Chrissy Ricker
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3 First Pop and Rock Songs to Teach by Ear

2/25/2018

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One of the top requests I get from my students is to play pop and rock songs by ear. If you have read my earlier blog posts on ear training (see the archives HERE), you have seen the strategies I use for helping students learn to play simple melodies by ear and to harmonize them with basic chords. Once students have done this, playing pop songs by ear is a totally achievable goal--especially if you start with the right songs for a good first experience.

What do I look for when finding the first pop and rock songs to teach by ear? I find that the best songs to use first:
  • are in an easy key that students already know: C, G, F, and D major are great to start.
  • have a clear form with an easy-to-identify intro, verse, and chorus.
  • use a repetitive melody made up of mainly steps.
  • use a limited number of chords.
  • are familiar classics that students have heard before.

So, without further ado, here are my 3 favorite pop and rock songs to teach by ear first! These songs will help students get the hang of identifying form, following the melody and bass line, and harmonizing a melody with simple chords.

"Lean on Me" by Bill Withers

My top choice for a first pop/rock song to learn by ear is "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers. It is in the key of C major and has a repetitive melody made up of mostly steps. Best of all, you can easily harmonize the opening of this song by playing chords in the left hand that match the melody notes--creating a big sound. 

"Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Students are surprised to learn that this well-known rock song only has 3 chords! Written in the key of G major, the foundation of this song is the steady D-C-G chord progression. Have students find these three bass notes first, then create a steady groove by playing each bass note twice followed by the matching root position blocked chord. The melody is also quite easy to play by ear, using mostly the notes F#, E, D, and the B below. 

"Best Day of My Life" by American Authors
This song is the most recent of the ones on the list and another favorite to teach by ear. It is in the key of D major, but the melody only uses the five notes from the D major pentatonic scale: D-E-F#-A-B. The chorus can be harmonized easily using just two chords: D major and G major. 

What do you think? Do you have a favorite pop or rock song to teach by ear? Please share in the comments!
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Friday Freebie and a Teaching Tip!

2/16/2018

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Today only, Friday, February 16th, "Highland Dance," the first piece from my new Perfect Patterns book, is available for FREE at Piano Pronto!

Click HERE to get your free copy!








​In honor of the occasion, I made a short teaching tip video demonstrating how I introduce pattern-based pieces like this one to my students using transposition and improvisation! 

Check out the rest of my Perfect Patterns book HERE.
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Two Black Key Improv Activities for Beginners

2/8/2018

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Following up on my new year's resolution to help my students discover the joy of music, I have been trying to incorporate more creative activities into my lessons this past month. Playing by ear, improvising, composing--I have been making these fun activities a top priority during our lessons. To my surprise, helping my students to be creative has also rejuvenated my own teaching, and helped to banish the post-holiday burnout that sometimes happens after Christmas break. It's a win-win!

To that end, I would like to share a couple of the improv activities I have been doing with my students this month. These activities are simple enough to do with beginners, and quick enough to fit into any lesson plan. They encourage students to play with a steady beat, and help them to organize their ideas into a simple A-B-A form. Best of all, these improvs only require 5 notes--the five black keys!

1. Black Key Blues
  • Help students improvise a melody over a 12 bar blues pattern!  Start by playing a teacher duet made up of a simple 12 bar blues pattern in E-flat major, using the chord pattern below. Play four quarter note beats per measure, using blocked or broken chords or a simple blues pattern (such as the intervals 5th-6th-7th-6th).
               Eb | Eb | Eb | Eb |
               Ab | Ab | Eb | Eb |
               Bb | Ab | Eb | Eb |
  • Next, ask students to create a melody over your duet part using steady quarter notes on the black keys. These notes are part of the E-flat blues scale and pair perfectly with our 12 bar blues pattern! 
  • After playing the 12 bar duet, try a fun "call-and-response" rhythm activity. Using one of your blues chords, play a four-beat pattern and have the student echo it using one of the black keys. Try 8 measures of call-and-response, then repeat your 12 bar blues pattern (with the student once again creating a melody in quarter notes) to end the improv.

2. Pretty, Pretty Rainbow
  • Create a lyrical duet using only the black keys! Start by asking the student to create a simple melody using the phrase "pret-ty pret-ty rain-bow" for the rhythm (equivalent to four quarter notes followed by two half notes). Students may use any black keys they wish.
  • Once the student is comfortable with the melody, accompany them by playing harmony on the black keys. Any black keys will work! Aim to repeat the phrase "pretty pretty rainbow" four times to create an 8-bar phrase.
  • Next, have your student improvise a middle section for the improv by creating "rainbow" sounds on the black keys. They may play the black keys one at a time or in clusters, going down the piano and then back up. Don't forget to hold down the damper pedal for maximum colorful effect!
  • Finally, repeat your 8-bar "pretty pretty rainbow" section to finish the piece.

What do you think? Have you done any improv activities with your students this year? Please leave a comment below!

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    Author

    Chrissy Ricker is a pianist, teacher, and composer from North Carolina. These are her thoughts on teaching, composing, and all things music.


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