Music is a broad topic. It is a lot of fun. Don't think too big - at least not at first.

Pick one thing and begin to develop that musical-living-habit. Then , when that is comfortable, try another. You might try two habits at once if yo u are good at that sort of thing, but don't bite off so much that you keep havin g to 'skip' music. ===== AO recommended activities: 1) Singing, singing, singing music is first IMHO (even babies benefit from momm y singing to them ****&&&**** they also benefit when mommy sings the baby's own sing-song talk back to the baby right after the coo'ing finishes) (hymns and fo lk songs and foreign language songs are great for this, camping songs are a riot , but the more singing you do, the grander) Simply following the AO selections is a good start. http://amblesideonline.org/index2.shtml If they are not a comf ortable fit for you yet, or if at some point you want to sing even more, you can check here (and/or at your library - we use our library's resources for Spanish and French songs.....): http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AmbleLore/message/126 (patriotic songs helps) http://raindrop.org/rugrat/music/kmtoz1.shtml (online accompaniments) http://www.bussongs.com/index.php (online accompaniments) http://www.theteachersguide.com/ChildrensSongs.htm (lots of links) http://www.contemplator.com/search/search.htm (folk song lyrics and midis) http://www.neflin.org/marilyn/folksongsurvey/songlist.html (folk song helps) hymn sites with accompaniment can be found here (for members - membership requir es no approval): http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AmbleLore/links/MUSIC_STUDY_001114802843/HYMNS___P RAISE_MUSIC_001123381558/ 1a) If your child only shouts, or rumbles, or mumbles, that is okay during the singing session, but at another time, you might work on helping him sing with a singing voice by using some of these ideas: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ambl eLore/message/190 1b) Some AO members (and advisory) develop enough ability to sing Sacred Harp m usic: http://www.originalsacredharp.com/ which is absolutely beautiful....... 2) Listening, listening, listening to music *habitually* is the first priority (your children hearing you sing is part of that, so if you can get comfortable w ith singing and make it a habit, it is invaluable). (composer studies are also great for this: http://amblesideonline.org/index2.shtml - but even more listeni ng is grand!) [a good first study for young children, IMHO is AO's Children's Cl assics... there are some notes on using that study here: http://groups.yahoo.co m/group/AmbleLore/message/19 ] [for information on excellent composer biographi es to read along during your AO composer study, that is if you can borrow them f rom the library or if you can afford them, read here: http://www.valeriesliving books.com/wheeler.htm but the books by Venezia are also fun] ============= It is wise to learn *how* to read music separate from learning to 'play' music f or a while. (This is a CM idea, as she endorsed the author of a method which wa s built on such ideas........) So it is a good idea to study the reading of pit ch separate from singing melodies (or playing them). In the same way, it is hel pful to study the reading of rhythm separate from singing or playing. Reading Music: Pitch - Learning about notes is valuable, but it is best to lear n to 'hear' the pitches of the written notes and not just cognitively relate the

m to fingerings at the keyboard or on an instrument. This isn't as mystical as it may seem. There are various materials you could use to do this. [Curwen sty led solfege is very simple, but I have yet to get that online, and there is prob ably a better system out there today If you want to use Curwen's method, the so lfege lessons are in the teacher's edition, which can be found online "Mrs. Curw en's Piano?forte? Method" aka The Child Pianist.] [shaped note singing can be le arned using a Curwen type of approach, which you can read a little about here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AmbleLore/message/190 and shaped note singing is h ighly valuable for Sacred Harp singers] [there is also the option of Rod & Staf f shape note curriculum: Rod & Staff Publishers, PO Box 3, 14193 Hwy 172, Crock ett, KY 41413, 606-522-4348, 800-643-1244 (fax)] [the hand signs that can be u sed with solfege can be found here: http://www.classicsforkids.com/teachers/tra ining/handsigns.asp ] Reading Music: Rhythm - Mrs. Curwen's Piano Method was the choice of Miss Mason . Mrs. Curwen recommended a system very similar to this: http://www.classicsfo rkids.com/teachers/training/rchart.asp One point which Mrs. Curwen emphasized that rhythm syllables should be as legato as possible (there are great reasons for this, such as employing the diaphragm while saying rhythms - which mimics the muscles proper use in both singing and i nstrumental playing - yes keyboard too). A recent 'authority' on music pedagogy has found that using a 'd' instead of a 't' is even more legato, and per his al legedly scientific studies, the methods he employed, along with the 'd' sound ar e more effective than the ideas found at the link above. If you would like to b enefit from the legato 'd' sound, but not study the whole method of today, you c ould simply use the above link, modifying it by saying the 't' as a 'd'. ================== Instruments to consider: --Penny whistle: Someone onlist at AO mentioned a penny whistle, and another se conded the idea. No one mentioned a tutorial, so a novice might not be sure whe re to start, but the poster's enthusiasm was intriguing. --Recorder: is a good means of practicing reading. The Penny Gardner helps can be found here: http://www.pennygardner.com/ ; hyperlinked here: http://www.pe nnygardner.com/recorders_music-ed.html --Guitar: (great for learning about the structures of harmony in music) if you or your children want to play guitar, then you can learn with less finger strain /pain by playing on only the highest four strings (the ones closest to the finge ring hand) When a guitar is played in this fashion, it is like playing a ukulel e. Optionally, you could simply purchase a decent ukulele. There are online he lps here (scroll down to find them): http://42explore.com/folkmusic.htm If you have trouble using chords from a simple chord chart, and want alternative finge rings for the chords, there are chord encyclopedias available (we picked ours up at a friends of the library book sale) --Harmonica: online helps can be found here: http://42explore.com/folkmusic.ht m (scroll down)... keep in mind that harmonicas come in specific keys, and you m ight need to buy two or three harmonicas if you want to play in your family's vo cal range (some melodies play too high or too long for the voice in some keys) --Violin: there are online courses for this instrument, but I can't begin to re commend them at this point.......... --Piano (various): --Learning to play simple exercises to develop technique (ask a teacher whom you would be willing to allow your children to study with - if you follow their tec hnique, and someday your children move on, there would be continuity.... that do esn't mean that I agree with many people's technique, but at least there would b e continuity! *grin*). Anyway, the first couple of these books are amazingly u ser friendly: http://www.musicmovesforpiano.com/ (I think you would be able to use this book

after doing some studies in rhythm and note/pitch reading - but if you were to s truggle with that, this could still work for you *if* you had a friend who would be willing to show you how to play the several simple exercises - which are inc redibly powerful at helping children learn meters, forms, improv, fun with music , etc., all that, in spite of their simplicity) (the second book would require a friend looking over your shoulder on occasion, but is very useful) --Improv at the Piano: IMHO this next idea should not be pursued without a good foundation in technique, but if one will never be able to afford lessons, then perhaps at least learning to play is good, so IF you can establish good techniqu e first, great, if not, then check out Piano for Quitters whether you have excel lent technique or not...... After you can play these exercises (which are beaut iful music in and of themselves, and which teach you most of what you need to kn ow to use fake books), then let me know that you are ready for ideas that should follow this great foundation in improv. You'll have enough information to unde rstand about a couple of steps that the video (Piano for Quitters is a video and has been available at amazon.com) anyway, you should be able to understand a co uple of steps that you can follow this video with........ I'll be happy to send them to anyone who has already mastered the material in this video presentation . --Learning to repeat a melody that someone hears. You can begin to help a stude nt with this skill by playing on just two black notes. Play a set of pitches (s uch as upper black note, lower black note, upper black note, upper black note), then ask your child to repeat back what you played. When he is good at this, us e a set of three black notes. Then use a set of five black notes. Then use the notes CDEFG (play to sets of eight notes - the first set should end on D, F, or G, and the second set on C; at least for a while). Then use all of the while n otes, but still end on (DFG or B for the first set of eight notes) and (C) for t he second set of 8 notes. After the student is comfortably making progress with these types of exercises, have him pick out simple children's tunes the best he can. If he gets stuck, see if a friend can help you guys get unstuck..... --Reading at the Piano option #1 (this is different than the Curwen method in ma ny, many ways, but if you learn this method, or one of your children does, then I have heard that it is true that it is not difficult to pass the lessons on to others - I mean, young children have taught their siblings how to play the piano after learning via this method): http://www.simplymusic.net/ (there is a page at this site to find out whether or not you can find a local teacher to study w ith briefly - at least long enough for you or one of your children to begin to r ead via this method) ----Reading at the Piano option #2 (this is as close to the Curwen method as I h ave found - but we haven't ordered it yet, it is significantly different than th e Curwen method according to the online teacher guide - well, it is somewhat sim ilar, at least for notereading - it is not a complete system - and it might not be as good as the last option for novice parents to use): http://www.jonschmidt .com/ ------Reading at the Piano option #3: the following link leads to an old post o f mine that discusses how I go about developing the various skills required for reading (It begins with some 'technical sounding' terminology. Just ignore that if you need to - it was written to a music teacher who was struggling to teach her own son because he had spatial mis-processing). As a matter of fact, you co uld simply ignore the paragraph that begins "For starters" and you could also ig nore the information about guided sight reading listed after the ISBN of the boo k about guided sight reading (though you could share the post and the book about guided sight reading with a friend who would be willing - down the road, to spe nd a little time playing with your child - no formal lessons - just playing the guided sight reading way)). The post is good in that it points out that I reall y, really, really believe in guided sight reading - in conjunction with other id eas. (guided sight reading could be used by anyone who has a friend who would b e willing to read piano with their children for a few minutes each week just bef ore church or in exchange for baby sitting or something): http://groups.yahoo.c om/group/AmbleLore/message/69

HTH, Lorraine