Teaching Ode to Joy
Found in: Foundation Songs, Playing-Based Methodology
I want to share a technique I have been employing on Ode to Joy in Level One that has been working well. I find it takes away a little of the learning when an adult recognizes the tune mid-way into the learning. So I have been doing one of two things.
Either I teach them on my electric piano with no sound, or I have them bring the practice pad and use that. Bringing the pad is great; it gets them used to using it and really helps for other songs down the road. The electric piano works great too; since there is no sound, we get through the whole song. I don’t have the page opened or the sound on all the way through two hands together counting aloud without distractions. When I say distractions, I mean that sometimes the sound of the keys or recognition of the tune can interfere with the whole counting process, and/or getting comfortable with the patterns, and sometimes with adding the left hand as well. When I am sure they have all the steps nice and strong, I turn on the piano and out comes Ode to Joy. It is very powerful, especially to see their eyes light up when they recognize the tune.