
Here’s another idea for the final IV. It’s where you can bring in the timpani with little brother or whomever. It also teaches rubato or when we can suspend the timing. So we are singing Happy Birthday and just so we have our bearings with the lyrics – the birthday person’s name has just been sung on the first IV right? ‘Happy Birthday dear CAROL’. At that point (the second IV) drop the ratio, just one almighty chord while little Joey does an extended rolling timpani with 2 Fs in the bass played by his pointers or whatever he can manage. Then when the singers are ready bring the rhythm back in to finish ‘Happy—— etc.
Carol P., South Carolina
Mixing accompaniment variations 23 and 24 (pivots) into the Happy Birthday pattern was super fun!