Playing a melody with sharps
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can play the opening of a piece using sharps on the keyboard and can recognise minor and major scales
Key learning points
- Scales have their own distinctive sound and are defined by the order of the intervals from one note to the next.
- A minor scale pattern is tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone.
- The minor scale sounds more solemn than the major scale.
- When major and minor scales use notes outside the scale, these are called chromatic.
- Playing the opening phrase of Fur Elise, which uses both D sharp and D natural.
Keywords
Minor scale - a set of notes where the 3rd and 6th notes in the scale are flattened, and that sound sad or more solemn than a major scale
Sharp - the sharp symbol (#) is used to show that a note has been raised by a semitone
Natural - the natural symbol is used to show a note in the bar has returned to the normal pitch
Chromatic - a note that is not part of the key or scale
Common misconception
Adjacent white notes on the keyboard are all a tone apart.
Most of the adjacent white notes are a tone apart but because of the pattern of the black notes on the keyboard some of the adjacent white notes are also semitones. It's important for pupils to count the notes to work out an interval.
Teacher tip
Encourage pupils to look for and remember the patterns in the melody to help them learn it. The opening motif is particularly tricky so check pupils have learnt this small section first. The melody has been simplified. The more difficult version is available in the additional materials if needed.
Equipment
Keyboard instrument
Licence
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