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Honking Cars

Lesson Book page 34

let's get started

1. We've got a traffic jam. Listen to the honking cars. (Demonstrate the fifth.)
2. Would you like to honk and beep this horn? (Have student try some fifths.)
3. This is what it looks like when two notes play together. The notes are stacked up. (Show the sample on the page.)
4. Point to the notes while I play the piece.
5. I think you're ready to join the traffic jam. (Have the student try the piece.)

Two notes together in one hand!

explore and create

• Transposition

  You're in a new car—Model F. (Play the piece on F and C.)

• More Transposition

  Is that you in a convertible? (Play the piece on G and D.)

• All Kinds of Horns

  This highway is crowded. Let's make big semi truck honking sounds. (Model for the student and together play some low intervals and clusters.)
• Now let's make car honks in the middle range. (Together, play some intervals and clusters here.)
• How about a bicycle bell high on the keys? (Experiment together.)

• The Robin and the Traffic Jam

  Guess who's getting through the traffic jam—a little robin is walking right through. (Play some "little bird" music in the middle and have the student play sounds for the semi, the cars, or the bicycle. (See video and download duet)

Playing harmonic and melodic fifths can build the arch in the hand.

partner pages

Technique & Artistry

p. 17 The Great Cookie Chase, The Left-Handed Cookie Cutter

• Playing a fifth reinforces a round hand shape and helps build the arch and outside of the hand.
• Contrast the forte and piano measures. Drop firmly into the broken and blocked C-G fifth in measures 1-2.
• Tell the student to play softly and close to the keys for measures 3-4. Steady quarter notes!
• Ask the student, "Can you land on the next higher C without missing a beat? I'm going to be a rolling pin and chase your cookie up the keyboard. Don't let me catch you!"

pedagogy pointers

This is the first time the student plays two notes together in one hand. Playing a harmonic fifth is a natural way to build the arch in the hand.

The piece also reinforces the use of Treble G and its association with the G Clef. "Honking" encourages the student to play with a firm, loud tone.

accompaniments on disk

• CD Tracks 36-37
• MIDI File 18

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see it in action

Teaching Video 33

It's always a thrill to play notes together in one hand, and a fifth is a good "honking" and "beeping" sound. Patrick is eager to beep the horn (harmonic fifths) and move through the traffic (melodic fifths). The idea of driving steadily even though semis are sounding their own horns is a satisfying challenge.

But this highway's crowded. In addition to semis, there are other cars, even bicycles. What fun it is to explore all these sounds in different ranges of the keyboard while the perky little robin makes his way through the congestion. This is a crazy and exciting "traffic jam session"!

Ask Yourself

• Describe the ways that Patrick is involved in learning and playing this piece. Which does he enjoy the most?

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