Drums Alive

We've been learning about playing in a beat along to music.   We are using exercise balls on pails.  This program is for exercise and it's called Drums Alive, but a super great way to practice our music skills.  Here are a few of our favorite songs.

Cup Song Pattern

POINTERS - Use your right hand to pick up cup and the sweep.  When you grab the 'bottom' it's with your left hand.

CHALLENGE - Once you've mastered this pattern, how can you do it with a partner.  Check out the other groups in the song.  How else are they making new routines?

My Own Way to Rock

The Grade 4/5 classes have been talking about Canadian and Winnipeg musician, Burton Cummings and the rockin' roll band, The Guess Who.  Check out this link to Burton's biography.

We have been learning about the 12-bar blues.  This pattern is found in many styles of music, including jazz, gospel, pop, boogie woogie, and of course, rock. Check out the structure and have your child explain what it means.  Burton's song "My Own Way to Rock" is set in the major key of C.

Here is the boomwhacker version that I made up for us to play along to :)

I'm a Gummy Bear?!

Learning patterns to the Gummy Bear song

Today the Grade 1 classes were introduced to the Drums Alive program.

Our 3 rules are:

1. safety

2. respect

3. participate (who doesn't?!)

Our first song is learning patterns.  We realize that we have to know our RIGHT and LEFT or we can easily get mixed up and bump into someone.  We also have to be able to count to 8, feel the beat, follow the pattern (teacher) and listen to the music all at the same time.  It's hard at first but fun when we all get it!  Once we know it, we can start singing along!

The form of the song is ABCADBCAEAF.  Wow!  That's alot to remember!