Overview

Overview of the learning sequence contained in the My Mini Music Books.

Books 1 to 6 are summarized in the following table. See below for an overview of Book 7.

Book 4 is available in “Recorder” and “Non-recorder” formats.

Book 5 is available in “Recorder/Keyboard”, “Keyboard only” and “Non-Instrumental” formats.

Book 6 is available in “Keyboard only” and “Non-Instrumental” formats.

Please note that the concepts listed in regard to Books 4 and 5 in the following table are common to both the recorder and non-recorder versions of each book.

 

 

Book 1 Book 2 Book 3 Book 4 Book 5 Book 6
Duration
  • Beat and no beat
  • Fast and slow
  • “Ta”
  • “Te-te”
  • “Za” (rest)
  • “Too” (ta-a)
  • (plus rhythms learned in book 1)
  • 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures
  • “Three” (dotted minim)
  • “Four” (semibreve)
  • “Tika-tika”
  • (plus rhythms learned in books 1 & 2)
  • “Te-tika”
  • “Tika-te”
  • (plus rhythms learned in books 1-3)
  • 6/8 time
  • “tetete”, “ta-te”, “tam”, “zam”, “tika-tika-tika” in 6/8
  • (plus rhythms learned in books 1-4)
  • “Syncopa”
  • “Tam-te”
  • (all in simple time)
  • (plus rhythms learned in books 1-5.)
Pitch
  • Phrase contour
  • High and low
  • Solfa: So and mi
  • Solfa: la (plus solfa learned in book 1)
  • Introduction to staff notation
  • Solfa: do pentatonic (do, re, mi, so, la)
  • Treble clef letter names: E, G, A, B, C, D
  • Intervals: Steps (2nds), Skips (3rds)
  • Solfa: High do (in addition to do, re, mi, so, la)
  • Letter names: low D, E, G, A, B, C, D
  • Solfa: low la, low so (to make extended do pentatonic)
  • Letter names: low C, F, F#, Bb (plus letter names learned in book 4).
  • Solfa: la pentatonic; fa & ti to make Major scale
  • Letter names: low C, low D, E, F, F#, G, A, Bb, B, C, D
  • Bass clef: Simple bass lines
Dynamics & Expression
  • Soft and loud
  • Dynamics: p and f
  • Smooth and detached
  • Dynamics: pp, ff, crescendo and decrescendo
  • Staccato, legato, accent
Structure
  • Same and different phrases
  • Question and Answer phrases
  • Canons/Rounds
  • Binary and Ternary
  • Repeat signs
  • Ostinatos
  • Rondo
Texture
  • Thick and thin
  • Rhythmic and melodic canons
  • Partner songs
  • 3 part rhythmic and melodic canons
  • 4 part melodic canons
Timbre
  • Classroom percussion
  • Widely contrasting melody instruments
  • Percussion instruments
  • String instruments
  • Woodwind instruments
  • Keyboard instruments
  • Brass instruments
  • Voice types
  • Orchestral instruments from various historial contexts
  • Folksongs from various cultural contexts
Art Music
  • The Four Seasons by Vivaldi
  • Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saens
  • Surprise Symphony by Haydn
  • Variations on Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star by Mozart
  • Russian Dance and Dance of the Reed Flutes from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky
  • Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev
  • Little Train of the Caipira by Villa-Lobos
  • Morning and In the Hall of the Mountain King by Grieg
  • Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky
  • Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Dukas
  • Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin
  • The Planets by Holst
  • Fireworks Music by Handel
  • Radetzky March by Strauss
  • Olympic Fanfare and Theme by Williams
  • The Moldau by Smetana
  • Troika by Prokofiev
  • Toccata & Fugue in D minor by Bach
  • Minuet in G by Bach
  • Rondo alla Turca by Mozart
  • Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky
  • Mother Goose Suite by Ravel
  • The Entertainer by Joplin
  • Toccata from Orpheus by Monteverdi
  • Rondeau from Abdelazer by Purcell
  • Horn Concerto No. 4 (3rd movement) by Mozart
  • Symphony No. 5 (1st movement) by Beethoven
  • Hungarian Dances No. 5 & 18 by Brahms
  • Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner
  • Viennese Musical Clock by Kodaly
  • The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra by Britten

 

BOOK 7

Book 7 is structured in a different way from books 1 to 6. Book 7 does not introduce any new rhythm or pitch elements, but rather leads students through a wide ranging overview of popular music of the 20th century. Each music style is represented with a specially chosen song and questions to focus students’ listening. The styles of music covered in Book 7 are:

Ragtime, Dixieland Jazz, Chicago Jazz, Swing, Bebop, Cool Jazz, Rock ‘n’ Roll, 1960’s Rock, Soul, Motown, Funk, Surf Music, Reggae, Disco, 1970’s Pop, Glam Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, 1980’s Pop, Glam Metal, Grunge, Country Music, 1990’s Pop, Rap & Hiphop, 2000’s Rock, Alternative Rock, and 2000’s Pop.

Each song is available on Youtube. The links to these songs can be found in the Teacher Lesson and Assessment Planner.

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