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Step 1
Choose a simple children’s song in a simple key; for example "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" in the key of C.
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Step 2
Change the words to numbers based on the notes of the song. C equals 1, D equals 2, E equals 3 and so on up to the next C which equals 8. Notice that "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" follows a very easy pattern. Here’s the first line: 1-1-5-5-6-6-5 ("Twinkle, twinkle, little star:). The second line would be: 4-4-3-3-2-2-1 ("How I wonder what you are").
Third and forth lines: 5-5-4-4-3-3-2 ("Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky"). Repeat lines one and two. -
Step 3
Play the C scale and have the child sing the numbers of the scale, so that he sees the relationship between the numbers of the scale and the numbers of the song.
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Step 4
Play that same song in the key of C, starting on C as 1. Ask the child to sing the numbers instead of the words. If she’s not willing or able to sing, she can speak them. (Sometimes a child’s sense of pitch is not yet well developed.)
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Step 5
Change the key to one with a few sharps and flats. G major has only 1 sharp, F sharp. Play the song again in this key, starting on G as 1. Again, have the child sing or speak the numbers as he plays.











Comments
MusicalMommy said
on 12/31/2008 Wonderful suggestions! Also, for a very young child, the Trebellina DVD is helpful to ingrain much of this information even before music lessons usually begin.