Welcome, Young Musicians!
"Sing unto Yahuah with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our Elohim." - Psalm 147:7
This year we will learn to:
- 🎼 Read music notes
- 🎵 Understand rhythm better
- 🎹 Know the keyboard
- 🎤 Sing in harmony
- 🪈 Play the recorder
- 🎵 Learn worship songs
Music is a gift from Yahuah! When we learn music well, we can worship Him beautifully and bless others with our gifts.
1The Musical Staff
Music is written on 5 lines called a STAFF. The staff tells us which notes to play!
The Treble Clef Staff
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5 Lines with 4 Spaces between them
The Treble Clef (𝄞)
This curly symbol at the beginning tells us which notes go where. It's also called the "G Clef" because it wraps around the G line!
Notes on the Lines: E-G-B-D-F
Remember: Every Good Boy Does Fine
(Bottom to top: E, G, B, D, F)
Notes in the Spaces: F-A-C-E
Remember: It spells FACE!
(Bottom to top: F, A, C, E)
Practice: Name These Notes
Your teacher will put notes on the staff. Can you name them using the tricks above?
Line Notes: E - G - B - D - F (Every Good Boy Does Fine)
Space Notes: F - A - C - E (FACE)
2Note Values & Counting
Notes tell us TWO things: which pitch AND how long to hold it!
♫
Eighth Notes
1/2 beat each
The Math of Music
1 Whole Note = 2 Half Notes = 4 Quarter Notes = 8 Eighth Notes
It's like fractions! A whole can be divided into halves, quarters, etc.
Rests (Silence)
Rests are when we DON'T play - but they're just as important as the notes!
- 𝄻 Whole Rest = 4 beats of silence
- 𝄼 Half Rest = 2 beats of silence
- 𝄽 Quarter Rest = 1 beat of silence
- 𝄾 Eighth Rest = 1/2 beat of silence
Clap These Rhythms
Use "TA" for quarter notes, "TI-TI" for eighth notes, and "SHHHH" for rests!
- ♩ ♩ ♩ ♩ | ♩ ♩ 𝄼 |
- ♩ ♫ ♩ 𝄽 | ♫ ♫ ♩ |
- 𝅗𝅥 ♩ ♩ | ♩ ♩ 𝅗𝅥 |
3Time Signatures
At the beginning of music, you'll see two numbers stacked like a fraction. This is the TIME SIGNATURE.
What the Numbers Mean
Top Number: How many beats in each measure
Bottom Number: What kind of note gets one beat
Common Time Signatures:
- 4/4 - Four quarter-note beats per measure (most common!)
- 3/4 - Three quarter-note beats (waltz time)
- 2/4 - Two quarter-note beats (march time)
- 6/8 - Six eighth-note beats (like a jig)
Feel the Difference
4/4 Time: Count "1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4" and clap on each number
3/4 Time: Count "1-2-3, 1-2-3" like a waltz (emphasize the 1)
2/4 Time: Count "1-2, 1-2" like marching (LEFT-right, LEFT-right)
"Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs." - Psalm 150:4
4The Piano Keyboard
The piano keyboard has white keys and black keys in a pattern that repeats!
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
Finding Notes
C is always to the LEFT of the 2 black keys
F is always to the LEFT of the 3 black keys
The pattern repeats up and down the whole keyboard!
The Musical Alphabet:
Music uses only 7 letters: A - B - C - D - E - F - G
After G, it starts over with A again!
Keyboard Practice
If you have access to a piano or keyboard:
- Find all the C notes on the keyboard
- Play C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C going UP
- Play C-B-A-G-F-E-D-C going DOWN
- Play just the black keys - what does it sound like?
5Recorder Basics
The recorder is a wonderful instrument for learning music! It helps you read notes and control your breath.
Recorder Rules:
- 🌬️ Blow GENTLY - like saying "too" or "doo"
- 👆 Cover holes COMPLETELY with the flat part of fingers
- 🤫 No squeaking! Control your air
- 🎵 Keep the recorder at a 45-degree angle
First Notes on Recorder:
B
Left hand: thumb + 1st finger
A
Left hand: thumb + 1st + 2nd fingers
G
Left hand: thumb + 1st + 2nd + 3rd fingers
Practice: Hot Cross Buns
Learn this simple song using only B, A, and G!
B - A - G (rest) "Hot Cross Buns"
B - A - G (rest) "Hot Cross Buns"
G-G-G-G A-A-A-A "One a penny, two a penny"
B - A - G (rest) "Hot Cross Buns"
6Dynamics & Expression
Music isn't just notes - it's HOW you play them! Dynamics tell us how loud or soft to play.
Dynamic Markings (Italian Words)
| Symbol |
Italian |
Meaning |
| pp |
pianissimo |
very soft |
| p |
piano |
soft |
| mp |
mezzo piano |
medium soft |
| mf |
mezzo forte |
medium loud |
| f |
forte |
loud |
| ff |
fortissimo |
very loud |
Other Expression Marks:
- Crescendo (<) - Get gradually louder
- Decrescendo (>) - Get gradually softer
- Legato - Smooth and connected
- Staccato (dots) - Short and detached
"Make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise." - Psalm 98:4
Sometimes we're told to be LOUD in praise!
7Singing with Expression
Good Singing Habits:
- 🧍 Posture: Stand tall, shoulders back, relaxed
- 🌬️ Breathing: Deep breaths from your belly, not shoulders
- 😮 Mouth: Open wide with tall vowels (AH, EE, OH)
- 👂 Ears: Listen while you sing - match the pitch!
- ❤️ Heart: Mean what you sing!
Singing Parts
When people sing together, they can sing different parts:
- Melody - The main tune
- Harmony - Notes that go WITH the melody but aren't the same
- Round - Same tune, starting at different times
Psalm 136 Response Song
This psalm has a repeating response - perfect for two groups!
Group 1: "O give thanks unto Yahuah, for He is good"
Group 2: "For His mercy endures forever!"
Group 1: "O give thanks unto the Elohim of elohim"
Group 2: "For His mercy endures forever!"
Try a Round!
"Shalom Chaverim" (Peace, Friends) - A beautiful Hebrew round
Divide into 2 or 3 groups. Each group starts when the previous group reaches the second line!
8Learning Worship Songs
"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to Yahuah." - Ephesians 5:19
Parts of a Song:
- Verse - Tells the story (different words each time)
- Chorus - The main message (same words, repeated)
- Bridge - A different section that "bridges" parts together
Simple Praise Song to Learn
(Can be sung to a simple tune)
Verse 1:
Yahuah is my strength and song,
He has become my salvation.
I will praise Him all day long,
He is worthy of adoration!
Chorus:
HalleluYah, HalleluYah!
Praise to the Most High!
HalleluYah, HalleluYah!
Lift His name up high!
Verse 2:
Yahuah is faithful and true,
His love endures forever.
In everything I say and do,
I'll praise His name forever!
(Repeat Chorus)
Create Your Own!
Write your own verse for the song above. What do YOU want to praise Yahuah for?
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9Music in Scripture
The Bible is full of music! Let's explore some important music moments:
Bible Music Stories:
- Moses & Miriam (Exodus 15) - Sang after crossing the Red Sea
- David - Wrote many Psalms, played harp for King Saul
- Temple Worship - Levites were full-time musicians!
- Paul & Silas (Acts 16) - Sang in prison at midnight
- Heaven (Revelation 4-5) - Music surrounds Yahuah's throne!
"It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Yahuah... that then the house was filled with a cloud... for the glory of Yahuah had filled the house of Elohim." - 2 Chronicles 5:13-14
When the musicians worshipped as ONE, Yahuah's presence filled the Temple!
Instruments in the Bible:
- 🎺 Shofar (ram's horn trumpet)
- 🎸 Kinnor (David's harp/lyre)
- 🥁 Toph (tambourine/hand drum)
- 🔔 Cymbals
- 🪈 Chalil (flute)
- 🎻 Nebel (larger harp)
10Year in Review
What We Learned:
- The musical staff and note names (FACE, Every Good Boy Does Fine)
- Note values (whole, half, quarter, eighth)
- Time signatures (4/4, 3/4, 2/4)
- The piano keyboard and musical alphabet
- Recorder notes (B, A, G, and more!)
- Dynamics (pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff)
- Good singing technique
- Worship songs and rounds
- Music in the Bible
Music Vocabulary Test
Can you explain these terms?
- Staff: _______________________
- Treble Clef: _______________________
- Quarter Note: _______________________
- Time Signature: _______________________
- Forte: _______________________
- Piano (dynamic): _______________________
- Harmony: _______________________
- Rest: _______________________
Final Performance Checklist
- I can play "Hot Cross Buns" on recorder
- I can read notes on the staff
- I can clap rhythms correctly
- I can sing a worship song from memory
- I know why music matters to Yahuah
"Let everything that hath breath praise Yahuah. HalleluYah!" - Psalm 150:6
Answer Key
Music Vocabulary:
- Staff: The 5 lines and 4 spaces where music is written
- Treble Clef: The curly G symbol at the beginning of the staff
- Quarter Note: A note worth 1 beat
- Time Signature: Numbers that tell how many beats per measure
- Forte: Loud
- Piano (dynamic): Soft
- Harmony: Notes that go with the melody but aren't the same
- Rest: A symbol showing silence for a certain number of beats