Original Pattern Diatonic Scale
A diatonic scale is a scale composed of seven distinct pitch classes. The diatonic scale pattern includes five whole steps and two half steps for each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by either two or three whole steps. This scale pattern is the foundation of European music for hundreds of years.
Many Variations of the Diatonic Scale
"Ah! vous dirai-je", maman is a popular children's song in France, which has had numerous lyrics on different themes since its composition in the 18th century. This song was popularized in Twelve Variations on "Ah vous dirai-je, Maman" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
"Ode to Joy" (German: "An die Freude") 1785
This melody is best known for its use by Ludwig van Beethoven in the final movement of his 9th Symphony.
This melody is best known for its use by Ludwig van Beethoven in the final movement of his 9th Symphony.
"Canon in D" is the name of this song written by German Baroque composer Johann Pachelbel. Neither the date nor the circumstances of its composition are known, and the oldest surviving manuscript copy of the piece dates from the 19th century.
Patterning is the ability to recognize and create repeating themes, ideas or structures within a topic or domain.
Students at my elementary school love “hands on” activities. The past few years I have tried to implement a new instrument called “boomwhackers”. They are inexpensive colored plastic tubes. Each pitch has a different color. With the use of Sibelius, a music software program, I can create different patterns of notes/melodies for the students to play. When I project these images to the Smartboard, kindergarteners can perform classical music while at the same time learn their letters and colors. They can see notated rhythms and hear intervals simultaneously in a collaborative classroom setting. Music vocabulary can be introduced as they experience it. I can increase tempo as they become more proficient.
Sibelius music software allows you to change tempo add or mute the melody line or add a harmony line. I can quickly and easily transpose a melody to a different key. I can print sheet music for a public performance. My students transfer this knowledge to other instruments such as the Xylophone, Piano, Bells, Chimes, glockenspiel etc. Small groups can create and perform their own melodies using the diatonic scale pattern. Older children can practice and learn about chord structures as they hear it.
Once the students have become proficient using the basic one octave diatonic scale we add more notes and advance to other scale patterns and more complex melodies. There are three octave chromatic extensions available for purchase.
Click the hyperlink below and see the piece four elementary students performed last year on glockenspiel and xylophones.
Sibelius was a great tool when a student was absent for practice. I could play their part from the computer and mute the other three parts. I put this video on the school website for students to use outside the classroom.
Carol of the Bells Quartet by Mykola Leontovych in 1904
Click the hyperlink below and see the sheet music I created for my students using Sibelius software.
Carol of the Bells Sheet Music with colors
Students put colored sticky tabs on their xylophone bars to help them identify each bar quickly.
Having close to 800 students at my school makes it difficult for me to practice with them. The screenshots you see above are what I embed on my music website. Students have access to see, hear and practice these melodies outside my classroom walls.
(In the Sibelius software you can manipulate these patterns in many ways. These videos you see above can’t be manipulated. They are screenshots of the Sibelius program.)
Students at my elementary school love “hands on” activities. The past few years I have tried to implement a new instrument called “boomwhackers”. They are inexpensive colored plastic tubes. Each pitch has a different color. With the use of Sibelius, a music software program, I can create different patterns of notes/melodies for the students to play. When I project these images to the Smartboard, kindergarteners can perform classical music while at the same time learn their letters and colors. They can see notated rhythms and hear intervals simultaneously in a collaborative classroom setting. Music vocabulary can be introduced as they experience it. I can increase tempo as they become more proficient.
Sibelius music software allows you to change tempo add or mute the melody line or add a harmony line. I can quickly and easily transpose a melody to a different key. I can print sheet music for a public performance. My students transfer this knowledge to other instruments such as the Xylophone, Piano, Bells, Chimes, glockenspiel etc. Small groups can create and perform their own melodies using the diatonic scale pattern. Older children can practice and learn about chord structures as they hear it.
Once the students have become proficient using the basic one octave diatonic scale we add more notes and advance to other scale patterns and more complex melodies. There are three octave chromatic extensions available for purchase.
Click the hyperlink below and see the piece four elementary students performed last year on glockenspiel and xylophones.
Sibelius was a great tool when a student was absent for practice. I could play their part from the computer and mute the other three parts. I put this video on the school website for students to use outside the classroom.
Carol of the Bells Quartet by Mykola Leontovych in 1904
Click the hyperlink below and see the sheet music I created for my students using Sibelius software.
Carol of the Bells Sheet Music with colors
Students put colored sticky tabs on their xylophone bars to help them identify each bar quickly.
Having close to 800 students at my school makes it difficult for me to practice with them. The screenshots you see above are what I embed on my music website. Students have access to see, hear and practice these melodies outside my classroom walls.
(In the Sibelius software you can manipulate these patterns in many ways. These videos you see above can’t be manipulated. They are screenshots of the Sibelius program.)
Best of all a set of boomwhackers is fun to play!
Boomwhacker music can get very difficult.