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I Hear the Echo

Lesson Book page 16

let's get started

1. Do you know what an echo is? I'll call out something and you echo me. (Call out the student's name, hello … )
2. In music we say forte, for loud, and piano, for soft. (Shout forte, whisper piano.)
3. Sing the melody The More We Get Together to the words Now Let's All Tap It Forte. Tap the beats forte and piano on the cover. (See video and download duet.)
4. Play high Gs with both hands, using braced fingers 3s. (Have the student keep the beat while you play When the Saints March Forte In. (See video and download duet.)
5. Can you find and circle this rhythm pattern in the piece?
   
6. Let's play. Remember your echo!

An echo is a good way to describe the difference between forte and piano.

explore and create

• Ear Echoes

  (Cover the 3-black-keys with fingers 2-3-4, both hands.) I'll play a short music message, forte. You echo the message, piano. (Later) You send me a music message.

• Choose Your Mountain

  (Move the student's fingers down to F-G-A, C-D-E, or G-A-B.) Let's play echoes on another mountain top.

• Martian Echoes

  Put your RH fingers 2-3-4 on the 3-black-keys and your LH fingers 4-3-2 on the white keys (C-D-E). (Play a whole-tone duet.) (See video and download duet.)

Hearing the difference between forte and piano is ear-training!

partner pages

Theory

p. 8 The Half Note

• Hearing short rhythms as separate and distinct patterns is at the core of this ear-training. The student circles pattern a or b, then circles forte or piano for the dynamic mark played.
• Review of musical terms concludes this page.

Performance

p. 4 Wind in the Trees

• Holding the damper pedal down throughout gives a special effect for this 2-black-key piece.
• Coach students to circle the longer rhythm pattern that occurs three times.
  
• Can students spot the short rhythm pattern beginning line two?
• Though legato is not formally taught at the Primer Level, playing LH fingers 2-3 back and forth creates an opportunity to connect the sound.

pedagogy pointers

Dynamics are introduced early so that more sensitive playing is part of the student's musical experience from the outset of study.

The example of an echo is a natural way to teach the difference between forte and piano. Doing this also promotes pattern recognition. The words in the piece reinforce the loud/soft concept, and the echo phrases are true—the notes and rhythms are the same.

accompaniments on disk

• CD Tracks 10-11
• MIDI File 5

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see it in action

Teaching Video 16

Both Patrick and David have fun changing dynamics before they are asked to use them while playing a piece. David really enjoys leading those "saints" himself.

The new rhythm pattern is a long one, but it helps Patrick see the shape of the piece and how the pattern is repeated.

Sending music echo messages is another dynamic experience for David that might easily be an ear-training game, too.

Patrick discovers that Martians can create echoes in outer space. A far-out, eerie experience!

Ask Yourself

• What is the physical difference between tapping forte and tapping piano?
• What does the teacher do while Patrick is circling the rhythm patterns?
• Can you think of other ear-training games to reinforce forte and piano?

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