S9: E170 Pentatonic Scales with Recorders

Afternoon Ti

Season 9

Episode 170

Pentatonic Scales with Recorders

The pentatonic scale is one of my favorite parts of elemental music teaching. It’s easy for students to engage in improvisation and composition without fear of others hearing mistakes. It’s easy to transpose between C, F, and G pentatonic scales on barred instruments so students can experiment with changing of tonal centers and modulating. It’s easy on the ears when students are creating because the tones all work well together and are pleasing to our hearing. And it’s easy to facilitate in the classroom with singing, barred instruments, and recorders.

I’m going to spend the next few episodes focused on the pentatonic scale with a particular focus on lesson ideas. That means that this episode is all about the soprano recorder! Today we’re spending time with recorders and I’m sharing two songs that I’ve written that use the pentatonic scale and provide opportunities for students to play (and sing) in G pentatonic. In the second piece there’s the opportunity for students to improvise and compose. Links to the Google Slides and materials are provided in the show notes and on the blog so you can use this with your students!

SONG #1: NIGHT

You will be asked to make your own copy of each link when it opens!

Night Google Slides

Night Student Page

SONG #2: SEA SHANTY

You will be asked to make your own copy of each link when it opens!

Sea Shanty Google Slides

Sea Shanty Student Page

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