We learned about quarter notes, half notes, and whole notes, and did an exercise on quarter notes in the Music Theory workbook. We reviewed our trebel clef notes, and played the song Stepping Up and Stepping Down in the Teaching Little Fingers to Play book. We also did some half scale finger exercises, and used the drums to play some different rhythms.

We only had time to play a few half scales.

We used the drums to talk about rhythm, and discussed the difference between melody and rhythm. We learned how notes need to also have rhythm in order to make the melodies in songs that we can play and sing. We did some high to low note reading exercises in the beginning theory book. We played some finger exercises on the keyboard.

We played a little on the drums to discuss the importance of rhythm in music. We played a few simple rhythms on the snare drum pad, and then counted quarter notes as we played them on different parts of the drum set. We then talked about the concept of higher and lower pitches, and used the Piano Adventures Theory Book to do some excercises that showed how higher pitches are to the right and lower pitches are to the left on the keyboard. We also identified the keys according to their note assignments. We began talking in detail about the treble clef and the staff notes associated with it. We did a few half scales playing C through G as a finger exercise.

We continued working on basic finger exercises and playing half scales ascending and descending with the right, left, and both hands. We reviewed the song "Baseball Days" from last week, and proceeded to "The Postman" on page 11 of Teaching Little Fingers to Play. This song introduced the 3/4 time signature, the G below middle C, and the F above middle C. We also discussed some music theory relating to creating major chords from the notes in the major scale. We also worked on a coordination exercise by playing chords over a simple moving bass line.

We started working in a basic music theory book: Piano Adventures Theory Book - Primer Level. We talked about basic hand position, and the concepts of harmony and dissonance. We began learning how to find Middle C, as well as all of the other C keys on the keyboad. We experimented with playing different keys together and identified them as either harmonious or dissonant. We did a few simple finger exercises. Jack was very interested in how a piano works, so we lifted the cover, watched the way the piano makes its notes, and discussed the mechanics of keys, hammers, strings, dampers, and pedals.

We reviewed the keys and notes A through G around Middle C. We talked about the difference between the keys of C major and A minor, and then played the next two songs in the Teaching Little Fingers To Play book, which are in those keys respectively. We worked on playing half scales in the key of C, both ascending and descending, on the right hand, left hand, and then together. We discussed the theory behind creating major chords from the notes in the major scale.

We worked on reading basic rhythms, and counting quarter notes and half notes. We discussed basic hand position and finger motion for efficient playing technique. We began becoming acquainted with the keyboard by locating middle C, and playing half scales (C through G) as a finger exercise to apply basic playing technique.

We discussed the basics of standard musical notation, and the location of notes on the keyboard. We learned basic piano technique, and played the first several lessons in the John Thompson Teaching Little Fingers How to Play book. The lessons taught and applied the reading and playing of the seven notes A throught G around middle C.

We continued working on playing a repeating single note bass line against a right hand melody.